Hall of Fame Again

The Pro Football Hall of Fame induction and selection process really never rests. We just saw the Canton celebrations and induction of Cris Carter, Warren Sapp, Jonathan Ogden, Larry Allen, Bill Parcells, David Robinson, and Curly Culp. Now, the process of selecting the next group of Hall of Famers is starting again. A few weeks ago, we had the selection of Ray Guy and Claude Humphrey as the Senior nominees. This week, we have the announcement of the 126 nominees that will file through the selection process of the next few months. Of those 126 nominees, 16 are on the ballot for the very first time. Those first-timers are highlighted, in my opinion, by Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks, Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Walter Jones, Indianapolis Colts receiver Marvin Harrison, and head coaches Tony Dungy, Mike Homgren, and Jon Gruden. I can see Brooks and Jones making it in their first year. Harrison, unfortunately, runs into the receiver logjam created by the voters. Cris Carter finally got out of it last year. Harrison will have to wait in line and Andre Reed and Tim Brown are ahead of him. I think that there is a valid argument for Dungy but I don't think that it happens this year. Bill Parcells having to wait probably did a disservice for deserving coaches. Dungy's defensive innovations gives the voters something to think about beyond his wins and losses.

The next step in this Hall of Fame process is the voters knocking the 126 nominees down to a more manageable 25. That's done in November. Those 25 are debated by the voters on the day before the Super Bowl. That's when we find out the 2014 Hall of Fame Class. If I were to pick that class, I would pick these fine fellows:

Derrick Brooks
Walter Jones
Andre Reed
Charles Haley
Art Modell

I can see Kevin Greene being there instead of Modell. I've always been on the fence as to Modell's Hall of Fame candidacy. He played a big role in the marriage of TV and the NFL through the '60s and he was certainly in the ear of the commissioners, especially Pete Rozelle, regularly. I just have a hard time throwing honest support to the man that fired Paul Brown and Bill Belichick.

and the Senior nominees:
Ray Guy
Claude Humphrey

One nominee on the list of 126 that I'd really like to see in honored in Canton is Buddy Parker. The Detroit Lions have mostly struggled for so long that it's hard to imagine that they were once a powerhouse. Parker led the Lions to three straight NFL Championship games, 1952-54. Winning the first two. The team that he built would win another championship in 1957 but he had quit before that season started. He moved on to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Parker brought Pittsburgh some modest success. The first that team had ever seen.

It's Hall of Fame time. Again.