Hines Ward shares main reason why he is not in Hall of Fame

[polamalubeast]

Hines Ward is quick to recall a 2008 game between the Steelers and Texans, a game where the former Steelers wideout caught two early touchdowns as Pittsburgh won in a rout.

While the Steelers spent the majority of the second half running the ball and protecting their big lead, the Texans aired it out while utilizing the talents of their No. 1 wideout, Andre Johnson. The Steelers ultimately won the game, but Johnson finished with gaudier numbers. It's just one example of Ward winning the game but, based on circumstances outside of his control, not putting up bigger numbers than one of his peers.

That's one of the reasons why Ward feels that he's not currently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame despite being a semifinalist each of the past six years. While he twice achieved the ultimate team goal of winning a Super Bowl, one specific individual accolade might be what has kept Ward from receiving the greatest individual honor a professional football player can receive.

"The feedback, or what I've been hearing, is that, 'Well, you're (weren't) an All-Pro,'" Ward said during a recent interview with CBS Sports. "Well, I wasn't in an offense to be an All-Pro. We had All-Pro offensive linemen and we had All-Pro running backs because that's what our offense was."

Ward spent the majority of his 14-year career playing in a run-first offense. Instead of going deep and putting up big stats, Ward was doing the yeoman's work of catching passes over the middle and making blocks to help open running space for Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker.

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https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/f...-hall-of-fame/

[86WARD]

[Lloydwoodsonjr]

I think Hines still has a good chance to get in. He definitely has a point that the Steelers system hurt his numbers. Same applies to other players like James Harrison and Lamarr Woodley who dropped back 30-40% of the time in Lebeau's defense year to year; compared to Watt who drops back/spies less than 20% of the time. I don't think most people take details into account.

[teegre]

I’ve made this analogy before, but it bears iteration:

Hines Ward is Nirvana.

Other bands have more album sales. Other bands have had longer careers. Other bands have won more Grammys. But, without Nirvana, there is no grunge… no Pearl Jame, no Foo Fighters, no Soundgarden.

Nirvana changed things forever… just as Hines Ward changed football (specifically, rules about blocking).

[Mojouw]

I’ve made this analogy before, but it bears iteration:

Hines Ward is Nirvana.

Other bands have more album sales. Other bands have had longer careers. Other bands have won more Grammys. But, without Nirvana, there is no grunge… no Pearl Jame, no Foo Fighters, no Soundgarden.

Nirvana changed things forever… just as Hines Ward changed football (specifically, rules about blocking).

I’m not saying I disagree. But I think many HOF voters would say Ward is more like Mudhoney (the band many famous grunge groups say they respected & thought was the best) or Motherlovebone (the band who failed to break out but made other bands possible).

As you may have guessed, I wanted to talk more about 90’s bands than Ward’s HOF case.

I think Ward is deserving. But I also don’t think he ever gets in.

[ALLD]

Ward should be in the HoF. He has yards, TDs and a SB.

[Born2Steel]

It seems to be tough for WRs to get into the HoF.

[DesertSteel]

Maybe Ward can get in the rock and roll hall of fame?

[Lloydwoodsonjr]

I’ve made this analogy before, but it bears iteration:

Hines Ward is Nirvana.

Other bands have more album sales. Other bands have had longer careers. Other bands have won more Grammys. But, without Nirvana, there is no grunge… no Pearl Jame, no Foo Fighters, no Soundgarden.

Nirvana changed things forever… just as Hines Ward changed football (specifically, rules about blocking).

Are you saying Hines Ward sucks? You know Soundgarden predates Nirvana and is the better band, right? I don't think this is a good analogy.

[Lady Steel]

Ward should be in the HoF. He has yards, TDs and a SB.

And a Mirror Ball Trophy! How could you forget the Mirror Ball Trophy?

[teegre]

I’m not saying I disagree. But I think many HOF voters would say Ward is more like Mudhoney (the band many famous grunge groups say they respected & thought was the best) or Motherlovebone (the band who failed to break out but made other bands possible).

As you may have guessed, I wanted to talk more about 90’s bands than Ward’s HOF case.

I think Ward is deserving. But I also don’t think he ever gets in.

Close. The HOF committee will hold Ward’s “dirty player” mantra against him, much like Kurt Cobain detractors can’t get past his suicide.

