Is Rod not likely to get in? I would've thought so, but maybe he'll suffer from stat inflation issues.

I remember a discussion of a very good WR who had been around alot of years -- I think he retired within the last 2-3 years after palying for the Jaguars or Tampa the last couple of years. His stats were comparable to several HOFers, but I never thought of him as a HOF, just a very good player.

Can't think of his name, but issues like that are going to be a problem for all players, as stats continually increase.

Jimmy Smith... another great example.

And, I would think Rod qualifies... but I've heard some that say no.

Re Eddie George: Eddie George was a good back, but he wasn't a HOFer, I don't think. There was a time when 10,000 yards was considered a sort of marker for a HOF back, but I don't think that's the case anymore. There's guys with 10,000 yards that aren't getting in, like Ricky Watters and Jamal Lewis and (I hope not) Tiki Barber. Fred Taylor. Clinton Portis will go over 10,000 yards. I just don't see George as a HOFer. It helps to be a media darling like Bettis, but I don't think George has enough of that to get in. But like someone else said, it depends on the class.

Listen, I love our guys. I think we've consistently had an above-average talent roster, from 1-53, from years 2003-current. I'm not sure that our 2001 roster was much above average, especially when you consider how Light and Seymour were just rookies.

But you tell me -- because this debate rages on Pats boards -- who are the Patriots HOFers during the Belichick era, and especially how many from the three SB winning years?

1. Brady. I'll go out on a limb and say "yes".

2. Seymour? Maybe. 6 Pro Bowls, but injuries have derailed him. He's nearly 30 now, and has 3-5 years to cement his legacy, or not.

3. Vinatieri? Maybe. One kicker in the HOF. Other than a few memorable kicks in key situations, he'd have NO shot whatsoever.

4. Bruschi/Brown/Law/Milloy/Harrison/Light/Vrabel/McGinest -- all in the Hall of Very Good

5. Corey Dillon -- HOF level when he wanted to be, and certainly awesome in 2004, but not a HOFer.

That's it. Couldn't think of his damn name.

I wouldn't put Rod Smith in before Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, Tim Brown, Andre Reed or Jimmy Smith.

No me neither.

Looks like Smith has your boy beat.

12 seasons
178 games
862 receptions
12,287 yards
67 TDs
No rings
5 Pro Bowls
9 1,000+ yard seasons

Almost identical, right? Welll....but how many years did Rod Smith have a top 5 (at least) all time QB throwing the ball all over the field, and a world class TE operating underneath, and a great running back behind the great QB?

For those reasons, I'd tend to give a slight nod to Smith. To be honest, though, given how close it is, they're either both in, or neither is.

Even that aberrant year with Snyder, they became the first team to win 5 consecutive after losing their first five.

Marty was like the guy who would get A's in all his course work and an F on the test and get a C in the class. That is not hall of fame worthy

You can use that argument though for so many players and people do to either state the case as to why someone should be in or out of the HOF.

Yes - Rod had Elway for the majority of his years with Sharpe, Ed and Davis for several of them. But, Smith was on some good teams and while Brunell is not Elway, he was very productive in that system. Smith also had a solid RB (Taylor) supporting him and there was McCardell playing #2...

It's not like Jimmy Smith was playing with Peter Tom Willis at QB and Brandon Jackson at RB. They're very similar in production while playing on good offenses.

Many RBs over the last decade fall into the same group and most of them are not Emmit Smith and Barry Sanders type of players - those are legit HOF RBs.

George, Watters, Bettis, Lewis, Barber, Portis, Taylor... they're all great RBs, but neither of them really stands out much from the other. So, I think all or none get in... and the same goes with WRs.

I think Irvin was a great WR, but I don't know that he's any more qualified than Rod Smith or even Jimmy Smith for the HOF. Many will say "he has rings", so does Rod... and each of them was considered one of the best of his era for a number of years.

Yeah but Levy had some of the best teams ever. Those Bills team were great.

They had a string of excellent drafts. Kelly, they found Reed at Kutztown State, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, Cornelius Bennett and more. They went through a period where a ton of their draft picks were working out perfectly.

errr...Broncos offense was the best in the NFL some of those years. Heck, it won two SBs for you guys. Don't think Jax ever had that.

But yeah, it's so close it hardly matters. He's not the ARchie Manning of WRs or anything.

Again, both in or both out, is really the only "fair" result, IMHO. I'm thinking "out", myself, but as noted above I'm a very tough grader.