Martin should be first-ballot, look at the numbers and accolades. I wear my #28 jersey with a lot of pride, he is a legend.
On non-Jets boards, many people think Jerome Bettis will beat out Martin on the first ballot and that Martin might make it on the 2nd or 3rd ballot. Personally, I think Martin was the better player. Statistically he was, for sure. The pro-Bettis people point to a bigger personality, a "cool" nickname (I think "The Bus" is lame, but maybe that's me), a career with the great Steelers as opposed to a sorry franchise like the Jets, and a Super Bowl ring as a backup. You wrote that most first ballot guys have rings. I wanted to see how true that was of running backs. Here are the RBs inducted on the 1st ballot- Marcus Allen- 1 ring Jim Brown- 1 ring Earl Campbell- 0 rings Eric Dickerson- 0 rings Tony Dorsett- 1 ring Franco Harris- 4 rings Ollie Matson- 0 rings Hugh McElhenny- 0 rings Walter Payton- 1 ring Barry Sanders- 0 rings Gale Sayers- 0 rings O.J. Simpson- 0 rings Seven of the 12 first ballot RBs did not win an NFL championship.
I hope Martin is first ballot Hall of Famer. He was classy and tough runner. I think he will be in the same class as Bettis (I don't think he belong in the Hall) But if Curtis is going in no matter what year I will make that trip to Canton.
C-Mart was a Great Guy as well as a Great RB. Miss the guy alot and what a class act too! I hope he does get in the Hall someday, as well as a partial owner of a team somewhere.
