Patriots Hall of Fame and NFL Hall of Fame

[shatch62]

As of now only 3 former Patriots are in the NFL Hall of Fame (Hannah, Haynes and Buoniconti) and 11 overall are in the Pats Hall of fame. Here is the Pats list:

#73 John Hannah * G * 1973-85: Had his #73 jersey retired by the Patriots.
#40 Michael Haynes * CB * 1976-82: Had his #40 jersey retired by the Patriots.
#85 Nick Buoniconti * LB * 1962 - 68
#78 Bruce Armstrong * T * 1987-2000: Had his #78 jersey retired by the Patriots.
#20 Gino Cappelletti * WR/K * 1960-70: Had his #20 jersey retired by the Patriots.
#89 Bob Dee * DE * 1960-67: Had his #89 jersey retired by the Patriots.
#14 Steve Grogan * QB * 1975-90
#79 Jim Lee Hunt * DT * 1960-71: Had his #79 jersey retired by the Patriots
#57 Steve Nelson * LB * 1974-87: Had his #57 jersey retired by the Patriots.
#15 Vito "Babe" Parilli * QB * 1961-67
#56 Andre Tippett * LB * 1982-88, 90-93

Obviously, the last decade has seen the Patriots become one of, if not the top team in the NFL. From 1999-2006 (11 years) they went 113-63 (64.2%), went to 4 Super Bowls (96, 01, 03, 04), and won 3 of them (01, 03, 04). There have been a number of good to great players on the team during the run. My question is who should be in the NFL Hall, the Pats’ Hall and who should have their #s retired? The retired jersey is tough because they are already low on numbers in the 80s and 50’s (even though Tippett’s number 56 is not “officially” retired)

Here is my opinions.

Hall of Fame, Pats’ Hall and number retired.
#24 Ty Law (CB) – 36 career regular season INTs as a Pat (50 career overall). 3 INT game verse Colts in the AFC Championship game. INT returned for TD verse Rams in 01 S.B.
#12 Tom Brady (QB) – While his career numbers are not there yet (21,564 passing yards, 147 TDs and 78 INTs) his career winning percentage (75.9 – including playoffs) and 3 Super Bowl rings make him a lock.
#4 Adam Vinatieri (K) – Too many big kicks to mention. Played in 5 Super Bowls (96, 01, 03, 04 with Pats and 06 with Colts) and has 4 S.B. rings.

Hall of Fame, Pats’ Hall (number not retired)
#37 Rodney Harrison (S) – His reputation as a dirty player will keep him out but he was a GREAT player in both S.D. as well as in N.E and is worthy of the NFL Hall. Not only a great individual player (only player ever to have 28.5 sacks and 32 interceptions in a career) but also a great team leader. Kept the injury riddled Patriot secondary afloat in 2004 on route to the Pats 3 SB win in 4 years. Didn’t play long enough as a Pat to have # retired.

Patriots’ Hall and Number retired
#93 DE/DT Richard Seymour – His career numbers are not great (only 29.5 career sacks) and that will keep him out of the NFL Hall but he is already a 5 time Pro Bowl selection, 3 time AP All Pro selection and 3 time Super Bowl champ.


Patriot Hall of Fame
TE Ben Coates – Was a great TE through the 90s. Went to 5 Pro Bowls and averaged 71 receptions, 805 yards and 7 TDs from 1993-1998.

WR/PR/DB Troy Brown – Mister everything for the Pats. Has had great success as a WR, PR and has been a decent nickel back. His 2001 season was one for ages as he set a team record with 101 receptions. He also returned 2 punts that year for TDs not including the one he returned in the play of f win over the Steelers that year. Had 3 interceptions in 2004 when he was forced into action as a DB.

LB Tedy Bruschi – Heart and soul of the 03 and 04 Super Bowl teams and I would argue there was no more complete ILB in the NFL for those 2 years. Had some decent season before those years but nothing to get overly excited about. No telling how “great” he could have been if the stroke had not made him an “old” 32 year old. He has clearly lost a step but he was great. Not gret enough for long enough to be Hall worthy. Played in 4 Super Bowls

LB Mike Vrabel – extremely versatile player that has been an excellent OLB, ILB and part time TE for the Pats. Has 8 career receptions (2 in Super Bowls) and all have gone for TDs. Any role he has been asked to do he has done and done well.

