Randy Moss: Does He Deserve a Place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

This debate is based on a dicussion me and a couple of my friends had. We were talking about who from this decade deserves to go to the Hall of Fame, and while for most players there was a general consensus, the question of Randy Moss was the most controversial decision.

I personally was not sure, so I'll outline the points in favor of Randy, those against, and my final take.

Why He Shouldn't

1. Character

It's one thing to be a bit egotistical. You can still make the Hall of Fame if you are, Elway and Riggins being only the first two examples to pop into my head. Its another to get in trouble with the law and flat out be a jerk (I'd use a different word, but I'm not sure if BR would censor me).

He's been busted for possession a couple of times, hit a police officer with his car, and left the field before a game was over because he felt sure his team woudn't recover an onside kick. While committing crimes and being an a-hole doesn't prevent someone from going to the Hall of Fame, it can hurt their chances.

2. Inconsistency

Randy Moss is not the sort of player that shows up every Sunday. He often appears to just not try and take a game, or even a year in 2006, off. I know everybody has bad games, but everybody should at least give it their all. A perfect example of this is his teammate Wes Welker.

Welker always seems to be playing hard, but the same just doesn't seem to be true of Randy Moss. In a press conference in 2006, Moss even admitted to not trying when he's "unhappy;" and "not excited." The mark of a truly elite player is one who plays hard every game. Moss just doesn't fit that description.

3. No Ring

I've always thought this was a stupid indicator, but the fact is people take the Super Bowl rings a player has intro account when deciding whether he should go to the hall. It's obviously not the rule, since Marino and Kelly are both Hall of Famers, but it hurts a players chances. They get a reputation for not being clutch, and this applies almost as much to wide receivers as to quarterbacks.

If Moss ever gets a ring, it will increase his chances immensely.

Why He Should

1. Production

Say what you want about Randy Moss, this guy produces. He holds the records for, among others, most touchdown receptions in a season, most seasons with 17 or more touchdown receptions, most touchdowns scored in first game with a new team, and youngest player to get 120 receiving touchdowns. And that is only a fraction of what he has done. You can say what you want about his consistency, but when this guy shows up, he shows up.

2. Talent

Their are plenty of guys in the league who lack any particularly great skill, and produce by trying hard and being in the right place. Randy Moss is defiantly not one of those guys.

This guy is freakishly talented. He has elite speed and elite hands, a deadly combination. He has the ability to make catches in traffic, and its next to imposable for a single corner to handle him in man coverage.

3. His career's not over

One advantage Randy Moss has over man Hall of Fame hopefuls is that he still has a few good years left. He still has time to pad his resume and get one or two more records. His best years are behind him, but he can still make an impact. This is perhaps the most important factor.

In the end, I think Randy deserves a place in the Hall. As it is I think it may take a year ot two after he gets eligible, but even this could improve if he wins a Super Bowl or breaks a few more records. Randy Moss is a future hall of famer, plain and simple.