Faneca among Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists; Hines Ward misses cut

Former Steelers guard Alan Faneca joins two defensive stars from Western Pennsylvania among the 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Defensive end Jason Taylor of Woodland Hills High School and cornerback Ty Law of Aliquippa reached the finals for the first time. This is Taylor’s first year of eligibility. Faneca also made it in his first year in 2016.

A bit of a surprise is that former Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward did not reach the 15 finalists in his first try.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/01/03/alan-faneca-ty-law-jason-taylor-hines-ward-pro-football-hall-of-fame-2017/stories/201701030173

I don't know if Hines will get in for awhile. Some people saw him as dirty just because he could dish it out and a lot of people hated that smile while he was doing it. Personally I think he should go down as being in the top 5 toughest ever to play.

Ward would get in one day but he has to wait for awhile. He may be the toughest WR all-time and his value is more than just stats indicated, but he wasn't really a top 3 WR in the league for an extended period of time during his playing days. It's what draw him back.

Boselli, Warner, LT, Ty Law, Coryell and Owens get in. I think Faneca, TD, Anderson, Lynch, Mawae are on the edge. Jacoby might make it, but as a guy that grew up in that era, I really don't know if he was more hall worthy than Grimm.

Ward was never a deep threat and seemed to be a guy the Steelers kept drafting players because they needed a true #1 WR on the team and Ward wasn't it. Troy Edwards, Plaxico, Smoketonio Holmes, etc. I think Hines makes it some day, but maybe not for the next few years.

If Andre Reed is in the HoF so should be Hines Ward. His stat weren't much better than Ward's. I agree though, Hines is probably going to be waiting awhile.

The way I look at it, stats aren't everything. Hines left a lasting impact on the game, they changed the rules because of his physical play not unlike Mel Blount. He's a polarizing figure, people still talk about him today, whether they think he's dirty (he's not), or not.

NFL Hall of Fame is turning into the Hall of Very Good. Ty Law? Kevin Mawae? Really? Andre Reed is a Hall of Famer?

OX1947 wrote:

NFL Hall of Fame is turning into the Hall of Very Good. Ty Law? Kevin Mawae? Really? Andre Reed is a Hall of Famer?

http://www.profootballhof.com/players/andre-reed/

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

OX1947 wrote:

NFL Hall of Fame is turning into the Hall of Very Good. Ty Law? Kevin Mawae? Really? Andre Reed is a Hall of Famer?

http://www.profootballhof.com/players/andre-reed/

Reed is not a Hall of Famer in my book. But congrats.

OX1947 wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

OX1947 wrote:

NFL Hall of Fame is turning into the Hall of Very Good. Ty Law? Kevin Mawae? Really? Andre Reed is a Hall of Famer?

http://www.profootballhof.com/players/andre-reed/

Reed is not a Hall of Famer in my book. But congrats.

I consider Reed a legitimate Hall of Famer, and he waited a long, long time to get in. Some guys are borderline, I'll give it to the Ward detractors that Ward definitely isn't first ballot material, but he is a Hall of Famer in my book. He might not have had the earth shattering stats of other HoF receivers, but he left a lasting impression on the game, and was easily the most physical receiver on the field during his career. I mean how many times do you see receivers laying vicious blocks on guys that outweigh them by 50-60lbs? I don't think the stats always tell the whole truth of an individual player's career.

I agree in that Reed is definitely a HOFer.

Ward will eventually be there.

As for Ty Law? Mawae? I guess if you look at their impact to the game itself and how they improved their teams. But really when you look at the diminishing style of play we no longer get the teams of the 60's, 70's, & 80's. Players were known throughout the league for the abilities. Ward is one of those players, I believe Reed falls in to that category. However, Law and Mawae? The only reason we know about them is the teams they played on, not the team they played for.

Just my two cents.

OX1947 wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

OX1947 wrote:

NFL Hall of Fame is turning into the Hall of Very Good. Ty Law? Kevin Mawae? Really? Andre Reed is a Hall of Famer?

http://www.profootballhof.com/players/andre-reed/

Reed is not a Hall of Famer in my book. But congrats.

Yeah, Reed was arguably the best WR in that Bills K-Gun offense that won the AFC title all those times, but I hear ya. I rarely turned on the TV to watch what he was going to do on Sundays. Same too with Marvin Harrison IMO. While Harrison piled up all those stats with Peyton and was fast and had good hands...IDK if he was HOF worthy or just a product of Manning.

But, if that is the case, then so too is Hines Ward. If you asked me the question..."what WR do you want for your team if down by 4 with 1:30 on the clock and 80 yards to go? Andre Reed or Hines Ward? Unbiased, I still pick Andre Reed.

Like you said, the Hall of very good.

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

OX1947 wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

OX1947 wrote:

NFL Hall of Fame is turning into the Hall of Very Good. Ty Law? Kevin Mawae? Really? Andre Reed is a Hall of Famer?

http://www.profootballhof.com/players/andre-reed/

Reed is not a Hall of Famer in my book. But congrats.

Yeah, Reed was arguably the best WR in that Bills K-Gun offense that won the AFC title all those times, but I hear ya.  I rarely turned on the TV to watch what he was going to do on Sundays.  Same too with Marvin Harrison IMO.  While Harrison piled up all those stats with Peyton and was fast and had good hands...IDK if he was HOF worthy or just a product of Manning.

But, if that is the case, then so too is Hines Ward.  If you asked me the question..."what WR do you want for your team if down by 4 with 1:30 on the clock and 80 yards to go?  Andre Reed or Hines Ward?   Unbiased, I still pick Andre Reed.

Like you said, the Hall of very good.

Wouldn't be much of a hall if they raise the standards to get in to the point where everyone has to clearly have astronomical career stats. I like the way they're evaluating players. People who know anything about football can still discern very good from great regardless of both types of players being in the Hall of Fame. Hines Ward is a very good player. Is he the greatest? Not by a long shot, but imagine thirty years down the road when some little kid goes to the Hall and sees a bust of Hines Ward there (hopefully he'll be in by then). That kid might not of known who Hines Ward was if he didn't make the Hall of Fame. Hines Ward is the kind of player who people should remember for years to come, and not just Steelers fans.

You still have to have clear requirements to get in, but I like where they're at right now. Seems pretty fair across the board.

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

[

Wouldn't be much of a hall if they raise the standards to get in to the point where everyone has to clearly have astronomical career stats. .

Vinny Testaverde ranks 11th all time in passing yardage and 16th all time in TD passes thrown. Those are not astronomical, but pretty good numbers. Maybe Testaverde should be remembered by some little kid 30 years from now as a Hall of Famer?

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

[

Wouldn't be much of a hall if they raise the standards to get in to the point where everyone has to clearly have astronomical career stats. .

Vinny Testaverde ranks 11th all time in passing yardage and 16th all time in TD passes thrown.  Those are not astronomical, but pretty good numbers.  Maybe Testaverde should be remembered by some little kid 30 years from now as a Hall of Famer?  

Haha that's different. Testeverde played for what seemed like a century!