It's a big weekend for former Steelers running back Jerome Bettis.
Bettis is one of the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame again this weekend and I expect the third time to be the charm for the NFL's fifth-leading all-time rusher.
He should be inducted into the hall.
Bettis became eligible three years ago, at the same time that Marshall Faulk and Curtis Martin also became eligible.
I talked to a number of Hall of Fame voters, and they felt there was a pecking order at that time. It went Faulk, Martin and then Bettis.
It was hard to argue. Faulk was one of the most dynamic all-purpose runners in league history.
I remember when he was with Indianapolis, Steelers head coach Bill Cowher gnashing his teeth wondering how the Steelers were going to match up with Faulk when he split wide. He was too fast and ran routes too well to cover with a linebacker, but you also didn't want to put a defensive back on him and take one out of coverage elsewhere.
Martin, meanwhile, is the NFL's fourth all-time leading rusher, ranking just ahead of Bettis.
This is Bettis' year.
7 comments:
that may be the order for RB's, but you are ignoring all of the other finalists this year at various positions. Its a tough year to get in.
Larry Allen, Tim Brown, Chris Carter, Will Shields, Charles Haley, DeBartolo, Parcells, Jonathan Ogden, Sapp, Strahan, Modell, Aeneas Williams and more.
I'm actually surprised Will Shields isn't in already. Ogden is definitely going to be in, and maybe Allen too, but that a lot of O-lineman I just named for one class. Parcells is could be in too.
I think Bettis deserves it 100%. I hope he gets it this year, but he might have to wait another year with those names.
Parcells probably won't get in. Too many voters don't trust that he's done coaching.
DeBartolo broke too many rules to get in. Modell will go before he does.
My guess is that the five will be Bettis, Modell, Larry Allen, Haley and Carter.
I see your point about DeBartolo, but he seems to have had a big time image turnaround. I don't completely understand why, but he will get in eventually.
Your five is legit, but I think Ogden is a first ballote. He was a hell of a tackle, one of the best. So one of them is out, maybe Haley.
I'm going to go Modell, Ogden, Strahan (media personality, he has made friends), Allen, and either Carter or Bettis.
I would have said Tim Brown in place of Carter but his Callahan/SB conspiracy theory I think wierded voters out, especially remarks re: Barrett Robbins. However true any of that may be.
:(
Sapp getting in is disgusting, especially ahead/head-to-head with Strahan. Guy's just a windbag, who managed some seasons at the 4-3 UT position.
Unfortunately not Bettis.
Mrs. Isaac Redman
Post a Comment