Dr. Z will not vote for Derrick Thomas for HOF in 05

[Boardin Bronco]

Dr. Z is a cocky, arrogant s.o.b. who believes he has watched so much football, that he is the ultimate judge of who belongs and doesn't belong in Canton, Ohio.

For instance, he has dogged the Broncos Randy Gradishar for so many years and now he's on his bandwagon. You're either a Hall of Famer or you're not. The fact that he has changed his mind tells me that Dr. Z is one of these voters that will purposely make a particular player wait if he's not a so called "FIRST BALLOT HALL OF FAMER".

If I had a vote, Derrick Thomas would be on my ballot. During the 90s, the league went from a majority 3-4 defenses to predominantly 4-3. I think this reason alone has changed the perceptions of what makes a great linebacker and it was punished the speed rushers that were worshipped in the 80s as impact defensive players (guys like Andre Tippett).

In good news, Dr. Z is jocking your very own Albert Lewis for the Hall of Fame.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/dr_z/12/29/drz.hof.finalists/index.html

LINEBACKERS
Only three of 12 made it, and I didn't do well here at all. My favorite of the whole bunch, Sam Mills, was a flunk. My second favorite, Harry Carson, advanced. This might be the year in which the selectors will be so ashamed for stiffing Carson for all these years, they'll finally let him in. Four more guys got my vote, Kevin Greene (flunk), Clay Matthews (flunk) plus two who made it, Derrick Thomas and Randy Gradishar. I voted to advance Gradishar and Carson. The decision to leave Thomas off was as tough as the Irvin decision. My reasoning was that we're talking about a great sack specialist, rather than a great all around linebacker.

DEFENSIVE BACKS
Only two of eight advanced, Lester Hayes and Roger Wehrli. The latter pick was a real surprise, because I didn't think people remembered how good this old Cardinal was. Yeah, I had voted for him, and then I did it again. But although I've been in Lester's corner for years, I figured this year that I had one other vote to give to a DB, and it went to Albert Lewis. My feeling is that he ranks with Mike Haynes and Deion Sanders as the best of this era. Others obviously didn't agree because he didn't advance, which shocked me. How can they be so blind?

[Herzig]

Dr. Z can blow me. Looks like I will have to wait though...he and every other NFL reporter are too busy sucking off Peyton Manning at the moment.

[DT4everaChief]

DR Z is an idiot. He will probably say that Reggie White should not go into the Hall next year because he could only sack the Quarterback. Look how many times Derrick's sacks changed the momentium of the game.

[alanm]

I figured this year that I had one other vote to give to a DB, and it went to Albert Lewis. My feeling is that he ranks with Mike Haynes and Deion Sanders as the best of this era. Deron Cherry belongs there before Albert Lewis. :thumb:

[Judge Smails]

Look how many times Derrick's sacks changed the momentium of the game.

That's not his point. Thomas was one of the greatest pass rushers in NFL history. However, there is a reason he was moved to DE for a season. He was not a great all-around linebacker. Teams regularly ran to his side because he could not always hold up to the run. :shrug:

[Taco John]

I respect Derrick Thomas a great deal... But, IMO, Z is right. He's not a first ballot HOF'er.

[Phobia]

I respect Derrick Thomas a great deal... But, IMO, Z is right. He's not a first ballot HOF'er.

First ballot, 2nd ballot, I don't really think that distinction is worth a shit. Especially when DT is going up against all the absolute greats this year. All but 1 will likely be first ballot HOFers. DT is a lock next year, though.

[RNR]

Strange he takes a pass because DT was a sack specialist, but the casts a vote for Kevin Greene :hmmm:

[BroWhippendiddle]

It's good that DT will be judged by his onfield exploits.

His personal life was a shambles.

[Phobia]

It's good that DT will be judged by his onfield exploits.

His personal life was a shambles.

His personal life was fine. He did great things off the field. His love life was a shambles.

[Bowser]

It's good that DT will be judged by his onfield exploits.

His personal life was a shambles.


Lawrence Taylor was a pretty even keeled guy, though.

:rolleyes:

[RNR]

Lawrence Taylor was a pretty even keeled guy, though.

:rolleyes:
ROFL

[Snakey]

Putting that crackhead LT in was a sham. If they put LT in, where is Pete Rose?

Oh well, make way for our HR champs like McGuire and Bonds.

[alpha_omega]

Putting that crackhead Lawrence Taylor in was a sham. If they put Lawrence Taylor in, where is Pete Rose?



Apparently, crack and gambling are different.

[BroWhippendiddle]

His personal life was fine. He did great things off the field. His love life was a shambles.
If great things include letting his "friends" steal his money and use his notiriety for their finantial gain without repurcussion. If you consider having several kids by different women great. DT was not the role model you would want.

It's not that he was totally bad himself, he just surrounded himself with people that took advantage of him and when caught he didn't do the right thing.

How responsible was it to be traveling on an icy road without seatbelts? That's not even to mention that he was driving at an unsafe speed for the conditions.

But I digress, his off the field life had nothing to do with getting into the HOF.