[Steel Peon]

People who don't really know football (or any sport) only look at numbers and claim to be experts, something that might actually hurt the sport in question, encouraging most players to only care about getting "gaudy" numbers for the "experts." If anyone's watched Hines play and paid attention you'd know he's irreplaceable, and finding another player who can do everything he did is not something likely to happen in anyone's lifetime. A player like Hines wins you championships, and our rise and fall from contention for such very much parallels his career's timeline, when he was in his prime. Hell, the current trajectory the NFL's been taking for the last 20 years almost mandates denial for a player like Hines to be inducted, and his current absence really doesn't surprise me.

[86WARD]

People who don't really know football (or any sport) only look at numbers and claim to be experts, something that might actually hurt the sport in question, encouraging most players to only care about getting "gaudy" numbers for the "experts." If anyone's watched Hines play and paid attention you'd know he's irreplaceable, and finding another player who can do everything he did is not something likely to happen in anyone's lifetime. A player like Hines wins you championships, and our rise and fall from contention for such very much parallels his career's timeline, when he was in his prime. Hell, the current trajectory the NFL's been taking for the last 20 years almost mandates denial for a player like Hines to be inducted, and his current absence really doesn't surprise me.

Well said!!

[tube517]

I’m not saying I disagree. But I think many HOF voters would say Ward is more like Mudhoney (the band many famous grunge groups say they respected & thought was the best) or Motherlovebone (the band who failed to break out but made other bands possible).

As you may have guessed, I wanted to talk more about 90’s bands than Ward’s HOF case.

I think Ward is deserving. But I also don’t think he ever gets in.

Damn, brought up Mudhoney. Could Hines be Green River? Naw, he wasn't as obscure. Thanks for bringing back the 90s grunge!

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

I’m not saying I disagree. But I think many HOF voters would say Ward is more like Mudhoney (the band many famous grunge groups say they respected & thought was the best) or Motherlovebone (the band who failed to break out but made other bands possible).

As you may have guessed, I wanted to talk more about 90’s bands than Ward’s HOF case.

I think Ward is deserving. But I also don’t think he ever gets in.

I agree with this. I also dont think Ward gets in but hold out a slim hope that he eventually does.

While Nirvana was definitely a historic band in the lives for many of us, I wonder how many of you listen to Nirvana as much as other bands from that time? I know that I listen to Pearl Jam a lot more than any of my Nirvana CD's.

[Mojouw]

Damn, brought up Mudhoney. Could Hines be Green River? Naw, he wasn't as obscure. Thanks for bringing back the 90s grunge!

Daaaaayyyyyuuuuuum. I forgot about Green River. I don't think I've thought about that band in like, screw that - I'm not doing the math it is just going to make me feel old!

Well... off to Spotify to make a new playlist....and watch Singles on repeat for a bit....

https://youtu.be/PE5f561Y1x4

[Mojouw]

I agree with this. I also dont think Ward gets in but hold out a slim hope that he eventually does.

While Nirvana was definitely a historic band in the lives for many of us, I wonder how many of you listen to Nirvana as much as other bands from that time? I know that I listen to Pearl Jam a lot more than any of my Nirvana CD's.

Same. But I always liked Pearl Jam better.

Wonder who is the standard bearer for that era? I mean, I guess Nirvana because they stopped making music before they had to change their sound. Other bands simply broke up or had critical members OD (I refuse to acknowledge the existence of post Weiland Stone Temple Pilots tunes or post Staley Alice and Chains albums). Alternatively, you could argue that the multiple decades of success makes Pearl Jam the "best" band from that era...

Back to the HOF. Ward is a specific style of WR from a specific period of football. It is too bad he played right when the league began to shift to more pass wacky stuff. His career then seems "less" but how many years did he play in an I formation team? If he plays a handful of years earlier...isn't he just a more physical Art Monk? Not saying that Monk was a shrinking violet...just that Ward really liked hitting people.

[vasteeler]

I agree with this. I also dont think Ward gets in but hold out a slim hope that he eventually does.

While Nirvana was definitely a historic band in the lives for many of us, I wonder how many of you listen to Nirvana as much as other bands from that time? I know that I listen to Pearl Jam a lot more than any of my Nirvana CD's.

It was Soundgarden for me.

[teegre]

This thread reconfirms my thoughts on Nirvana being analogous with Hines Ward.

Some people like Soundgarden more. Some like Pearl Jam. Many bands sold more albums. Many bands had bigger tours. More Grammys. More touchdowns. More yards. More receptions.

But, again, none of that matters. The impact that Ward had on the gene is HOF worthy.

[HollywoodSteel]

Damn, brought up Mudhoney. Could Hines be Green River? Naw, he wasn't as obscure. Thanks for bringing back the 90s grunge!

