Football Hall of Fame contenders

[Skorixor]

Aikman, White head Pro Football Hall nominees
November 22, 2005

CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman and perennial All-Pro defensive end Reggie White head a list of 25 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The board of selectors chose them from a list of 112 preliminary nominees, the hall said Tuesday. A list of 15 finalists will be announced in mid-January.

The class of 2006 will be determined at the selection committee's annual meeting Feb. 4 in Detroit, the day before the Super Bowl.

The list of 25 will be reduced by mail ballot to 13 modern-era candidates. The list will increase to 15 finalist nominees with the inclusion of the two recommended candidates of the hall's seniors committee.

This year, they are former Oakland Raiders coach John Madden, and former Cowboys tackle Rayfield Wright.

Aikman led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories and was selected to six straight Pro Bowls.

White, who died last December, finished second in career sacks with 198 and was a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. White, who spent 15 seasons with Philadelphia, Green Bay and Carolina, was elected to the Pro Bowl a record 13 straight times from 1986-98.

Other modern-era semifinalists are linebackers Harry Carson, Randy Gradishar and Derrick Thomas; center Dermontti Dawson; running back Thurman Thomas; wide receivers Michael Irvin, Andre Reed and Art Monk; defensive ends Fred Dean, Richard Dent, L.C. Greenwood and Claude Humphrey; quarterbacks Warren Moon and Ken Stabler; guards Russ Grimm and Bob Kuechenberg; offensive tackle Gary Zimmerman; cornerbacks Lester Hayes and Roger Wehrli; punter Ray Guy; club owners Art Modell and Ralph Wilson, Jr., and administrator George Young.

C'MON RICHARD DENT!!!!!

[Keer]

Lots of personal favorites in there. I remember Lester Hayes (and his Jheri Curl ) the most. He was one of the "shut down" Corners of the 1980's. There was another Oakland Raider cornerback that played the other sideline, Mark Haynes. When Hayes and Hanes were together it was tough to get a pass completed.

I didn't know Reggie White had that many Pro Bowl calls! First ballot for "Reverend Reg". I remember seeing him in public. My best friend points 20 feet away from him and shouts "That's Reggie White!". I still tease him to this day about that one.

Yeah, Thurman Thomas, Art Monk, and Richard Dent were stars too. Dent was one of the quickest and cleanest hitter/tacklers even to this day.

[Zyre Mercutio]

Man every year I see a ballot with the HOF finalists it always seems like there are a gazillion good candidates. Hehe then I realized football has 22 position starters plus P's & PK's for 24 whereas baseball would have 8 full time position players plus DH, possibly 5 starting pitchers and a closer for 15 possibles, no wonder football HOF classes are so large, so many great choices.

I think if I had to pick 7 from that list I would have to go with the following

Aikman & Irvin......hard to argue with the rings and the solid production
Thurman Thomas......8th all time in yards from scrimmage & 5 Pro Bowls
Derrick Thomas....no doubter first ballot
Reggie White........see Derrick Thomas above
Dermonti Dawson.....7 Pro Bowls at C and representing the Bluegrass state!
Andre Reed.....slight edge over Art Monk because Reed was a gamebreaker


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