(02-12-2024, 11:58 AM)Mikey Wrote:

(02-11-2024, 12:34 PM)Jaguarmeister Wrote: They should have an optional spot for special teams guys like Hester that’s available once every 5 years but not mandatory to use.  I think he’s a hall of famer after watching the 9 minute highlight reel that went around twitter recently though I would argue that the first two highlights on that reel were more about great special teams blocking and poor coverage by the opposing team than what Hester actually did on those two plays.  That said, the amount of TDs he scored on special teams combined with some of his highlights and I’d put him in but as mentioned above, I’d have basically a separate process for special teams guys.

Ab-so-freakin-lutely not.

So every five years we start debating whether to include Janikowski, Matt Bahr, Sean Landeta. Vai Sikahema just because they didn't play offense or defense primarily?

Baloney. The hall should be about the best at their position when they played. If the selection committee and then the voters think their contribution was that significant to the game, they should be considered. I don't want to force conversations just because the cycle has come back around. Optional or not, doing so takes away conversation or consideration of plenty other candidates during that fifth year cycle. Imagine being the best at your position, retiring, waiting 5 years, and then being told "sorry, you gotta wait another 4 years before we even entertain the idea of nominating you."

Hester was dang good at what he did. He was a dang unicorn. Don't restructure the whole system because of one extraordinary circumstance, plain and simple.

Operative words being "optional" and "not mandatory".  You're not forcing conversations about guys that clearly don't belong.  There will always be a stream of guys at other positions creating backlogs for deserving guys like Fred.  You don't need to exclude special teams guys from the Hall, but they shouldn't be getting in over guys who killed their bodies out there week in and week out while producing Hall worthy numbers.  I think Hester is deserving, don't misunderstand me.  It's just an apples and oranges comparison between he and Fred or any other player who is on the field 95% of the time when their side of the ball is on the field.  I don't think there should be multi-year campaigns to get the same special teamer in year after year.  I think you're either first ballot or gthoh.  Just don't have their first ballot be at the expense of guys who did a lot more at another position is all.  Hell, remove the every 5 year barrier and have it be every year, but there will never be a special teamer that deserves it more than a guy like Freddy so give yourself the option of letting a special teamer in and not have it be at the expense of someone more deserving in my opinion.  I don't think removing the barrier or making it an optional selection produces more than 1 or 2 special teamers a decade anyway.  I don't know, I don't feel that strongly about it so leaving it alone is fine too.

Adam Vinatieri is eligible next year I think and is worthy as well.  Will be interesting to see what team he goes in as.  I have more big game memories of him as a patriot but he played 4 years longer for the clots.

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