…supporters of Art Monk, Andre Reed, Andre Tippett and the late Derrick Thomas should be happy this morning. Their guys have a better chance to get into the Hall of Fame today than they did a week ago.
In the last four years, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has had a maximum of six slots open for entry. But in each of those years, two Seniors Committee candidates were up for entry, and seven of those eight total players have been enshrined. What that means is that only four spots were then available for modern-era candidates. Last week, the Hall announced the maximum annual class would increase from six to seven members, with this proviso: The maximum modern era class each year would be five. If either or both of the Senior candidates were not elected, no more than five of the modern guys would get in.
Cut out the gobbledygook, and this is what just happened: The backlog of worthy candidates should begin to break. As one of the selectors, I’ve seen a thaw in the borderline candidates, starting with the election of Harry Carson a couple of years ago. And I would be surprised if guys such as Monk, Tippett, Charles Haley and Richard Dent (and Thomas, for that matter) continued to get shut out. I’m not saying all of them will get in. They won’t, at least not in the immediate future. But now at least there’s a chance for a seven-man class each year.
My guess is that Monk and Tippett, of the candidates who have been on the bubble in the past few years, have the best shot of breaking through in 2008.
The Hall also has okayed increasing the number of selectors from 40 to 50, to be phased in gradually over the next few years. This year the room will have 44 voters. That’s good if you think — as many of you do — that the limited number of voters has had too much power over the process, and more voters should cut down on the prejudices that keep some candidates from entry. Personally, I don’t think it will matter much, but we’ll see.
About freaking time. Monk not being in the Hall of Fame is an outrage.
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