Hall of Fame Inductees Announced - Carter Snubbed

I could be slightly biased with my feelings here. So I am going to attempt to go with the facts. Instead of vomiting out the rant I initially felt in reaction to Cris Carter not being inducted tot he Hall of Fame this year.

Chris Carter facts

Receptions

• 2nd all time in receiving yards (13,899) -Trails Jerry Rice
• 2nd all time in career receptions (1,101) -Trails Jerry Rice
• T-3rd all time in seasons with 50+ receptions (11) -Trails Jerry Rice and Andre Reed
• T-3rd all time in receptions in a season(122 twice '94 & '95) -Trails Marvin Harrison and Herman Moore
• T-4th all time in Season with 1,000+ Yards Receiving(8) -Trails Jerry Rice, Tim Brown and Jimmy Smith

Touchdowns

• T-3rd all time in most seasons leading league in TD(3) - Trails Don Hutson and Jerry Rice
• 2nd all time most TD in a career(130) - Trails Jerry Rice
• T-4th all time Most TD in a season(17) - Trails Jerry Rice, Mark Clayton, and Sterling Sharpe

Not only are there very few guys who have surpassed him in any one category, Jerry Rice is the only player to surpass him consistently across the board. Jerry Rice is the one player who it is readily agreed is the best player at his position. Almost every other best at argument will draw a laundry list of names. Not WR, so the simple fact he is consistently above or near the performance of the greatest of all time warrants a first ballot Hall of Fame selection.

As I sit here pondering why it is that he wasn't selected. I can't help but think of the words of another player who was inducted this year. Redskins corner Darell Green was asked by Scot Van Pelt on the Mike Tirico show "why is Riggins the only Redskin from those three championship teams to make it to the Hall of Fame". With out much conviction he said the only thing he could come up wit was that they had no sizzle, they were just guys who came in and did their jobs.

Like I said he didn't seem to have much conviction, it was more of a default because he couldn't explain it. I think after seeing Cris Carter snubbed there may just be something to this. Carter really had no off the field issues once he left Philadelphia. I mean what exactly would it have taken, would he have had to actually surpass Jerry Rice. Maybe they just don't put receivers into the hall on the first ballot. Maybe they feel like it is the Fantasy Football Hall of Fame and because receivers don't touch the ball as often as a QB or RB they aren't worth as much.

Don't worry I got you covered I looked it up. Here are your First Ballot Hall of Famers. There are plenty of them but in the interest of apples to apples here are the Wide Receivers

• Raymond Berry
• Lance Alworth
• Paul Warfield
• Steve Largent

I was cruising along researching this and I was willing to accept that maybe some of the guys on this list are better thanI know as they were before my time. But seriously. Steve Largent!? Are you kidding me, I like Largent, I loved his tough style and his gritty play. But I challenge anyone out there to lay down a convincing argument for why Steve Largent should be a first ballot Hall of Famer, while Cris Carter is not.

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Odds and Ends

2008 Final Hall of Fame game - This bums me out, I don't know why. I am not a purist or a huge fan of small NY towns

Norman Chads Rise - A nice piece about a guy who's self depricating humor kept me watching the World Series of Poker two years longer than it was interesting

Grey Ruegamer - Apparently not named for Gray Matter.

Football Bits

RunDMC
Darren McFadden declared for the NFL Draft, on Monday. He could very well be the first Running back to go number one over all since Kijanna Carter. I mean hey, who doesn’t want to follow in that legacy. 1114 yards in ten years. That is a solid 7 yards a game. Thanks for showing up.

WVU-Michigan-Arkansas Love/Hate Triangle
Ryan Mallet who has withdrawn from Michigan with the arrival of Rich Rodriguez and his spread offense. Bobby Petrino and Ryan Mallet. Check out quitter camp. SUUUUEYYY.
Alright that was harsh, I really don’t blame Mallet. It isn’t like Rodriguez threw the welcome mat out.
Speaking of Rodriguez throwing stuff out, it seems that the records for every player who is currently at West Virginia University has disappeared.

Hall of Fame
It is voting time for the Pro Football hall of Fame. From a list of 111 players the list is now down to 17 finalists.
Two of the sure first Ballot guys are Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter and Washington Redskins defensive back Darrell Green .
The remaining 15 by position

Linebackers
- Derrick Thomas
- Randy Gradishar
- Andre Tippett;

Wide receivers
- Art Monk
- Andre Reed

Defensive ends
- Fred Dean
- Richard Dent

Offensive guards
- Russ Grimm
- Bob Kuecnenberg
- Randall McDaniel

Offensive tackle
- Gary Zimmerman

Punter
- Ray Guy

. To be selected, a player must receive a minimum of 80 percent of the 44 votes. The 44-member panel consists of one media representative from each pro football city with two from New York, inasmuch as that city has two teams in the National Football League. A 33rd member is a representative of the Pro Football Writers of America and there are 11 at-large delegates.
I know Carter is a lock, but I will be interested to see how Randall McDaniel does. He was a premier guard for his era.
Outside ShotAfter the success that the NHL had with their outdoor game on January 1, 2008. The Arena Football league is giving it a try