Is Troy Aikman a Hall of Famer?

For the first time since 2001, a full compliment of six players was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I'm 45 and was able to see and remember each during his career. In my opinion, four selections are solid (Reggie White, Warren Moon, John Madden, Rayfield Wright), one leaves me ambivalent (Harry Carson), and then there's Troy Aikman.

Reggie White was the most dominant defensive lineman of his era and retired with most sacks (198) in NFL history at the time. The "Minister of Defense" started in the USFL but in his 15 year NFL career went to 13 Pro Bowls. No Brainer.

Madden and Wright were senior-committee selections and both have merit. Madden has the highest winning percentage (.759) of ANY coach with 100 wins and won a Super Bowl, probably long overdue. Rayfield Wright was considered the "linchpin" of the offensive line for the great Cowboy teams of the 70's - no problem there.

Warren Moon's NFL numbers are staggering. His CFL/NFL numbers are mindboggling! In 23 years of organized football, Warren Moon threw for 72,184 yards and 457 touchdowns, 51.061 and 313 in the NFL. By comparison, Dan Marino finished with 61,361 and 420. The hall didn't hold Moon's vagabond final years and lack of Super Bowl ring against him.

Harry Carson in my eyes was one of the parts of the sum in that great "Wrecking Crew" defense of the Giants Parcell's Giant era. Lawrence Taylor deservedly got all the pub but lets not forget that Brian Kelly and Brad van Pelt were both excellent linebackers and Jim Burt and Leonard Marshall vastly underrated defensive linemen. Nitschke, Butkus, Lambert, Carson ???

Troy Aikman's career stats: 61.5%, 32,942 yards, 165 TDs, 145 Ints, QB rating of 81.6

There have been six other quarterbacks inducted into the Hall of Fame since 2000 (Montana, Kelly, Elway. Marino, Young, and Moon), and everyone's number other than Steve Young's dwarf Troy Aikman's. So lets start with Steve Young.

Steve Young is another I would consider good but not great yet compared to Aikman, Young is first ballot. Despite spending half his career in the USFL, Tampa bay, hurt, or sitting behind Montana, Young still threw for slight more yardage and 67 more touchdowns than Aikman. Young could also hurt you with his legs rushing for 4238 yards at 5.9 yards per carry with an additional 33 touchdowns.

Of the seven, Aikman's completion percentage is lower than all but Kelly (60.1%) and Moon (NFL number 58.4%). Aikman's 165 touchdowns pales in comparison to everyone else's 237+. The others all threw for 40,000 plus yards and only Moon (80.1) and Elway (79.9) had lower quarterback ratings.

Call me old school but I think the Hall of Fame should be reserved for the truly greats of the game. I realize that HOF criteria is not strictly numbers based and involves many intangibles including leadership and winning but Troy Aikman was clearly not great. This is an argument generally reserved for baseball but applicable here.

Let's look at some players that are coming up soon, just retired or will retire soon. Most I consider good but not great. Perhaps the closest analogy to Aikman is Scotty Pippin, decent numbers, 6 championships, Does he deserve to get in ??? In my eyes - No/Maybe. Regardless of situation, ANWHERE, Scotty Pippin was good 17/9 player that played excellent defense. He's a slam dunk to go but if on fringe, the defense would send him through.

Jerome Bettis. The Bus. He's top 10 rushing all-time but if Steeler's hadn't won, where's Jerome. Does he deserve to go? A marginal yes, Will he get in? Maybe down the line during a thin year. Could anybody in good conscience mention his name in the same breath as Earl Campbell. I don't think so.

Baseball is the most fun. In an age of Roids and Juiced balls, how about these guys, Juan Gonzalez (420+ HR's), Jeff Bagwell (430+ HR's), Tom Glavine (260 wins), Frank Thomas (420+ HR's). Cobb, Ruth, DiMaggio, Aaron, Bagwell. Rolls right off your tongue doesn't it

A lot of great players get dogged about their careers for not winning a championship, Ted Williams, Dan Marino, Maravich, Barkley, and Karl Malone. Some get dogged for not winning enough, Wilt Chamberlain. There are lots of good players considered great because they won and in this instance, Troy Aikman can step to the head of the class.

512mbmemorycard
Memoryprice35005
Dreamworksskgmovie
Thehawkisdyingmovie
Systemmaxram
Theabandonedmovie
Sunmemory
512mbpc2700ddr
Notebookddr2memory
Presarionotebookmemory
Iraqinfringementsmovie
Pc2100memory
Mgmmovie
Ddr2memorycontroller
Ddr2667
Ddr2sdram
Rammemoryprices
Knockedupmovie
Archosmemory
Macmemoryupgrade
Ghostridermovie
Sodimm 1gb
Averatecmemoryupgrade
Graciemovie
Ddr2memoryprice
Renaissancemovie
Foxsearchlightmovie
Weinsteincompanymovie
Computerrammemoryupgrade
Deltafarcemovie
Pc2700ddrmemory
Memorymodule
Flagsofourfathersmovie
Lonelyheartsmovie
Memorymodules
Thecondemnedmovie
256mb133mhz
Superbadmovie
512mbpc2100
Ramprices
Vaiomemory
Sanyomemorycard
Sigmamemory
Psionmemory
Tyanmemory
Duckmovie
Microxdcard
Thenativitystorymovie
Livefreeordiehard2movie
Macintelmemory
Logitechmemory
512mbmemorycard
Residentevilextinctionmovie
Thegrudge2movie
Macexternalstorage
Kingstonmemory
Mitsubishimemorycard
Simpletechddrmemory
Powerbookg3
Memoryprice53998
Memorycard1gb
Emachinescomputermemory
Memoryprice42212
Notesonascandalmovie
Acermemory
Martianchildmovie
Tortillaheavenmovie
Thetigerandthesnowmovie
Furmovie
G3ram
Cl
Severancemovie
Danelecmemory
Edgememoryperhipheral
256mbram
Ddrpc2700ram
Cheapram
Unconsciousmovie
Firstsnowmovie
Usbflashmemorycardreader
Surfsupmovie
Memoryupgraderam
Ddr333memorymemory
Aiptekmemory
1gbflashmemory
Gp6350memory
Theex2movie
1gbpc2700ddrsodimm
Universalmovie
Extradad
Memoryprice37320
1gbmemorystickpro
Thereapingmovie
Usbmemorysticks
Ddrramprice
Bossmemorycard
Kingstonddrmemory
Nancydrewmovie
Captivitymovie
Jonestownmovie