Look For A Contingent Of Black And Gold Welcoming Two Steelers To Canton In 2009

Photograph by Kilroy_60

The Professional Football Hall of Fame has announced 25 semifinalists being considered for the Class of 2009.

A list of 133 preliminary nominees were considered by the Hall of Fame's Board of Selectors who chose the semifinalists.

I was right on 12 of the 25 I predicted.

The candidates I picked who made the cut are...

• Ron Woodson
• Shannon Sharpe
• Richard Dent
• Russ Grimm
• Ray Guy
• Bob Kuechenberg
• Paul Tagliabue
• Andre Reed
• Bruce Smith
• Chris Carter
• Derrick Thomas
• Dermontti Dawson
  

I had an opportunity to speak with a few writers who serve on the Board of Selectors as well as personnel at the Hall of Fame this past week.

From all indications, it appears two members of the Pittsburgh Steelers, whom I picked, are suffering from a backlash which has sidetracked their candidacy. It stems from the high number of players who have already been inducted from the 1970s Super Bowl teams.

Neither L.C. Greenwood, who has been a finalist in the past, nor Donnie Shell, who has more interceptions than any other strong safety in NFL history, made the cut.

In addition to L.C. Greenwood and Donnie Shell, the other players I picked who didn't qualify as semifinalists are...

• Cornelius Bennett
• Jim Covert
• Ed DeBartolo Jr.
• Irving Fryar
• Russ Francis
• Nick Lowery
• Phil Simms
• Hershel Walker
• Ken Anderson
• Dwight Clark
• Gil Brandt
  

There aren't a lot of players from the 1980s San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl teams in Canton. That appears to have swayed picks of recent years and it continued this time around.

Those who moved to the semifinal round that I didn't pick include...

• Roger Craig
• Terrell Davis
• Chris Doleman
• Kevin Greene
• Charles Haley
• Lester Hayes
• Cortez Kennedy
• Randall McDaniel
• Art Modell
• John Randle
• Ken Stabler
• Steve Tasker
• Ralph Wilson

This is the first time Roger Craig has qualified as a semifinalist; he's been eligible for the Hall since 1999.

A mail ballot will determine which 15 of the modern-era semifinalists will join Claude Humphrey and Bob Hayes, who were selected by the Hall of Fame Seniors Committee, as finalists. That list will be released in early January.

Here are my picks for the 15 modern-era finalists...

• Rod Woodson
• Shannon Sharpe
• Richard Dent
• Russ Grimm
• Lester Hayes
  
• Bob Kuechenberg
• Cortez Kennedy
  
• Andre Reed
• Bruce Smith
• Chris Carter
• Charles Haley
  
• Dermontti Dawson
• Roger Craig
• Terrell Davis
• Chris Doleman
  

The Class of 2009 will be chosen at the Selection Committee's annual meeting January 31, 2009 in Tampa, Florida, the day before Super Bowl XLIII.

Under it's current ground rules, the Board of Selectors will select a class ranging in size from four to seven. No more than five modern-era candidates can be included.

I expect the Class of 2009 to have six members including Claude Humphrey.