HOLDERS OF THE MUSTARD JACKET: The National Football Hall of Fame has voted to induct players Junior Seau (in his first year of eligibility), along with Jerome Bettis (5th), Charles Haley (6th), Will Shields (4th) and Tim Brown (6th). As for the other finalists:
The players who filled slots six through 10, and stand a solid shot at the Hall next year include linebacker Kevin Greene, quarterback Kurt Warner, tackle Orlando Pace, wide receiver Marvin Harrison and coach Tony Dungy.
The first five players eliminated from the original list of 15 modern era finalists were coaches Don Coryell and Jimmy Johnson, kicker Morten Andersen, running back Terrell Davis and safety John Lynch.Next year, that fun-loving mudslinger becomes eligible. (Seriously, there's such a backlog in this Hall; all fifteen finalists belong in, don't they?)