(02-13-2024, 09:39 AM)Mikey Wrote:

(02-12-2024, 01:22 PM)Jaguarmeister Wrote: 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.

SImply put, if they deserve to be in the conversation, why do we have to delay the conversation? If they are worthy of inclusion, frickin include them. If they are not, others will be included before them.

I dont think anyone is out there banging the drum for the Kassim Osgoods or Mel Grays - they were good at their job, but they weren't on Hester's level of special. How do you say the above about first ballot or (no) bust, and then also claim that Boselli deserves to be there over a number of other guys who did it at a high level for much longer?

Sometimes we have to get out of our regionality mindset. Freddy was a very good back. But on the national level, a whole lot more people knew Hester and how dangerous he was.

Now if you want to argue the case against some of the WR in the HOF, you might have legs. Does Freddy deserve it more than say, James Lofton or Cris Carter, Isaac Bruce? maybe. But to say the absolute peak of the ST mountain should be excluded just to accommodate the local guy who was very good, although maybe not best at his position seems an odd stance.

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(02-12-2024, 02:45 PM)mikesez Wrote: I have no problem with Adrian Peterson getting in before Fred.
Peterson clearly had a better career than Fred.
The only RB there now who shouldn't have gotten in before Fred is Edgerrin James.
A poster mentioned Marshawn Lynch.  Fred was better than Lynch as well. Lynch and Fred should both be in, but Fred first.

'twas me, and I agree that talent-wise Lynch and Freddy are near the same levels. The difference will be that Marshawn has a SB (or two?) to his name and a legendary play that most everyone has seen.

It's not the fairest criteria, but if one sets aside their teal spectacles, it can be quite foreseeable that Lynch would get the nod first, whether the stats support the decision or not.

Yeah people will mention how he was memorable with his personality, nickname, running style, but that's all just media exposure.  None of that happens in Jacksonville in the 2000s.

As for the Super Bowl, Barry Sanders, Adrian Peterson, Edgerrin James, Eric Dickerson, and LaDanian Tomlinson never even played in one.  Thurman Thomas and Curtis Martin played but lost.  It doesn't matter, they are all in the Hall (or will be shortly).  It shouldn't matter. Not for the RB position.

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