Football 2022 Hall of Fame Semifinalists - Page 5

**Rain Man** · 01:52 PM

I feel like the list gets weaker every year. Maybe it's just because I no longer look starry-eyed at football players. I still don't understand who Deron Cherry and Albert Lewis made angry, because they deserve to be on this list over nearly every player on it.

Whatever. The next cut goes from these 26 to 15. So vote for the 15 that you'll begrudgingly allow even though they're not Deron Cherry and Albert Lewis.

Poll coming slowly, like that big dude who knocks on the players' hotel doors when they get in.

Hoopsdoc · 11-30-2021, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

I said "that's cap" to a guy I work with a few weeks back. He's 30 and he also had no clue wtf I was talking about so don't feel bad.

That's honestly not one I should use in this demographic, but it's one I started using as a joke and worked its way into my vocab. Sorry.

I have 14 and 11 year olds. Cap has been in my vocabulary for awhile now.

**Rain Man** · 11-30-2021, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

Patrick Willis was a problem

He was non-cap?

kccrow · 11-30-2021, 10:42 PM

15???
Impossible.

I came up with 11 and thought I was really doing something...

Jared Allen, DE
Willie Anderson, T
Ronde Barber, CB
LeRoy Butler, S
Andre Johnson, WR
Sam Mills, LB
DeMarcus Ware, DE
Reggie Wayne, WR
Vince Wilfork, NT
Anquan Bolden, WR
Robert Mathis, DE

So, I added...

Torry Holt, WR
Steve Smith, WR
Zach Thomas, LB
Hines Ward, WR

I'm not even sure where I'd cut with this group when all is said and done but my top 5 would likely be:

Ronde Barber, CB
Willie Anderson, T
LeRoy Butler, S
Andre Johnson, WR
DeMarcus Ware, DE

kccrow · 11-30-2021, 10:50 PM

Methinks not many people watched LeRoy Butler play. If a guy like Troy Polamalu is a HOF player, Butler is an easy in. His stretch from 1993 to 1998 was as good a stretch by a SS as there is.

**Tribal Warfare** · 11-30-2021, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kccrow

Methinks not many people watched LeRoy Butler play. If a guy like Troy Polamalu is a HOF player, Butler is an easy in. His stretch from 1993 to 1998 was as good a stretch by a SS as there is.

He created the Lambeau Leap as it is monikered

oldman · 11-30-2021, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

So your contention is that Otis Taylor
was better than Cliff Branch?
Really?

ETA: Don't get me wrong, Otis is a HOF WR. He should have been in ages ago.

Without a doubt OT was a better player. He was in the top 5 WRs I've ever seen. Smooth perfect routes, speed, great hands, and tough. Who do you think went after Ben Davidson when that slimeball speared Lenny the Cool. Not a tackle or FB, it was Otis. That alone should get him in the Hall.

The only part of your comment I can agree with is OT should have been in the Hall long ago,

**Rain Man** · 11-30-2021, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

He created the Lambeau Leap as it is monikered

I'm watching it, and I feel like the first Lambeau Leap is invalid. There's a good chance that the receiver was down when the ball came out, though I can't definitively prove it. But it sure looks like Reggie White was out of bounds when he lateraled it.

Edit: But screw the Raiders.

Gary Cooper · 12-01-2021, 02:29 PM

If you were never one of the best players at your position (and ideally for several years at least) you should NOT be in the HOF. Longevity is important also, unless you're Gayle Sayers or Jim Brown.

I don't remember Anquan Boldin being considered one of the best receivers in football. Andre Johnson might have been for a short period, but not long enough.

I say yes to Wayne, Barber, Wilfork, and Hester. Everyone else just doesn't scream HOF to me.

lawrenceRaider · 12-01-2021, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'm watching it, and I feel like the first Lambeau Leap is invalid. There's a good chance that the receiver was down when the ball came out, though I can't definitively prove it. But it sure looks like Reggie White was out of bounds when he lateraled it.

Edit: But screw the Raiders.

NFL Refs have been doing that for decades. Statistical analysis proves it.

https://theethicalskeptic.com/2021/1...vegas-raiders/

kccrow · 12-01-2021, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudasRising20

If you were never one of the best players at your position (and ideally for several years at least) you should NOT be in the HOF. Longevity is important also, unless you're Gayle Sayers or Jim Brown.

I don't remember Anquan Boldin being considered one of the best receivers in football. Andre Johnson might have been for a short period, but not long enough.

