Irvin's HOF chances look good
Rick Gosselin
Inside The NFL
The third time was magic for quarterbacks Joe Namath and Fran Tarkenton, tight end Kellen Winslow, middle linebackers Sam Huff, Willie Lanier and Joe Schmidt, and cornerbacks Herb Adderley and Mike Haynes.
All were great football players, but all waited three heart-thumping years for election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Twice finalists, twice rejected. But the third time into the room, all were enshrined.
Maybe the third time will produce the same magic for Michael Irvin, who was named one of the 17 finalists Wednesday for the Hall of Fame's Class of 2007.
Irvin has the statistics. So did Tarkenton. Irvin retired in 1999 as the all-time leading receiver in Cowboys history. Tarkenton retired in 1979 as the all-time leading passer in NFL history.
Irvin has the Pro Bowls. So did Schmidt. Irvin went to five Pro Bowls. Schmidt went to 10. Irvin has the rings. So did Adderley. Irvin won three championships with the Cowboys. Adderley won six in his NFL career.
Irvin was a finalist in 2005 and 2006. Both times, he was voted down in classes that would enshrine two franchise quarterbacks – Dan Marino and Steve Young in 2005 and Troy Aikman and Warren Moon in 2006.
But there are no quarterbacks up for induction in the Class of 2007. There also is only one running back, Thurman Thomas, and he also was voted down in 2006. So the lights on this marquee are dim.
Irvin finds himself in a class heavy with blockers (five) and pass rushers (four). This is his best shot for induction. Timing could be everything for Irvin, just as it was for Namath, Lanier and Haynes.
Inside The NFL
The third time was magic for quarterbacks Joe Namath and Fran Tarkenton, tight end Kellen Winslow, middle linebackers Sam Huff, Willie Lanier and Joe Schmidt, and cornerbacks Herb Adderley and Mike Haynes.
All were great football players, but all waited three heart-thumping years for election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Twice finalists, twice rejected. But the third time into the room, all were enshrined.
Maybe the third time will produce the same magic for Michael Irvin, who was named one of the 17 finalists Wednesday for the Hall of Fame's Class of 2007.
Irvin has the statistics. So did Tarkenton. Irvin retired in 1999 as the all-time leading receiver in Cowboys history. Tarkenton retired in 1979 as the all-time leading passer in NFL history.
Irvin has the Pro Bowls. So did Schmidt. Irvin went to five Pro Bowls. Schmidt went to 10. Irvin has the rings. So did Adderley. Irvin won three championships with the Cowboys. Adderley won six in his NFL career.
Irvin was a finalist in 2005 and 2006. Both times, he was voted down in classes that would enshrine two franchise quarterbacks – Dan Marino and Steve Young in 2005 and Troy Aikman and Warren Moon in 2006.
But there are no quarterbacks up for induction in the Class of 2007. There also is only one running back, Thurman Thomas, and he also was voted down in 2006. So the lights on this marquee are dim.
Irvin finds himself in a class heavy with blockers (five) and pass rushers (four). This is his best shot for induction. Timing could be everything for Irvin, just as it was for Namath, Lanier and Haynes.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:00 AM
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