How is Sterling Sharpe in the HOF but not Stanley Morgan?

[TheRainMaker]

This was before my time. I only saw a small glimpse of Sharpe.

I loved the 90's though. By the far the best era of football I've watched.

 

[jmt57]

Not listing how many seasons played is deceptive and misleading

As is not comparing the eras that they played in, or considering how rarely the Patriots threw the ball (they set an NFL record for single-season rushing yardage that lasted for almost half a century).

Not looking at the context that yards per reception provides could also be construed as deceptive and misleading.


Stanley Morgan led the NFL in yards per catch three consecutive seasons, and was #2 the year prior to that streak.
His 19.2 career ypr ranks 10th most all-time (minimum 200 receptions).
By comparison I don't even know where Sterling Sharpe ranks, since I can only find rankings that include at most the top-250, and never once had a season where he was in the top-10.


Sterling Sharpe was an excellent receiver, leading the league in receptions 3x, TDs 2x, and receving yards once.
He probably does deserve to be in Canton; but if he does, then Morgan does even more so.
Sharpe benefitted greatly by getting limelight from being on a team with Brett Favre; Morgan did not have that advantage.
And taking into account who was throwing the ball just makes Morgan's case that much stronger.


Certain teams also tend to get more HoF awards than others (Pittsburgh Steelers, for example), despite this being an individual award.

As for Pro Bowl and All-Pro awards, while though those are often cited when it comes to the Hall of Fame, they really should not.
Those trophies are incredibly subjective, and far too often inexplicable.
It feels as though many of the voters are simply choosing a familiar name, year after year, without doing any homework.


The biggest difference is how well known the last name is.
Sterling has a very vocal, highly opinionated brother who works for popular national sports media conglomerates for the last 15 years.
Stanley does not, nor does he seek attention.
If those two realities were reversed, which one gets into Canton first?

 

[captain stone]

Explain:

Sharpe 8134 yards for 13.7 Y/R 65 TDs

Morgan 10716 yards for 19.2 Y/R & 72 TDs

I think we All know the reason why.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

*snickers*... fat chance of that happening captain plagarism"

Borges needs to be replaced

Borges must be delighted with ChatGPT. Now he can copy/paste content consequence free.

 

[DaBruinz]

I find it fascinating that people ignore the fact that Sharpe had Brett Favre for 3 seasons while Stanley Morgan had the likes of Steve Grogan, Tony Eason, Flutie, Ramsey, and Marc Wilson as his QBs,

Sharpe was not better than Morgan. People saying that ignore what Morgan did with a lot less talent around him. than what Sharpe had in Green Bay.

 

[gobesmug]

I think we All know the reason why.

 

[Joey007]

I'm gonna say it from an unbiased perspective (not being around at the time of Stanley's career.

Looking at Stanley's career, other than his 86 season, he was more of a long term compiler in earning his stats. Very good, sometimes pro bowl worthy, but not elite. Sterling had a 4-5 year stretch where he was the best receiver in the league not named Jerry Rice.

The Hall tries to be more inclined to reward elite level performances over shorter stretches, compared to very good play over long periods of time. I don't see a major issue with it.

Not saying Morgan never deserves a spot, but I totally get it in this situation.

 

[Joey007]

I find it fascinating that people ignore the fact that Sharpe had Brett Favre for 3 seasons while Stanley Morgan had the likes of Steve Grogan, Tony Eason, Flutie, Ramsey, and Marc Wilson as his QBs,

Sharpe was not better than Morgan. People saying that ignore what Morgan did with a lot less talent around him. than what Sharpe had in Green Bay.

I think you're forgetting that Sharpe only had Favre for a couple seasons. The guy was having Don Majikowski and largely backups throwing it to him for a large portion of that stretch he had.

 

[signbabybrady]

I'm gonna say it from an unbiased perspective (not being around at the time of Stanley's career.

Looking at Stanley's career, other than his 86 season, he was more of a long term compiler in earning his stats. Very good, sometimes pro bowl worthy, but not elite. Sterling had a 4-5 year stretch where he was the best receiver in the league not named Jerry Rice.

The Hall tries to be more inclined to reward elite level performances over shorter stretches, compared to very good play over long periods of time. I don't see a major issue with it.

Not saying Morgan never deserves a spot, but I totally get it in this situation.

For me it's just that Stanley is another Patriot who gets no love. They aren't letting in our guys who are champs but maybe don't quite have the long term stats that Stanley has.

And they aren't even letting in Rodney who has both.

 

[upstater1]

I'm gonna say it from an unbiased perspective (not being around at the time of Stanley's career.

Looking at Stanley's career, other than his 86 season, he was more of a long term compiler in earning his stats. Very good, sometimes pro bowl worthy, but not elite. Sterling had a 4-5 year stretch where he was the best receiver in the league not named Jerry Rice.

