Print this page

Morten Andersen 2017 HOF Debate

Morten Andersen 2017 HOF Debate
01 Feb
2017
Not in Hall of Fame
Here we are in the National Football League playoffs but for us that it means it is time to discuss the potential class of the 2017 Pro Football Hall of Fame.  The Finalists have been announced, and along with regular contributor, Spheniscus, we will go back and forth with each candidate and openly debate as to which player would be a worthy Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee.

Committee Chairman: Spheniscus, I am going to kick this off (pun intended) with the all-time leading scorer, which in any other sport would mean automatic entry.  In Pro Football, that doesn’t mean it at all, and we have Morten Andersen, entering his fourth year of eligibility. 

Place Kickers and Punters are the kidneys of sports.  You need them, they are used every day, but you only pay attention to them when they fail you.  Speaking of that, I am going to accelerate that process by grabbing another beer.


Spheniscus: When we did Andersen last year, I said that the next kicker going into the Hall via the voters will be Vinatieri (should he ever, you know, actually retire). Why Vinatieri? Because he had the moments. Two Super bowl winning kicks and what is the single most impressive kick of my viewing lifetime, the 2001 Snow Bowl (known affectionately as the Tuck Rule Game in Oakland).

Morten Andersen? His most famous kick is… well, you were the only Saints fan in your whole province. You tell me your favorite Andersen kick. I’ll go get myself a case of Moosehead while you think. I’ll have plenty of time to finish them all before you come up with even one.

He was pretty good at his job for a very long time and grabbed the record for most points in history, while also holding the record for most games played in history (which certainly helps you with scoring). And it is possible that he won’t even have the points record over Vinatieri for much longer. Vinatieri is 44, but is signed through next season with the Colts. He had 125 points this year, moving him into third on the all-time scoring list. He does that again next year, he passes Gary Anderson for second. He plays one more year after that and does it again, this Dane is now the second greatest on the scoring chart. And Vinatieri will have done it in 29 fewer games (nearly 2 seasons worth).


Committee Chairman: I tried your idea. Without the benefit of research I went through 18 Mooseheads, 12 Kokanees, a mickey of Canadian Club and for my diet a 24 of Bud Light (which is actually the biggest seller in Canada). After converting my blood type to 4.5% alcohol, I still don’t have an answer as to what Morten Andersen’s greatest hits were.


Safe to say if we were go to half on producing the “Best of the Great Dane” we wouldn’t be able to one of those aforementioned beers.

Oh, and yes I am the only one in Saints swag that I have seen in this province.

Now, he doesn’t have Vinatieri moments, but does the 38 yard Field Goal that won the game for Atlanta in NFC Championship Game count?

I will answer for you, as I agree it doesn’t. He is supposed to make that, though I can’t fault Andersen for having less chances for dramatic moments as Vinatieri has 19 more playoff appearances than Andersen.

I will agree with you on another point. If I have a choice to make between Viniteri and Andersen, I go with A.V. every time, and I think Morten will still be on the ballot when Viniateri gets there, and if he is, his only avenue is the Senior Nominee route.

Saying all of this, I think Andersen is a Hall of Famer, I really do.

I know you don’t think he will get in, but straight up, do you think he should? The people of Copenhagen want to know!

Spheniscus: I do think so, eventually. Via the Senior Committee. After Vinatieri is already in. But I wouldn’t be a whole lot of Carlsberg on that. Gary Anderson will not ever be in however.

By the way, drinking Bud Light? With all those lakes you don’t have enough water in Canada so you have to import some? C’mon Commissioner, at least get creative. Have a Sam Light or Rolling Rock Green Light or something. Hell, some decades old Zima would be better.

Friends don’t let friends drink Bud Light.

Committee Chairman: Bud Light isn’t the worst beer, providing I want to keep drinking all day and maintain a buzz all day. Sure I go to the bathroom all day, but that is a small price to pay.


Okay, it’s cheap, and it counters my Polish lagers, which cost me my first born! Stop judging me!

For what it is worth, my favorite beer of all time is Tyskie, from Poland of course. Now that you live in Chicago, I am sure that you have your fill of Polish brew and brats.

Anyway, the question now is what we do with our fictional votes and what those whose votes matter will do.

Morten isn’t going in, and nor would I have voted for him this year. He is always going to be one of those players that it will be too easy to find five.

Spheniscus: I agree he won’t get in this year and that he likely won’t get in through this process. He seems like a senior candidate if at all. I also agree that Bud Light isn’t the worst beer. It also isn’t a beer I would give to a friend.

I actually just had a Banana Bread Beer for the first time. Also not the worst beer, but not sure it’s my favorite thing. I’d definitely do it again before I’d give a Bud Light to a friend. 
Last modified on Friday, 21 April 2017 14:01
Tagged under
Committee Chairman

Kirk Buchner, "The Committee Chairman", is the owner and operator of the site.  Kirk can be contacted at [email protected] .

Comments powered by CComment