At what point will we run out of "contributers"?

[JohnTurney]

Wolf and Polian in, next year there will be only one, likely George Young. Then, in 2017, there will be two, maybe Bobby Beathard . ..


and then who? Joe Thomas?

[Gary Najman]

I think Paul Tagliabue, and maybe finally the referees (Jerry Markbreit, Jim Tunney et al) will have their day.

[ChrisBabcock]

It's not necessarily limited to GMs of course. We have Ed Sabol. (who was such a breath of fresh air when he got in) Long ago we had "Shorty" Ray get enshrined. His HOF bio is pretty cool. I think we all agree Steve Sabol needs to get in. How about an announcer? Al Michaels? Most of average Joe Fan's interaction with the sport is through the play by play of some great... and also not so great... announcers.

[ChrisBabcock]

aha... exactly what Teo said. He was posting as I was typing!

[John Grasso]

Pat Summerall should be in if you combine his play with his announcing.

[Bob Gill]

I don't like this category at all. First it was owners, then general managers, and now we're talking about referees and announcers? People watch football games for the players, and I understand the point of honoring the great coaches. But beyond that, I don't think the Hall of Fame should have more than a handful of owners who really determined the shape of the NFL (Halas, Mara, Marshall, Hunt) and a few landmark commissioners (Carr, Rozelle, maybe Bell).

Look at the names mentioned in this thread already: Pat Summerall, Al Michaels, Jim Tunney. Nothing against any of these guys, but the fact that anyone would even consider them while the likes of Lavern Dilweg, Al Wistert, Del Shofner, Kenny Easley and Sterling Sharpe are outside looking in is just ludicrous.

[John Maxymuk]

I don't like this category at all. First it was owners, then general managers, and now we're talking about referees and announcers? People watch football games for the players, and I understand the point of honoring the great coaches. But beyond that, I don't think the Hall of Fame should have more than a handful of owners who really determined the shape of the NFL (Halas, Mara, Marshall, Hunt) and a few landmark commissioners (Carr, Rozelle, maybe Bell).

Look at the names mentioned in this thread already: Pat Summerall, Al Michaels, Jim Tunney. Nothing against any of these guys, but the fact that anyone would even consider them while the likes of Lavern Dilweg, Al Wistert, Del Shofner, Kenny Easley and Sterling Sharpe are outside looking in is just ludicrous.

Yes. Emphatically.

[rhickok1109]

I don't like this category at all. First it was owners, then general managers, and now we're talking about referees and announcers? People watch football games for the players, and I understand the point of honoring the great coaches. But beyond that, I don't think the Hall of Fame should have more than a handful of owners who really determined the shape of the NFL (Halas, Mara, Marshall, Hunt) and a few landmark commissioners (Carr, Rozelle, maybe Bell).

Look at the names mentioned in this thread already: Pat Summerall, Al Michaels, Jim Tunney. Nothing against any of these guys, but the fact that anyone would even consider them while the likes of Lavern Dilweg, Al Wistert, Del Shofner, Kenny Easley and Sterling Sharpe are outside looking in is just ludicrous.

Yes. Emphatically.

I emphatically agree with your emphatical agreement.

[Reaser]

I don't like this category at all. First it was owners, then general managers, and now we're talking about referees and announcers? People watch football games for the players, and I understand the point of honoring the great coaches. But beyond that, I don't think the Hall of Fame should have more than a handful of owners who really determined the shape of the NFL (Halas, Mara, Marshall, Hunt) and a few landmark commissioners (Carr, Rozelle, maybe Bell).

Look at the names mentioned in this thread already: Pat Summerall, Al Michaels, Jim Tunney. Nothing against any of these guys, but the fact that anyone would even consider them while the likes of Lavern Dilweg, Al Wistert, Del Shofner, Kenny Easley and Sterling Sharpe are outside looking in is just ludicrous.

Well said, Bob. (can't go triple emphatically) ... Only thing missing from what you said, in my opinion, is the extremely rare spot for an Ed Sabol and Steve Sabol, but no one else is like them so it doesn't need a special category.

Of course, you could take Dilweg, Wistert, Shofner, Easley and Sharpe and have a better class than this years. So I'm not sure there's even much point in worrying about categories if the best players aren't even being selected.

[bachslunch]

At present, I can see George Young, Bobby Beathard, Gil Brandt, and Steve Sabol as worthy. Maybe Art McNally, Joe Thomas, and Paul Tagliabue if feeling generous. Not sure which if any owners belong in. A long-term future for this category exists if they expand it to include head and assistant coaches, though.