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James Harrison is one big year away from the Hall of Fame

  • Thread starter Thread starter Steel Not A Player
  • Start date Start date
Black & Gold Bleeder said:
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth..
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I bet they had the same plan last year



Linebacker coach Joey Porter said Saturday that veteran linebacker James Harrison can expect to play only about 25 snaps per game this season.

It's a surprising number, considering the 36-year-old linebacker could start at right outside linebacker.

“He knows where he is,” Porter said shortly after the Steelers drafted Miami (Fla.) outside linebacker Anthony Chickillo on the final day of the NFL Draft. “I told him already, the James Harrison (of before) is over.

“He's going to play his role, and his role is going to be effective. He knows what we're asking out of him, and he's going to be ready to answer the bell.”

“Harrison is going to be a better player for us if I keep his snap count down to 25,” Porter said. “I'll get the best James Harrison I can out of him instead of trying to make him play like he was — 25–60 snaps a game.”

Porter said he told Harrison he wasn't going to play an entire game anymore. Harrison, who signed a two-year, $2.75 million deal in March, said his only demand was that Porter and defensive coordinator Keith Butler let him know his potential snap count before game time.

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/8224811-74/porter-harrison-steelers#ixzz3Z1rTHfx9
 
Harrison at his peak was Hall of Fame level -- the issue will be like that of Terrell Davis; the relatively short period of time he was dominant. If he was a starter since 2005 (adding 2 more years of starting stats) to his records and if he never did time with Bengals and stayed a Steeler- I'd concede the case as a lock. But he didn't and like Greg Llyod before him -- just not enough years at elite even though he was elite.

Faneca won't be first ballot because his position wasn't "sexy" enough but he is in.

Polamalu is a lock as well - how he wouldn't be first ballot is because there is a current anti-Steeler sentiment among the voters -- Rich Goeslin as example.

Ward will get in when the year is right and he's "next in line".

Roethlisberger would be first ballot today if we won Super Bowl XLV -- as it is he is building an easy first ballot resume each year.

Greene is likely not going in unless it's like LeBeau - the different committee. He wasn't with any team long enough for any particular beat writer of any team to really go to bat for him. Bouchette will be to busy fighting for Ward after Faneca to ever really provide a strong sales presentation on Greene.

Farrior, Hampton and Smith are the Shell, Russell, and Greenwood of this generation -- won't get in.
 
FSF said:
Harrison at his peak was Hall of Fame level -- the issue will be like that of Terrell Davis; the relatively short period of time he was dominant. If he was a starter since 2005 (adding 2 more years of starting stats) to his records and if he never did time with Bengals and stayed a Steeler- I'd concede the case as a lock. But he didn't and like Greg Llyod before him -- just not enough years at elite even though he was elite.

Faneca won't be first ballot because his position wasn't "sexy" enough but he is in.

Polamalu is a lock as well - how he wouldn't be first ballot is because there is a current anti-Steeler sentiment among the voters -- Rich Goeslin as example.

Ward will get in when the year is right and he's "next in line".

Roethlisberger would be first ballot today if we won Super Bowl XLV -- as it is he is building an easy first ballot resume each year.

Greene is likely not going in unless it's like LeBeau - the different committee. He wasn't with any team long enough for any particular beat writer of any team to really go to bat for him. Bouchette will be to busy fighting for Ward after Faneca to ever really provide a strong sales presentation on Greene.

Farrior, Hampton and Smith are the Shell, Russell, and Greenwood of this generation -- won't get in.
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I agree with this
 
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FSF said:
Greene is likely not going in unless it's like LeBeau - the different committee. He wasn't with any team long enough for any particular beat writer of any team to really go to bat for him. Bouchette will be to busy fighting for Ward after Faneca to ever really provide a strong sales presentation on Greene.
.
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Greene is 3rd all time in sacks.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/sacks_career.htm

He's the only one in the top 10 who's eligible and not in the Hall.
 
FSF said:
Harrison at his peak was Hall of Fame level -- the issue will be like that of Terrell Davis; the relatively short period of time he was dominant. If he was a starter since 2005 (adding 2 more years of starting stats) to his records and if he never did time with Bengals and stayed a Steeler- I'd concede the case as a lock. But he didn't and like Greg Llyod before him -- just not enough years at elite even though he was elite.

Faneca won't be first ballot because his position wasn't "sexy" enough but he is in.

Polamalu is a lock as well - how he wouldn't be first ballot is because there is a current anti-Steeler sentiment among the voters -- Rich Goeslin as example.

Ward will get in when the year is right and he's "next in line".

Roethlisberger would be first ballot today if we won Super Bowl XLV -- as it is he is building an easy first ballot resume each year.

