2003 HOF nominees list
Mpoconnor7
# - First year of eligibility; * On 15 finalists list in 2002; **Automatically
on 15 finalists list for 2003
Quarterbacks
Ken Anderson - Augustana (IL) - 1971-1986 Cincinnati Bengals
#Boomer Esiason - Maryland - 1984-1992, 1997 Cincinnati Bengals, 1993-1995 New
York Jets, 1996 Arizona Cardinals
Jim Hart - Southern Illinois - 1966-1983 St. Louis Cardinals, 1984 Washington
Redskins
Jim McMahon - Brigham Young - 1982-1988 Chicago Bears, 1989 San Diego
Chargers,
1990-1992 Philadelphia Eagles, 1993 Minnesota Vikings, 1994 Arizona Cardinals,
1995-1996 Green Bay Packers
Jim Plunkett - Stanford - 1971-1975 New England Patriots, 1976-1977 San
Francisco 49ers,
1979-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Phil Simms - Morehead St. - 1979-1993 New York Giants, injured-1982
Ken Stabler - Alabama - 1970-1979 Oakland Raiders, 1980-1981 Houston Oilers,
1982-1984 New Orleans Saints
Running Backs
#Marcus Allen - Southern California - 1982-1992 Los Angeles Raiders, 1993-1997
Kansas City Chiefs
Ottis Anderson - Miami (FL) - 1979-1986 St. Louis Cardinals, 1986-1992 New
York Giants
Roger Craig - Nebraska - 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles
Raiders, 1992-1993 Minnesota Vikings
Chuck Foreman - Miami (FL) - 1973-1979 Minnesota Vikings, 1980 New England
Patriots
#Herschel Walker - Georgia - 1986-1989, 1996-1997 Dallas Cowboys, 1989-1991
Minnesota Vikings, 1992-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995 New York Giants
Wide Receivers
Cliff Branch - Warton County (TX) Junior College; Colorado - 1972-1985
Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Isaac Curtis - California, San Diego State - 1973-1984 Cincinnati Bengals
*James Lofton - Stanford - 1978-1986 Green Bay Packers, 1987-1988 Los Angeles
Raiders, 1989-1992 Buffalo Bills, 1993 Los Angeles Rams, 1993 Philadelphia
Eagles
*Art Monk - Syracuse - 1980-1993 Washington Redskins, 1994 New York Jets, 1995
Philadelphia Eagles
Drew Pearson - Tulsa - 1973-1983 Dallas Cowboys
Sterling Sharpe - South Carolina - 1988-1994 Green Bay Packers
#Steve Tasker (also Special teams player) - Dodge City CC (KS), Northwestern -
1985-1986 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills
Wesley Walker - California - 1977-1989 New York Jets
Tight Ends
Raymond Chester - Morgan State - 1970-1972, 1978-1981 Oakland Raiders,
1973-1977 Baltimore Colts
Todd Christensen - Brigham Young - 1979 New York Giants, 1979-1988 Oakland/Los
Angeles Raiders
#Brent Jones - Santa Clara - 1987-1997 San Francisco 49ers
Offensive Linemen
Centers:
Ray Donaldson - Georgia - 1980-1992 Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, 1993-1994
Seattle Seahawks, 1995-1996 Dallas Cowboys
Jay Hilgenberg - Iowa - 1981-1991 Chicago Bears, 1992 Cleveland Browns, 1993
New Orleans Saints
Rich Saul - Michigan State - 1970-1981 Los Angeles Rams
Jeff Van Note - Kentucky - 1969-1986 Atlanta Falcons
Guards:
Joe DeLamielleure - Michigan State - 1973-1979, 1985 Buffalo Bills, 1980-1984
Cleveland Browns
Russ Grimm - Pittsburgh - 1981-1991 Washington Redskins
**Bob Kuechenberg - Notre Dame - 1970-1983 Miami Dolphins
Tackles:
Jim Covert - Pittsburgh - 1983-1990 Chicago Bears
Joe Jacoby - Louisville - 1981-1993 Washington Redskins
Mike Kenn - Michigan - 1978-1994 Atlanta Falcons
Jim Lachey - Ohio State - 1985-1987 San Diego Chargers, 1988 Los Angeles
Raiders, 1988-1992, 1994-1995 Washington Redskins
#Gary Zimmerman - Oregon - 1986-1992 Minnesota Vikings, 1993-1997 Denver
Broncos
Defensive Linemen
Elvin Bethea (DE) - North Carolina A&T - 1968-1983 Houston Oilers
Dave Butz (DT) - Purdue - 1973-1974 St. Louis Cardinals, 1975-1988 Washington
Redskins
Ray Childress (DE/DT) - Texas A&M - 1985-1995 Houston Oilers, 1996 Dallas
