Wrapping up an emotional week

Serious question this week. “What’s The Deal With….” In this case, we’ll sub in the name Steve Smith Sr.? I’m unbelievably upset, incensed, really!! So, for the benefit of all Panthers fans everywhere, would you please: Explain in plain language the process for being “selected” to the Hall of Fame? After missing out last year, Smith is not even on the final ballot this year. I understand (I think) the process the way it’s written. But somehow, that process is not treating Steve Smith Sr. fairly. The names on this year’s ballot are OK, but surely no one could say they are better than Smith. So, if you would, please refresh us on the process and then add some “Old Guy” insight into the reasoning behind his being snubbed. I really NEED to know. — Sleepless in Carolina, AKA Howard, Star NC

There are two questions here, one process which I can explain and one outcome that I struggle with too.

Smith was among the semifinalists in voting for the Hall of Fame each of the last two years (it’s usually 25, but with ties this year, the list was 28). That was winnowed down from an initial list of 125 or so.

That list is sent to each of the members of the Hall’s selection committee, a group of 49 voters, of which I am one. It’s mostly veteran writers and broadcasters, one from each city plus at-large voters who have decades of experience and take it very seriously. In recent years the Hall has added a group of Hall of Famers to the committee including Tony Dungy, Bill Polian, Dan Fouts, and James Lofton. We take the list of 28 and cut it to 15 electronically to set up our annual example of Roman democracy, in which presentations are made, and the (presumably) wise men and women vote on each candidate. That’s the mechanics.

Now, how you take the list of 28 this year and turn it into 15 without Smith, I have no idea.

Part of the problem is the clogged pipe at wide receiver with Reggie Wayne, Andre Johnson, and Torry Holt, who have been finalists before, and now resemble the same problem the committee had a few years ago with Cris Carter, Andre Reed, and Tim Brown. Until one comes out the other end of the spigot, none of them are coming out (and they eventually did in 2013, 2014, and 2015). And receiver is just one position the committee is considering, so it’s hard to create a representative sample of the game each year if you clear out a particular traffic jam.

But if you isolate this year’s list of 28 semifinalists to the seven receivers (Wayne, Johnson, Holt, Smith,…