Gonzo's Third Annual "Why Isn't Cris Carter In the Hall of Fame Yet" Post
by Christopher Gates on Feb 12, 2010 5:06 PM CST
in Vikings
37 comments
The Pro Football Hall of Fame held its annual vote not too long ago, and while fans of the Beloved Purple got some good news in the well-deserved induction of John Randle, one of the bigger mysteries in recent Hall of Fame voting inexplicably continued along.
Yes, for the third consecutive year, former Viking and Philadelphia Eagle wide receiver Cris Carter was denied entrance into professional football's ultimate shrine. The man who retired from the NFL after the 2002 season with more receptions, yardage, and touchdowns than any wide receiver in NFL history not named Jerry Rice was somehow left on the outside looking in as more of his contemporaries wound up reaching immortality before he got there.
And outside of the arbitrary, B.S. Football Hall of Fame reasons. . .ie "can't induct two guys at the same position in the same year" and "can't induct two guys from the same team in the same year". . .I've yet to hear a really legitimate reason why #80 got passed over again. I'm guessing that has quite a bit to do with the fact that there really isn't one. As to the former reason, everybody knew that Jerry Rice was getting in this year. . .I mean, we're talking about the greatest receiver in NFL history not named Jerry Rice, so you know the actual Jerry Rice is going to get in first. As far as the latter. . .I'm not entirely sure that John Randle deserved to get in before Carter did, and I love me some John Randle, to be sure. But if Viking fans have to be happy with getting "only" one Hall of Famer (for the second consecutive year, I might add), then I guess we'll have to do so.
But let me just remind everyone again as to what Cris Carter did over the course of his career, and why it's a joke that a guy that should have been a no-brainer, first-ballot lock for Canton has been passed over for a third consecutive year.
As I already mentioned, when Carter retired, he was #2 in NFL history in receptions (1,101), receiving yardage (13,899), and touchdown receptions (130). After having been out of the league for seven seasons, he's still 3rd in receptions (one whole catch behind second-place Marvin Harrison), 8th in yardage, and 4th in touchdowns. Not to mention that he had the most ridiculous pair of hands in National Football League history, and better field presence than any other receiver that's ever played the game. Don't believe me? Take four minutes and twenty-four seconds out of your life to watch this. . .then come back and apologize for thinking I'd lead you astray.
And it's not as though Carter constantly played with Hall of Fame quarterbacks or anything similar to the likes of what Rice, Harrison, and others got the benefit of for their entire careers. In his 12 seasons in Minnesota, Carter went over the 1,000-yard receiving mark eight times, which doesn't sound like a big deal at first. However, thanks to Denny Green's "the quarterback just has to drive the car" system of offense, Carter got those 1,000-yard seasons with six different quarterbacks. . .and it wasn't exactly a Murderer's Row of passing prowess, either.
1993 - Jim McMahon
1994 - Warren Moon
1995 - Warren Moon
1996 - Brad Johnson
1997 - Brad Johnson
1998 - Randall Cunningham
1999 - Jeff George
2000 - Daunte Culpepper
Only one Hall of Famer among them, as far as I can tell. Heck, you put Carter with Peyton Manning or with the Montana/Young combo platter in San Francisco, and we aren't talking about Jerry Rice being in a league all by himself. . .we're talking about Rice and Carter being in a league by themselves.
So, seriously, what legitimate reason can anyone out there come up with for Carter not getting in? His off-the-field problems? (If that's the case, you'd better start tossing a whole lot of those bronze busts out on the lawn.) His aloof manner with the media? His lack of a championship ring?
There is no good reason why Cris Carter isn't in the Hall of Fame. He's still the second-greatest receiver in National Football League history, and to be honest I really don't think that anybody else is all that close. You can have your Marvin Harrison, your Isaac Bruce, your Torry Holt, your Terrell Owens, and your Randy Moss. I'll take Cris Carter over every single one of them every single time.
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I'll tell you a little secret........................
