HOF Finalists named

[Gary Najman]

Glad to see both Easley and Davis making it in in the same class, with Stanfel of course getting in a year ago. Those three guys, if I'm not mistaken, are the entirety of the 7-years-and-under modern era career length contingent elected since Doak Walker in the mid-'80's. Gives me hope for players like Sterling Sharpe someday . Not to mention Tony Boselli and Patrick Willis, who only played 8 seasons, and Priest Holmes, arguably a quasi-short career guy due to all the injuries.

Gale Sayers also played 7 seasons, although he barely played his final two seasons.

[Gary Najman]

I have a question: did the other 11 nominees who didn't made the cut were in Houston, or the enshrinees already knew and only them flew to Houston? If not, it has to be vey dissapointing for guys being finalists and not be chosen year after year.

[JohnTurney]

I have a question: did the other 11 nominees who didn't made the cut were in Houston, or the enshrinees already knew and only them flew to Houston? If not, it has to be vey dissapointing for guys being finalists and not be chosen year after year.

I think most, if not all were in Houston. Could be some exceptions.

[Reaser]

I have a question: did the other 11 nominees who didn't made the cut were in Houston, or the enshrinees already knew and only them flew to Houston? If not, it has to be vey dissapointing for guys being finalists and not be chosen year after year.

Here's who I saw on TV this week that were in Houston on NFL Network, FS1 and/or NBCSN. As well as who I read that they were in Houston in articles about them/HOF this week.

Isaac Bruce, Paul Tagliabue, Terrell Owens, Alan Fanaca, Joe Jacoby, Tony Boselli, Brian Dawkins & Kevin Mawae.

I know John Lynch was in Houston early in the week working for FOX on FS1, don't know if he stayed all week but seems safe to assume that he was in town today.

At the moment the only one I don't recall seeing/reading that he was in Houston sometime this week is Ty Law.

[Throwin_Samoan]

I don't remember Owens being difficult with the media.

https://youtu.be/46ZDrERfKAo

[Throwin_Samoan]

How did he hurt his team when he was putting up All Pro numbers every single season?

Fun Fact: He was first-team All-Pro five times in fifteen seasons.

Meanwhile you got Favre in on first ballot who is maybe a top 10 QB of all time. But he held the Packers hostage for three years about, threw a ton of interceptions in big games, had a drug problem, and was embroiled in off the field controversy like sending pictures of a his junk to a female reporter. But oh, let him in the HOF because "I'd have a beer with that guy".

Also Fun Fact: Favre's not in because people would have a beer with him. He's in because he owned nearly every passing record at the time he retired. Hard to make the case otherwise.

LIke I said, the HOF is beyond ridiculous at this point. Oh and Morten Anderson? Career 79% kicking percentage. Missing every 5th kick now would get you cut in the NFL. Maybe it was a different era for kickers in his time, whatever.

Oh, maybe. He was more accurate than the league average (to which he contributed, obviously) in 20 of his 25 seasons. He made about 28 more field goals than an average kicker would have over his career, given the league average.

The NFL average for field goal accuracy has been rising steadily for the last 60 years, and it hit 84.5% in 2015. That doesn't mean you get to apply those standards to players of the past. Unless we think Justin Tucker is suddenly the greatest kicker of all time after five years. Andersen hit over 80% nine of his last 10 years (including, oh, by the way, going 25-for-28 at age 47).

By the time he retired, there were 23 more accurate guys ahead of him, but he's not in the Hall of Fame solely because of accuracy. He kicked for more years, kicked more field goals (565) and scored more points (2,544) than anyone in league history. And at the time he retired, he had 40 field goals of 50+ yards, which was tops in history.

Hard not to put him in, especially when specialists are under-represented in Canton.

Boo-frigging-hoo on Terrell Owens.

[BD Sullivan]

Andersen's accuracy certainly wasn't hurt by playing 22 of his 25 seasons with domed stadium teams.

[JWL]

I don't remember Owens being difficult with the media.

https://youtu.be/46ZDrERfKAo

I don't find that to be a big deal. Many players answer the occasional question in that same manner. He didn't have blow ups with reporters like Richard Todd and Ryan Leaf and Dan Pastorini or plant drugs on a reporter like Ken Stabler. I don't recall him shutting off the media. I thought the media generally liked him and his antics because it made for good things to write.

[Rupert Patrick]

How did he hurt his team when he was putting up All Pro numbers every single season?

Fun Fact: He was first-team All-Pro five times in fifteen seasons.

Meanwhile you got Favre in on first ballot who is maybe a top 10 QB of all time. But he held the Packers hostage for three years about, threw a ton of interceptions in big games, had a drug problem, and was embroiled in off the field controversy like sending pictures of a his junk to a female reporter. But oh, let him in the HOF because "I'd have a beer with that guy".

Also Fun Fact: Favre's not in because people would have a beer with him. He's in because he owned nearly every passing record at the time he retired. Hard to make the case otherwise.

LIke I said, the HOF is beyond ridiculous at this point. Oh and Morten Anderson? Career 79% kicking percentage. Missing every 5th kick now would get you cut in the NFL. Maybe it was a different era for kickers in his time, whatever.

Oh, maybe. He was more accurate than the league average (to which he contributed, obviously) in 20 of his 25 seasons. He made about 28 more field goals than an average kicker would have over his career, given the league average.

The NFL average for field goal accuracy has been rising steadily for the last 60 years, and it hit 84.5% in 2015. That doesn't mean you get to apply those standards to players of the past. Unless we think Justin Tucker is suddenly the greatest kicker of all time after five years. Andersen hit over 80% nine of his last 10 years (including, oh, by the way, going 25-for-28 at age 47).

By the time he retired, there were 23 more accurate guys ahead of him, but he's not in the Hall of Fame solely because of accuracy. He kicked for more years, kicked more field goals (565) and scored more points (2,544) than anyone in league history. And at the time he retired, he had 40 field goals of 50+ yards, which was tops in history.

Hard not to put him in, especially when specialists are under-represented in Canton.

Boo-frigging-hoo on Terrell Owens.

Here's the best stat about Morten Andersen which is filed under Things Only I Know - During his career, Andersen was 7-13 (54 percent) on FG attempts of 55 yards and over. All the other kickers in pro football during Andersen's career (1982-2004, 2006-2007) were a collective 29-199 (30 percent) on FG attempts of 55 yards and over. Morten Andersen had the strongest leg of any kicker of his era, and would rate as one of the half dozen strongest kicking legs I have ever seen, along with Stenerud, Mike Vanderjagt, Janikowski and Neil Rackers off the top of my head. I would rate Andersen as the number four kicker of all time, behind Groza/Stenerud tied at first and Vinatieri number three, and was slightly better than Gary Anderson, who I have at number five. Morten Andersen is clearly deserving of a spot in Canton, even though Vinatieri will likely pass him in career scoring in the 2018 season.

[Ness]

On page 1 of this thread (you can look it up), I advocated Owens for induction.

He got kicked off a team for crying out loud.

Look, there is no way he will not eventually get in, so it is sort of cool he gets to stew for a while.

As for Andersen, yes, different era. You kind of have to compare his stats to players in his era. If you don't do that, then guys like Jan Stenerud, Bobby Layne, Joe Namath, Doak Walker, and Charlie Sanders could be made to look like pieces of crap depending upon what stats you look at.

The explicit guidelines advocated by the Vice President of the HOF, Joe Horrigan, says that players should be recognized for their own the field achievements only. The voters are making it about themselves and who they think is a "nice guy". Which is why Warner is in. And why Hines Ward will be in. This is why Owens is out. There really is not logical argument than the voters taking it personal.