NFL announces semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement

Ok, this is way more complicated than it needs to be, but not nearly as complicated as other sports leagues. Some 26 men are up for enshrinement and that list will be paired down to 15. Then the voters will vote each man up or down for enshrinement. Each year about 4 to 8 people are enshrined and this class of semifinalist as a few locks. The others we can debate but for now let us look at the three men that are in for sure.

I would start my lock list with former Cardinals and Rams head Coach Don Coryell. His Air Coryell offense revolutionized the game and he died recently. I would also place former NFL commissioner Paul Taglibue and former Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens owner Art Modell on the lock list. Neon Deion Sanders is up for the first time, and even though I didn’t particularly like him he feels like a lock.

There are a number of Running Backs on the semi finalist list and I think two of them will get in. I would say Marshall Faulk is pretty close to a lock, and then I would be open to a debate between Curtis Martin, Terrelle Davis, Jerome Bettis, and Roger Craig. I believe two of these men will get in and If I had money on it, it would be Faulk and Davis because of his 2,000 yard rushing season.

This leaves us with an interesting debate between a couple of very good receivers. The first is Cris Carter, who many feel should have been elected already and Andre Reed a key member of the early 1990’s Buffalo Bills teams. I think one receiver gets in 2011 and I don’t think it will be fellow semifinalist Tim Brown. Based on the numbers I think this is Cris Carter’s year. Of course the voters are known for swerving the public a bit.

Related Links:

• The Business of the NFL
• Joshua Lobdell.com