Least deserving Hall of Famers?

[THUMPER]

Who do you consider to be the players least deserving to be in the HoF (that are already in of course)?

I have a few who I don't believe should b in the HoF, or at least should not have gone in ahead of other, more deserving players. I believe it was because of the hype surrounding them or the effective campaign to get them in.

Here we go:

CB Emmitt Thomas - class of 2008 - played from 1966-78 - was named to 5 Pro-Bowls and 1 time 1st team All Pro. He did have 58 INTs in his career but so did a lot of other guys from that era. A couple of more deserving candidates would be:

FS Johhny Robinson - Played from 1960-71 - named to 7 Pro-Bowls and 1st team All-Pro 6 times - 57 INTs. Was Thomas' teammate with the Chiefs from 66-71.

FS Jimmy Patton - Played from 1955-66 - named to 5 Pro-Bowls and 1st team All-Pro 5 times - 52 INTs. Played on great Giants teams of the late 50s - early 60s an was considered the best Safety in the game for 5 straight years from 1958-62.
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Next is DE/DT Dan Hampton AKA "Danimal" from the 80s Bears, inducted in 2002. Played from 1979-90 - named to 4 Pro-Bowls and 1 time a 1st team All-Pro. Credited with 2 sacks (unofficially). His claim to fame was his ferocity and that he played on a great Bears' defense. A couple of others I think were more deserving are:

DE Claude Humphrey - Played from 1968-81 for the Falcons & Eagles - named to the Pro-Bowl 6 times and named 1st team All-Pro 2 times - unofficially credited with 126.5 sacks.

DE George Andrie - Played for the Cowboys from 1962-72 - was named to the Pro-Bowl 5 consecutive years and named to the 1st team All-Pro once - unofficially credited with 97 sacks.

Hampton was the product of the hype surrounding the Bears in the mid-80s but he was nowhere near as dominant a player as the media made him out to be. Andrie had more success than he did but gets no recognition. Humphries is overlooked because he played most of his career on a lousy team, the Falcons. He, C Jeff Van Note, and LB Tommy Nobis were great players but will never get the recognition they deserve because they were on a lame team.
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OLB Andre Tippett - Class of 2008 - Played from 1982-93 for the Patriots - named to 5 Pro-Bowls and 1st team All-Pro 2 times - credited with 100 sacks and 1 INT. Was an outstanding pass-rusher but was considered a liability in coverage and not a great run stopper. He was made famous by his involvement in martial arts which helped to hype him up with the media.
A couple of guys I feel are more deserving are:

ILB Karl Mecklenberg - Played for the Broncos from 1983-94 - named to the Pro-Bowl 6 times and 1st team All-Pro 3 times - credited with 79 sacks, 1104 tackles and 5 INTs. Getting 79 sacks from the inside LB position is quite a feat!

OLB Chuck Howley - Played from 1958-1973 - named to 6 Pro-Bowls and 1st team All-Pro 5 times - 25 INTs. Named MVP of SBV, the only time a player from the losing team has won it.

Tippett was a very good player but he was limited in what he could do. His involvement in martial arts made him a cult figure, which is fine but it shouldn't get you into the NFL HoF IMO. Mecklenberg is much more deserving IMO and Howley was a better all-around player and had more recognition for his football playing than Tippett. Yet another reason why the mediots shouldn't make up the selection committee.
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OK two more quick ones...

RB John Henry Johnson - inducted in 1987 - played from 1954-66 for the 49ERs, Lions, Stealers, & his final season with the Oilers. Named to the Pro-Bowl 4 times, was never named 1st team All-Pro. For the first 8 years of his career he didn't do much but then at 33 years old he ripped off an 1141-yard season in 1962. He had another 1000+ year in 1964 at 35 years old! That's an amazing feat but it isn't HoF worthy IMO. Two great years out of 13 is not a HoF career, even if they did come so late. He gained 6803 yards and 48 TDs rushing.
There are probably a lot of guys more deserving but I'll just throw out one...

RB Don Perkins - Played for the Cowboys from 1961-68 - named to the Pro-Bowl 6 times and 1st team All-Pro once. 6 PBs in 8 seasons is a pretty darn good career! Even though he never had a 1000+ yard season he was very consistent. Also, the offense Landry used did not have a feature RB but used at least 2 primary backs that were essentially interchangeable.
Considering he played 5 fewer seasons that Johnson his stats are pretty close: 6217 yards - 42 TDs rushing. neither guy was used as a receiver much and their stats there are very close as well: JHJ 186-1478, DP 146-1310.
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Last one for now...