I say yes to Wayne, Barber, Wilfork, and Hester. Everyone else just doesn't scream HOF to me.

Maybe because of where they played?

Andre Johnson has more 100 rec seasons (5x) than Randy Moss and more 1500+ yard seasons (3x) than him too. He's 11th all time in receptions and in yards. His knock is he didn't score as much (47th all time). That doesn't mean he doesn't deserve the HOF. 11th all time in the two most important categories for a WR should probably get in. And he's got great company in this class too...

Holt is 21st in receptions, 16th in yards, and 38th in TDs.
Wayne is 10th in receptions, 10th in yards, and 26th in TDs
Boldin is 9th in receptions, 14th in yards, and 26th in TDs
Ward is 14th in receptions, 27th in yards, and 16th in TDs
Smith is 12th in receptions, 8th in yards, and 29th in TDs.

There's a good chance every one of these WRs gets in and I'd like to think Johnson, Wayne, and Smith are guaranteed. It may just be what year they do. Holt is definitely the least likely, I'd say followed by Ward.

EDIT:

As for the rest... not sure how you can't justify at least a few of these guys.

Willie Anderson may just be the best RT to ever play in the NFL. He didn't play LT so who cares, right? He faced 9 of the top-10 pass rushers ever and only allowed a single sack to them and gave up 16 sacks in 13 years. He may have been the best run-blocking tackle to ever play.

LeRoy Butler? Only player with 3+INt and 3+Sacks in 3 straight seasons. First DB to reach 20 sacks and 20 Ints. He had better stats, other than tackles, than Atwater or Lynch, and all of his stats trump Polamalu which make up the modern SS's in the Hall. He was, perhaps, the most complete safety of the 90s and was great at everything from blitzing, to forcing fumbles, to coverage, etc. He is on the all-decade team of the 90s and only 3 players haven't made it yet from that group.

DeMarcus Ware... 9th all time in sacks, 4th all time in tackles for a loss, and 15th all time in force fumbles. That probably says enough.

Gary Cooper · 12-01-2021, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kccrow

Maybe because of where they played?

Andre Johnson has more 100 rec seasons (5x) than Randy Moss and more 1500+ yard seasons (3x) than him too. He's 11th all time in receptions and in yards. His knock is he didn't score as much (47th all time). That doesn't mean he doesn't deserve the HOF. 11th all time in the two most important categories for a WR should probably get in. And he's got great company in this class too...

Holt is 21st in receptions, 16th in yards, and 38th in TDs.
Wayne is 10th in receptions, 10th in yards, and 26th in TDs
Boldin is 9th in receptions, 14th in yards, and 26th in TDs
Ward is 14th in receptions, 27th in yards, and 16th in TDs
Smith is 12th in receptions, 8th in yards, and 29th in TDs.

There's a good chance every one of these WRs gets in and I'd like to think Johnson, Wayne, and Smith are guaranteed. It may just be what year they do. Holt is definitely the least likely, I'd say followed by Ward.

EDIT:

As for the rest... not sure how you can't justify at least a few of these guys.

Willie Anderson may just be the best RT to ever play in the NFL. He didn't play LT so who cares, right? He faced 9 of the top-10 pass rushers ever and only allowed a single sack to them and gave up 16 sacks in 13 years. He may have been the best run-blocking tackle to ever play.

LeRoy Butler? Only player with 3+INt and 3+Sacks in 3 straight seasons. First DB to reach 20 sacks and 20 Ints. He had better stats, other than tackles, than Atwater or Lynch, and all of his stats trump Polamalu which make up the modern SS's in the Hall. He was, perhaps, the most complete safety of the 90s and was great at everything from blitzing, to forcing fumbles, to coverage, etc. He is on the all-decade team of the 90s and only 3 players haven't made it yet from that group.

DeMarcus Ware... 9th all time in sacks, 4th all time in tackles for a loss, and 15th all time in force fumbles. That probably says enough.

Receiving numbers are skewed based on today's passing friendly era. 100 receptions in a season used to be rare. Otis Taylor is not in the HOF, yet all these accumulators you listed likely make it.

Same thing is happening in hockey. Everyone who put up big numbers in the high scoring 1980's is being inducted into the HOF. This results in many inductees who weren't special and just benefitted from the era.

