As part of the celebration of 100 years of the NFL, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is considering expanding it's 2020 Centennial Class to 20 enshrinees. This is an outstanding idea due to the simple fact that there are so many deserving candidates that have been waiting for that Hall call for a very long time. A few have even been waiting for nearly all of the NFL's 100 years. This outstanding idea won't be more than just an idea until the Pro Football Hall of Fame board approves it at their August 2 meeting. Why wouldn't they pass it? It's not like they haven't done this sort of thing before. The inaugural 1963 Hall of Fame Class had 17 members just to catch up on the league's first 43 years. 57 years later, they need to catch up on players, coaches, and contributors that have been missed.
The proposed 20 enshrinees break down like this:
-5 modern day players selected from the 15 finalists
-10 senior players
-3 contributors
-2 coaches
So, faced with this proposed idea, the mind wanders. Who should be included in this Centennial Class?
5 modern day players:
Troy Polamalu
Patrick Willis
Tony Boselli
Steve Hutchinson
Alan Faneca
10 senior players:
Duke Slater
Lavvie Dilweg
Verne Lewellen
Ox Emerson
Al Wistert
Jim Benton
Mac Speedie
Alex Karras
Cliff Harris
Randy Gradishar
3 contributors:
Steve Sabol
Carl Storck
Bucko Kilroy
2 coaches
Clark Shaughnessy
Buddy Parker
I focused mostly on pre-1960 players when considering the senior group. If the voters did the same, most fans would lose their damn minds because most fans think that the NFL started with the first Super Bowl. It didn't. I feel that the pre-1960 players that aren't currently in the Hall and don't make the Centennial Class cut will never make it to Canton. Duke Slater, Lavvie Dilweg, Al Wistert, and Alex Karras should've made it long ago. It can even be argued that Slater should've been part of one of the first 5-6 Hall classes. By extension, the deserving post-1960 players that don't make the Centennial Class cut will still have a shot moving forward. No matter how the voting actually shakes out I'm confident that there will be 10 new deserving Hall of Famers that there otherwise wouldn't be. That's a very good thing. I just hope that the truly "old guys" get the attention that they deserve.
One player that I don't list among the senior players is a player that I'd love to see finally make it to Canton. Jim Marshall. His Hall of Fame candidacy has long been the subject of serious, internal conflict. I explained some of that conflict in an earlier post. I bring it back to this one:
The Curious Case of Jim Marshall
I may be the only fan of the Minnesota Vikings that isn't sold on Jim Marshall's Hall of Fame candidacy. I've wrestled with this for decades. There was no more important Vikings player during the franchise's first two decades. He was the heart of those teams. The two most important figures in the entire history of the Minnesota Vikings are probably Bud Grant and Jim Marshall. It's obvious why so many fans love the man and demand that he get Hall of Fame recognition. Marshall wasn't just the leader of the team, the heart of the team. He was a terrific football player. And he has some nice NFL records and statistics:
NFL Records:
Most seasons played by a defensive player: 20 (tied with Darrell Green and Junior Seau)
Most complete seasons played by a defensive player: 20
Most consecutive games played by a defensive player: 282
Most consecutive regular season games played by a defensive player: 270
Most consecutive game starts by a defensive player: 282
Most consecutive regular season starts played by a defensive player: 270
Most fumbles recovered: 30
Most Opponent's fumbles recovered: 29
The Vikings credit Marshall with 127 career sacks.
Since sacks weren't an official statistic until 1982 his sack numbers are unofficial. If they were official, Marshall would have a half sack more than Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas, 26.5 more than Hall of Famer Charles Haley, 27 more than Hall of Famer Andre Tippett. Sure, Marshall has the advantage of playing for 20 seasons. But that longevity is a big part of his Hall of Fame candidacy. No defensive player has played so consistently for so long. Well, I guess that Hall of Famers Darrell Green and Junior Seau did. Marshall was a terrific football player but he wasn't among the very best that played during his time. He made only two Pro Bowls and three second-team All Pros. Even during his best seasons he wasn't considered among the very best. A Hall of Famer should be among the very best of his era. He was the third best defensive lineman on his own team. Granted, he played on a defensive line with Hall of Famers Alan Page and Carl Eller. My dilemma should be obvious. I'm not against his induction because he does have 0some Hall of Fame-level credentials. The fumble record is strong. The longevity record may be even stronger. Especially at a time when several voters are bitching about players getting inducted with abbreviated careers. Is it possible for a player to have Hall of Fame-level credentials but not be one of the very best players at the time that he played? Jim Marshall is that player for me. If he's part of the "Centennial Class" I wouldn't complain. I'd celebrate it. I'd fly to Canton to see his induction. Jim Marshall has always been a Hall of Famer in my heart because he always put everything he had into the game and he did so for so long. I have too much respect for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the game's history to force one of the my heroes into a place I'm not certain his career merits. It's a tortuous dilemma. One thing that isn't a dilemma is that I'll be happier if he's part of this "Centennial Class" than if he isn't.
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