LB Willie McGinest – Never had tremendous numbers in the regular season but was at his best in the playoffs. His 16 career playoff sacks is a record as well as his 4.5 sacks against Jacksonville is a single playoff game record. 78 career regular season sacks as a Pat (82 overall)

S Lawyer Milloy – played 7 years in NE where he was an intimidating hitter. IN his N.E. career he never missed a game (112 games) and logged 759 total tackles, 7 sacks, 19 interceptions, 7 forced fumbles and 7 fumble recoveries. He left N.E. in an ugly contract dispute

 

[Yankees/Colts]

I may be confused a little, but are you saying Ty Law and Harrison are Pro Football hall of famers?

Also, I'm surprised you're ready to retire Vinadict Arnold's number.

 

[Kdo5]

I may be confused a little, but are you saying Ty Law and Harrison are Pro Football hall of famers?

Also, I'm surprised you're ready to retire Vinadict Arnold's number.

Harrison not HoF? Are you kidding? The only thing that will keep him out is dirty play in San Diego, he has the numbers to make the HoF, he has 2 SB's.

What next? Bob Sanders HoF?

 

[Murphys95]

It's always a fun topic when it comes to heralding great Patriots. Retiring numbers aside (not a fan of that, there's a finite number), I would agree that Brady and Vinatieri will have legitimate chances to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Brady's numbers are equal, if not significantly better, than Montana's and Aikman's at the same point in their careers

Vinatieri now has 4 rings and 3 memorable (league-wide) kicks. He'll be a nominee. For some reason I just don't agree with you about Ty Law. Although, I certainly wouldn't be surprised if he made it, but I think he has an uphill climb (I think his numbers in NY and KC bely his impact).

Bill Belichick should also be a viable candidate 5 years after he retires.

We can talk all day long about the Pats Hall of Fame (I think they should erect a Ring of Fame in the stadium). I agree with your candidates. Brown, Seymour, Bruschi, Vrabel, McGinest are all good names. Milloy has that caveat...he left on bad terms.

...and I hate to say it, but as much as I love Harrison, I could see him on the outside looking in for the Patriots Hall of Fame. I may be way off base here, but his service in New England, as critical as it was, really only amounts to 2 full seasons (you can debate away on that one). I think it could come down to who the owner is at the time he is considered. I'd be really happy to be wrong on him though.

 

[Yankees/Colts]

Harrison not HoF? Are you kidding? The only thing that will keep him out is dirty play in San Diego, he has the numbers to make the HoF, he has 2 SB's.

What next? Bob Sanders HoF?

It's not the Hall of Pretty Good, it's the Hall of Fame. The guy has made two Pro Bowls in his career, right?

Bob Sanders is only in his 3rd year.

 

[shatch62]

It's not the Hall of Pretty Good, it's the Hall of Fame. The guy has made two Pro Bowls in his career, right?

Bob Sanders is only in his 3rd year.

Harrison never made the Pro Bowl because he is 'dirty’ and EVERYONE hates him. He was arguably the best safety in the NFL for the last decade (I’d give Brian Dawkins the edge). It really is a joke. Look at the 2004 season. Harrison is the glue that held a depleted secondary together. He did not make the Pro Bowl but Denver’s John Lynch did. These are their numbers for 2004 per NFL.com

Harrison Lynch
Tackles: 138 64
Solo: 94 47
Ass: 44 17
Int: 2 1
Sacks: 3 2
FF: 3 3
FR: 0 0

Harrison had more than twice the tackles, more INTs, more sacks and the same amount of Forced Fumbles and Fumble Recoveries. 9th.

Jerome Woods of KC beat Harrison out in 2003. Again, here are the numbers

Harrison Woods
Tackles: 126 76
Solo: 92 58
Ass: 34 18
Int: 3 3 (2 returned for TDs)
Sacks: 3 0
FF: 1 3
FR: 1 1

Woods had a fine season and the TDs were huge but still. Pats lead the league in scoring D that year while KC was a 19th.

So to fault him for lack of Pro Bowls is wrong

This is a great article that was written about Rodney Harrison last year. It talked about his chances of making the Hall of Fame and gave reasons why he probably would not make it.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050930/news_lz1s30hit.html

 

[zippo59]

It's not the Hall of Pretty Good, it's the Hall of Fame. The guy has made two Pro Bowls in his career, right?.

Because we all know the Pro Bowl is the final authority on whether a player is great or not.