WR Lynn Swann - inducted in 2001 - played from 1974-82 - named to the Pro-Bowl 3 times and 1st team All Pro once. His stats are pathetic and he is in SOLELY based on his circus catches in big games. Well, that and he played for the Stealers. He caught 336 passes for 5462 yards and 51 TDs. He never had a 1000+ yard season and he wasn't even the best WR on his team (Stallworth was) but he has been in every highlight reel from the late 70s onwards. The media loved this guy, particularly after he became one of them.
Definitely not deserving and there were a lot better WRs around back then. One was:

WR Drew Pearson - played for the Cowboys from 1973-83 - named to 3 Pro-Bowls and 1st team All-Pro 3 times. Drew also had his share of great catches in big games, none bigger than the "Hail Mary" play. Pearson caught 489 passes for 7822 yards and 48 TDs. How Swann is in and Pearson isn't is a travesty!
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So who are your picks for HoFers that should be?

 

[RS12]

Easiest question ever- based on statistics (not what he meant to the popularity of the game) Joe Namath. Career 173 TDs 220 Ints says it all, not too mention how often he was hurt. You talk about a guy right place, right time, New York 1969.

 

[bbgun]

I hate to speak ill of the dead (not to mention a fellow UW alum), but Mike Webster was a self-confessed cheater.

 

[xWraithx]

Jim Thorpe

 

[THUMPER]

Jim Thorpe

I have to agree. Thorpe was in his 30s in 1920 when the league started and was not a full-time player for the most part. He was an amazing athlete and a great football player didn't do that much in the NFL.

I think the main reason he is in the HoF is because of his influence in drawing fans to the games more than anything he did on the field.

 

[THUMPER]

I hate to speak ill of the dead (not to mention a fellow UW alum), but Mike Webster was a self-confessed cheater.

Well, we know that ALL of the Stealers were cheaters. :steelers:

 

[magic-sword]

Joe Namath and Lynn Swann do not deserve to be in the HOF - flat out ridiculous. Sounds like "man crush" rather than based upon reality.

I HATE man crush selections - ESPN is full of this BS.

 

[DallasEast]

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Last one for now...

WR Lynn Swann - inducted in 2001 - played from 1974-82 - named to the Pro-Bowl 3 times and 1st team All Pro once. His stats are pathetic and he is in SOLELY based on his circus catches in big games. Well, that and he played for the Stealers. He caught 336 passes for 5462 yards and 51 TDs. He never had a 1000+ yard season and he wasn't even the best WR on his team (Stallworth was) but he has been in every highlight reel from the late 70s onwards. The media loved this guy, particularly after he became one of them.
Definitely not deserving and there were a lot better WRs around back then. One was:

WR Drew Pearson - played for the Cowboys from 1973-83 - named to 3 Pro-Bowls and 1st team All-Pro 3 times. Drew also had his share of great catches in big games, none bigger than the "Hail Mary" play. Pearson caught 489 passes for 7822 yards and 48 TDs. How Swann is in and Pearson isn't is a travesty!
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Don't forget that BOTH men were voted onto the All-Decade Team of the 70's by the same folks who induct players into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In my opinion, it's not a travesty. It's not even a crime. It's blasphemy and someone should punch a few Board of Selectors right smack in the nose for exactly that reason alone.

Of course, it doesn't help matters that a certain general manager and owner hasn't enshrined Pearson in his team's Ring of Honor. I'm sure that's one thing which some selectors enjoy as their failsafe argument--namely, "If his team doesn't see fit to honor him, why should we"?

Sickening. :chainsaw:

 

[TellerMorrow34]

Namath got in entirely on the fact that he made that statement before Superbowl III and the team carried him to a victory. Without that he never gets into the Hall of Fame.

So he's definately my pick.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

My first thought was Lynn Swann. He only made it because of those NFL Films shots.

