There are no more powerful words an NFL player can have on his Hall of Fame resume than “first-team all-decade.”

Those select few represent the best players at their positions of their eras — and they are chosen by the same group that authorizes the busts for Canton, the Hall of Fame selection committee. There have been 288 position players selected all-decade through the year 2000, but only 145 of them wore that coveted “first-team” designation. That kicks the door open for their enshrinement, inviting a rubber stamp.

I was in Canton last weekend for the induction of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016 and saw three more first-team all-decade selections get their busts -- Kevin Greene, Marvin Harrison and the late Dick Stanfel. Then walking through the bust room of the Hall, you see the best of the best: Johnny Unitas, Jim Brown, Jerry Rice, Forrest Gregg, Reggie White, Joe Greene, Dick Butkus, Night Train Lane and Ronnie Lott. First-team all-decade selections one and all, a very select fraternity.

Of those 145 all-decade first-team selections, 91.7 percent of them are now enshrined in Canton. But there are still 12 first-teamers awaiting their busts. In my eyes, they remain the most glaring omissions from the Hall of Fame. What did that dozen do that the other 133 first-teamers didn’t that has blocked their path to Canton?

There were 22 position players selected first-team all-decade for the 1970s. Twenty of them are enshrined in Canton. Two are not — and both are Cowboys, wide receiver Drew Pearson and safety Cliff Harris. Harris has been eligible for 32 years now and has been a finalist once, in his final year as a modern-era candidate in 2004. Pearson has been eligible for 28 years but has never been a finalist.

Why? The other first-team all-decade wide receiver has been enshrined (Lynn Swann). The committee even skipped over Pearson to enshrine a second-team wideout from the 1970s (Paul Warfield). But no Pearson. The other first-team all-decade safety from the 1970s has been enshrined (Ken Houston). But no Harris.

There were 22 position players selected first-team all-decade for the 1960s. Twenty of them are enshrined in Canton. Again, two are not — and one of them has a Texas connection. Safety Johnny Robinson was the third overall pick of the 1960 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions and also a first-round pick of the AFL draft by the Dallas Texans.

Robinson intercepted four passes for the 1962 Texans, who gave Dallas its first pro football championship. The other first-team all-decade safety for the 1960s (Larry Wilson) has been enshrined. But no Robinson. He’s been eligible for 40 years now and has been a finalist six times without having his ticket punched for Canton.

The other first-team omission from the 1960s all-decade team may be the most egregious. Jerry Kramer was selected to the NFL’s 50th anniversary team at guard. He also was one of 15 players identified as the best at his position in those first 50 years. The other 14 players are in. Kramer is not. He’s been a finalist 10 times, including once as a senior candidate, and has been passed over each time.

Why? Rather, why not? Why not Kramer? Why not Robinson? Why not Harris? Why not Pearson? Why have they been excluded? How have they fallen through the cracks of this selection process?

There were 11 players selected to the 1920s all-decade first-team team. Green Bay end Lavern Dilweg is the only one who has not been enshrined. There were 11 players selected to the 1930s first-team. Guard Ox Emerson is the only one not in. There were 11 players selected to the 1940s first team. Guard Bruno Banducci and tackle Al Wistert are the only absentees.

All 22 players from the 1950s first team have been enshrined, making it the only decade with perfect attendance. Stanfel closed the book on that decade with his enshrinement last weekend. But there are two players apiece missing from the first teams of the 1980s and 1990s — tackle Jim Covert and safety Kenny Easley from the 1980s and tackle Tony Boselli and safety Steve Atwater from the 1990s.

So what gives? I’m on both the Hall of Fame selection and seniors committees and I have no answers, only questions. All but Atwater, Boselli, Covert and Easley are now in the senior pool. The senior committee will meet next week to select one nominee. I know of eight players who deserve the strongest consideration. There are some wrongs that still need to be righted.

Listen to Rick Gosselin at 10:50 a.m. Tuesdays on Sportsradio 1310 AM/96.7 FM The Ticket with Norm Hitzges and Donovan Lewis, and follow @RickGosselinDMN on Twitter.