Cam Neely *finally* going into the Hall

Shoalzie · Post by **Shoalzie** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:49 pm

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2080300

No Vernon but that's okay...C-Bass is going in, that'll make John Buccigross happy.

Your thoughts, Neely8?

Hapday · Post by **Hapday** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 1:14 pm

Cam Neely was one of my all-time favorite players, but does he deserve to get in the hall? His career was cut short, but you can't base what 'might have been' for going into the hall. I haven't looked it up, maybe his stats warrant it.

IMO the Hall has to have a minimum amount of career points before a player is considered, and IMO it should be 900 career points. I don't believe they do now, because I think Neely is around to 800 career point mark.

JD · Post by JD » Thu Jun 09, 2005 2:29 pm

I have no problems with Cam Neely going in the hall even if he had 300 points. No Cups either.

But the man played the game the way it is meant to be played. Hard-nosed and mean. And he had the skill to go along with it all. He deserves to be in the Hall just for that 50 in 44 season he had. Probably one of the greatest seasons a player has had.

Vernon will probably have a tough time getting in in the near future. Patrick Roy is eligible for next year, and it appears that they've finally decided Russians deserve to be there too, so they could finally get some consideration too.

Hapday · Post by **Hapday** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 2:39 pm

JD wrote:I have no problems with Cam Neely going in the hall even if he had 300 points. No Cups either.

But the man played the game the way it is meant to be played. Hard-nosed and mean. And he had the skill to go along with it all. He deserves to be in the Hall just for that 50 in 44 season he had. Probably one of the greatest seasons a player has had.

I have to disagree with you. As great of a player as Cam was, he shouldn't get is just because people liked him, or he had one great season. IMO longevity should be one of the criteria as well, otherwise guys like Gord Kluzak or Jim Carrey suddenly become eligible.

The Hall should be for for outstanding super star players, not just good ones. If the Hall keeps lowering the bar on it's standards, soon anyone can get in and it would deminish thelegacy of the superstars that are already there.

BSmack · Post by **BSmack** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 2:52 pm

I'm still waiting for the day the HoF honors Dave Shultz and John Wensink.

JD · Post by JD » Thu Jun 09, 2005 3:03 pm

Comparing Neely to Kluzak or Carrey is ridiculous and you know it, Hap.

Neely had several damn good years and one all-world season. He was a superstar in my mind, and a solid player for probably 5-8 years.

I'd rather see players that had shorter yet prolific careers than guys who were decent but had inflated point totals because they dragged their careers out for 15-20 years.

Neely8 · Post by **Neely8** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 4:54 pm

I was pleasently suprised to be honest. I LOVE the man honestly. I have met him several times and he is just a really quiet, nice, and philanthropic guy. Somebody you want your kid to look up to.

I was in junior high when I first saw him. I was hanging at home and was bored. Wanted to watch sports but there was nothing on. We didn't have cable so I watched the Bruins on Channel 38 out of Boston. It was fuzzy but I remember watching this kid wearing #8. He was a very graceful yet powerful skater. He played very good defense. Then he beat the stuffing out of some palooka. The guy was dragged off the ice like a carcass. Then Neely scores a goal. I could not believe my eyes. This guy was amazingly fun to watch. I watched again the next time they were on and the rest is history.

I can't skate to save my life. Never played hockey. I learned hockey for the sole reason that I wanted to watch this guy play. He always gave 110% out on the ice. You never saw Cam at 75%. Even when hurt he layed it all out there.

I think the reason he finally got in is not stats. I believe it was the way he single handedly revolutionized the position of power forward. Until Neely the "power forward" was considered a goon who never scored. He changed that perception single handedly. There are many players who are good at a single aspect of the game. Cam was great at all of them. This is why he got in I believe.

I wasn't sure if it would ever happen. I am extrememly happy it did. I think it is just. Cam entered my Hall of Fame a long time ago. Hell I have a son named Cameron for a reason.

I miss watching him play. There aren't alot of athletes I say that about....

Hapday · Post by **Hapday** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 5:07 pm

JD wrote:Comparing Neely to Kluzak or Carrey is ridiculous and you know it, Hap.

Neely had several damn good years and one all-world season. He was a superstar in my mind, and a solid player for probably 5-8 years.

I'd rather see players that had shorter yet prolific careers than guys who were decent but had inflated point totals because they dragged their careers out for 15-20 years.

I wasn't comparing those two stiffs to Neely. I was trying to point out that if the Hall keeps allowing guys in who 'might have' gone on to even more outstanding years, they will start to lower their standards too far.

IMO longevity and a minimum point total should be the starting point for consideration into the hall. I also don't want some guy to get in just because he stretched his career 15-20 years after he should have retired way before that. **cough** Ciccarelli **cough**

Cross Traffic · Post by **Cross Traffic** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 4:39 am

I have no problem with Cam getting in, as Neely8 pointed out, he redefined the power forward position. Amazing it has taken this long for a Russian forward to get into the Hall. Kharlamov was the best player on the ice in the 72 Summit Series until Clarke broke his ankle.

As for future inductees, I never seem to get a good reason as to why Rogie Vachon isn't in the Hall.
He has 355 wins and 51 shutouts, plus 2 Stanley Cups with Montreal and 1 Canada Cup (1976).

Captain Haddock · Post by **Captain Haddock** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 7:31 pm

I think it's great that Neely made it in. He was definitely a force. I loved what Colin Campbell said about him: "I was hit by Neely and it hurt me for a month"

But if I have to hear clowns like Kypreos, say that without Neely there would be no Bertuzzi's, I'm going to lose it.

..and let's quit dogging Ciccarelli. If he had packed in in 6 years earlier, he still would have had over 500 goals.

Viper in Vancouver · Post by **Viper in Vancouver** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 3:05 am

Best trade the canucks ever made :roll:

Rack Fu · Post by **Rack Fu** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 4:12 am

694 points and a career of "what ifs" does not a warrant the HoF. Sorry!

The HoF is meant to honor an extraordinary career, not one that was potential HoF material that was cut short due to injury. Life isn't always fair. He got in on with the sympathy vote and nothing more.

Cross Traffic · Post by **Cross Traffic** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 4:55 am

He didn't get in his first year of eligibility in 1999, took 6 years of waiting. Point per game average is pretty impressive for a power forward. The Bruins teams of 87-88 and 89-90 were damn good. They just didn't match up well with the Oilers in their 2 meetings in the Cup finals.

T1B

Cam Neely finally going into the Hall

Cam Neely finally going into the Hall