Vikings Message Board.Com

This is something I have been thinking about for some time. Ever wonder just how some players get into the HOF while others don't? Just what does it take to get in? So, while it may seem to be bashing a player, I am really trying to find out what others are thinking about the HOF way of doing things. So I invite people to bring up someone who they wonder how they ever made it into the HOF. Because if they are in, enough of the voters thought they should be.

So my pick is, Joe Namath. Just what did this guy do that other QB's at the time did not? As far as I know the only thing he is famous for is guaranteeing a win in the 3rd AFL-NFL Championship game. A win which while won by the Jets was mostly based on the Jets defense and poor play of the Colts QB, Morrell. As a QB for the rest of his career, well let's just say he wasn't that good. In 13 years of playing he had 4 seasons were he won more games than he lost. He had a lousy completions percentage, even for back than, threw more interceptions than touchdowns. And only started 71% of the possible games. Even Brad Johnson has better numbers than Namath. Now, Namath had the flash. If I had the choice, I would replace Namath with Jim Plunkett in the HOF. If he did not get in when he did and had to voted on now, would he make it?

Thoughts?

Raptorman wrote:This is something I have been thinking about for some time. Ever wonder just how some players get into the HOF while others don't? Just what does it take to get in? So, while it may seem to be bashing a player, I am really trying to find out what others are thinking about the HOF way of doing things. So I invite people to bring up someone who they wonder how they ever made it into the HOF. Because if they are in, enough of the voters thought they should be.

So my pick is, Joe Namath. Just what did this guy do that other QB's at the time did not? As far as I know the only thing he is famous for is guaranteeing a win in the 3rd AFL-NFL Championship game.

Well, one thing he did was lead an AFL team to a Super Bowl win for the first time. That was a big moment in football history.

He was the first pro QB to throw for over 4000 yards in a season (a 14 game season) and his aggressive, downfield style of play helped pave the way for some of the more pass-oriented attacks that were to emerge and eventually dominate the NFL in subsequent decades. He was a leader, the kind of player a team rallied around and he fought through injuries that plagued him his entire career. He excelled at avoiding sacks and he also excelled as a passer during an era when that was pretty difficult. I realize the statistical argument for him may seem weak on the surface (although there IS a statistical argument for his presence in the HOF) but Namath was a superstar in his prime, in pretty much every sense of the word. I don't think being in the Hall of Fame should just be about stats and I have no doubt Namath earned his spot in Canton. He was a special player. He just wasn't special that long.

Because the Hall of Fame should help tell the story of Pro Football. Joe Namath is a big part of that story.

That's just my opinion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have an axe to grind with anybody who got in the Hall before Carter while putting up fairly pedestrian numbers.

The campaign to get Art Monk in the Hall is symbolic of this. He is 15th in receptions, 18th in yards and way in the back of the pack for all time touchdowns at 68. Meanwhile, Carter was 10th in yards, 4th in receptions and has almost double the career touchdowns of Monk. But Carter was snubbed when he was a surefire lock purely off a personality concern. I am sorry Cris Carter didn't have the grace and dignity of somebody who gambled on football (Hornung) or abused drugs and frequented underage prostitutes (Taylor) or was the defendant in the nation's murder trial of the freaking century (Simpson).

Throw in Lynn Swann, too. The stats are beyond pedestrian. Under 6500 yards even with playoffs, only 60 total touchdowns, under 400 receptions, was never dominant at his position. He is the poster boy for a player getting in off Super Bowls. Different era, whatever.

Oh, and maybe something for the Smack Shack...

Paul Hornung. Garbage tier.

frosted wrote:Because the Hall of Fame should help tell the story of Pro Football. Joe Namath is a big part of that story.

That's just my opinion.

It points out a key aspect of the Hall. It's not just about stats (thankfully).

Hunter Morrow wrote:Oh, and maybe something for the Smack Shack...

Paul Hornung. Garbage tier.

Ummm, no.

It should be mentioned that Namath never played on NFL game at full strength, his injury in college always lingered.

Hunter Morrow wrote:I have an axe to grind with anybody who got in the Hall before Carter while putting up fairly pedestrian numbers.

The campaign to get Art Monk in the Hall is symbolic of this. He is 15th in receptions, 18th in yards and way in the back of the pack for all time touchdowns at 68. Meanwhile, Carter was 10th in yards, 4th in receptions and has almost double the career touchdowns of Monk. But Carter was snubbed when he was a surefire lock purely off a personality concern. I am sorry Cris Carter didn't have the grace and dignity of somebody who gambled on football (Hornung) or abused drugs and frequented underage prostitutes (Taylor) or was the defendant in the nation's murder trial of the freaking century (Simpson).

Throw in Lynn Swann, too. The stats are beyond pedestrian. Under 6500 yards even with playoffs, only 60 total touchdowns, under 400 receptions, was never dominant at his position. He is the poster boy for a player getting in off Super Bowls. Different era, whatever.

Great idea for a thread.

Jordysghost wrote: Ummm, no.

Also a racist. Remember the "black Athelete" that ND must lower their standards to obtain?

fiestavike wrote: Also a racist. Remember the "black Athelete" that ND must lower their standards to obtain?

And he didn't lead the nation at his position and won a Heisman on a 2-8 team.

Joe was popular with the sports writers(who vote in players to Canton)
and became infamous after the guaranteed win of Superbowl Three

Th jets were major underdogs ..I think they were supposed to lose by 16 points or something ...

realizing the somewhat tongue in cheek nature nature of my posts in this thread might not have been obvious. Try to imagine Owen Wilson saying these things in a Wes Anderson movie and the tone might be about right.

fiestavike wrote:realizing the somewhat tongue in cheek nature nature of my posts in this thread might not have been obvious. Try to imagine Owen Wilson saying these things in a Wes Anderson movie and the tone might be about right.

Oh, i see. I was reading in a Morgan Freeman voice.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Hornung was the second prong in one of the most effective rushing unit in NFL history, he could do everything, run, block, throw and do them all rather well, he obviously is not 'Garbage tier'.