Hall of Fame finalists

[SteelersPride]

Im sorry but, terrell davis only had 4 years over 1k rushing yards, and one of them he topped 2k..........if he is a hall of famer, so is chris johnson........

 

[jakedog56]

Sorry but I just can't believe how misinformed you are with this post... Can't let it go

Here's more "average" stats according to you...

* Eight seasons with 1,000 Rush yds (T-5th in NFL history)
* 14 players in NFL history have rushed for at least 12,000 yards. Of the 12 that are eligible for the Hall of Fame, Bettis is the only one not already enshrined.
* Tied for 10th on the career rushing TD's leaders. (Ahead of Dickerson, Dorsett, Campbell...)

...But he didn't excel at his position???

Hmm... I guess you're saying those other guys below Bettis' stats shouldn't be in the HOF?

*3.9 yards per carry for his career.
*Never led the league in rushing. Finished in the top 10 in rushing yards only four times in his career.

I never said that he didn't excel at his position. I said that he didn't excel in comparision to the others on the ballot.

I feel that Kurt Warner was a better QB than Bettis was a RB. Same with Seau as a LB, Shield as a G, Pace as an OT, Lynch as a S, Anderson as a K, Harrison and Brown at WR (3rd and 5th respectively), Greene at LB/DE (3rd all time in sacks), and Tinglehoff at C.

The case could be made that Greene, Haley, and Bettis are the weakest of the candidates listed. They were still great players in their own right but I can't emphatically say that they are better than the other guys listed.

If Bettis makes it in over the others, then in my mind it can be contributed heavily to his likeability, the position that he plays (more RBs make it in than any position other than QB, which is already an unfair bias), and his longevity in the league.

I guess that the longevity does need to be rewarded also, but he was certainly not as dynamic in the short term as Davis was, but Davis had his career cut short due to injury.

Historically speaking, guys with Bettis' overall career total yardage rushing numbers have gotten in, but it is debatable and depends on how you approach the selection. Do you award a player for being great over the short term more or less than you award a player for being great on a slightly lesser great over a longer period of time? It is a debate that I have been interested in since Kenny Easley, the Safety that many, including Ronnie Lott, say was the best they have ever seen play, was not selected due to his career being cut short.

In reviewing the numbers, I am willing to retract some of my statement, but I still agree with the overall concept behind it: Bettis is awarded for the position that he plays and his longevity in the league, but at no point was he ever the positively the best RB in the NFL for a given year.

 

[BHF]

Sorry but I just can't believe how misinformed you are with this post... Can't let it go

Here's more "average" stats according to you...

* Eight seasons with 1,000 Rush yds (T-5th in NFL history)
* 14 players in NFL history have rushed for at least 12,000 yards. Of the 12 that are eligible for the Hall of Fame, Bettis is the only one not already enshrined.
* Tied for 10th on the career rushing TD's leaders. (Ahead of Dickerson, Dorsett, Campbell...)

...But he didn't excel at his position???

Hmm... I guess you're saying those other guys below Bettis' stats shouldn't be in the HOF?

Compiler. I'm sorry, you shouldn't get into the HOF for durability.

Never once led the league in rushing. Never led it in TDs scored. Had as many years averaging less than 3.6YPC as he'd did over 4.0. Only two All Pros in 13 seasons. Averaged less than 4.0 YPC for his career.

Hall of Fame? No. Hall of Very Good? Sure.

 

[Wazmankg]

I never ever thought of him as a
hof`er.

His claim to fame was how many rings he`d won over his career..............good thing he won them instead of the team.
I wonder where aikman and emmitt,Rice and Montana be without him.:rollseyes:

Me neither ... unless we're going to start enshring DEs based on number of rings now. It's bad enough that we do it for QBs.

 

[MarkOU]

Kurt Warner - his life story alone is HoF worthy. Grocery clerck to Super Bowl MVP. Doesn't get any more amazing than that.

Will Shields - I like longevity. 14 years, missed one game. Dude was as solid as an oak.

Morton Anderson - Holy what!?! Yes, a kicker. I like longevity. This guy spanned 3 decades and was money .797 on FG % and only missed 10 extra points in his 25 year career.

Tim Brown - 17 NFL seasons. See the theme here? Tim was a dynamic receiver that just couldn't catch a break with a decent QB or a decent owner but still managed to gain a shit load of yards. Imagine what he could have been if he had an Aikmen, Young or Favre.

Junior Seau - 19 NFL seasons. Man loved the game so much it killed him. All heart and raw talent

 

[Wamu]

Bettis was a very good player but his numbers do not add up to HOF enshrinement, yet he is currently 3rd on this list in the modern voting.

Every other player listed excelled at their position more than Bettis did. He shouldn't be in this group.