Leroy Butler was pretty good. I forgot about him.

kccrow · 12-01-2021, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudasRising20

Receiving numbers are skewed based on today's passing friendly era. 100 receptions in a season used to be rare. Otis Taylor is not in the HOF, yet all these accumulators you listed likely make it.

Same thing is happening in hockey. Everyone who put up big numbers in the high scoring 1980's is being inducted into the HOF. This results in many inductees who weren't special and just benefitted from the era.

Leroy Butler was pretty good. I forgot about him.

I can definitely agree on the WRs thing. Andre Johnson was my one choice at WR to make it because I think he was the toughest cover, could be dominant, had some really big years, and did it on a team that wasn't all that amazing.

Smith has a compelling case with what he did as an undersized guy on a team that wasn't loaded either.

Reggie Wayne had another HOF caliber receiver opposite him most of his career and so did Holt. I don't know that Ward was ever dominant enough. Boldin didn't seem to be all that dominant either, just consistently solid. I wouldn't necessarily put those guys in myself, but the committee is going to look at the stats I presented and I think they trickle in one by one and all end up in there.

GloucesterChief · 12-01-2021, 10:58 PM

Steve Smith made Jake Delhomme look good for a couple seasons.

**Rain Man** · 12-01-2021, 11:30 PM

The other thing to remember is that Steve Smith is in the media now, so he's likely a lock to get voted in.

kccrow · 12-02-2021, 02:03 AM

We need to come to terms with Otis never getting in.

There were just too many in his era to get in already, which is why some guys on that list for this year may not.

Ray Berry, Lance Alworth, Tommy McDonald, Bob Hayes, Harold Carmichael, Charlie Joyner, Don Maynard, Bobby Mitchell, Charlie Taylor, and Paul Warfield are all in and right in that same time period that Otis played.

Otis has a case but it's really hard to argue he's more deserving than those guys or as consistent. The only case I have is I think Charlie Joyner is a meh selection given he wasn't very good the first half of his career, and that career happened to span 18 years. It is what it is though. If Charlie wasn't in and Otis still wasn't in, I'd still have a hard time bitching about it too much.

View Poll Results: Give me your top 15.
Eric Allen, CB – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders	13	17.11%
Jared Allen, DE – 2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-2013 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears, 2015 Carolina Panthers	47	61.84%
Willie Anderson, T – 1996-2007 Cincinnati Bengals, 2008 Baltimore Ravens	10	13.16%
Ronde Barber, CB-S – 1997-2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers	29	38.16%
Anquan Boldin, WR – 2003-09 Arizona Cardinals, 2010-12 Baltimore Ravens, 2013-15 San Francisco 49ers, 2016 Detroit Lions	30	39.47%
Tony Boselli, T – 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve)	29	38.16%
LeRoy Butler, S – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers	17	22.37%
Eddie George, RB – 1996-2003 Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers-Titans, 2004 Dallas Cowboys	20	26.32%
Devin Hester, PR-KR-WR – 2006-2013 Chicago Bears, 2014-15 Atlanta Falcons, 2016 Baltimore Ravens	28	36.84%
Torry Holt, WR – 1999-2008 St. Louis Rams, 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars	34	44.74%
Andre Johnson, WR – 2003-2014 Houston Texans, 2015 Indianapolis Colts, 2016, Tennessee Titans	35	46.05%
Robert Mathis, DE-LB – 2003-2016 Indianapolis Colts	20	26.32%
Sam Mills, LB – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers	20	26.32%
Richard Seymour, DE-DT – 2001-08 New England Patriots, 2009-2012 Oakland Raiders	38	50.00%
Steve Smith, WR – 2001-2013 Carolina Panthers, 2014-16 Baltimore Ravens	41	53.95%
Steve Tasker, ST-WR – 1985-86 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills	17	22.37%
Fred Taylor, RB – 1998-2008 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2009-2010 New England Patriots	10	13.16%
Zach Thomas, LB – 1996-2007 Miami Dolphins, 2008 Dallas Cowboys	26	34.21%
Hines Ward, WR – 1998-2011 Pittsburgh Steelers	28	36.84%
DeMarcus Ware, LB-DE – 2005-2013 Dallas Cowboys, 2014-16 Denver Broncos	34	44.74%
Ricky Watters, RB – 1992-94 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-97 Philadelphia Eagles, 1998-2001 Seattle Seahawks	14	18.42%
Reggie Wayne, WR – 2001-2014 Indianapolis Colts	44	57.89%
Vince Wilfork, DT – 2004-2014 New England Patriots, 2015-16 Houston Texans	33	43.42%
Patrick Willis, LB – 2007-2014 San Francisco 49ers	22	28.95%
Darren Woodson, S – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys	27	35.53%
Bryant Young, DT – 1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers	9	11.84%
None of these slugs deserves a spot in the prestigious Hall of Fame.	4	5.26%
The Hall of Fame is irrelevant after admitting JBettis, FLittle, and TDavis.	12	15.79%
Write-in protest vote for Albert Lewis (Doesn't count toward your 15)	22	28.95%
Write-in protest vote for Art Still (Doesn't count toward your 15)	18	23.68%
Write-in protest vote for Deron Cherry (Doesn't count toward your 15)	20	26.32%
Write-in protest vote for Otis Taylor (Doesn't count toward your 15)	35	46.05%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 76. You may not vote on this poll

