Hall of Fame: 2011 preliminary nominee list (1 Viewer)

[Sidewinder16]

Link

First-year eligible candidates include Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jimmy Smith, Willie Roaf, and **** Vermeil.

 

[Deranged Hermit]

Link

First-year eligible candidates include Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jimmy Smith, Willie Roaf, and **** Vermeil.

Sanders and Faulk are locks.

 

[Sinrman]

Link

First-year eligible candidates include Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jimmy Smith, Willie Roaf, and **** Vermeil.

Sanders and Faulk are locks.

I would say Martin is a near-lock, too. The Bus might not get in first try, but will at some point. Others....... eh, maybe. Don't see Smith making it. Vermeil, maybe. Roaf, maybe. Just not first year.

 

[Tau837]

Class of 2011 preliminary nominees named

Cornerback Deion Sanders, running backs Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, and Curtis Martin, wide receiver Jimmy Smith, tackle Willie Roaf, and coach **** Vermeil are first-year eligible candidates for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2011.

From this year’s preliminary list of 113 modern-era nominees, Hall of Fame selectors will choose 25 candidates who will advance as semifinalist nominees. The list of 25 modern-era semifinalists will be announced in mid-November.

The semifinalists list will be reduced by a mail ballot to 15 modern-era finalists that will be announced in early January.

The final list of nominees that will be considered for election will consist of the 15 modern-era finalists and the two previously announced senior nominees, former Washington Redskins linebacker Chris Hanburger and former Los Angeles Rams linebacker Les Richter. Hanburger and Richter were selected this past August by the Hall of Fame’s Senior Selection Committee.

In 2008 the Hall of Fame modified its by-laws for the Selection Committee making it mandatory for coaches to be retired five consecutive seasons. Prior to that change coaches were eligible immediately upon retirement. As such, Vermeil was nominated in 2001 and again in 2007. This is his first year of eligibility since the change in the by-laws.

The Class of 2011 will be selected from the list of 17 finalists (15 modern-era and two senior nominees). The actual voting will be conducted at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee’s annual meeting, which will be held on Saturday, February 5, 2011 the day before Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in North Texas. The election results will be announced that evening during a nationally televised broadcast live from the Super Bowl media headquarters.

While there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the selection process by-laws provide that between four and seven new members will be selected.

The preliminary list includes 84 players, 9 coaches and 20 contributors, including former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and longtime team owners Bud Adams, Jr., and Art Modell.

To be considered for Pro Football Hall of Fame election, a nominated player or coach must have been retired at least five years. A contributor, who is an individual who has made outstanding career contributions to pro football in capacities other than playing or coaching, may still be active in his pro football career.

Once again the Hall of Fame is calling on fans and asking them to vote for who they believe should be included in the Class of 2011 at www.fanschoice.com. For the second consecutive year, the Hall of Fame is teaming up with Van Heusen and J.C. Penney to provide fans with a dedicated platform forum to debate, discuss, and cast their ballot. To kick off the campaign, a team of Hall of Famers including campaign spokesman Steve Young, and Harry Carson, Warren Moon, Roger Staubach and Jerry Rice will be in New York City today casting the first “vote” and discussing their picks for the Class of 2011.

The Fan’s Choice campaign gives fans unprecedented access to Hall of Famers, educates fans about the Hall of Fame selection process and brings them aggregated Hall of Fame news from across the country. Last year, nearly 1.5 million votes were cast for the inaugural Fan’s Choice for the Class of 2010.

