[sportscurmudgeon]

I suspect that "character" will only be part of the equation in the negative sense and not the positive sense. If someone is CONVICTED or PLEADS GUILTY to something that is pretty outrageous, then he might be kept out of the HoF, but all the good works and solid citizenry in the world won't get anyone in. I still wonder what the HoF would have done if the jury had found OJ guilty...

One problem is that there are too many players in the HoF - and some coaches too - who were not universally nice people if you looked carefully at their entire life. Let me use Lawrence Taylor as an example; he was the best OLB to play the game, but he's not exactly the person I'd like my children to grow up to be. And there are others...

Michael Irvin was no saint by any stretch of the imagination but nothing pinned on him was outrageous, so I doubt that he will kept out of Canton because of his off-field notoriety.