2011 NFL Hall of Fame Semifinalists

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Not this shit again.

I've made my case against Martin a million times over the years. If you wanted a guy to get 3 or 4 yards and fall down, Martiin was your man. He started every week, never got hurt, and was consistant. Those arent bad things, but there was nothing dynamic or special about his game. He was better than a lot of guys in his era, but the idea he is an all time great is something I can't accept.

I'm on the fence with Bettis, because he was the premeir short yardage back of his era, and at his peak was a much better player than Martin. Martin never really peaked, he just played every game, got a lot of carries, got his 3 or 4 yards per pop, and quietly went away. There are a million guys I would NEVER put in the HOF who i'd rather have on my team than Martin, like T. Davis, Ricky Watters, Roger Craig, Fred Taylor, etc. Martin was never even close to the best RB during his era, but Bettis was in the conversation from 1996-1999 or so.

Martin was a nice player, your classic stat compiler. Not a game changer, not an all time great.

You can not be "on the fence" with Bettis, but say "no" to Martin.

Martin gets in before Bettis. Bettis was never in any conversation...quit lying.

Bettis' best years were in an era with Emmitt, Barry, Marshall Faulk, Terrell Davis, Ricky Watters, Eddie George...he was never in any conversation.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

You can not be "on the fence" with Bettis, but say "no" to Martin.

Martin gets in before Bettis. Bettis was never in any conversation...quit lying.

Bettis' best years were in an era with Emmitt, Barry, Marshall Faulk, Terrell Davis, Ricky Watters, Eddie George...he was never in any conversation.

Bettis, at his peak, was a better player than Martin.

There was a 5 year stretch in the 90's where he went to the Pro Bowl every year and was 1st team All Pro twice. He was never the best RB in the league, but that's "in the conversation".

Bettis, i'm on the fence but lean no. Martin is an easy no, there was nothing special about Martin's game that set him apart from dozens of non HOF RB's.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Bettis, at his peak, was a better player than Martin.

There was a 5 year stretch in the 90's where he went to the Pro Bowl every year and was 1st team All Pro twice. He was never the best RB in the league, but that's "in the conversation".

Bettis, i'm on the fence but lean no. Martin is an easy no, there was nothing special about Martin's game that set him apart from dozens of non HOF RB's.

I disagree.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I disagree.

Me and you, 3 o'clock.

 

[Senser81]

I disagree.

Do you agree with this statement, though?

"When you Peak, you win."


I don't think either Martin or Bettis are Hall of Famers, but thats just my take. The HOF selection committee has gone to utter shit, so I'm nearly as interested in the voting anymore. Floyd Little was enshrined last year...Little had no HOF credentials whatsover and Curtis Martin more than doubles Little's career rushing yardage.

I think Bettis was the better RB, but Martin was more productive and had a better career.

 

[FirstTimer]

Jerome Bettis- RB- Lock

Marshall Faulk-RB- Lock

Curtis Martin- RB- Yes

Roger Craig- RB- No

Terrell Davis- RB-No

Deion Sanders- CB-Lock

Shannon Sharpe- TE- Yes

Andre Reed- WR- Yes

Cris Carter-WR- Yes

Tim Brown- WR- Yes

Willie Roaf- OT- No

Dermontti Dawson- C- No

Ray Guy- P- No

Cortez Kennedy- DT- No

Ed Sabol- NFL Films- Yes

Don Coryell- coach- Yes

Chris Doleman-DE/LB- Fence

Kevin Greene- DE/LB- Fence

Charles Haley- DE/LB- No

Richard Dent- DE- Fence

Aeneas Willams- CB- No

Lester Hayes-CB- No

Paul Tagliabue- Former Commish- No

Ed Debartolo Jr- 49ers owner-No

Art Modell- Browns/Ravens Owner-No

George Young- Giants GM- No

 

[Hitman]

How is Don Coryell not in the Hall of Fame already? The guy almost completely changed the passing game in the NFL. Ridiculous that he isn't in..

