Carter can't smile with these two just yet (latimes.com)Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice, Russ Grimm, Dick LeBeau, Ricky Jackson, Floyd Little, and John Randle are all deserving of their recent election into the NFL Hall Of Fame Class of 2010, but one man that without a doubt should be getting inducted in Canton with them this summer is former Buckeye and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver, Cris Carter.
Carter, a victim of a snubbing by the NFL Hall Of Fame for the second third straight season, was not only wrongfully left out of the class, but was eliminated even before a final group of 10 players was decided upon. Why do I call shenanigans on this you ask? Well if you look at the numbers you'll see why Buckeye fans, Vikings fans, and all football enthusiasts in general should be standing up in arms about the recent news that has come down on big Mr. Carter this weekend.
We know all he ever did was catch touchdowns, and he certainly did it well. Carter ranks second amongst receivers all-time with 130 TD receptions in his career, only trailing 2010 Hall Of Fame selectee Jerry Rice. Carter also is second on the all-time receptions list (once again behind Rice) with 1,101 catches, has 11 seasons with 50 or more receptions (ranks 3rd), had 122 receptions in a season twice (ranks 3rd), had eight season with 1,000 or more receiving yards (ranks 4th), was a three-time All-Pro, and played in eight straight Pro Bowls. The numbers are certainly hall of fame worthy as you can see, but that's not all Carter did that is deserving of enshrinement in Canton this summer.
Carter's success off the field is also a great display of the measures of his greatness. Drafted by the Eagles in the 4th round of the 1987 draft (after having to leave tOSU early), Carter became a budding star in Philadelphia for Buddy Ryan's team. It was in cheese steak haven that the famous Bermanism "All he ever does is catch touchdowns" was coined via help of the legendary coach, but Carter's stay on Broad Street did not last too long. CC was let go by Ryan after the 1989 season due to off the field issues (see: alcohol and drug abuse) and his career became a big question mark. The talent was certainly there, but would his head follow with him?
The Minnesota Vikings did not give up hope and signed Carter, who vowed to change his life course, after they claimed him off waivers in September of 1990 from Philly. Carter kept his word on his vow and went on to blossom into a superstar, playing in the Twin Cities from the fall of 1990 all the way through the 2001 season. By turning his life around and going from someone following the Maurice Clarrett path to ideal role model for fans for his work on the field and off, Carter displayed characteristics symbolic of those a true Hall Of Fame Candidate should possess.
Cris Carter is one of the best players in the history of professional football. The numbers don't lie, and for a player of his caliber to be snubbed for two consecutive years is just plain wrong. There are rumblings that the reason his trip to Canton was delayed was due to his unfriendliness with the media during his playing days. If those rumors are true, the voting members of the press should take a long look in the mirror and try to figure out another way to stroke their egos. You absolutely cannot question Carter's ability on the field and if keeping players from getting into the hall has now become a way to get back at players who weren't buddy-buddy with their respective team's beat reporter, then we must look at the selection process as a whole and reevaluate the system.
What the selection committee was thinking this year, I do not know, but one thing that is for certain is that if Carter is not a part of the 2011 class, it will indeed be up there for the worst Hall Of Fame snub of all time in any sport. If that does happen, I hope you're all with me in storming down the doors in Canton next summer.
Comments
Good article. But this is actually Carter's third year of being snubbed.
Which makes it all the more ridiculous.
absolutely ridiculous that someone like cris carter would be left out of the hall of fame even once. especially considering the pro football hall of "fame" is pretty much a joke anyway, as it borders on being renamed the hall of "pretty good" at any moment.
Totally wrong and ridiculous. CC should have been in first ballot. I live in Cooperstown, NY (but I'm a Buckeye '81 grad). There's a Hall of Fame here, as you probably know. Take it from me; shenanigans are the rule when it comes to inductions. Hall of Fame inductions are often opportunities to settle old scores and make statements and generally exercise a little control over someone who, on any normal day, would take you out in the parking lot and give you a whupping if you messed with them. Best thing that could happen? Duron lights it up for the Bucks next year and the dudes in Canton finally get it right and induct the great CC.
Also, what is that thing on Jerry Rice's face? A gerbil?
Maybe Carter should go on Dancing with the Stars. I think every football player that's been on there is a hall of famer now. Not that they wouldn't have been anyway, but seems like a good formula. Awesome career, retirement, Dancing with the Stars, Hall of Fame.
