I think Swann`s comments about Megatron could backfire

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...son-may-not-be-a-hall-of-famer-140816422.html

Swann did not have a long career and his stats are lacking. I know how much he meant to our success in the 70`s, but his comments about Megatron could get turned around on him with the media asking why Swann deserves to be in the HOF.

I don`t understand why he would chime in like that and invite criticism.

 

All you have to do is look at the hardware. Swann will always deserve to be in the HOF. 4 Superbowl Rings, 1 SB MVP.

 

It only lengthens the debate is all. It could turn into mudslinging due to the mass of media idiots and social sites these days but it is what it is. Megatron is a stud period. A mold type breaking of receiver. However, he plays/played against the softest competition this leagues ever seen considering the rules handcuffing the secondary. He wouldn't have the same numbers if these kids were allowed to bust heads like yesteryear. He's also never had even a decent running game in Detroit to help stymie his numbers nor a defense that could hold their own thus negating detroits flinging it around to stay relevant in the game approach.

He's hall worthy i think but not a first ballot nor a few more after that. But eventually yeah he should get in.

He's not Barry. Barry was special. CJ is a GOOD player but not the special type of player I think that commands an immediate presence into the hall

 

I don't know. I agree with Swann. As good as he his he didn't have the career I thought he would have. Might not all be his fault. CJ seemed to get nicked up alot with ankle injuries and what not, and when he was healthy his QB couldn't get him the ball half the time.

 

I happen to agree 100% with swann. He has never been shy about voicing his opinion. Johnson is a stud but I don't think he is hof worthy. Just my opinion

 

Jerry Rice took a little swipe as well by saying that Megatron retired at an age where Jerry Rice was just reaching his prime. Maybe just to help Lynn and Megatron out we should offer him a one year deal and let Ben throw it up to him in the red zone so maybe he can get a ring and change Swann's argument? LOL!

 

Can't offer him a contract since he's under contract with the Lions through 2019.

 

That's an interesting take. Is CJ still under contract with the Lions?
Edit: Just seen Eddie's post.

 

And it was a different era. Today's game is so slanted towards WRs it's not funny. Swann played in an era that PI had to be pretty bad to be called and defenders could hit you all the way down the field. You can't just go by receiving numbers for this argument. Bart Starr had a completion percent of 57%. By today's standards anything under 60% is bad and would be a bench player but in his era he's a HoF'er.

Johnson has played 8 years. He's 23rd in yards (behind Ward btw). 22 in TDs (behind Ward again btw). He's 43rd in receptions (yup, again behind Ward! ). He's retiring too early to be a HoF'er, I think Swann is right.

 

Swann was a big game player, that's why he got in the HOF.

 

Swann had literally half the targets that Megatron got.

Bradshaw completed an average of 12 passes per game over his career.

What people expect Swann to do with such a low volume targets I don't know.

If you doubled Swann's stats to compare the targets to what Megatron got in '78 Swann would have had:

122 Rec 1760 Yds 22 TDs

Pretty damn good.

Bradshaw completed 12.9 passes per game that year.

Stafford completes 24 per game on his career.

Stafford has 4 of the top 50 seasons in most pass attempts including 1st, 5th and 19th.

A TON of balls have gone Megatron's way.

Megatron's record breaking season? Stafford threw the ball 727 times!!!

 

Oh man I didn't even realize that. I thought he had played it out and was a FA and was just deciding not to play again.

 

I don't know why someone disagreed with this. Swann is getting all kinds of hate on NFL.com for his comments. OP is exactly right.

Mostly from "fans" who apparently never watched football in the 90s or beyond.

Stats flying all over the place.

 

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/detroit-lions/calvin-johnson/

 

From 1975 to 1978/79, Swann was the best WR in the game. Period. How good? So good that players took shots to his head, away from the play, just to get him off the field.

I don't know if CJ has ever been the game's best WR, definitively, for a four-year period.

 

So what does that do to their cap situation? Does he forfeit money or what?

 

If Calvin Johnson plays out the remainder of his contract, stays relatively healthy and has above average numbers including TD's then I think he would be a first ballot HOF'er for sure. Since he is calling it a career the same way Barry Sanders did, then I think he gets in after a few nominations but more so on just a popularity vote. He was great but there are no trophies to show for it.

In regards to being on the same playing level as Swann, it's not even close. Lynn showed up nearly every single game and especially during the playoffs and Superbowls. CJ not so much. He's been very hit or miss lately.

 

From 73-79 a RB led the NFL in receptions each year. It was a different era.

Swann was a big play receiver. Swann was the Mike Wallace of the 70s... but without the stats.





Just kidding! Don't freak out! Haha.

Steelers were a run oriented team. When the big play was needed Swann made it. Being clutch is such a big part of sports and Swann was.

Art Monk was the only player before 1990 to go over 100 receptions. Since 1990 the receptions leader has been over 100 every year but '98.

You can basically separate all the receivers and passers from '89 and prior and '90 and after.

 

Now having CJ would solve our redzone problems

 

Who deserves to be in the HOF was always going to get complicated, mind. At the risk of stating the obvious.

The longer a sport goes on, the more a logjam of worthy players builds up who don't quite make it in, but still have a case.

Then the rules are changed - free agency, 'safety' rules, etc. etc. - which changes the boundaries of what's impressive and what isn't.

For me, the only way to decide these days is to look at three criteria: positional dominance (in context), changing the way a position is played (across history), and exceptional representation of the game (e.g. what Swann did).

So Barry Sanders is a clear 'in', on that criteria, but CJ is perhaps a bit more questionable. I still think he gets in, though.

 

Cliff Branch 74 - 60 catches 1092 yards 13 TDs

Steve Largent 79 - 66 catches 1237 yards 9 TDs

Those are the 2 best seasons by a WR in the 70s.

When I see people attacking Swann by directly comparing his stats in the 70s to Megatron's stats now I want to choke somebody.

Largent's amazing season would have been 42nd in catches, 9th in yards, and 14th in TDs (tied 8 ways).

That was a HOF season.

 

Sadly we might live unto a time when the HOF voters just go off of fantasy stats alone. Stats are actually really tough to base everything off of because of garbage time stuff that looks good later on paper. For example, to me, Hines deserves to be in more because of his work away from the ball as much as his work with it. He was an all around football player and more than just a "wide receiver". He could block. He could lay somebody out. He would go across the middle. He was tough and hardly took a play off and could be counted on to answer the bell. That's why I think Hines is HOF worthy.

 

I agree that Hines is HOF worthy and his being the leading franchise receiver over 2 HOF receivers really helps his case regardless of era. Plus he was Super bowl MVP and rules were changed due to his blocks.

Doesn't have the stats that some other guys do though.

Staaaaaaaaats!