The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced plans to renovate a portion of its existing structure and expand from 83,000 square feet to 124,000 square feet in a $23.6 million project that will take two years to complete.
The “Future 50 Project” will wrap up during the 50th Anniversary of the hall’s opening and will lay the foundation for the building’s next 50 years of operations, according to a statement.
“The growth and accomplishments of the Pro Football Hall of Fame during its first 50 years are widely acclaimed,” said Steve Perry, president and executive director. “It’s great that we are able to build upon the success of the past and initiate this major project to set the stage for success in the future.”
The project will include: – A new Pro Football Research and Preservation Center that will enable proper storage of the Hall’s growing collection of artifacts, documents and archive materials
– A new, state-of-the-art museum-quality environmental system that will provide precise temperature and humidity control throughout the museum
– A new entrance, lobby and visitor orientation theater
– A complete renovation of the hall’s current exhibition galleries
– Indoor and outdoor event spaces and other amenities
We’ve had a lot of debate over the last few years over which players should or shouldn’t make it into the Hall. I’ve visited the museum three times now and it is a fantastic testament to the game’s history.If you haven’t had a chance to get there, I really, really recommend it.
Speaking of debate, we’re late on this announcement, but better late than never.
The Hall named its 26 semifinalists a few days ago. It’s been a little crazy at headquarters but here’s the list:
RB Jerome Bettis, 1993-2005
WR/KR Tim Brown, 1988-2004
WR Cris Carter, 1987-2002
Coach Don Coryell, 1973-1977, 1978-1986
RB Roger Craig, 1983-1993
RB Terrell Davis, 1995-2001
C Dermontti Dawson, 1988-2000
Owner Edward DeBartolo, JR, 1977-2000
DE Richard Dent, 1983- 1997
DE/LB Chris Doleman, 1985-1998
RB Marshall Faulk, 1994-2005
LB/DE Kevin Greene, 1985-1997
P Ray Guy, 1973-1986
DE/LB Charles Haley, 1986-1996, 1999
CB Lester Hayes, 1977-1986
DT Cortez Kennedy, 1990-2000
RB Curtis Martin, 1995-2005
Owner Art Modell, 1961-2003
WR Andre Reed, 1985-2000
T Willie Roaf, 1993-2005
Contributor Ed Sabol, NFL Films
CB/Returner Deion Sanders, 1989-2000, 2004-2005
TE Shannon Sharpe, 1990-2003
Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, 1989-2006
DB Aeneas Williams, 1991-2004
Contributor George Young, 1968-2001
For more on their careers, click this link. Frequent Zoneblitz contributor bachslunch also has thrown his two cents in at the comments section of the Hall of Fame’s press release site. We hope there’s some more debate here again as well. My best guesses: Deion Sanders and Marshall Faulk are near shoe-ins. Cris Carter, Dermontti Dawson and one of the defensive linemen will join them. And both senior committee nominees, Les Richter and Chris Hanburger, make it as well.
Your thoughts?
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First of all, I would like to thank all the commentators of this site. The arguments on this site are so much more reasoned than in many other places, including the PFHoF’s own website where you’re likely to find comments like
`ZOMG!!! Why isn’t MY FAV PLAYER X in the hall of fame?! He’s so much better than PLAYER Y!!!’
without providing any reasons.
That being said, I’m going to have a stab at the 5 modern era finalists myself.
CB Deion Sanders – a likely first rounder
RB Marshall Faulk – I think more likely than the other RBs and given that there are 5 on that list.
WR Cris Carter – They’ll start to tackle the WR backlog
DE Richard Dent – I’m not sure he should be in, but the selectors can’t always distinguish individual from team play.
C – Dermontti Dawson – If the Steeler fans can’t get Bettis in this year, then maybe Dawson gets the nod.
They may go with Reed instead of Carter if they’re going for order of retirement. And what about last time eligibles Ray Guy and Lester Hayes? One of those could make it in as alast gasp.
I also agree that coaches and contributors should get their own selection process. They’re taking up quite the real-estate on that list.
Thanks for the comments Dr. Phil. I hope you’ll come back and share more thoughts, both on this post and on other Hall of Fame related posts. The folks who comment on these posts are generally pretty educated and civilized, so we’ve had some fun debates.
