With the Major League Baseball playoffs set to tee off soon, we thought this was the perfect time to look towards the future of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

We will be adding sections looking towards the future eligible of the Hall, and allowing you to give your opinions and votes so that we could look at factoring this in to future rankings.

The following players are eligible for the 2014 vote:

Armando Benitez
Damion Easley
Eric Gagne
Esteban Loaiza
Frank Thomas
Greg Maddux
Hideo Nomo
Jacques Jones
Jeff Kent
Jon Lieber
Jose Cruz Jr.
Jose Vidro
JT Snow
Keith Foulke
Kenny Rogers
Luis Gonzalez
Matt Morris
Mike Mussina
Mike Timlin
Moises Alou
Paul Lo Duca
Ray Durham
Richie Sexson
Scott Hatteberg
Sean Casey
Shannon Stewart
Steve Tracshel
Todd Jones
Tom Glavine
Trot Nixon

To be eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, the player must have retired (or played their final game) in 2008 and have played ten season in the MLB.

Wow!   Today the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced their nominees for the 2013 class, and much to our surprise and delight our top three acts have been chosen.

Headlining the pack is Rush, our number one choice and first time nominee. This is no doubt pleasing legions of fans across the world who has sung the praises of this Canadian Progressive Rock trio. Our second and third choices of Kraftwerk and Deep Purple have also been selected.

First year entrants Public Enemy and N.W.A. will be the representatives of Hip Hop on the ballot. The other nominees are Heart, the Marvelettes, the Meters, Albert King, Chic, Donna Summer, Procul Harum, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Joan Jett and the Black Hearts and Randy Newman.

The five selected will be announced in Mid-December.

Let the debate begin!

Here is what we know about the Swedish Music Hall of Fame; a travelling exhibit of ABBA memorabilia will be housed there and it will be the centerpiece of the new institution that should be completed next year. Beyond that…….

Okay, whether you love them or hate them, there is no denying the fact that the four Swedes turned Pop Music into a near perfect art form in the 70’s and are one of the most successful bands of all time. Their music remains popular, and well over thirty years after last hit, they constantly reach new generations.

ABBA should be the focal point of any musical Hall in Sweden, but this Scandinavian nation has been a hotbed for varying musical styles for decades and watching how this particular Hall of Fame will shape up in the coming years will be fascinating; as they could easily have a building that respects multiple genres.

Apart from ABBA, a large number of Swedish acts have been successful in North America. This long list includes Europe, Robyn, Neneh Cherry, Eagle Eye Cherry, Ace of Base, Roxette, The Cardigans, Peter Bjorn and John, Ceasars, The Sounds, The Hives, Sahara Hotnights and the Knife. Sweden also has a very active Metal scene, featuring influential bands like Bathory, At the Gates, Yngwie Malmsteen and Opeth.

This doesn’t mean we will be creating a Notinhalloffame section for Sweden’s Hall. Frankly, should we ever get around to looking at a second musical Hall, it will likely be the Country Music one, and like we mentioned, we really have no idea what the Swedish Musical has planned. We do know that we will be watching.

The long road to the Football Hall of Fame class of 2013 took another step forward as the massive list of preliminary nominees has been named. This includes thirteen players who are legitimate first ballot contenders such as Larry Allen, Michael Strahan and Jonathan Ogden.

The complete list of preliminary nominees is listed below by position:

QUARTERBACKS

DREW BLEDSOE 1993-2001 New England Patriots, 2002-04 Buffalo Bills, 2005-06 Dallas Cowboys
RANDALL CUNNINGHAM 1985-1995 Philadelphia Eagles, 1997-99 Minnesota Vikings, 2000 Dallas Cowboys, 2001 Baltimore Ravens
RON JAWORSKI   1974-76 Los Angeles Rams, 1977-1986 Philadelphia Eagles, 1988 Miami Dolphins, 1989 Kansas City Chiefs
NEIL LOMAX 1981-88 St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals
*STEVE McNAIR 1995-2005 Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans, 2006-07 Baltimore Ravens
PHIL SIMMS 1979-1993 New York Giants, injured-1982
DANNY WHITE (also P) 1976-1988 Dallas Cowboys

