Rickey Jackson snubbed again for HOF. (1 Viewer)

[SuperSaint]

Rickey Jackson is the best linebacker that I personally ever saw play. I think he was every bit as good as LT or any of those Giants players, and I believe that, based on skill, he definitely should be there.

With that said, folks need to come to grips with this. Rickey will never be at the podium in Canton. Ever.

He doesn't have the sex appeal that voters are looking for. When was the last time you saw him on any national pre-game shows as a guest?

This is as much of a beauty contest as it is based on skill.

You get to the HOF in the NFL by being visible, by winning in a major market or becoming a media darling.

 

[Loose Cannon]

It's a shame that Derrick Thomas was not a first ballot entrant. That's even more ridiculous than Rickey getting snubbed.

 

[maestreaux]

Pete Finney of the Times-Picayune is listed on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors for the New Orleans area. Someone should ask him why Ricky gets snubbed every year.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

Pete Finney of the Times-Picayune is listed on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors for the New Orleans area. Someone should ask him why Ricky gets snubbed every year.

...I'd like to know if Pete has even recommended or nominated #57.... If not, he ought to be ashamed.......

 

[David Robbins]

I don't see how you can say that. The Saints defense Rickey played on was one of the best in the NFL. It's not as though Rickey didn't have any supporting cast (Sam Mills, Vaughn Johnson, Pat Swilling on the other end?). Most people involved with the NFL, players, journalist, coaches, agree that for a time LT was the most dominant defensive player in the NFL. LT is the only defensive player to win the MVP award in the past like 40 years. No similiar consensous has or ever will exist for Rickey Jackson. You can't just casually dismiss that.

Rickey was drafted in the same draft that LT was. Rickey didn't play on a winning team until 1986. Before that, he was about the only real force on defense we had at that time. Yet, Rickey was a force. LT had Banks and others helping him out. Rickey is also on the other side of the line, whereas LT was at the prime spot for pass rushing. Rickey could also drop into coverage and played the run as well as, if not better than LT. Also, Rickey started the year before they actually started counting Sacks.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

I've been saying for years that Rickey Jackson is as good as Lawrence Taylor ever was. LT played on a better team than Rickey did. I just don't understand their rationale.

...+57- If Rickey Jackson had played for the Giants, Lawrence Taylor would have been in the Harry Carson role in that equation- great player, but not as outstanding as Rickey.......

 

[SaintJ]

You get to the HOF in the NFL by being visible, by winning in a major market or becoming a media darling.

Which explains Harry Carson.

If you played for the Giants, you should go to the HoF because your greatness made the team great.

If you played for the Saints, well, look at all those other good players they had with you.

 

[SaintJ]

Pete Finney of the Times-Picayune is listed on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors for the New Orleans area. Someone should ask him why Ricky gets snubbed every year.

Maybe because they all meet once a year.

And then Pete gets up to speak.

One sentence at a time.

And then they stop listening.

Although I would like him to explain, without violating any confidences, why Andre Tippett is on that list and Jackson is not.

 

[saint_brees]

Well you compare Jackson to the other LBs on the list to see if he belongs

Randy Gradishar - No idea who this is

Randy was 7-time Pro Bowler for the Denver Bronocs. I remember seeing him play when I was young. I think he played when Tom Jackson (ESPN) played.

 

[The Mongoose]

I don't see how you can say that. The Saints defense Rickey played on was one of the best in the NFL. It's not as though Rickey didn't have any supporting cast (Sam Mills, Vaughn Johnson, Pat Swilling on the other end?). Most people involved with the NFL, players, journalist, coaches, agree that for a time LT was the most dominant defensive player in the NFL. LT is the only defensive player to win the MVP award in the past like 40 years. No similiar consensous has or ever will exist for Rickey Jackson. You can't just casually dismiss that.

I would offer to you that the supporting cast, without Rickey, wouldn't be very memorable. Swilling, the most accomplished of the others, never really did anything after he left the Saints (read: Rickey). You could argue about Mills' effectiveness after leaving here, but most of his qualities were leadership and intagibles; he never really dominated games. All those dudes, especially Swilling, were what they were because of Rickey. Swilling was never really much more than a speed rusher; they used to run inside him all the time, at crucial points in the game.

Rickey Jackson dominated every game he played in. Don't forget, Rickey got all his sacks coming from the side the quarterback could see, not the blindside. That makes a huge, huge difference. LT assassinated people while their backs were turned; Rickey got all those sacks in plain view.

If it's about stats, Rickey has more fumble recoveries than anybody who ever played the game. That should count for something.

The major factor in LT being so popular is the size of his market. Harry Carson, Pepper Johnson and those guys wouldn't be remembered had they played elsewhere, and LT's fame would be greatly diminished.

This really stinks. Rickey is beyond a doubt worthy of the hall of fame, and there's not a question, at least in my mind, that he was every bit the player LT was, if not more.

And he didn't get his sacks all hopped up on coaine, either.

 

[The Mongoose]

One more thought:

Look at how many sacks the guys lined up on the other side the defense from Rickey Jackson got. The attention Rickey received made Renaldo Turnbull look like an all pro.

That's about as strong an argument as one can make, I think.

 

[JimEverett]

I think Lawrence Taylor was the greates defensive player in the last 30 years - and maybe ever.
Now, compare his stats to Rickey's - they are almost identical

Rickey has 128 sacks
LT - 132.5

Rickey has 8 ints
LT - 9

It is true that Rickey played in 43 more games than LT. But if you consider that LT is the greatest (or close to it) then Rickey looks liek he is definitely hall-of-fame material.
IMO, Rickey won't get consideration because he never made the HUGE plays when it really mattered - in the playoffs. Of course that hasn;t hurt some other people.

 

[longtime lurker]

The snub continues.....

Most Saints fans know how great he was.....I only wish more sports writers from around the country knew it too.

 

[SaintSausagehead]

I dont understand it either dont forget ricky did get one ring with the niners and he played his but of in the nfc championship game that year, He should be in bottom line

 

[JimEverett]

I dont understand it either dont forget ricky did get one ring with the niners and he played his but of in the nfc championship game that year, He should be in bottom line

you're right - i forgot about that