Here's why I didn't vote for Bill - Vahe Gregorian

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Separate from the vote-down of modern era candidates from 15 to as many as five, the aspect involving Belichick illogically lumps together in one category the coaching candidate, the contributor candidate (in this case, Patriots owner Robert Kraft) and three seniors (we’ll come back to those). Voters can choose three of the five at most, and an 80% approval (40 votes) is needed for any to go forward.

One simple way to consider this: Under a setup that should be separate and distinct, even Belichick and Kraft essentially are in competition.

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ESPN’s piece heavily suggests that Deflategate and Spygate and “politics” led to this situation, and it quotes a veteran Hall voter as saying, “The only explanation (for the outcome) was the cheating stuff. It really bothered some of the guys.”

Perhaps that affected some voters, perhaps not. I can’t and won’t try to speak for others, and it’s a condition of being a voter to not divulge the deliberations.

But the so-called “cheating stuff” is not at all the only possible explanation. Because it certainly didn’t ultimately influence my vote.

In fact, I didn’t vote against Belichick or Kraft. I voted for the three senior candidates: Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood.

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All of that went into why I felt duty-bound to vote for the richly deserving seniors, who most likely won’t ever have a hearing again as more senior candidates enter the pool and fresh cases get made for others. Meanwhile, Belichick is inevitable soon … as he should be.

At the risk of contradicting my own vote, really, he shouldn’t even have to wait. I understand why people are offended that he isn’t going in the first moment he can.

In the end, though, I felt more compelled by what I perceive to be last chances and looming lost causes within the system as we have it — a system I hope the Hall will see fit to change now.

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