A Hall Pass for Morris

The Patriots Hall of Fame needs a senior selection committee. Just like the Pro Football Hall of Fame has a separate group to induct players whose window of eligibility expired, the Patriots Hall could use a similar group.

It should consist of former accomplished players and veteran journalists that know the history of the franchise inside and out. The players don’t have to be members of the hall. If the player had a good career with the team (Steve Grogan, for example), he could be a part of this SSC.

The idea is to have a group of people to elect deserving players when the normal process passes them over. It works for the NFL Hall. RB Floyd Little didn’t get in until 30 years after his eligibility, and DB Dick LeBeau benefited from the SSC after being snubbed for 33 years.

The reason I’m saying this is on Wednesday, RB Sam “Bam” Cunningham will enter the Patriots Hall. With all due respect, he shouldn’t be a Patriots Hall of Famer with a career rushing total 5,453 yards, less than the career rushing leader for all but two NFL teams (Houston’s Dominick Davis and Carolina’s DeShawn Foster).

The problem lies in letting fans vote for the Hall of Famers. A panel pares down the list of nominees down to three finalists that the fans pick from. While knowledgeable, many fans will put their vote for a player with statistics. Since fans had the final word, the selections have been WR Stanley Morgan, TE Ben Coates, RB Jim Nance, and Cunningham, players that have yards and touchdowns to make their case for selection.

Denied has been C Jon Morris, a Hall finalist for the past three years, even though he has more All-Star selections (seven) than any player elected by the fans. He was part of the line that opened holes for 2009 Hall inductee Nance. But because yards are credited to running backs and not offensive linemen, fans picked Nance over Morris.

And with players from recent history becoming eligible, it will get harder for players like Morris and DL Houston Antwine to be selected. For instance, QB Drew Bledsoe, once the keeper of the Patriots’ significant passing stats, becomes eligible next year. WR Troy Brown could get in as soon as 2012. Fan favorite LB Tedy Bruschi might walk in as soon as 2014.

The profile of the average voter is unknown, but surely the players fans watched for years will be favored over the players from another era.

Morris and Antwine could be honored if owner Robert Kraft uses his authority to induct them. But if the ultimate decision continues to remain in the hands of the fans, Morris will continue to wait for a deserving honor that might never come.