Willie McGinest, Leon Gray and Raymond Clayborn named Pats HoF finalists

[jmt57]

Knew it would be tough paring it down to three this year.

Let the voting (and debating) commence!

 

[patfanken]

I sincerely hope that this will be the LAST year that we have to endure the embarrassment of having Parcells get even this far. Maybe the media pukes who keep nominating him will finally get the hint

CONGRATULATIONS, for the 3 who justly deserve to be on the ballot. All would be great inductees, but Claybourn is long past due his entry. It is TIME for Ray to be voted in. He will get mine.

 

[Rob0729]

I think Willie Mac is going to win this in a landslide. These votes are slated to the Belichick era Patriots to begin with. Willie is one of those players where fans have a lot of sentimentality for to boot. He isn't Troy Brown or Tedy Bruschi in that area, but he is close.

 

[patfanken]

I think Willie Mac is going to win this in a landslide. These votes are slated to the Belichick era Patriots to begin with. Willie is one of those players where fans have a lot of sentimentality for to boot. He isn't Troy Brown or Tedy Bruschi in that area, but he is close.

Don't disagree with you, he's one of my all time favorites as well, But I really hope Willie and his fans can be just a little more patient so one of the Pats all time greats from BEFORE the BB era can sneak it before the Tidal wave of BB era players just overwhelm everyone else for the next 15 or 20 years

 

[Horace's Ivories]

Gray & Hannah - best - didn't Leon hold out circa '78?

 

[OhExaulted1]

I think Willie Mac is going to win this in a landslide. These votes are slated to the Belichick era Patriots to begin with. Willie is one of those players where fans have a lot of sentimentality for to boot. He isn't Troy Brown or Tedy Bruschi in that area, but he is close.

Sentimentality? The ALL-TIME leader in postseason sacks. All of them happened as a Patriot. He is Troy Brown and Tedy Bruschi. Just because he went to that dumpster fire in CLE with Romeo for his last 3 seasons for the money doesn't diminish his accomplishments in Foxboro.

He's in. Period. Apologies to RayClay.

 

[Rob0729]

Sentimentality? The ALL-TIME leader in postseason sacks. All of them happened as a Patriot. He is Troy Brown and Tedy Bruschi. Just because he went to that dumpster fire in CLE with Romeo for his last 3 seasons for the money doesn't diminish his accomplishments in Foxboro.

He's in. Period. Apologies to RayClay.

He deserves to be in the Hall. I am saying that he has sentimentality over the other two when it comes to the two candidates. All three are deserving of the Hall, but two places where Willie has a decisive edge is the era he played in and how people who are likely going to vote feel about him beyond just his contributions on the field. I never said he wasn't deserving.

 

[jmt57]

I agree that McGinest will likely win due to fan voting favoring those who played the most recently.

On the other hand it is nice to see the committee recognize two old timers.

Whoever gets voted in will be enshrined at the same time as Houston Antwine does. Too bad his honor is posthumous, though late is still better than never.

We will most likely never know, but I would be curious to find out the details in regards to which people did not make the final cut; who was it that was the closest on the outside looking in, etc.

The other nominees were:

• Chuck Fairbanks (1973-78)
• Fred Marion (1982-91)
• Bill Parcells (1993-96)
• Lawyer Milloy (1996-2002)
• Mike Vrabel (2001-08)
• Rodney Harrison (2003-08)
• Plus one other unknown nominee

 

[OhExaulted1]

He deserves to be in the Hall. I am saying that he has sentimentality over the other two when it comes to the two candidates. All three are deserving of the Hall, but two places where Willie has a decisive edge is the era he played in and how people who are likely going to vote feel about him beyond just his contributions on the field. I never said he wasn't deserving.

Leon Gray played 6 seasons at LT (78 games)before bolting for Hou in 1978 and later NO for the remainder of his career.

When the hell does Bill Lenkitis who was the starting C on this team for 11 (1971-81, 151 games) seasons after leaving SD get on this list?

 

[RobAllan]

I sincerely hope that this will be the LAST year that we have to endure the embarrassment of having Parcells get even this far. Maybe the media pukes who keep nominating him will finally get the hint

CONGRATULATIONS, for the 3 who justly deserve to be on the ballot. All would be great inductees, but Claybourn is long past due his entry. It is TIME for Ray to be voted in. He will get mine.

This deserves to be restated a thousand times over. Parcells has no business in the hall for the Patriots and maybe we can really, seriously put it to rest this time.

 

[Boomer B]

I voted for Willie, but hope Clayborn gets in one of these years.

Willie was so important to those early championship years, not only by his play but by his leadership. He was the sheriff of the locker room (along with Bruschi). He was the guy who stood at the doors to see when the players (especially the young guys) were showing up to work out or to film study. His leadership rubbed off on guys like Brady and Wilfork and is still felt to this day. Add on to it that he was one of the best big play defenders of all time (NFL record for playoff sacks, game clinching plays in back-to-back years against Manning which sealed us home field) and Willie deserves the Pats Hall of Fame more then anyone on the list.

