1995 Hall of Fame Poll

[rhickok1109]

32-1-0 Ronnie Lott

Wow, I wonder who that ignoramus was. "Safety" has been a position at least since the 1930s and the 7-diamond defense.

I believe the opinion was in regard to specifically one-way safeties... players who played only safety.

But still... agreed.

Yes, but safety was also an established position from 1951 on. Emlen Tunnell was listed as the safety on the AP All-Pro team for 1951.

[JuggernautJ]

Yes, but safety was also an established position from 1951 on. Emlen Tunnell was listed as the safety on the AP All-Pro team for 1951.

Hey, I am not arguing with you, Ralph.
I wholeheartedly agree with you... and "ignoramus" is being polite.

Just putting out there what I heard about the one dissenting vote on Ronnie Lott....
I bet that same guy voted against Emlen, too....

[rhickok1109]

Yes, but safety was also an established position from 1951 on. Emlen Tunnell was listed as the safety on the AP All-Pro team for 1951.

Hey, I am not arguing with you, Ralph.
I wholeheartedly agree with you... and "ignoramus" is being polite.

Just putting out there what I heard about the one dissenting vote on Ronnie Lott....
I bet that same guy voted against Emlen, too....

I wasn't arguing, either, just trying to establish the facts

[Brian wolf]

Bryan, this is Brian ...

I agree with your assessment about voters wanting pehaps a bigger Hall, with many of those players in the poll making it but disagree about Walker. His versatility and special teams play should put him in the Hall, at least over a player like Hester, who was a great returner only. What hurts Walker were the expectations of the teams he joined. The Vikings, Eagles and again Cowboys really didnt give him enough carries or utilize him enough, which is why he played well on special teams. The Vikings and Eagles both could have won a SB with him but had too many problems with their QBs.

I remember when he rejoined the Cowboys in 96 and knew that Emmitt Smith wouldnt want him to get carries behind that offensive line but he would have helped them alot more if the team let him ...

[Bryan]

Bryan, this is Brian ...

I agree with your assessment about voters wanting pehaps a bigger Hall, with many of those players in the poll making it but disagree about Walker. His versatility and special teams play should put him in the Hall, at least over a player like Hester, who was a great returner only. What hurts Walker were the expectations of the teams he joined. The Vikings, Eagles and again Cowboys really didnt give him enough carries or utilize him enough, which is why he played well on special teams. The Vikings and Eagles both could have won a SB with him but had too many problems with their QBs.

I remember when he rejoined the Cowboys in 96 and knew that Emmitt Smith wouldnt want him to get carries behind that offensive line but he would have helped them alot more if the team let him ...

Maybe I am underselling Walker, but I saw him as more of a "jack of all trades, master of none". His kick returning was interesting, but not I never considered him a top returner. I'd still put Walker in before Hester, but I honestly wouldn't put either guy in Canton.

"Ripped from the 2018 PFRA Headlines...What went wrong with Herschel?"

Joe Greene once expressed amazement at Rocky Bleier's 1976 season, saying that Rocky gained 1000 yards without ever making a cut. I think the same can be said about Herschel Walker's 1988 season...he gained 1500 yards without ever making a tackler miss. In some sense, Walker's lack of elusiveness is what made him so spectacular in the NCAA and USFL; he would simply run over people and then outrun the guys in the secondary that were chasing him.

To respond to the thread question, I think perhaps nothing 'went wrong'. Walker was strong and durable, but not really an elite RB.

[Brian wolf]

Thats why I felt Johnson traded Walker, because he was a straight line runner but Walker needed carries to get more into the flow of the game because he got stronger as it went along but in his NFL career, he only had four seasons with more than 200 carries. His receiving was underrated as well and whether his USFL stats will help him get into the HOF or not, we all know had Walker played his first three seasons in the NFL, he would have had an additional 3000-3600 yards minimum ...

[Brian wolf]

With this upcoming 2022 HOF Class coming up, I just want to make an early plea for Walker to rightfully make the HOF before entering the dreaded Senior Abyss ...

Despite being a straight-line runner, Walker had a great, though up and down career. He is one of the best and most underrated receiving backs ever and did it all on special teams as well. Yes, his running numbers could have been better had he spent his entire career in the NFL but despite playing well in Dallas, he was traded to a team that couldnt run block well or give him the carries that he needed to break open more big plays with the Vikings and played for another poor line in Philadelphia, who at least used his big play ability on special teams. Had Emmitt Smith allowed him to get more carries his second time with the Cowboys, he could have helped them more as well but wasnt a crybaby or a distraction, quietly doing whatever was asked.

Can the voters finally put him in ?

[Hail Casares]

With this upcoming 2022 HOF Class coming up, I just want to make an early plea for Walker to rightfully make the HOF before entering the dreaded Senior Abyss ...

Despite being a straight-line runner, Walker had a great, though up and down career. He is one of the best and most underrated receiving backs ever and did it all on special teams as well. Yes, his running numbers could have been better had he spent his entire career in the NFL but despite playing well in Dallas, he was traded to a team that couldnt run block well or give him the carries that he needed to break open more big plays with the Vikings and played for another poor line in Philadelphia, who at least used his big play ability on special teams. Had Emmitt Smith allowed him to get more carries his second time with the Cowboys, he could have helped them more as well but wasnt a crybaby or a distraction, quietly doing whatever was asked.

Can the voters finally put him in ?

I can't support Walker for the HOF. Good player. Kind of a compiler. Long career. 12th all-time in AP yards but if we put him in I feel like you'd have to put Darren Sproles in. Eric Metcalf? Guys like that.

Hester I balk at putting him in but you can at least make the "Ray Guy" argument that he was the best player at his position ever. I'd put Hester in long before Walker and not sure I'd put Hester in, although I feel Hester will someday get in via the Senior Committee.

[Bryan]

I'd put Hester in long before Walker and not sure I'd put Hester in, although I feel Hester will someday get in via the Senior Committee.

I wonder if Hester's numbers will look better from an historical perspective as the kick/punt return game in general gets more and more marginalized. Kind of like how Mike Mussina's win total was deemed not HOF-worthy...and then years later as pitchers were lucky to win 15 games a season, Mussina's total was deemed good enough.

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

Yeah, people forget how good Andre Rison was for a while.

Strange that the "No" votes for Elway, White, Barry Sanders, Bruce Smith, weren't "Maybe" votes. Who would say flat out "No" about them at that point in their career?