The Purpose of the Hall of Fame
The NFL Hall of Fame was created as a memorial to football’s greatest individuals. Those could of course include players and coaches. Others might be team owners, general managers, media announcers, and countless other contributors to this wonderful sport. It seemed like an obvious idea to dedicate a physical space to the game that has been around for over a century. The idea seemed like a solid one as it gave fans a place to gather and remember the game as well as individuals they love so much.
This worked as intended for a long time as it was reserved for the best of the best the game had to offer. That has certainly changed as of late. The source of evil in the NFL is the same as any industry in the world. Money. We may hate that this is true even when it is hard to admit. There is no getting around it though. Finances are important in any business and the league is no different.
This has corrupted a lot of the game from the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) to the way teams are bought and sold in the NFL. The shrine in Canton, Ohio is no exception. This once prestigious place is now starting to look like a circus of above-average players.
The Selection of Inductees
Getting enshrined in the Hall used to feel like an accomplishment after a great career. Joining the likes of the game’s greats such as Bart Starr and Jim Brown used to be the achievement of a lifetime for retired players. The 2021 class has some marquee names in it. Peyton Manning, Calvin Johnson, and Charles Woodson highlight this year’s class and may be one of the Hall’s best ones yet. These individuals are obviously worthy of being selected into the shrine.
Future Hall of Fame Classes
But what about next year’s class for the Hall? Can you think of one individual off the top of your head that is a no-brainer? A player such as Steve Smith may be one, but is by no means a lock for the Hall. The whole premise that a set number of individuals get inducted each year is one of the most ridiculous aspects of the selection process. Even if that person may not be deserving, he may get in just to fill out the quota. If there are no people in a given year worthy, then no one should get in. The MLB does this right for its sport. And why can a person not be removed from the Hall? If he or she is convicted of multiple felonies then how can they still be a member?
Another thing that really bothers me about the process is how certain position groups are favored above others. If more than one quarterback can get into the hall in a year then so should offensive linemen. Specialists also seem to get the short straw in this process, too. Kickers score the most points in the game and are expected to be near perfect. Then let us look at returners. An amazing returner can change the course of a game. Take Devin Hester for example. Teams had to make specific game plans to prevent him from making plays when he was on the field. A player that forces opponents to do that for a significant portion of time should be in the Hall.
Changes to the Selection Process
It is obvious to me that the selection process of the Hall is broken and in need of an overhaul. First things first. Get rid of the set number of inductees in each class. This makes the feeling of getting in less significant. It disincentivizes players from working that extra bit harder to get the invite. If they know they are already getting in there they may not do that. This change will absolutely never happen. The NFL is a business and is looking for any way to increase its revenues. The Hall of Fame weekend has the first preseason game of the year and the induction ceremony. Add that to the ticket sales for Hall tours and it is one of the league’s greatest money makers. Good luck getting that off the schedule for the NFL.
Making It Easier to Be Removed From the Hall of Fame
Make it possible for individuals to be removed from Canton. Its bylaws make it impossible to remove a person once one is in there. Former team owner George Preston Marchall’s statue outside of the Washington Football Team’s stadium has been removed. Mainly due to his resistance to allowing minority players to play for his team. He does not live up to the standard of being a Hall member, but because of outdated rules, he can not be removed. Make it difficult to do this, but leave the door open for an outside possibility. At least that way you can have plausible deniability if this happens again.
Change the selection process altogether in fact. A common criticism of the current process is who gets to make the decisions on who is inducted into the Hall. Add current players to the pool of voters to make them feel they have a say. Look at the process for selecting players for the Pro Bowl for example. Limit it to three current players who are at least on their second contract to make this process better. These are just a handful of my ideas to get fans such as myself interested in the Hall once again.
Closing Remarks
This article was published on the Belly Up Sports website and specifically its NFL page. Belly Up Sports also has a Twitter page where you can interact with the network. I also have written for this outlet before so see my most recent story if you would like. If you would like to talk to me directly, feel free to chat with me on my Twitter as well. Try to keep it clean and proper. If you are incapable of doing so, ignore that completely and battle it out with me. Just a few warnings for those who dare challenge me. I am highly competitive and hate to admit when I am wrong. So be prepared for a war of words.
