Hall Of Fame 2013

The Gipper

Dovtailing off of another thread, here are some of the eligibles for the 2013 Hall of Fame Class (I know, its early). Who do you think gets in. Recall, you can choose no more than 7, and realistically it is only 5 or 6 because of the Senior Committee nominees. The top group are holdouts finalist from last year, the second group are first time eligibles:

Group 1, holdovers:

Bill Parcells

Cris Carter

Tim Brown

Charles Haley

Andre Reed

Chris Doleman

Kevin Greene

Aeneas Williams

Eddie DeBartolo

Jerome Bettis

Group 2: first time eligibles:

Larry Allen

Jonathan Ogden

Michael Strahan

Warren Sapp

John Lynch

Steve McNair

Morten Andersen

Priest Holmes

Bryant Young

Senior committee possible:

Jerry Kramer

which 5-7 do you like?

The Gipper

My view:

I think Parcells gets in this time. I think he may not have gotten in last year because of rumors he may have come back and coached. I think now they will believe his coaching days are over and he will make it. Deservedly.

I think Cris Carter finally gets in. Of all the skill players I think he is the standout. I just don't know about Tim Brown and Reed given the competition.

I think both Jonathan Ogden and Larry Allen should make it. They were both head and shoulders above their peers at their positions.

I honestly don't think that Michael Strahan was that much better, if at all than the other D-line eligibles, like Haley, Doleman, Greene, and Haley. But he has two or three things going for him: He played in NYC, and the media will always asskiss NYC players. He is now in broadcasting and they like guys who have gone into broadcasting over guys who haven't. And he does have the sack record. So I guess Strahan will make it.

There is one what I would call controversial candidate: Steve McNair? On the one hand, there is sentimentality toward him due to his premature death that works for him. On the other hand, the facts of his death....murdered at the hands of an ilicit lover work againgst him. Not the right character move. (but I would wager that 90% of all HOFers had extramarital affairs). There will be sentiment to induct another black QB in addition to Warren Moon. But there may in fact be several good black QBs on the up and come that are/will be viewed as better than McNair. Then there are his pure football credenials. Borderline. He did make one SB in which his team came close, but that was it for winning, though his teams won a number of Division titles. His passing yards/TDs etc. were good, but not great. He was a great scrambler, which will help, but not get him over the hump.

Jerry Kramer should be in simply because I think he should be in.

If I had to pick one more it would probably be Jerome Bettis.

Of course, I have been piss poor at knowing what the HOF committee will do, so I will probably be all wrong.

Zombo