[Mick]

Still can’t figure out why Roger Craig isn’t in HOF. Not to mention Ricky Waters.

I confess to being confused as to the NFL HoF's methods for selecting RBs. Minimum yardage for guaranteed admission seems to be 12,000 yards. There are 15 HoF-eligible RBs who have achieved that number, all 15 are in the HoF. Less than 12,000, it's a real grab bag. Fred Taylor and Steven Jackson didn't make it, but John Riggins and OJ Simpson did. After OJ, there are 12 RBs between 9,796 and 11,102 yards who aren't in the HoF. Joe Perry is in, but not Chris Johnson or Shaun Alexander...but then Earl Campbell is in. Ricky Watters, Ahman Green and Terry Allen aren't in...but Jim Taylor is. 

Between 8,000 and 9,000 yards, which encompasses Roger Craig, Herschel Walker, Gerald Riggs, Priest Holmes, Maurice Jones Drew, DeAngelo Williams, Freeman McNeil, Stephen Davis...only Larry Csonka and Jim Taylor are in. The other 10 eligible backs are not in.

There are 100 running backs between 5,000 and 8,000 yards. Only seven RBs are in, mostly from an older era: Terrell Davis, Leroy Kelly, John Henry Johnson, Hugh McIlhenny, Lenny Moore, Ollie Matson and Floyd Little. So is Gale Sayers, but he's a special case.

I think Frank Gore will make it as the #3 overall RB (16,000 yards exactly), but I have well-meaning friends who seriously question as to whether Gore belongs in. There are some great 49er RBs in the HoF (McIlhenny, Matson, Perry, Simpson, John Henry Johnson), but a fair number of other possibly-deserving RBs who have more yards than HoFers McIlhenny, Matson & Moore (Garrison Hearst, Roger Craig, Rickey Watters, Charlie Garner, Wendell Tyler, Ken Willard, Delvin Williams).

TDs might have an impact. You're right, 95 seems to be the line of demarcation. Roger Craig has 73. OJ, James Lofton and Bob Hayes all have 76, they're in. Chuck Foreman, Harold Jackson and Bill Brown had the same number, they're not in. Christian has 80. At 95, he should be assured to be in. At 84, former 49er Joe Perry is in, as is Calvin Johnson. Andre Rison and Herschel Walker are not. As for Ricky Watters...with 91, he's not in, but the other four...Isaac Bruce, Tony Dorsett, Edgerrin James and Bobby Mitchell...are in. Maybe it's the racial slurs he used when coaching, maybe it was the "For who...for what?" interview after his miserable debut with the Eagles.

[Mick]

Still can’t figure out why Roger Craig isn’t in HOF. Not to mention Ricky Waters.

I confess to being confused as to the NFL HoF's methods for selecting RBs. Minimum yardage for guaranteed admission seems to be 12,000 yards. There are 15 HoF-eligible RBs who have achieved that number, all 15 are in the HoF. Less than 12,000, it's a real grab bag. Fred Taylor and Steven Jackson didn't make it, but John Riggins and OJ Simpson did. After OJ, there are 12 RBs between 9,796 and 11,102 yards who aren't in the HoF. Joe Perry is in, but not Chris Johnson or Shaun Alexander...but then Earl Campbell is in. Ricky Watters, Ahman Green and Terry Allen aren't in...but Jim Taylor is. 

Between 8,000 and 9,000 yards, which encompasses Roger Craig, Herschel Walker, Gerald Riggs, Priest Holmes, Maurice Jones Drew, DeAngelo Williams, Freeman McNeil, Stephen Davis...only Larry Csonka and Jim Taylor are in. The other 10 eligible backs are not in.

There are 100 running backs between 5,000 and 8,000 yards. Only seven RBs are in, mostly from an older era: Terrell Davis, Leroy Kelly, John Henry Johnson, Hugh McIlhenny, Lenny Moore, Ollie Matson and Floyd Little. So is Gale Sayers, but he's a special case.

I think Frank Gore will make it as the #3 overall RB (16,000 yards exactly), but I have well-meaning friends who seriously question as to whether Gore belongs in. There are some great 49er RBs in the HoF (McIlhenny, Matson, Perry, Simpson, John Henry Johnson), but a fair number of other possibly-deserving RBs who have more yards than HoFers McIlhenny, Matson & Moore (Garrison Hearst, Roger Craig, Rickey Watters, Charlie Garner, Wendell Tyler, Ken Willard, Delvin Williams).

TDs might have an impact. You're right, 95 seems to be the line of demarcation. Roger Craig has 73. OJ, James Lofton and Bob Hayes all have 76, they're in. Chuck Foreman, Harold Jackson and Bill Brown had the same number, they're not in. Christian has 80. At 95, he should be assured to be in. At 84, former 49er Joe Perry is in, as is Calvin Johnson. Andre Rison and Herschel Walker are not. As for Ricky Watters...with 91, he's not in, but the other four...Isaac Bruce, Tony Dorsett, Edgerrin James and Bobby Mitchell...are in. Maybe it's the racial slurs he used when coaching, maybe it was the "For who...for what?" interview after his miserable debut with the Eagles.