Voting for your favorite 49ers Hall of Fame candidates: A push for Roger Craig

by Fooch on Oct 27, 2009 11:00 AM PDT in News Comment 19 comments

About a month ago I was fortunate enough to have the chance to interview former 49ers QB/legend Steve Young. Although I was able to ask Young an assortment of questions, the impetus for the interview was his involvement with something called The Van Heusen Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan's Choice. This program, partnership between Van Heusen, JC Penney and the NFL Hall of Fame was developed as a way to get the fans more involved in the Hall marketing and selection process. This program allows fans to campaign for their favorite players and vote for who they think belongs in the Hall. While the vote will not be binding on the selection committee, the results will be announced on the NFL Network and maybe will influence the voters. More importantly, maybe it's a step towards giving fans some kind of say in the process.

For those who might have missed it, on the right side of the front page, the featured poll asks for your choice the Fans' Choice Hall of Fame Poll. In quite possible the least surprising news ever, Jerry Rice is running away with it, holding 58% of the vote. The next closest vote-getter is Emmitt Smith with 12%. If you go over to the voting page, you're allowed to vote one time per day. The ballot closes at the end of November.

The list of 49ers on the ballot is quite interesting, although many of the players come with asterisks due to limited time on the team. After the jump I've got a list of the players, where they currently rank on the balloting and some quick thoughts on some of the potential 49ers. I'll give away a bit of the secret: Vote for Roger Craig as often as you can.

Jerry Rice - #1
Richard Dent - #8
Charles Haley - #9
Jim Plunkett - #14
Kevin Greene - #19
Roger Craig - #24
Gary Anderson - #26
Rickey Jackson - #30
Eddie Debartolo, Jr. - #54
Fred Smerlas - #60
Ricky Watters - #65
Chris Doleman - #68
Reggie Roby - #83
Russ Francis - #90

Well, first off, given that there are 130 players involved in this, having all your players be in the top 90 is pretty cool. At the same time, we know some of these players are not 49ers in the traditional sense. Guys like Richard Dent and Jim Plunkett, while great players, are just not 49ers.

Given that Jerry Rice is a total lock for the Hall, we might as well try and push for another deserving candidate to get some more love. My choice on that is Roger Craig. I'd imagine some of you would want the push to go to Eddie D, but I really think Craig deserves serious consideration. When I spoke with Steve Young he felt that Craig would eventually get in along with some of those other mid-90s 49ers. Craig sits at 24th right now, so maybe we can at least push him into the top 20, if not higher.

0 recs | Comment 19 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Dent and Plunkett

Yeah that is strange… You think Dent, you think (Bears). You think Plunkett, you think (Radiers)…
Others:
Ricky Jackson (I think Saints)
Reggie Roby (I think Dolphins)
Chris Doleman (I think Vikings)

I know they all played for SF but you’re right, it’s hard to think of them as Niners in the traditional sense

by Drew K on Oct 27, 2009 11:07 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Kevin Greene and Gary Anderson too

by Drew K on Oct 27, 2009 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ricky Watters

I think Eagles (and I wouldn’t want him representing the Niners in any kind of HOF). Eddie DeBartolo Jr needs to be on there as an owner. He was instrumental in developing the franchise from perennial losers to five-time Super Bowl champs.

Roger Craig deserves it too for his role in those glory years. If I had to choose between the two I’d go with Craig, but is there any reason we can’t vote to get both of ’em in there?

Of course the NFL will never allow Eddie because of the corruption scandal.

by smileyman on Oct 27, 2009 11:28 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Trivia question (linked to this thread ...)

Who has won five or more Super Bowls?

"This could be another Very Special Team" ... Superbowl winning Niners lineman Dan Audick ...

by LondonNiner on Oct 27, 2009 12:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Steelers

by CorneliusJ on Oct 27, 2009 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Niners.....Cowgirls.....and Steelers (6)

by eazyazamp on Oct 27, 2009 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep, all of those, but you're missing one ...

"This could be another Very Special Team" ... Superbowl winning Niners lineman Dan Audick ...

by LondonNiner on Oct 27, 2009 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Charles Haley ...

…. is the man you’re missing. I never said “teams that have won five or more”. I just think the fact that Haley is the only player to have won five Super Bowls deserves a HoF place. But still would have voted Craig had people outside the US been allowed to vote.

