Zach Makes it as a finalist for the HOF

[Wishfishin]

Preaching to the choir here. Just a small nugget...Zach Thomas remains the only linebacker drafted since the merger to have more than three All-Pro selections. He was All-Pro five times. Think about that, not the stinking Pro Bowl popularity contest, but All-Pro.

 

[GCD960]

100%

huge fan

 

[Danny]

I hope he makes it in but Dolphins players often seem to be overlooked. He totally deserves to be in there.

 

[Wishfishin]

For some reason I can't edit my post above. Correction, Urlacher made All-Pro 4 times.

 

[ANUFan]

That is part of it, but even more than that is the fact that the voters are sportswriters. They look at teams that win, teams from big markets, teams who had lots of big stories written about them, and of course players who filled column inches with a feeling of legends. These guys are professional storytellers who worship fame, and essentially are voting on the highest order of fame. They're less interested in merit and more interested in an aura of appeal. The flaw is that the sportswriters are not judges of actual play ... just judges of relative fame.

It's still insane to me how JT got in 1st ballot. I liked JT very much but no way he was a 1st ballot HOFer.

 

[ANUFan]

For some reason I can't edit my post above. Correction, Urlacher made All-Pro 4 times.

You have to get to 2,000 post before that features available to you.

:YEAHR:

 

[Digital]

It's still insane to me how JT got in 1st ballot. I liked JT very much but no way he was a 1st ballot HOFer.

IMHO, JT was a deserved 1st ballot HOF'er. But, it never hurts to have Tom Brady write a personal letter to the committee stating that you're the best defender he ever faced. I'm not a Brady fan ... but I gotta admit I do respect him for doing that for Jason Taylor, and it definitely softened my opinion of him. Undoubtedly pushed Taylor over the line as a 1st ballot HOF'er.

Zach Thomas never had a celebrity HOF candidate QB go to bat for him in the star-blinded eyes of the sportswriter voters. Thomas was given nothing and rarely got what he deserved, had to fight for that, and defied everyone's predictions to be great. He's considered Rudy by the sportswriters so they never want to accomplish what he achieved because he's not glamorous. The guy literally had a car back over his head as a child and the tough some-B came out of it saying the child equivalent of "I'm good, no need to take me out coach." He was a slow, short, squat ball of muscle, not a long lean gazelle with a model's face, Adonis' body, super-athlete's athleticism and a charming personality. If Jason Taylor was the great giant gazelle; then Zach Thomas was a freakin' construction crew wrecking ball.

Go figure which the bedazzled publicity hounds of the sportswriter media preferred?

 

[finmann]

Problem is, playing on a bad team and not being known nationally has a lot to do with it. The HOF has become a popularity contest as far as I am concerned.

 

[phinzfan21]

Really hope he finally gets in this time. 100% deserves it!

 

[Ikema]

I cannot state how happy this makes me feel, Zach took precautions beyond what the normal HOF to make sure he was on the field (hyperbaric chamber). He was undersized but never outsmarted. And Zach never cheated on his wife.

 

[mwestberry]

Before John Lynch? ... I mean super bowl... pro bowl... coach...
Love Zach hope he makes it

 

[orpheus]

While he didn't write a letter, I recall Peyton Manning once called Zach Thomas the smartest, best instinctive defender he ever played against.

 

[gregorygrant83]

Preaching to the choir here. Just a small nugget...Zach Thomas remains the only linebacker drafted since the merger to have more than three All-Pro selections. He was All-Pro five times. Think about that, not the stinking Pro Bowl popularity contest, but All-Pro.

I'm pretty sure Lawrence Taylor was named All-Pro more than three times. I'll have to look that one up. I believe Taylor was first team All-Pro 8 times. Mike Singletary was 7 times All-Pro, Luke Kuechley was 5 time All-Pro and Brian Urlacher was 4 time All-Pro. Are you sure no linebacker other than Thomas has more than three selections?

 

[Wishfishin]

I'm pretty sure Lawrence Taylor was named All-Pro more than three times. I'll have to look that one up. I believe Taylor was first team All-Pro 8 times. Mike Singletary was 7 times All-Pro, Luke Kuechley was 5 time All-Pro and Brian Urlacher was 4 time All-Pro. Are you sure no linebacker other than Thomas has more than three selections?

You name some fine linebackers and the source I got the info from could very well be wrong.

 

[WCUPUNK]

It’s still mind boggling how much of an influence the team you play for has. Zach Thomas and Brian Urlacher are 2a and 2b of LBs in their era. Urlacher was first ballot and Thomas was wasn’t even a finalist until his 5th year of being eligible. Still think the only reason he has been is because of Peyton Manning, Jason Taylor and Kevin Mawae beating down the door for him. It’s an injustice he is not in yet.