We all know Brett Favre is getting voted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday. Who'll join him is anybody's guess. The Pro Football Hall of Fame voters did some housekeeping last year, finally voting guys like Charles Haley, Will Shields, Tim Brown and Jerome Bettis into Canton. I have a feeling that trend might continue.
First, a take on Terrell Owens. Mike Martz doesn't think he should be a finalist. At least not over Torry Holy and Isaac Bruce. Well, Mike Martz is wrong. We only remember the end of T.O.'s career after he went crazy. But when he was still participating in reality, he was damn good. He'll get a bust in Canton sooner rather than later. With that being said, however, I don't think he gets in this year. Not when Marvin Harrison's been sitting there waiting.
Speaking of Marvin Harrison, this could be a year of nostalgia for those Super Bowl XLI-winning 2006 Colts. Peyton's in the Super Bowl again and Tony Dungy is a fellow finalist. (And don't get me started on the owner of those Colts, Jim Irsay. He fired Peyton Manning four years ago, but is now saying Peyton "should" retire as a Colt. If I'm Peyton, I say "screw you," take a knee on Sunday, get handed a trophy, then ride off into the sunset on a white bronco.)
I'm also not fond of Ken Stabler being one of the two senior candidates (which is almost guaranteed election). He had a good career, but I don't think it was a Hall of Fame one. It's long been a debate, and I think it was brought to the forefront after Stabler's unfortunate death over the summer. Stabler, of course, is on that long list of football players who suffered from CTE.
Anyway, because Favre and Stabler are getting in, that doesn't bode well for Kurt Warner. They aren't putting in three quarterbacks. Likewise, it'll be TO or Harrison, not both. I think they'll probably elect one of the offensive linemen, but the other two will have to wait. And even though the list of finalists are heavily on one side of the ball, at least one defensive player (of which there are only three) will get the call.
Here are my five...
Brett Favre, Quarterback (1991 Falcons, 1992-2007 Packers, 2008 Jets, 2009-10 Vikings): Duh. Do I really need to explain why Brett Favre is a Hall of Famer? The committee will spend hours in the room talking about the other candidates, but it'll take them about 11 seconds to talk about/vote on Brett Favre.
Marvin Harrison, Wide Receiver (1996-2008 Colts): They're starting to clear up the wide receiver backlog, and Harrison is next in line. I think he should be in already. He's second all-time in receptions (to Jerry Rice), fourth all-time in receiving yards and ninth in touchdowns. Manning to Harrison is one of the greatest QB-wide receiver pairings in NFL history. It'd be only fitting to see Harrison elected to the Hall of Fame the night before Manning's (presumptive) final game.
Kevin Greene, Linebacker/Defensive End (1985-92 Rams, 1993-95 Steelers, 1996 Panthers, 1997 49ers, 1998-99 Panthers): Now that Charles Haley has gotten his long-overdue bust, the dominant defensive player of the late 80s/early 90s at the head of the "How isn't he in the Hall of Fame?" argument is Kevin Greene. With the Rams returning to Los Angeles, I don't think this LA Rams great has to wait any longer. He's the best defensive player on the list. A member of the 1990s All-Decade Team, he was a three-time All-Pro (with three different teams!), had at least one sack for 14 straight seasons, and was third all-time with 160 sacks at the time of his retirement.
John Lynch, Safety (1993-2003 Buccaneers, 2004-07 Broncos): Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks are already enshrined in Canton. And Ronde Barber (and maybe Simeon Rice) will join them eventually. So will John Lynch. Hopefully this year. Safety, as a whole, is a very underrated position, and Lynch was one of the very best at it during his career. His numbers (26 interceptions, 13 sacks, over 1,000 tackles) don't necessarily scream "Hall of Fame." But anyone who saw John Lynch play knows he belongs in Canton.
Joe Jacoby, Tackle (1981-93 Redskins): Deciding between Jacoby and Orlando Pace was a very difficult task. Pace played more recently, was a No. 1 overall pick, and, on paper, has a more Hall of Fame-worthy resume. But I'd love to see Jacoby get his due for his role on the Redskins' dynasty teams. The "Hogs" are one of the most famous offensive lines in history, yet Russ Grimm is the only Hall of Famer in that group. Joe Jacoby should be, too. Although, since he's getting close to that point, I think, like Ray Guy, he'll end up having to wait until he becomes a senior candidate in a few years.
Now for the three senior/contributor finalists, who, once they get to this point, it's virtually rubber-stamping their names...
Ken Stabler, Quarterback (1970-79 Raiders, 1980-81 Oilers, 1982-84 Saints): Sorry, maybe it's because I never saw him play, but I don't think the Hall of Fame has been missing out without "The Snake." Regardless, those who've advocated his candidacy for years will get their wish. Stabler had a career winning percentage of .661 and led the Raiders to five straight AFC West titles, as well as a win in Super Bowl XI for the franchise's first title. My only remaining question regarding Stabler and the Hall of Fame is if Junior Seau's daughter will be "interviewed" after they show his induction video.
Dick Stanfel, Guard (1952-55 Lions, 1956-58 Redskins): Stanfel also passed away over the summer, and his short career is probably why he isn't in Canton already. This will sound crazy, but he anchored the Lions' dynasty in the early 50s. Detroit went to three straight NFL Championship Games in his first three seasons and won back-to-back titles in 1952-53. He was a First Team All-Pro in five of his seven seasons and was on the 1950s All-Decade Team.
Eddie DeBartolo, Owner (1977-2000 49ers): The contributor category is still brand new, so there's no way Eddie DeBartolo doesn't get elected. And he should. He was a finalist so many times before they created the contributor category that he's one of the reasons it was created. He bought the 49ers in 1977, hired Bill Walsh in 1979, and won the first of five Super Bowls two years later. The 49ers averaged 13 wins a year, won 13 division titles, went to the playoffs 16 times and played in 10 NFC Championship Games during DeBartolo's ownership. Basically, he was the Robert Kraft of the 80s and 90s.
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