[Deberg_1990]

What a complete moron. This turd didnt even vote for Michael Irvin?? WTF??? Im no Cowboy fan but the dude won 3 Super Bowls and always came up huge in big games.

Im convinced that if DT played for a big market East Coast team, he would make it in first ballot with ease. Dr. Z can take his east coast bias and shove it strait up his A$$

[BroWhippendiddle]

Putting that crackhead Lawrence Taylor in was a sham. If they put Lawrence Taylor in, where is Pete Rose?

Oh well, make way for our HR champs like McGuire and Bonds.

I wasn't aware that Pete Rose played in the NFL!

I met Pete Rose, I wouldn't vote him into any HOF. The guy is an asshole.

[RNR]

Putting that crackhead Lawrence Taylor in was a sham. If they put Lawrence Taylor in, where is Pete Rose?

Oh well, make way for our HR champs like McGuire and Bonds.

I don't care for Lawrence Taylor's lifestyle, however he was the greastest outside linebacker to ever play the game by a long way. The rule is what they did on the field. As far as Pete Rose he bet on baseball and on his team. That is a pretty easy rule to follow he broke it. Baseball for that matter should be put in the hall of fame, because that game has been over long enough to be eligible.

[TheNextStep]

I think Boardin Bronco makes a great point, RE: Randy Gradishar. Dr. Z's name has been mud amongst every Bronco fan I've known for years because he's always not only not voted for Gradishar but was very vocal about the reasons why he wouldn't vote for Gradishar...

But now Gradishar gets his vote?

Derrick Thomas was a beast. He belongs in the Hall of Fame.

[TheNextStep]

Oh, and F*** PETE ROSE!

You want to lift somebody's ban, start looking at Shoeless Joe Jackson first...

[Taco John]

First ballot, 2nd ballot, I don't really think that distinction is worth a shit. Especially when DT is going up against all the absolute greats this year. All but 1 will likely be first ballot HOFers. DT is a lock next year, though.


I think there's something to be said for the distinction. THe NFL is about competition, afterall. But you're right to a degree... When you're in that hall and looking around at all the busts of these greats on the wall, you don't think about how many ballots it took them to get there. You just think, "wow."

[Taco John]

Putting that crackhead Lawrence Taylor in was a sham. If they put Lawrence Taylor in, where is Pete Rose?

Oh well, make way for our HR champs like McGuire and Bonds.




I think Pete Rose is going to go his whole life without getting his bust in Canton.

[Logical]

I don't like Dr Z but Derrick Thomas leaving off the Homer glasses is not a logical 1st year HOFer. He was a preeminent sack artist and that is about it.

[Logical]

I think there's something to be said for the distinction. THe NFL is about competition, afterall. But you're right to a degree... When you're in that hall and looking around at all the busts of these greats on the wall, you don't think about how many ballots it took them to get there. You just think, "wow.":thumb::thumb:

[go bo]

:thumb::thumb:hey vlad...

how you doin' these days?

[Phobia]

I don't like Dr Z but Derrick Thomas leaving off the Homer glasses is not a logical 1st year HOFer. He was a preeminent sack artist and that is about it.

I think he's a 1st year HOFer in any other year.... If he were eligible any of the last 4 years, I think he's a 1st ballot inductee. This is a really strong class in 2005. Some great players aren't getting in.

[Rausch]

I hope Doc Z dies of ass cancer...

[Taco John]

I think he's a 1st year HOFer in any other year.... If he were eligible any of the last 4 years, I think he's a 1st ballot inductee. This is a really strong class in 2005. Some great players aren't getting in.


We'll find out if you're right next year... I don't think he'll be in for awhile though. There are quite a few folks on that list that have just as strong/or stronger claim as DT. It's really effing hard to get into the Hall of Fame.

[Logical]

hey vlad...

how you doin' these days?Truthfully I have felt like shit for the last 8 days, thankfully I have been off work for the Christmas holiday. Hope you have been doing well.

[|Zach|]

Truthfully I have felt like shit for the last 8 days, thankfully I have been off work for the Christmas holiday. Hope you have been doing well.
I think I know the cure to what ails you.

Bowling. :)

[TheNextStep]

Apparently, crack and gambling are different.

Apparently, football and baseball are different.

To the question of LT's coke usage, however, I was just watching "Inside the NFL" and Collinsworth was talking to Peter King (a Hall voter) about the possibility of Pat Tillman getting into the Hall. Peter King stated plainly that the NFL Hall of Fame Bylaws state that what a player does off the field CANNOT be a consideration. You are judged only by what you do on the field. Hence, for as piss-poor a role model as Taylor was, that was not supposed to be considered when evaluating whether or not to induct him into the hall.

[StcChief]

Homer glasses off.
DT Great sacker.
DT - HOF probably not 1st rounder.

[RNR]

I don't like Dr Z but Derrick Thomas leaving off the Homer glasses is not a logical 1st year HOFer. He was a preeminent sack artist and that is about it.
Yes he was but, as I said before how can Zimmerman hold that against him, then vote for Kevin Greene?