tyke1doe
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jay cee said:I agree that Bledsoe is iffy as a HOF candidate. But that is because the process is so flawed.
When you talk about impact, what you are really talking about is HYPE.
Swann had impact/hype in the league because he made big plays in the superbowl. But the overall production was not good enough to go to the HOF, IMO.
Just 1 year later, Ottis Anderson's rookie season was almost as great as Earl Campbell's.
But the Cardinals had a poor defense, while the Oilers had one of the best in the league, so Anderson didn't get to play on Monday Night football or make the playoffs.
So no impact/hype for Anderson. And no HOF.
Because Bledsoe does not have the impact/hype from playing on a winning team, he will have to go in on personal production.
And I don't think he has enough to overcome the bias of not playing on a great team. If he reaches 50,000 yards, and 300 tds I think he will have enough personal production to overcome that bias.
The HOF should IMO, be more about what the individual player was able to accomplish, not the team.
That's why you see players from Championship teams get more credit than other players.
Like Scottie Pippen being rated over Dominique Wilkins for the NBA's 50 greatest.
Or the guy who called in on a talk show and said that Robert Horry should be considered for the Basketball HOF.
I don't disagree.
Just a few points:
1. I think fans do a disservice to the debate by trying to pinpoint one criterion as the standard for selection into the Hall of Fame, whether focusing on stats or big plays or signifcance to the game or importance to the success of a franchise or pro-bowls or league MVPs. It's not that simple to peg. It can be one or it can be a combination of criteria. I think discerning/intelligent fans know the difference. I mean, we know the difference (or should know the difference) between a Namath and a Testverde and why one should be in the Hall of Fame with his lack of stats and one shouldn't because he has the stats.
2. It's the Hall of FAME not the Hall of Stats.
Swann may not have had the stats but because of the famous plays he made and being a part of a dynasty, he's in. And I think he should be in stats because his plays elevated him to legendary status in the annals of NFL history. Same with Brady. Brady doesn't have to have the stats. I say he's a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame if he retires today.