DMN: Gosselin: Darren Woodson belongs in HOF, but here's why he faces an uphill battle to reach Can

[jobberone]

Gosselin: Darren Woodson belongs in HOF, but here's why he faces an uphill battle to reach Canton

Follow @RickGosselinDMN rgosselin@***BANNED-URL*** Published: 11 August 2015 09:02 PM

http://www.***BANNED-URL***/incoming/20150805-ns_04cowboys01sp.jpg.ece/BINARY/w940/NS_04Cowboys01SP.jpg

The Charles Haley Hall of Fame saga is finally over.

For 11 years I was asked why the only player with five Super Bowl rings was not in the Hall of Fame. I never really had a good answer, except to tell my inquisitors that I trusted the process. I firmly believe if a player belongs in Canton, he will one day get there. It may take him 11 years, as was the case with Haley. Or 32 years, as was the case with his fellow Class of 2015 enshrinee Mick Tingelhoff.

But deserving candidates eventually get their busts. As Haley did last weekend.

The campaign is already ramping up for the next Cowboy.

It started a week ago in Oxnard when Jerry Jones announced that Darren Woodson would be the 2015 inductee into the Ring of Honor. And during my weekend in Canton, I was pulled aside by a few folks with a silver-and-blue agenda wanting to emphasize that Woodson should be the next Cowboy with a bust in Canton.

Listen to Rick Gosselin at 10:50 a.m. Tuesdays on Sportsradio 1310 AM/96.7 FM The Ticket with Norm Hitzges.

Gosselin: Happy Charles Haley shows humility, humor in HOF speech; Tim Brown has crowd laughing, crying

• Gosselin: Through 19 NFL QBs, Dallas' Tim Brown reached Hall the hard way

• Gosselin: Armed with new maturity, medication, Charles Haley’s bitterness over Hall wait is gone

• Moore: Five free-agent RBs and if the Cowboys are in their future

• Bob Sturm's roster watch: Which Cowboys are on the bubble?

 

[BHendri5]

no, he does not belong in the HOF

 

[Silverstar]

You can't put Woody in the HOF and not put in other safeties like Johnny Robinson, Cliff Harris, Jake Scott, Donnie Shell, Deron Cherry, Steve Atwater, Eugene Robinson, Brian Dawkins and Darren Sharper. Making it more difficult for Harris and Woody for consideration are the additions of recently retired Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu as well. Not to mention, other players like Dick LaBeau, Ken Riley and Dave Brown who each have over 60 INT's to their credit and are still waiting for the call.

 

[DogFace]

You can't put Woody in the HOF and not put in other safeties like Johnny Robinson, Cliff Harris, Jake Scott, Donnie Shell, Deron Cherry, Steve Atwater, Eugene Robinson, Brian Dawkins and Darren Sharper. Making it more difficult for Harris and Woody for consideration are the additions of recently retired Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu as well. Not to mention, other players like Dick LaBeau, Ken Riley and Dave Brown who each have over 60 INT's to their credit and are still waiting for the call.

Darren Sharper? He has some serious issues getting in. Like Bill Cosby type issues.

 

[perrykemp]

The challenge is that Steve Atwater and Leroy Butler were selected to the All-90s team and Woodson was not. Neither Atwater of Butler are in the HOF which means it is VERY difficult for Woodson to get in.

In particular Woodson and Butler's careers overlap and in many ways look pretty similar. Woodson was drafted 2 years after Butler and retired 2 years after Butler.

Games Played -> Woodson 178, Butler 181
1st Team All Pro -> Woodson 3, Butler 4
Interceptions -> Woodson 23, Butler 38
Sacks -> 5, Woodson 20.5
Tackles -> Woodson 951, Butler 889

I suspect that the HOF voters view both Woodson and Butler as edge cases for HOF entry and that in many ways they are canceling each other out.

 

[JohnsKey19]

Woody and Irvin physically look like they're 6-7 year vets still playing in the league. I believe they are both are well into their 40s.....

 

[Super_Kazuya]

In cases like these, it is best to remember that there really is no rhyme or reason to getting in the HoF and that they can put in (or leave out) anyone they want. If Woodson had been more mercenary at the end of his career and sat on the end of the bench of a couple more champions, he would probably be in (which I find to be outrageously stupid). The good news is, the Ring of Honor will reward his loyalty.

