2013 Hall of Fame Finalists

17 finalists for the 2013 Hall of Fame inductions were announced yesterday. Of the 15 modern era nominees, Larry Allen, Jonathan Ogden, Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan are in their first year of eligibilty. Curly Culp and Dave Robinson round out the 17 as senior nominees.

Here are all of the 17 finalists for the Hall of Fame Class of 2013

Larry Allen
Jerome Bettis
Tim Brown
Cris Carter
Curley Culp
Edward J. DeBartolo, Jr.
Kevin Greene
Charles Haley
Art Modell
Jonathan Ogden
Bill Parcells
Andre Reed
Dave Robinson
Warren Sapp
Will Shields
Micahael Strahan
Aeneas Williams

I see the first-year offensive linemen Larry Allen and Jonathan Ogden as automatics. The voters should see it the same but who knows what goes through their heads. I'd vote for Warren Sapp in his first year as well but I don't see his path as smooth as that of the offensive linemen. If I had a vote, and I should, I'd have a Hall of Fame Class like this:

Larry Allen
Jonathan Ogden
Warren Sapp
Cris Carter
Bill Parcells
Curley Culp
Dave Robinson

The senior nominees often skate through. Typically, if the senior committee sees the players as worthy the voters support them. I'm surprised that Robinson got the call over Jerry Kramer. Many have said for decades that Kramer has been ignored due to the already high number of 1960s Green Bay Packers in the Hall of Fame. Now, they bring in a Packer and that Packer is not Jerry Kramer. Sometimes I think that the Hall of Fame voters make decisions by throwing darts.

And finally, this has got to be the year that Cris Carter makes it to Canton. It's his sixth year of eligibility  He should have been inducted his first year.