By John Turney
Earlier today the Hall of Fame released its list of finalists for the 2020 Centennial Class and it was a very exciting list.
Certainly, no one can agree fully with all of the choices, I even might have a quibble or two, but they are just that-quibbles—the work-product by the Blue Ribbon committee is excellent.
Reading the 'Twitter tea leaves' suggests Browns fans are not pleased with Art Modell being listed and the Bengals fans are upset no one from their favorite team is listed. And there are likely others disgruntled but much of that is partisan, people not liking "their guys" being snubbed.
But to me, the inclusion of six players who played their careers prior to 1950 was epically well done. In addition, there are three more players who finished their careers prior to 1960 for a total of nine "super seniors" if you will.
With only ten slots available all of them will not get in, nor should they. But in my view, there is a handful from the (call it 1951 and prior group) of "musts" or "essential to be included". And even then not all will get in, but it does open the door.
So, before I count the chickens before they hatch, let's just celebrate that there a lot fo the right eggs around so there is potential for celebration in Football Heaven (right net door to Rock and Roll Heaven) next summer because of today's announcement.
Well done, Hall of Fame Blue Ribbon Committee, well done. You deserve high praise in my opinion.
Have a Blue Ribbon on me—
Get the feeling the Pack be may be the only team that gets multiple players voted in. Predicting Dilweg and Dillon
ReplyDeleteNO!! on Modell....yes, 64 tv contract, but moving the Browns puts him in the Robert Irsay Gate to Perdition
ReplyDeletePlayers and Coaches before contributors
Dilweg
Slater
Gradishar
Wistert
Coryell
maybe Young (a "real" contributor + 52 Texan)…..)
+4 more
but NO Tagliabue
re "disgruntled Bengals fans"....have somebody that can actually play at a "Munoz" level before complaining your team is overlooked
agreed with all you said jholtgym
DeletePearson.
ReplyDeleteI understand people's love for Mac Speedie, a great AAFC receiver, but his 33 TDs, though good, just don't stand out compared to Benton's 45 TDs and Kavanaughs, 52 TDs...
ReplyDeleteI am sorry, GB fans, but I just don't like the Isbell pick. He played five years and was a QB for only three of them. With Hutson making everyone look good and three other Packers picked as semifinalists, someone else, like Howley, should have taken that spot.
Lemar Parrish was a great player for the Bengals, but his ballhawking teammate Ken Riley, cancels him out.
agreed with you on isbell and howley 100% Brian and your right about riley and parrish cancelling each other
DeleteGreat choices. Please tell me the final vote will be done by the Blue Ribbon Panel.
ReplyDeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteWhat are Gradishar and Shell's chances?
Which I knew---guess is RG is better than 50-50, Shell, maybe 50-50 but no information is getting out so far...guess HOF really wants a surprise.
Delete