Martin’s a Hall of Fame Semifinalist This Year
Posted by on November 23, 2011 – 12:12 pmCurtis Martin starts his climb again. And perhaps in Year 2 the Jets great will stand on pro football’s summit.
Martin, who reached the “final 10″ in last year’s Pro Football Hall of Fame balloting in his first year of eligibility, is one of 26 modern-era semifinalists for the Hall of Fame’s 2012 class, which will be determined at the annual meeting of the Hall’s selection committee on Saturday, Feb. 4, in Indianapolis the day before Super Bowl XLVI.
And wouldn’t it be fitting and touching if Martin entered the hallowed halls with his mentor? Bill Parcells, the Jets head coach from 1997-99 who brought Martin to the Jets for the 1998 season, is also a semifinalist this year.
The Hall of Fame explains that although Parcells technically is a first-year-eligible candidate, he has been a finalist twice before, in 2001 and ’02, following his announced retirement as Jets head coach in ’99. At the time, the Hall of Fame by-laws did not require a coach to be retired the now mandatory five seasons. Parcells returned to coach the Dallas Cowboys in 2003 and the five-year waiting period was in effect when he retired from coaching in 2006.
Other players with Jets connections on the list are Steve Atwater, a 10-year safety with the Broncos who spenth his last pro season in 1999 with the Green & White, and Ron Wolf, the Packers GM who in his pro travels spent the 1990 season in the Jets’ personnel department.
Six others with Jets ties are already in the Canton shrine: QB Joe Namath, WR Don Maynard, coach Weeb Ewbank, RB John Riggins, S Ronnie Lott and WR Art Monk.
Here is the complete list of 26 modern-era semifinalists:
■ Steve Atwater, S — 1989-98 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets
■ Jerome Bettis, RB — 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
■ Tim Brown, WR/KR — 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
■ Cris Carter, WR — 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins
■ Don Coryell, Coach — 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers
■ Roger Craig, RB — 1983-90 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings
■ Terrell Davis, RB — 1995-2001 Denver Broncos
■ Dermontti Dawson, C — 1988-2000 Pittsburgh Steelers
■ Edward DeBartolo Jr., Owner — 1979-2000 San Francisco 49ers
■ Chris Doleman, DE/LB — 1985-93, ’99 Minnesota Vikings, 1994-95 Atlanta Falcons, 1996-98 San Francisco 49ers
■ Kevin Greene, LB/DE — 1985-92 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, ’98-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers
■ Charles Haley, DE/LB — 1986-91, ’99 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys
■ Cortez Kennedy, DT — 1990-2000 Seattle Seahawks
■ Curtis Martin, RB — 1995-97 New England Patriots, 1998-2005 New York Jets
■ Clay Matthews, LB — 1978-93 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons
■ Karl Mecklenburg, LB — 1983-94 Denver Broncos
■ Bill Parcells, Coach — 1983-90 New York Giants, 1993-96 New England Patriots, 1997-99 New York Jets, 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys
■ Andre Reed, WR — 1985-99 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins
■ Willie Roaf, T — 1993-2001 New Orleans Saints, 2002-05 Kansas City Chiefs
■ Donnie Shell, S — 1974-87 Pittsburgh Steelers
■ Will Shields, G — 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs
■ Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner — 1989-2006 National Football League
■ Steve Tasker, ST/WR — 1985-86 Houston Oilers, 1986-97 Buffalo Bills
■ Aeneas Williams, CB/S — 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams
■ Ron Wolf, Contributor — 1963-74, ’78-90 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, ’75-77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ’90 New York Jets, 1991-2001 Green Bay Packers
■ George Young, Contributor — 1968-74 Baltimore Colts, 1975-78 Miami Dolphins, 1979-97 New York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football League
The process from here:
The list of 26 semifinalists will be reduced by mail ballot to 15 modern-era finalists. That list increases to 17 finalist nominees with the inclusion of the two recommended candidates of the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee, announced in August — CB Jack Butler, Pittsburgh Steelers (1951-59) and G Dick Stanfel, Detroit Lions (1952-55) and Washington Redskins (1956-58).
The results of the modern-era reduction vote to 15 finalists will be announced in early January.
Although there is no set number of enshrinees for any Hall of Fame class, the Hall’s current ground rules do stipulate that from four to seven new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era nominees can be chosen in a given year and a class of six or seven enshrinees can only be achieved if one or both senior nominees are elected.
Tags: Bill Parcells, Curtis Martin, Don Maynard, Joe Namath, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Ron Wolf, Weeb Ewbank
Posted in Randy Lange | 19 Comments »
By Allan O'Dane on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
Curtis Martin should skate into HOF!..This is what every Jet player should want to be like..Nobody brings it to the table every game…every practice..had more guts..class you name it then this guy. Never ran his mouth..He let his play doing all the talking. remember that season he played with TWO ankle injuries never once complained. True Jet…True class both on and off the field. Nuff Said!
