Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018: Finalists (1 Viewer)

[Capella]

A lot of people seem to think this is the year for Lynch. Somebody said they informally believe he came in 7th last year so he should be on-deck. 

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Sorry but you are losing credibility by arguing for Marshall and including names like Largent, Fouts, Dickerson, Sayers, and Campbell in your argument. There is nothing gained for your argument in bringing those other guys into the discussion and suggesting that 'comparatively' and 'subjectively' Marshall has more honors than them.  

Comparatively, and unequivocally, Marshall has been in more Championships and has more pro-bowls than some other guys in the Hall.

If you think I meant that Marshall's total career achievements supersedes those of Largent, Fouts, Dickerson, Sayers, and Campbell, then you are missing the point. There is a good reason those guys are in the hall already and Marshall is not.

But to say Marshall has no honors in his career where he clearly has more in some categories than other HOFers is specious. 

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

No offense but Marshall won an NFL title his team was flattened in SB IV, so technically he was the league champion as the Super Bowl was only an exhibition game until the leagues merged in 70'. 

Ah, that's a good qualification, and you are correct -- he did win a league championship, but not a SB -- thanks. 

Vikes destroyed the Browns to be champs of the NFL, and the NFL did consider that to be their league's championship game. But they did then go on to play the Chiefs (who were champs of the AFL) in SB IV. 

Were the first 4 SBs really considered exhibition games (as we may think of them in being more or less meaningless in today's meaning) as opposed to inter-league championship games? I think these games had more meaning than a simple exhibition game.

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

Plunkett has no business in the hall of fame unless he buys a ticket or is a guest of an inductee.  IMO Eli is the same thing but has a case to be argued(especially if you say Joe Namath is in).

We can agree to disagree. Hard for me to see how someone could see the case for Eli but not Plunkett. 

 

[Csonka4life]

Ah, that's a good qualification, and you are correct -- he did win a league championship, but not a SB -- thanks. 

Vikes destroyed the Browns to be champs of the NFL, and the NFL did consider that to be their league's championship game. But they did then go on to play the Chiefs (who were champs of the AFL) in SB IV. 

Were the first 4 SBs really considered exhibition games (as we may think of them in being more or less meaningless in today's meaning) as opposed to inter-league championship games? I think these games had more meaning than a simple exhibition game.

. The first was definitely considered an exhibition game as the two leagues hadn't drawn up an agreement to merge and didn't have a common draft, I know the by the second the game had more traction but it was more of a lose, lose situation for the Packers as the NFL was considered the superior league. 

I think the two leagues agreed to merge by the time of the third game but their league champions were only recognized as official champions. The whole situation reminds of boxing with the various sanctioning bodies and who are the real champions in boxing.  

 

[Csonka4life]

We can agree to disagree. Hard for me to see how someone could see the case for Eli but not Plunkett. 

Eli was never considered a journeyman who had failed to become a franchise quarterback for two teams. Plunkett relieved an injured Dan Pastorini in his first win and I think an injured Marc Wilson in his second.

 

[JetMaxx]

Let's apply this to the statement above: "Marshall does not have a career littered with honors."

Here are some of his many honors:

• SB champion (1969)
  
• 4× consecutive Pro Bowl (1968–1971)
  
• 4× Second-team All-Pro (1964, 1968, 1969, 1971)
  
• Minnesota Vikings No. 70 retired
  
• Minnesota Vikings Ring of Honor
  
• NFL record for opponent fumbles recovered (30)
  

If this is the best you can produce, is this an argument for or against his inclusion?

 

[CalBear]

. The first was definitely considered an exhibition game as the two leagues hadn't drawn up an agreement to merge and didn't have a common draft, I know the by the second the game had more traction but it was more of a lose, lose situation for the Packers as the NFL was considered the superior league. 

I think the two leagues agreed to merge by the time of the third game but their league champions were only recognized as official champions. The whole situation reminds of boxing with the various sanctioning bodies and who are the real champions in boxing.  

The decision to merge had actually occurred in 1966, before the game we now call "Super Bowl I". In the agreement it was the "AFL-NFL World Championship Game", and Roman numerals weren't used to describe it until Super Bowl V. The two leagues would play separate schedules and have separate championships, and then play the World Championship Game as an exhibition for four years before the full merger in 1970. Super Bowl V was the first time it was officially the championship game.

Lamar Hunt, by the way, coined the phase "Super Bowl", which stuck. Super Bowl III, the Joe Namath game, was the first one which was popularly termed the Super Bowl at the time.

