Best Player at Each Position not in HOF

The Gipper

@the-gipper said:

I ran across this website by Sports Illustrated asking "Who are the Best Players at Each Position that is not in the Hall of Fame"?

OK, first thing is: the players named here are and have been eligible...and have been passed up at least once or more. (So, guys like Brett Favre, LaDanian Tomlinson are not listed here, as though retired, they are not yet HOF eligible.

So, from these choices....or feel free to include someone no listed, who is the Best Player Not in the HOF who may deserve to be in:

My choices:

Quarterbacks: Ken Stabler, Ken Anderson, Dave Kreig, Vinny T. , Bledsoe, Esiason, Bernie...others ??

Both the Snake and Anderson IMO should be seriously considered. Vinny was not as good as Bernie...he just played a lot longer.

Running Backs: Jerome Bettis, Otis Anderson, Tiki Barber, Corey Dillon, Terrell Davis... others?

Bettis will get in eventually. I think Davis could...but he is hurt because Shanahans Broncos produced RBs like a bee produces honey.

Wide Receivers: Tim Brown, Andre Reed, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Herman Moore, Mark Clayton, Mac Speedie.....others??

Tim Brown and Reed should make it. Speedie should have long ago, its just that the HOF didn't want every player from those Browns to get in.

Tight Ends: Ben Coates, Keith Jackson, Todd Christenson, Russ Francis, ...others??

Not sure about any of these. Christensen the best imo.

Offensive Tackles: Joe Jacoby, Jim Lachey, Chris Hinton, Lomas Brown, Mike Kenn, Dick Shafrath....others??

Shafrath was really the best lineman on the Browns (and probably should have made it over Hickerson).

Putting Hinton in would even up the score for the Colts on the John Elway trade...whom he was traded for. Fuck Lomas Brown. He quit while he was here.

Offensive Guards: Jerry Kramer, Bob Keuchenberg, Will Shields, Dick Stanfel...others??

Personally, I think all of these belong in. Kramer and Keuchenberg hold the record for being on the Finalist list the longest time without being selected. Shields is recently eligible and I think gets in.

Centers: Mick Tinglehoff, Jeff Van Note, Kent Hull, Ray Donaldson....others?

Hell, I thought Tinglehoff was in. He and Van Note should be.

Defensive Ends: L.C. Greenwood, Charles Haley, Michael Strahan, Leslie O'Neal, Simeon Rice....others?

Strahan will get in...possibly as early as this year. He has only been up one time. Haley should be.

A guy missing is Jim Marshall.

Defensive Tackles: Steve McMichael, Alex Karras, Rosey Grier, Big Daddy Lipscomb, Bryant Young, others???

Karras, Grier and Big Daddy should be in.

I think the HOF has an unwritten policy not to put 3 members of great D-Lines in. Both Olson and Deacon Jones are in from the Fearsome Foursome. Both Page and Eller in from the Purple People Eaters. But, Too Tall Jones/Randy White/Bob Lilly are in from the Doomsday Defense, why not the other groups? Karras's gambling suspension has hurt him. "Mongo just a pawn in game of life"

Outside LBs: Kevin Greene, Chuck Howley, Pat Swilling, Clay Matthews, Matt Blair...others?

Personal preference is that Clay get in.....but Greene has been given more HOF run.

Inside LBs: Karl Mecklenberg, Randy Gradishar, Leroy Jordan, Tommy Nobis...others?

I think both Gradishar and Nobis are worthy.

Corners: Aeneas Williams, Albert Lewis, Lester Hayes, Ken Riley, Eric Allen, Dixon, Minnifield....others??

For some reason Williams gets the best nod, though I don't remember much about him....which I guess stems from playing with the Cardinals. Of course Mr. Stickum, Lester Hayes gets a lot of publicity....but he really wasn't nearly as good when they took his Stickum away. Of course the homer in me roots for Minn/Dixie

Safeties: Johnny Robinson, Cliff Harris, Donnie Shell, Jake Scott, Richie Pettibone.....others??

Jake Scott, to me had the best cred. He was the heart and soul of Miami's No Name defense.

Kickers: Morten Andersen, Gary Anderson, Nick Lowery...others?

Morten will probably be the second pure kicker to make the HOF

Punters: Ray Guy, Sean Landeta, Reggie Roby...others?

If they ever put a P in, and they have had their chances, it would be Guy.

Richiswhere

I would add Cliff Branch and Jim Marshall.

As John Madden might say " Your teams got to have a coach" and that would be Don Coryell.

