Neely gets in hall

[Adam91 0]

Its unfortunate that it took a really bad 1st year crop for him to get in

[freq019 0]

It seems the NHL is actually leniant in terms of HOF'ers. You hear about some possible choices going in or about some who actually get in and its like "wow."

Just thinking for a while, Neely didn't win jack as a player, did he? As in Championships. That shouldn't be a deciding factor at all, but its just too bad.

I would think it almost has to lock Lindros in as well, since his stats are clearly superior.

not to be a dick but to further your point Neely never had a 100+ season in the age of offense and never was a first team all-star. He's a great guy and a great player but based soley on stats I don't know if he's HOF worthy, maybe he got in on intangibles or sympathy since his career was cut short by injury, but that opens the floodgates for a lot of players.

[chippa13 1844]

It seems the NHL is actually leniant in terms of HOF'ers.  You hear about some possible choices going in or about some who actually get in and its like "wow."

Just thinking for a while, Neely didn't win jack as a player, did he?  As in Championships.  That shouldn't be a deciding factor at all, but its just too bad.

I would think it almost has to lock Lindros in as well, since his stats are clearly superior.

not to be a dick but to further your point Neely never had a 100+ season in the age of offense and never was a first team all-star. He's a great guy and a great player but based soley on stats I don't know if he's HOF worthy, maybe he got in on intangibles or sympathy since his career was cut short by injury, but that opens the floodgates for a lot of players.

Neely got in because he redefined his position. He was the original power forward in the NHL. Not having a 100+ season shouldn't have hurt his chances, he was a scorer, not a set-up man.

[Jason Harris 31]

Just thinking for a while, Neely didn't win jack as a player, did he?  As in Championships.  That shouldn't be a deciding factor at all, but its just too bad.

I've never understood why that should be even a considering factor for any player.

It's obvious the media should be blamed, because they've learned over the years that manufacturing controversy sells. What's worse is they seem to pass along this legacy to their new members by requiring they repeat the same concepts.

"Most exciting play in hockey, the penalty shot" I'd much rather see a crushing hit, but I could be in the minority.

"He's tainting his legacy by sticking around too long." Maybe in boxing. But one thing I never hear is maybe this player doesn't care about his legacy. Maybe he wants to still play the sport in the highest league in the world. Maybe playing pick-up ball at the Y isn't enough of a challenge. Look at Rickey Henderson. The media laughs at him. I applaud him. He obviously loves playing baseball enough to play in an independent league, although I'll grant it's possible his main goal is he loves the adulation. Yet, he also could just like the comraderie.

"He never won a championship." I understand the whole concept of guys "putting the team on his back and carrying them to the promised land." But these are TEAM games. I'm going off my memory, but I think Ranford stopped something like 70 of 73 shots in Game 1 of the 1990 finals. It went into triple overtime and the Oilers won. It definitely was a stomach punch to the B's. Or, just maybe, the Oilers were a better team, and it didn't matter about the whole "putting the team on his back" thing."

Jordan didn't win until Pippen came on board. Shaq didn't win until he teamed up with Kobe. Bird had McHale, Parish and DJ. Magic had Jabbar and Worthy. Robinson didn't win until Duncan came along. Bourque didn't win until he was traded from the worst penny-pinching organization in the league. Malone never won, but the Lakers might have won last year if Malone remained healthy. Ted Williams never won because the Sox stunk for years, and Red Sox nation numbered about five thousand because the teams stunk so much. Guys sign on with the Spankees because they get paid top dollar plus they have a 98% chance of going to the playoffs. Peyton Manning has been solid in the playoffs until he's run into Belichick's defenses. Look at the Pats. They are the definition that teams win championships.

Sorry if the rant seemed directed at you. Honestly, I think we've been indoctrinated by the media on this concept, and I think it's unfair to the players.

[ponty 0]

It seems the NHL is actually leniant in terms of HOF'ers.  You hear about some possible choices going in or about some who actually get in and its like "wow."

Just thinking for a while, Neely didn't win jack as a player, did he?  As in Championships.  That shouldn't be a deciding factor at all, but its just too bad.

I would think it almost has to lock Lindros in as well, since his stats are clearly superior.

Theo, my friend, your nuts.

Every time Neely was on the ice your mouth dropped. He is the guy EVERYONE wanted to see do something. Even over the great Ray Bourque. The guy dominated in every way in a way that Lindros never did. If you ever saw him play you would know what I mean.

Argue if you will that Eric should be in the HOF. Better than Neely??? His numbers are but thats it.

As far as championships. Chris Freakin Dingman has TWO! TWO! Nuff said.

[freq019 0]

It seems the NHL is actually leniant in terms of HOF'ers.  You hear about some possible choices going in or about some who actually get in and its like "wow."

Just thinking for a while, Neely didn't win jack as a player, did he?  As in Championships.  That shouldn't be a deciding factor at all, but its just too bad.

I would think it almost has to lock Lindros in as well, since his stats are clearly superior.

not to be a dick but to further your point Neely never had a 100+ season in the age of offense and never was a first team all-star. He's a great guy and a great player but based soley on stats I don't know if he's HOF worthy, maybe he got in on intangibles or sympathy since his career was cut short by injury, but that opens the floodgates for a lot of players.