The Hall tries to be more inclined to reward elite level performances over shorter stretches, compared to very good play over long periods of time. I don't see a major issue with it.

Not saying Morgan never deserves a spot, but I totally get it in this situation.

Those 3 great seasons for Sharpe at the end of his career came when the QB was Bret Favre.

Before Favre, Sharpe's seasons looked like Morgan's seasons but with a lower YPC.

Stanley was so much better than just very good play, and he was elite.

If you're looking at stats and comparing them to the post West Coast years or to today, you're doing it wrong. Football was different back then. It was brutal. WRs were getting killed. One of our best WRs ended up permanently paralyzed. They were grabbed and mauled. QBs were annihilated. So teams ran the ball.

Put it this way, these are HOF stats (not a single season over 60 catches):

336 catches

5462 yards

16.3 YPC

51 TDs

 

[upstater1]

I think you're forgetting that Sharpe only had Favre for a couple seasons. The guy was having Don Majikowski and largely backups throwing it to him for a large portion of that stretch he had.

When his numbers were low!

With Favre, they skyrocketed.

69 catches for 961 yards before Favre

 

[Joey007]

For me it's just that Stanley is another Patriot who gets no love. They aren't letting in our guys who are champs but maybe don't quite have the long term stats that Stanley has.

And they aren't even letting in Rodney who has both.

Rodney I think goes further back than just the Patriots. I think it was a lot of what he carried around in San Diego and the reputation he had.

Absolutely deserves in, though.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

While some stats get inflated by having a long career, yards per catch works the other way: the longer you played, the more impressive a high ypc is. To average 19.2 for that many years is insane. He probably played longer than anyone else in history that has a career 19 ypc.

 

[Joey007]

When his numbers were low!

With Favre, they skyrocketed.

69 catches for 961 yards before Favre

You’re gonna conveniently leave out the fact that he put up 1105 and 1423 the previous two years before that? Come on now

 

[Joey007]

If YPC is the only way we evaluate a receiver, then Desean Jackson must be the greatest wide receiver of all time.

 

[Grogan14]

While some stats get inflated by having a long career, yards per catch works the other way: the longer you played, the more impressive a high ypc is. To average 19.2 for that many years is insane. He probably played longer than anyone else in history that has a career 19 ypc.

True but over a long career he was targeted relatively infrequently each year which makes it easier to maintain a high yards per catch due to small sample size

 

[upstater1]

You’re gonna conveniently leave out the fact that he put up 1105 and 1423 the previous two years before that? Come on now

Those are career bests, and something Morgan accomplished too. But it's clear as day that even in those earlier years Sharpe did not have 100 yard catch seasons until Favre. Morgan in fact has more yards in one season with a horribly bad QB than Sharpe did with anyone, but the fact remains: Sharpe would not have had a HOF career had it not been for Favre.

You still haven't addressed the difference in 1970s to mid 1980s ball and 1990s ball.

By the way, Don Majkowski finished 2nd in NFL MVP voting in the year of Sharpe's 1423.

 

[upstater1]

If YPC is the only way we evaluate a receiver, then Desean Jackson must be the greatest wide receiver of all time.

Who said it's the only way?

1. Jackson doesn't even have Morgan's YPC.
2. Morgan didn't play in Jackson's stat inflated era where WRs were protected and so were QBs and there was no WR holding.

 

[Real fan 02]

They don't like Patriots in the Hall for some reason

I've started to question the voters on the HOF.. seems a lot of questioning can be asked on the last few Indcutees... how Rodney isn't in is a gutless shame on the "voters"..

 

[Joey007]

Those are career bests, and something Morgan accomplished too. But it's clear as day that even in those earlier years Sharpe did not have 100 yard catch seasons until Favre. Morgan in fact has more yards in one season with a horribly bad QB than Sharpe did with anyone, but the fact remains: Sharpe would not have had a HOF career had it not been for Favre.

You still haven't addressed the difference in 1970s to mid 1980s ball and 1990s ball.

By the way, Don Majkowski finished 2nd in NFL MVP voting in the year of Sharpe's 1423.

And Tony Eason season finished 6th in MVP voting in 86? Fans from that era also constantly stand by about how good Steve Grogan was, so which is it?

I’m just saying that you’re using one season where Sharpe had 900 yards as a base of your argument here. That was pretty much Morgan’s average season.

As for 70’s/80’s football, Morgan played all but his rookie season of his career after the rule changes in 78. There really isn’t a major difference in the late 70’s/early 80’s era compared to the late 80’s early 90’s from that point.

I’m not discounting what Morgan did here. But I think you’re unfairly comparing him to just how good Sharpe was.