All those years as a Packer Fan before TT & MM did Favre wrong. I admired and respected Chris Carter, kinda like some of you respected Brett Favre when he was a Packer. Chris Carter could flat out play. But, the best thing I liked about Chris Carter was his passion for the game.
Chris Carter should be in the Hall of Fame already.
Chris Carter is a stand up individual, I loved the way he played the game.
+80
I agree with eveything you said!
it is better to be thought of as dumb then to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Ben Franklin
by montana vikes fan on Feb 12, 2010 11:36 PM CST up reply actions
Cris Carter was absurdly good
HoF voters need to just watch that video Gonzo posted
Cris Carter was the reason I played football.
Thanks for that video, it’s always good to be reminded just how AWESOME he was.
One Thing people seem to forget
is that CC invented the toe touch before falling out of bounds. he would make a sideline or back of endzone catch in every game where his body was streched as far as it could go, with only his toes still in bounds. now days we see that in most games, but for most of his carreer, CC was the only reciever doing that. other recievers learned how to do that by watching CC play. i tell you, Pit would not have won the superbowl against the Cards if CC hadn’t played football. why? because that rediculous winning catch by santanio holms would not have happened if CC hadn’t played.
CC was an inovator, and for while he was playing he was the best WR in the game (except for maybe jerry Rice).
Will the Real Thor Please Stand Up ... ?
Politics, & some outright dislike for Carter.
That is why he is not in yet. Chris early days in Philly with the drugs & the way he speaks his mind has pissed off enough of these guys to keep him out. His talent & what he did on the field have nothing to do with it. Some of these guys just are not fans of Chris. We have heard the behind the scenes chatter. He belongs & he will get in eventually its just his punishment by the forces that be.This is their way of getting their jabs in. Chris is a 1st ballot HOFer. I’m sure Chris feels hurt every year that he is rejected while all his colleagues
shake their head in disbelief. The problem is you are not judged solely upon what you did on the field. If that was the case he would be in already. Ask Pete Rose.
No rings
Not one. Not even a Super Bowl appearance. I beleive CC should get in, but with no rings I understand why he has to wait his turn.
The fact is Championships matter. On a team without Emmit Smith Michael Irvin could have had way more TDs, but he will take the big catches, let Emmit have his short yardage TDs and keep his 3 Super Bowl rings. This is why if you are a key contibutor on a championship team it is more important than stats. It is why Irvin got in right away and Carter will have to wait.
I don’t think Randle should have gotten in before Carter either. If two WRs get in so be it. Tim Brown is derserving but he will have to wait too.
Hard one(loss) to swallow, thats what she said.
Barry Sanders never got a ring
and didn’t have to wait. You’re either a hall of famer or you’re not. CC most certainly is, politics, personal animus, or lack of championships aside.
"We're used to Favre-a-palooza now. We're engulfed in Favre-a-palooza. It's not even Favre-a-palooza anymore. He's family now."
--Vikings TE Visanthe Shiancoe, on Brett Favre
Yes Barry was the best only Emmit is in his class
That is why he got in first ballot. There is Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, Tim Brown and so on. Those guys are in Carters league or better(especially b/c of the rings) so he will get in eventually but isn’t first ballot.
Being a key player on a Championship team does matter. It matters more than stats. That is why Michael Irvin was a first ballot. A key member on 3 Super Bowl winning teams!
Old Fran said it best, that if they had just won one SB back in the 70’s how many more Vikings would be in the Hall of Fame.
Hard one(loss) to swallow, thats what she said.
Cannot agree Gonzo. Moss is better than CC. Moss is Canton material without a SB because he is that good, but he still might get one.
Randy Moss is a better all time WR than CC. Yeah Moss never caught 122 balls, never had to. The years CC caught 122 passes he averaged around 1300yards between the two. Moss hit those yards having caught the likes of 69, 77, 80, 98, 106 &111 passes. Moss didn’t need the extra catches because he could rack up so much yardage his team would have scored already. Moss already has 18 more TDs in his career than Carter.
