MIAMI -- The Pro Football Hall of Fame will announce its modern era class here on Saturday as part of the festivities for the Super Bowl, adding five more players to what will be the largest number of inductees in the hall's history at 20.
That has rankled some people, including Hall of Fame member and NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders, who earlier this week ripped the process, which will add 20 members as part of the 100-year anniversary of the league.
“What is a Hall of Famer now? Is it a guy who played a long time?” Sanders said. “It’s so skewed now. Once upon a time, a Hall of Famer was a player who changed the darn game, who made you want to reach in your pocket and pay your admission to see that guy play. That’s not a Hall of Famer anymore. Every Tom, Dick and Harry, you’re a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer. They let everybody in this thing. It’s not exclusive anymore. And I don’t like it.”
But Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris disagrees. Safety Donnie Shell, Harris' former teammate, was one of the 15 members of the Centennial Class announced earlier this month.
And Harris doesn't feel the process has been cheapened at all.
"There’s greatness out there," Harris told me Thursday while visiting Radio Row here at the Miami Beach Convention Center. "When you look at it, for 100 years, what are there, 300 or so players for 100 years? That’s not very many.
"Is it watered down? Everyone that has gone to the Hall of Fame deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. The numbers, they’ve been having seven for a number of years. But there’s only 300-and-something players in 100 years, that’s not many at all. In the last decade, if they wouldn’t have had the number of guys they’ve put in there, it would be even less."
Harris has a point. There are currently 326 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But the first class in 1963 had 17 members. But that number shrunk after that and for more than three decades, the classes were limited to four or five players.
In 2005, however, the league began adding players chosen by a Veterans Committee. Those players were ones who were no longer eligible to be voted on as modern era players.
Shell qualified as part of that veterans group after having failed to garner enough votes in the '80s and '90s when he was initially eligible.
He and former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher were announced as part of the Centennial Class.
"To think that our team of the ‘70s is still being recognized today, still being looked at today. I guess greatness will never fade," Harris said. "Eventually it gets recognized. When Donnie Shell went in, wow. It’s another one of our teammates that is going to join our Hall of Fame team. It’s great. I called him that day.
"I tell people that probably the greatest honor of anything is to get to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We had an incredible run during the 70s. But nothing can top the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Now Donnie will be one of our hall-of-fame brothers."
And there could be more coming. Former Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and guard Alan Faneca are modern era finalists who will be among the 15 players voted on here Saturday.
Polamalu is in his first year of eligibility, while this will be the fifth time for Faneca as a finalist.
"Alan Faneca and Troy, that’s exciting," Harris said. "It’s always nice to have Steelers who are in the conversation. You never know until the vote happens. Look how long Donnie Shell waited. But he’s in. I feel that Alan and Troy will get in. Will they get in Saturday? I hope so. But they’ll eventually get in."
The more the merrier for Harris.
"The greatness doesn’t fade," Harris said. "I’m glad when they bring in the old-timers every year, that’s important. We want people to know that, that it never does fade, that sometimes it’s just not your number. That’s why you should never give up."
