Pat Tillman: HOF?

I apologize if this was discussed in the running thread this weekend, but I don't keep up with those.

During the Arizona-Atlanta game Saturday, Chris Collinsworth brought up Pat Tillman and how the former Cards safety will go onto the Hall of Fame ballot this year. Collinsworth said that Tillman should be a definite Hall of Famer.

I was interested to see what people here thought. Obviously, Tillman's on-field accomplishments don't reach HOF levels. But given that he was an above-average safety before he left for the Army, then he made a sacrifice most NFL players (and fans) will likely never understand, does Pat Tillman deserve to be in the Hall of Fame?

 

No.

 

Give him a memorial.

 

I don't see it.

 

Absolutely not.

Someone else said it best -- give him a memorial -- some sort of recognition that perhaps is put in the hall -- but he should NOT be a Hall of Famer

 

It's not like he's the first professional athlete to serve (or die) in a war. Let's not over-react.

 

Are there HOF inductees who never played the game? Coaches, owners, GMs, league execs? I suspect the answer to this is yes, so I'm at least open to the idea of putting in someone who did present the league in a very positive light.

 

Fair enough, but I think a better question would be if there is anyone in the Hall mainly for actions that have nothing to do with the sport.
I'll bet not.

 

Yes -- they are coaches, owners, GM's and league exec's who accomplished something significant during their association with the NFL.......

Pat Tillman did nothing significant as a player, at least not Hall of Fame worthy

 

Second that, and expand it to an honor roll of all NFL players who died serving their country. I believe Bob Kalsu was the only one from Vietnam, but there had to be some during World War II.

Edit: I was wrong about Kalsu being the only NFL casualty in Vietnam. Here's the complete list: http://www.profootballhof.com/history/release.jsp?release_id=88

 

But what other NFL athletes died that weren't drafted? I honestly don't know.

Plus his life was set. He had all the money he needed.

But yeah he isn't HOF worthy.

 

He isn't because it is the pro FOOTBALL hall of fame.

Not the Good Citizen or heroic citizen or inspirational citizen hall of fame.

It is ridiculous -- the same way it is ridiculous when someone gets their number retired because they died tragically while they were playing.

Retired numbers and hall of fames are to celebrate what a person did on the field or on the court.