Cowboys
Fred Dean (DE) - Louisiana Tech - 1975-1981 San Diego Chargers, 1981-1985 San
Francisco 49ers
#Richard Dent (DE) - Tennessee State - 1983-1993, 1995 Chicago Bears, 1994 San
Francisco 49ers, 1996 Indianapolis Colts, 1997 Philadelphia Eagles
*L.C. Greenwood (DE) - Arkansas AM&N - 1969-1981 Pittsburgh Steelers
Claude Humphrey (DE) - Tennessee State - 1968-1974, 1976-1978 Atlanta Falcons,
1979-1981 Philadelphia Eagles
Ed "Too Tall" Jones (DE) - Tennessee State - 1974-1978, 1980-1989 Dallas
Cowboys
Sean Jones (DE) - Northeastern - 1984-1987 Los Angeles Raiders, 1988-1993
Houston Oilers, 1994-1996 Green Bay Packers
Joe Klecko (DT/DE/NT) - Temple - 1977-1987 New York Jets, 1988 Indianapolis
Colts
Harvey Martin (DE) - East Texas State - 1973-1983 Dallas Cowboys
Linebackers
*Harry Carson - South Carolina State - 1976-1988 New York Giants
Randy Gradishar - Ohio State - 1974-1983 Denver Broncos
Wilber Marshall - Florida - 1984-1987 Chicago Bears, 1988-1992 Washington
Redskins, 1993 Houston Oilers 1994 Arizona Cardinals, 1995 New York Jets
Clay Matthews - Southern California - 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-1996
Atlanta Falcons
Karl Mecklenburg - Augustana (SD); Minnesota - 1983-1994 Denver Broncos
Matt Millen - Penn State - 1980-1988 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1989-1990
San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Washington Redskins
#Sam Mills - Montclair State - 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-1997 Carolina
Panthers
Jerry Robinson - UCLA - 1979-1984 Philadelphia Eagles, 1985-1991 Los Angeles
Raiders
Al Smith - Cal Poly-Pomona; Utah State - 1987-1996 Houston Oilers
Defensive Backs
*Lester Hayes (CB) - Texas A&M - 1977-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Ken Riley (CB) - Florida A&M - 1969-1983 Cincinnati Bengals
*Donnie Shell (S) - South Carolina State - 1974-1987 Pittsburgh Steelers
Jack Tatum (S) - Ohio State - 1971-1979 Oakland Raiders, 1980 Houston Oilers
Roger Wehrli (CB) - Missouri - 1969-1982 St. Louis Cardinals
Punter
*Ray Guy - Southern Mississippi - 1973-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Coaches
Don Coryell - Washington - 1973-1977 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego
Chargers
Tom Flores - Fresno City Junior College, University of Pacific - 1979-1987
Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-1994 Seattle Seahawks
Jimmy Johnson - Arkansas - 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-1999 Miami Dolphins
Chuck Knox - Juniata College (PA) - 1973-1977, 1992-1994 Los Angeles Rams,
1978-1982 Buffalo Bills, 1983-1991 Seattle Seahawks
**Bill Parcells - Colgate, Wichita State - 1983-1990 New York Giants,
1993-1996 New England Patriots, 1997-1999 New York Jets
Contributors
Ed DeBartolo, Jr. - Notre Dame - 1979-1997 San Francisco 49ers
Ben Dreith - Colorado State - 1960-1990 National Football League
*Art Modell - 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns, 1996-Present Baltimore Ravens
Art Rooney, Jr. - St. Vincent College - 1961-Present Pittsburgh Steelers
Paul Tagliabue - Georgetown, New York University - 1989-present National
Football League
Ralph Wilson, Jr. - Virginia, Michigan - 1959-Present Buffalo Bills
Ron Wolf - Georgetown, New York University - 1991-2001 Green Bay Packers
George Young - Bucknell University - 1979-1997 New York Giants
Michael O'Connor - Modern Renaissance Man
"The probability of one person being right increases in a direct porportion to
the intensity with which others try to prove him wrong"
Mpoconnor7
> Ken Anderson - Augustana (IL) - 1971-1986 Cincinnati Bengals
Had he won SB 16 against the 49ers, he probably would have been inducted. Led
the AFC in passing four times.
