Shannon Sharpe Should Be in the Hall of Fame by Now
By Scott Burks
The 2010 Pro
Football Hall of Fame class had well deserving members.
The two
headliners, Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith (the greatest wide receiver and one
of the best running backs, respectively), were no-brainers. Russ Grimm
(member of the famed 1980s Washington Redskin offensive line called the
"Hogs"), John Randle and Rickey Jackson (the New Orleans Saints' all-time
sack leader) were long overdue.
It was good to
see Dick LeBeau (go Steelers!) finally get his due for not only being an
innovator (creator of the zone-blitz defense), but for his solid play as a
player. During his 13 years as a cornerback for the Detroit Lions
(1959 - 1972), LeBeau not only made three Pro Bowls, his 62 interceptions
are good for seventh all-time. His consecutive starts streak at
cornerback is also an NFL record for that position (171).
I am too young to
make an informative opinion on Floyd Little, but I assume he was pretty damn
good.
I have a problem
with Shannon Sharpe not making the cut for the second year in a row.
Hey, I'm no way a
big fan of Sharpe. His Broncos and Ravens (ugh) tormented my Steelers
many-a-time. Plus, his resemblance of a black Mr. Ed is scary.
I'm just saying
Sharpe is the best tight end to play the game. His numbers are
astronomical: 815 receptions, 10,060 receiving yards, and 62 touchdowns.
Those numbers are unheard of for a tight end.
The fact that he
is not a first-ballot Hall of Famer -- let alone not a member of the Hall of
Fame period -- is a travesty. If I were Sharpe, during the induction
ceremony I'd saunter to the stage, tell the voters who kept him out "f---
you", and moonwalk off the stage.
All I know is
this: since Sharpe is not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Falcons TE Tony
Gonzalez better not go in on the first ballot when he is eligible...
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