Feb 2, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; NFL former player Cris Carter speaks after being selected to the pro football hall of fame during a NFL Network presentation at the New Orleans Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL announced it’s class of 2013 Hall Of Fame inductees yesterday and the Dolphins will have two players representing them.  Well, kind of sort of.  This years class will include Cowboys tackle Larry Allen, Tampa Bay defensive lineman Warren Sapp, Ravens tackle Jonathon Ogden, and two senior members.  Curley Culp of KC and GB LB David Robinson.  But it’s the former Phins that make the list complete.

Entering the HOF on his second ballot, head coach Bill Parcells.  Parcells sparked a long debate between members that almost pushed the 5:30 pm deadline back an hour or more.  In the end,  it’s obvious that someone finally said “screw it” and gave him their vote.  Parcells’ tenure with the Miami Dolphins obviously was the tipping finger to getting into the HOF.

Chris Carter had a decent if unspectacular career with the Minnesota Vikings.  He put up HOF worthy numbers but couldn’t quite reach the landmark that the voting body looks for.  In 2002 the Vikings cast Carter aside and the Dolphins rescued him from a studio job on HBO’s Inside The NFL midway through the 2002 season.  Carter caught 3 passes for 31 yards in his debut and then missed four weeks with an injury.

The injury was the catalyst.  When Carter returned late in the season, he caught the one touchdown he needed to reach his career milestone of 130 touchdown receptions.  The fact that Carter once held a position HBO also helped his cause given the relationship that the Dolphins have with HBO and the NFL with Hard Knocks.

If not for their connections with the Miami Dolphins, neither men would have been voted into the NFL Pro-Football Hall of Fame.  And it’s likely that on the day they are enshrined, neither will give props to the one team who truly got them in.  Shame.