> #Boomer Esiason - Maryland - 1984-1992, 1997 Cincinnati Bengals, 1993-1995
>New
>York Jets, 1996 Arizona Cardinals
Boomer was great, but not a HOF calibre QB.
> Jim Hart - Southern Illinois - 1966-1983 St. Louis Cardinals, 1984
>Washington
>Redskins
> Jim McMahon - Brigham Young - 1982-1988 Chicago Bears, 1989 San Diego
>Chargers,
>1990-1992 Philadelphia Eagles, 1993 Minnesota Vikings, 1994 Arizona
>Cardinals,
>1995-1996 Green Bay Packers
Had the Bears become a dynasty like most people thought they would, having won
three or four SB's over a six or seven year period, McMahon probably would have
made the HOF. He has no chance of induction.
> Jim Plunkett - Stanford - 1971-1975 New England Patriots, 1976-1977 San
>Francisco 49ers,
>1979-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
I'm suprised he hasn't garnered more support. The fact that he led two Raiders
teams to Super Bowl wins is very impressive; no other QB who is eligible and
has won more than one SB has not been inducted.
> Phil Simms - Morehead St. - 1979-1993 New York Giants, injured-1982
Had he not been injured in the regular season game against the Bills in 1990
and missed the rest of the season, he probably would be in the HOF today. He
got to watch from the sidelines as his backup Jeff Hostetler led the Giants to
an upset win over the Bills; had Simms not been injured the Giants would have
won the Super Bowl anyways IMO.
> Ken Stabler - Alabama - 1970-1979 Oakland Raiders, 1980-1981 Houston Oilers,
>1982-1984 New Orleans Saints
I think he'll eventually be inducted.
>
>Running Backs
>#Marcus Allen - Southern California - 1982-1992 Los Angeles Raiders,
>1993-1997
>Kansas City Chiefs
First Ballot HOFer, no questions asked. Wonder who will give him his induction
speech? Surely not Al Davis, since Allen sat on the Raiders bench for a couple
seasons when he was in Davis' doghouse. Not his former buddy OJ either I
suppose. Maybe Joe Montana.
> Ottis Anderson - Miami (FL) - 1979-1986 St. Louis Cardinals, 1986-1992 New
>York Giants
One would think that a guy who rushed for over 10000 yards and was a SB MVP
would be a strong HOF candidate, but Ottis Anderson isn't. He was a great
runner but will never get inducted.
> Roger Craig - Nebraska - 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles
>Raiders, 1992-1993 Minnesota Vikings
> Chuck Foreman - Miami (FL) - 1973-1979 Minnesota Vikings, 1980 New England
>Patriots
> #Herschel Walker - Georgia - 1986-1989, 1996-1997 Dallas Cowboys, 1989-1991
>Minnesota Vikings, 1992-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995 New York Giants
I think Herschel is a first ballot HOFer. His career totals are strong, and if
you take into consideration his three years in the USFL when he ran roughshod
over the league (and would have run roughshod over the NFL also IMO), there is
no argument against putting him in. Rushed for 8200 yards in his NFL career,
had he not spent his first three seasons in the USFL, it would have been
between 12 and 13 thousand. Only three guys who went on the HOF calibre
careers in the NFL played in the USFL: Walker, Steve Young and Jim Kelly.
>
>Wide Receivers
> Cliff Branch - Warton County (TX) Junior College; Colorado - 1972-1985
>Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
> Isaac Curtis - California, San Diego State - 1973-1984 Cincinnati Bengals
>*James Lofton - Stanford - 1978-1986 Green Bay Packers, 1987-1988 Los Angeles
>Raiders, 1989-1992 Buffalo Bills, 1993 Los Angeles Rams, 1993 Philadelphia
>Eagles
>*Art Monk - Syracuse - 1980-1993 Washington Redskins, 1994 New York Jets,
>1995
>Philadelphia Eagles
His career totals merit a spot in Canton. He won't have to wait much longer;
either him or Lofton will be inducted this time around.