RUNNING BACKS

JAMAL ANDERSON 1994-2001 Atlanta Falcons
OTTIS ANDERSON 1979-1986 St. Louis Cardinals, 1986-1992 New York Giants
TIKI BARBER 1997-2006 New York Giants
^JEROME BETTIS 1993-95 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1996-2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
LARRY CENTERS 1990-98 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 1999-2000 Washington Redskins, 2001-02 Buffalo Bills, 2003 New England Patriots
^ROGER CRAIG 1983-1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991 Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-93 Minnesota Vikings
STEPHEN DAVIS 1996-2002 Washington Redskins, 2003-05 Carolina Panthers, 2006 St. Louis Rams
TERRELL DAVIS 1995-2001 Denver Broncos
EDDIE GEORGE 1996-2003 Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Titans, 2004 Dallas Cowboys
*PRIEST HOLMES 1997-2000 Baltimore Ravens, 2001-05, 2007 Kansas City Chiefs
BRIAN MITCHELL (also PR/KR) – 1990-99 Washington Redskins, 2000-02 Philadelphia Eagles, 2003 New York Giants
GERALD RIGGS 1982-88 Atlanta Falcons, 1989-1991 Washington Redskins
HERSCHEL WALKER 1986-89 Dallas Cowboys, 1989-1991 Minnesota Vikings, 1992-94 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995 New York Giants, 1996-97 Dallas Cowboys
RICKY WATTERS 1992-94 San Francisco 49ers, 1995-97 Philadelphia Eagles, 1998-2001 Seattle Seahawks

WIDE RECEIVERS

^TIM BROWN (also KR) – 1988-2003 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders, 2004 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
^CRIS CARTER 1987-89 Philadelphia Eagles, 1990-2001 Minnesota Vikings, 2002 Miami Dolphins
GARY CLARK 1985-1992 Washington Redskins, 1993-94 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 1995 Miami Dolphins
MARK CLAYTON 1983-1992 Miami Dolphins, 1993 Green Bay Packers
HENRY ELLARD (also PR) – 1983-1993 Los Angeles Rams, 1994-98 Washington Redskins, 1998 New England Patriots
KEYSHAWN JOHNSON 1996-99 New York Jets; 2000-03 Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2004-05 Dallas Cowboys, 2006 Carolina Panthers
*KEENAN McCARDELL 1991, 2007 Washington Redskins, 1992-95 Cleveland Browns, 1996-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002-03 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-06 San Diego Chargers
STANLEY MORGAN 1977-1989 New England Patriots, 1990 Indianapolis Colts
^ANDRE REED 1985-1999 Buffalo Bills, 2000 Washington Redskins
STERLING SHARPE 1988-1994 Green Bay Packers
JIMMY SMITH 1992 Dallas Cowboys, 1995-2005 Jacksonville Jaguars
ROD SMITH 1995-2006 Denver Broncos

TIGHT ENDS

TODD CHRISTENSEN 1979 New York Giants, 1979-1988 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
BEN COATES 1991-99 New England Patriots, 2000 Baltimore Ravens

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

*LARRY ALLEN (G) 1994-2005 Dallas Cowboys, 2006-07 San Francisco 49ers
TONY BOSELLI (T) 1995-2001 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2002 Houston Texans (injured reserve)
LOMAS BROWN (T) 1985-1995 Detroit Lions, 1996-98 Arizona Cardinals, 1999 Cleveland Browns, 2000-01 New York Giants, 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
JIM COVERT (T) 1983-1990 Chicago Bears
JOE FIELDS (C) 1975-1987 New York Jets, 1988 New York Giants
BILL FRALIC (G/T) 1985-1992 Atlanta Falcons, 1993 Detroit Lions
JEFF HARTINGS (G/C) 1996-2000 Detroit Lions, 2001-2006 Pittsburgh Steelers
JAY HILGENBERG (C) 1981-1991 Chicago Bears, 1992 Cleveland Browns, 1993 New Orleans Saints
CHRIS HINTON (G/T) 1983-89 Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, 1990-93 Atlanta Falcons, 1994-95 Minnesota Vikings
KENT HULL (C) 1986-1996 Buffalo Bills
JOE JACOBY (T) 1981-1993 Washington Redskins
MIKE KENN (T) 1978-1994 Atlanta Falcons
JIM LACHEY (T) 1985-87 San Diego Chargers, 1988 Los Angeles Raiders, 1988-1992, 1994-95 Washington Redskins
*TOM NALEN (C) 1994-2007 Denver Broncos
*JONATHAN OGDEN (T) 1996-2007 Baltimore Ravens
WILL SHIELDS (G) 1993-2006 Kansas City Chiefs
ERIK WILLIAMS (T) 1991-2000 Dallas Cowboys, 2001 Baltimore Ravens
STEVE WISNIEWSKI (G) 1989-2001 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

*SAM ADAMS (DT) – 1994-99 Seattle Seahawks, 2000-01 Baltimore Ravens, 2002 Oakland Raiders, 2003-05 Buffalo Bills, 2006 Cincinnati Bengals, 2007 Denver Broncos
CARL HAIRSTON (DE/DT) – 1976-1983 Philadelphia Eagles, 1984-89 Cleveland Browns, 1990 Phoenix Cardinals
^CHARLES HALEY (DE/LB) – 1986-1991, 1999 San Francisco 49ers, 1992-96 Dallas Cowboys
ED “TOO TALL” JONES (DE) – 1974-78, 1980-89 Dallas Cowboys
JOE KLECKO (DE/DT/NT) – 1977-1987 New York Jets, 1988 Indianapolis Colts
DEXTER MANLEY (DE) – 1981-89 Washington Redskins, 1990 Phoenix Cardinals, 1991 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
CHARLES MANN (DE) – 1983-1993 Washington Redskins, 1994 San Francisco 49ers
*WARREN SAPP (DT) – 1995-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Oakland Raiders
FRED SMERLAS (NT) – 1979-1989 Buffalo Bills, 1990 San Francisco 49ers, 1991-92 New England Patriots
*MICHAEL STRAHAN (DE) – 1993-2007 New York Giants
*TED WASHINGTON (DT/NT) – 1991-93 San Francisco 49ers, 1994 Denver Broncos, 1995-2000 Buffalo Bills, 2001-02 Chicago Bears, 2003 New England Patriots, 2004-05 Oakland Raiders, 2006-07 Cleveland Browns
*BRYANT YOUNG (DE) – 1994-2007 San Francisco 49ers

