For any sane voter he shouldn't be. But when Mr. Jewry couldn't exchange his hardware for enshrinement, it gives me serious pause.

For some players I don't even think there's the need for the formality of a vote. When they retire, the league should contact them and say, "See you in 5." Seriously.

First of all Barry Sanders is a RB. RB and QBs are horrendously overrepresented.

Barry Sanders was also the most dynamic player of his generation, and anyone who thinks that he shouldn't have been a first ballot HOFer should be chemically neutered.

And the 1970's Steelers are filled with horrendously overrated guys who are in the HOF due to the success of the team rather than the individual.

It's funny that Gonzo is probably playing his best football right now. He's a better blocker than he's ever been, his hands are like tar, and he's dragging defenders just like always.

If Gonzo can't do it, you can't get in on the first ballot on stats and personal achievement alone.

FAX

Perhaps. And I hope you're right.

But as soon as you start bringing up all these great attributes and pieces of praise, all richly deserved, it immediately forces us to return to the bottom line. With all these records and the on-field dominance, why couldn't he help lead that franchise to a single post-season win?

Again, I think it's garbage, but KC is also out of the media spotlight. Perhaps if he were the exact same player with the exact same team success in NY, his odds would be exponentially better.

In my opinion, no.

Gonzo has media appeal. Moreso than the Chiefs or any other recent Chiefs player, anyhow.

I realize that QB and RB are sexier positions, and I don't know for sure, but I'll bet there are WRs in the hall with worse receiving stats than Gonzo. If he continues to pad his stats for two or three more years, his odds are good that he'll get in on first ballot, in my view.

As for Willie, the homer in me says he deserves it, but those are long odds.

FAX

No better example of the fact that the NFL HOF is a team sport than Lynn Swann.

That's a safe assumption, Mr. FAX.

The game wasn't as receiver-friendly when I was young, and the TE didn't exist as a realistic passing threat.

Newsome, Winslow and Gonzalez, in that order, in my opinion these days. Sharpe follows Gonzo, but Sharpe gets into the Hall before Gonzo.

I'm funning you.

I like to poke Denver fans about the chip on their shoulders about not having very many HOFers. I have seen many of them cry over Floyd not being in the Hall (not close to deserving IMO), so it has become my go-to move whenever anyone complains about why donkey X isn't in the HOF.

Few with Gradishar's pro bowl and all conference accolades have been kept out of the HOF. He should get in eventually.

How long did Randall McDaniel wait? Him and Shields were very similar type players.

2 years. Bruce Matthews went in McDaniel's first year of eligibility and Gary Zimmerman went in his second. I think it'll depend on who else is in Shields class.

My boss is friends with Wistrom and he went with him Saturday night to this. He said it was a cool experience and Shields was his favorite, genuinely a great guy.