Carter only massed over 1300 yards once in his career. Moss 6 times and counting.
Gonzo with a nose that size you gotta quit sniffn’ glue.
Hard one(loss) to swallow, thats what she said.
Seriously?
If you were to marry up CC’s passion and attitude with Moss’ natural ability, you would have the best WR in history, and it wouldn’t be close.
Moss’ ‘play when I want to play’ attitude will haunt him. He has more ability than CC, but CC makes up for it in passion and determination, and it’s not even close.
That said, I think they are both Hall of Fame guys.
"We're used to Favre-a-palooza now. We're engulfed in Favre-a-palooza. It's not even Favre-a-palooza anymore. He's family now."
--Vikings TE Visanthe Shiancoe, on Brett Favre
The fact is
CC never had Moss’ natural ability, not even close. Best hands ever maybe. Belecek has no problem with Moss why? Because he runs more deep routs than anyone in the NFL and needs to save some energy. His attitude wasent great with the Vikes but he has been great with N.E. All that talk about him giving up on plays this year was BS. Randy was being doubled and they just werent getting him the ball. I would like to see him push a little harder sometimes, but when he still draws two defenders he is making a difference. Do you think the reason catches over 100 balls is Welker alone, no. It is b/c there is always so much attention on Moss going deep Welker is open all day. CC got doble teamed sometimes, but did not draw anywhere near the attention Moss does and that opens things up for everyone else on the field.
As for stats look at them. It’s not even close how much better Moss is. Randy isn’t even finished yet, but for the time being his stats are already much more impressive.
Hard one(loss) to swallow, thats what she said.
So if Randy Moss is one of the greatest WRs in NFL History.
Why then didn’t Ted Thompson go after Moss when the Greatest QB in NFL History (Favre) wanted Moss on the team?
I’ll answer that: cause Ted Thompson runs the show and he knows talent better than anyone. Just look at his decision to keep Rodgers over Favre.
Ted Thompson is a pure genius………………………………………………………..
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by REVENGE4FAVRE on Feb 14, 2010 1:38 PM CST up reply actions
I watched Carter and he was great. Probably best hands ever. Moss' hands are alomost as good and then there is his unprecedented athleticism.
Gonzo said he would take Carter in his prime over Moss in his prime. I respect his opinion but disagree. Moss’ yardage is just rediculous, much better than CC’s. No receiver draws so much attention deep that most everything is open over the middle or to his opposite side. Cater never had that much attention paid to him. Not to mention Moss already has 18 more TDs, imagine how many more he will have at the end of his career. Say he has had Brady throwing him the ball and I’ll say Brady never through for more than 30TDs in a season before Moss got their. The first season Moss shows up Brady thows for 50. Not a coincidence, Moss 23tds.
There is nothing wrong with comparing two greats. Nothing ignorant about it. The Gonzo big nose comment might have been a bit much, but I’m sure he doesn’t have a nose as large as Gonzo the Muppet.
Hard one(loss) to swallow, thats what she said.
I dont know if this helps or makes any sense
But I can see both points of view. If you’re looking for a difference maker in a one game setting, you obviously go with Moss. His speed and home run ability is second to none.
But if you’re taking a guy based on what he contributes to his team for the long haul, you go with Carter. Carter was a vocal leader, but also lead by example. Carter was a hard worker, in fact his offseason workouts are legendary. Carter was a great down field blocker. Carter was a clutch performer.
I made a point earlier that both Viking Carters, AC and CC, were routinely mentioned in the same conversations as Jerry Rice. One big difference between them is that Rice played for great QB’s and had a system in place that was consistent. AC and CC had a revolving door of QB’s and systems. Moss has been around too, but at least they tried to put an emphasis on getting him the ball. Remember the Randy Ratio? LOL
Stats are nice, unfortunately for the Hall, rings are better. Right now, neither has one.
