tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post1197952315506831759..comments2023-10-31T06:31:41.395-04:00Comments on Bottom of the Barrel: I Think It Is Time to Change the Pro Football Hall of Fame Voting ProcessBengoodfellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-31833270817105923852012-03-13T09:43:25.021-04:002012-03-13T09:43:25.021-04:00Rich, I haven't really thought much about the ...Rich, I haven't really thought much about the voting process until recently to be honest. I think it is insane to not have any transparency in the vote. At least give out the voting totals. How are we supposed to know who or what needs to be changed if we can't see the problems. So while I think new blood wouldn't be bad, what if that isn't the problem and the new blood are the idiots holding up the process right now? The fact we have zero idea what percentage of the vote a player got makes no sense to me at all. <br /><br />The choices should be made public and there really isn't a reason they should have to meet to hash these things out. Make it a less stressful process and mail in your vote. This isn't Congress, we don't need a debate. Let the voters vote and the fans can debate them. It makes the voting more fun and engages the fans...which is the entire point of the Pro Football Hall of Fame anyway. <br /><br />I think it is a tragedy these guys are waiting in line as well. It's ridiculous. I don't want to let everyone in the HoF, but there is no reason there should be a line for induction if there are worthy players on the ballot. I think some of the voters probably do need to go, but they are also being handcuffed by some of these weird rules and that allows 2-3 worthy players to be left out every year. <br /><br />Martin, one of them was a Veterans player, yes. Simply vote the worthy people in the HoF and move on with it. I would love to know why some of these guys don't vote for certain players. Not allowing them to justify their vote does a disservice to the fans. We want to know what percentage Carter got, who voted for him, who didn't vote for him and why. I don't think that's too much to ask.Bengoodfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-46220619954357848522012-03-13T05:03:24.900-04:002012-03-13T05:03:24.900-04:00I agree with Rich's problems. In fact, didn...I agree with Rich's problems. In fact, didn't one of the guys get in on the Old Timer vote, so isn't even one of the 4-7? I thought they said this year that 5 of 7 were voted in, and then a Veteran's Committee vote put in blah blah. <br /><br />The fact that obvious HoF'rs like Parcells didn't get voted in....with 1 or 2 spots remaining is bullshit. 7 guys get voted in, then you can say so and so didn't get enough support. The last few years have not been full classes, and now we are seeing significant back up, where another 4 or 5 guys should be in the HoF. Someone please make a case on how guys who didn't get voted in these past couple years can now deserve to get in when there was already space available. <br /><br />We all know the Baseball HoF voting is archaic and full of jackasses who think amount of times passed over indicates level of worthiness. In football, where the guys are in a room, arguing with each other, this is just bullshit. If you didn't think Bill Parcells was worthy of filling the 7th slot this year, then fuck you, you shouldn't be allowed to vote for him next year either you god damned mouth breather. The NFL went to the 4-7 rule because it realized a shit ton of guys who weren't QB's and RB's were getting shafted. It was becoming the Backfield Hall of Fame. If these a-holes can't get their shit together, then make it the top 7 vote getters, regardless of % of votes. <br /><br />Until these things happen though, the only way to shame these guys into making votes that aren't biased on who paid them off with great quotes, or free steak dinners, is have their votes public. I'd love to see and hear the reaction of all their fellow writers and analysts for the crap votes they made. It would sure show who was being a bitch about voting for guys they had a personal grudge against too, which would be nice.Martin F.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14565240074256943063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-35946161356260827872012-03-12T19:28:53.351-04:002012-03-12T19:28:53.351-04:00I try to make choices based on one man's case ...<b>I try to make choices based on one man's case against the other others. Why is that so hard for people to grasp?</b><br /><br />This is the ultimate problem. That the voters compare players is not what's hard for us to grasp and the owner of this quote just showed how stupid and out of touch the media can be.<br /><br />The problem comes down to when players like Cris Carter aren't in the Hall of Fame and anyone who watched football over the past 20 years wonders why and the only answer we get is "well he was an ass to the media."<br /><br />That's what's troubling. <br /><br />So basically, the fact that the voting isn't transparent doesn't allow us to know how close player X is and who was stupid enough to vote for/against a particular player.<br /><br />Your first point solves this. The fact that the NFL wants secrecy around the process ultimately slights the fans and leaves us wondering "what the fuck just happened?"<br /><br />For example, as a Giants fan, the fact that Parcells didn't get in bothers me, but I can get over that. The fact that Parcells didn't get in and no one is allowed to say why he's not... that pisses me off, especially when <i>they only inducted six of the seven they're allowed</i>.<br /><br />Football is the only sport I can think of with such a backlog of Hall Worthy players that "there's someone in front of them that needs to get in first" is a actually a reason for keeping someone out.<br /><br />There's often a discussion about MLB players getting into the baseball HOF along the lines of "he wasn't good enough to get in the first 6 times, why is he in now?" when in football, if you get inducted within your first half dozen tries, you must've been fucking spectacular on the field.<br /><br />So while I can sympathize with what they have to go through in terms of fan reactions, this quote shows just how out of touch sportswriters are.<br /><br />Ranting aside, your three changes to the induction process need to be instituted asap. It's a tragedy to think that football greats like Carter, Parcells and Bettis literally are waiting in line to get into the Hall.richnoreply@blogger.com