The Pro Football Hall of Fame named its 15 finalists for the Class of 2012, with guard Will Shields and coach Bill Parcells being first time finalists (Parcells was technically a finalist before, when coaches did not have to wait the five years, and is apparently considered a first time candidate again).
Joining Parcells and Shields as finalists from the modern era:
The only two we missed on were Aeneas Williams (who we had as a finalist last year), and DeBartolo, Jr. In their places we had picked coach Bill Cowher (who wasn’t even a semifinalist, presumably due to the belief he will resume coaching) and RB Terrell Davis.
All five of our picks for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012 are still in the running.
Missing the cut from the 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist list were:
The list of finalists will be narrowed to 10, and then down to five on the Saturday before the Super Bowl, and those five will be voted on individually for inclusion along with Senior Candidates Jack Butler and Dick Stanfel.
Follow up in the comments with your thoughts on the finalists…
Loading ...
Cool. No crazy surprises here…DeBartolo making it over Tagliabue might be the only minor one. I’m happy to see that Greene and Williams moved on this time around, but I don’t see either making the full jump to get in this year.
As further proof that the hall of fame doesn’t place an enormous emphasis on Super Bowl wins, only 3 modern-era finalists (Bettis, DeBartolo and Haley) have Super Bowl rings.
I will predict that Martin, Reed, Dawson, Kennedy and Parcells will make it this year, with Parcells being the least likely. I could see someone like Roaf or Haley making it in over him.
Oops, nevermind, Parcells has 2 rings as well. Make that 4.
Like BSLO, the only surprise I see on the finalist list is Eddie DeBartolo. I think he’ll be a one-and-done guy as well, like Roger Craig and Don Coryell were. I found BD Sullivan’s observation about DeBartolo interesting and perceptive — Sullivan’s thinking is that he’s a weak candidate with Steinbrenner-like baggage:
http://www.pfraforum.org/index.php?showtopic=1893&pid=24402&st=20&#entry24402
See the post that immediately follows mine on Page 2 of comments.
The players who made the cut to final 10 but not final 5 last year are all back on the ballot: Curtis Martin, William Roaf, Dermontti Dawson, Cortez Kennedy, and Andre Reed. It’s entirely possible that all five may get elected this year, too. The only folks who I think might crack this group are Bill Parcells and Kevin Greene (there’s an outside chance the latter could make a Rickey Jackson run in, and Parcells may or may not be seen as a top-drawer guy). My guess is that Dawson may miss out if Parcells or Greene make the final 5.
Surprises in the actual voting are always possible, though. We’ll see.
I am thinking that the big surprise this year (and bach is right there is surprise every year with these elections) is the failure of Parcells to get elected in his first year – since some fans and media are acting as if he is a lock. And I agree with many others here, and stay with my guess following the 2011 election, that the five 2011 finalists not elected then (Curtis Martin, William Roaf, Dermontti Dawson, Cortez Kennedy, and Andre Reed) have the best chance to get in for 2012 given the lack of any strong 1st time candidates, but could see Haley replace Dawson or Kennedy. My biggest hope is that Reed is finally elected so we can begin to address the backup of deserving WR candidates.
Based on last year’s 6-10 guys, my guess is that the class will be Reed, Martin, Kennedy, Dawson or Roaf, and Haley, Doleman, or Parcells, though both Dawson and Roaf getting in, or two from the last group getting in at the expense of Kennedy, wouldn’t be too surprising. My specific predictions: http://sports.morganwick.com/2012/01/predictions-for-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame-class-of-2012/
Picking this year’s Hall of Fame class a major challenge
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/peter_king/01/10/mail/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_wr_a3
if they don’t induct a wide receiver for the class of 2012, then the hall of fame is just a travesty to me in my opinion
I think it’s highly likely that they induct a receiver this year. I think the only reason one didn’t get in last year was because Shannon Sharpe got inducted. As others have mentioned, given the lack of good skill-position players becoming eligible over the next few years, I think that Brown, Carter and Reed should all get in over the next 5 classes, if not sooner.
Same goes for Martin and Bettis on the running back side. Personally I’d like to see them off the board to give Roger Craig another shot at induction before he falls into the dreaded seniors pool 6 classes from now.
