NFL Hall of Fame Nominees

[random3434]

Jerry Rice and Emmit Smith are nominated, so are:





Rice, Smith headline Hall of Fame nominees - NFL News - FOX Sports on MSN

 

[Midnight Marauder]

Other modern-era nominees include Tim Brown, Herschel Walker, Cris Carter, Andre Reed and Sterling Sharp. Former commissioner Paul Tagliabue is also on the list.

I'll never forget 1989, the Great Minnesota Train Robbery.

Jimmy Johnson, to the astonishment of his staff, Jerry Jones, and the fans, traded Hershel Walker right in the middle of that dismal 1989, 1-15 season. And it looked like Minnesota got the far better end of the deal at the time. People wanted to run the J&J show out of town on a rail. But in the end, it turned out like this:

Minnesota Vikings Received

• RB Herschel Walker
• Dallas's 3rd round pick - 1990 (54) (Mike Jones)
• San Diego's 5th round pick - 1990 (116) (Reggie Thornton)
• Dallas's 10th round pick - 1990 (249) (Pat Newman)
• Dallas's 3rd round pick - 1991 (68) (Jake Reed)
• NO Super Bowl appearances.

Dallas Cowboys Received

• LB Jesse Solomon
• LB David Howard
• CB Ike Holt
• RB Darrin Nelson (traded to San Diego after he refused to report to Dallas)
• DE Alex Stewart
• Minnesota's 1st round pick in 1990 (21) (traded this pick along with pick (81) for pick (17) from Pittsburgh to draft Emmitt Smith)
• Minnesota's 2nd round pick in 1990 (47) (Alexander Wright)
• Minnesota's 6th round pick in 1990 (158) (traded to New Orleans, who drafted James Williams)
• Minnesota's 1st round pick in 1991 (conditional) - (12) (Alvin Harper)
• Minnesota's 2nd round pick in 1991 (conditional) - (38) (Dixon Edwards)
• Minnesota's 2nd round pick in 1992 (conditional) - (37) (Darren Woodson)
• Minnesota's 3rd round pick in 1992 (conditional) - (71) (traded to New England, who drafted Kevin Turner)
• Minnesota's 1st round pick in 1993 (conditional) - (13) (traded to Philadelphia Eagles, and then to the Houston Oilers, who drafted Brad Hopkins)
• Plus several other contributing players acquired in the various resulting trades such as Russell Maryland and Kevin Smith.
• THREE Super Bowl wins in the 1990s, the players in bold above major players in the puzzle.

And the kicker? Walker eventually wound up BACK with Dallas, where he shared the backfield with Emmitt Smith, lined up as a flanker and also was the primary -- and feared -- kickoff return man. He retired as a Dallas Cowboy in 1998.

First there was the tandem of Walker/Tony Dorsett in the 80s in Dallas, then there was the Walker/Smith tandem in the 90s. Very feared and very dangerous.

For his NFL career Walker carried 1,954 times for 8,225 yards, a 4.2 average per carry, with 61 touchdowns. In contrast, Smith carried 4,409 times for the NFL all-time record of 18,355 yards, also a 4.2 yard per carry average, and with 164 touchdowns.

Does Walker belong in the HoF? Looking at some of the other candidates listed, I'd have to say no, not on the first vote. His historic contribution by way of the big trade really isn't necessarily in his favor. Smith however, looks to be a shoo-in on the first vote, and well deserved too I might add.

They said he was too small, too slow, and he fumbled too much. That was the knock on Smith on draft day. But Dallas traded UP to get him, because Johnson knew something the others didn't obviously.

 

[Graybeard]

Smith and Rice are a lock...Tim Brown very good odds.