113 nominees, not including Hanburger and Richter:QB:

Ken Anderson

Jim Plunkett

Phil Simms

Doug Williams

RB:

Ottis Anderson

Jerome Bettis

Larry Centers

Roger Craig

Terrell Davis

Marshall Faulk

Eddie George

Curtis Martin

Brian Mitchell (also KR/PR)

Gerald Riggs

Herschel Walker

Ricky Watters

WR:

Tim Brown (also KR)

Cris Carter

Gary Clark

Henry Ellard (also PR)

Herman Moore

Stanley Morgan

Mike Quick

Andre Reed

Jimmy Smith

J.T Smith (also PR)

TE:

Mark Bavaro

Todd Christensen

Ben Coates

Russ Francis

Brent Jones

Shannon Sharpe

Frank Wycheck

OL:

Bruce Armstrong, T

Tony Boselli, T

Lomas Brown, T

Jim Covert, T

Dermontti Dawson, C

Jay Hilgenberg, C

Chris Hinton, G/T

Kent Hull, C

Joe Jacoby, T

Mike Kenn, T

Jim Lachey, T

Willie Roaf, T

Steve Wisniewski, G

DL:

Al "Bubba" Baker, DE

Dave Butz, DE/DT

Ray Childress, DT/DE

Richard Dent, DE

Chris Doleman, DE/LB

Charles Haley, DE/LB

Ed “Too Tall” Jones, DE

Cortez Kennedy, DT

Joe Klecko, DE/DT/NT

Dexter Manley, DE

Charles Mann, DE

Fred Smerlas, NT

LB:

Cornelius Bennett

Kevin Greene (also DE)

Ken Harvey

Clay Matthews

Karl Mecklenburg

Sam Mills

Darryl Talley

DB:

Eric Allen, CB

Steve Atwater, S

Bill Bates, S (also ST)

Joey Browner, S

LeRoy Butler, S

Kenny Easley, S

Lester Hayes, CB

Albert Lewis, CB

Frank Minnifield, CB

Deion Sanders, CB (also KR/PR)

Donnie Shell, S

Aeneas Williams, CB/S

Darren Woodson, S

Louis Wright, CB

Specialists (in addition to those flagged above):

Gary Anderson, K

Ray Guy, P

Nick Lowery, K

Reggie Roby, P

Steve Tasker, ST/WR

Coaches:

Bud Carson

Don Coryell

Tom Flores

Jimmy Johnson

Chuck Knox

Buddy Parker

Dan Reeves

Clark Shaughnessy

**** Vermeil

Contributors:

K.S. "Bud" Adams, Jr., Owner

Bobby Beathard, Administrator

Leo Carlin, Administrator

Jack Kent Cooke, Owner

Otho Davis, Athletic Trainer

Ed DeBartolo, Jr., Owner

Ron Gibbs, Official

Ole Haugsrud, Owner

Frank "Bucko" Kilroy, Administrator

Art McNally, Official Art Modell, Owner

Bill Nunn, Administrator

Joe Robbie, Owner

Art Rooney, Jr. Administrator

Caroll Rosenbloom, Owner

Ed Sabol, NFL Films

Steve Sabol, NFL Films

Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner

Ron Wolf, Administrator

George Young, Administrator

So, who will be the 25 modern-era semifinalists? the 15 modern-era finalists? the inductees?

I think Deion and Marshall Faulk are locks to be inducted. Haven't had time to project the rest.

 

[zed2283]

Link

First-year eligible candidates include Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jimmy Smith, Willie Roaf, and **** Vermeil.

Sanders and Faulk are locks.

I would say Martin is a near-lock, too. The Bus might not get in first try, but will at some point. Others....... eh, maybe. Don't see Smith making it. Vermeil, maybe. Roaf, maybe. Just not first year.

The Bus goes in before C-Mart (not necessarily my opinion, just the way I see it going).

 

[Angus82]

Link

First-year eligible candidates include Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jimmy Smith, Willie Roaf, and **** Vermeil.

Sanders and Faulk are locks.

Marshall FaulkAndre Reed

Kent Hull, C

Fred Smerlas, NT

Cornelius Bennett

Darryl Talley

Steve Tasker, ST/WR

They will try, but they can't deny, Buffalo all day long. No, really I wish.

 

[Addai's Adidas]

You can't have Faulk w/o Vermeil. Tears at the the Hall, I can see it now. **** is so sensitive.

