My Blog Entries
11/29/2007: Hall of Fame ??? YES!
"T.D. should be Hall of Fame bound"
The now famous four words, "This one's for John!" that Pat Bowlen proclaimed after the Broncos defeated the Packers could have been followed by another three, "Thanks to Terrell." At that point in his career, the future Hall of Fame QB was no longer the heart of his teams production, his should be future Hall of Fame running back was.
Sure Davis first two injury seasons were reasonably replaced by the surprise production of Gary and Anderson, but neither of those backs produced like Davis. Sure the Broncos had the best offensive line in football, but no one found the holes, burst through them, and punished would-be tacklers like Davis. Yes he took advantage of his system, but Montana wouldn't have been Montana without Craig, Rice, and Walsh.
As for career longevity, there is the obvious Gale Sayer's card, but beyond that, there is the volume accomplished in those years -- more than many Hall of Famers have accomplished in a much longer career.
-- A 4.78 yards per carry average before the injuries
-- A 2000+ yard season (one that could have been a league record if the Broncos hadn't been so dominating -- I specifically remember Davis spending the second half of the Dallas game on the bench after burning them for 100+ yards in the first half.
Wide receiver Cris Carter and cornerback Darrell Green are the only first-year eligible players to make the list of 26 semi-finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2008. The Hall of Fame’s Board of Selectors chose the 26 semi-finalists from the recently announced list of 124 preliminary nominees. The list includes one more than the required 25 since there was a tie for the twenty-fifth position. Hall of Fame selection by-laws provide for the inclusion of all ties for the twenty-fifth position on the ballot.
Nominees included on the semi-finalist list for the first time, although eligible prior to this year, include linebacker Rickey Jackson and defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy. Each of the remaining 22 nominees has been on the semi-finalist list at least once prior to this year.
The list of 26 semi-finalists will be reduced by mail ballot to 15 modern-era candidates. That list will increase to 17 finalist nominees with the inclusion of the two recommended candidates of the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee. The Seniors Committee nominees, who were announced in August, are Marshall Goldberg and Emmitt Thomas. Goldberg, a multi-purpose back starred with the Chicago Cardinals (1939-1943, 1946-48). Thomas, an all-league cornerback played 13 seasons (1966-1978) for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The results of the modern-era reduction vote to 15 finalists will be announced in mid-January.
To be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a nominated player or coach must have been retired at least five years. A contributor, who is a nominee who has made outstanding contributions to pro football in capacities other than playing and coaching, may still be active in his pro football career.
This is the first year that coaches are affected by the mandatory five-year waiting period; one of three significant changes to the selection process by-laws approved by the Hall of Fame’s Board of Trustees effective this year. The other major changes include increasing the minimum and maximum number of nominees that can be elected from a minimum of three and a maximum of six, to a minimum of four and a maximum of seven. The Board of Trustees also approved an increase in the number of selectors on the Selection Committee from 40 to 44.
The Class of 2008 will be determined at the Selection Committee's annual meeting on Saturday, February 2, 2008, in Phoenix, Arizona the day before Super Bowl XLII. The election results are announced immediately following the meeting at a press conference at the media headquarters.
