15 finalists for 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame class

[True Dough]

The 15 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2018 includes four former players who are in their first year of eligibility.

The modern-era finalists revealed Tuesday night include linebacker Ray Lewis, wide receiver Randy Moss, guard Steve Hutchinson and linebacker Brian Urlacher. Those four players finished their careers with a combined 34 Pro Bowl selections and 20 first-team All-Pro selections.

Tackle Tony Boselli, wide receiver Isaac Bruce, safety Brian Dawkins, guard Alan Faneca, tackle Joe Jacoby, running back Edgerrin James, cornerback Ty Law, safety John Lynch, center Kevin Mawae, wide receiver Terrell Owens and cornerback Everson Walls are the other finalists.

The Class of 2018 will be chosen by the Board of Selectors at a meeting Feb. 3 in Minneapolis, Minnesota -- the day before Super Bowl LII. At that meeting, the list of modern-era finalists will be trimmed to 10 and then to five. The five finalists will then be chosen on a yes-or-no basis, and those who receive 80 percent approval will be enshrined next August in Canton, Ohio.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21945500/pro-football-hall-fame-finalists-include-four-players-first-year-eligibility

[JonLP24]

1. When will Rod Smith ever get in?

Compare him to Michael Irvin who is a HOF his career is identical in terms of numbers. He was #1 receiver for years that won 2 Super Bowls and 3 quarterbacks had the best years of their careers throwing to him.

Moss, Owens, and now Issac Bruce. Torry Holt isn't even in yet it will be awhile before Rod Smith is ever considered.

[True Dough]

2. You're going to have to get on the voting panel

and right that injustice!

[JonLP24]

3. The HOF has a receiver problem

And it's going to get worse with future candidates.

Regardless, most of the usual suspects come out looking good by WOWY. For instance, Randy Moss, whose statistical sway over his quarterbacks was legendary, boasts a +1.1 WOWY, 7 which ranks second only to Rod Smith’s 8 among players with 10,000 career True Receiving Yards. And Tim Brown (the long-time Oakland Raiders receiver whom the committee did not select despite better individual receiving statistics than Reed) also ranks among the top WOWY receivers ever at +0.7.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-football-hall-of-fame-has-a-receiver-problem/amp/

[True Dough]

4. You're absolutely right about that

WRs get shortchanged in Canton.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. He Lost Me With His WOWY Justification

Sorry, but i will never buy that Rod Smith, as good as he was, had numbers that made him a more influential on the game guy than Moss or Rice.

Then, in his own explanation, he calls it "rudimentary" but earlier says it was an attempt to assess a receiver's overall impact.

So, it's supposed to measure the impact a guy has on his team from the WR, but Rod Smith's number ended up 140% higher than Jerry Rice?

Sorry, it's no sale for me.

[JonLP24]

6. The stat is based on improved QB performance

John Elway, Brian Griese, and Jake Plummer all had the best seasons of their career throwing him the ball much like Brady (before recent seasons) Randall Cunningham, Culpepper for Moss.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. Yeah, I Read It

One of my advanced degrees is in stats. I can manipulate and weight figure to make them dance on the head of a pin, too.

I'm still not buying the conclusions.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

8. I agree. There are so many factors in play that can affect WOWY

Take a look at the 2001 Vikings. Yeah, Culpepper had a great year. Jake Reed was also on the team. And one of the best 3WR going. So if we apply WOWY to Jake Reed, he would have a pretty high number, too.

All that said, if Moss doesn't get in on the first vote, the system sucks.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. He Sure Seems A Slam Dunk

Sorry to mix the sports metaphors, like that, but you're right. He HAS to be in on the first vote.

[JonLP24]

9. It is one aspect of Rod Smith's career elevating the performance of his quarterbacks

My only real argument is compare his numbers to Michael Irvin and put him in the hall. 5 catches for 152 yards in a Super Bowl has to account for something as well.

[ProfessorGAC]

10. Now You've Got Something, Jon

I'd take Smith over Irvin easily

[rsdsharp]

12. They can get back to me

after they induct Jerry Kramer. I'm not holding my breath.

It's an outrage. He the only member of the NFL's 50th Anniversary team not to be in the Hall of Fame. The excuses don't hold water. "He's a guard." "It's been too long since he played." They inducted his contemporary, guard Gene Hickerson of the Browns, in 2007. There are already too many Lombardi Packers." They inducted his teammate, linebacker Dave Robinson, in 2013.

Why not Kramer?

[JonLP24]

13. The Seniors Committee nominated Jerry Kramer

I'm not sure how the process works if that means he is in but he is nominated.

[rsdsharp]

14. Kramer has been nominated

as a senior finalist once before and as a modern-day finalist nine times. So, no, he's not in. Maybe this will be the year. I hope so; he's in his eighties.

[Iggo]

15. I hate, hate, HATE Terrell Owens.

But fuck those guys if they don't put him in.

Buncha assholes. Who do they think they are? The baseball writers?

[fishwax]

16. Yeah, I was never a fan either, but it's hard to see the HOF as legitimate without him in it

[True Dough]

17. And the new HoF members are...

It will be one of the youngest groups in the history of the Pro Football Hall of Fame as Ray Lewis, Randy Moss and Brian Urlacher were all selected Saturday for enshrinement in the class of 2018.

All three players were in their first year of eligibility and join Terrell Owens and Brian Dawkins as the modern-era selections to be enshrined. Those five players join longtime personnel executive Bobby Beathard (contributor) and seniors committee nominees Jerry Kramer and Robert Brazile for enshrinement.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/22310747/pro-football-hall-fame-class-2018-includes-ray-lewis-randy-moss-terrell-owens-brian-dawkins-brian-urlacher

[True Dough]

18. T.O. is refusing to go...

"While I am incredibly appreciative of this opportunity, I have made the decision to publicly decline my invitation to attend the induction ceremony in Canton," Owens said in a statement released Thursday. "... After visiting Canton earlier this year, I came to the realization that I wish to celebrate what will be one of the most memorable days of my life, elsewhere."

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/23723959/terrell-owens-declines-invitation-pro-football-hall-fame-induction-ceremony