 

[DWhite Fan]

WR Lynn Swann - inducted in 2001 - played from 1974-82 - named to the Pro-Bowl 3 times and 1st team All Pro once. His stats are pathetic and he is in SOLELY based on his circus catches in big games. Well, that and he played for the Stealers. He caught 336 passes for 5462 yards and 51 TDs. He never had a 1000+ yard season and he wasn't even the best WR on his team (Stallworth was) but he has been in every highlight reel from the late 70s onwards. The media loved this guy, particularly after he became one of them.
Definitely not deserving and there were a lot better WRs around back then. One was:

WR Drew Pearson - played for the Cowboys from 1973-83 - named to 3 Pro-Bowls and 1st team All-Pro 3 times. Drew also had his share of great catches in big games, none bigger than the "Hail Mary" play. Pearson caught 489 passes for 7822 yards and 48 TDs. How Swann is in and Pearson isn't is a travesty!
====================

So who are your picks for HoFers that should be?

Unfortunately, to the winner goes the spoils (and a bias against the Cowboys by the mediots helps too)

 

[DallasEast]

My first thought was Lynn Swann. He only made it for those NFL Films shots.

My first thought will always be Lynn Swann each and every time this question is posed until Pearson is inducted into the Hall. With the way things are going, I shouldn't hold my breath, but Bob Hayes' induction has given me a sliver of hope.

:crossed:

 

[Chief]

My first thought was Lynn Swann. He only made it because of those NFL Films shots.

He was the first name that popped into my head too, CL.

By the way, great research Thumper. I agree with your choices.

 

[mldardy]

Next is DE/DT Dan Hampton AKA "Danimal" from the 80s Bears, inducted in 2002. Played from 1979-90 - named to 4 Pro-Bowls and 1 time a 1st team All-Pro. Credited with 2 sacks (unofficially). His claim to fame was his ferocity and that he played on a great Bears' defense. A couple of others I think were more deserving are:

THis is one that I have yet to figure out and no one even makes a fuss about it. I really started watching football in the 80's as a kid and never noticed anything Hampton did that was special. Yet he and Singletary are the only two defensive players from those Bear teams in the 80's. What impact did he had because I don't recall seeing any of it. Yet when people start talking about who doesn't belong in the Hall his name is never mentioned. If he is in guys like Wilber Marshall, Richard Dent and Dave Duerson might as well be in. The only one of that group that has some argument of being in is Dent IMO.

 

[Dodger]

No one has mentioned Art Monk yet?

Amazing.



And no, that's not who I'd put on this list, but I know that a lot of Cowboys fans would. I'm probably in the minority on that opinion, but so be it.

 

[JackMagist]

While I personally agree that a lot of these players do not deserve to be in the HoF based on their stats. And I very strongly agree that there are players that are more deserving than those named here. I would point out that it is the Hall of FAME not the Hall of Accomplishment.

But to go along with the theme of this thread I'll name Lynn Swan as the most undeserving at the top of my list. He was famous but no where near the best of his time. Another would be Warren Moon…he had stats but accomplished nothing in the NFL.

 

[THUMPER]

While I personally agree that a lot of these players do not deserve to be in the HoF based on their stats. And I very strongly agree that there are players that are more deserving than those named here. I would point out that it is the Hall of FAME not the Hall of Accomplishment.

But to go along with the theme of this thread I'll name Lynn Swan as the most undeserving at the top of my list. He was famous but no where near the best of his time. Another would be Warren Moon…he had stats but accomplished nothing in the NFL.

I've pointed out that distinction many times here, it is a hall of FAME not a Hall of Greatness and it will remain that way as long as the selection committee is made up exclusively of mediots. Truly sad.
:bang2: :bang2: :bang2:

 

[AbeBeta]

I've pointed out that distinction many times here, it is a hall of FAME not a Hall of Greatness and it will remain that way as long as the selection committee is made up exclusively of mediots. Truly sad.

If you make this argument then you have to concede that your belief that Pearson should be in the Hall if Swan is totally inconsistent with your desire for a Hall of Greatness

 

[Hostile]

To me, these are the 5 guys who are currently snubbed who are the most glaring absentees. In no particular order.

Chuck Howley
Karl Mecklenberg
Bob Kuechenberg
Cliff Harris
Tommy Nobis

 

[burmafrd]

Nobis is as big a disgrace for not being in as anyone else you could name. He was every bit as good a MLB as Lanier was but since he played for Atlanta which was crap for almost his entire career he was ignored.