Hall of Fame weekend is upon us.
by Buc Wild on Aug 6, 2010 10:00 AM EDT
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PrintIt's been long awaited for some people, but the wait is almost over. The Hall of Fame Induction weekend coupled with the Hall of Fame game is here. On Sunday, August 8th, the NFL pre-season will officially kick off, with the Dallas Cowboys "visiting" the Cincinnati Bengals. The game will be televised on NBC and will give all of us our first taste of football for the 2010 year.
This will be the first time since the Saints took home the Lombardi trophy that two teams will line up in a competitive fashion. Of course, the starters will play a series, two if we're lucky, and then they'll give way to the backups, who will give way to the backups, who eventually give way to the guy who bags your groceries. Only he has a cooler story now.
But outside of the game, there is an even bigger event, one I hope I can attend one year (perhaps when Derrick Brooks is inducted). That, of course, is Induction Weekend.
The actual enshrinement will be on August 7th and will cap the career of some fantastic players and coaches. We all know what the Hall of Fame stands for, and only the best of the best make it every year. This year is a star studded class, featuring two of the all time greats. Lets check out the list of those being inducted.
Russ Grimm
Rickey Jackson
Dick Lebeau
Floyd Little
John Randle
Emmitt Smith
Jerry Rice
Quite an impressive list huh? All of these players/coaches have contributed to the game immensely and are worthy inductees into the Hall of Fame.
So when this weekend rolls around, be sure to catch the induction ceremony. And of course, be sure to catch some of the game. Lastly, be sure to envision a few of our current guys being on that stage at some point. You never know who may end up there.
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Cody Grimm
has been excused from camp to make the trip to see his father inducted in the Hall of Fame. I’m not sure if Cody will make the team, but his absence from camp definitely hurts those chances. However, if he’s not going to make the team anyways… He might as well not miss this important milestone moment in his fathers life. I do hope he at least makes our practice squad, I think with a few years of development in the NFL he could become a decent player.
I'd go if my dad was bing put in too, wouldn't thing twice about it.
I’m sure the team understands what that means to them, it’s very excusable.
"Training camp is a little different. To me, that's when you establish the men. You take off your underwear." Raheem Morris
It would be sweet...
but very unlikely to happen just based on eligibility status. Not to mention the widely debated topic of whether Barber gets in… but he is still playing. There’s no doubt about Brooks and Sapp, probable first ballet Hall of Famers. If that happens, Sapp goes in the hall in 2013 and Brooks in 2014. One other great Buc could find his way in the hall in the same class as Brooks, John Lynch.
Brooks doesn't go in in 2014
He’ll go in 5 years after he’s announced his retirement, and he still hasn’t done that.
I’d also say Lynch has less of a shot at getting in than Barber.
Actually,
it doesn’t have to be a formally annouced retirement. This is straight from the HOF website:
“The only restriction is that a player and coach must have last played or coached at least five seasons before he can be considered. For example, a candidate for the 2010 class must have concluded his career not later than the 2004 season.”
yeah, it's just 5 years.
Brooks hasn’t announced it yet because he still thinks he can play, but I hope he doesn’t unless it’s here. Selfish I know, but I don’t want to see him in another uniform.
"Training camp is a little different. To me, that's when you establish the men. You take off your underwear." Raheem Morris
Really?
He is known as one of the hardest hitters who ever played the game. Also he has 9 pro bowls (I think). Better than Barber.
"You have to play this game like somebody just hit your mother with a two-by-four."
-Dan Birdwell
I disagree 100%
with Barber having a better shot to get in than Lynch. Lynch has accomplished way more in his career than Barber has. The debate with Lynch is more about WHEN he goes. The debate with Barber is IF he goes.
I disagree that the debate on Lynch is 'when'
Lynch has 9 Pro Bowls. That may get him in, but his fame is based on hard hitting. And if Jack Tatum isn’t getting in, hard hitting isn’t getting you very far.
The reason I think Barber is getting in is that he has done something no other cornerback has ever done: get more than 20 interceptions and more than 20 sacks. It’s uniqueness like that that gets people in the Hall.
It's not
Tatum’s play that is keeping him from getting into the hall. He is one of the most infamous players in the history of the game. Hall of Famers don’t have a reputation for playing dirty.