By Tom Spicer on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
They are saying Fred Jackson is out. Terrance Mcghee one of there starting DB’S & Donald Jones there number 2 WR they just put them on IR. If the Jets dont win this game someone needs to get fired!
By Hans on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
Curtis Martin deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
By Jet Fan Since '64 Tom on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
Great about Martin but where’s Klecko? Hey Spicer, WHO should get fired if we lose this game? Who do you think it’ll be who fails to take advantage of those weak DBs, like the weak DBs on the Pats and the Broncos? Sanchez, maybe? Schotty? Rex? Or more likely all three, like it’s been all yr and parts of the last 2?
By wayne on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
Tom Spicer, now it sounds like you’re just beggin’…………..Please, please, please………..Ira, here comes your WC…With their season on the brink as well, I see BUF pulling out the stops.
By Alex.G on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
What are the thoughts of bringing in Kyle Orton ??
By Kevin65Fan on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
Totally Disgusted with this selection and voting. Where the heck is Klecko. He should of been selected than other d-linemen that were either voted in or on this final list. total disregard to a man that went to the pro-bowl in 3 different positions and was a sack machine. And one other name i like to add for the Senior Committee now is Winston Hill. Another sham going on here with him not getting consideration AND he was an All-Pro so many times and is on the ALL AFL team.
By Jimmer on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
The following deserve the HOF.
Bettis, anyone questioning this deserve a slap in the face.
T.Brown-They didn’t come much better.
C.Carter-Look at the numbers.
Coryell-This guy invented modern offense.
TD-In 6yrs the guy defined the position. Maybe-maybe not.
Curtis Martin-Unquestionable hall of famer.
By wayne on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
HOPE YOU GET IN THIS YEAR CURT…….WHETHER YOU DO OR NOT, IT IS AN INEVITABILITY. GREAT FOOTBALL PLAYER. BETTER MAN.
By GaryC on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
look,I don’t want to ever hear about ronnie lott and art monk association with jets, Lott a forty niner, monk a redskin,period. Maybe if jets had drafted them instead of jumping after them way past their prime it would have meant something.to say they have jet ties to the hall of fame,embarrassing.Did they ever mention the jets at their enshrinement.
By scjoe on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
There are only a few players or coaches on that list who deserve it more then Curtis. Good luck to you. Just like to wish a very Happy Thanksgiving to Randy and his entire staff and to all my fellow Jet fans. Lets go out and get some buffalo meat after the turkey dinner.
By Randy Lange on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
scjoe, thanks for the holiday well wishes. The same to you and to all fans of the Radar: Happy Thanksgiving.
By jetsfan80 on Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
Happy Thanksgiving to you, too, Randy! Thanks for sharing this story. Martin was an awesome role model for young fans. He and Chrebet were my favorite two Jets as a young fan. There were never any off-the-field problems that I saw or heard in the news. Martin was my favorite athlete/person of all time. It just seemed that the team was always greater than he was in his own eyes, regardless of all of his personal accomplishments. I agree ’64 Tom, Klecko deserves to be in there too.
By Tom Spicer on Nov 24, 2011 | Reply
Wayne, Begging for what?
By Tom Spicer on Nov 24, 2011 | Reply
Tom 64, Rex or Schotty that who!
By Tom Spicer on Nov 24, 2011 | Reply
If Martin does not go in the hall there better be a criminal investigation.
By Row on Nov 25, 2011 | Reply
Curtis Martin is one of the top 10 runningbacks of all time. His all purpose yards were Marshall Faulk esque and his rushing title just barely starts his resume. Bettis is a joke compared to him, look at the stats. Carter held the most catches a season mark for years and seemingly never dropped a pass. Steve Atwater defined the safety position and there will never be another hitter like him. If Curtis Martin doesn’t go in, this ballot, they should shut down the hall of fame all together.
By Jet Fan Since '64 Tom on Nov 25, 2011 | Reply
I have to admit, Spicer, I WOULD like to see how Sanchez does with an OC who’s proven he can command an O and an HC who understands that you win by scoring pts and lots of them in this century’s NFL. So fine, since $50 mil QBs don’t come along every day, let’s dump Schotty AND Rex if this yr’s a washout and try MS with new guys in their jobs next yr. I certainly won’t deny that I’ve had nightmare visions of MS playing all the time like he has in his best games with us under, say, Carroll on SEA.
By BILL FITZSIMMONS on Nov 29, 2011 | Reply
WHAT ABOUT JOE KLECKO?? HE SHOULD BE IN AS WELL