Veteran wide receiver Cris Carter and cornerback Darrell Green were selected among the 26 semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. The group, which also includes former National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, running back Terrell Davis and defensive end Richard Dent, were chosen from 124 preliminary nominees by the Hall of Fame’s 44-member selection committee. The list will be later reduced to 15 candidates in January and the 2008 Hall of Fame Class will be announced on February 2, the day before the Super Bowl. here will also be two candidates added by the Seniors Committee. A minimum of four and a maximum of seven will picked for this year’s class.

Here is a list of other candidates: quarterback Ken Stabler; wide receivers Art Monk and Andre Reed; former New York Giants general manager and league executive George Young; defensive linemen Fred Dean, Charles Haley and Cortez Kennedy; linebackers Randy Gradishar, Kevin Greene, Rickey Jackson, Derrick Thomas and Andre Tippett; offensive linemen Dermontti Dawson, Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby, Bob Kuechenberg, Randall McDaniel and Gary Zimmerman; punter Ray Guy; cornerback Lester Hayes; and special teams player Steve Tasker.

In my opinion, Cris Carter and Darrell Green are definite inductees and I vastly disagree with Terrell Davis’ candidacy so soon. I think that next year or the year after that he should be inducted because he is a marquee name and should be the main event at his induction.  Every year there is a player or coach that is the main attraction at induction ceremonies and I think he deserves great honor for his outstanding work in the NFL.  Also, Paul Tagliabue is a definite for the Hall of Fame and I’m sure he’ll make the cut this year.  His reign as Commissioner brought a new era to the NFL and professional sports and he deserves the honor. Whatever happens with the Hall of Fame voting, I’m sure those who deserve it will get ushered in without a problem at all.

Source: Bloomberg.com