 

[Pats Fanatic]

For the Patriot Hall of Fame they have to catch up they still have put in some great old timers. Say Raymond Clayborn, Stanley Morgan, Russ Francis, Sam Cunningham, Darryl Stingley, Leon Gray, Irving Fryar and Mosi Tatupu. It's kind of pathetic that most of these guys and a few others aren't in already.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

I don't know how to make selections for the Patriots Hall of Fame, as I think there are a lot of intangibles that go into that decision.

As for the NFL HOF, Brady and Belichick not only have their Canton reservations made, but their tickets have been punched. No coach or QB with three SB wins has ever failed to get in and I can't imagine that they wouldn't both go in in their first year of eligibility. No one in a Patriots uniform will ever wear Number 12 again and I guess they could retire the hoodie. As for Vinatieri, there is only one other pure kicker in the HOF, and if they don't put Adam in, they'd be saying "no kickers need apply." They might make him wait a year or two of eligibility, just because he's "an idiot kicker," but he's in. I wouldn't retire his number though.

As for Law, I don't know how the numbnuts on the selection committee make their decision on these positions, but if it's a numbers game, he has HOF stats. I did a quick comparison of Ty's stats to Ronnie Lott's and there's not a lot of space between them.

 

[Daniel McJosh]

Gino Cappelletti..............

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

Gino Cappelletti..............

I agree NEM.

But if you are going to "hide" your identity, you shouldn't be posting the same opinions. Like this post for example by "Daniel McJosh"

You are exctly right with that being top priority. However, it may only be ONE corner, not two, if Samuel re signs.

Eugene Wilson can return to the corner position, a positin he played in college, and the original position he was drafted to play.

If that happens, then they can go after a free agent corner, such as Lucas, and/or go with one of their first round picks for a corner.

Then, with Samuel , Wilson, and another unknown corner, draft or FA, they are in preety good shape,both at cornerback, safety, and also inthe nickel and dime packages, with Hobbs as one of them, and perhaps Mickens, Scott, Tebucky Jones, Gay, etc.....

But, as you say, cornerback has to be a priority in the off season.

I mean look at it. It has the typical bad NEM typing, and the capitalized "ONE." ROFLMAO

 

[Daniel McJosh]

I agree NEM.

But if you are going to "hide" your identity, you shouldn't be posting the same opinions. Like this post for example by "Daniel McJosh"



I mean look at it. It has the typical bad NEM typing, and the capitalized "ONE." ROFLMAO

What is a NEM? I am a bad speller too not just a bad tipeist.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

or how about this post from Daniel McJosh

I looked in the mirror this morning and my alter ego looked worried. Then he asked me if Vinny really was going to take his job next season. So, I said to him, "No Josh, He isn't..... there's this guy in Arizona . . . .. ..."

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

What is a NEM? I am a bad speller too not just a bad tipeist.

roflmao. Do you think you can make it to 20,000 again? Bad typing and all?

 

[Daniel McJosh]

roflmao. Do you think you can make it to 20,000 again? Bad typing and all?

No, but I know NEM and he will make it to 30,000 some day.

And I also know that he has a petition somewhere to get Gino in to the hall of fame, and it is something that the hall of fame committee has badly overlooked.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

No, but I know NEM and he will make it to 30,000 some day.

You just love the attention don't you, NEM? Or is it NEMichick? Or is it Daniel McJosh?

 

[Daniel McJosh]

You just love the attention don't you, NEM? Or is it NEMichick? Or is it Daniel McJosh?

You have me confused with someone else.

But, I know him well and he is the greatest Patriot fan in the history of the team. He should be buried at the place where the 50 yard line was at the old Foxboro Stadium.

However I suggest that you wait till he is dead although there are some that would do it now.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

I know him well and he is the greatest Patriot fan in the history of the team.

oh, so we have gone from "fan of the year" to "greatest Patriot fan in the history of the team."

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

However I suggest that you wait till he is dead although there are some that would do it now.

oh, no. You are not going to start harping on the posse thing again, are you?

 

[Daniel McJosh]

oh, no. You are not going to start harping on the posse thing again, are you?

I havent got a clue what you are talking about. Anyway lets get Gino into the hall of fame because I thought that is what this thread was all about.. Patriot players in the hall of fame...not a NEM.

I do know who initiated that petitition and it is a good thing and something that every Patriot fan should be behind. Did You sign it yet?