 

[black label]

Gosselin: Darren Woodson belongs in HOF, but here's why he faces an uphill battle to reach Canton

 

[xwalker]

Gosselin: Darren Woodson belongs in HOF, but here's why he faces an uphill battle to reach Canton

Follow @RickGosselinDMN rgosselin@***BANNED-URL*** Published: 11 August 2015 09:02 PM

http://www.***BANNED-URL***/incoming/20150805-ns_04cowboys01sp.jpg.ece/BINARY/w940/NS_04Cowboys01SP.jpg

The Charles Haley Hall of Fame saga is finally over.

For 11 years I was asked why the only player with five Super Bowl rings was not in the Hall of Fame. I never really had a good answer, except to tell my inquisitors that I trusted the process. I firmly believe if a player belongs in Canton, he will one day get there. It may take him 11 years, as was the case with Haley. Or 32 years, as was the case with his fellow Class of 2015 enshrinee Mick Tingelhoff.

But deserving candidates eventually get their busts. As Haley did last weekend.

The campaign is already ramping up for the next Cowboy.

It started a week ago in Oxnard when Jerry Jones announced that Darren Woodson would be the 2015 inductee into the Ring of Honor. And during my weekend in Canton, I was pulled aside by a few folks with a silver-and-blue agenda wanting to emphasize that Woodson should be the next Cowboy with a bust in Canton.

Listen to Rick Gosselin at 10:50 a.m. Tuesdays on Sportsradio 1310 AM/96.7 FM The Ticket with Norm Hitzges.

Gosselin: Happy Charles Haley shows humility, humor in HOF speech; Tim Brown has crowd laughing, crying

• 
  
  
  • Gosselin: Through 19 NFL QBs, Dallas' Tim Brown reached Hall the hard way

• 
  
  
  • Gosselin: Armed with new maturity, medication, Charles Haley’s bitterness over Hall wait is gone

• 
  
  
  • Moore: Five free-agent RBs and if the Cowboys are in their future

• 
  
  
  • Bob Sturm's roster watch: Which Cowboys are on the bubble?

If any Cowboys players are borderline for the HOF, as a HOF hometown voter Gosselin is the one that should present their case to the committee and stand on the table for their guy. That will NOT happen with Gosselin. He hates the Cowboys.

 

[jobberone]

I wonder how much influence Mara has. Don't like Danny too much but I don't think he'd try to blackball a Cowboy. Could be wrong. Not sure about Gosselin but I can't say I trust him.

 

[Plankton]

The challenge is that Steve Atwater and Leroy Butler were selected to the All-90s team and Woodson was not. Neither Atwater of Butler are in the HOF which means it is VERY difficult for Woodson to get in.

In particular Woodson and Butler's careers overlap and in many ways look pretty similar. Woodson was drafted 2 years after Butler and retired 2 years after Butler.

Games Played -> Woodson 178, Butler 181
1st Team All Pro -> Woodson 3, Butler 4
Interceptions -> Woodson 23, Butler 38
Sacks -> 5, Woodson 20.5
Tackles -> Woodson 951, Butler 889

I suspect that the HOF voters view both Woodson and Butler as edge cases for HOF entry and that in many ways they are canceling each other out.

Ronnie Lott being selected for the 90's team over Woodson is one of the most egregious errors on an All Decade Team. Once 1992 hit, Ronnie Lott was pretty washed up.

 

[percyhoward]

Ronnie Lott being selected for the 90's team over Woodson is one of the most egregious errors on an All Decade Team. Once 1992 hit, Ronnie Lott was pretty washed up.

Great point. Neither Lott nor Carnell Lake should have made it over Woodson.

bold = HOF All Decade Team

Lott in 1990s
2 Pro Bowls
2 1st team All Pro

Lake in 1990s
5 Pro Bowls
1 1st team All Pro

Woodson in 1990s
5 Pro Bowls
3 1st team All Pro

 

[perrykemp]

Great point. Neither Lott nor Carnell Lake should have made it over Woodson.
bold = HOF All Decade Team

Lott in 1990s
2 Pro Bowls
2 1st team All Pro

Lake in 1990s
5 Pro Bowls
1 1st team All Pro

Woodson in 1990s
5 Pro Bowls
3 1st team All Pro

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Even if the HOF votes agreed, it still doesn't solve the issue of Woodson and Butler splitting each-other's votes.