 

[ROBOPUNTER]

Reading that WR list makes me shake my head as to how they let in travishamockeries like Stallworth and Swann.

 

[Jason Wood]

I suspect Cris Carter and Shannon Sharpe will join Deion and Marshall this year.

 

[Insein]

Link

First-year eligible candidates include Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jimmy Smith, Willie Roaf, and **** Vermeil.

All will get there. Only Sanders and Faulk will be first ballot. Jimmy Smith may be a long time.

 

[EBF]

Finley?

 

[Tau837]

Link

First-year eligible candidates include Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jimmy Smith, Willie Roaf, and **** Vermeil.

All will get there. Only Sanders and Faulk will be first ballot. Jimmy Smith may be a long time.

I don't see Jimmy Smith ever getting in. I agree the others will all make it eventually, though I don't think Bettis deserves it. (I used to think so, but was convinced otherwise in some of the debates in this forum.)

 

[zed2283]

Link

First-year eligible candidates include Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jimmy Smith, Willie Roaf, and **** Vermeil.

All will get there. Only Sanders and Faulk will be first ballot. Jimmy Smith may be a long time.

I don't see Jimmy Smith ever getting in. I agree the others will all make it eventually, though I don't think Bettis deserves it. (I used to think so, but was convinced otherwise in some of the debates in this forum.)

Jimmy Smith will NEVER get in.

 

[CrossEyed]

Finley?

They will change the rules after the season he is about to have.

 

[SSOG]

I think Deion and Marshall Faulk are locks to be inducted. Haven't had time to project the rest.

I think Roaf should be a lock, too... but I don't know that he will be. For some reason, there was this perception that the HoF-caliber tackles over the last decade and a half were just Ogden, Jones, and Pace, but I'd take Roaf over Ogden.If I were picking the 5 HoFers: Sanders, Faulk, Roaf, Sharpe, Ken Anderson.

 

[SSOG]

Link

First-year eligible candidates include Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jimmy Smith, Willie Roaf, and **** Vermeil.

Sanders and Faulk are locks.

I would say Martin is a near-lock, too. The Bus might not get in first try, but will at some point. Others....... eh, maybe. Don't see Smith making it. Vermeil, maybe. Roaf, maybe. Just not first year.

The Bus goes in before C-Mart (not necessarily my opinion, just the way I see it going).

If Jerome Bettis makes the hall of fame, especially over guys like Carter, Sharpe, Ken Anderson, etc, I'm going to go off on the voters. Maybe start a letter-writing campaign to inform them all how badly they need to vacate their position and give their vote to someone who actually knows something about football. Why not elect Eddie George while we're at it?

 

[Jason Wood]

Link

First-year eligible candidates include Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jimmy Smith, Willie Roaf, and **** Vermeil.

Sanders and Faulk are locks.

I would say Martin is a near-lock, too. The Bus might not get in first try, but will at some point. Others....... eh, maybe. Don't see Smith making it. Vermeil, maybe. Roaf, maybe. Just not first year.

The Bus goes in before C-Mart (not necessarily my opinion, just the way I see it going).

If Jerome Bettis makes the hall of fame, especially over guys like Carter, Sharpe, Ken Anderson, etc, I'm going to go off on the voters. Maybe start a letter-writing campaign to inform them all how badly they need to vacate their position and give their vote to someone who actually knows something about football. Why not elect Eddie George while we're at it?

 

[Insein]

Bus is definitely not first ballot but I think about 5 or 6 years from now, when we are in a "down" year for the HOF, he'll get in. Jimmy Smith is probably a long shot. But he might be a hard luck case one day. An Art Monk kind of guy. Ultimately you guys are probably right, he won't get in.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Jimmy Smith will never make it, nor should he.

Faulk and Sanders are first balloters, without question, like other have said already. Roaf is definitely pretty close. Hard to say about Vermeil; I'll have to see what other coaches have made it, and how quickly they got in. Doesn't seem like he should get in his first year.

