Think Objectively:Does Irvin deserve the HOF?

[Juke99]

Objectively...you bet your butt he deserves it.

There isn't even a shadow of doubt...the leading WR and one of the most important guys on a team that won three superbowls...no question about it. HOF.

[JDSmith]

Irvin is also number 3 on the all time list of 100 yards games receiving, with 47

[zorg222]

Originally Posted by Rack

There is no question whatsoever that Irvin deserves to be in the HoF. It's not even debatable.

The cowboys of the 90s started on a decline when Free Agency started to kill them. But that team officially died when they lost Irvin.

what he said

[jobberone]

Should already be in. Next year. This should be a no brainer but I guess some of those guys have no brain.

[JDSmith]

I'm not sure, but I think Irvin is also number 2 all time in post season receiving yardage. In 93 Jerry Rice became number 1 with a total of 1306 receiving yards, passing Cliff Branch. Obviously Rice added to that since then, but Irvin finished his career with 1314 post season receiving yards, which should be good for second place unless someone else has piled up some post season yards since then. I can't find any definitive data on it though.

[joseephuss]

Yards from scrimmage: 31

There are only 30 guys in the history of the league to put up more yards from the line of scrimmage than Michael. He had a long prolific career. He could have put up at least 3 or 4 average seasons on par with what Tim Brown and Jerry Rice have done lately if not for his career ending injury. His numbers show that he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. The thing that cannot be shown is his intensity and fire. Everyone on the team said he was the hardest worker out there. He was the leader of those young great Superbowl winners. That should count for something.

[big dog cowboy]

Originally Posted by Sifillest

Think Objectively: Does Irvin deserve the HOF?

Yes. And it isn't even close.

[dargonking999]

He may have had one domiant season, but on a team with emmitt running and more thna one option at WR, the numbers he put up, theclutch catches he made,his willing to go over the middle and make those tough first down catches, if he doesnt makeit this next year .......well, i'll just you ahve an imagination

[Banned_n_austin]

I don't think it was ever about the caliber of player he was ... it was more considering the aspect of a father telling his kids that this guy liked to party with cocaine and hookers.

[BIGDen]

Originally Posted by Sifillest

now look, i love the playmaker as much as i do Emmitt and Troy.....but in my heart i do not know if he is a hall of fame caliber player....i know that to the cowboys organization he meant a hell of a lot and he cooked many a d-back in his time as well as linebackers....and he was a very complete receiver.....but the truth of the matter is....he only had one truly dominant season('95)...so im not sure....i would love to see him go into canton with troy....but what do you guys think?

Let's see...He finished his career (which was cut short) 9th all-time in receptions and receiving yards, he made numerous Pro Bowls, he made the all-decade team of the 90s, he was an integral part of 3 SB championships, I believe his post-season numbers are only second to Jerry Rice's. You'd be hard pressed to find many receivers in the history of the game that deserve the honor more. His getting snubbed last year is on a par with Mel Renfro (10 Pro Bowls and a SB or 2?) having to wait for years and Harry Carson (9 Pro Bowls and a SB) still having to wait. Disgraceful.

[dargonking999]

Originally Posted by BIGDen

Let's see...He finished his career (which was cut short) 9th all-time in receptions and receiving yards, he made numerous Pro Bowls, he made the all-decade team of the 90s, he was an integral part of 3 SB championships, I believe his post-season numbers are only second to Jerry Rice's. You'd be hard pressed to find many receivers in the history of the game that deserve the honor more. His getting snubbed last year is on a par with Mel Renfro (10 Pro Bowls and a SB or 2?) having to wait for years and Harry Carson (9 Pro Bowls and a SB) still having to wait. Disgraceful.

yep thatstheHOF voters for you. disgraceful

[THUMPER]

Originally Posted by Sifillest

now look, i love the playmaker as much as i do Emmitt and Troy.....but in my heart i do not know if he is a hall of fame caliber player....i know that to the cowboys organization he meant a hell of a lot and he cooked many a d-back in his time as well as linebackers....and he was a very complete receiver.....but the truth of the matter is....he only had one truly dominant season('95)...so im not sure....i would love to see him go into canton with troy....but what do you guys think?

I have never liked Michael Irvin but I would say that his contribution on the field has earned him a spot in Canton. If he had played for another team he would have been a first ballot inductee.

