Deion Branch for the Hall of Fame...kinda

[SteveFromYellowstone]

Sounds strange right? Read my logic.

Lynn Swann was voted into the HoF a few years ago. That means that the voters consider him one of the 17 best receivers of all time. He is not top 50 in any major category, in fact his 5462 receiving yards place him 149th on the all time list, his 51 TDs place him 75th, his 336 receptions place him at 225th. The common rationale is that Swann deserves to be in the HoF because of the great Superbowls he had.

Superbowl IX- no catches
Superbowl X- 4 catches 161 yards 1 TD
Superbowl XIII- 7 catches 124 yards 1 TD
Superbowl XIV- 5 catches 79 yards 1 TD

Here are Deion Branch's stats...
502 catches for 6499 yards and 39 TDs

03' Superbowl- 10 catches 143 yards 1 TD
04' Superbowl- 11 catches for 133 yards, superbowl record for catches and named superbowl MVP
11' Superbowl- 3 catches for 45 yards

Branch is actually top 3 all time in Superbowl receptions, and the other 2 WRs are in the HoF I believe.

So if it is alright for Lynn Swann to get in on mediocre stats because he showed up in the big games, why isn't it okay for Deion Branch? I understand they played in different eras, but there were more than a few receivers in Swann's time putting up way bigger numbers. My thinking is that Swann got in because he played for the 70s Steelers. Gary Clark showed up in Superbowls also and put up double the numbers Swann did but I guess there is a different standard for the Steelers and Cowboys and the rest of the league...

Thoughts?

[dreamshatterer]

Nope. Didn't welker tie his record in the against the Giants in the first Super Bowl? Anywho, I don't think he has done enough to go into the HOF. During his time away from New England, he has been ok.

[Major Harris]

lynn swann is only in because of who he played for.

[Koolblue13]

Swann wasn't even the best WR on his team by far and has no business being in the HoF.

Branch is no Swann.

[Enter Apotheosis]

Swann is definitely on my list of bogus HoFers. I'd kick Namath out first, though.

[SteveFromYellowstone]

Nope. Didn't welker tie his record in the against the Giants in the first Super Bowl? Anywho, I don't think he has done enough to go into the HOF. During his time away from New England, he has been ok.

Man read the whole post next time lol...point went right over your head.

[HeluCopter29]

I think that this goes back to who did what with who and what time. Is Troy Aikman Hall of Fame material compared to Joe Theisman? No, because Joe T isn't in the Hall. Does Swann deserve to be in the hall compared to Gary Clark? No, because Clark isn't in the Hall. In fact, you could make a case that Ricky Sanders deserves in because Swann is in. Sanders wins in every statistcal category except TD's where he's down 51-37. It's just about who you played for and what did they do. There was enoug push back on Art Monk getting in, no way Clark and Sanders are getting in. Shame Joe Jacoby isn't getting in. Think about how long it took to get Russ Grimm in. Of course, I also believe that the Hogs should be inducted as a unit. Those 80's teams never get their credit, and unfortuantly, probably never will.

[ddub52]

No stats for this past Super Bowl?

[dreamshatterer]

Man read the whole post next time lol...point went right over your head.

Damnit....it so did....hahaha!!!!

[SteveFromYellowstone]

No stats for this past Super Bowl?

2011 Superbowl- 3 catches for 45 yards

Didn't exactly set it on fire this time, but he is historically one of the best WRs in the Superbowl. If Swann can get in because of playing big in Superbowls and multiple rings, why can't Branch get in for the same thing? You know he won't. I think everyone has a lovefest for the 70s steelers dynasty and think they all deserve to be in somehow.

Damnit....it so did....hahaha!!!!

lol It's all good dude, happens to everyone. Basically I think it's unfair that people are getting in the HoF just because of the teams they played for. If the hogs played for the cowboys or steelers you can bet your ass they'd all be in the HoF.

---------- Post added May-27th-2012 at 07:26 PM ----------

Swann is definitely on my list of bogus HoFers. I'd kick Namath out first, though.

I believe if Namath is allowed to get in because he was the first AFL QB to win a Superbowl (and first 4000 yard passer), Doug Williams should get in for breaking the color barrier in being the first black QB to win a Superbowl. It would be using the same logic. Namath broke a barrier for the AFL to be taken seriously, and Williams broke the barrier for black QBs to be taken seriously.

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

absolutely not

[SteveFromYellowstone]

absolutely not

Did you read the post or thread at all?

[HailToTheRedskins14]

Let's play devil's advocate. The argument is "Swann played for the 70's Steelers". I counter that with "Branch played for the 2000 Patriots". If he really got into the HoF based on who he played for, then someone tell me what's wrong with the closest-thing-to-a-dynasty-I've-ever-seen Patriots?

Just throwing it out there. The fact is that the older players are looked at more fondly and they're losing that glamor. It was so damn tough back then that sportswriters and media gives them a little extra love that the players today aren't and might not ever get (minus the big time stars like Peyton and Brady). So its more of an aura that surrounded that era in my opinion.


Interesting topic though. I hate the Hall of Fame myself, because I'd have some seriously strict rules. I can't list anybody so don't ask, but I'd probably cut like half of them if I had my say. Its the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Very Good.

[elkabong82]

A receiver who never broke 1000 yds receiving in a single season in this era does not belong in the HOF, regardless of postseason accomplishments. If we only looked at postseason then Timmy Smith should be in.

Gary Clark, Andre Reed, and even Cris Carter deserve the HOF before Branch, who shouldn't even merit consideration, IMO.

Swann's status as a HOFer is constantly brought into question, so using him as the barometer for your justification of another's inclusion is a bad idea, especially when you also consider that Swann and Branch are from different eras of football.

[Bang]

Swann is definitely on my list of bogus HoFers. I'd kick Namath out first, though.

Fun to see the young'ns say silly stuff like this.


Lynn Swann down the middle tipping the ball away from Charley Waters in Super Bowl X and catching it diving to the ground for a 55 yard gain.
Lynn Swann on the sidelines of Super Bowl 12 spinning and making an impossible toe tapping catch.Later in the same game, Lynn Swann on a crossing route to the back of the end zone.. ball is thrown right at the camera... he slides in for the game winning score.

All of those plays happened before you were born, and if you're any sort of football fan you know exactly what they are.
You can replay them in your head based on those simple descriptions. You've seen them a thousand times thanks to NFL Films.


Lynn Swann was synonymous with Super Bowl, Big Game, Superstar.. in an era when the NFl was just beginning to get it's feet under it as the inexorable part of our lives it has become.
Lynn Swann is a reason why the Super Bowl is the biggest game on Earth.

The Hall of Fame is not the Hall of Stats.

Lynn Swann and Joe Namath played bigger parts in creating the league you grew up loving than almost any two other players in the 60s and 70s.

~Bang