When the 2011 Hall of Fame class is announced Saturday, I want to hear them call out Deion Sanders' first and last names, and then I want them to dedicate 15 more minutes to sounding off Prime Time's list of nicknames that were so cool that they'd make John Shaft look like Steve Urkel.
I want Deion Sanders to present himself at his induction ceremony, talking in the third person before high-stepping to the first person to accept his bronze bust that should be driven onto the stage in a 1965 Lincoln Continental and then re-plated in platinum.
Sanders — a two-time Super Bowl champion, six-time First Team All-Pro, one-time Defensive Player of the Year and fourth-down threat on both sides of the ball — helped introduce a whole generation of sports fanatics to football. Sanders was a one-man show, whether he was ripping one side of the field away from a quarterback or dancing his way across the end zone to the tune of his own music.
The cornerback deserved to showboat because he backed it up throughout his career with 53 interceptions, 10 forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries, 60 receptions and 22 total touchdowns. His 19 career non-offensive touchdowns are the most in history. That's why Sanders deserves his place in Canton.
Here are three other players who deserve to have their names called after Saturday's final selection process.
Marshall Faulk
The running back played his first five seasons in Indianapolis before he hit a bigger stage in St. Louis, where he was one of the most dominant offensive players in the game from 1999-2001. Faulk was the 1994 Rookie of the Year, 1999 Offensive Player of the Year, 2000 NFL MVP and 2001 Offensive Player of the Year. Faulk is 10th on the all-time rushing list (12,279 yards), seventh in rushing touchdowns (100), seventh in total touchdowns (136), 25th in receptions (767), fourth in yards from scrimmage (19,154) and sixth in all-purpose yards (19,172).
Charles Haley
The outside linebacker and defensive end is the only player in history with five Super Bowl rings, and he finished his career with 100.5 sacks. Haley, who played for the 49ers and Cowboys, didn't have the most tremendous reputation off the field, but he was a terror on Sundays.
Tim Brown
The wide receiver played 16 seasons for the Raiders and one for the Buccaneers, and he is fourth all time in receptions (1,094), fourth in receiving yards (14,934), sixth in receiving touchdowns (100) and fifth in all-purpose yards (19,679).
