Several of you have raised a legitimate question in the wake of the news that Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor faces statutory rape charges in New York.
Can he be kicked out of Canton?
In a word, no.
In more words, off-field behavior is supposed to have no relevance to consideration for enshrinement. Peter King of SI.com and NBC tells us that, when Taylor came up for a vote in 1999, some raised the possibility of not giving him entry on the first ballot due to his history of off-field misconduct. King said that he and others argued that those matters shouldn’t matter.
Indeed, O.J. Simpson remains in the Hall of Fame, even though he now is in jail.
The next dilemma the voters could face in this regard will come in four years, if former Colts receiver Marvin Harrison ends up being tried and convicted of one or more crimes in relation to the April 2008 shooting and July 2009 killing of Dwight Dixon.
# Pier588 says: May 6, 2010 1:41 PM
Its been 310 days since the “Comment Ratings” disappeared from PFT/CFT – when will Mike Florio be addressing bringing that feature back to PFT as promised last July?
Harrison is slowing down. Took him over a year to finish Dixon off.
Eventually they’ll have to establish a seperate section for the ones who never got caught.
There’s one way to know if LT is guilty or not. Smell his fingers, all I’m saying…
As unfortunate as it sounds its true. Only on field behavior is considered when being voted into Canton.
They should inshrine a 16 year old pussy right next to LT’s face.
THANK GOD!!!
I was really worried about that…
Off field issues should not be considered…..
Unless those off field issues include a felony. I can understand wanting to protect players with “bad attitudes” or from those who just don’t like them.
I don’t understand trying to protect the legacy of people convicted of a felony.
If convicted, will this kill his chances of landing a gig in the Lingerie Football League?
Pete Rose never did anything wrong while he was playing the game.. Yea sure bring up the manager stuff but as a player he deserves it and if only considering what he did on the field it ridiculous not to see that.. But this is a football blog so I’ll go back in a hole and stop kicking up old dirt..with that said LT is obviously a horrible man and has proven that time and time again.. this just put’s icing on the cake that he can not be looked as someone who has learned from any mistakes..
Do the Bengals need a linebackers coach?
LT may be their man.
They need to move Simpson’s and L.T.’s bust next to each other and call it “Felony Row.”
It’s just more fame! All the more reason for a NFL player to be in the Hall of Fame.
And Ben R. now has won 2 Super Bowls as many as LT, this only guarantees Ben R. will be voted in on the first ballot when he becomes eligible.
yeah, but now they have to hang a Trojan off his bust’s nose and paint a red “R” on his forehead….
Seems to me that if the league was so worried about “tarnishing the shield” you would use this as an incentive to try and keep players (current & former) from doing stupid things like this. Sure “off-field behavior is supposed to have no relevance to consideration for enshrinement.” but why should that be the case? Players shouldn’t be rewarded with professional football immortality if they are gonna go out and get arrested for rape or murder (and now armed robbery in OJs case).
What kind of morons believe you can be kicked out of the Hall of Fame just for [allegedly?] raping an underage girl? It doesn’t mean he wasn’t the greatest linebacker ever. And why would you pay attention to their questions?
@Florio -
Well, thank you for that bit of news, Florio! We were all worried to death that the NFL would start kicking out drug and/or sex abusers – there wouldn’t be any CowGirls left in there after awhile!
I made myself laugh!!
Ben won’t get there anyway.
Several of you have raised a legitimate question in the wake of the news that Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor faces statutory rape charges in New York.
Can he be kicked out of Canton?
In a word, no.
In more words, off-field behavior is supposed to have no relevance to consideration for enshrinement. Peter King of SI.com and NBC tells us that, when Taylor came up for a vote in 1999, some raised the possibility of not giving him entry on the first ballot due to his history of off-field misconduct. King said that he and others argued that those matters shouldn’t matter.
Indeed, O.J. Simpson remains in the Hall of Fame, even though he now is in jail.
The next dilemma the voters could face in this regard will come in four years, if former Colts receiver Marvin Harrison ends up being tried and convicted of one or more crimes in relation to the April 2008 shooting and July 2009 killing of Dwight Dixon.
- Chris Landry
Makes sense. The Hall has nothing to do with their personal life.
o good, man can you imagine if they took him out of the HOF, that would have really ruined his day.