Wow, that's crazy. The Bus belongs in the HOF.

 

[SomeGuy]

Wow, that's crazy. The Bus belongs in the HOF parking lot.

(homer in me wants Lynch to get in but I know he will not)

 

[cdumler7]

I think Bettis and Davis is going to be a very interesting comparison. On one hand you have Bettis like was pointed out who over the course of his career compiled a lot of touchdowns and yards to put him with some of the biggest names in the history of the game. On the other hand looking at individual seasons he had a couple really good seasons but surrounded by a bunch of thousand yard seasons where he was closer to maybe the 10th best back in the NFL compared to top of the class.

On the other side of the coin you have Terrell Davis who for a 3-year period maybe had the best 3-year run of any RB in NFL history. He actually was the MVP of the league and unanimous best back in the NFL during that span. He also still holds the record for best rushing yards per playoff game showing that when the lights were brightest he was able to take it even to a whole new level. Unfortunately injuries sidelined a for sure HOF career to now putting him right on that edge.

 

[Wamu]

(homer in me wants Lynch to get in but I know he will not)

Not sure Lynch gets in this year but he'll get in sooner rather than later. He had a solid career.

 

[Wamu]

I think Bettis and Davis is going to be a very interesting comparison. On one hand you have Bettis like was pointed out who over the course of his career compiled a lot of touchdowns and yards to put him with some of the biggest names in the history of the game. On the other hand looking at individual seasons he had a couple really good seasons but surrounded by a bunch of thousand yard seasons where he was closer to maybe the 10th best back in the NFL compared to top of the class.

On the other side of the coin you have Terrell Davis who for a 3-year period maybe had the best 3-year run of any RB in NFL history. He actually was the MVP of the league and unanimous best back in the NFL during that span. He also still holds the record for best rushing yards per playoff game showing that when the lights were brightest he was able to take it even to a whole new level. Unfortunately injuries sidelined a for sure HOF career to now putting him right on that edge.

Speaking of former Broncos how the hell is Steve Atwater not in the HOF yet? Loved watching him play back in the day.

 

[PDay8810]

I think Bettis and Davis is going to be a very interesting comparison. On one hand you have Bettis like was pointed out who over the course of his career compiled a lot of touchdowns and yards to put him with some of the biggest names in the history of the game. On the other hand looking at individual seasons he had a couple really good seasons but surrounded by a bunch of thousand yard seasons where he was closer to maybe the 10th best back in the NFL compared to top of the class.

On the other side of the coin you have Terrell Davis who for a 3-year period maybe had the best 3-year run of any RB in NFL history. He actually was the MVP of the league and unanimous best back in the NFL during that span. He also still holds the record for best rushing yards per playoff game showing that when the lights were brightest he was able to take it even to a whole new level. Unfortunately injuries sidelined a for sure HOF career to now putting him right on that edge.

So true...well said and why Bettis belongs IMO and I remain on the fence post about guys like Davis or Warner.

 

[PDay8810]

Speaking of former Broncos how the hell is Steve Atwater not in the HOF yet? Loved watching him play back in the day.

as a cowboy fan.....I say the same about Chuck Howley.

Both Pittsburgh receivers from the 70's but no Drew Pearson?

oh well....wouldn't want that job

 

[Wazmankg]

Yeah Davis was considered the unanimous best back in the NFL maybe 2 of that 3 year stretch. Definitely not in 97 and 96 is questionable, He was the best in 98 for sure. I think he'll get in, and deserves to, eventually.

 

[Wamu]

as a cowboy fan.....I say the same about Chuck Howley.

Both Pittsburgh receivers from the 70's but no Drew Pearson?

oh well....wouldn't want that job

Defensive SB MVP...yeah Howley should be in the HOF. A few other players I think should be in there are former Dolphins players Mark Duper, Mark Clayton & another defensive SB MVP, Jake Scott. And Drew Pearson, had to look up his #'s but they are comparable to some other wr's already in Canton, not sure why he's not in yet.

 

[cdumler7]

Yeah Davis was considered the unanimous best back in the NFL maybe 2 of that 3 year stretch. Definitely not in 97 and 96 is questionable, He was the best in 98 for sure. I think he'll get in, and deserves to, eventually.

I was meaning more that if you take any 3-year stretch of any RB in NFL history and compare them to what Davis did in that stretch you will be hard pressed to find anybody that had a better run than that for him. I didn't mean that all 3 years he was the unanimous best back each individual year.

 

[cdumler7]

Speaking of former Broncos how the hell is Steve Atwater not in the HOF yet? Loved watching him play back in the day.