The Gipper

Here is the list of players who have been Finalists at least 4 times but who have never been elected to the HOF:

Jerry Kramer 10

Bob Keuchenberg 8

Ray Guy 7

Andre Reed 7

LC Greenwood 6

Johnny Robinson 6

Charlie Conerly 6

Lester Hayes 5

Claude Humphrey 4

Charles Haley 4

And here is the list of players/coaches who are first year eligible in 2014:

First-year eligible

Trent Green, quarterback
Shaun Alexander, running back
Warrick Dunn, running back
Marvin Harrison, wide receiver
Willie Anderson, offensive tackle
Walter Jones, offensive tackle
Derrick Brooks, linebacker
Tedy Bruschi, linebacker
Willie McGinest, linebacker/defensive end
Zach Thomas, linebacker
Rodney Harrison, safety
Sam Madison, cornerback
Patrick Surtain, cornerback
Tony Dungy, coach
Jon Gruden, coach
Mike Holmgren, coach

The Gipper

@richiswhere said:

I would add Cliff Branch and Jim Marshall.

As John Madden might say " Your teams got to have a coach" and that would be Don Coryell.

Parcells was elected this past year, but no other coaches were finalists. Two non player/coaches were finalists:

Eddie DeBartolo Jr.

Art Modell (and I will assume that that will be the last time that his name and the PFHOF will be used together again seriously.)

Note that next year Dungy, Gruden and Holmgren will be eligible. They will give a spot to Dungy because he is the first AF-AM to win a SB (but not the first black coach to win an NFL title...that would be Fritz Pollard player/coach who won the title back in 1920)...and because he is likeable, though otherwise I don't think he is particularly qualified.

(Why not Tom Flores in? He is the first Hispanic to win a WS....and he won it twice).

The Gipper

Here is an expanded list of eligibles this year:

Quarterbacks

Drew Bledsoe
Randall Cunningham
Doug Flutie
Steve McNair
Phil Simms

Running backs

Ottis Anderson
Tiki Barber
*Jerome Bettis
Larry Centers
Roger Craig
Stephen Davis
Terrell Davis
Eddie George
Priest Holmes
Dave Meggett
Eric Metcalf
Herschel Walker Should his time in the USFL be included? I think so.
Ricky Watters

Wide receivers

*Tim Brown
Mark Clayton
Gary Clark
Henry Ellard
Keyshawn Johnson
Keenan McCardell
*Andre Reed
Sterling Sharpe
Jimmy Smith
Rod Smith

Anyone?

The Gipper

More:

Tight end

Mark Bavaro

Offensive linemen

Tony Boselli, tackle
Lomas Brown, tackle
Jim Covert, tackle
Jay Hilgenberg, center
Chris Hinton, guard/tackle
Kent Hull, center
Joe Jacoby, tackle
Mike Kenn, tackle
Jim Lachey, tackle
Tom Nalen, center
Nate Newton, guard
Don Mosebar, center
*Will Shields, guard
Steve Wisniewski, guard

The Gipper

And the rest:

Defensive linemen

Jerome Brown, tackle
*Charles Haley, end/linebacker
Ed "Too Tall" Jones, end I am sorry, I thought he may have already been in.
Dexter Manley, end
Charles Mann, end
Steve McMichael, tackle/nose tackle
Fred Smerlas, nose tackle
*Michael Strahan, end
Ted Washington, tackle/nose tackle
Bryant Young, end

Linebackers

Cornelius Bennett
*Kevin Greene
Ken Harvey
Clay Matthews
Karl Mecklenburg
Sam Mills
Darryl Talley

Defensive backs

Eric Allen, cornerback
Steve Atwater, safety
Joey Browner, safety
LeRoy Butler, safety
Albert Lewis, cornerback
John Lynch, safety
Troy Vincent, safety
Everson Walls, cornerback
*Aeneas Williams, cornerback/safety
Darren Woodson, safety

Kickers, punter, special teams

Morten Andersen, kicker
Gary Anderson, kicker
Sean Landeta, punter
Nick Lowery, kicker
Steve Tasker, special terams
Brian Mitchell, kick returner/punt returner

Coaches

Bill Arnsparger
Don Coryell
Bill Cowher I don't think people are convinced he is done
Tom Flores
Jimmy Johnson
Chuck Knox
Buddy Parker
Richie Petitbon
Dan Reeves
Lou Saban
Marty Schottenheimer
Clark Shaughnessy
Dick Vermeil

Contributors

K. S. (Bud) Adams Jr. Now that he has kicked it see a push to get him in. It may have more success than the Modell campaign.
Bobby Beathard
Gil Brandt
Leo Carlin
Red Cashion When have they ever inducted a referee?
Otho Davis
*Eddie DeBartolo Jr.
Ron Gibbs
Jack Kent Cooke
Jerry Jones
Eddie Kotal
Robert Kraft
Elmer Layden
Art McNally
*Art Modell
Bill Polian
Steve Sabol
Paul Tagliabue
Jim Tunney
Ron Wolf
George Young

*On 2013 finalists list

nickers

He may not be the "Best" but Clay Mathews Sr. gets My vote.