Not, all Jason Campbell is still playing I guess.
brain fart....thanks
Maybe he needs to come out of retirement, play for a crappy team, have a bad season, then give a final goodbye, tear-filled speech.
Exhibit A - Jerry Rice; Oakland Raiders.
Exhibit B - Emmitt Smith; Arizona Cardinals.
He already played for the Dolphins for one year in 2002 before retiring and had 8 rec for 66 yds and a TD in 5 games....maybe he needs to play a full 16 for the Browns?
I suspect he gets in next year. The committee didn't want to put in a 2nd WR and 2nd RB with Rice and Smith.
Travesty
It is called manly face wear.
Yeah the only thing that is concerning is he didn't make the final list of CUTS....not inductees, but cuts...are ya kidding me?
Traveshamockery.
So the Hall is all about kissing ass and not getting into trouble off the field?
Wait, Michael " I snort blow and rape women" Irvin got in.
Absolutely a bunch of crap he is not in yet. I think Cris' election to the HOF will be similar to Art Monk's.
Impostor!
Isaac Hayes wannabe.
Well, that would qualify him for the "crappy team".
I agree that it was an unfortunate year this year, as nothing would stop Jerry Rice from being a first ballot hall of famer and they did not want to have two WRs in one class. Andre Reed did make the final cut, and he has a lot of support from his teammates who were recently inducted. Cris may have to wait until 2013 or 2014 before he gets his call.
Carter in '11; his OSU classmate, Spielman, in '14
It amazes me that Michael Irvin is in the hall, and they snub Cris Carter. What a shame, Cris Carter has been a roll model and always was a team player even when he had to deal with the personality of Randy Moss, and they snub him. Michael Irvin has been arrested for Cocaine and Weed and was a disgrace to the game and he got in on the first round. What is this world coming to when bad behavior gets rewarded and the good guy gets snubbed. I guess Mike Vick will be a first rounder...
Michale Irvin's rolled up $100 bill is in the hall too.
I made sure to wipe it clean of evidence tho
die hard buckeye fan here and die hard steeler fan also....just wanted to relate to the story about chris carter, who i also agree should have gotten in the HOF by now....for the last few years there has been alot of folks (particularly steeler fans) upset because the voters , for whatever reason , wouldnt let dick lebeau , DC of the steelers , in the HOF either and it is totally amazing because dick played in the late 40s and 50s and had 62 interceptions in an era that running the ball was paramount i mean passing wasnt popular at all...he played 13 seasons and holds the record for contineous games with out a game missed at the CB position (170) made 3 probowls and many other great statistics..and for his character hes been in the nfl for 51 yrs and counting. hes also the archtect of the zone blitz ,which most teams employ ,and hid defensives are always in the top ten and usaually top 5 ..its a shame that it took ,(i think) ,for Rod Woodson to endorse his induction when Rod was giving his speech at Canton Ohio last summer.....im not sure but i think that a person can only get in once but he should alsobe acknowledged for his defensive contributions to the nfl...someone needs to take a look at what the voters are looking at cause alot of players arent getting in when they should be.....i feel ya about chris carter thats why i related the dick lebeau situation....here we go buckeyes,,national champs next yr...!!!oh yeh...here we go steelers here we go.....lol
Aren't we all, really?
ok first ok Cris Carter was a cocaine addict and far from a role model. I played for Carter in highschool. He's a disgrace, an absolute D!K..Everyone disliked him except for the QB who he took on trips just to make sure Duron was thrown the ball..He treated everyone like peasants and got into fights with all the coaches on the sidelines. It's no wonder they snub him, he's an a$$h0le.
THISguy was reading deep in to the pages of 11w
lol apparently you did not read the article. Carter f'd up, just like some of these other guys did but if the HOF is about stats there is no reason Carter should have not bee in First Ballot. Don't put your blinders on and say that because he is an A-hole he should not make it in, I've met John Elway, and in my opinion he's an a-hole but he's still a damn good q.b. and hall of fame worthy. I know I shouldn't cross sports like this but Chris Carter is just another example of a terrible snub by the game, one of the greatest of all times ON THE FIELD. Just like Pete Rose, should be in the Hall but he got "caught" betting on baseball, he isn't the first nor the last man to do that.
TOTALLY AGREE! GREAT ARTICLE.