 

[Blick]

Willie Roaf is a guy people are on the fence about that I would put in. 11X Pro Bowler, and several All Pro selections. Pro Football Reference says 3 first team All Pro nods, while Wiki says 6 selections for the first team and 3 for the 2nd team. PFR is probably right, but 3 sounds low. Roaf made the All-Decade team in the 90's and the 2000's. Was still a beast at the end of his career. Guys like Pace and Ogden seemed to fall off a little bit. Was in the conversation of best LT of his era.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I would vote for the following;

Marshall Faulk
Shannon Sharpe
Cris Carter
Dermontti Dawson
Cortez Kennedy
Deion
Tags

Eventually, but not this year;

Curtis Martin
Tim Brown
Willie Roaf
Don Coryell
George Young
Eddie DeBartolo

R-O-B-B-E-D;

LeRoy Butler & Steve Atwater.. so I don't see how Aeneas Williams makes it.

Will continue to be robbed;

Jerry Kramer and Ray Guy.

I hate this post.

"Eventually, but not this year"

What the heck does that even mean? Either a guy is a HOF'er, or he isnt. Why would you not vote for a guy one year, but then vote for him later? I hate when people say this, makes no sense.

And as far as Butler & Atwater vs Williams, Butler & Atwater played S, Williams was a CB, so I dont understand the comparison. Williams was the best CB in the league with Arizona not named Deion Sanders. He was traded to the Rams after the 2000 season, in which the Rams had arguably the worst defense in modern era football. In 2001, thanks in large part to Aeneas Williams, the defense was top 5 and the team went to the SB. Williams allowed zero TD's all season, and shut down guys like Terrell Owens twice, among others. He moved to Safety two years later and went to the Pro Bowl. He is one of the few legitimate, real, shutdown CB's of the last 20 years. I'm shocked he hasnt cruised into the HOF, to be honest.

 

[JBregz]

Deserving list imo.

ED Sabol lmao

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

The voters have already sent a precedent for this. Look no further than Cris Carter and Tim Brown just last year.

This is one of the few areas where I agree with the voters. Some players are first-ballot HOF'rs and some aren't.

The baseball voters do the same shit. It's retarded. I will never understand this "first-ballot" nonsense, and holding guys out because of it. Again, you either are a HOF player, are you're not.

I think it's a cheap cop out tactic that the voters use. They figure, i'll leave off the guy the first time around, see how he does, then vote based on what the results/reaction is. To me, if you have to think about a guy for more than a few seconds, it's a "no". None of this "well, not on the first ballot, but i'll vote for him later".

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Do you agree with this statement, though?

"When you Peak, you win."


I don't think either Martin or Bettis are Hall of Famers, but thats just my take. The HOF selection committee has gone to utter shit, so I'm nearly as interested in the voting anymore. Floyd Little was enshrined last year...Little had no HOF credentials whatsover and Curtis Martin more than doubles Little's career rushing yardage.

I think Bettis was the better RB, but Martin was more productive and had a better career.

I know I'm going to compare apples and oranges here, but I think the same criteria for Martin is the same criteria for Isaac Bruce at WR. Classic compilers were very good for so long that their accomplishments were great.

Whether very good for so long that they accomplish great things is Hall of Fame material is, I guess up to the person voting. I think SOME of these types are good enough to get in (obviously, with Monk getting in, the precedent is set, as I didn't think Monk was HOF material) but not all...case by case stuff.

As for Martin...maybe. For running backs, I use the Ricky Watters rule...if he was better than Watters, he gets in...if not...no...considering Watters is the "first player out" using some March Madness lingo.

 

[shag773]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5859724

The list was released today.

Jerome Bettis- RB Yes
Marshall Faulk-RB Yes
Curtis Martin- RB Yes
Roger Craig- RB No
Terrell Davis- RB No
Deion Sanders- CB Yes
Shannon Sharpe- TE No
Andre Reed- WR No
Cris Carter-WR Yes
Tim Brown- WR Yes
Willie Roaf- OT Yes
Dermontti Dawson- C No
Ray Guy- P No
Cortez Kennedy- DT No
Ed Sabol- NFL Films Yes
Don Coryell- coach No
Chris Doleman-DE/LB No
Kevin Greene- DE/LB No
Charles Haley- DE/LB Yes
Richard Dent- DE Yes
Aeneas Willams- CB No
Lester Hayes-CB Yes Best cover corner I've ever seen
Paul Tagliabue- Former Commish Yes
Ed Debartolo Jr- 49ers owner Yes
Art Modell- Browns/Ravens Owner Yes
George Young- Giants GM Yes