Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Hey Guys,

Why is Harry Carson in the HOF? His first five years in the league were mediocre at best. I've watched films of him from 1976 to 1980, and I continually saw him miss countless tackles. I also saw him have great difficulty fighting off many blocks. Then Lawrence Taylor joined the Giants, and Carson magically improved. I just don't see why Carson is in the HOF. Comments?

Joe Zagorski

Personally, I didn't like the way he whined about not being elected during the first several years of his eligibility.
He was a good LB, but I have a hard time even placing him in a top 15/20 list of MLB/ILBers.

paulksandiego wrote:Personally, I didn't like the way he whined about not being elected during the first several years of his eligibility.

Cris Carter then took his spot.

The market he played in certainly made him more prominent,

Harry Carson has pretty good honors for the time at his position at 2/9/none. He and Mike Singletary (8/10/80s) are the only two MLBs/ILBs from the 80s/90s in the HoF, and unless you consider the last part of Randy Gradishar's career to make him part of this era, the only real competition at the position otherwise would be Karl Mecklenburg (4/6/none) and Sam Mills (3/5/none). Can't say I know how Carson looks in film study.

One thing is certain, beginning in early 1980s he was taken out of game in nickel situations, he was not a 3-down Lber for the last maybe 7-8 years of his career.

What do you think of his teammate Brian Kelley? I belive that he was very underrated, first as Lawrence Taylor predeccessor at ROLB, then playing RILB alongside Carson?

And as 74-75-78-79 asks: who was better as LOLB, Brad Van Pelt or Carl Banks?

The main reason why Carson entered the HOF was not his whining: Peter King (who covered the Giants in the 80s) presented his case and said that the 9 Pro Bowls Carson had were voted back then by the players and coaches, not the fans, and he surely impressed his peers and they elected Carson.

As for innovations, you have to give Carson credit for the Gatorade bucket shower on Bill Parcells that has been copied widely in sports everywhere.

Teo wrote:As for innovations, you have to give Carson credit for the Gatorade bucket shower on Bill Parcells that has been copied widely in sports everywhere.

That tired act got old by the time the Super Bowl rolled around, yet stays around like a fungus. If anything, that should have kept him out.

BD Sullivan wrote:

Teo wrote:As for innovations, you have to give Carson credit for the Gatorade bucket shower on Bill Parcells that has been copied widely in sports everywhere.

That tired act got old by the time the Super Bowl rolled around, yet stays around like a fungus. If anything, that should have kept him out.

Well said.

Thanks for your responses. I still don't feel that he should be in the HOF. If the Giants did not draft Lawrence Taylor, I highly doubt that Carson would be in the HOF today.

Joe Zagorski

Joe Zagorski wrote:Thanks for your responses. I still don't feel that he should be in the HOF. If the Giants did not draft Lawrence Taylor, I highly doubt that Carson would be in the HOF today.

Joe Zagorski

Agreed.