Hall of Fame Class of 2012

If I had a vote - - and I do not:

No QBs from this list.

Terrell Davis and Curtis Martin are the 2 best RBs

Andre Reed and Sterling Sharpe are the 2 best WRs

No TEs from this list.

Willie Roaf and Will Shields are the 2 best OL

Dave Butz and Charles Haley are the 2 best DL

Clay Matthews and Karl Mecklenburg are the 2 best LBs

Steve Atwater, Kenny Easley and Aeneas Williams are the 3 best DBs

No kickers/punters/special teamers from this list.

Cowher, Parcells, Schottenheimer and Vermeil are the best coaches on the list.

Steve Sabol and Jim Tunney are the best of the contributors on the list.

Over and out...

Sterling Sharpe will not be in the HOF. I think Shannon's speech probably hurt him, but he didn't play long enough compared to so many others that he wouldn't make it anyway. Reed will be in at some point - just who knows when.

Sterling Sharpe will not be in the HOF. I think Shannon's speech probably hurt him, but he didn't play long enough compared to so many others that he wouldn't make it anyway. Reed will be in at some point - just who knows when.

How did his Shannon's speech hurt him?

How did his Shannon's speech hurt him?
From everything I hear, there are MANY players who have campaigns to get into Canton. At this point, the voters are so sick of it, there is a back lash against it.

Not that I know this for fact, but I have been told this from multiple sources.

Then of course, you look at Sterling's record compared to Brown, Carter etc and he just didn't have the longevity at that position to justify a gold jacket.

I'm kinda torn on the longevity argument. What's the average career, 2-3 years? Just because a guy doesn't play 10+ years shouldn't hold him back from consideration. If a guy's career falls short due to injury, but during his time in the league he was one of the top players, I think voters should give guys like that a closer look.

Sterling Sharpe was a hell of a WR, had he played another 3-4 seasons he would probably be a lock. Davis would also be a lock if he had played a few more seasons. I just think it's a shame some of these guys get discounted because their careers were cut short due to career ending injuries.

I'm kinda torn on the longevity argument. What's the average career, 2-3 years? Just because a guy doesn't play 10+ years shouldn't hold him back from consideration. If a guy's career falls short due to injury, but during his time in the league he was one of the top players, I think voters should give guys like that a closer look.

Sterling Sharpe was a hell of a WR, had he played another 3-4 seasons he would probably be a lock. Davis would also be a lock if he had played a few more seasons. I just think it's a shame some of these guys get discounted because their careers were cut short due to career ending injuries.
I agree to a point. We are projecting what they COULD have done had they played a full career. There are lots of guys who are close to being in the Hall of Fame if they had just played for a different team, a different system, had a teammate who could have relieved pressure from them etc, etc.

In the end you have to look at what the career actually was. Remember, there are more HOF quality players than there are slots. I was really disappointed not to see Maxie Baughan as a senior nominee this year. He is another 9 Time Pro Bowl linebacker who should be a lock. You see guys like that, it takes away from the guys that had short careers.

If I had a vote - - and I do not:
No QBs from this list.

Terrell Davis and Curtis Martin are the 2 best RBs

Andre Reed and Sterling Sharpe are the 2 best WRs

No TEs from this list.

Willie Roaf and Will Shields are the 2 best OL

Dave Butz and Charles Haley are the 2 best DL

Clay Matthews and Karl Mecklenburg are the 2 best LBs

Steve Atwater, Kenny Easley and Aeneas Williams are the 3 best DBs

No kickers/punters/special teamers from this list.

Cowher, Parcells, Schottenheimer and Vermeil are the best coaches on the list.

Steve Sabol and Jim Tunney are the best of the contributors on the list.
Over and out...
Very nice work on your list . Would love to see Jacoby get in soon , went up against some HOF's every year LT , R. White and future HOF , Haley . Not to mention Too Tall , Harvey Martin and D Martin . Manley will be an intersesting subject as time goes by .

I agree to a point. We are projecting what they COULD have done had they played a full career. There are lots of guys who are close to being in the Hall of Fame if they had just played for a different team, a different system, had a teammate who could have relieved pressure from them etc, etc.

In the end you have to look at what the career actually was. Remember, there are more HOF quality players than there are slots. I was really disappointed not to see Maxie Baughan as a senior nominee this year. He is another 9 Time Pro Bowl linebacker who should be a lock. You see guys like that, it takes away from the guys that had short careers.

Speaking of short careers I wonder if Sayers would get in today with the more fickle criteria the voters seem to have now.

Speaking of short careers I wonder if Sayers would get in today with the more fickle criteria the voters seem to have now.

I was thinking of Sayers as I wrote that. Not only agreeing with your point, but the pool of players is SO much larger than when Sayers was elected. Every year a current era player has to wait, he only has 3-5 guys drop out of the competition (by being inducted) and has how many guys who are first year eligible?

Same issue for the Senior nominees. Only 2 of them get in a year max and there are so many eligible. Take my example of Maxie Baughan.

Maxie Baughan NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com (http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BaugMa00.htm)

His rookie year he won the NFL Championship with the Eagles (1960) so that checks off the championship list. He made the pro bowl all but 1 year in the 1960's which makes him 9 time pro bowl. He essentially did it playing for 2 teams. He only missed the pro bowl twice. The first time was his third year in the league. The other time was his final year in the league (1970).

Yes, he did sort of play in 1974. He was actually coaching college ball and George Allen convinced him to come to DC and be a player coach and back up Chris Hanburger. I am taking this year out of the equation.

In 11 years he made NINE Pro Bowls. His last year was 74. How is there not much talk about him?

I'm kinda torn on the longevity argument. What's the average career, 2-3 years? Just because a guy doesn't play 10+ years shouldn't hold him back from consideration..

I think it's more the whole body of work(i.e. career) being compare to others, if others are playing 7-10 years ....then you can't go on a mans work of just 2-3.Brett Farve first year was with the Falcons(on the bench) and after that Jerry Glandville trade him.Is it the player ...or the team around him?

I think it's more the whole body of work(i.e. career) being compare to others, if others are playing 7-10 years ....then you can't go on a mans work of just 2-3.Brett Farve first year was with the Falcons(on the bench) and after that Jerry Glandville trade him.Is it the player ...or the team around him?

Sharpe played 7 years, shouldn't that be enough?