Former GMs Bill Polian, Ron Wolf Finalists For '15 Pro Football HOF Class

A nine-member Pro Football HOF subcommittee yesterday picked former GMs BILL POLIAN and RON WOLF "as finalists" for the '15 class, according to Tom Silverstein of the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. Wolf said, "Just to be considered, a possibility of getting in, my goodness. It's one of those things, I don't care who you are, you never think that will happen." Silverstein noted Wolf and Polian "will join senior nominee MICK TINGELHOFF and the 15 finalists for the modern era Class of '15, which will be selected at a later date." The HOF's selection committee will "meet the day before Super Bowl XLIX to determine who gets in." During Wolf's 10 seasons with the Packers, the team "never had a losing season, winning the NFC North three straight times and qualifying for the playoffs seven times." Wolf also spent 25 seasons working for late Raiders Owner AL DAVIS "during three separate tenures." Meanwhile, Polian "led three different teams that made a combined five Super Bowl appearances." His "only Super Bowl victory" came in '06, when the Colts beat the Bears (JSONLINE.com, 10/22). In Buffalo, Vic Carucci notes both Wolf and Polian would need 80% of the vote to be inducted. But a "humble Polian was quick to point out that he 'never gave' being inducted into the Hall a thought" (BUFFALO NEWS, 10/23). In N.Y., Mike Vaccaro writes if the "first name produced for this category wasn't" former NFL GM GEORGE YOUNG, "then they shouldn't have even bothered." That Young "isn't already a decade into his stay in Canton is ridiculous enough" (N.Y. POST, 10/23).

COMMITTEE MEETING: THE MMQB's Peter King noted the contributor category "was introduced this year, in part, to address the lack of franchise architects in the Hall, and five of the 11 finalists debated for six hours" in Arlington, Va., yesterday "were former NFL personnel czars." King and the eight other Contributor Selection Committee members "sat at tables with four consultants brought in to discuss the candidates," including Steelers Chair DAN ROONEY, Redskins President & GM BRUCE ALLEN, Bears Chair GEORGE MCCASKEY and SportsBusiness Journal/Daily Exec Editor ABE MADKOUR to "discuss business/financial topics." King: "We are not allowed to divulge specifics of the discussion and the debate, but there was a robust discussion trying to put the five personnel men in some order" (MMQB.SI.com, 10/22). King also provided an inside look at the committee's process. Below are the 11 finalists considered for the HOF's contributor category: