Bill Cohwer one of 2 coaches in Centenial Class

[JohnTurney]

Parker and either Coryell or Reeves would've been my preference.
I wonder if any of those guys will get another shot anytime soon...

In some ways this discussion is proving something. That when there is support that is
widespread, anything can happen. No one coach, even among us, has a clear "lead"

Everyone has differing views---and among the BR committee something like that could
have happened.

It's like when there is one All-Pro position that gets 45 votes and then someone gets 3 and another 2
And at another spot, 1st teamer gets 12, then next got 11, then 9, 8, 5,4 --the guy with 12
just eeks it out.

[JohnH19]

It bothers me immensely that Marty Schottenheimer gets no love. No coach in football history had worse postseason luck.

[74_75_78_79_]

It bothers me immensely that Marty Schottenheimer gets no love. No coach in football history had worse postseason luck.

He taught Cowher, and taught him well!

As I said previously on this site, as the case with Bettis getting in, I understand and respect any argument against Cowher getting in - and also that some others should be inducted first - but I will take it just the same; and loved seeing that pregame show 'surprise-visit'. I'll take it even more-so than I did #36's induction. Again, as I've also said many times, each and every year a musical-chairs game of assistant-coaches and key-players alike yet - and with no real QB, mind you - still making them a contender year-after-year. Excuse the 'what-if' but if Big Ben's rookie year is '92, Cowher has at least three Rings IMO. Now if Troy (a slam-dunk/no-argument case) can just join him this summer. Faneca as well.

[7DnBrnc53]

Parker and either Coryell or Reeves would've been my preference.
I wonder if any of those guys will get another shot anytime soon...

I don't think that Dan Reeves is a HOF coach. If it wasn't for #7, he doesn't get to move on to jobs with the Giants and Atlanta.

I also agree with the other posters about Cowher and favoritism. Bill isn't a HOF coach to me. Jimmy and Don Coryell would be my choices.

[Reaser]

It pays to have a Steelers connection, that's long been known.

Also works the other way, for the HOF. It sells more merchandise.

Which it was funny as soon as I saw it on TV during the pregame show I clicked online and before I even saw a post about him being elected I saw an ad for "Cowher 2020 PFHOF" merch. Plus of course when they came back from commercial they all were holding up the t-shirt, which naturally they already had available to order.

[JohnH19]

It’s pretty hard to believe that Cowher didn’t already know. I thought the whole thing looked staged and hokey, for lack of a better word. I also don’t care for that David Baker character who has made himself the ubiquitous face of the Hall.

While I’m in the mood for some late night ranting, I have to say that I don’t understand the Tony Dungy naysayers who believe he doesn’t deserve his bust in Canton. He did a great job in Tampa and Indy - 139-69 overall - and won a Super Bowl, which is one more than some HoF coaches. He also set up Jon Gruden for his SB win with the Bucs. I don’t get it.

[bachslunch]

My initial reaction upon hearing Bill Cowher was one of the two coaches selected was surprise. He doesn’t have the win totals of Reeves or Holmgren, he has only one title, and he has never been a semifinalist, much less a finalist, before.

However, he has by far the best W-L percentage of any of the eight finalists, and that probably got him through. In fact, his career looks a bit like Tony Dungy’s, though his W-L percentage isn’t quite as good, nor does he have a significant assistant coaching career or any kind of pioneer status argument.

Still, I think he’s a decent choice. Could have been worse.

If Jimmy Johnson is the other option, that’s fine. His career is short and his W-L percentage is just okay, but he has been a finalist and semifinalist before, he won two titles and had a hand heavily towards a third, plus he was his own highly successful GM. That distances his from guys like Flores and Parker, the other two short career coaches on the ballot.

[Ken Crippen]

Look for Jimmy Johnson tomorrow
just like today, on the FOX pregame

...and if they don't, you know that he did not make the class. However, I feel that you are right. It makes for good publicity, so I expect that he made it over people like Parker.

[lastcat3]

Though I am a Cowboys fan I have always been a little 'iffy' if Jimmy Johnson truly belongs in the Hall of Fame. No doubt he did a great job of building up the '90's Cowboys but at the same time he had Troy Aikman fall into his lap and most of his other moves came from a stupid decision the Vikings made. And then he quit before he had an opportunity to decline. I honestly would be more prone to think he belongs in the Hall if he had stayed with Dallas throughout the entire decade and kept them as a Super Bowl contender throughout the entirety of the '90's or if he had better success with the Dolphins.

He's a great motivator and a very good analyzer of talent but not sure he is truly Hall worthy. Of course the Hall of Fame continues to get watered down all the time so maybe he does deserve to get in given the current state of the Hall.

[Andy Piascik]

That they chose Johnson and especially Cowher over Parker does not bode well, I fear, for the old-time players.