"This could be another Very Special Team" ... Superbowl winning Niners lineman Dan Audick ...

by LondonNiner on Oct 27, 2009 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rice, Haley, Debartolo JR., Craig, and Francis are only TRUE Niners on the list.

Rice and Haley have no worrys about the HOF. Debartolo Jr. is more than desrving, and so is Craig in several respects. Rickey Watters is more a Seahawk in my book than a Niner, although I’m grateful for his contributions in 1993-1994. The remaining canidates wouldn’t (on first thought) be considered 49ers, so ultimately, I agree….vote for Craig!

by eazyazamp on Oct 27, 2009 12:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

49ers sign an OT

I just put a Fan Shot up about this but it seems we’ve signed an OT. How does that work then? The deadline for signing players has passed and we sign a player? So you can still sign players for the practice squad? Can you then activate them?

"This could be another Very Special Team" ... Superbowl winning Niners lineman Dan Audick ...

by LondonNiner on Oct 27, 2009 12:54 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

pashos went on IR

I’m about to fly out of dc, but just got the email. Pashos on IR, m. Harris released, biggs promoted from PS. Just email danny and james for one of them to get a front pg post up (i’m using my palmpre right now).

by Fooch on Oct 27, 2009 1:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks Fooch

Go Biggs!

"This could be another Very Special Team" ... Superbowl winning Niners lineman Dan Audick ...

by LondonNiner on Oct 27, 2009 1:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why aren’t you juanting away around the country!

Judgment day is coming!

by Widowwolf on Oct 27, 2009 6:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Craig

Im not saying anything here Im sure anyone doesnt know, but Im almost shocked at this point roger isnt in the Hall. He changed the position he played, first Rb (and one of only 2 if im not mistaken, and if I am then hes the only one) to go 1000 rushing and 1000 Recieving in the same year. It seems a lot of the credit for that goes to Marshall Faulk these days whenever you hear comparisms to a recieving back, but roger did it first, and if thier gonna put Faulk in the Hall, and they are, Roger has to go in too, thats how it is.

by Sloan on Oct 27, 2009 2:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I’m shocked too. I can’t claim to know anything about the NFL Hall of Fame, so I just assumed Roger Craig must be in there already.

Amy Mainzer my brain thinks your brain is HOT!

by cybermaldonado on Oct 27, 2009 9:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Brodie!!!!!!! What on earth are you thinking? Or is this post just for the kiddies here? Geez, 2/3 of these guys hardly played for the Niners.

by djwilliamsisu on Oct 27, 2009 5:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Brodie

They didn’t have him included in the Fan’s Choice. I asked them about that but they didn’t have an answer.

by Fooch on Oct 27, 2009 9:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Brodie was an excellent QB

but not a Hall of Famer. I saw every game he played for the Niners but John was a cut below the true greats like Graham, Unitas, etc.

He was also a very nice guy. I caddied for him several times as a teenager.

Kezarvet

by kezarvet on Oct 28, 2009 7:32 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It's a travesty

that Roger Craig is not in the Hall of Fame. He is one of the top 3 RBs in 49er history alongside McElhenny and Perry (who was a FB). Roger was the first to ever gain 1000 yards rushing and receiving in a single season. Roger Craig went to 4 Pro Bowls and was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 1988 as he finished with 2,036 total yards. Craig still stands as the only running back to ever lead the NFL in receptions in a season. He finished his career with 13,143 total yards and 73 total touchdowns. Craig made the Team of the Decade in the 1980’s. Why he is not in the Hall of Fame is a mystery to me.

As to Ricky Watters, NO WAY he should be considered a Seachicken. He was selected by the Niners in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft, but sat out the entire season with injuries. He started at RB for the 49ers during the next three seasons and the Niner offense led the NFL in scoring and yardage each year. The 49ers reached the NFC Championship Game in 1992 and 1993, losing both times, before winning the 1994 NFC title game on their way to a Super Bowl championship. In a January 1994 divisional playoff, Watters set an NFL postseason record with five (5) rushing touchdowns in the game, as the 49ers trounced the New York Giants 44-3. In Super Bowl XXIX the following season, Watters scored three touchdowns in San Francisco’s 49-26 victory over the San Diego Chargers, tying a Super Bowl mark shared by fellow 49ers Roger Craig and Jerry Rice, and later matched by Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos. He is a Niner all the way. What happened after he left is immaterial. The ring on his finger is Red and Gold.