The only thing that should matter is what’s done on the field, not off of it. Marvin should be a Hall of Famer, maybe not first ballot, but he should get in.
I fully expect that I’ll be in the minority on this, but I do believe that a player’s off-field conduct should affect his enshrinement in Canton.
These guys are supposed to be the epitome of what young players (like my 13-year-old son who is going to be playing 8th grade football next fall) would strive to become; not just as a player but as a person.
I don’t care how great you were as a player, there isn’t an asterisk big enough to explain away having you as a rapist, a drug abuser, or especially a murderer, in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Hey Florio, has there ever been a HOF member removed from the hall?
will this come up when your lord and savior Brett Favre enters the HOF will they bring up the fact that he abused pain killers
# AllThat says: May 6, 2010 3:51 PM
“Ben won’t get there anyway.”
Hey!
Theres my buddy AllThat, loud-mouthed women abusing pussy…
Pissed your pants yet today?
“Save the jokes.”
–ampats, May 6, 2010
SkinsFanInNebraska- I don’t think you’re in the minority at all. OJ and LT should be removed promptly. Who else can we add to the list? Goodell should get on it.
**Lawrence Taylor’s spot in the Hall of Fame is safe**
It is currently being guarded by off duty cops in the Big Ben replica bath/rape room.
Larry Thug was probably kicked out of Canton years ago. Only his bust is allowed inside the city limits.
Well off field issues sure as hell matters in Baseball…..Joe Jackson, Pete Rose, etc.
His spot in the hall may be safe, but our teenage daughters aren’t!
‘Honey, get away from that bronze Lawrence Taylor bust, NOW!!!!!’
If we can’t kick rapists out of the hall of fame for their shitty exploits, at least add it to their bios/plaques so that kids don’t idolize these rotten turds.
# Frank Burns says: May 6, 2010 4:24 PM
“Save the jokes.”
–ampats, May 6, 2010
Rut-roh… seems he turned tail and ran off and hid again. ..sorta like what “AllThat” always does when he gets called out too…
coincedence?
Lawerence RapistBerger
And why should off field behavior be considered? His on field crack use wasn’t reason enough to keep him out of the Hall! What reason for that does Peter King have?
they should have a room for these kind of guy i think the shit house would do just fine
Roger Goodell will try to ban him from going to any games or NFL functions. Roger Allmighty has spoken!
# A Big Deal says: May 6, 2010 5:23 PM
“Lawerence RapistBerger”
Before you’re tempted to post again, please consult your 6-year old ahead of time for something clever to say.
“In more words, off-field behavior is supposed to have no relevance to consideration for enshrinement.”
It doesn’t for east coast teams. Off-field issues were specifically mentioned as the reason why Michael Irvin wasn’t selected on first ballot.
#BenRoethlisburger says:
May 6, 2010 6:04 PM
# A Big Deal says: May 6, 2010 5:23 PM
“Lawerence RapistBerger”
Before you’re tempted to post again, please consult your 6-year old ahead of time for something clever to say.
Hey Bennie, we wold have emailed your 6 yer old ass along with Frank ShitHead Burns, but you were tied up sending your dumbass posts to everyone.
Run & Hide……or just run…
Pimpin aint easy!
# .Vox Veritas. says: May 6, 2010 6:37 PM
“In more words, off-field behavior is supposed to have no relevance to consideration for enshrinement.”
“It doesn’t for east coast teams. Off-field issues were specifically mentioned as the reason why Michael Irvin wasn’t selected on first ballot.”
He was a coke-vacuuming dirtbag, not to mention a rapist. What more reason did they need?
/ being a Cowgirl sure didn’t help
LMAO
@Cincinnasty
Dude, Pete Rose bet on the game when he was in a position to have an effect on the game. Then he spent years denying it and spreading lies about Giamatti and Dowd. There is a posting in every major league and minor league clubhouse that lays out the penalty for betting on baseball. He’s got nobody to blame but himself. The sad fact is that had Rose fessed up when it all came down, he’d probably be in the Hall now instead of hawking autographs down the street. Pathetic!
@Ben
Irvin was accused of rape, but his accuser is in prison for filing false charges in an attempt to extort money from him and her cop boyfriend is in prison for terroristic threats. Little bit different from Roethlisberger’s cop bodyguards covering Ben’s butt.