Martin should make it eventually; Bettis should not.

Voters need to get a grip and finally vote in Sharpe and Carter.

Edit: Dawson needs to get voted in this year, too.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

I suspect Cris Carter and Shannon Sharpe will join Deion and Marshall this year.

Agree 100%, cannot understand how they are not in. Deion, Marshall, Carter, Sharpe, then probably one of those folks the committee has to go back and put in which leaves maybe 1 more slot.

 

[Bills Fan]

Link

First-year eligible candidates include Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Curtis Martin, Jimmy Smith, Willie Roaf, and **** Vermeil.

Sanders and Faulk are locks.

Marshall FaulkAndre Reed

Kent Hull, C

Fred Smerlas, NT

Cornelius Bennett

Darryl Talley

Steve Tasker, ST/WR

They will try, but they can't deny, Buffalo all day long. No, really I wish.

 

[SSOG]

Bus is definitely not first ballot but I think about 5 or 6 years from now, when we are in a "down" year for the HOF, he'll get in. Jimmy Smith is probably a long shot. But he might be a hard luck case one day. An Art Monk kind of guy. Ultimately you guys are probably right, he won't get in.

I could easily name a dozen RBs that deserve induction more than Jerome Bettis. And most of those RBs don't deserve induction in the slightest.

 

[Doug B]

Roaf was an 11-time Pro Bowler and a member of the NFL's All-1990s AND All-2000s Team. Past OL with similar honors have waltzed in on the first ballot.

 

[yetiknight]

Sanders, Faulk, Carter, Sharpe, Roaf, Dent, K. Anderson

 

[Drunken Cowboy]

Dermontti Dawson needs to be in the HOF. The best center I have ever seen.

 

[Tau837]

Sanders, Faulk, Carter, Sharpe, Roaf, Dent, K. Anderson

That's too many. Only a max of 5 can get in besides the senior nominees.

 

[Babu Bhatt2]

Sanders, Faulk, Bettis, Reed, Roaf

 

[solorca]

I keep hoping for Sam Mills to make it, but I don't think this is the year.

 

[Mike Herman]

Specialists (in addition to those flagged above):

Gary Anderson, K

Ray Guy, P

Nick Lowery, K

Reggie Roby, P

Steve Tasker, ST/WR

With the exception of Roby, all of these (especially and not surprisingly Ray Guy) were mentioned by fellow specialists last month:

Is the Hall of Fame Special Enough?

 

[Godsbrother]

Specialists (in addition to those flagged above):

Gary Anderson, K

Ray Guy, P

Nick Lowery, K

Reggie Roby, P

Steve Tasker, ST/WR

With the exception of Roby, all of these (especially and not surprisingly Ray Guy) were mentioned by fellow specialists last month:

Is the Hall of Fame Special Enough?

Anderson and Guy. But for the most part special teams players do not belong in the HoF in my opinion.

 

[ConstruxBoy]

This year's class: Sanders, Faulk, Tasker, Tasker, Tasker.

 

[Utter Chaos]

I'm surprised football doesn't do what baseball does and make a player elligible if he dies before the 5 years are up i.e. Lou Gehrig, Roberto clemente, Thurman Munson (I know he didn't make the HOF but he was on the 1981 ballot).

I guess Steve McNair needs to wait two more years.

 

[ROBOPUNTER]

I keep hoping for Sam Mills to make it, but I don't think this is the year.

He was an All Pro once in this career. I don't think there will be a year for him.

 

[Tau837]

Specialists (in addition to those flagged above):

Gary Anderson, K

Ray Guy, P

Nick Lowery, K

Reggie Roby, P

Steve Tasker, ST/WR

With the exception of Roby, all of these (especially and not surprisingly Ray Guy) were mentioned by fellow specialists last month:

Is the Hall of Fame Special Enough?

Anderson and Guy. But for the most part special teams players do not belong in the HoF in my opinion.

Many problems here.1. IMO the problem with taking Anderson or Lowery is that we already know that Morten Andersen and Jason Elam are more deserving.

