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Alan Faneca 2017 HOF Debate

Alan Faneca 2017 HOF Debate
03 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, in my mind, Alan Faneca should have been inducted last year. 

As it stands now, this is the top Offensive Lineman who is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which is a position that Canton absolutely loves. 

Faneca is also a Steeler, which is Pro Football Hall of Fame gold.  Is there a reason why he won’t get in?

Spheniscus: You’re right. Faneca probably should have gone in last year, except that Orlando Pace was on the ballot and Dick Stanfel was one of the senior candidates. That was already two Offensive Linemen. They weren’t taking three and that squeezed out Faneca and probably opened the door for Kevin Greene.

This year, there is no Orlando Pace on the ballot. It is simply Faneca, Kevin Mawae, and Joe Jacoby. All three are worthy. I think all three will be in Canton one day. Jacoby likely as a senior candidate since we are nearing the end of the line for him in terms of eligibility.

So do you take the eight time Pro Bowler, seven time All-Pro, and starting center on the 2000s All Decade team Mawae, or the nine time Pro Bowler, six time All-Pro, and starting Guard on the 2000s All Decade team Faneca? I really don’t think it matters. One of them will be getting in this year, but it doesn’t really matter which one. The other will be getting in next year.

I take it you are leaning Faneca however?


Committee Chairman: I do, but it is a slight lean. I agree, all three are Canton bound, and based on how they operate they aren’t adept to putting two of the same position in the same year, though I would have no problem with both getting in this year (by both I mean Faneca and Mawae). The biggest difference between the two is Alan Faneca has a

Super Bowl Ring and Mawae doesn’t. Honestly, that is enough for the slight lean.

Spheniscus: So we are both pro Faneca and pro Mawae going into the Hall. And we both think that one Offensive Lineman will be getting in. And that lineman will likely be Faneca this year by a narrow margin. I thought we were supposed to be debating.

Committee Chairman: I think we have had a strong series of debates going on! Strong Offensive Linemen generally aren’t the subject of those type of discussions though are they?

Anyway, I would vote for him this year, and so will the Committee.

Spheniscus: Agreed. This is the Offensive Lineman this year.

Last modified on Friday, 21 April 2017 14:00
Committee Chairman

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

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