Strahan times exit perfectly, but Hall entry won't be automatic

Only Tippett's sacks came from the strong side, Borges pointed out, which meant he had to contend with a tight end as well as the right tackle. Taylor rushed from the weak side.

Borges' argument sold the selection committee. Tippett was chosen and will be inducted this summer -- which is how it should be. Strahan will be chosen at some point, and that's how it should be, too.

He had six seasons with double-digit sacks, including an NFL-record 22.5 in 2001, and went out with nine in 2007 when the Giants not only ended New England's run of 18 straight victories but produced a league-best 53 sacks. In short, he was so effective at the end of his career that one opposing NFC East coach conceded he hoped Strahan would retire.

"Causes us too much trouble," he said.

He caused everyone too much trouble, which is precisely why we've come to this point. In 15 NFL seasons, Strahan did just about everything he could do. He set club records. He set league records. He made a lot of money. He made a lot of tackles. He made a lot of Pro Bowl teams.

And he won a Super Bowl in his last game.

"His question to me was: What else do I need to accomplish?" Agnone told me Monday morning. "In all honesty, I got one more year out of him than I thought."

In all honesty, it was a good thing Strahan hung around. In his last season he was third on the team in sacks, producing three in a defeat of Detroit. He never missed a game. And he was a key figure in an improbable playoff run -- producing a team-high two sacks and more tackles than any Giants' defensive lineman.

He was, of course, about much more than numbers. He was a dominant figure on the field and in the locker room. If you covered the Giants you couldn't afford not to hear what Strahan had to say, and what he has to say now is that he's had enough of the game.

Good for him. There's never been a better time to go.