Shep

Otis Taylor isn't in the HOF. End of conversation.

hoorta

Robert Kraft? Robert f**king Kraft? Like what the hell has he done to merit induction? He has a good team? I've said it before- put the contributors somewhere in the Outhouse (as baseball does)- the Hall is for guys who actually played the game.

I'm hoping Bettis will have to wait a good long time now that Myron Cope is dead- and can't get every Squealer in that's 1\2 worthy the Hall. I'm surprised he didn't try to get Rocky Blier and Frenchy Fuqua in. Bubby Brister would have been a stretch though.

Which brings me to Clay Matthews. Clay was at least as good- to my mind- as Jack Ham- who thanks to the merits of Cope the Dope got in a long time ago.

And if you're the best ever at what you do- you deserve in- talking about Ray Guy.

PS Strahan will get in eventually- as will Marvin Harrison. if they made Chris Carter wait- Marvin can cool his heels for a few years too.

ballpeen

@the-gipper said:

Some quality players...

Quarterbacks: Ken Stabler, Ken Anderson, Dave Kreig, Vinny T. , Bledsoe, Esiason, Bernie...others ??

Running Backs: Jerome Bettis, Otis Anderson, Tiki Barber, Corey Dillon, Terrell Davis... others?

Wide Receivers: Tim Brown, Andre Reed, Jimmy Smith, Rod Smith, Herman Moore, Mark Clayton, Mac Speedie.....others??

Tight Ends: Ben Coates, Keith Jackson, Todd Christenson, Russ Francis, ...others??

Offensive Tackles: [/b]Joe Jacoby, Jim Lachey[/b], Chris Hinton, Lomas Brown, Mike Kenn, Dick Shafrath....others??

Offensive Guards: Jerry Kramer, Bob Keuchenberg, Will Shields, Dick Stanfel...others??

Centers: Mick Tinglehoff, Jeff Van Note, Kent Hull, Ray Donaldson....others?

Defensive Ends: L.C. Greenwood, Charles Haley, Michael Strahan, Leslie O'Neal, Simeon Rice....others?

Defensive Tackles: Steve McMichael, Alex Karras, Rosey Grier, Big Daddy Lipscomb, Bryant Young, others???

Outside LBs: Kevin Greene, Chuck Howley, Pat Swilling, Clay Matthews, Matt Blair...others?

Inside LBs: Karl Mecklenberg, Randy Gradishar, Leroy Jordan, Tommy Nobis...others?

Corners: Aeneas Williams, Albert Lewis, Lester Hayes, Ken Riley, Eric Allen, Dixon, Minnifield....others??

Safeties: Johnny Robinson, Cliff Harris, Donnie Shell, Jake Scott, Richie Pettibone.....others??

Kickers: Morten Andersen, Gary Anderson, Nick Lowery...others?

Punters: Ray Guy, Sean Landeta, Reggie Roby...others?

The Gipper

@shep said:
Otis Taylor isn't in the HOF. End of conversation.

Are you saying that he should be? Perhaps.

The Gipper

@hoorta said:

Robert Kraft? Robert f**king Kraft? Like what the hell has he done to merit induction? He has a good team? I've said it before- put the contributors somewhere in the Outhouse (as baseball does)- the Hall is for guys who actually played the game.

I'm hoping Bettis will have to wait a good long time now that Myron Cope is dead- and can't get every Squealer in that's 1\2 worthy the Hall. I'm surprised he didn't try to get Rocky Blier and Frenchy Fuqua in. Bubby Brister would have been a stretch though.

Which brings me to Clay Matthews. Clay was at least as good- to my mind- as Jack Ham- who thanks to the merits of Cope the Dope got in a long time ago.

And if you're the best ever at what you do- you deserve in- talking about Ray Guy.

PS Strahan will get in eventually- as will Marvin Harrison. if they made Chris Carter wait- Marvin can cool his heels for a few years too.

Being on a dynasty team gets you a lot more run. I am sure that also worked in the favor of a few 40s/50s Browns players, and it certainly worked for the 60s Packers.

Not so much for the 80s 49ers....only Montana/Rice/Lott plus Steve Young in.