Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/08/09/pro-f ... ng-mailbag

A positive mention of Bob Skoronski, for one thing, via speaking with Bart Starr.

But does Skoronski really belong in the HOF? Skoronski was a fine player, but his HOF resume is more like Doug Dieken than Mike Kenn. Peter King's writing on this was fairly bizarre, using Bart Starr's praise of Skoronski as a means for King to downgrade Jerry Kramer.

The HOF is what it is...I think they get it 'right' more often than not, but reading King's column makes me wonder. King says he would vote for Pat Bowlen and Gil Brandt, justifies Jerry Jones' enshrinement by saying Jones was the NFL's most significant single figure in the past quarter century (what?), and says "good argument" when Danny from SF says George Seifert should be in Canton because "Seifert’s groundbreaking use of the 'elephant' position was something that had not been done before".

Bryan wrote: King...justifies Jerry Jones' enshrinement by saying Jones was the NFL's most significant single figure in the past quarter century (what?)

How many owners are in the HOF because of their business acumen? Jones' football expertise essentially consists of hiring Jimmy Johnson--who brought in the players to win three Super Bowls. After Switzer flamed out, Jones hired five head coaches in the span of 12 years --for a franchise that had three in its first 38 years, and their playoff success since winning their last Super Bowl (primarily with Johnson's players) consists of three WC game wins.

In looking at the "owner should get credit for hiring a HOF coach," there's this: Nobody's even hinting that Mickey McBride should be inducted for hiring Paul Brown--though McBride's gambling connections would likely make his candidacy a non-starter anyway. The same goes with whoever the Packers' president was when Lombardi was hired. Finally, there will never be a groundswell of support to induct Joe Robbie for hiring Shula in Miami--though, I suppose Carroll Rosenbloom should actually get that credit for being the first to hire Shula. Then again, his own HOF credentials also have the stink of gambling attached to them.

Bryan wrote:King ... justifies Jerry Jones' enshrinement by saying Jones was the NFL's most significant single figure in the past quarter century (what?)

I think he's referring to the merchandising model he came up with, which was indeed pretty significant and likely Jones's best HoF argument. "Most significant" could be another matter, for sure -- depends on the criteria.

Jones was a crappy selection for the HoF. I have nothing else to say on the matter.