Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I always enjoy PFRA's "Hall of Very Good". Casting a ballot is the best part; I love considering the career of a player like Jim Katcavage (most likely having to do some research), and then deciding Yay or Nay.

Voting on players is the crux of the HOVG, but I think we are selling the idea short. The players can already get into the actual HOF, too, and some of the HOVG entrants (I remember Dave Robinson, but I'm sure there are others) end up eventually making it in Canton. My suggestion is to have three separate HOVG candidate categories: players, coaches, contributors.

The players category would remain the same.

I envision the coaches category to be mainly for assistant coaches. There is an entire entity of great position coaches and coordinators that really have no chance of being inducted into the HOF. I think the HOVG could provide a valuable service by recognizing this group...you could have 'low-hanging fruit' guys like Bill Arnsparger but also some lesser-known "lifers" like Jim McNally.

The contributors category would be for everyone whose impact on football is not limited to playing or coaching. I am thinking about a guy like Pat Summerall, who was involved in several different aspects of the NFL. Or a guy like Bob Ryan, who wrote and produced some of the best segments for NFL Films. Basically guys who have no shot at the actual HOF because their career/job isn't easily definable as player or coach.

Bryan wrote:I always enjoy PFRA's "Hall of Very Good". Casting a ballot is the best part; I love considering the career of a player like Jim Katcavage (most likely having to do some research), and then deciding Yay or Nay.

Voting on players is the crux of the HOVG, but I think we are selling the idea short. The players can already get into the actual HOF, too, and some of the HOVG entrants (I remember Dave Robinson, but I'm sure there are others) end up eventually making it in Canton. My suggestion is to have three separate HOVG candidate categories: players, coaches, contributors.


The contributors category would be for everyone whose impact on football is not limited to playing or coaching. I am thinking about a guy like Pat Summerall, who was involved in several different aspects of the NFL. Or a guy like Bob Ryan, who wrote and produced some of the best segments for NFL Films. Basically guys who have no shot at the actual HOF because their career/job isn't easily definable as player or coach.

And also the officials should be considered.

Great points.

How about a category for senior members, too? The HOF does this.

Technically, all of the HOVG inductees are senior members, in that they have to be retired for 25 years or more before they can be eligible. I recommend interested members to contact Andy Piascik, the chairman of the committee that handles the Hall of Very Good, about working with the HOVG committee.

Are nominations really due March 31st? Seems like it rolled around again really fast....

Excuse me if this question has already been asked or if this may come off as a silly question, but if one who already has been in the Hall of Very Good gets elected into Canton itself, does that (or should it) then remove him from HOVG?

74_75_78_79_ wrote:Excuse me if this question has already been asked or if this may come off as a silly question, but if one who already has been in the Hall of Very Good gets elected into Canton itself, does that (or should it) then remove him from HOVG?

No. They are not removed. They just get an asterisk next to their name stating that they have subsequently been inducted into the PFHOF.

As a contributor, I would nominate Ole Hagsrud

As a contributor, I would nominate Ole Hagsrud

It would be nice to have HOVG contributors. He would be worthy. I attempted to nominate Ralph Hay this year. I was told that we're keeping it to players and coaches though.

Today is the last day for PFRA members to nominate candidates for the HoVG.