 

[NREC34]

I hope Robert Brazile gets in. 

He deserves it. 

Only LB on the 70’s all decade team not in. 

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

If this is the best you can produce, is this an argument for or against his inclusion?

I think the best signal of him being a candidate for inclusion is that he was seriously being considered this year by the committee reviewing senior candidates. 

 

[Grigs Allmoon]

Wow, tough class... 

 

[Grigs Allmoon]

BTW this is also why I think OWENS should never get in. He was a cancer and a horrible example of what an NFL player should aspire to. Not HOF worthy at all. 

Not that I agree with your assessment - the media definitely made him out to be more of a villain than he was - but he was also one of the best WRs to ever play the game. He should be in without a doubt.

 

[Grigs Allmoon]

Well, the list of finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2018 was revealed last night.  Here it is:

Tony Boselli

Brian Dawkins

Alan Faneca

Steve Hutchinson

Joe Jacoby (No idea)

Ray Lewis

Randy Moss

Terrell Owens

Brian Urlacher

Everson Walls (No idea)

I think this is as far as I can narrow it down upon first glance.

If I were to pick 5:

Boselli
Lewis
Moss
Owens
Hutchinson

 

[Cjw_55106]

Just watched Bruce getting interviewed. To me, he comes off as a cocky, pompous ###. I understand having that attitude when you play. Some guys need it and feed off it. To have it at age 40? GTFO. 

 

[babydemon90]

Ray Lewis is in first ballot.  The murder rap was long enough ago I don't think it comes up, and based on his play he's a first balloter without question.

Owens should get in.  He should have been a first balloter, but I think his numbers overcome the bias this year.

Hutchinson should be a lock.  7 pro bowls, 5 first team All Pro's, undisputed best player at his position for a good chunk of his career.  However Faneca has waited longer, and has more pro bowls and more all pros, and also considered one of the best.  I think Faneca gets in this year and Hutchinson waits.

I'm not sure if both Lewis and Urlacher get in, and if both Moss and Owens get in.  My hunch is that Urlacher waits a year and gets in next year.  Moss I think gets in this year, but there's a chance he waits a year too.  I'll call Moss to get in for now.

Last spot I think is either Lynch or Dawkins.  Lynch - 9 pro bowls, 2 all-pro. 736 tackles, 26 int's, 16 forced fumbles.  Dawkins has  9 pro bowls, 4 all pro. 895 tackles, 37 ints, 36 forced fumbles.  Dawkins clearly superior, but slight chance they put Lynch in first due to waiting longer.  I'll go Dawkins here though.

Lewis, Owens, Faneca, Moss, Dawkins.

Well, I was close...

 

[BroncoFreak_2K3]

Dawkins

Lewis

Moss

Owens

Urlacher

Kramer

Beathard

Missed on Brazille.

 

[GroveDiesel]

That is a really tremendous class.

 

[NREC34]

Congrats Robert Brazile!

luv ya blue 

kick the door in

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Plunkett is a great guy and was instrumental in two Raiders Super Bowl wins. I could write the same sentence and insert "Eli Manning" and "Giants" were I wrote "Plunkett" and "Raiders." Then I could make Plunkett look bad compared to Manning if we compare their year-by-year performances not to each other (as they would always be unfair to an older era QB) but to their contemporaries. Plunkett was rarely considered a top 10 QB whereas Manning sometimes was considered as such.

Marshall does not have a career littered with honors. Page and Eller were much more decorated linemen on the same team. I have never seen anyone make a convincing case for Marshall aside from his longevity and I guess also that he played on a good team.     

Dude had an Epic beard.

 

[flapgreen]

Wilbur Marshall never making even the preliminary list is a travesty and a joke. 

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

I wish my pops and my brother could have lived to see Jerry Kramer elected. They would have enjoyed that.

 

[Tau837]

My vote:

• Dawkins
  
• Lewis
  
• Moss
  
• Owens
  
• Urlacher
  
• Kramer - senior
  
• Beathard - contributor
  

Also missed on Brazile, and still don't really get the case for him.

 

[Faust]

Terrell Owens declines to attend HOF enshrinement

 

[Da Guru]

Terrell Owens declines to attend HOF enshrinement

Huge mistake....some guys never get it.  Owens is punishing himself and his family on what should be one of the highlight days of his life.

 

[matuski]

Huge mistake....some guys never get it.  Owens is punishing himself and his family on what should be one of the highlight days of his life.

Meh, they made it personal.

Good for him if he is comfortable with the decision.