2010 Pro Football HOF: Best Class Ever?

[Big Sexy]

Yesterday the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined 7 new members. The 2010 class, however, was not an ordinary one. It included the NFL's all time leading rusher in Emmitt Smith and the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game in Jerry Rice. In fact Rice is arguably the greatest pro football player period. The rest of the class was solid as well and included Dick LeBeau, Floyd Little, Ricky Jackson, Russ Grimm, and John Randle. This class has been called by some, the best Pro Football Hall of Fame class ever.

There have been other great classes as well and I will list a few:

1971- Arguably the greatest coach ever in Vince Lombardi was joined by arguably the best running back ever in Jim Brown. Y.A. Tittle, Norm Van Brocklin, Bill Hewitt, Frank Kinard, and Andy Robustelli rounded out the class.

1963- This class included 17 names so I will just include the names that most people will recognize. Sammy Baugh, Red Grange, George Halas, Curly Lambeau, Bronco Nagurski, and Jim Thorpe.

1993- Two of the greatest coaches ever in Bill Walsh and Chuck Knoll were joined by arguably the best running back ever in Walter Payton as well as Dan Fouts and Larry Little.

These are just a few examples of some of the better classes as there are many more classes that could be in the conversation. So which Pro Football Hall of Fame class was the best? Does 2010 get the nod or does one of the older classes get your vote?

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

I'd venture to say yes it is. When you have two of the best players ever to play their respecitve positions going in the same year it makes it an auto win, add in that Rice and Smith went at it for years upon years playing for the 9ers and Boys making it one of the biggest NFL rivalries ever only cements it even more for me. I ususally do take calling something new the greatest thing ever, but this class is top notch for sure. I'm basing all of this going off the top of my head so I could be forgetting a few things about other classes, but I'm pretty confident that this one will go down as the greatest.

 

[gd]

It would have to be just for the two names at the top, as it really isn't a deep class. Ricky Jackson as a HOFer? Not so sure about that one. Still, it's tough to argue with the numbers, which as that these are the best players ever at their positions.

I think 1971 gives it a run for it's money though. Not only was Lombardi a great coach, but he was an icon, someone who will be remembered forever. His name is on the Super Bowl trophy. That tells you something. Jim Brown is also probably the best RB of all time, definetly top 3. Despite not having the same numbers, I'm pretty sure most people will tell you he was better than Emmitt.

The more I look at it, I'd probably have to go with the '71 class because of the better top 2.