Election each year is a number game with only 7 slots. Having any player or position based over in any year is not making the HOF a travesty. Fact remains that Reed, Carter and Brown have made the final 10 in past elections meaning their came is coming, soon hopefully.
sorry “passed over in any year”
final predictions for the pro football hall of fame class of 2012:
dermontti dawson
chris doleman
cortez kennedy
curtis martin
andre reed
and the two senior nominees jack butler and dick stanfel.
wild-card: bill parcells, willie roaf, or charles haley
i think we are all in agreement that andre reed should get in
Roaf was in the final ten last year, based on that trend I do not see Doleman jumping Roaf to get in
I think roaf will get in before shields how does shields compare to 2013 first timers ogden and allen
Roaf 6/11 90s 00s
Shields 9/12 00s
Ogden 9/11 00s
Allen 7/11 90s 00s
So all four are very close in career awards, so unless Roaf or Shields gets in this year it is really going to get crowded in 2013 and beyond. Without stats debates over OL often focus on impressions which can vary between voters who may find it very hard to separate players, just look at the delays with the current WRs on the ballot. Also very hard for OL to earn 1st time eligible selection to the HOF.
I will stick with my gut and continue to predict that Reed, Martin, Dawson, Kennedy and Parcells will get in. I want to put in Willie Roaf, but I have this (probably misguided) gut feeling that the panel will choose to only induct one lineman and put Dawson in over Roaf.
I believe the final 10 will consist of the 5 inductees I predicted plus Roaf, Carter, Haley, Doleman and Bettis.
BSLO: While it is always precarious to assume we have figured out the HOF voters, your predictions seem fairly spot on. The only real difference I see is that Roaf might get in over Dawson because left tackles are perceived to be more important than guards and centers. Plus, I think that Roaf was likely a slightly better player than Dawson.
In the end, however, I have this nagging sensation that your prediction might be a product of our collective “wishful thinking.” This has to be the year that the voters start cleaning up the WR backlog by electing Reed. This has to be the year that great, but not necessarily high profile, defensive players like Kennedy start being inducted.
However, this is the hall of “fame.” Therefore, while I think BSLO’s prediction includes likely 5 of the best 6-8 candidates (along with Roaf, Carter and Brown), a part of me thinks the voters might go with Bettis over Martin, Doleman, Greene and/or Haley over Kennedy, and snub the receivers again.
With Martin getting in, Bettis will not, it is that simple. The five players I listed earlier were in the final 10 last year including Martin, Roaf, Dawson and Reed and not Bettis. So yes the issue of the WRS will start to get resolved this year with Reed.
With no significant first year nominees and no ‘buzz’ surrounding a particular player, I think carry over from last year will be the driving force in this election and more predictable then usual although the fifth and final modern slot could go to one of several people with dawson, kennedy, haley and parcells in that mix. Martin, Reed, and Roaf much more certain selections.
am i crazy for supporting chris doleman over kevin greene
no but you might be crazy for forgetting Haley
Alright Folks Heres My Class of 2012
Jack Butler
Chris Doleman
Charles Haley
Curtis Martin
Andre Reed
Willie Roaf
I am sticking with my election guess at:
Jack Butler (s)
Dermontti Dawson
Cortez Kennedy
Curtis Martin
Andre Reed
Willie Roaf
Dick Stanfel (s)
I guess I should also add that I believe Stanfel and Butler will make it as well (in addition to Dawson, Martin, Reed, Kennedy and Parcells).
NFL Network, in a special ceremony the day before Super Bowl XLVI, will announce the 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinees. The announcement will be made live on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 5:30 PM ET on Road to Canton: Pro Football Hall of Fame: Class of 2012 presented by Allstate.
http://www.profootballhof.com/enshrinement/2012/2/1/class-of-2012-unveiled-saturday/
by tomorrow, we should know who the 2012 inductees for the pro football hall of fame. it should be very exciting for every football fan who loves this grand game we call football
not should know, we will know soon after 530p Saturday! Here is hoping for the election of some of those players who have been finalists for a few years waiting and well deserving for election such as Andre Reed.
My final list
1. Curtis Martin
2. Dermonti Dawson
3. Cris Carter
4. Andre Reed
5. Charles Haley
Both senior Nominees
I think they will surprise us by electing two WR’s
Prediction: Curtis Martin, Dermontti Dawson, Willie Roaf, Andre Reed, Cortez Kennedy, Dick Stanfel , and Jack Butler.
latest “buzz” on the election from Peter King SI
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/peter_king/02/03/super.bowl.xlvi.preview/index.html
Ten Hall of Fame thoughts on the eve of the vote for the Class of 2012, which is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday in downtown Indianapolis:
1. Momentum building for Eddie DeBartolo, who has had some heavy-hitters, including former Niner exec Carmen Policy, campaigning hard for him. It’ll be interesting to see if being the most beloved owner by his players carries a lot of weight. DeBartolo didn’t do as much for the league as a whole as a Bob Kraft, Art Modell or Dan Rooney, but he did run a great team for a long time.
