Here's the scoreboard I've drawn up; following it are some conclusions.

So who's getting the shaft? No team, hugely. But I think three franchises have a case about having too few guys in the Hall.

The 49ers made it to the NFL's Final Four (i.e. the conference championship game) 10 times in 17 years. Now, they'll have a fifth Hall of Famer from that era when Jerry Rice is elected, but Charles Haley and Roger Craig should get some juice off the numbers you see above. That plus the fact that this franchise is the greatest Super Bowl champion of all time. Five tries, five wins.

The Broncos, who got to the NFL's Final Four six times in 13 years, were certainly John Elway's team. But the Cowboys were 2-3 in Super Bowls, same as Elway's Broncos, and seven Dallas guys from that era made the Hall. These numbers should be a boost to a candidate such as tackle Gary Zimmerman and perhaps safety Steve Atwater. Tight end Shannon Sharpe almost certainly will make it, although he's not eligible until 2009.

The Joe Gibbs Redskins' only HOFers are Gibbs and John Riggins. But thanks to their 3-1 Super Bowl mark in 11 years, it's only a matter of time (unless we voters are a bunch of foofs) before Hogs Russ Grimm and Joe Jacoby knock hard on the Hall door. I won't support him, but there's still a lot of love out there for Art Monk, who retired as the leading receiver of all time.

In my opinion, the best two teams of my lifetime are Pittsburgh of the '70s and Green Bay of the '60s. So I have no problem with them having the most players in the Hall -- though I do understand the feeling of those who think the Steelers, in particular, have too many. The other day, Ed Werder, the fine ESPN reporter, called to talk about this, and he said something that comes up in our discussions a lot. "Maybe the issue isn't whether the Cowboys are underrepresented. Maybe the issue is whether the Steelers are,'' he said. Maybe so. I've thought it's a little over the top that both wide receivers, Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, from a stout defensive team that lived by the run until very late in its reign are in. But I can't find much fault with any other black-and-gold person in there.

Now on to the Cowboys question. I believe another player or two from that era (Rayfield Wright or Cliff Harris, probably) eventually will make the Hall. That would be just. If that team gets no one else in, I see no outrageous slight. Though I support Wright without reservation, it's more unjust among offensive linemen that the most decorated center of all time, Mick Tinglehoff of the Vikings, can't get in the Hall; he was all-pro more than any center ever, but he's gained a rap in the voting room as a lightweight who got overpowered by bigger tackles.

You might ask whether it's fair that the Chiefs have as many Hall members as the Cowboys. Good question. This might be a case of a team with some truly great players, such as Bobby Bell and Buck Buchanan, being surrounded by too few other good players to extend their period of greatness in Kansas City.

But I've said this many times: Never, ever, have I heard any Hall voter, in or out of the meeting, say, "Screw the Cowboys. They were overrated.'' Obviously they weren't. I think the Super Bowl record doesn't help marginal candidates like Wright and Harris. Why is it not acceptable to say, "Seven's the right number for that team?'' Why does there have to be a bias? I can't tell you what's in the hearts and minds of the other voters, but I can tell you I don't see it. Never have.