2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalists

Sharpe is also hurt because his career ended just as the Packers started contending for the Super Bowl every year, and became America's NFL darlings.

Case in point: Gale Sayers.

But Sharpe's career was also cut short by injury, in his case neck problems. That shouldn't be held against him.

 

Sure it should. You don't get credit for what you don't do.

 

There are a ton of running backs who have a nice short burst of great years who should be admitted if Sterling Sharpe gets in.

 

You mean like Gale Sayers?

 

Sterling Sharpe was forced out of the game at the pinnacle of his profession.
There was Rice and Sharpe, and there was everyone else.

 

Did they?

In the four-year window in which Rich Gannon was their starting quarterback, the Raiders went 41-23 in the regular season and 4-3 in the playoffs, including two appearances in the AFC Championship Game and one in the Super Bowl.

Before that, the Raiders' QBs were the mostly forgettable likes of Jay Schroeder, Steve Beuerlein, Todd Marinovich, Jeff Hostetler, Vince Evans, Billy Joe Hobert, Jeff George, Donald Hollas and Wade Wilson. Is being mediocre with that crew under center really massively underachieving?

Hell, you should give Brown credit for managing 1,000-plus-yard seasons with Hostetler, Evans, Hobert, George, Hollas and Wilson throwing to him.

BTW, I just want to be clear I am not arguing that Tim Brown should be in the Hall of Fame. In fact, I think I said a page or three ago that I wasn't in favor of him or Reed. I'm just saying the argument that Brown shouldn't be given credit for his numbers because his team wasn't very good, therefore his numbers mean "very little" is absurd.

Using that logic, you might want to rethink the Hall legitimacy of, say, Dick Butkus. He played nine seasons and not only did the Bears never make the playoffs in that span, they went 48-74-2 and had only two winning seasons. Apparently, all Butkus' tackles meant very little.

 

Oh good, now we are using team records as a measuring stick for wide receiver success.

 

If Butkus was any good, he would have won a title...

 

Numbers are supposed to mean things.
I'm sorry to ask for a little sophistication in the argument - we can't be having that.
I'm willing to be persuaded that Brown belongs in Canton.
I just haven't seen a good enough case presented that he does.
George had one excellent season in Oakland and Beuerlein was a good player they should have never let get away, btw.
Hostetler was often hurt, but when he played the team was competitive.

 

I agree with this.I don't think Brown is a HOFer either, I just don' t think a teams record belongs anywhere near a debate as to whether a receiver is worthy of the HOF.

 

Exactly. It's amazing how difficult that concept is for some people to grasp.

Sharpe was amazing. At his best, he was clearly better than Reed, Brown and even Irvin. His best just didn't last as long as it should have due to the neck injury. Longevity matters, too, and that is a big negative for Sharpe.

 

Joe just gets his bloomers in a twist when anyone challenges his occasionally shallow football commentary.
Then calls someone else an idiot for asking him to show his work.
Then groups Donald Hollas with a flame-tested championship quarterback.
This is why this place is a joke, frankly.