Andy
I will echo Dr. Phil’s comments. I’ve read the threads on a lot of sites with Hall of Fame debates and it’s nice to see a real debate on here as opposed to a bunch of people freaking out about Jim Marshall or Ray Guy (or basically any Raider that played in the 70’s/80’s) not being in the HOF. I like take a realistic look at the voters based more so on their past voting patterns than the candidates actual stats. With that said, here is my take on this year’s election:
This is probably the deepest semi-finalist list that we’ve had in awhile, especially with so many contributers this time around as wildcards…they should really have their own separate category. I think that the following 11 guys will get bumped when they name the finalists tomorrow:
Terrell Davis – Hasn’t been a finalist before, and is probably 4th or 5th in line at his position now. The easiest pick not to move on.
George Young – Fell off the ballot a couple of years ago and probably was one of the 2 people tied as the 25th semi-finalist.
Art Modell – With all of the controversy surrounding him and a deep field this year, he’ll be easy to leave off the finalist list.
Lester Hayes – Hasn’t been a finalist for a number of years. May gain some momentum with it being his last year as a modern era candidate, but I think the voters would push for Ray Guy over him if they choose to push one of them.
Ed DeBartolo Jr. – 1st time semi-finalist, he’s a wildcard to jump the queue, but I don’t think it’ll happen this year.
Jerome Bettis – He’s 4th or 5th on the running back queue. Pretty much in the same spot as TD.
Aeneas Williams – He’s deserves to make it eventually, but I think it might take awhile to build up his candidacy. I see him having a Rickey Jackson-type wait before he gets in.
Paul Tagliabue – He probably won’t be seriously considered until the CBA situation plays out.
Ray Guy – I have a feeling that he’ll get in really fast through the seniors committee, but as a modern-era candidate, it’s hard to pick a punter over a full-time player…even if they are arguably the best to ever play their position. Steve Tasker will likely suffer the same fate.
Curtis Martin – Very tough to leave off of the finalist list, but without a real flashy profile, I think he’ll just miss being a finalist and might ultimately need to wait 5-10 years to get in.
Chris Doleman – It’s a toss-up between him and Kevin Greene to move on, but I’ll pick Greene since he’s been a semi-finalist more times. Regardless of who moves on, both guys should make the hall of fame in the next few years with the voters trying to induct more defensive players.
That leaves the following 15 as finalists:
Marshall Faulk
Deion Sanders
Willie Roaf
Andre Reed
Cris Carter
Tim Brown
Shannon Sharpe
Dermontti Dawson
Cortez Kennedy
Richard Dent
Charles Haley
Kevin Greene
Roger Craig
Don Coryell
Ed Sabol
Ultimately, I think that Craig, Haley, Greene, Sabol and Brown will be the 1st 5 chopped off. Craig clearly won’t make it with Faulk on the ballot, Greene will get bumped as a 1st time finalist, Haley seems to be behind Kennedy and Dent in the defense queue, Sabol will fail to move on as a 1st-time finalist and might (hopefully) be used as Exhibit A as to why contributers need their own vote and Brown will just miss moving on with Reed and Carter both being candidates who formerly made the “Final 10.”
At the final 10, it’ll be a very close call again and I think it’ll go down like this:
Faulk and Sanders get in without question on the 1st ballot.
The voters must do something about the receiver backlog, so either Carter or Reed get in. It’s a toss-up with Carter having better stats, but Reed having the longer wait and the more support last year. I will go with Carter in a photo finish, but I think ultimately Reed and Brown will make it in over the next 2-4 years with there being a lack in good skill position candidates coming up (besides Marvin Harrison).
The Hall has done an outstanding job of electing offensive linemen over the last few years and I think they’ll induct another again this year. Roaf and Dawson both have great credentials, but I think that Roaf’s lack of success in the playoffs will lead to him having to wait a year (especially if you use Randall McDaniel, a very similar candidate, as a guide). Dawson gets in.
The last spot comes down to 4 guys, but I think that it’ll go to Kennedy for the following reasons. Coryell is the sentimental choice after passing away this year, but he simply has the worst HOF case of the remaining candidates. Dent always makes the final 10, but always seems to get stuck there…I see that happening again. With 3 offensive players already picked, the voters won’t want a skewed ballot, so Sharpe once again fails to get in.
So there you have it, Marshall Faulk, Deion Sanders, Cris Carter, Dermontti Dawson and Cortez Kennedy are my picks. I also think Chris Hanburger and Les Richter both get in to make it a full class.
Thoughts?
I say the H.O.F. committee be impeached if Hanburger is not elected.