2. I don't think Ray Guy is actually the best punter of all time. It has been discussed numerous times in these forums and others have made strong cases that he isn't. His case actually seems to be based on mythology more than anything.

3. The biggest problem is that to take any of these guys would require not taking a player like Cris Carter, Shannon Sharpe, Dermontti Dawson, Richard Dent, etc. Each of those players and numerous other offensive/defensive candidates made many more impact plays than any of these specialists. With only 5 inductees available each year, and more than 5 worthy offensive players, defensive players, and non-player coaches and contributors available, it's really hard to see a kicker or punter or special teams player ever justifiably getting in unless they were HOF worthy on offense or defense as well. IMO they are going to need a different route to get in, or they will have to get in via the senior committee.

 

[Tau837]

I'm surprised football doesn't do what baseball does and make a player elligible if he dies before the 5 years are up i.e. Lou Gehrig, Roberto clemente, Thurman Munson (I know he didn't make the HOF but he was on the 1981 ballot).I guess Steve McNair needs to wait two more years.

Are you suggesting McNair is HOF worthy, or just suggesting he might be on a list of 113 nominees once eligible?

 

[Utter Chaos]

I'm surprised football doesn't do what baseball does and make a player elligible if he dies before the 5 years are up i.e. Lou Gehrig, Roberto clemente, Thurman Munson (I know he didn't make the HOF but he was on the 1981 ballot).I guess Steve McNair needs to wait two more years.

Are you suggesting McNair is HOF worthy, or just suggesting he might be on a list of 113 nominees once eligible?

I definitely think he's worthy of making the ballot (If Jim Plunkett and Doug Williams made the ballot then McNair defintiely should). He probably falls just short of being HOF worthy. Not winning the 1999 Super Bowl may cost him. He was a "poor man's" version of Donovan McNabb.

 

[Godsbrother]

Of the new nominees Marshall Faulk is the most deserving IMO.

Dermontti Dawson hopefully will get his turn this season. I've never seen a better center.

 

[saintsfan]

Roaf was an 11-time Pro Bowler and a member of the NFL's All-1990s AND All-2000s Team. Past OL with similar honors have waltzed in on the first ballot.

You can make an argument that Roaf was the most dominant LT of his era. The only reason why he might not be a first ballot lock is because of the position he played and he played in a small market. There was nobody better.

 

[Csonka4life]

Dermontti Dawson needs to be in the HOF. The best center I have ever seen.

I guess you have never seen Mike Webster.....

 

[Csonka4life]

I'm surprised football doesn't do what baseball does and make a player elligible if he dies before the 5 years are up i.e. Lou Gehrig, Roberto clemente, Thurman Munson (I know he didn't make the HOF but he was on the 1981 ballot).I guess Steve McNair needs to wait two more years.

Are you suggesting McNair is HOF worthy, or just suggesting he might be on a list of 113 nominees once eligible?

I definitely think he's worthy of making the ballot (If Jim Plunkett and Doug Williams made the ballot then McNair defintiely should). He probably falls just short of being HOF worthy. Not winning the 1999 Super Bowl may cost him. He was a "poor man's" version of Donovan McNabb.

This was a down year for qb, this might make it easier for some borderline guys to get in this year. Also Bill Bates has no business on this list. If you want to salute longevity then you could have Metzelaars and other guys that played close to 20 years too.

 

[Native]

After all those years of just missing enshrinement, Dolphins OG Bob Kuchenberg is no longer on the ballot.

Now theres an even longer list of guys he needs to get behind to make it as a Senior selection :(

 

[Csonka4life]

Yes I noticed Randy G. is no longer on the list. Same with guys like Van Eeghan and Foreman.

 

[Sam Quentin]

Roaf, Boselli and K Hull s/b in

Boselli was flat-out dominant...The only guy I've seen that managed to handle and dominate Bruce Smith, when Smith was owning everybody else in the league.