> Drew Pearson - Tulsa - 1973-1983 Dallas Cowboys
Great receiver, and is today worth several hundred million dollars as he
founded and controls the number two sports cap producer in the US.
> Sterling Sharpe - South Carolina - 1988-1994 Green Bay Packers
His career was short, and he didn't have a great an impact on the game in the
short time he was in the NFL to warrant a spot in the HOF. He'll have to live
vicariously thru his brother Shannon, who probably will be inducted.
>#Steve Tasker (also Special teams player) - Dodge City CC (KS), Northwestern
>-
>1985-1986 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills
An interesting case, as the HOF has never taken in a special teams player. The
four Super Bowls will work in his favor, and I think he'll have to wait a long
time but he will eventually go in.
Like McMahon, if the Bears had won several Super Bowls in the 80's there would
be no question about his being inducted. Since they didn't, I would have to
think he will not get in.
> *L.C. Greenwood (DE) - Arkansas AM&N - 1969-1981 Pittsburgh Steelers
I think it may be his turn to be inducted in 2003.
Most famous for his use of stickum, he was a devastating defensive player. I
think he be amongst the finalists again this year.
> Ken Riley (CB) - Florida A&M - 1969-1983 Cincinnati Bengals
>*Donnie Shell (S) - South Carolina State - 1974-1987 Pittsburgh Steelers
Shell and Greenwood will be the final two Steelers from their 70's juggernaut
to be inducted, along with Art Rooney. Shell won't have to wait too much
longer.
> Jack Tatum (S) - Ohio State - 1971-1979 Oakland Raiders, 1980 Houston Oilers
Had a reputation of a cheap shot artist during his career; the fact that he was
the guy who hit Darryl Stingley (who wound up paralyzed as a result) won't help
his cause, even though it looked like a clean hit.
>
> Roger Wehrli (CB) - Missouri - 1969-1982 St. Louis Cardinals
>Punter
>*Ray Guy - Southern Mississippi - 1973-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
>Coaches
Probably the greatest punter since Sammy Baugh, and since the HOF does not have
a full time Punter, I feel pretty certain he'll eventually be inducted.
> Don Coryell - Washington - 1973-1977 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San
>Diego
>Chargers
The fact that he couldn't win the big one despite having one of the greatest
offenses with Fouts and Winslow et al does not help his case.
> Tom Flores - Fresno City Junior College, University of Pacific - 1979-1987
>Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-1994 Seattle Seahawks
> Jimmy Johnson - Arkansas - 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-1999 Miami
>Dolphins
Had he not been fired in Dallas due to his falling out with Jerry Jones, the
Cowboys probably would have won between two and four more Super Bowls over the
1994 -1998 period. Jimmy would be considered one of the greatest coaches in
NFL history. The fact that he couldn't do a thing in Miami does not help his
HOF case.
> Chuck Knox - Juniata College (PA) - 1973-1977, 1992-1994 Los Angeles Rams,
>1978-1982 Buffalo Bills, 1983-1991 Seattle Seahawks
> **Bill Parcells - Colgate, Wichita State - 1983-1990 New York Giants,
>1993-1996 New England Patriots, 1997-1999 New York Jets
I think he'll get in this year.
>Contributors
> Ed DeBartolo, Jr. - Notre Dame - 1979-1997 San Francisco 49ers
I think his off the field problems will be held against him; he won't be
getting in any time soon.
> Ben Dreith - Colorado State - 1960-1990 National Football League
>*Art Modell - 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns, 1996-Present Baltimore Ravens
I hope not.
> Art Rooney, Jr. - St. Vincent College - 1961-Present Pittsburgh Steelers
> Paul Tagliabue - Georgetown, New York University - 1989-present National
>Football League
Roselle has to wait 25 years to get inducted after he was named Commissioner.
Tagliabue will have to wait a while.
