The 2014 NFL Hall of Fame Vote

Many people probably missed the 2014 Football Hall of Fame announcement on Saturday because of all the hype surrounding the "Cold Weather Super Bowl" and the discussions about Peyton Manning's legacy and if Richard Sherman is just a loudmouth or if he was a strategic mastermind for taking the heat away from his teammates. Anyways, the selection committee came up with 7 guys to put into the HOF. And even though I do not agree with a couple of selections, I commend the committee for their selections.

The guys that I agree with:



Ray Guy. This should have happened a lot earlier. Ray Guy is the best punter that I have ever seen. He changed the complexion of lots of games for the Raiders.

Derrick Brooks. This man was the heart and soul of the Buccaneers defense that made the team a Super Bowl Champion. He is the ring leader that brought the team from a laughingstock to one that was feared.

Walter Jones. When he was at the top of his game, he was the best Offensive Lineman in the league, period. When your peers go out of their way to praise the way you play, you deserve HOF status.

Aeneas Williams. Widely recognized as one of the best corners when he played, he didn't do the "Prime Time" thing like Deion, but he was just as good. He did not crave the attention of the spotlight. The biggest surprise on the list, it is probably the selection that I like the most.

Claude Humphrey. The more I learn about Humphery, the more that I am thankful that there is a Veteran's Committee. He is an overlooked player in the annuls of time, but the committee was correct in getting him into the HOF.

The 2 That I Do Not:

Michael Strahan. Yes, I know about the 141.5 sacks. He is a great player, but at the end of his career was a shell of what he was before. Played in an era where DE had the advantage over Offensive Tackles. He should be in the HOF, but I would pick others before him.

Andre Reed. Fans and Voters do need to figure out what makes a Hall of Famer. Is it stats in the Regular Season? Is it how a player comes through in the biggest games? Is it that he transforms a team when all looks lost and is able to get the teammates to believe? This is where I have problems with Reed. If you say the regular season, then I believe he falls short. If it is in the biggest games, then it is possible. As for the last, he was part of the leadership but not the biggest leader in Buffalo. If you go strictly numbers, the answer is he should be in the HOF. But I don't go strictly numbers.

The 2 That I Would Have Put In:

Tony Dungy. The man did it all in football. He crafted the Buccaneers into perennial contenders. He took an underachieving Colts team and took them to the promised land. He made it to the playoffs 10 straight years. His numbers compare with the greats of coaching. He also did it with a coaching style that did not alienate players and fans.

Don Coryell. The coach of the Cardinals and Chargers was 20 years before his time. "Air Coryell" was throwing the ball around the field when the name of the game was running it down your opponent's throat. His teams showed all those coaches that came after him that a passing game was an integral part of the offensive game plan.

I know, my selections would have had no sex appeal. There are no skill positions there. But when you are selecting who you think are the best players, position requirements mean nothing. And there is an appreciation of the history of the game that allows people like the selection committee to look at each of these great players and select those seven that they believe are the best players available.