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2012 Pro Football HOF candidates announced...

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Mizzougrad96, Sep 29, 2011.

  1. Boom_70

    Boom_70 Well-Known Member

    Agreed process is a sham. It has become a popularity contest.

    Dr Z was the guy who was really open about process but it does seem like King has pulled back a bit.

    From his MMQB:

    Now, I'd love to be more transparent about the discussion in the room, but we are under a confidentiality agreement, per Hall rules. I would love to tell you who I voted for precisely. Just know that I think all six men who were enshrined are deserving. We're put in a tough spot here. I'm trying to be as forthcoming as I can.

    Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/peter_king/02/06/superbowl46/index.html#ixzz1liWHhKW7

    What King should do is resign as a selector. The process has become a joke.
     
  2. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    At least back when I covered the NFL, Hall voters gossiped like suburban canasta get-together participants after the vote.
     
  3. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    No, I want more guys like King on the committee. The problem has been that some of the guys who are still voters are essentially retired, but they won't give up their spots and nobody has the balls to take their votes away. When each city gets one vote, there's no room to have guys who aren't covering the NFL on a regular basis anymore. That's not to say they're not knowledgeable and some of them are among the best NFL writers we've ever had, but if you've retired, it's time to give up your vote.

    I don't think it's a popularity contest. If that was true, Bettis would be in and Shields would have gotten in... Like with baseball, I'd like to know did Cris Carter almost get in, or did Andre Reed or Tim Brown get more votes?
     
  4. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Absolutely. That used to be my favorite thing to do when covering the Super Bowl was go out with a group of writers and get the dirt on what happened in that room.
     
  5. Della9250

    Della9250 Well-Known Member

    Peter King says he might step down from HOF voting:

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/peter_king/02/14/hall-of-fame/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_wr_a2
     
  6. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    He just wants to be begged to stay on.

    The committee does need an overhaul though. Guys like King aren't the problem. I have no doubt King would happily tell us who he voted for and who he didn't if he was allowed. But when you have 44 people voting, they need to be held accountable.

    I'm sure there are some cliques there and I'm sure they are some guys who have had to wait because they pissed off a couple writers when they were players. I don't have a problem with that as long as they have to justify and defend and be accountable for how they vote.

    This "What happens in the room stays in the room" crap is why people are upset by the process.

    If you don't want to vote for Cris Carter, fine, but tell me your thinking... I may agree, I may disagree, but at least tell us why you picked the six that you did.

    I have no problem with a "I voted for Roaf over Shields because Roaf already had to wait a year." or "I didn't vote for Parcells because I don't think he's on the same level as Shula or Walsh." or "I didn't vote for a receiver, because I'm worried that if we let Brown, Reed and Carter in that it's going to open the Hall up way too much for current guys who may obliterate their stats."
     
  7. cyclingwriter

    cyclingwriter Active Member

    Interesting. Very interesting. A Football HOF selector is a huge honor. Part of the reason, I wanted to cover the NFL was to one day sit at that table. When I realized, the guy at my paper who was on the committee had no plans of every stepping down and that I was so down on the totem poll to replace, I left the sports desk.

    Does the committee need shaking up? Tough to say. I think they do a hell of a job. There are only a few selections in the last decade that were real head scratchers. Is the better model akin to what baseball does?
     
  8. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Someone told me that 10 of the 44 voters no longer cover the NFL on a daily/regular basis. Looking at the list, about five of them jumped out at me, but I'm not as familiar with who is doing what as I was when I was covering the NFL, so I don't know who the others are. There are a couple guys on there who are on the payroll of the team they cover.

    This is such an honor that it should be reserved for those who are still covering the NFL. If you're not, it's time to be replaced by someone who is.
     
  9. Michael_ Gee

    Michael_ Gee Well-Known Member

    The smaller the electorate, the more problems there are, both as a matter of ideal and as a matter of practice. Hell, the baseball Hall electorate of which I am a member is too small.
    The football voters could abolish the secrecy agreement on their own. Just announce the day before the final vote they're repudiating it. What's the Hall going to do, throw them out and cancel the vote until next year? But they won't, because just like U.S. Senators, they cherish the power anachronistic rules give them as individuals.
    And many of those voters are people I like and respect considerably. But power does corrupt.
     
  10. cyclingwriter

    cyclingwriter Active Member

    Jason Cole rips up Cris Carter.

    http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AvupCJtBrE3gKcvp.3fcyslDubYF?slug=jc-cole_cris_carter_pro_football_hall_of_fame_021612
     
  11. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    The best part of that story is the link that gives odds on what active players will make it to Canton.
     
  12. Ben_Hecht

    Ben_Hecht Active Member


    #85 in the HOF? Joke City.
     
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