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Thread: Ben and the HOF

  1. #1
    Legend

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    Ben and the HOF

    Before this season, I was certain Ben would one day be in the HOF. Now I'm not so sure. Is it possible that Ben is playing his way out of the HOF?

    He's playing the worst ball of his career. And we can point fingers and blame at everyone around him, but it still looks bad. It's looking more and more like Ben really needs a great team around him to be successful.

    Did a great D carry Ben for many years? Was his supporting cast on offense that good that it made his job easy?

    Could Ben just be a Trent Dilfer that's a little bigger, stronger, and can move in the pocket to make a miracle play every now and then?

    Ben's one tough SOB. He's made some of my favorite plays in the history of the franchise. But I think it's also fair to ask, is he really that good?

  2. #2
    Backup

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    Translation: "THIS SEASON IS ALL BEN'S FAULT!"

  3. #3
    Legend

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    What QB doesn't need a great team around them to be successful?

    Signed,

    Eli Manning

  4. #4
    Legend

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    IMO Ben has always been a tough sell for the HoF much like I think we saw for Demontti Dawson, and will see for Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward.

    Ben isn't a stats accumulator which in the era of the lazy media and lazy fans fixated on Fantasy Football will hurt him significantly. I always though that Ben had to have at least three Super Bowl wins to be a sure thing.

    Plus the "too many STeelers" bias will work against him
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

  5. #5
    Legend

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    I agree with Ovi here. Ben in the HOF will be tough, primarily because he has not been a guy who accumulates huge stats. He has two rings, but no MVP in the SB, and that could hurt him as well (especially given his poor statistical showing in the Seattle SB). I would also suspect that the unproven allegations against Ben will cloud the voting.

    If Ben's numbers and the team's success do not increase over the next few years, his case will be tougher. If he and the team turn things around and his career ends on a different trajectory, then he will have a better chance.

    This is to take nothing away from Ben. I like Ben and shudder to think about where the team would be without him. But I think the HOF will not be as easy as you'd think for a QB with 2 SB rings and 3 appearances.

  6. #6
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    I always thought he'd be a lock because he's a winner and has a unique skillset that sets him apart from other QBs. But you have to do those things consistently over a long period of time and we're now a season and a half into losing regularly and not getting the special clutch performance we were used to seeing.

    I used to think 2 SB victories and a third appearance made him a virtual lock. But his game and team have fallen apart. And I'm not sure it bodes well for him if it continues.

    And I for one don't care about the stats. Just the performance and results.

  7. #7
    Legend

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    Quote Originally Posted by flippy View Post
    And I for one don't care about the stats. Just the performance and results.
    That's where you differ from HOF voters.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by phillyesq View Post
    That's where you differ from HOF voters.
    Not sure about that. There seems to be an evolving perspective of Ben being different and you can hear it with all the announcers and the way they talk about him. Over the last few years he's being more recognized for his unique gifts that he brings to the table. But it's not a good thing that his play and winning percentage have decline along with this respect.

    Maybe Ben has been driven by the media doubt and criticism? Now that he's getting recognized, he's not playing as well. I blame his wife. I'm sure his new family has changed his life's priorities. Perhaps he's comfortable now with all the money he's made? Ben seems to take this losing too well. Any other QB would be going bat crap crazy. Heck even Jay Cutler might show some emotion over the way the Steelers have been playing.

  9. #9
    Hall of Famer

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    Quote Originally Posted by flippy View Post
    Before this season, I was certain Ben would one day be in the HOF. Now I'm not so sure. Is it possible that Ben is playing his way out of the HOF?

    He's playing the worst ball of his career.
    I'll stop you right there and say that guys like Charley Casserly and Bill Polian disagree and they aren't exactly Steeler homers.

  10. #10
    Legend

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sugar View Post
    I'll stop you right there and say that guys like Charley Casserly and Bill Polian disagree and they aren't exactly Steeler homers.
    Sometimes I think the talking heads in the league are behind the times most of the time. They've now heard/seen for several years how Ben makes plays and then they see some highlights in the recent weeks that look good and give him the benefit of the doubt based on reputation. Then they see or hear about how bad the OLine is and look at Ben losing Wally and Heath not being 100% and not having a running game and that adds to what they see Ben do on successful plays. Of course, there's times he looks like a magician. He probably still has one of the best highlight reels in the league this year with all the amazing plays he makes.

    But I doubt these guys are watching every snap like we are. And they aren't seeing all the throws he misses. Or the plays he isn't making. etc.

    I like Ben and all, but I do think if his play continues, he'll have a new reputation in 3 years and the talking heads will be saying the complete opposite once they start to figure it out.

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