> Ralph Wilson, Jr. - Virginia, Michigan - 1959-Present Buffalo Bills
> Ron Wolf - Georgetown, New York University - 1991-2001 Green Bay Packers
> George Young - Bucknell University - 1979-1997 New York Giants
>
To pare the list down to fifteen finalists, I would take the ten guys who were
finalists last seasons and not inducted:
Harry Carson
LC Greenwood
Ray Guy
Lester Hayes
Bob Kuechenberg
James Lofton
Art Modell
Art Monk
Bill Parcells
Donnie Shell
To those ten I would add:
Marcus Allen
Herschel Walker
Sam Mills
Wilbur Marshall
and Senior nominee Tommy Nobis.
Tarkus
>>Running Backs
>>#Marcus Allen - Southern California - 1982-1992 Los Angeles Raiders,
>>1993-1997
>>Kansas City Chiefs
>
> First Ballot HOFer, no questions asked. Wonder who will give him his induction
> speech? Surely not Al Davis, since Allen sat on the Raiders bench for a couple
> seasons when he was in Davis' doghouse. Not his former buddy OJ either I
> suppose. Maybe Joe Montana.
Maybe Schottenheimer. Allen always said he'd go in as a Chief (which
would also go towards your Montana suggestion). Of course, time can
sometimes have a way of changing your mindset.
--
"If you're looking for the Greatest Show on Turf, you might look toward
Kansas City." - Tom Jackson, ESPN
Steve Jaros
"Mpoconnor7" <mpoco...@aol.comnojunk> wrote in message
news:20021102134723...@mb-me.aol.com...
> >Quarterbacks
> > Ken Anderson - Augustana (IL) - 1971-1986 Cincinnati Bengals
>
> Had he won SB 16 against the 49ers, he probably would have been inducted.
Led
> the AFC in passing four times.
they let Jim Kelly in, so why not anderson?
> I think Herschel is a first ballot HOFer. His career totals are strong,
and if
> you take into consideration his three years in the USFL when he ran
roughshod
> over the league
Herschel doesn't belong. His stats aren't good enough. And no, the USFL
doesn't count. It would be like counting triple-A stats in baseball. The
USFL was minor-league football.
Gary Rosen
"Mpoconnor7" <mpoco...@aol.comnojunk> wrote in message
news:20021102134723...@mb-me.aol.com...
> > Ken Anderson - Augustana (IL) - 1971-1986 Cincinnati Bengals
>
> Had he won SB 16 against the 49ers, he probably would have been inducted.
Led
> the AFC in passing four times.
Anderson was a great QB and deserves to be in.
> > Jim McMahon - Brigham Young - 1982-1988 Chicago Bears, 1989 San Diego
> >Chargers,
> >1990-1992 Philadelphia Eagles, 1993 Minnesota Vikings, 1994 Arizona
> >Cardinals,
> >1995-1996 Green Bay Packers
>
> Had the Bears become a dynasty like most people thought they would, having
won
> three or four SB's over a six or seven year period, McMahon probably would
have
> made the HOF. He has no chance of induction.
If McMahon had not been so injury prone he would be HOF material.
> > Jack Tatum (S) - Ohio State - 1971-1979 Oakland Raiders, 1980 Houston
Oilers
>
> Had a reputation of a cheap shot artist during his career; the fact that
he was
> the guy who hit Darryl Stingley (who wound up paralyzed as a result) won't
help
> his cause, even though it looked like a clean hit.
Tatum will never get in because of Stingley. There is an eerie parallel
with MLB
pitcher Carl Mays, who had a HOF quality career but is known primarily for
the
fatal beaning of Ray Chapman, the only such incident in MLB history.
> > Tom Flores - Fresno City Junior College, University of Pacific -
1979-1987
> >Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-1994 Seattle Seahawks
You mentioned Plunkett as the only QB who won multiple SBs but is not in
the HOF - is that also true of Flores as a coach?
Art Monk should definitely be in.
- Gary Rosen
Mpoconnor7
>1979-1987
>> >Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-1994 Seattle Seahawks
>
>You mentioned Plunkett as the only QB who won multiple SBs but is not in
>the HOF - is that also true of Flores as a coach?
Jimmy Johnson isn't in either. Like Johnson, it didn't help Flores case very
much that he went to another team (Seattle), and couldn't do anything there. I
think Johnson did a more impressive job because he started from scratch and
built a powerhouse; Flores took a team that was aleady successful and made a
couple adjustments (picking up Jim Plunkett and Marcus Allen and Howie Long)
and won two mild upsets in the SB.