Ronde Barber And Canton Challenges
May 10th, 2013
Yes, there will be debate about Ronde Barber and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There shouldn’t be, but there is.
Joe just thinks it is nonsense when people label Barber a system player. Exactly what player in the NFL is not a system player? Every NFL team runs an offensive and defensive system.
Now Joe believes Barber will eventually enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he may have to wait a while. Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune represents the Tampa Bay area among the 45 voters who select and induct players into Canton.
Kaufman explains just how tough it will be for Barber as defensive backs are a rare breed to have their busts in Canton.
There are only 23 defensive backs in the Hall, and among defensive backs who have retired in the past two decades, only four have been inducted: Darrell Green, Ronnie Lott, Deion Sanders and Rod Woodson.
That’s the kind of scrutiny Barber faces when he first becomes eligible for the Class of 2018.
Barber has thrived while facing down competition for 16 NFL seasons, but the 2018 Hall of Fame class could feature a killer group of other first-time eligibles: Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, Charles Woodson and Brian Urlacher. And don’t forget about returning candidates who fall short in 2017.
Remember, it will be Kaufman who will present — and argue for — Barber to be inducted, if Kaufman is still in the business come 2018. He’s on Barber’s side but is just being honest about the uphill climb.
Then again, it was Kaufman who did the unthinkable and got a non-player, non-coach, non-owner elected in NFL Films founder Ed Sabol, and he also convinced his fellow voters that Warren Sapp should be a first-ballot inductee, which many thought to be a dicey proposition at best.
Joe will leave it at this: If Roger Wehrli can get into Canton (granted, on his final try), so too can Barber.
Some day.
May 10th, 2013 at 10:47 am
Someday we will get both ronde and lynch in there, BUT next year we will get Derrick Brooks in there.
May 10th, 2013 at 11:00 am
Kaufman has a point. The difference between those corners and Barber are the fact that they all were return guys and real good ones. Other than that, they all have big play ability and are all solid as they come at the position. It will be a battle that my gut tells me Barber will make it.
May 10th, 2013 at 11:36 am
Sapp, Brooks and Barber Should be the only Hall of Famers from the Dungy/Gruden Era.
May 10th, 2013 at 11:49 am
Barber has all the stats and accolades. He had longevity, stayed out of trouble and was a big time contributor on one of the best defenses in NFL history. There’s no doubt in my mind he deserves to be a first ballot HOFer. Of course, I’m a little biased being a Bucs fan, but he’s in the same conversation, stats wise, as guys who have already been enshrined.
May 10th, 2013 at 1:10 pm
I know this didn’t factor into Ronde’s decision but if he would have played another year it might have helped his chances of getting into the hall of fame. Those players that are eligible for the hall at the same time as Barber are sure bets to be on the first ballot and will pass right over Barber. good luck in getting into the hall of fame Barber.
May 10th, 2013 at 1:11 pm
Ira gets credit for Warren Sapp imho. I thought there was no way Sapp would get in on the first ballot… and yet Ira sold everyone on Sapp the player, not Sapp the role model.
Great job Ira!
May 10th, 2013 at 4:12 pm
Brooks is going to be a hard sell next year, going up against the likes of Kurt Warner, Walter Jones, Isaac Bruce, Kevin Mawae, Zack Thomas and Junior Seau. Any one of those players except Zack Thomas could make a conceivable argument that they are more (or at least just as) Hall worthy, if you look at it without your Bucs homer glasses on. Next year is going to be a very interesting year for HoF balloting!
May 10th, 2013 at 11:46 pm
All I can hope for is that Ira can pitch Ronde’s name when the time comes and he is very persuasive.