As I said before, I think Woodson and Butler are both HOF edge cases. When you consider the fact that their careers basically overlapped, it makes it difficult for the HOF voters to get enough consensus of one over the other. I highly doubt both make it.

 

[erod]

Gosselin presents the Cowboys to the HoF committee.

So....this pretty much buries Woodson until Gosselin croaks.

 

[Plankton]

Great point. Neither Lott nor Carnell Lake should have made it over Woodson.
bold = HOF All Decade Team

Lott in 1990s
2 Pro Bowls
2 1st team All Pro

Lake in 1990s
5 Pro Bowls
1 1st team All Pro

Woodson in 1990s
5 Pro Bowls
3 1st team All Pro

I don't have a problem with Lake making it at all. Lake and Woodson were very similar players - former college linebackers from the PAC-10 that converted to strong safety, but had good coverage abilities. Woodson played slot corner for the Cowboys in the nickel, and Lake actually started at corner for the Steelers during times where Rod Woodson and Chad Scott were injured. I do believe that Woodson is slightly better, but both were eons above the 1990s version of Ronnie Lott.

The sad thing is that the voters for the Pro Football HOF comprise the voting for the All Decade Teams, so Woodson's candidacy will automatically take a hit.

 

[Plankton]

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Even if the HOF votes agreed, it still doesn't solve the issue of Woodson and Butler splitting each-other's votes.

As I said before, I think Woodson and Butler are both HOF edge cases. When you consider the fact that their careers basically overlapped, it makes it difficult for the HOF voters to get enough consensus of one over the other. I highly doubt both make it.

The bigger problem is the lack of overall respect by the Hall of Fame for the safety position in general. Only seven players who exclusively played safety have been enshrined, and none have been enshrined since 1998.

 

[jobberone]

The bigger problem is the lack of overall respect by the Hall of Fame for the safety position in general. Only seven players who exclusively played safety have been enshrined, and none have been enshrined since 1998.

Same with TE although is changing.

 

[Plankton]

Same with TE although is changing.

The tight end position as we know it radically changed with the transition of offensive football from the single wing to the split T. TEs really didn't emerge as receiving threats until the 1960s, when John Mackey, Mike Ditka, Jackie Smith and Charlie Sanders came into the league. The safety position has been a factor since the 1940s. While 8 tight ends doesn't seem like a lot, at this point, I would be hard pressed to think of maybe one or two tight ends that have been unfairly overlooked for the HOF. Guys like Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Jason Witten won't have to wait long to be inducted. Off the top of my head, Ben Coates and Todd Christensen are two overlooked guys, though I'm sure Christensen gets dinged because of his one dimensionality as a player.

The safety position has far more oversights, IMO.

 

[jobberone]

The tight end position as we know it radically changed with the transition of offensive football from the single wing to the split T. TEs really didn't emerge as receiving threats until the 1960s, when John Mackey, Mike Ditka, Jackie Smith and Charlie Sanders came into the league. The safety position has been a factor since the 1940s. While 8 tight ends doesn't seem like a lot, at this point, I would be hard pressed to think of maybe one or two tight ends that have been unfairly overlooked for the HOF. Guys like Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates and Jason Witten won't have to wait long to be inducted. Off the top of my head, Ben Coates and Todd Christensen are two overlooked guys, though I'm sure Christensen gets dinged because of his one dimensionality as a player.

The safety position has far more oversights, IMO.

8 TEs ever is not so much

 

[Plankton]

8 TEs ever is not so much

It's not a large number, but what TE's have been left out that should be in? It's not much of a list, as the position really didn't take hold until the past 50 seasons.

Safeties have been a factor since Greasy Neale invented the Eagle defense, and in effect, the cornerback position, in the 1940s. There are plenty of safeties that should be in that aren't - three of whom are Cowboys - Cornell Green, Cliff Harris and Darren Woodson.