2014 Semifinalists for the Hall of Fame

[Rain Man]

You can add Claude Humphrey and Ray Guy as the senior candidates.

This seems like a pretty weak pool to me. Will Shields should go in this year without a doubt.

http://www.profootballhof.com/footba...finalists.aspx


The Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee chose the 25 modern-era semifinalists from the previously announced list of 126 nominees.

Four first-year eligible candidates – linebacker Derrick Brooks, coach Tony Dungy, wide receiver Marvin Harrison, and tackle Walter Jones – are among the 25 semifinalists being considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2014.

In addition to the first-year eligible nominees, two other previously eligible candidates, coach Jimmy Johnson and guard Steve Wisniewski, made it to the semifinalist list for the first time. Each of the remaining individuals on the Selection Committee’s list has been a semifinalist at least once prior to this year.

2014 SEMIFINALISTS



Morten Andersen, K – 1982-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings
Steve Atwater, S – 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets
Jerome Bettis, RB – 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
Derrick Brooks, LB – 1995-2008 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tim Brown, WR/KR – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Don Coryell, Coach – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers
Roger Craig, RB – 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings
Terrell Davis, RB – 1995-2001 Denver Broncos
Edward DeBartolo, Jr., Owner – 1977-2000 San Francisco 49ers
Tony Dungy, Coach – 1996-2001 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2002-08 Indianapolis Colts
Kevin Greene, LB/DE – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers
Charles Haley, DE/LB – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys
Marvin Harrison, WR – 1996-2008 Indianapolis Colts
Joe Jacoby, T – 1981-1993 Washington Redskins
Jimmy Johnson, Coach – 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins
Walter Jones, – T – 1997-2008 Seattle Seahawks
John Lynch, FS – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos
Karl Mecklenburg, LB – 1983-1994 Denver Broncos
Andre Reed, WR – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins
Will Shields, G – 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs
Michael Strahan, DE – 1993-2007 New York Giants
Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner – 1989-2006 National Football League
Aeneas Williams, CB/S – 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams
Steve Wisniewski, G – 1989-2001 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders
George Young, Contributor – 1968-1974 Baltimore Colts, 1975-78 Miami Dolphins, 1979-1997 New York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football League

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Regardless of whether or not he gets in, I wouldn't vote for him.

I really have to laugh at this. The guy was one of the most productive backs of all time and an absolute workhorse.

He didn't "elevate" the play of those around him and carry his team to a Super Bowl? I wasn't aware that that was a RBs job. I guess they better toss out Sanders' bust right damn now then.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Transcendent is the definition you're using, so why don't you explain what makes it such.

Without the immaculate reception, Harris is not a transcendent player. Without a single incredible run against Washington, Allen isn't. Dorsett? Well he just isn't.

You're asking ThaVirus to explain what makes Tomlinson a transcendent player, meanwhile I see nothing to suggest that some of the guys you're holding up meet that test themselves. Franco didn't make his team better - the Steel Curtain did. And the Raiders weren't exactly hurting for success before Allen got there - they won the SB in 1980. Dorsett? During his best years, the Cowboys were largely also-rans. They won a SB with him as a rookie, sure - that's enough to offset the fact that Tomlinson was better than him at literally every conceivable measure of evaluating performance?

I think you're just calling guys that won rings 'transcendent' and in so doing you're doing a huge disservice to a guy like Tomlinson that simply outperformed pretty much every name you're offering.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Transcendent is the definition you're using, so why don't you explain what makes it such.

I think that both you and ThaVirus aren't old enough to either know or remember that the NFL used to be a "Run First" league. Every defense was geared to stop the run and every offense needed a transcendent running back to succeed.

Harris, Dorsett, Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson and Marcus Allen thrived in a league that was primarily designed to stop them from running and gaining yardage. Marcus Allen's Super Bowl run, where he reversed direction, was simply beautiful and amazing to watch, as was his ability to get into the endzone.

Marshall Faulk, IMO, is a borderline Hall of Famer, but he didn't enjoy the relaxed passing rules, which opened up the running game, during the majority of his career.

Tomlinson, on the other hand, did enjoy the relaxed rules. And it's become increasingly clear that teams can find excellent running backs in round three or later (or even undrafted) whereas in the 70's and 80's, those guys were first round picks.

The Chiefs failed mainly in the 70's and 80's because they never found a running back (outside of Joe Delaney, who perished after a single season). And while Okoye was drafted in 1986, it wasn't until 1989 that he was a significant part of the offense, which still didn't stop the Chiefs from taking Harvey Williams in the first round of the 1991 draft and Greg "The Real Deal" Hill a few years later in 1994.

Running backs were at a premium. Today, not so much.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

I really have to laugh at this. The guy was one of the most productive backs of all time and an absolute workhorse.

He didn't "elevate" the play of those around him and carry his team to a Super Bowl? I wasn't aware that that was a RBs job. I guess they better toss out Sanders' bust right damn now then.

Foolish post is foolish.

LaDanian Tomlinson is not in the same league as Barry Sanders, period.

[ThaVirus]

Ah, the ol' "You're not old enough to remember X" card.

Love that.

[mcaj22]

Kevin Greene has more sacks than Andre Tippet, Chris Doleman and Howie Long and they are all in the Hall of Fame but he isn't

makes sense.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Ah, the ol' "You're not old enough to remember X" card.

Love that.

You've admitted that you are 24 years old. You were born roughly around 1988 or 1989.

Would you care to explain the NFL game of the 70's and 80's? Hell, even the 90's?

How has it changed?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

Kevin Greene has more sacks than Andre Tippet, Chris Doleman and Howie Long and they are all in the Hall of Fame but he isn't

makes sense.

