Hall of Fame Musings

As a Hall of Fame voter, Sports Illustrated's Peter King has some decisions to make in the coming weeks The voters have to chop the current 26 eligible players down to a final list of 15 to be debated at the Super Bowl. There are also two nominees from the Senior Committee. Last week, Peter King shared his thoughts on the 26 on his podcast.

I value King's opinions more so than most. King's thoughts got me thinking. I seriously question the votes of nearly all of the remaining 43 voters. Too many value quotas and agendas over true football merit. This year there are no slam dunk, automatic players that can walk straight into the Hall. This is actually good in that it allows the voters to clean up some of their past mistakes. There is a growing log jam at receiver and it has to be cleared. This is topped by Cris Carter. He should have been in Canton years ago. King actually thought that he would be in already and is surprised by Carter's continued absence. Tim Brown and Andre Reed are nearly as deserving. If either make it without Carter, the voters should be permanently banished from having anything to do with football. I doubt that all three make it but Carter and most likely Brown should. Runningbacks Curtis Martin and Jerome Bettis have a very good chance. Center Dermontti Dawson has the best chance among the offensive linemen. Another former Viking, defensive end Chris Doleman, has a good shot. He had some mediocre years but he also had some years that were simply dominating. He took apart the great Anthony Munoz in one memorable game. One player that I hope makes it, but probably won't, is former Bronco linebacker Karl Mecklenberg. He was very underrated but every time that I saw him he made plays all over the field. A super football player. Coach Don Coryell should have made it a long time ago. His offenses inspired so many and his route trees and numbering are still in use today. His impact is incredible. He should have made it when he was alive. If not for Coryell, Bill Parcells would make it. Coaches shouldn't take up two spots and its a crime that Coryell isn't in Canton. Both Senior Committee nominees should make it. They usually do. I'd just like to see the committte do more homework and discover players like Mac Speedie, Alex Karras and Claude Humphrey. Those players have been ignored far too long.

If I had a vote the 2012 Class would include:
Cris Carter
Tim Brown
Jerome Bettis
Dermontti Dawson
Don Coryell
Jack Butler
Dick Stanfel

Doleman might make it instead of Dawson but I'm going with seniority. Dawson has waited longer.

Most might see my love of Carter as a Minnesota Vikings bias but its really a football bias. I value the history of football too much to view any of this with purple shades. The voters need to gain a better understanding of football. No receiver has performed the basic act of catching a football better than Cris Carter. His skills were remarkable. They certainly weren't ignored by defenses the way that they have been ignored by the people that unfortunately grant entrance into the Hall of Fame.