Does anyone think this years class is weak

[Buftex]

Thurman Thomas is a significantly greater all-time RB than Jim Kelly is an all-time QB, period end of story. You say people forget how good Kelly was- I say that statement applies a lot more to Thurman. He led the league in all-purpose yardage 3 YEARS IN A ROW (not to mention he owns an NFL MVP). Jim Kelly does not own any statistic that jumps off the page like that. Now being Bills fans, we understand Kelly's value as the true leader of that team and get caught up in his mystique, his commitment to Buffalo and keeping the Bills in Buffalo, etc. (as do I). But being as objective as humanly possible, you have to look at the numbers and the numbers do not lie. We can agree to disagree, but I think Thurman deserved to be a first-ballot guy and Kelly a 2nd.

 

 

 

I will stand behind what I said. There is no doubt Curtis Martin is a HOF'er, probably deserved of being first-ballot. However, never for one second in his career did he strike fear into his opponents the way Thurman did in his prime.

 

 

I am in no way disagreeing with you about the greatness of Thurman Thomas...you are preaching to the choir.

 

My point was: what does Kelly getting in on his first ballot have to do with the injustice of Thurman getting in on his second chance? They aren't related...if their eligibility was the same year, I might understand your argument...unless you just don't think Kelly was that good...and then, we do disagree. During his era, he, Marino, Elway, Aikman, Young and Moon were the dominating players at their position. Kellly, by far, had the team with the most balanced attack of those guys (save Aikman), but, I believe, he would have been capable of putting up stats (if that is the worry) comperable to Marino, Elway, Young and Moon, if his team needed it. He did it plenty of times.

 

The point about statistics just doesn't make an argument, for me. I realize, stats are important, but they don't necessarily reflect the quality of a players career. If it was all stats, Vinny Testeverde and Drew Bledsoe would be first ballot HOF'ers...was Vinny Testeverde better than Steve Young?