There are years when getting together for the annual Patriots Hall of Fame nomination meeting doesn't require a tremendous amount of preparation. Then there are days like Thursday, when a minimum of four worthy candidates suddenly found themselves up for debate.
After taking last year off as Tom Brady night was well into the planning stages, the nomination committee met once again at Gillette Stadium and the group wasn't short on worthy options. Two newcomers were introduced to the proceedings as Adam Vinatieri and Julian Edelman were among the first-time eligible candidates. They joined a pair of players with exceptional resumes of their own – Logan Mankins and Wes Welker.
Since we're only allowed to select three finalists, the fact that I was told there'd be no math was of little consequence because it didn't take an MIT professor to understand at least one sure-fire option would need to be left out.
In all, 11 individuals were nominated – 10 players and one former coach – and the group offered an interesting look at the crop.
Before the debating began, Robert Kraft and Mike Vrabel stopped by to offer their support. Kraft addressed the group and explained his decision to name Bill Parcells as this year's contributor, putting him into the Hall with his announcement at the league's owner's meetings earlier in the week. Vrabel thanked the committee for its diligence and expressed gratitude for his induction two years ago after six previous attempts as a finalist.
At that point the festivities got underway. Chuck Fairbanks, the legendary Patriots coach who stewarded the franchise's rise in the 1970s, drew favorable comparisons to Parcells and warranted discussion. But the meat of the morning was spent talking about the "big 4" with several strong arguments made for each candidate.
We are instructed not to disclose the specifics of these talks but rather to stick to our own thoughts. With that in mind I came away feeling that Vinatieri was the stand-alone option for me. His clutch kicks and longevity were instrumental in kicking off a dynasty, and aside from Brady himself perhaps no other individual player was responsible for more winning than Vinatieri.
From there I went with Mankins, who has been a finalist on two previous occasions. In my view he is the second best offensive lineman in team history behind only John Hannah, and he's more than worthy of inclusion.
The third spot was the toughest as both Welker and Edelman, in my mind, are locks for the Patriots Hall of Fame. It came down to Welker's enormous production versus Edelman's amazing clutch performances in the playoffs. I chose Welker as my third option, largely because his postseason work is largely underrated. He didn't get as many opportunities as Edelman did, but he was very productive – including his 11-catch, 103-yard performance in Super Bowl XLII.
So, with much consternation I turned in my ballot with Vinatieri, Mankins and Welker ranked 1-3. Obviously all four of those players deserve to wear a red jacket one day. The only question should be the order in which they are all honored.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