"We have a right to be proud, for in our veins flows the blood of many brave races who fought as the lion fights for lordship. Here, in the whirlpool of European races, the Ugric tribe bore down from Iceland the fighting spirit which Thor and Odin gave them, which their Berserkers displayed to such fell intent on the seaboards of Europe, ay, and of Asia and Africa too, till the peoples thought that the werewolves themselves had come."
-from Bram Stoker's Dracula
Carter should get in
I have never really cared much for Carter, mostly because of some of what you hear when he opens his mouth, but, no doubt, he deserves to be enshrined in the Hall (not so sure about Randall).
As Buddy Ryan so famously said, “All he [did was] catch touchdowns.”
-
The glass is more than half-full.
Definitely NOT Cris Carter
The man was easily the BEST possession WR of all time. Jerry Rice was #1 WR, and inarguably the best at what he did, but he wasn’t a possession receiver. That being said, I can also understand why they’re waiting until after Rice goes in, before inducting Carter. I’d love to see Cris Carter get one of those ugly yellow jackets… in 2 years.
Next year, there’s another Viking who was as much the epitome of excellence as Carter was, only in a very different position. His name is Jim Marshall. Marshall has been waiting a heck of a lot longer than Carter for his proper recognition, and at this point, at 72 years old, we need to get him in while he’s still alive to appreciate it.
Carter can wait.
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
SKOL!
+70
Jim Marshall-the original “Iron Man” of the NFL. I agree DC, vote in this most deserving of a player while he’s still around to enjoy it.
Have to agree...
Given a choice between the two (want both in), Marshall should get in first!
I would rather be IN the Arena than watching from the stands...That is my life!
* Read Teddy Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" if you need further explanation...
by vikingfanfrom afar on Feb 14, 2010 9:36 AM CST up reply actions
Marshall is another who never won a title,
before or after the Super Bowl.
Combine that with the wrong-way run,
and it is easy to understand why he is not in.
(For what it is worth, however, I think he should be in.)
-
The glass is more than half-full.
I dunno...
Would you rather have Cris Carter in his prime or Randy Moss in his prime? That’s tough. For playing the same position, they play the game totally different ways.
Skol Vikings!
Woot Woot!
Yeah, really depends on what you favor
Do you want a dangerous home run threat, or a guy that can make a circus catch on third down to move the chains? Both are great, but in very different ways.
"We're used to Favre-a-palooza now. We're engulfed in Favre-a-palooza. It's not even Favre-a-palooza anymore. He's family now."
--Vikings TE Visanthe Shiancoe, on Brett Favre
I want Carter over Moss
Carter was more reliable, and Carter could carry a team on his shoulders.
It didn’t matter what you needed from him. If you needed a 1st down, throw it to #80. If you needed a TD, throw it to #80.
Carter was never a really a “Me Guy”neither, his bad attitude came when others weren’t doing their jobs.
Moss is a Freak of Nature, and a hell of an athlete, but I think his #‘s come from the great talent he was surrounded by.
IMO, Moss is a sideline runner, not a route runner. He’s pretty much 1 dimensional, and his attitude stinks.
When I think of CC
I think of his reliability. I thought he was great at catching those back of the end-zone catches and sideline catches. He always made sure he was getting his feet in-bounds prior to the catch. It was definately amazing to watch.
Moss, he was fast and could leap high. But, I think Carter would be the better of the two to have on the team, mostly because he would lift the spirits of the other members of the team.
Moss can make a circus catch on 3rd down
Over the middle and everything. He has just as good hands as CC did. Moss can do both. He isn’t going to break many tackles in the open field, but with his speed they might not catch him at all. I have seen Moss catch 5 a 6 yard balls and take them to the house running a pretty much straight line(Game @Dallas in Moss’ rookie season). Nobody else does that.
I loved CC he was great but with the world of talents Moss has he is already and certainly will be at the end of his career, a better all time receiver.
Hard one(loss) to swallow, thats what she said.