11-29-2021, 01:29 PM
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3168491 VARSITY	2022 Hall of Fame Semifinalists I feel like the list gets weaker every year. Maybe it's just because I no longer look starry-eyed at football players. I still don't understand who Deron Cherry and Albert Lewis made angry, because they deserve to be on this list over nearly every player on it. Whatever. The next cut goes from these 26 to 15. So vote for the 15 that you'll begrudgingly allow even though they're not Deron Cherry and Albert Lewis. Poll coming slowly, like that big dude who knocks on the players' hotel doors when they get in. Last edited by Rain Man; 11-29-2021 at 01:52 PM..
Posts: 141,577

11-30-2021, 10:42 PM	#63
kccrow MVP Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Michigan Casino cash: $3097078	15??? Impossible. I came up with 11 and thought I was really doing something... Jared Allen, DE Willie Anderson, T Ronde Barber, CB LeRoy Butler, S Andre Johnson, WR Sam Mills, LB DeMarcus Ware, DE Reggie Wayne, WR Vince Wilfork, NT Anquan Bolden, WR Robert Mathis, DE So, I added... Torry Holt, WR Steve Smith, WR Zach Thomas, LB Hines Ward, WR I'm not even sure where I'd cut with this group when all is said and done but my top 5 would likely be: Ronde Barber, CB Willie Anderson, T LeRoy Butler, S Andre Johnson, WR DeMarcus Ware, DE
Posts: 12,675

11-30-2021, 10:50 PM	#64
kccrow MVP Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Michigan Casino cash: $3097078	Methinks not many people watched LeRoy Butler play. If a guy like Troy Polamalu is a HOF player, Butler is an easy in. His stretch from 1993 to 1998 was as good a stretch by a SS as there is.
Posts: 12,675

12-01-2021, 02:29 PM	#68
Gary Cooper MVP Join Date: Nov 2020 Casino cash: $2460400	If you were never one of the best players at your position (and ideally for several years at least) you should NOT be in the HOF. Longevity is important also, unless you're Gayle Sayers or Jim Brown. I don't remember Anquan Boldin being considered one of the best receivers in football. Andre Johnson might have been for a short period, but not long enough. I say yes to Wayne, Barber, Wilfork, and Hester. Everyone else just doesn't scream HOF to me.
Posts: 6,781

12-01-2021, 10:58 PM	#73
GloucesterChief MVP Join Date: Jan 2013 Casino cash: $1626454	Steve Smith made Jake Delhomme look good for a couple seasons.
Posts: 12,699

12-01-2021, 11:30 PM	#74
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3168491 VARSITY	The other thing to remember is that Steve Smith is in the media now, so he's likely a lock to get voted in. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,577

12-02-2021, 02:03 AM	#75
kccrow MVP Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Michigan Casino cash: $3097078	We need to come to terms with Otis never getting in. There were just too many in his era to get in already, which is why some guys on that list for this year may not. Ray Berry, Lance Alworth, Tommy McDonald, Bob Hayes, Harold Carmichael, Charlie Joyner, Don Maynard, Bobby Mitchell, Charlie Taylor, and Paul Warfield are all in and right in that same time period that Otis played. Otis has a case but it's really hard to argue he's more deserving than those guys or as consistent. The only case I have is I think Charlie Joyner is a meh selection given he wasn't very good the first half of his career, and that career happened to span 18 years. It is what it is though. If Charlie wasn't in and Otis still wasn't in, I'd still have a hard time bitching about it too much.
Posts: 12,675