Hall of Famers chosen...

[Spor_tees]

Today the NFL chose this year's Hall of Fame class....and The NFL's second ALL-TIME leader in both receptions and TDs did not make it! Chris Carter who had some of the best hands in the business was passed over for the hall. I am dumbfounded. I think if anything this simply shows that the system for election is flawed. Here is the list of who did make it.

CB Darrell Green Redskins

WR Art Monk Redskins, Jets, Eagles

LB Andre Tippett Patriots

DE Fred Dean Chargers, 49ers

OT Gary Zimmerman Vikings, Broncos

CB Emmitt Thomas Chiefs

Hall of Fame article

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

Well, I'll tell you this - I don't even know why it took this long for Art Monk to get it. Especially considering he got his numbers before the NFL went pass-happy - he was #1 or #2 on a lot of the WR record lists when he retired and it took him way, way too long to get in. So I'm at least happy he finally got what he deserved.

I do think Carter deserves it. His problem will be the same as Monks - his accomplishments will be dwarfed both by his contemtorary (Rice) as well as those who followed him (Moss, TO). But he should get it.

A lot of the hall of fame now is political. There's a big push to pick up guys who are considered unappreciated, and eventually somebody becomes a good story, gets talked up, and then the voters go for the chic pick over the obvious guy who was really good recently. I'm sure Emmit Thomas' name came up after being the coach for the Falcons briefly. Should that have had an effect on his Hall chances? Probably not. But I bet it did. Not to say he didn't deserve it anyway, but it shows how dumb the process is.

But you make a good case for Carter. Usually you get a possession receiver who gets a lot of receptions, or a "go-route" kind of guy who racks up the TDs but little else. To be #2 in receptions AND touchdowns...that's pretty solid. Needs to get in.

[LABengalsFan09]

I still cant believe Ken Riley is not even a finalist. 5th all-time in interceptions. 4-time all-pro. C'mon, what are we overlooking here? I know the head of the HOF and work with his son. I sent him an email to get his perspective. He is a football historian unlike any other.

[Spor_tees]

I still cant believe Ken Riley is not even a finalist. 5th all-time in interceptions. 4-time all-pro. C'mon, what are we overlooking here? I know the head of the HOF and work with his son. I sent him an email to get his perspective. He is a football historian unlike any other.

There is only one answer to why he isn't...he is a Bengal. How many guys that are known for their career as playing for the Bengals are in the HoF? Anthony Munoz and...well Charlie Joiner played for the Bengals for a short time but he doesn't count. How can a team that has been around over 40 years now have only one HoF inductee? Other than the recent expansion teams, the only other teams with just as few HoF'ers are Tampa Bay and Atlanta. You can't possibly tell me that there haven't been other Bengals deserving of the HoF. Ken Riley, Ken Anderson, Isaac Curtis, and you could almost make a case for Jim Breech. It's really sad that because of it's geographic location and the perception of the franchise by the media, that players don't get recognized for their achievements. Maybe someday that will change like it has for the Patriots...I can still remember the days when the Patriots were the laughing stock of the league, but that isn't true anymore.

[jjakq27]

Roger Werhli got in last year and Riley had a lot more INT's and Wehrli played for the Cards which may be a fate worse than Bengaldom (Sorry Billy). The Bengals defense was one of the better units during the first half of the 1970's when Riley was in his prime. He was going against guys like Bradshaw, Swann, Greise, Warfield, Mike Phipps and Brian Sipe, Dan Pastorini, Bert Jones, Ken Stabler, Bilitnikof and Cliff Branch among others.

As I have said here before, the NFL puts too much emphasis on Super Bowls than on individual accomplishments when judging guys for the HOF.

[Spor_tees]

Roger Werhli got in last year and Riley had a lot more INT's and Wehrli played for the Cards which may be a fate worse than Bengaldom (Sorry Billy). The Bengals defense was one of the better units during the first half of the 1970's when Riley was in his prime. He was going against guys like Bradshaw, Swann, Greise, Warfield, Mike Phipps and Brian Sipe, Dan Pastorini, Bert Jones, Ken Stabler, Bilitnikof and Cliff Branch among others.

As I have said here before, the NFL puts too much emphasis on Super Bowls than on individual accomplishments when judging guys for the HOF.

Could you imagine being in the AFC Central in the 70's and knowing that every year you are going to have to play the Steelers twice?

[jjakq27]

I still cant believe Ken Riley is not even a finalist. 5th all-time in interceptions. 4-time all-pro. C'mon, what are we overlooking here? I know the head of the HOF and work with his son. I sent him an email to get his perspective. He is a football historian unlike any other.

There is only one answer to why he isn't...he is a Bengal. How many guys that are known for their career as playing for the Bengals are in the HoF? Anthony Munoz and...well Charlie Joiner played for the Bengals for a short time but he doesn't count. How can a team that has been around over 40 years now have only one HoF inductee? Other than the recent expansion teams, the only other teams with just as few HoF'ers are Tampa Bay and Atlanta. You can't possibly tell me that there haven't been other Bengals deserving of the HoF. Ken Riley, Ken Anderson, Isaac Curtis, and you could almost make a case for Jim Breech. It's really sad that because of it's geographic location and the perception of the franchise by the media, that players don't get recognized for their achievements. Maybe someday that will change like it has for the Patriots...I can still remember the days when the Patriots were the laughing stock of the league, but that isn't true anymore.

Before Peyton, the Colts were a joke and before Favre, Holmgren and Reggie White the Pack had twenty five years of ineptitude. It's our turn soon.

[Spor_tees]

I still cant believe Ken Riley is not even a finalist. 5th all-time in interceptions. 4-time all-pro. C'mon, what are we overlooking here? I know the head of the HOF and work with his son. I sent him an email to get his perspective. He is a football historian unlike any other.

There is only one answer to why he isn't...he is a Bengal. How many guys that are known for their career as playing for the Bengals are in the HoF? Anthony Munoz and...well Charlie Joiner played for the Bengals for a short time but he doesn't count. How can a team that has been around over 40 years now have only one HoF inductee? Other than the recent expansion teams, the only other teams with just as few HoF'ers are Tampa Bay and Atlanta. You can't possibly tell me that there haven't been other Bengals deserving of the HoF. Ken Riley, Ken Anderson, Isaac Curtis, and you could almost make a case for Jim Breech. It's really sad that because of it's geographic location and the perception of the franchise by the media, that players don't get recognized for their achievements. Maybe someday that will change like it has for the Patriots...I can still remember the days when the Patriots were the laughing stock of the league, but that isn't true anymore.

Before Peyton, the Colts were a joke and before Favre, Holmgren and Reggie White the Pack had twenty five years of ineptitude. It's our turn soon.

You have to mean the Indy Colts and not the "Colts"...there are quite few Colts in the HoF...and the Packers have always had a "mystique." The Bengals on the other hand have always been the butt of jokes and any time they do have a good season it is a huge surprise in the eyes of the media.