Neely got in because he redefined his position. He was the original power forward in the NHL. Not having a 100+ season shouldn't have hurt his chances, he was a scorer, not a set-up man.

what about kevin stevens?

[chippa13 1844]

Stevens chances will be hurt by his little incident in St. Louis and this gem of a quote (paraphrased) "and it wasn't like it was crack or something" in reference to his being on coke at the time he was arrested.

[ponty 0]

I have an advantage because I have seen most of the guys in question play. Lindros, Steven, Iginla are not in the same class. IMO.

The closest I have seen anyone ever come as far as play is concerned was Keith Primeau in the playoffs last year. He had one or two games that were just amazing.

[chippa13 1844]

I think Shanny in his heyday in Hartford came close to fitting into the Neely mold.

[freq019 0]

I have an advantage because I have seen most of the guys in question play. Lindros, Steven, Iginla are not in the same class. IMO.

The closest I have seen anyone ever come as far as play is concerned was Keith Primeau in the playoffs last year. He had one or two games that were just amazing.

I'd say during their primes stevens and Neely were pretty close. Granted Stevens had a much better supporting cast but Neely's wasn't bad it just wasn't as good as Artie's.

[chippa13 1844]

I have an advantage because I have seen most of the guys in question play.  Lindros, Steven, Iginla are not in the same class.  IMO.

The closest I have seen anyone ever come as far as play is concerned was Keith Primeau in the playoffs last year.  He had one or two games that were just amazing.

I'd say during their primes stevens and Neely were pretty close. Granted Stevens had a much better supporting cast but Neely's wasn't bad it just wasn't as good as Artie's.

Stevens will lose out on the character criteria, as I noted above. I think it will be a tough call for him to get in.

[mack 44]

The character factor is the obvious reason but he also had Mario with him and I could have potted 30 a year just on that alone.

[freq019 0]

I have an advantage because I have seen most of the guys in question play.  Lindros, Steven, Iginla are not in the same class.  IMO.

The closest I have seen anyone ever come as far as play is concerned was Keith Primeau in the playoffs last year.  He had one or two games that were just amazing.

I'd say during their primes stevens and Neely were pretty close. Granted Stevens had a much better supporting cast but Neely's wasn't bad it just wasn't as good as Artie's.

Stevens will lose out on the character criteria, as I noted above. I think it will be a tough call for him to get in.

I don't think Stevens should get in, even if the personal issues never happened, I just don't think he's hall worthy, which leads me to say that I am not sure that neely is worthy either since their numbers are relatively the same and maybe slanted towards stevens in the all-star ballots and stanley cup ring department. On paper they look very similar during their primes and I'm not sure again on paper either one is hall worthy. Cam's a great guy and a helluva hockey player I'm just not sure he's hall worthy. There are lots of great hockey people who aren't in the hall HERB BROOKS so I don't know where the line should be drawn.

[freq019 0]

The character factor is the obvious reason but he also had Mario with him and I could have potted 30 a year just on that alone.

Neely had oates while not mario he's not a slouch either.

[chippa13 1844]

Lindros won't be a slam dunk. His attitude problems, whether they were real or not could hurt. He'll probably get in at some time but it will take few years after he's done.

[Eazy_b97 1]

Lindros and Iginla were both, at one point, the best player in the NHL. I don't know if Neely could've ever held that title. I didn't see all of his career, not even close, so it is a little difficult to tell for me, but he does seem worthy of the Hall. With the topic of Power forwards, I went back at looked at our local guy, Wendel Clark, but it doesn't seem his numbers are anywhere near good enoug. I guess he's not going to get into the Hall?

[ponty 0]

Eazy,

Cam was not the best player in the league but he was top 5 in the world. He also had Mario, Wayne, Ray, and Messier in their primes. He did bring an element to the game that is hard to explain that none of the above did.

He got on the ice and everyone new something was coming. Scoring, fight, hit, whatever he was going to do something to get the game going.

[chippa13 1844]

It's just not easy to describe to someone who really never watched Neely play. When I posted a description of what Neely was, someone posted a pic of some Isle of one of their Cup teams to say he was what Neely was. Not a chance.

[ponty 0]

Good point Chippa.

When you saw him on the ice you got excited. The same way you did for Mario and Wayne when they hit the ice in their primes.

Yea he didnt win a cup but neither did Ray till he went to Colorado. Take a look of Neely's playoff numbers. Yikes! Its not his fault that the B's never got enough players to put them over the top.

Think of a guy like Pat Verbeek or Ville Niemenen who usually go out at 100%. Add that with a huge frame, mean streak, and big time talent and you had Cam.

[ponty 0]

Great clips of Neely for his fans and guys/gals who like to see Clowde and Ulfie get the snot nocked out of them.

http://s49.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3ISUV5F...503G359SIJKGP3T

[chippa13 1844]

I was actually at the game when Neely was slamming a turtled Claude into the boards.