Six Former Lions Up for Fan Hall of Fame Vote

by Sean Yuille on Oct 21, 2009 10:56 AM EDT in News Comment 21 comments

This post is sponsored by JCPenney/Van Heusen.

The NFL has partnered with Van Heusen and JCPenny to give fans a chance to vote for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The fan vote doesn't officially count toward the next Hall of Fame Class, but it will be interesting to compare the actual vote to one done by fans. Some of the differences could be quite drastic because certain players were fan favorites or not well-liked by the media, or because one fan base decides to really load up the ballots for their team's former players. In the case of the six former Lions on the ballot, that is what I hope will happen.

The six former Lions who are nominees include one former coach, three long-tenured, well-known ex-players, and two other players who spent only a few seasons or so in Detroit. Here is the full list:

Buddy Parker (Played for Lions from 1935-36; Coached for Lions from 1950-1956)
Al "Bubba" Baker (1978-82)
Lomas Brown (1985-95)
Chris Spielman (1988-95)
Herman Moore (1991-01)
Pat Swilling (1993-94)

The three names on that list that jump out the most are probably Lomas Brown, Chris Spielman, and Herman Moore, as each spent a good amount of time playing for the Lions. Al Baker and Pat Swilling spent far less time in Detroit, but each was an outstanding player while on the Lions. Baker was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1978 and made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons in the league. Swilling was traded to the Lions in 1993 and made the Pro Bowl that season. The Lions also made the playoffs that year as well as in Swilling's second and final season in Detroit.

To vote for one or all of these former Lions, click here. The results of the vote will be officially announced on NFL Network in 38 days, but you can see what place each player is currently in right now. Spielman and Swilling are the only two former Lions in the top 100, and even then they are only #46 and #55, respectively. You can vote once a day, so head over there and move these former Lions up in the rankings.

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Comments

Loved Herman...

But his numbers are very very boarderline…He was a 3 time all-pro and a 4 time pro-bowler with about 650 rec and 60 TDS…hard to see that getting in the hall…

http://cmufootball.blogspot.com/

by CapitolLions on Oct 21, 2009 11:28 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Lynn Swann would be the argument...

But he did win 4 superbowls and a Super Bowl MVP…its gonna be close!

http://cmufootball.blogspot.com/

by CapitolLions on Oct 21, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

hey lion fans..

would love an outside opinion. both sides are biased….

http://www.battleredblog.com/2009/10/21/1094523/wayne-vs-johnson

You are banned from Music City Miracles. (twice)
You are banned from Blogging The Boys.

by chrisd21 on Oct 21, 2009 12:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

AJ now...and if he stays healthy for their Careers...

Reggie is and was a stud, but AJ is unguardable.

http://cmufootball.blogspot.com/

by CapitolLions on Oct 21, 2009 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There is no doubt in my mind.....

Andre Johnson is the superior WR. Wayne is good, but Peyton Manning is who makes him look GREAT, not Reggie Wayne. Put Reggie Wayne in Houston and Andre Johnson in Indy and everyone would immediately see how much better AJ is than Reggie Wayne.

by KDawg on Oct 21, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think there's a huge difference between the two

AJ is probably a touch better, but since they are both top 5 receivers I don’t think there’s a noticeable diference.

2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).

by Hyperion Ecta on Oct 21, 2009 6:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Take Manning away from Wayne

And he wouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath as Andre.

by Nate D. on Oct 22, 2009 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And I would vote for Spielman and Brown.....

But not Herman Moore. Herman was awesome for a few years, but then he basically disappeared. His career seemed like a flash in the pan.

by KDawg on Oct 21, 2009 4:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's hard for me

Since I have no real prior knowledge of these guys. I know of them and have read their stats but they played before my time as a Lions fan. I do hope that at least one of them make the cut though.

2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).

by Hyperion Ecta on Oct 21, 2009 6:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If there is any justice

Spielman will be voted into the HOF. While he wasn’t as glamorous as some others, he epitomized all of the best aspects of what football is.

by WBL on Oct 21, 2009 7:50 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

He's about the only former OSU player I genuinely like

And the story about him being recruited to Michigan in Bo’s Lasting Lessons was hilarious.

Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog

by Sean Yuille on Oct 21, 2009 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The lions

Filled the practice squad loss … COHEN DT

GO LIONS 2009! the transformation begins.

by DINORDO on Oct 21, 2009 8:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Spielman

Despite my Wolverine ties, Spielman remains one of my all time favorite Lions. He also is one of the best CFB announcers on the air, “Bring your feet and lay the wood young fella..”..ha

by Goose21 on Oct 21, 2009 8:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Spielman, Brown & Moore

were all STUDS and legends in my book………man, I grew up loving those guys. Patrick Swilling made his name w/ the Saints, didn’t do much for us, but man I would love to see one of my boys from back in the day get in

by Angry Johnny on Oct 21, 2009 10:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Me too....

But Herman Moore disappointed me because he only had 7 good seasons and only played for 12 years…..lol. I guess that sounds a bit harsh, but not when you compare him to guys like Anthony Carter, Jerry Rice, Michael Irvin, Art Monk, Steve Largent, Andre Reed, Henry Ellard, Cris Carter, James Lofton, and even TD Tim Brown…..who all played 12 years or more and had over 11,000 yards receiving each. Herman Moore had 9174 yards in his career, and a vast majority of those yards came in his 7 good seasons…..

by KDawg on Oct 22, 2009 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Among others.....

by KDawg on Oct 22, 2009 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's hard to take the fan hat off on this one

Lomas Brown was the best offensive lineman the Lions have had in the past 25 years and the best one Barry had. Herman Moore for a two year period was the best wide-out in football and that was while Jerry Rice was still playing. Chris Spielman is my all-time favorite Lion (after Barry) and I remember in High School our coaches passed out a Spielman jersey to the guy who had the biggest hit in last weeks game. Good memories. Fan hat removed, non of these guys make it and it breaks my heart.

I can't believe I ate the whole thing!

by tigerfaninChicago on Oct 22, 2009 5:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Lomas

I think Lomas might make it because he has a SB ring with the Giants.

by dylan415 on Oct 23, 2009 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lomas Brown will make it.....

No doubt about it. Spielman should make it, but he is a borderliner. Herman Moore will not likely ever make the HOF.

by KDawg on Oct 23, 2009 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lomas Brown

Went to 7 consecutive pro bowls and was 1st team all pro in 1995……he was still a dominant force at age 37, playing for the Giants. He is a shoe in HOFer. Chris Spielman was a 4 time pro bowler, and first team all pro in 1991. His career stats are close to that of the great Mike Singletary, and Spielman only played 9.5 years while Singletary had a 12 year career. Spielman tallied 1181 career tackles with 10.5 sacks, 6 INTs, 13 FFs, and 19 FRs (1 for a TD). Singletary had 1488 tackles, 19 sacks, 7 INTs, and 12 FRs (not sure how many FFs he had). If you add Spielman’s average tackles per season to the extra 2.5 years that Singletary played, he would have totaled 1491. I think he will eventually be in the HOF too. Herman more, on the other hand, will likely never be named to the HOF…..

by KDawg on Oct 23, 2009 8:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs