2010 Hall of Fame class announced!

[white is right]

Well the bishops at the Vatican have spoken. 7 are in and Lebeau and Grimm are among the 7. Motormouth Sharpe is out again....Back to Google News
Tearful Rice, Smith lead seven into NFL Hall of Fame

By Jim Slater (AFP) â€" 1 hour ago

MIAMI â€" National Football League all-time rushing leader Emmitt Smith and all-time receiving leader Jerry Rice broke into tears Saturday after leading seven gridiron legends into the American Football Hall of Fame.

Also voted into the honor shrine by a 44-member selection committee were guard Russ Grimm, defensive tackle John Randle, linebacker Rickey Jackson, cornerback Dick LeBeau and running back Floyd Little.

Rice and Smith, who will be inducted with the rest in August ceremonies, were excited that they would be enshrined together while leaders atop two of the NFL's most hallowed lists.

"Nobody could write a script this perfect," Smith said. "For Jerry Rice and I to go in at the same time, it's just incredible."

Smith and Rice, each a three-time Super Bowl champion in his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility, both wept when talking about their fathers, Rice's having died and Smith's having watched his own dream realized by his son.

"Backstage he told me, 'I had the dreams of doing what you're doing but my mother got sick and I never did go to college,'" Smith said as tears flowed. "He said, 'You are living my dream.'"

Rice broke down and cried when asked what role his parents played in his career.

"What they instilled in me was hard work and appreciation, a love of the game," he said. "I felt it was important for me to set the example."

Rice, 47, helped the San Francisco 49ers win three Super Bowl titles and set NFL all-time marks of 1,549 catches for 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns, as well as the all-time touchdown record of 208, over a 20-season career.

"It means the world to me, just like winning the Super Bowl," Rice said. "I'm just honored to be here among the legends who made football what it is."

Smith, 40, helped spark the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl titles and passed Walter Payton in 2002 as the National Football League all-time rushing leader. He ended a 15-season career in 2004 with all-time NFL records of 18,355 yards and 164 touchdowns on 4,409 carries.

"It's such a honor," Smith said. "This is such a special moment. It's like your walk through these open doors and this group of men is waiting there with their arms open to embrace their brothers."

Grimm played 11 seasons for the Washington Redskins and was part of three Super Bowl championship squads as well.

Randle played 14 seasons, 11 of them with Minnesota and three with Seattle, and made 137 sacks while Jackson spent 12 seasons with the New Orleans Saints and two more with San Francisco, making 128 career sacks.

Little, a star rusher in the 1960s and 1970s with Denver, and LeBeau, a star cornerback with Detroit from 1959 through 1972, were both selections from the seniors list, players whose careers ended more than 25 years ago.

Voters eliminated defensive lineman Charles Haley, receivers Tim Brown and Cris Carter, rusher Roger Craig and coach Don Coryell in a first voting round.

In a second cut from 10 to five, the committee rejected tight end Shannon Sharpe, center Dermontti Dawson, defensive end Richard Dent, receiver Andre Reed and defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy.

Copyright © 2010 AFP. All rights reserved

 

[Don Wassall]

Nice to see LeBeau finally make it. Following close on the heels of Roger Worley getting in, will it result inany of the age 50+ DWFs sporting Donovan McNabb jerseys stopping and pondering why the league no longer has any White cornerbacks? Naaah. . . Edited by: Don Wassall

 

[bigunreal]

Rickey Jackson? Absolutely ridiculous. There are probably 50 white LBs who are worthier of induction. John Randle? Another loud mouthed, overrated clown rewarded for his behavior, not on field production.
Tons of worthy white linemen were better. Floyd Little- again, this shows that no even halfway decent black player can be left out of the Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, the late Jerry Smith awaits induction. So does Mick Tingelhoff, probably the greatest center of all time. Bill Bergey, Gary Collins, Todd Christiansen, Jim Covert, the list goes on. There are numerous deserving white players from the past who are never even mentioned now for induction. Meanwhile, less qualified blacks like Jackson, Randle and Little continue to be inducted. A few years ago, they actually inducted Charlie Sanders into the HOF. Sanders was an oft injured, underproducing TE for a team that never won. His pathetic stats make him, hands down, the worst inductee into any HOF ever. So they will really have to go some to top him.

It was nice to see Grimm finally get in. Joe Jacoby and Jim Lachey belong in there, too. The real bright spot here is LeBeau finally getting in. I suspect the focus will be on his defensive coaching wizardry, not his years of excellence as a cornerback. And it would be nice if he mentioned all the other great white defensive backs in his day, back when they were still allowed to play. Edited by: bigunreal

 

[white is right]

Some of these decisions are almost like you have to wait your turn. I like Unreal think that liberal writers are trying to make up for past slights/injustices against Black players. Jackson to me never seemed better than very good. If Chris Hanburger has to wait forever it seems than Jackson should be waiting for Godot.......

Also I can't respect writers that don't let one specialist punter or another pure field goal kicker beside Stenerud in. I think Stenerud must have partied hard with writers back in the 70's at various airport lounges....

Edited by: white is right

 

[speedster]

Bigunreal,you are so right about LeBeau being looked at as a defensive coach rather than a player.I've already seen two articles like that and one of them had action shots of Rice and Smith and the picture of LeBeau was of him wearing a baseball hat and a headset.Interesting how Smith said how nobody could write a script this perfect in fact it was planned this way for awhile now.The all-time leading rusher and reciever going in together and neither one of them had great speed.If they were white would they,nevermind

 

[Van_Slyke_CF]

I'm really happy to see Dick Lebeau get his long-overdue call to enshrinement in the HOF.

How many clueless DWFs under the age of 60 will think at his Lebeau's induction that he and Jason Sehorn are the only two white men to start at CB in the history of the NFL?

 

[JReb1]

The worst part is the DWF's will say and believe that White's just aren't good or fast enough to play these "skill" positions and they don't think they're being discriminatory. They refuse to see their own hypocrisy, if they (like 99% of coaches and "talent" evaluators) think that Whites are inferior athletes how can they give a White player a fair shake at a skill position? They can't and that's why a slower, weaker, dumber, less athletic afflete will look better and faster than a superior White athlete to them.

 

[Borussia]

I recall watching years back one of those NFL Films shows and they had a quick segment on Floyd Little. Decent player, speedy and undersized, had some juke moves, made players miss, but not an elite runner...and these were basically the words of the commentators from the segment!

HOF material? Absolutely not.
Ricky Jackson was decent, he played a long time I recall. He was like Hugh Green or Otis Wilson. Yes, good players, some pro bowls, but HOF?
No, not really. Perhaps Hall of 'Very Good' as they say in Baseball.

Randle? Again, same thing. Solid career and all, but more of a very good player, not HOF.
Mick Tingelhoff, Bob Kuechenberg and Todd Christianson are more deserving then these good, but not great players such as Randle, Jackson, Little.

Again, HOF voting is like most things, political in nature.
I'm so sad for Kuechenberg. His omission is a travesty and a sick joke.

Is Art Monk in? He should be imho. As does Joe Jacoby definitely.

 

[DWFs Are Dumb]

Ricky Jackson average? Not at all:<div>10th all time sack leader</div><div>6 Pro Bowls</div><div>4 All Pro</div><div>And was the leader of the Saints dominant defense of the late 80s and early 90s</div><div>Get your facts straight.</div>

 

[dwid]

Actually Sam Mills was the leader of the Saints dominant defense, get your facts straight.

Is Kevin Greene in the Hall of Fame yet? 3rd all time sack leader

"five-time Pro Bowler and the NFL's third all-time sack leader with 160, behind only Bruce Smith and Reggie White. He also leads all NFL linebackers in career sacks ahead of players like Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Thomas, Rickey Jackson, and Andre Tippett. Greene is one of only 4 players to lead the NFL in sacks in multiple seasons ('94 with the Steelers and '96 with the Panthers). Greene is also tied for second in career safeties with three. He also ranked third all time in fumble recoveries with 26, which he returned for 136 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He also recorded 5 interceptions, returning them for 53 yards and a touchdown. He is one of three players to record 10 sacks a year for 10+ years. He averaged over 10 sacks a year for 15 seasons.

Greene played in 228 games in his 15-year career. Ten times he was among the NFL's Top 10 sackers, leading the NFL twice. Eleven times in his 15 years he led his club in sacks. Played in six conference championships in his 15 seasons."

6 conference championships. Thats what that dominant dome patrol failed to do, they never won a playoff game for the Saints.

Rickey Jackson did make the Superbowl at the end of his career, with the 49ers, but it was his worst year playing, recording 3 sacks, hardly a factor for the reason the 49ers made it.
Edited by: dwid

 

[bigunreal]

I actually looked up Floyd Little's stats. I take back what I said about Charlie Sanders being the worst inductee in HOF history; Floyd Little is every bit as undeserving. Only a single 1000 yard season. Only 43 career TDs. Career ypc of only 3.9. What are these voters thinking? How do you put a RB in the Hall of Fame who only rushed for 1000 yards one time? Totally ridiculous.

I also looked up Jerry Smith's stats again. They are even more impressive than I thought. His 60 career TDs were far and away the most of any TE at the time he retired. This was despite being completely ignored as a receiver during the second half of his career, thanks to the "genius" of George Allen. His career receptions and yards stands up against any TE in the HOF, and his TDs should make him a no brainer selection. All time "great" Kellen Winslow, for instance, only had 45 career TDs. The supposedly "greatest" TE of the 1960s, John Mackey, had almost 100 less catches than Smith, fewer yards, and a mere 38 TDs. Mike Ditka, Jackie Smith, only in the 40s. Smith was way ahead of them all. Even Shannon Sharpe only had 2 more career TD catches than Smith. It's a complete outrage that Jerry Smith isn't in the Hall of Fame.
Until he's inducted, no one else should be.

 

[white is right]

Ricky Jackson average? Not at all: <div>10th all time sack leader</div><div>6 Pro Bowls</div><div>4 All Pro</div><div>And was the leader of the Saints dominant defense of the late 80s and early 90s </div><div>Get your facts straight.</div>

What I meant is he a marginal hall of fame candidate. His dominance is less than Hanburger who has to be in a witness protection program after testifying against the NFL in the USFL class action lawsuit......

Edited by: white is right

 

[white is right]

I actually looked up Floyd Little's stats. I take back what I said about Charlie Sanders being the worst inductee in HOF history; Floyd Little is every bit as undeserving. Only a single 1000 yard season. Only 43 career TDs. Career ypc of only 3.9. What are these voters thinking? How do you put a RB in the Hall of Fame who only rushed for 1000 yards one time? Totally ridiculous.

I also looked up Jerry Smith's stats again. They are even more impressive than I thought. His 60 career TDs were far and away the most of any TE at the time he retired. This was despite being completely ignored as a receiver during the second half of his career, thanks to the "genius" of George Allen. His career receptions and yards stands up against any TE in the HOF, and his TDs should make him a no brainer selection. All time "great" Kellen Winslow, for instance, only had 45 career TDs. The supposedly "greatest" TE of the 1960s, John Mackey, had almost 100 less catches than Smith, fewer yards, and a mere 38 TDs. Mike Ditka, Jackie Smith, only in the 40s. Smith was way ahead of them all. Even Shannon Sharpe only had 2 more career TD catches than Smith. It's a complete outrage that Jerry Smith isn't in the Hall of Fame.
Until he's inducted, no one else should be.

If you had to hold a gun to my head and say that you had to take either Sanders or Little I would take Little, but he is very very marginal. Sanders must be another guy who used to hit the airport lounges with writers in the 70's.Edited by: white is right

 

[sport historian]

I actually looked up Floyd Little's stats. I take back what I said about Charlie Sanders being the worst inductee in HOF history; Floyd Little is every bit as undeserving. Only a single 1000 yard season. Only 43 career TDs. Career ypc of only 3.9. What are these voters thinking? How do you put a RB in the Hall of Fame who only rushed for 1000 yards one time? Totally ridiculous.

I also looked up Jerry Smith's stats again. They are even more impressive than I thought. His 60 career TDs were far and away the most of any TE at the time he retired. This was despite being completely ignored as a receiver during the second half of his career, thanks to the "genius" of George Allen. His career receptions and yards stands up against any TE in the HOF, and his TDs should make him a no brainer selection. All time "great" Kellen Winslow, for instance, only had 45 career TDs. The supposedly "greatest" TE of the 1960s, John Mackey, had almost 100 less catches than Smith, fewer yards, and a mere 38 TDs. Mike Ditka, Jackie Smith, only in the 40s. Smith was way ahead of them all. Even Shannon Sharpe only had 2 more career TD catches than Smith. It's a complete outrage that Jerry Smith isn't in the Hall of Fame.
Until he's inducted, no one else should be.

Floyd Little doesn't deserve to be in the HOF because he only had one 1000 yard season? Many HOF running backs didn't gain 1000 in a season. Hugh McElhenny for example. Do you think it's "ridiculous" for McElhenny to be in the HOF?

There are more players in the pro football HOF who had short careers and not especially big numbers than you would think. There is a post-WWII running back in the hall who gained only 1520 yards for a CAREER. Another player had a career rushing total of 3711 yards swith a season high of 681. The first was Doak Walker and the second Paul Hornung.

You have to take into consideration how the player's stats fit in the era he played in. For example, Walker and Hornung place-kicked and runners didn't carry the ball as much.

Little had the handicap of not playing for a winner and I don't think he should have been elected. With Floyd Little in, a lot of running backs are going to have claim to the HOF. Larry Brown of the Redskins, for example. The bar for running backs has been lowered.

Floyd Little was the most highly-publicized college running back of his time (1964-66) when he played at Syracuse. He was a 3 -time All American (as was Doak Walker). Little had the aura of wearing Number 44 as the successor to Jim Brown and Ernie Davis. The recent movie had Davis recruiting Little for Syracuse right before his death. This didn't hurt Little' chances in the HOF voting, I suspect.

Jerry Smith doesn't belong in the HOF. Smith was considered a good player, but not a great one. Not as good as Charlie Sanders, for instance.

