I don't post much, but I have to get in on this. No way should Centers have a retired number, and probably not AW either, simply because they just can't retire every great players number.
However as far is AW and the HOF, he should be a LOCK!!!! He is by far the best corner in his era and I will tell you why. What is the corner's job in a football game? We all know it is to cover the WR first and foremost. However in a football game they have this play called the RUNNING play. That is when the runningback takes the ball from the quarterback and RUNS with it. Now the CB doesn't just say, oh its a running play, I can now sit here and do nothing cause the WR is not involved in this play. Nope, it is his job to come up and make a tackle when the RB gets past the other defensive players.
So how many running plays versus passing, I don't know but I bet its about 50/50. So that tells me that Dieon was useless on about half of the plays he was in because the guy would do an ooooooollllllaaaaaaayyyy (bullfighting reference there) whenever a RB came his way. If someone had years to research, I bet they would find out good running teams could beat DS teams because they would run toward his side. Furthermore I bet you would find out that DS teams would put their best DE's on Sanders' side just for that reason.
Now look at AW. The guy was really just as good as sanders, or very close on shutting down WRs. However he also was an excellent run supporter. The only reason DS played as long as he has is because he never made a hard tackle, saving his body. AW is leaving the game BECAUSE he made those hard tackles and is banged up. In review AW WAS a better CB than DS as an overall CB, no question, no doubt, and he deserves a HOF bid.
I certainly think DS deserves to be in the HOF, even as much as AW does, but not on his CB talent alone. He was the best kick returner probably ever, and the best pure cover guy ever, and that will put him in the HOF. But technically he is not the best all around CB in his era, that would be AW, and that, if you understand the position, should not be questioned.
mncardfan