We agree there should be others in ahead of him (like previously mentioned Harvey Martin). Where we disagree is that you have the idea that two wrongs (keeping Irvin out because Martin has yet to be voted in) makes a right. To me, that's stupid logic. Though it's equally stupid that Martin (along with Hayes and Harris) is not in.
But again, where have you seen Irvin crying about not getting in the Hall? 'Cause if Irvin is a crybaby, where does that put Harry Carson? He wanted his name removed from consideration because of his frustration.
Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News, USA Today's Jarrett Bell, and Troy Aikman were the ones presenting Irvin's case for the Hall this year. Is this the "ESPN audience" you're referring to?
It's not stupid. You want to reward a crybaby. I don't.
That's smart.
It's like not feeding pigeons. Cause if you feed pigeons they are going to hang around crapping all over thing waiting for you to feed them.
Case:
Martin was a drunk, drug addict, wife beater, kid beater, and generally a really all round mean fella. He's not in the Ring. No sir, not him. Nobody in church capitol of the world wants that type of guy up there with the likes of Irvin. .. o wait Irvin is in the Ring? My, my, have times changed with the arrival of Jerry Jones.
Martin:
Martin was a great interview and still a big man the last time I saw him. And he was humble about his accomplishments, as if a championship title, a Super Bowl co-MVP, 114 career sacks and 20 in a season weren't that big a deal.
He never had a sack dance. "Everybody saw what I did," he told me in 1997.
He never held out for more money. "It was a different time, they paid you to play. Play. That's what I did."
Memory can't recall if he ever stood over a quarterback and so much as shook his head in disgust.
What he did have was more sacks than any Cowboy before or since and the honor of being one of the men who made fans -- and eventually the NFL -- pay attention to the sack as a meaningful statistic. Landry called him the best pass rusher in Cowboys history.
from wikipedia via CBS
That's close to 30 years now. The Cowboys have had 3 Super Bowl teams and a handful of playoff games since then. Like that one where Joe is putting it on the money for "the Catch", beautiful man... poetry .. like higher forms of fine art or something. That stuff could hang right up there with a Picasso.
Anyway, where was I?
O yeah... Martin's records stand for 25-30 years.
AFTER Irvin's really small body of work stands for 20 years, then maybe we should give Irvin a little nod and some "ME" time. I mean, we really should let the baby grow some grey hairs on his chest first before putting him in the Hall. And really he should have to wait until Jerry Rice is in. You know, after Jerry Rice would be his time. As it was on the field, so it should be in the Hall.
BUT that muddies my point a little.
Martin didn't pitch a hissy fit about the Hall of Fame and thus is not in it with equal amounts of off field problems and surely equal amounts of field production. He was the Co-MVP of a Super Bowl.
Irvin crys and gets in.
That's the difference. Nothing but the crying.
You cry and the little Joe Bucks, Aikmans, and rootin tootin Cowboy writers all across America start to flash their maternal instincts. Just like they do for lil' baby Romo... and just like they did for Irvin.
P.S.
Martin ain't the only one that should be in before Irvin.
P.P.S.
Don't sully Carson in a topic with Irvin. That's just not right. Cowpokes have no shame.
P.P.P.S.
forget about the ESPN and Madden boys angle... it's just as valid though. The readership of the Hall voters is stocked with little kiddies that have never even played football. They watch HBO shows and think a stiff arm has something to do with a button combo. These writers know the score and what feeds them... and those lil cowboys luuuuv Michael Irvin. Diss Irvin, diss your readership and end up on the unemployment line.
"he's the greatest ever.. like when he does that thing with his arm. He's like .mmmph...mmmph. Man, that's so real and fresh."