A few years ago, I wrote on the Forum that the pro football HOF was the hardest to get into. I now retract that opinion.

Statistics should not be the sole determination for the HOF.

 

[Solomon Kane]

I agree with the consensus here: Floyd Little: Good, but notgreat.

I'm glad Dick Lebeau and Grimm are in. Bostic,Jacoby and Kuchenberg should all be in.

I think Jerry Smith was definitely better than Charlie Sanders. Hanburger was a great linebacker, a real dominating force on defense.

 

[bigunreal]

Sport Historian,

Obviously, your impulse to disagree with me runs far deeper than my verboten "fixed" rantings. Floyd Little had a very undistinguished NFL career. As you point out, Larry Brown and numerous other RBs from the 1960s-1970s era are at least as "deserving" of induction as he is.

You actually stated that Jerry Smith doesn't belong in the Hall of Fame, and that he was considered a "good" player, but not "great" like Charlie Sanders. Who "considered" Smith "good" and Sanders "great?" The jock sniffing sports "journalists" who help prop up the Caste System? I quoted the stats Jerry Smith put up. They are far more impressive than any TE in NFL history, with the exception of Sharpe and Gonzalez, and comparable to Winslow (since he has so many more TDs). If you don't consider stats, how do you determine who is "great" and who is merely "good?"

Oh, yeah, that's right- you just state an opinion. Howard Cosell made that very popular with his "I don't care about the statistics" mantra, as he rambled on about Joe Namath and other favorite players of his. Statistics are crucial in determining greatness. Otherwise, it boils down to a figurative shouting match, kind of like you see in the stands at any sporting event.

No drunk white fan could have said what you said any better.

 

[bigunreal]

Forgot to note that in addition to putting up huge receiving numbers, Jerry Smith was also known as one of the best blocking TEs in the league. So he was definitely a great all around player.

 

[sport historian]

Forgot to note that in addition to putting up huge receiving numbers, Jerry Smith was also known as one of the best blocking TEs in the league. So he was definitely a great all around player.

So the Redskin games were scripted for Jerry Smith to put up big receiving numbers and be a great all around player?

 

[StarWars]

Forgot to note that in addition to putting up huge receiving numbers, Jerry Smith was also known as one of the best blocking TEs in the league. So he was definitely a great all around player.

So the Redskin games were scripted for Jerry Smith to put up big receiving numbers and be a great all around player?

Exactly.

 

[jaxvid]

Forgot to note that in addition to putting up huge receiving numbers, Jerry Smith was also known as one of the best blocking TEs in the league. So he was definitely a great all around player.

So the Redskin games were scripted for Jerry Smith to put up big receiving numbers and be a great all around player?

Haha I like that "script" better. But he does have a point, you criticized him for saying Little wasn't HOF material because of only 1 1000 yd season, and then you agreed Little didn't deserve the HOF anyway. Seemed like you were just busting his chops. Not that it isn't a good idea once in a while.....

 

[bigunreal]

So now I have no credibility on anything here because of my "fixed" posts? I can analyize sports without taking into account my own unconventional theories, and I've done this in the vast majority of my posts on this forum.

Sport Historian- this is the second time you've downplayed the skills of white players from the 1960s-70s era. A while back, I brought up examples of how even in those days, there was a fledgling Caste System which didn't always treat star white college RBs and WRs fairly. You denigrated my views in your typical condescending tone, and blasted several of the players I mentioned. No one took you to task for that, which is very strange, since little criticism of ANY white player is tolerated on this forum.

Now, you boldly declare that Jerry Smith doesn't belong in the Hall of Fame, and that he was "considered" a "good" player but not "great" like Charlie Sanders. Here are their comparable statistics:

Smith - 421 rec., 5496 yards, 60 TDs
Sanders - 336 rec., 4817 yards, 31 TDs

Only the drunkest white fan would call a black TE who produced those kinds of pedestrian stats "great" while labeling the white TE who produced the most prolific stats of any player at his position up until that time merely "good." You should try to get a job in an NFL front office- they're always looking for guys like you. It takes a special kind to ignore other stats (40 yard times, college numbers) when slotting white and black players for the Caste System.

Despite your prententious poster name and all knowing tone, I will put my knowledge of sports history up against yours any time. I'm sure your response to this post will be a dismissive shot at my "fixed" theories. Again, just like a drunk white poster who responds with childish name calling.

Please explain again why the white TE with better stats than anyone at his position presently in the HOF doesn't belong there.

And I am "crazy" while you are the self-proclaimed "historian." Edited by: bigunreal

 

[white is right]

My last point on Smith does anybody think Smith's alleged "alertnative" lifestyle is being held against him? I suppose in today's upside down world that would make you a hero of sorts.