And the 2013 NFL Hall of Fame Inductees Will Be...

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No player will ever trade the awards they earned during their careers, but there isn't a player that has ever strapped on a helmet that hasn't wanted to be in the Hall of Fame.

Getting in means that not only were you great in season A, B, and C of your career, but the entirety of your career was so good that it deserves recognition as one of the best in the history of the game.

Yea, winning Super Bowls is nice. Being named an All-Pro player or going to the Pro Bowl is pretty cool too, but those are all individual awards given to guys for their work during a particular season.


That's just the players. The executives and owners do deserve some love, but never get it during the season. For some teams, were it not for the owner or an executive the team never would have existed or never would have come together in the way that it did.

Just ask the Indianapolis Colts. They know all about the importance of a quality owner and general manager after the debacle that was the 2011 season and the success that was this past season.

Anyway...without further ado, here are the 15 candidates that will find out Saturday afternoon whether they are going to be remembered a one of the best to ever play (or be involved) the game:

• Defensive tackle Warren Sapp
• Defensive lineman Michael Strahan
• Offensive lineman Larry Allen
• Offensive lineman Jonathan Ogden
• Wide receiver Cris Carter
• Wide receiver Tim Brown
• Wide receiver Andre Reed
• Running back Jerome Bettis
• Defensive end/linebackers Kevin Greene
• Defensive end Charles Haley
• Guard Will Shields
• Cornerback Aeneas Williams
• Head Coach Bill Parcells
• Owner Art Modell
• Owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr.

As cool as it would be to have the power to wave my magic football and proclaim who would go into the Hall, this is one time where I am glad that I don't have it. There are just too many worthy candidates this go around.

Of the group I would say everyone but Warren Sapp, Kevin Greene, Will Shields, and Aeneas Williams are an absolute shoe-in some day (probably Aeneas too). Sapp is the only one I would definitely say 'no' to; beyond his time in Tampa I thought his career was pretty lackluster and unremarkable.

So when it comes to the other 11, the Hall can't go wrong. It would make for a really long post if I were to give reasons for those 11 to make it in so I'm going to concentrate on who I'd like to see in this year:

• Bill Parcells: his last job in the league (Miami) was forgetable, but the Big Tuna is a genius when it comes to the game and getting the most out of his players--even bad players. The man made it to the playoffs with Quincy Carter as his QB!
• Larry Allen: I'm a little biased being a FatMan myself, but for years this guy was one of the most dominant offensive linemen in the game. Just ask Troy Aikman and Emmit Smith about him; they'll tell you how valuable he is.
• Cris Carter: Randy Moss can call himself the greatest, but if you are great you don't need to say it. This man stands among the best in most if not all major statistical categories for wide receivers. Had the Vikings ever had much beyond him he would have a few Super Bowl rings to go with those records.
• Jerome Bettis: there are no running backs like the "Bus" anymore; heck, there never really was.
• Charles Haley: there is a lot I could say about this guy, but only one thing is necessary--five time Super Bowl Champion (and he had a lot to do with winning each one).

What is going to be great about the announcement when it comes is that there is no wrong answer here. All the people mentioned had a tremendous impact on the game. One of the many great aspects of the game is that it can be debated till the cows come home how much and who had a greater one, and no matter how many times the debate is held a different winner could be chosen every time.

That's how great these guys were, and that's how great the game they played (or were involved in) is.


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