Rice, Smith on football hall short list

All-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith and legendary receiver Jerry Rice were unsurprisingly among the NFL players named as finalists to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year in Canton, Ohio.

Smith, the longtime Dallas Cowboys running back, passed Walter Payton in his career en route to a record 18,355 rushing yards. He also leads all players with 164 rushing touchdowns.

His 175 total touchdowns are second on the all-time list only to Rice, whose peak years came with the San Francisco 49ers.

Rice caught 1,547 passes in a career that lasted from 1985 to 2003, with three seasons spent with the Oakland Raiders this century before his final catches came in one season with the Seattle Seahawks. He has 547 receptions more than any player in NFL history.

Wide receiver Tim Brown, who spent his entire career with the Raiders in Oakland and Los Angeles, was the other player in his first year of eligibility to be on the list.

The Board of Selectors will meet Feb. 6 in Miami, the day before the Super Bowl. Finalists need 80 per cent of the vote to be enshrined on Aug. 7 in Canton.

Among the players back up for consideration are Rice's longtime teammate, running back Roger Craig, in addition to receivers Cris Carter and Andre Reed, and tight end Shannon Sharpe.

Several of the sport's best modern big men will also get another assessment. They include sack specialists John Randle (Minnesota, Seattle), Richard Dent (Chicago, San Francisco) and Charles Haley (San Francisco, Dallas), linebacker Rickey Jackson (New Orleans, San Francisco). Tackle Cortez Kennedy, who spent his whole career with the Seattle Seahawks, rounds out the defensive list.

Washington Redskins tackle Russ Grimm and Pittsburgh Steelers centre Dermonti Dawson were offensive line standouts named finalists.

Coach Don Coryell, who helped usher in more passing in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers beginning in the late 1970s, also made the cut.

The two senior nominees were former Denver Broncos running back Floyd Little, who rushed for over 6,000 yards in his career, and Detroit Lions cornerback Dick LeBeau, who is still in the top 10 all-time with 62 career interceptions. LeBeau has since embarked on a lengthy career as coach, and is currently defensive co-ordinator in Pittsburgh.