First-ballot Hall of Fame

[JohnH19]

First-ballot doesn't matter to me, at all. The HOF barely even matters to me for multiple reasons; the primary being that it goes against what football is, arguably (in my opinion it is) the greatest team sport in the world.

I have lost interest in the Hall of Fame in recent years. It is just so exhausting after a while.

"This guy is not in yet. Why not? That guy got in and he's better than that guy."
"This guy got in on the first ballot and he's better than that other guy who got in on the third ballot."
"We can't put that guy in the Hall of Fame this year because another guy at his position just got voted in by us 15 minutes ago."

I can't stand any of that stuff.

Then you get all the other arguments about rings and locker room distractions and crimes away from football.

It's paralysis by analysis. Too much talk and hype over something that's a simple yes or no. The enormous amount of publicity that 24/7 media, especially the despicable NFL N, has generated regarding the Hall of Fame has made it an "all about me" thing for selfish players, of which there are far too many. These players sometimes sacrifice doing the right/smart thing for trying to make the highlight reel play all with an eye to getting on that night's SportsCenter and eventually into the Hall of Fame.

[JohnTurney]

And where are the QBs? By the way, I don't consider Troy Aikman (even that I'm Cowboy fan) and Warren Moon as first-ballot, yet they made it together...

I skipped them for another day, when tempers may not flare. But in general, IMO, a few QBs got 1st ballot that didn't have the complete resume, if you will

[JohnTurney]

Don't worry, I brought it up in the Steve Young thread. Go big or go home, Mr. Turney.

LOL, I probably should go home. Not making much headway here

[Reaser]

I have lost interest in the Hall of Fame in recent years. It is just so exhausting after a while.

"This guy is not in yet. Why not? That guy got in and he's better than that guy."
"This guy got in on the first ballot and he's better than that other guy who got in on the third ballot."
"We can't put that guy in the Hall of Fame this year because another guy at his position just got voted in by us 15 minutes ago."

I can't stand any of that stuff.

Then you get all the other arguments about rings and locker room distractions and crimes away from football.

I'm not even into the All-Pro teams too much these days. We all know how flawed those teams are. Khalil Mack made first team at one position and second team at another. Justin Smith and Terrell Suggs get votes at two different positions because nobody can agree on how to classify them.

Couldn't agree more. I still 'like' anything/everything football related so I follow it but how much I care and/or my interest level is about as low as it can get. Also agree on All-Pro teams.

[Reaser]

It's paralysis by analysis. Too much talk and hype over something that's a simple yes or no. The enormous amount of publicity that 24/7 media, especially the despicable NFL N, has generated regarding the Hall of Fame has made it an "all about me" thing for selfish players, of which there are far too many. These players sometimes sacrifice doing the right/smart thing for trying to make the highlight reel play all with an eye to getting on that night's SportsCenter and eventually into the Hall of Fame.

Exactly on that it is -or should be- a simple yes or no. Also agree on the "all about me".

[JohnTurney]

I'm not even into the All-Pro teams too much these days. We all know how flawed those teams are. Khalil Mack made first team at one position and second team at another. Justin Smith and Terrell Suggs get votes at two different positions because nobody can agree on how to classify them.
"

And the AP team is now nickel and they have had 2 "edge" rushers in the "linebacker" position the last 2 years and this year was two MLBers rather than one, but since they don't break them down you can see why people voted for 2 MLBer because they were the best, but all that leaves out WILL backers, none this year anyway.

So, I get where you are coming from. Which is why I have been posting on standards, trying to figure out what others think they are or are not. I will be posting about All-Pro teams in near future, pointing out recent oddities. But, still, they are one of few touchstones we have. So it does get confusing and tiresome.

[Reaser]

And the AP team is now nickel and they have had 2 "edge" rushers in the "linebacker" position the last 2 years and this year was two MLBers rather than one, but since they don't break them down you can see why people voted for 2 MLBer because they were the best, but all that leaves out WILL backers, none this year anyway.

I believe it was Webster and myself who foresaw the issues with the changes (specifically LB) right away. Which makes it all the more odd that the AP didn't and/or didn't care. It didn't solve anything and the other changes such as "Flex" and "DB" spots just created more 'positions' for votes to get split. Both years the AP 2nd-team RB was the AP 1st-team Flex. And you have AP 1st-team CB as AP 2nd-team DB. Also 'funny' the change from DE and DT to "edge rusher" and "interior lineman" didn't change anything since we still got an AP 1st-team Edge Rusher who was also AP 2nd-team Interior Lineman the same season. So all they did with those is create the same situations they previously had with DE's and DT's. The changes didn't make sense when they were announced and the results have proved it.

[JWL]

Don't worry, I brought it up in the Steve Young thread. Go big or go home, Mr. Turney.

LOL, I probably should go home. Not making much headway here

Please don't get discouraged. I have been reading. It does get exhausting for me and a few others as we've seen but others may have greater interest and to paraphrase Reaser it is still football, so I am interested.

[rhickok1109]

I still follow pro football on the field, but I no longer pay any attention to the Hall of Fame. First ballot, second ballot, whatever, it's become a joke.

[JohnH19]

Don't worry, I brought it up in the Steve Young thread. Go big or go home, Mr. Turney.

LOL, I probably should go home. Not making much headway here

Looking forward to the QB list, John. Especially for your thoughts on Sir Francis who I feel should have clearly been first ballot.