I’m starting to love this thread. Obviously without Green River and Mother Love Bone there is no Pearl Jam. I would have actually much preferred Andy Wood not dying and MLB enduring for a long time.

- - - Updated - - -

This thread reconfirms my thoughts on Nirvana being analogous with Hines Ward.

Some people like Soundgarden more. Some like Pearl Jam. Many bands sold more albums. Many bands had bigger tours. More Grammys. More touchdowns. More yards. More receptions.

But, again, none of that matters. The impact that Ward had on the gene is HOF worthy.

The problem with that analogy is that no one holds any of that lack of longevity against Nirvana. They are considered to be the very best of the grunge era bands. They were the equivalent of first team All Pros until Kurt died. And unlike Ward they were slam dunk first ballot HOFers.

[teegre]

The problem with that analogy is that no one holds any of that lack of longevity against Nirvana. They are considered to be the very best of the grunge era bands. They were the equivalent of first team All Pros until Kurt died. And unlike Ward they were slam dunk first ballot HOFers.

Longevity or not.
Number of #1 hits or not.
Size of tours, album sales, Grammeys… or not.

It’s all about impact.

[Mojouw]

Ugggggghhhh....Andy Wood dying sucked. MLB was and would've continued to be incredible.

But....I do love me some Pearl Jam....

That whole era of bands is just a solid PSA for why heroin sucks. And mental health is important. Too many creative musicians just blinked out.

[HollywoodSteel]

Ugggggghhhh....Andy Wood dying sucked. MLB was and would've continued to be incredible.

But....I do love me some Pearl Jam....

That whole era of bands is just a solid PSA for why heroin sucks. And mental health is important. Too many creative musicians just blinked out.

Agree with all of it.

The Temple of the Dog album was a very nice tribute to Andy Wood from his band mates and his best friend, Chris Cornell. Crazy how much talent there was in that group of friends.

[Mojouw]

Agree with all of it.

The Temple of the Dog album was a very nice tribute to Andy Wood from his band mates and his best friend, Chris Cornell. Crazy how much talent there was in that group of friends.

Agreed.

It is amazing how many of those guys had layers of overlapping connections on a personal and professional level.

Just sucks that so many of them struggled with unaddressed issues. From the far outside, Cornell's life looked amazing.Gets to do what he loves. Plays in bands with friends and other talented artists. Was in like a half dozen or more successful bands. Great family. And still, whatever his demons were finally caught up with him in the most tragic way possible. Or the recent member of the Foo Fighters that passed.

[86WARD]

I’m starting to love this thread. Obviously without Green River and Mother Love Bone there is no Pearl Jam. I would have actually much preferred Andy Wood not dying and MLB enduring for a long time.

- - - Updated - - -



The problem with that analogy is that no one holds any of that lack of longevity against Nirvana. They are considered to be the very best of the grunge era bands. They were the equivalent of first team All Pros until Kurt died. And unlike Ward they were slam dunk first ballot HOFers.

That’s Pearl Jam. A little under the radar, longevity is there, Show up, play, go home. Hines Ward is Pearl Jam.

[86WARD]

Agree with all of it.

The Temple of the Dog album was a very nice tribute to Andy Wood from his band mates and his best friend, Chris Cornell. Crazy how much talent there was in that group of friends.

You won’t find more talent in a group. That was crazy…

[tube517]

Agree with all of it.

The Temple of the Dog album was a very nice tribute to Andy Wood from his band mates and his best friend, Chris Cornell. Crazy how much talent there was in that group of friends.

Mad Season was pretty good too. 3 of the big 4 Seattle grunge lead singers all gone. And even Mark Lanegan of the Screaming Trees also passed. Tragic.

Sent from my SM-N976U using Tapatalk

[Lloydwoodsonjr]

The problem with that analogy is that no one holds any of that lack of longevity against Nirvana. They are considered to be the very best of the grunge era bands. They were the equivalent of first team All Pros until Kurt died. And unlike Ward they were slam dunk first ballot HOFers.

Nirvana couldn't even play their instruments properly and couldn't sing. Jesus Christ this message board...

[hawaiiansteeler]

Nirvana couldn't even play their instruments properly and couldn't sing. Jesus Christ this message board...

you're welcome to leave anytime.

you would be missed.

just kidding, you wouldn't be missed at all.

[86WARD]

Nirvana couldn't even play their instruments properly and couldn't sing. Jesus Christ this message board...

Who is a good band to you? This ought to be good…