[The30YardSlant]

The fact is, theres a Dallas bias in the Hall, its that simple. Irvin is far superior to Lynn Swann, yet he isnt in in. Drew Pearson was at least as good as Swann, yet he isnt in. Rayfield Wright would be one of the 10 best O-Linemen in Canton, yet he isnt in. Cliff Harris is one of the best safeties ever, yet he isnt in. I could name at least 6-7 others off the top of my head from the 70s-80s that deserve to be in who arent.

[trickblue]

Originally Posted by pbthal

If Lynn Swann is in the Hall of Fame Irvin should be a lock

Nothing more need be said... and throw in Stallworth...

The LACK of Drew Pearson and Bob Hayes in the HOF with those two Steeler (semi) greats in makes the travesty even worse...

No bias... the numbers tell the tale... if Pearson/Hayes aren't in given the criteria, then the HOF is a joke (and we know it is)...

[DallasEast]

The real question is why Irvin wasn't a first-time ballot inductee. Here's how Irvin compared statistically versus modern era HoFers:

Rank	Player		        Games
1	Charlie Joiner 		  239
2	James Lofton		  233
3	Steve Largent		  200
4	Fred Biletnikoff	  190
5	Don Maynard		  186
6 (tie)	John Stallworth		  165
6 (tie)	Charley Taylor		  165
7	Michael Irvin		  159
8	Paul Warfield		  157
9	Raymond Berry		  154
10	Tommy Mcdonald		  152
11	Bobby Mitchell		  148
12	Lance Alworth		  136
13	Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch  127
14	Lynn Swann		  115
15	Pete Pihos		  107
16	Tom Fears		   87
17	Dante Lavelli		   79

Rank	Player		       Receptions
1	Steve Largent		  819
2	James Lofton		  764
3 (tie)	Charlie Joiner 		  750
3 (tie)	Michael Irvin		  750
4	Charley Taylor		  649
5	Don Maynard		  633
6	Raymond Berry		  631
7	Fred Biletnikoff	  589
8	Lance Alworth		  542
9	John Stallworth		  537
10	Bobby Mitchell		  521
11	Tommy Mcdonald		  495
12	Paul Warfield		  427
13	Tom Fears		  400
14	Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch  387
15	Pete Pihos		  373
16	Lynn Swann		  336
17	Dante Lavelli		  244

Rank	Player		        Yards
1	James Lofton		14,004
2	Steve Largent		13,089
3	Charlie Joiner 		12,146
4	Michael Irvin		11,904
5	Don Maynard		11,834
6	Lance Alworth		10,266
7	Raymond Berry		 9,275
8	Charley Taylor		 9,110
9	Fred Biletnikoff	 8,974
10	John Stallworth		 8,723
11	Paul Warfield		 8,565
12	Tommy Mcdonald		 8,410
13	Bobby Mitchell		 7,954
14	Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch 7,029
15	Pete Pihos		 5,619
16	Lynn Swann		 5,462
17	Tom Fears		 5,397
18	Dante Lavelli		 3,908

Rank	Player		         YPC
1	Paul Warfield		 20.1
2	Lance Alworth		 18.9
3	Don Maynard		 18.7
4	James Lofton		 18.3
5	Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch 18.2
6	Tommy Mcdonald		 17.0
7	Lynn Swann		 16.3
8 (tie)	Charlie Joiner 		 16.2
8 (tie)	John Stallworth		 16.2
9 (tie)	Steve Largent		 16.0
9 (tie)	Dante Lavelli		 16.0
11	Michael Irvin		 15.9
12	Bobby Mitchell		 15.3
13	Fred Biletnikoff	 15.2
14	Pete Pihos		 15.1
15	Raymond Berry		 14.7
16	Charley Taylor		 14.0
17	Tom Fears		 13.5

Rank	Player		         Touchdowns
1	Steve Largent		   100
2	Don Maynard		    88
3 (tie)	Paul Warfield		    85
3 (tie)	Lance Alworth		    85
4	Tommy Mcdonald		    84
5	Charley Taylor		    79
6	Fred Biletnikoff	    76
7	James Lofton		    75
8	Raymond Berry		    68
9 (tie)	Charlie Joiner 		    65
9 (tie)	Michael Irvin		    65
9 (tie)	Bobby Mitchell		    65
10	John Stallworth		    63
11	Pete Pihos		    61
12	Elroy (Crazylegs) Hirsch    60
13	Lynn Swann		    51
14	Tom Fears		    38
15	Dante Lavelli		    33

I wonder what type of numbers Irvin would've put up IF Dallas had been a true passing team during his career.