Earl Campbell made the football hall of fame. Unfortunately, I was too young to see him play. Does big Earl making the Hall of Fame create a case to be made for Yao to be inducted to the basketball Hall of Fame? Their stats seemed very similar; very well in relation to other players in their respective positions during their career, however both had injuries that shortened their careers. Thoughts?
Different sports, different player pools, different HOFs, different entrance criteria, etc... There is little to no connection to be made. And I totally agree with msn on both points. If Yao makes the HOF, it will be more because of his impact off the court, assuming that players can get in for that kind of stuff. He was a good player but not even close to HOF-caliber when you evaluate his overall career and accomplishments.
Again, A bunch of claims with no warrants. Explain what the different entrance criteria is. How is he not even close to HOF caliber when someone like Arvydas Sabonis is currently in the Basketball HOF. I understand the point you are trying to make, you just aren't doing the best job of defending it.
You want deep analysis in response to your asking whether a top-10 all time running back from 30 years ago "paves the way" for Tenderfoot to make the Hall of Fame based on how good he was for a couple of games? Let me go a bit deeper: your question is stupid.
Also, to my knowledge, the HOF voters in pretty much all major sports aren't stat geeks like a lot of the folks around here. They look at basic numbers, awards, championships, general perception, etc... so please don't cite Yao Ming's PER or his +/- during a 2-month stretch in 2006 or whatever. Voters will probably remember Yao Ming for his fragility and shortcomings more than any of his accomplishments. Off the court is a different story. If that is part of the voting criteria, then that is a different story and he has a chance.
:grin: Clever, sir. I never said paves the way. I just wanted some actual analysis comparing two Houston Pro-Athlete's sports careers. Unfortunately, I got a response from someone who writes for the bleacher report . It's not about a couple of games, it's about how the career's are compared as well as their impact to their respective team (e.g No Title's for either, Lots of Pro Bowls/All Star game appearances, high career averages etc.) Your ad-hominem attack of calling m question "stupid" clearly makes you look like the more elegant communicator.
You clearly misunderstand ad hominem, as well as the proper use of apostrophes and the proper usage of the words "elegant" and "eloquent". Stating the fact that your question is stupid isn't an attack on your person at all. It's an attack--an appropriate one--on your stupid question. If you don't wish to be responded to in a terse manner, then don't start it. By the way, I don't write about sports for *anyone*. My enduring memory of Yao follows:[rquoter]http://www.clutchfans.net/game.cfm?gameID=2937<br /><br /><strong>Imagine a cute, 7-foot-6 furry bunny wrapped in linen, hopping around on a grassy knoll eating pink buttercups</strong> or something in a Cage Death Match against Freddy Krueger on amphetamines. It doesn't take a CSI episode to realize that there's a bloody glove in Carlos Boozer's locker. Tonight, Yao was hopeless inside defensively as Boozer either used his quickness to get a step or two en route to the hoop, or nailed a 12-16 footer.[/rquoter]
Earl wasn't really slowed because of injuries in the traditional sense. He just wore down quicker with all the carries. The better analogy would be Terrell Davis if he were in the Hall of Fame which I don't think he will be. Kirby Puckett is another that comes to mind. I don't think there is any doubt that Yao gets in. The basketball HOF is a joke to begin with. If Bill Walton is in the HOF then Yao damn sure better be.
well, he is "famous". :grin: I personally have *lots* of doubt. He was only average defensively for a guy his size, he was at times elite (and for a stretch superelite) offensively, but then at other times flat and almost a non-factor. And, most importantly of all, dude could not stay on the court. Last year, for example, I did as much for the Rockets on the court as Yao. Can I go to the basketball HoF, too?
I'd take Bill Walton every day over Yao, and twice on Sunday. I'll also take Boozer and Dwight Howard over Yao (yes, even though Yao pretty much owned Howard for a couple years). Hell, last year Thabeet was better than Yao.
Why do you say their stats are similar? Earl led the NFL in rushing 3 consecutive seasons. He was a rookie of the year and offensive player of the year. He was widely acknowledged as the most feared back in the league during most of his career. Earl did things no one else had done. Yao Ming was a good player, but never acheived anywhere near the same level of dominance that Earl did. Yao's off the court accomplishments will help him enter the basketball hall of fame (note that it is not limited to NBA career only).
They both had injury shortened careers and played on teams that saw little post-season success, but the similarities end there. Yao Ming is regarded as one of the best centers of his day, Earl Campbell is regarded as one of the best runningbacks of all time.
Earl is already there and Yao will get there. Biggest difference is how...Yao more for his contribution to global BBall and Earl for his play on the field and busting heads on his way to the endzone.
