Pro Football Hall of Fame Vote

We've reached Super Bowl weekend, which means it's also time to find out who'll get the call from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  I've always been critical of the Pro Football Hall of Fame voting process and the limit of five "modern era" players per year, and this year is no exception.  Of the 15 finalists, there's probably 12 or 13 that I'd want to give my vote to if I had one.  And I'm generally opposed to the idea of the senior nominees automatically making the final cut, but seeing as Ray Guy is one of those senior nominees and is finally thisclose to his long-overdue induction, I'm more than OK with it this year.

Seeing as this is the process we're stuck with, though, that's the procedure I'll follow with my hypothetical vote.

First they cut the list from 15 to 10.  The five I'd drop off here are Morten Andersen, Eddie DeBartolo, Kevin Greene, Marvin Harrison and Aeneas Williams.  Then, the real cut.  After making it from the 10 to the five, election becomes a mere formality.  So, this elimination is really what determines who makes it into the Hall of Fame this year and whose agonizing wait continues.  I'll reveal the five that I'm cutting, then say why the other five are my Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Class of 2014.

My last five cuts are Derrick Brooks, Tim Brown, Tony Dungy, John Lynch and Andre Reed.  That means the five I'm putting in Canton are Jerome Bettis, Charles Haley, Walter Jones, Will Shields and Michael Strahan.

Jerome Bettis, Running Back (1993-95 Rams; 1996-2005 Steelers): Bettis has been waiting long enough.  A lot of people thought he'd be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but here he is still four years later.  Bettis is fifth all-time in rushing and had eight 1,000-yard seasons.  He's an all-time great for one of the NFL's most iconic franchises, and won the Super Bowl in his final game.  For some reason, they like to make the offensive skill position guys wait, and they usually elect only one or two a year.  Now that Cris Carter is finally in, Jerome Bettis moves to the front of the line.

Charles Haley, Defensive End/Linebacker (1986-91, 1999 49ers; 1992-96 Cowboys): Talk about guys who've been waiting long enough, why isn't Charles Haley in the Hall of Fame yet?  I think the reason he isn't is that even today, Charles Haley is still vastly underrated.  One of the best defensive players in the NFL on two dynasties during his prime, yet vastly underrated.  But the guy was a starter on five Super Bowl winners!  And even with all that aside, he was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and was named All-Pro at two different positions.  Put Charles Haley in the Hall of Fame!  It's been long enough.

Walter Jones, Tackle (1997-2008 Seahawks): Following the at least one offensive lineman per year rule that evidently exists, I think Walter Jones gets in.  The Seahawks playing in the Super Bowl certainly helps, because they seem to like putting in the finalist who spent his whole career playing for one of the two Super Bowl teams.  I guess they want one guy who they know will get a guaranteed cheer.  Either way, Jones is deserving regardless.  A many-time All-Pro, he was on the All-Decade Team of the 2000s and was integral in the Seahawks' run to their only other Super Bowl appearance in 2005.

Will Shields, Guard (1993-2006 Chiefs): Last year, there were three first-ballot offensive lineman who easily could've been elected.  They went with two--Larry Allen and Jonathan Ogden.  That means it's Will Shields' turn this year.  You want a workhorse?  He never missed a start in his career, and he was the premier right guard in the game for a majority of that time.  Three-times First Team All-Pro, 12 Pro Bowls, the 2000s All-Decade Team.  I think Will Shields is one of the safest bets for election this year.

Michael Strahan, Defensive End (1993-2007 Giants): Shields isn't the safest bet, though.  Because Michael Strahan is a virtual lock.  He just missed the final cut last year in his first year on the ballot, but this year he's the head of the class.  And just imagine that cheer he's going to get from that Giants Stadium crowd when he's announced as a Hall of Famer at the Super Bowl!  Like Bettis, he ended his career by winning the Super Bowl, putting an exclamation point on his outstanding career.  One that earned him a place in Canton.  Then he can tell Kelly all about it on Monday.

Now moving on to the two senior candidates (although, I think you know where I stand on one of them)...

Ray Guy, Punter (1973-86 Raiders): I'm not going to count my chickens before they're hatched, but when and if they announce Guy's name on Saturday night, I'll be saying "FINALLY!" with a huge smile on my face.  Punter is a position.  It's a travesty that there isn't one in the Hall of Fame.  It's even more of a travesty that it's taken this long for Ray Guy to finally reach this point.  He's belonged in the Hall of Fame for years.  This is the selection committee's chance to right an egregious wrong.  if they don't, it'll be an even bigger travesty (and I fear it'll never happen).  Put Ray Guy in the Hall of Fame.  He's waited long enough!  Even more, it's about time we finally have every position in the sport represented in Canton.  And the best punter ever deserves to be the first punter to get a bust.  It's.  About.  Time.

Claude Humphrey, Defensive End (1968-78 Falcons; 1979-81 Eagles): I usually don't know that much about the senior nominees, and that definitely applies in the case of Claude Humphrey.  But they usually elect both senior candidates, and I think (hope) this year won't be any different.  Humphrey played on some bad teams, but he was Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1968 and was named First Team All-Pro five straight times.  He also played in Super Bowl XV with the 1980 Eagles.

So there you have it.  My 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class consists of Jerome Bettis, Ray Guy, Charles Haley, Claude Humphrey, Walter Jones, Will Shields and Michael Strahan.  But this being the typically unpredictable Pro Football Hall of Fame vote, I'll throw in my usual disclaimer that I really have absolutely no idea what's going to happen.  And, like I said off the top, I could make a case for almost all of these guys.  So, whoever gets in, he's going to be deserving.  That's the only good thing about the voting process.  We're guaranteed a great class.