The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2010 Semifinalists were announced on Saturday, with four players who are eligible for the Hall for the first time joining 21 others who have all been semifinalists at least once before. The list was culled from an original list of 131 players, coaches and contributors.
The four first timers include WR Jerry Rice, RB Emmitt Smith, WR Tim Brown and CB Aeneas Williams.
Looking back at last year’s list of semifinalists, only two players not elected last year fell off the list–G Bob Kuechenberg and QB Kenny Stabler, both of whom failed to make the cut last year in their final year of eligibility, and now can only be elected by the senior committee (Kuechenberg last played in 1983, but was on injured reserve for the 1984 season).
Also making it back to the list of semifinalists this year are WR Cliff Branch, Coach Don Coryell, and LB Rickey Jackson.
No big surprises on the list, from where we stand–Branch and Coryell being minor surprises, along with possibly the omission of Gary Anderson (in some people’s eyes)–and at this point, all of our 2010 finalist guesses and actual inductee predictions are still in the running.
What were everyone else’s thoughts/surprises from the list?
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I am surprised Gary Anderson isn’t on this list. I think he deserves it more than Don Coryell.
Brad, you’re comparing apples to driveshafts. LOL!! That said I’d go with Anderson before Coryell no matter how sympathetic a figure. There’s more to being a great HC than a knack for running a innovative Offense and coming up short on Defense. A great HC figures out a way to make both sides successful.
Seriously, I’m personally not enthralled with the idea of inducting into the NFL HOF coordinators from coaching staffs no matter how great and Head Coaches who never won at least their Conference’s title and a great amount of games. To me there are enough borderline HC’s in the HOF like Bud Grant, Marv Levy and George Allen. Not to say they don’t deserve it but I would draw the line their. And if your put Coryell in than you better put Chuck Knox a defensive genius mind. What about George Siefort with a SB and one of the highest winning percentages? Finally , I definetly would NOT induct Dick LeBeau!! H will only muddy the water.
I’m surprised Terrell Davis, Charles Haley, Paul Tagliabue, Richard Dent, Russ Grimm, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker and Cortez Kennedy are taking up space when there election seems doubtful for the time being. Sure seems like they could bring up some fresh deserving names from the 1980’s. I’m pleased to see Rickey Jackson and Cliff Branch pop up again. I hope Branch gets in now!! And Roger Craig needs in while his iron is still hot before many folks only see his stats and don’t remember his importance to some great 49er teams of the 80’s. Except for Emmit they could easily put all 49ers. :) That’s the question of the Induction/; how many 49ers go in 1,2,3,4 or 5 ? Did they drop Watters this year at RB? Lester Hayes would be a fantastic pick even though I’m not 100% for him. Many folks are!! Without him the Raiders don’t win the 1980 SB.
I’m really hating the lack of O-Line candidates and the chances of Grimm getting in over Bob Keuchenberg or even fellow Redskin Joe Jacoby. Someone is giving him some strong support to be on the list every year.
This is who I think the voters will select for 2010 HOF:
Emmit Smith, Jerry Rice, John Randle, Cliff Branch and my fingers are crossed
xxxxxx Kevin Greene (will be between Grimm, Dawson, Greene and Jackson??) and Floyd Little will show how broke the system is IMO. Let him remain to be a Denver icon. That’s all!!
LeBeau is rejected if the honor the rules. He wasn’t a HOF player!! Little is 50/50.
Final 25 – 2010
Cliff Branch, WR – 1972-1985 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Tim Brown, WR/KR – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders
Cris Carter, WR – 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings
Don Coryell, Coach – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers
Roger Craig, RB – 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers
Terrell Davis, RB – 1995-2001 Denver Broncos
Dermontti Dawson, C – 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers
Richard Dent, DE – 1983-1993, 1995 Chicago Bears
Chris Doleman, DE/LB – 1985-1993, 1999 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95 Atlanta Falcons
Kevin Greene, LB/DE – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers
Russ Grimm, G – 1981-1991 Washington Redskins
Ray Guy, P – 1973-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Charles Haley, DE/LB – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys
Lester Hayes, CB – 1977-1986 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
Rickey Jackson, LB – 1981-1993 New Orleans Saints, 1994-95 San Francisco 49ers
Cortez Kennedy, DT – 1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks
Art Modell, Owner – 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns, 1996-2003 Baltimore Ravens
John Randle, DT – 1990-2000 Minnesota Vikings, 2001-03 Seattle Seahawks
Andre Reed, WR – 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins
Jerry Rice, WR – 1985-2000 San Francisco 49ers, 2001-04 Oakland Raiders, 2004Seattle
Shannon Sharpe, TE – 1990-99, 2002-03 Denver Broncos, 2000-01 Baltimore Ravens
Emmitt Smith, RB – 1990-2002 Dallas Cowboys, 2003-04 Arizona Cardinals
Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner – 1989-2006 National Football League
Steve Tasker, Special Teams/WR – 1985-86 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills
Aeneas Williams, CB/S – 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams
Old-Timers:
Floyd Little, RB – Denver Broncos 1966-74
Dick LeBeau, DB – Detroit Lions 1960-71
NFL Diehard Fans don’t forget to vote for 2010 Pro Bowl players at
http://www.nfl.com/probowl/ballot/sweeps/confirm
Tony P said: “I’m surprised Terrell Davis, Charles Haley, Paul Tagliabue, Richard Dent, Russ Grimm, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker and Cortez Kennedy are taking up space when there election seems doubtful for the time being.”
All but Davis, Haley, and Tasker have been finalists before, and there seems to be some level of inertia to such player pools. And the rest have been semifinalists a couple times. I’m not surprised by this, actually.
In fact, the biggest surprise to me was Cliff Branch getting this far, as I don’t think he’s been a semifinalist for a really long time.
My prediction for list of 15
1. Jerry Rice
2. Emmitt Smith
3. Shannon Sharpe
4. John Randle
5. Cris Carter
6. Kevin Greene
7. Demonti Dawson
8. Richard Dent
9. Chris Doleman
10. Lester Hayes
11. Cortez Kennedy
12. Paul Tagliabue
13. Tim Brown
14. Cliff Branch
15. Russ Grimm