The knock on Kevin Greene has always been that he was a poor all-around linebacker.

As a pass rushing specialist, he was valuable. Against the run?

Not so much.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I think that both you and ThaVirus aren't old enough to either know or remember that the NFL used to be a "Run First" league. Every defense was geared to stop the run and every offense needed a transcendent running back to succeed.

Harris, Dorsett, Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson and Marcus Allen thrived in a league that was primarily designed to stop them from running and gaining yardage. Marcus Allen's Super Bowl run, where he reversed direction, was simply beautiful and amazing to watch, as was his ability to get into the endzone.

Marshall Faulk, IMO, is a borderline Hall of Famer, but he didn't enjoy the relaxed passing rules, which opened up the running game, during the majority of his career.

Tomlinson, on the other hand, did enjoy the relaxed rules. And it's become increasingly clear that teams can find excellent running backs in round three or later (or even undrafted) whereas in the 70's and 80's, those guys were first round picks.

The Chiefs failed mainly in the 70's and 80's because they never found a running back (outside of Joe Delaney, who perished after a single season). And while Okoye was drafted in 1986, it wasn't until 1989 that he was a significant part of the offense, which still didn't stop the Chiefs from taking Harvey Williams in the first round and Greg "The Real Deal" Hill a few years later.

Running backs were at a premium. Today, not so much.

I presume, then, that given the relaxed passing rules, it should be damn near impossible for WRs to make the HOF now?

And I believe I've had this conversation with you before once and simply don't buy the premise. Yes, defenses used to be geared more to stopping the run. They also used to be built around defensive tackles that weighed 260 lbs; defensive ends that weighed 250.

Buck Buchanan was by nearly any measure the most dominant defensive tackle of the era; the guy was 6'7'' and weighted 270 lbs. That's lighter than Tamba Hali. Hell, he just barely outweighs Justin Houston and he has 4 inches in height on the guy.

And he was huge for his time.

Moreover, while defenses were built to stop the run, offenses were built to help it. WRs were oftentimes glorified TEs. TEs were little more than extra tackles. Single back sets? Pft - I'm not even sure they'd been invented yet.

Disregarding modern RBs ignores any of the factors that have served to make the job a hell of a lot more difficult for them as well.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Foolish post is foolish.

LaDanian Tomlinson is not in the same league as Barry Sanders, period.

He was better.

Sanders was much less of a threat as a receiver out of the backfield, awful in pass protection and would oftentimes jitter for a loss of 2 when all his team needed was him to run into the pile to pick up 1.

If I'm trying to build a complete, winning football team, I'd take LDT over Sanders every time. And this is from a guy that worshiped Sanders growing up.

It doesn't change the fact that there were a lot of things he could've done to help his team win games that he didn't do. LDT did all those things and while he wasn't as explosive or electric a pure runner as Sanders was - he was a much better all around football player.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

You've admitted that you are 24 years old. You were born roughly around 1988 or 1989.

Would you care to explain the NFL game of the 70's and 80's? Hell, even the 90's?

How has it changed?

I'd love to see the league average for YPC over the years and whether or not the passing rules have had any impact. I have no idea where to find it though.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I presume, then, that given the relaxed passing rules, it should be damn near impossible for WRs to make the HOF now?

Yes, I believe so. That's why there's been a logjam at WR the past few years which, IMO, only continue. I'm shocked that Cris Carter got in before Andre Reed. If Art Monk is in, why not Reed? Because he never won a Super Bowl, like Monk?

And if Reed isn't in and Marvin Harrison isn't in, how in the world do you put in Tim Brown, who never played in a Super Bowl? Is Randy Moss a Hall of Famer? I don't know. That would be a tough call for me.

I think the only legitimate Hall of Fame wide receiver in the past decade is Calvin Johnson. Regardless of the QB or the team's record, the man has produced amazing statistics along with amazing body control. But other than him, I can't see anyone else in the Hall of Fame.

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

And I believe I've had this conversation with you before once and simply don't buy the premise. Yes, defenses used to be geared more to stopping the run. They also used to be built around defensive tackles that weighed 260 lbs; defensive ends that weighed 250.

Buck Buchanan was by nearly any measure the most dominant defensive tackle of the era; the guy was 6'7'' and weighted 270 lbs. That's lighter than Tamba Hali. Hell, he just barely outweight Justin Houston and he has 4 inches in height on the guy.

And he was huge for his time.

Moreover, while defenses were built to stop the run, offenses were built to help it. WRs were oftentimes glorified TEs. TEs were little more than extra tackles. Single back sets? Pft - I'm not even sure they'd been invented yet.

Disregarding modern RBs ignores any of the factors that have served to make the job a hell of a lot more difficult for them as well.

Players can only play who they play. Rules on the other hand, effect the game tremendously.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

He was better.

Agree to disagree

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Will Shields played 14 years in the NFL. He was a 12 time Pro Bowler, an 8 time All Pro and a member of the All Decade team of the 2000's.

Regardless of whether or not you're a Chiefs fan or Chiefs "Homer", Will Shields belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

of course he does, but there are guys on that list the belong there first i believe. Its a nice bottle neck in there, so yes, that was my homer pick. some of them dudes been waiting a while that need to be in there.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

I'd love to see the league average for YPC over the years and whether or not the passing rules have had any impact. I have no idea where to find it though.

Defenses are geared to stop the passing game. The rules regarding CB's and pass rushers didn't exist in the 70's, 80's and 90's. Guys can barely touch QB's these days, let alone WR's, yet back in the day, they could destroy QB's and mug receivers.

It was totally different game, which is why if you didn't have an amazing running back (if not a Hall of Famer), you likely weren't going to the Super Bowl, let alone, win it.