So if Randy Moss is one of the greatest WRs in NFL History.
Why then didn’t Ted Thompson go after Moss when the Greatest QB in NFL History (Favre) wanted Moss on the team?
I’ll answer that: cause Ted Thompson runs the show and he knows talent better than anyone. Just look at his decision to keep Rodgers over Favre.
Ted Thompson is a pure genius………………………………………………………..
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TED THOMPSON SUCKS!
by REVENGE4FAVRE on Feb 14, 2010 1:40 PM CST up reply actions
Nothing wrong with player comparisons
It’s the offseason for cryin’ out loud. It helps me forget for half a second that the Vikes lost their chance to go to the Super Bowl.
Hell we seen it 1998. Moss and Carter were the perfect compliment to each other. It isn’t comparring apples and oranges though, they both play the same position.
Hard one(loss) to swallow, thats what she said.
if rings matter and off the field stuff does as well
mr 88 for cowboys had just as much off the field bad juju as carter if not more . common remember the joke of the mid 90s why do the cowboys play on a dirt field ? cause they snorted all the lines and smoked all the grass.CC was the best ball catcher so far in nfl history. rice was better in all other things that make up a receiver . but catching was CC. put cc on the niners or the cowboys and hes got just as good of numbers . an old moon an old mcmahon i never threw a spiral b johnson. and i dont want a BK double cheese burger cause i have these small hands culpepper . could jerry get to 1000 yards with that crew of ball throwers ???? i know 88 couldnt he woulda blew his stack like a TO with that set of qbs.if cc were on those teams they still both win the same amount of super bowls
Cris Carter the innovator
Carter started something else that has inexplicably caught on in the NFL: the emphatic signalling of a first down by the player who has just made that first down. It is nothing that would add to his HOF resume, but he was the first and it’s worth noting nonetheless. How any voter can look at his numbers and then watch a video like this and not vote for him is ludicrous. He’ll get in (this year was about Rice), but it should have happened already. He was simply awesome to watch.
Minnesota Vikings Examiner
visit: http://www.examiner.com/x-1723-Minnesota-Vikings-Examiner
Go Vikes!
Right or Wrong....
The comments made by Michael Irving give some insight into the thought process of the people on the Hall of Fame voting committee. Irving commented after the announcements for the 2010 Class were made that Andre Reed formerly of the Bills had a better chance than Cris Carter did because Reed’s receptions got his team to Super Bowls while Carter’s did not. I thought this was for the best football players that ever played not the number of rings on your fingers. If we are going to base this on off field problems then Gonzo is right…they had better start tossing busts on the lawn and Mr. Irving’s could be on of the first to go!!!
Cris Carter should be in there but I fear he will be waiting until some year where the first time eligible players are a weaker group. Most of the Viking players have had to wait well passed their first year to get the call to immortality…Cris will just have to wait until the tall foreheads on the selection committee wake up and realize that he is on the same level as Jerry Rice…he just didn’t have the benefit of the teams Rice got to play on.
Bears vs. Vikings Tickets - $150
Beer and food for 24 tailgate bus trip - More than $150
Watching Jared Allen destroy Jay Cutler LIVE - Priceless!!!!
SKOL Vikings!!!!
No one was on the same level as Rice. Carter was great and I understand that Rice played on better teams but Jerry’s after the catch yardage was ridiculous. Carter was nowhere near as good after the catch, nobody was. I understand having Montana and Young throwing the ball makes a difference but the yards after the catch was mostly because of Rice’s running ability.
CC should get in the HOF next year. I did say he might have to wait a bit but any longer than next year is too long.
Hard one(loss) to swallow, thats what she said.
Waiting a Year is Good for Carter
Cris Carter definitely belongs in the Hall of Fame, but if he’d gone in this year, Jerry Rice would’ve gotten all the attention and Carter would’ve been just another receiver. Now whenever Carter goes in, he’s the best receiver that year.
hopefully this will be the last time you write this post
"And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you!"
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