To me the issue is he hasn't even been close to being considered. He has made the top-25 list or whatever it is a couple of times but he has never even made it as a finalist for the award. I just think Safety is a position that is very difficult to get in and for Atwater his issue is he doesn't have the interceptions that most voters who haven't actually watched him that much look for. He was the enforcer over the middle and unless you followed him closely you just don't know how much of an impact he had on each game. I mean he essentially is the reason Christian Okoye just went down hill in a hurry after his bone crushing hit. Not very often you see a 260 lb. RB going flying backwards.

 

[ducky]

I think Bettis and Davis is going to be a very interesting comparison. On one hand you have Bettis like was pointed out who over the course of his career compiled a lot of touchdowns and yards to put him with some of the biggest names in the history of the game. On the other hand looking at individual seasons he had a couple really good seasons but surrounded by a bunch of thousand yard seasons where he was closer to maybe the 10th best back in the NFL compared to top of the class.

On the other side of the coin you have Terrell Davis who for a 3-year period maybe had the best 3-year run of any RB in NFL history. He actually was the MVP of the league and unanimous best back in the NFL during that span. He also still holds the record for best rushing yards per playoff game showing that when the lights were brightest he was able to take it even to a whole new level. Unfortunately injuries sidelined a for sure HOF career to now putting him right on that edge.

That's a good breakdown. There is absolutely no question that TD was a better RB than Bettis. It was just for a shorter period.

I like both RB's and can understand their fan's wanting them in the Hall. But personally I can never imagine a HOF voting scenario outside of the veteran's committee where either guy gets in.

Bettis simply wasn't good enough to make it. He was never at any point in during his career a top 5 RB in the league. Barry Sanders, Emmit Smith, Terrell Davis (for a few years), Curtis Martin, Ricky Watters, Thurman Thomas, Marshal Faulk, Eddie George, and a lot of one year wonders along the way. At no point during his career would have the Bus been on a list of the top 5 coveted RB's in the league. And to me that really is a disqualifier for the most part.

Davis simply didn't have a long enough career. The talent was there but the Broncos abused him and he paid for it with too short a career.

And you add that all up and then look at how the voting process work, I just can't imagine either of these guys making enough top 5 lists when the final votes come up for the HOF.

Of course I say this knowing that it could happen simply because it is idiot sport's writers who do the voting. So it is possible that the RB with the 6th or 7th best HOF resume from their era gets in before the 1st or 2nd best guard of that era. The writer's have certainly made a lot worse choices.

 

[Wazmankg]

Atwater meets the Nigerian nightmare -


He would be in my HOF.

 

[PatsFan2003]

oh yeah. There's a little brain damage going on there.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

*3.9 yards per carry for his career.
*Never led the league in rushing. Finished in the top 10 in rushing yards only four times in his career.

I never said that he didn't excel at his position. I said that he didn't excel in comparision to the others on the ballot.

I feel that Kurt Warner was a better QB than Bettis was a RB. Same with Seau as a LB, Shield as a G, Pace as an OT, Lynch as a S, Anderson as a K, Harrison and Brown at WR (3rd and 5th respectively), Greene at LB/DE (3rd all time in sacks), and Tinglehoff at C.

The case could be made that Greene, Haley, and Bettis are the weakest of the candidates listed. They were still great players in their own right but I can't emphatically say that they are better than the other guys listed.

If Bettis makes it in over the others, then in my mind it can be contributed heavily to his likeability, the position that he plays (more RBs make it in than any position other than QB, which is already an unfair bias), and his longevity in the league.

I guess that the longevity does need to be rewarded also, but he was certainly not as dynamic in the short term as Davis was, but Davis had his career cut short due to injury.

Historically speaking, guys with Bettis' overall career total yardage rushing numbers have gotten in, but it is debatable and depends on how you approach the selection. Do you award a player for being great over the short term more or less than you award a player for being great on a slightly lesser great over a longer period of time? It is a debate that I have been interested in since Kenny Easley, the Safety that many, including Ronnie Lott, say was the best they have ever seen play, was not selected due to his career being cut short.

In reviewing the numbers, I am willing to retract some of my statement, but I still agree with the overall concept behind it: Bettis is awarded for the position that he plays and his longevity in the league, but at no point was he ever the positively the best RB in the NFL for a given year.

Alright... That makes a lot more sense when you put it all that way.

In comparison to the players on the list I would say he isn't top tier. Just glad you weren't trying to tell me that he wasn't worthy or something, which would be nonsense.

Yes Bettis was better known for longevity and durability. He played during the Barry Sanders era, and Sanders was in a league of his own. Terrell Davis was the only person that came close to him. Definitely sucked when he got injured. It's understandable that Bettis gets overlooked. He was top 3 in rushing yards only once or twice? But Bettis was probably one of the toughest runners that ever played the game. He may not have dazzled you with his agility or speed, but he could grind out the toughest yards. And he did it for over a decade without ever suffering any significant injuries.