2010 Hall of Famers

[Deftoner]

What do y'all think of the choices. I like Rickey Jackson, but not sure if he's a hall of famer. I guess I got to look at his numbers.

Updated: February 6, 2010, 5:47 PM ET
Grimm, Randle, LeBeau part of '10 class




ESPN.com news services


FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith lead a class of seven new members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The NFL's career receiving and rushing leaders are joined in the Hall by John Randle, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Floyd Little and Dick LeBeau.
Rice and Smith both made it in their first year of eligibility. Little and LeBeau were picked as senior committee nominees Saturday.
They will be inducted into the shrine in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 7.
Smith ran for more yards than any NFL player, while Rice caught more passes and scored more touchdowns than anyone else. Smith and Rice were in their first year of eligibility.
Known for his determination as much as his skills, Smith rushed for 18,355 yards and 164 touchdowns, adding 515 receptions for 3,224 yards and 11 TDs for the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals. The NFL MVP in 1993, Smith also was the most valuable player in the Super Bowl that season.
Like Smith, Rice won three Super Bowls and earned the game's MVP honors in 1989 with San Francisco. He also played for Oakland and Seattle in a 20-season career.
The perfect receiver for the West Coast offense, Rice set dozens of records, some of which might never be broken. He made 1,549 catches for 22,895 yards, had 14 1,000-yard seasons and scored 208 touchdowns.
LeBeau, considered one of pro football's great defensive innovators as a coach, was a standout player for the Lions from 1959-72 and finished with 62 interceptions, second for cornerbacks when he retired. Little starred for the Denver Broncos in the AFL and NFL, leading the NFL in rushing in 1971 with 1,133 yards and in touchdowns rushing in 1973 with 12.

[scoonie12g]

The Hall of Fame is dead to me. I still can't believe Cris Carter was left out again.

[Deftoner]

Originally Posted by scoonie12g

The Hall of Fame is dead to me. I still can't believe Cris Carter was left out again.

Chris Carter, Andre Reed and Tim Brown should all get in at some point. Just like Art Monk.

[Deftoner]

Next year, Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Curtis Martin, Marshall Faulk and Willie Roaf, should make the hall in their first year of eligibility.

[chicubie23]

Rickey Jackson! FIRST Saints player in the Hall! Hopefully Roaf will be nxt!

[buckeye215]

Originally Posted by Deftoner

Next year, Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis, Curtis Martin, Marshall Faulk and Willie Roaf, should make the hall in their first year of eligibility.

Bettis a first ballot guy?

[spike_flatbush]

The thing is Cris Carter should've been in before Art Monk! Hall of Sham!

[The Rattler]

I would love to be in Canton for Emmitt Smith's speech. If you guys have never been to Canton, Ohio then may I suggest you go there.. It's a MUST for the die hard NFL fan.

[kevinwayne20]

Originally Posted by Deftoner

Chris Carter, Andre Reed and Tim Brown should all get in at some point. Just like Art Monk.

I agree. All weren't dominate but they were all very productive. None have should have been first ballot IMO.


I'm very partial but I'd love to see Sterling Sharpe make it at some point. He played for 7 years, making the pro bowl in 5 of those years. He lead the league in receptions in 3 of the 7 year, TDs two times and receiving yards once. Sharpe played in the same period as Carter, Monk, Irvin, Reed and Brown and his season average blows each of theirs away. He was better, more productive and more dominate than all the WRs listed. If it wasn't for the neck injury Sharpe's name could have been mentioned in the same sentence as Rice. Favre and Sharpe only had 3 seasons together (Avg 104/ 1285/ 14).

Doubt he ever sniffs the HOF though. Outside of Rice, there wasn't a better WR in the NFL while he played.

[Lawdog]

I hope this post will not be offensive to my Steeler brethen, but Bettis is not a first round HOFer. He just simply is not. HOF worthy? Sure, but not first round.

I am glad LeBeau made it and that should have happened some time ago. I am a bit perplexed that Rickey Jackson made it before Dermonti Dirt Dawson. Dawson's case is compelling and I am hoping he will get in and will not get rolled to the point where he has to wait like LeBeau.