His hits were legal
It was a rough game back then.
And HoF guidelines state that off-field behaviour isn’t to be considered. This isn’t the baseball HoF.
His hits were legal
Nothing dirty about that
He got his reputation from the paralyzing hit he dished out. He handled that classlessly off the field, but his hit was perfectly fine.
Interesting Inductee is Dick Lebeau
Was he really a HOF player or most definitely a HOF coach? If it’s coach that is getting him in he’s not retired yet.
Yes, he was a great player!
He played 14 seasons with Detroit and was a 3 time pro bowler, holds the NFL record for most consecutive games played by a CB (171), has 62 career interceptions (7th all time). Has also had 9 career fumble recoveries, 4 defensive TDs and 815 defensive return yards.
I think coaching helped him get in
He was a good player but not a HoF player in my opinion. He benefited greatly from playing across from monster CBs, so opposing QBs had to throw to him. Easier to get a lot of picks that way, at a time when getting picks was easier than it is now anyway.
The fact that he only had 3 Pro Bowls also shows you that his contemporaries did not think he was Hall of Fame quality.
He did play around other great players.
As we’ve seen in years past, its hard to get two players who play the same position from any team as the pro bowl starters. When was the last time it happened? I don’t know off the top of my head, but I do know what usually happens. The better of the two players gets the nod.
The other HOF players who played in the secondary with Lebeau were: Dick “Night Train” Lane 1952 – 65, Yale Larry 1952 – 64 and Lem Barney 1967-78. Lane went to the pro bowl as a Lion 3 times 61-63, Barney went 7 times (67-73, 75,76). Larry went to the pro bowl 9 times (53, 55-62, 64). Only one of the three times Lebeau went to the pro bowl was another teammate also selected, that was in 1967 when both he and Lem Barney went. I agree that Lebeau was the least deserving of the 4, but that’s why it has taken so long to get him in. However, he is deserving.
Btw, how do you qualify that it was easier to get picks back then? They played only 12 games a season before 1961 and 14 from 61 – 77. During Lebeau’s 14 year career he only played 185 games. that’s not even 12 seasons today. If anything, it was more difficult to get picks because there was less opportunity.
It's easier to look good across from other players
He had a great career, yes. I don’t think it’s enough to get him in the Hall of Fame on his own.
As for it being easier to get picks now: nope. Probably because of rule changes that benefitted the offense, it’s much easier to pass these days and hence much harder to get a pick. You can’t knock out a WR downfield and then grab the ball. Interceptions were more common back then they are now on a per-season basis.
Read this for a good take on Lebeau: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/blog/?p=5592
to pick out the good bit there
In 2009, there were 3.1 interceptions per 100 attempts in the NFL; during LeBeau’s era, there were 5.6 INTs per 100 attempts. Despite playing in fewer games and throwing significantly less often, the average team during LeBeau’s career threw 20.1 interceptions per season; the average team in 2009 threw 16.4 interceptions.
Shouldn't playing for the Lions for 14 years be an automatic qualifier?
Totally kidding, I’m sure it wasn’t as bad back then as it now a days. But somebody should really get a support group started for Jeff Backus, Jared DeVries, Jason Hanson and Dominic Raiola.
Thanks for the stats
I didn’t realize much of his history as a player but he definitely belongs there as a coach.
I heard on ESPN
That he was inducted in as a player. Not sure if you can actually pick which career but just saying what I heard.
"You have to play this game like somebody just hit your mother with a two-by-four."
-Dan Birdwell
It's the selection committee
that determines what your status is an inductee. When someone is nominated, they have to qualify. Right now Lebeau does not qualify to get in as a coach because he is still active in that career. He got in based on the merits of his playing career.
Yea but my point was about
him getting inducted in general. He obviously can’t go in again as a coach because he’s already in as a player. Right?
"You have to play this game like somebody just hit your mother with a two-by-four."
-Dan Birdwell
I think so
He’s officially only being considered for his playing career, but I doubt that that’s enough on its own to get him in.
I think so.
I believe that already being an inductee would elimate the nomination process for that person. Also, I don’t know of any person to go in as a coach and as a player.
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