The 'Hall of Pretty Good'

I guess I'm a hardass on the Hall of Fame, because my general rule of thumb is that if you have to ask whether a guy is worthy, he probably isn't. I think the HOF in any sport should be for the truly elite, the players who were dominant or accomplished something spectacular. I don't care how many career wins Bert Blyleven has, for example. The guy was never a dominant pitcher, the kind of guy other teams dreaded facing, therefore he is no HOFer. Bernie Williams? Jim Edmonds? Fine players but no HOF. Neither is Jim Plunkett, by the way. Far too many mediocre years.

The HOF is for guys like Pujols, LeBron and Tom Brady, to name a few current guys who are seemingly on their way. The fact that anyone would even consider someone like Drew Bledsoe is an indication that our standards have gotten too low.

 

I'd abstain on Selanne because I don't know hockey well enough. Of the others, only Strahan and Bettis would get my vote.

 

Unless he gets hurt, won't Thome end up with like 600 bombs? In an era where (rightly or wrongly) people don't consider him mixed up in the steroid thing, he's probably if he gets past 500 homers...

 

Maybe it's because I have a vote on a Hall (baseball), but I see some very unrealistic assessments on this thread. Bettis will walk in. Thome will get in, probably on his 3rd to 5th year of eligibility depending on competition.
Strachan will get in, guaranteed. Harry Carson finally made, and Strachan's a lot better than he was.
Mussina, never.

 

Funny, I'm a Steelers fanboy, too, and I don't think Bettis belongs. But I think he will get in on sheer overall numbers and popularity.

 

I didn't know Pippen ever played with Chamberlain.

 

From my generation (and some of these guys might actually be in their respective HOFs):

John Brodie

Gary Collins

Jim Hart

Donny Anderson/Carroll Dale

John Hadl/Gary Garrison

Elbert Dubenion/Butch Byrd

Sam McDowell

Vida Blue

Joe Rudi

Roger Crozier

Jim Kaat

Wes Parker/Ron Fairley/Ron Cey/Davy Lopes

To my memory, all were consistently above-average in their respective sports. But not HOFers.







.

 

Either or both Mahavoliches.

 

Exactly. And some guys of this caliber are now getting into the Hall, which is wrong.

 

How is Grant Hill even on the list for "Hall of Pretty Good"?

Unless it's the "Hall of Pretty Good at Getting Hurt and Missing the Whole Fucking Season" he shouldn't even be a part of the discussion. He's the NBA's answer to Kerry Wood.

 

Tim Brown.

 

The problem with the Hall debates is precedent. Too many "pretty good hall" worthy players have made it in during weak years or made it based solely on numbers or solely on intangibles/impact on the game. So now when you look at certain players there can always be half a dozen players already in the Hall that he's more deserving than.

I have no idea what his numbers are but Edmonds name was thrown out. I have never for a half a second thought of him as hall worthy but i guarantee his supporters could name players x, y and z in the hall who's numbers aren't as good as his.