The two most outstanding absences to me right now are Shannon Sharpe and Chris Carter. I simply do not understand how both were not in and are not in. I am in favor of enacting a HOF committee that has the discretion to determine if there are too many great players that cannot get in based on the current structure and if 60% of the HOF voters affirm, a special election is called where up to 10 can get in beyond the annual balloting. The 10 openings would be targeted to people like the Art Monks who struggled for years and bumped other players out of eligibility. Why is Ray Guy not in? Because the pool was not deep enough and now he will likely have to wait for senior eligibility as I understand it.

[kevinwayne20]

Originally Posted by Lawdog

I hope this post will not be offensive to my Steeler brethen, but Bettis is not a first round HOFer. He just simply is not. HOF worthy? Sure, but not first round.

I am glad LeBeau made it and that should have happened some time ago. I am a bit perplexed that Rickey Jackson made it before Dermonti Dirt Dawson. Dawson's case is compelling and I am hoping he will get in and will not get rolled to the point where he has to wait like LeBeau.

The two most outstanding absences to me right now are Sterling Sharpe and Chris Carter. I simply do not understand how both were not in and are not in. I am in favor of enacting a HOF committee that has the discretion to determine if there are too many great players that cannot get in based on the current structure and if 60% of the HOF voters affirm, a special election is called where up to 10 can get in beyond the annual balloting. The 10 openings would be targeted to people like the Art Monks who struggled for years and bumped other players out of eligibility. Why is Ray Guy not in? Because the pool was not deep enough and now he will likely have to wait for senior eligibility as I understand it.

Did you mean Shannon? I think he has been a huge snub.

[MookStunna]

Originally Posted by buckeye215

Bettis a first ballot guy?

Nor Bettis, nor Martin, should be first ballot.

I am finally pleased Floyd Little made it. Please, take a look at his stat sheet. WOW. IMO, he shoulda got in before Elway.

Sharpe--at some point, the best TE to ever play the game will get in. Don't know when though.

[ACC Rulez]

I guess Sterling is hurt by his injury that shortened his career, but he single-handedly changed the Tight End position....I like what Shannon brought to the game, but if Sterling played a few more years...there wouldn't be a comparison.

[bipolarboy]

Originally Posted by ACC Rulez

I guess Sterling is hurt by his injury that shortened his career, but he single-handedly changed the Tight End position....I like what Shannon brought to the game, but if Sterling played a few more years...there wouldn't be a comparison.

Sterling Sharpe was a wide receiver.




And I think those of you who are upset are missing the big picture. Emmit Smith gets to make a speach!!!!!

[ThomasTomasz]

Originally Posted by spike_flatbush

The thing is Cris Carter should've been in before Art Monk! Hall of Sham!

It's a Hall of Sham that Monk didn't get in before he did. With all the records that he held, in an era that was dominated by the run, Monk set receiving records and was on a team that played a huge role in revolutionizing the pass. A lot of people think of the Hogs and John Riggins, but the Coryell offense is a pass-orientated offense. The Redskins had three receivers during the late 80's who put up 1,000 yard seasons- Monk, Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders.

[StfSergeantEd]

How the hell is Cris Carter not in there??? This playing of HOFers is criminal and a joke! what an awesome class if Carter, Rice, and Emmitt were going in together! I am not too far from canton and would go see that! Instead I have no interest until they get the HOF process correct! Only one worse is MLB where writers vote for players based on how nice they were to interview and based on keeping players eligible but not inducted like the writer from Philly!

[drarcher]

I don't think Carter is first ballot HOF material and I think his time will come. Despite what most of you think Carter was not that dominate. He was one of those guys who towards the end of his career you looked at his stats and said "damn." I don't think there was any one year that I thought Carter was the beat WR in the game or even top 3. I always believed he was a product of the system and I think most sports writers picked up on that as well. Look at his best season in '94 where he made all-pro (1 of only 2). He had a better season in '95 and didn't make all-pro (not in any of the major publications). Why? Because everyone pickup up on that he was a product of a system and an amazing QB in Moon.

Carter is a classic possession WR who never averaged more than 14 yards a reception as a starter. In fact his career average is in the 12's. To me he is the equivalent of a RB who tops the rushing record with a career rushing average of 3.5 ypc. While the total yards would be impressive, it is more the luck of a long career without injury than that of an amazing athlete. Is there a place for that in the HOF, sure. But do not be fooled by his numbers.

[TyKixx]

Product of the system? What system was that? He played with a different QB practically every year of his career. Carter was the system. Denny had a run first mentality. Carter only played 2 seasons with Moon and one of them Moon wasn't even all that impressive.