Willie Anderson on Hall of Fame ballot

[sloSTI]

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2023/1/4/23539890/bengals-willie-anderson-finalist-for-hall-of-fame-class-2023

[*bfine32*]

I saw Joe Thomas getting interviewed during the announcement special and that dude threw his teammates straight under the bus.

Big Willie would never do that.

OK, I don't "know" if he would or not, but I bet not

[Destro]

Has he come this close before? So many things work against him, though he is clearly a Hall of Famer.

[*pally*]

(01-04-2023, 11:12 PM)Destro Wrote: Has he come this close before? So many things work against him, though he is clearly a Hall of Famer.

He was a finalist last year too.  

[Bengalbug]

If he played anywhere but cincy, he would have had more accolades and likely a first ballot. It just stinks his first 9 years of his career, the bengals STUNK, never being better than .500, and averaging less than 6 wins per year.

In his 11 seasons with the bengals they had one playoff appearance, and that was over before it really started. Yes, I know we had the lead, but did we expect Kitna to win, in that situation?

He only got recognition once the bengals were a .500 ball club from 2003-onward.

[Frank Booth]

(01-04-2023, 11:55 PM)Bengalbug Wrote: If he played anywhere but cincy, he would have had more accolades and likely a first ballot. It just stinks his first 9 years of his career, the bengals STUNK, never being better than .500, and averaging less than 6 wins per year.

In his 11 seasons with the bengals they had one playoff appearance, and that was over before it really started. Yes, I know we had the lead, but did we expect Kitna to win, in that situation?

He only got recognition once the bengals were a .500 ball club from 2003-onward.

He was also monumental to the 2008 Ravens who got to the afc championship

[Destro]

(01-04-2023, 11:18 PM)pally Wrote: He was a finalist last year too.  

Thanks. They do all these cut downs I couldn't remember where he was previously.

[Destro]

(01-04-2023, 11:11 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I saw Joe Thomas getting interviewed during the announcement special and that dude threw his teammates straight under the bus.

Big Willie would never do that.

OK, I don't "know" if he would or not, but I bet not

Cliffs?

[Bengalbug]

(01-05-2023, 12:03 AM)Frank Booth Wrote: He was also monumental to the 2008 Ravens who got to the afc championship

I figured it was the ravens defense that held opponents to 15.25 PPg in the regular season.

In the playoffs, they surrender 14 PPG.
Dolphins scored 9, ravens scored 27 (7 pts was off a pick 6)
Tennessee scored 10, ravens scored 13
Steelers scored 23 (7 of which came on a pick 6), ravens scored 14

I’m sure he didn’t hurt the ravens, but that defense is the reason they won.

[Essex Johnson]

(01-04-2023, 11:12 PM)Destro Wrote: Has he come this close before? So many things work against him, though he is clearly a Hall of Famer.

If so many things work against hime how is he so close than

[Destro]

(01-05-2023, 12:24 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: If so many things work against hime how is he so close than

"So close" is not in. Do you have any reasons why he is not in or doesn't deserve to be in? Been around decade. 

[Frank Booth]

(01-05-2023, 12:21 AM)Bengalbug Wrote: I figured it was the ravens defense that held opponents to 15.25 PPg in the regular season.

In the playoffs, they surrender 14 PPG.
Dolphins scored 9, ravens scored 27 (7 pts was off a pick 6)
Tennessee scored 10, ravens scored 13
Steelers scored 23 (7 of which came on a pick 6), ravens scored 14

I’m sure he didn’t hurt the ravens, but that defense is the reason they won.

Flacco was the weak link, but that roster was great.

You have to remember, Jon Ogden retired in 07, so they had a massive hole on the o-line. They replaced him with the Jon Ogden of the right side, Willie Anderson. It was a great move for them

they also had a LOADED RB room with all pro Le’ron McLain, Willis Mcgahee, and ray rice

[Essex Johnson]

(01-05-2023, 12:31 AM)Destro Wrote: "So close" is not in. Do you have any reasons why he is not in or doesn't deserve to be in? Been around decade. 

We can list others like Anderson that either are not in or took longer than 14 years since retirement,  he is not an anomaly 

[Destro]

(01-05-2023, 01:04 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: We can list others like Anderson that either are not in or took longer than 14 years since retirement,  he is not an anomaly 

Sure can, and they will have reasons why they are not in, just like him. Never claimed he was an anomaly or in any other type of way being a special exclusion. Just like the previous cut down list and this list of 15, names are not going to make it. The reason they make it so far is by checking certain boxes. Why they don’t checks more than one box, as well.

[*pally*]

If Willie's career had been played on even a good team he would already be in but unfortunately, he spent the vast majority of his career on really bad teams. The HOF voters have a long history of ignoring great players on bad teams to enshrine good players on great teams. Drew Pearson and Lynne Swann are 2 prime examples of players who are in despite not even being the best WRs of their era but they played on the dominant Cowboys and Steeler teams.

There hopefully has been a switch in momentum though for players like Willie and with the new prominence of the Bengals bringing more attention to his career

[Sled21]

(01-05-2023, 12:31 AM)Destro Wrote: "So close" is not in. Do you have any reasons why he is not in or doesn't deserve to be in? Been around decade. 

Because he was a Bengal. Same reason Kenny Anderson, Ken Riley, Tim Krumrie, and a whole slew of other deserving Bengals are not in. The only reason Munoz is in there is because he was SO heads above the rest at Left Tackle. It is so wholly ridiculous that a team that has been in the league since 1968 has only one HOFer. That fact right there shows there is a bias against anyone who played most of their career here. 

[SunsetBengal]

(01-05-2023, 12:31 AM)Destro Wrote: "So close" is not in. Do you have any reasons why he is not in or doesn't deserve to be in? Been around decade. 

As has already been mentioned, because he was a Bengal and played on some very mediocre teams.  Now, with the Bengals being hot the past couple of seasons, the extensive PR makeover by the front office, and the charisma of Joe Burrow, the national sports media collective is viewing the Bengals in a different light which could lend to some of the voters taking a closer look at Willie Anderson's career.

[Destro]

(01-05-2023, 09:39 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Because he was a Bengal. Same reason Kenny Anderson, Ken Riley, Tim Krumrie, and a whole slew of other deserving Bengals are not in. The only reason Munoz is in there is because he was SO heads above the rest at Left Tackle. It is so wholly ridiculous that a team that has been in the league since 1968 has only one HOFer. That fact right there shows there is a bias against anyone who played most of their career here. 

(01-05-2023, 10:23 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: As has already been mentioned, because he was a Bengal and played on some very mediocre teams.  Now, with the Bengals being hot the past couple of seasons, the extensive PR makeover by the front office, and the charisma of Joe Burrow, the national sports media collective is viewing the Bengals in a different light which could lend to some of the voters taking a closer look at Willie Anderson's career.

I know reasons why he is not in, including playing for the Bengals. It was a question to him as it was deflecting there exists reasons he is not in. Same as I had said. Reasons exist why he is not in and being close means nothing as the right thing would be he, and other Bengals, should have already been in.

[SunsetBengal]

(01-05-2023, 10:49 AM)Destro Wrote: I know reasons why he is not in, including playing for the Bengals. It was a question to him as it was deflecting there exists reasons he is not in. Same as I had said. Reasons exist why he is not in and being close means nothing as the right thing would be he, and other Bengals, should have already been in.

I agree that it certainly is difficult to rationalize why a 4x All Pro and AP comeback player of the year doesn't merit being in the HOF.

[BengalsBong]

It is a HOF player being inducted not a team, so you need to look at the persons play regardless of the team record.