2. Bill Parcells probably should be a favorite to make it (10th all-time in wins, two Super Bowl wins, took four franchises to the playoffs), but you never know how much momentum new guys will have in the room among the 44 voters. Some of the voters aren’t fond of the prickly Parcells, but he does have more wins than the four coaches — Marv Levy, George Allen, John Madden and Hank Stram — who’ve been enshrined since 2000, and none of them have more Super Bowl rings than Parcells.
3. Maybe I’m naïve, but I think this is the year the wide receiver logjam gets broken. I see Andre Reed getting in, though I believe Cris Carter is more deserving.
4. No locks in an off year for the Hall, but Steelers center Dermontti Dawson looks like the leader in the clubhouse to me.
5. Next man up, after Dawson? Charles Haley looks like he could be this year’s Richard Dent — the guy who was close for a long time and finally got in, in part because voters are trying to make sure they don’t perpetuate the mistake of the past by electing far more offensive players than defensive.
6. Next: Willie Roaf, Curtis Martin (who seems to have more momentum than Jerome Bettis). After that, it’s totally jumbled. Parcells would be my best guess.
7. I still think Cortez Kennedy and Kevin Greene, who’ve been lost in the shuffle over the years, are very strong candidates and would be deserving selections.
8. Interesting class of 2013 candidates could make this a must year for some of the bubble candidates. Michael Strahan, Jonathan Ogden and Warren Sapp come up for election next year.
9. I could see the five modern-era slots yield fewer than five Hall of Famers. The way the voting works is each of the five finalists is voted on in secret ballot by the 44 Hall selectors. If 80 percent of the voters say yes for a candidate, he’s in. Less than 80, he’s out. So nine “no” votes on a finalist scuttles him.
10. I expect a long meeting. Seven hours, maybe. NFL Network airs the results live at 5:30 p.m., and you’ll know when I do. We walk out of the room not knowing which of the five modern-era finalists and two Seniors candidates make it.
looks like King is leaning to Reed, Dawson, Haley, Roaf, Martin, with Parcells in the mix and DeBartolo as the “dark horse” (boy I sure hope he does not get in this round as a first time finalist at the expense of a long waiting deserving player). Interesting comment about the possibility of less than four modern candidates elected.
Will Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson get in ? Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, Torry Holt, Issac Bruce, and Hines Ward are all going to be eligible in 3-6 years . Larry and Andre will play at least 4 years, barring injuries. In the next 4 years it is telling for the Hall. Cris Carter and Tim Brown hopefully get inducted so when Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, etc. are eligible, there isn’t a bigger logjam. I hope the Hall gets it right and votes in at least one tomorrow.
well with fitzgerald and johnson having another likely 5-7 years it will at least 10-2 years before they appear on the ballot plenty of time to sort out the 2000 decade WR but given the challenges with reed, carter and brown I am not so so sure holt and bruce will ever get elected.
That is my thought too about Issac Bruce and Torry Holt. Both were great, but Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, and Hines Ward are in the mix and have as equal if not better cases. All of them probably won’t get elected. Too many in one span of time.
Re: Peter King, to elect less than a full class would be a slap in the face to every eligible player who doesn’t get elected. One-player-per-position rule or no, the HOF wouldn’t be able to induct any of the other finalists down the line with a straight face. Given the backlogs I don’t think we’ll see less than a full class elected in the foreseeable future.
Final 10
Carter
Dawson
Doleman
Haley
Kennedy
Martin
Parcells
Reed
Roaf
Williams
Plus
Butler(s)
Stanfel(s)
Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown, Eddie DeBartalo, Kevin Greene and Will Shields have missed the cut from 15 to 10.
No wide receivers again.
Dawson, Doleman, Kennedy, Martin and Roaf are the Last 5.
Elected
Butler
Dawson
Doleman
Kennedy
Martin
Roaf
2 OL 2 DL
No parcells
No Wrs!!!!
Glad to see dawson and roaf but the problem of split continues to plague Wr, although carter and reed made final 10
Kind of stunned by the announcement, particularly no WRs. Also surprised Stanfel didn’t get in. Thought his profile was pretty good. Post on the announcement is up at: https://www.zoneblitz.com/2012/02/04/pro-football-hall-fame-class-2012-announced/