Greene is likely not going in unless it's like LeBeau - the different committee. He wasn't with any team long enough for any particular beat writer of any team to really go to bat for him. Bouchette will be to busy fighting for Ward after Faneca to ever really provide a strong sales presentation on Greene.

Farrior, Hampton and Smith are the Shell, Russell, and Greenwood of this generation -- won't get in.
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My point exactly in earlier post. The only thing I would differ from you is on Faneca. I think he's first ballot and I know what you said about it not being a sexy position but his play was just outstanding and even played LT when we had injury at that position and played well. I'll stick with my first ballot guys of Ben,Troy and Faneca and Ward will have to wait his turn which could be a while as witnessed by Chris Carter.
 
Hanratty said:
Not even a consideration, see Charles Haley, Bruce Smith, Reggie White, etc who also played for more than one team.
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Prime Time. Played for multiple teams in multiple sports and went in first ballot. What's hurt Greene is identity. With all that sack production, he only made 5 Pro Bowls. He was a worker bee who played a long time, not a splashy superstar.
 
I love Harrison, but it's something that won't happen before the veterans committee or until they change the voting process. He's 15th among active players in sacks and 76th overall. He'd likely have to record between 30 and 50 more sacks in order to even make a legitimate claim for the Hall in his 15 year standard window.
 
Hanratty said:
Not even a consideration, see Charles Haley, Bruce Smith, Reggie White, etc who also played for more than one team.
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Charles Haley won 5 SBs. Bruce Smith played 14 seasons in Buffalo and Reggie White played for 2 teams. So what is your point. All of those men case a legacy. They were the face of their franchise. Kevin Greene never was cause he bounced around so much.

Kevin Greene played for the Rams, Steelers, Panthers, 49ers, and Panthers. Do you remember a single sack of Greene's career that wasn't with Pittsburgh? Probably not, Par.
 
I'd love for Faneca and Ward to be first ballot HOFers, but they probably won't. Skill position players, and great defenders, always get more attention than OL. It's because they make more memorable plays and makes it easier for voters to remember the 'wow' plays that made him great. To place a lineman in the HOF, you have to actually watch game tape. You think most writers watch game tape? Nope.

Ward will not be a first ballot entry. His numbers are great, but not elite by HOF standards. There is also a large portion of the nation that viewed Ward's play as 'cheap' instead of 'hard-nosed' or 'aggressive'. He had a stigma of being a 'cheap' player, and this creates a lot of bad blood for writers in areas where Ward destroyed one of their players. You think Cle, Cincy or Balt has a writer that would vote him in year one? No ******* way. There will be a strong media bias against him getting in. I do believe he'll get in over time, but it may take 5-10 years of eligibility for him to do so. Eventually, his tape will win out. He was a football player. Could run, pass, catch, block, tackle, hit, and do whatever it took to get an extra yard. He never took a play off, and ran each play as hard as possible. That tape jumps off the screen and will eventually become too impressive for anyone to deny.
 
More like 2 big years away
 
Hanratty said:
Not even a consideration, see Charles Haley, Bruce Smith, Reggie White, etc who also played for more than one team.
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Emmitt Smith, Franco Harris, Joe Montana all played for more than 1 team -- that's the comparison you make when you mention Bruce Smith or Reggie White; both arguably among top 5 DE's ever.

Kevin Greene's career was extremely good, but not outstanding and he is someone who will need a strong presentation to give despite the # of sacks he had.

Maybe with Veteran's committee (think its called that)....like Dick LeBeau; but not likely during his 15 years.... not with the politics of today's voting.
 
steelhurt said:
My point exactly in earlier post. The only thing I would differ from you is on Faneca. I think he's first ballot and I know what you said about it not being a sexy position but his play was just outstanding and even played LT when we had injury at that position and played well. I'll stick with my first ballot guys of Ben,Troy and Faneca and Ward will have to wait his turn which could be a while as witnessed by Chris Carter.
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I think Faneca depends on who he goes against in that first year of eligibility; he's definitely a qualifier for 1st ballot depending who else he goes against..... I doubt he'll get in if there are other "big names" simply because of the position he played.
 
Harrison got off to a slow start. Here are his career numbers are thus:

694 tackles
71.5 sacks
29 forced fumbles!
6 interceptions
21 passes defended
1 TD
1 Safety

The only number that is HOF worthy for sure is the forced fumbled.


Accolades.

5 time pro bowler. NFL Defensive player of the year.

Memorable plays. 101 yard INT in the Super bowl. Changed the NFL rules on head shots.

I say he's worthy of consideration but a bit short on sacks. Voters typically do not give enough credit to run defense or forced fumbles but they should!
 
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