 

[OhExaulted1]

Greatest Patriots Centers of all time:

1. Jon Morris (Patriots HOFer) (130 games, 70 starts, played last 4 seasons with Det and Chi)
2. Bill Lenkitis (151 games, 119 starts)
3. Dan Koppen (121 games, 120 starts before spending last 2 years in Den)
4. Pete Brock (154 games, half were as a starter and at multiple positions)

That's the list. Leon Gray should not be a Patriots HOFer before these guys or especially:

Julius Adams, who played for 16 years and 206 games for the Patriots

 

[Rob0729]

Leon Gray played 6 seasons at LT (78 games)before bolting for Hou in 1978 and later NO for the remainder of his career.

When the hell does Bill Lenkitis who was the starting C on this team for 11 (1971-81, 151 games) seasons after leaving SD get on this list?

And people were debating whether the Pats should cut Chris Slade or Willie McGinest in 2000 (and there was plenty of people arguing on both sides). I don't get your point. McGinest was good his first few years, inconsistent for about 5-6 years and really didn't rebound again until he started to play a lot more standing up in 2002. Both players have their warts.

All three players have a legitimate claim on the prize. I think Raymond Clayborn might actually be the most deserving. I think Willie has a major edge in the time he played (more recent and he played in four Super Bowls) and sentimentality. From skill and impact it is close with all these guys.

 

[shmessy]

I agree that McGinest will likely win due to fan voting favoring those who played the most recently.

On the other hand it is nice to see the committee recognize two old timers.

Whoever gets voted in will be enshrined at the same time as Houston Antwine does. Too bad his honor is posthumous, though late is still better than never.

We will most likely never know, but I would be curious to find out the details in regards to which people did not make the final cut; who was it that was the closest on the outside looking in, etc.

The other nominees were:

• Chuck Fairbanks (1973-78)
• Fred Marion (1982-91)
• Bill Parcells (1993-96)
• Lawyer Milloy (1996-2002)
• Mike Vrabel (2001-08)
• Rodney Harrison (2003-08)
• Plus one other unknown nominee

As a PATRIOT career, I would put Fairbanks ahead of Parcells. Fairbanks had 3 good years to Parcells 2. 1974, put the Patriots on the map as an NFL team that was no longer a perpetual joke. To me, the last minute win that year in Minnesota broke the chains.

From the list of the OP, I would say Willie, but Ray Clayborn should be in the Hall also.

 

[NormZauchin]

Don't disagree with you, he's one of my all time favorites as well, But I really hope Willie and his fans can be just a little more patient so one of the Pats all time greats from BEFORE the BB era can sneak it before the Tidal wave of BB era players just overwhelm everyone else for the next 15 or 20 years

Yes, Willie will probably win because sports fans have short memories and many were not even born when the older Patriots were in their prime. I think the old timers committee should be chartered to consider anyone who has been retired for twenty years. And I agree with several posters who cite length of time as a Patriot as being an important consideration in making the HOF, though both Willie and Ray measure up on this metric.

 

[OhExaulted1]

And people were debating whether the Pats should cut Chris Slade or Willie McGinest in 2000 (and there was plenty of people arguing on both sides). I don't get your point. McGinest was good his first few years, inconsistent for about 5-6 years and really didn't rebound again until he started to play a lot more standing up in 2002. Both players have their warts.

All three players have a legitimate claim on the prize. I think Raymond Clayborn might actually be the most deserving. I think Willie has a major edge in the time he played (more recent and he played in four Super Bowls) and sentimentality. From skill and impact it is close with all these guys.

RayClay deserves to get in, but you just argued for Chris Slade as deserving to wear a Read Jacket as Willie.

Really?

 

[OhExaulted1]

And still no one pines the pipe for Julius Adams.

206 games with 158 starts over 16 years and never wore another uniform. Sad, really. He was a helluva player for you kids who don't remember. 1971-87. Only has 19 career sacks officially because that did not become a recorded statistic until 1982. He had alot more than that. Believe it.

 

[Rob0729]

RayClay deserves to get in, but you just argued for Chris Slade as deserving to wear a Read Jacket as Willie.

Really?

No. When did I ever argue that? Go back and read my post again.

 

[OhExaulted1]

Julius and Clayborn should both be in, along with Bill Lenkitis.

 

[OhExaulted1]

No. When did I ever argue that? Go back and read my post again.

"And people were debating whether the Pats should cut Chris Slade or Willie McGinest in 2000 (and there was plenty of people arguing on both sides). I don't get your point. McGinest was good his first few years, inconsistent for about 5-6 years and really didn't rebound again until he started to play a lot more standing up in 2002. Both players have their warts."

Post #13. How else should I interpret that comment?