LINEBACKERS

CORNELIUS BENNETT – 1987-1995 Buffalo Bills, 1996-98 Atlanta Falcons, 1999-2000 Indianapolis Colts
^KEVIN GREENE (also DE) – 1985-1992 Los Angeles Rams, 1993-95 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996, 1998-99 Carolina Panthers, 1997 San Francisco 49ers
KEN HARVEY – 1988-1993 Phoenix Cardinals, 1994-98 Washington Redskins
CLAY MATTHEWS – 1978-1993 Cleveland Browns, 1994-96 Atlanta Falcons
KARL MECKLENBURG – 1983-1994 Denver Broncos
SAM MILLS – 1986-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers
DARRYL TALLEY – 1983-1994 Buffalo Bills, 1995 Atlanta Falcons, 1996 Minnesota Vikings

DEFENSIVE BACKS

ERIC ALLEN (CB) – 1988-1994 Philadelphia Eagles, 1995-97 New Orleans Saints, 1998-2001 Oakland Raiders
STEVE ATWATER (S) – 1989-1998 Denver Broncos, 1999 New York Jets
JOEY BROWNER (S) – 1983-1991 Minnesota Vikings, 1992 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LEROY BUTLER (S) – 1990-2001 Green Bay Packers
NOLAN CROMWELL (S) – 1977-1987 Los Angeles Rams
ALBERT LEWIS (CB) – 1983-1993 Kansas City Chiefs, 1994-98 Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders
*JOHN LYNCH (S) – 1993-2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004-07 Denver Broncos
DENNIS SMITH (S) – 1981-1994 Denver Broncos
TROY VINCENT (CB – 1992-95 Miami Dolphins, 1996-2003 Philadelphia Eagles, 2004-06 Buffalo Bills, 2006 Washington Redskins
EVERSON WALLS (CB) – 1981-89 Dallas Cowboys, 1990-92 New York Giants, 1992-93 Cleveland Browns
^AENEAS WILLIAMS (CB/S) – 1991-2000 Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, 2001-04 St. Louis Rams
DARREN WOODSON (S) – 1992-2003 Dallas Cowboys

KICKERS/PUNTERS

*MORTEN ANDERSEN (K) – 1982-1994 New Orleans Saints, 1995-2000, 2006-07 Atlanta Falcons, 2001 New York Giants, 2002-03 Kansas City Chiefs, 2004 Minnesota Vikings
GARY ANDERSON (K) – 1982-1994 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1995-96 Philadelphia Eagles, 1997 San Francisco 49ers, 1998-2002 Minnesota Vikings, 2003-04 Tennessee Titans
SEAN LANDETA (P) – 1985-1993 New York Giants, 1993-96, 2003-04 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1997 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1998 Green Bay Packers, 1999-2002, 2005 Philadelphia Eagles
NICK LOWERY (K) – 1978 New England Patriots, 1980-1993 Kansas City Chiefs, 1994-96 New York Jets

SPECIAL TEAMS

STEVE TASKER (also WR) – 1985-86 Houston Oilers, 1986-1997 Buffalo Bills

COACHES

BILL ARNSPARGER – 1964-69 Baltimore Colts, 1970-73, 1976-1983 Miami Dolphins, 1974-76 New York Giants
DOUG BLEVINS – 1995-97, 1999 World League/NFL Europe, 1997-2003 Miami Dolphins
BUD CARSON – 1971-77 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1978-81, 1997 Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, 1982 Baltimore Colts, 1983 Kansas City Chiefs, 1985-88 New York Jets, 1989-1990 Cleveland Browns, 1991-94 Philadelphia Eagles
^DON CORYELL – 1973-77 St. Louis Cardinals, 1978-1986 San Diego Chargers
BILL COWHER – 1992-2006 Pittsburgh Steelers
TOM FLORES – 1979-1987 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1992-94 Seattle Seahawks
JIMMY JOHNSON – 1989-1993 Dallas Cowboys, 1996-99 Miami Dolphins
CHUCK KNOX – 1973-77 Los Angeles Rams, 1978-1982 Buffalo Bills, 1983-1991 Seattle Seahawks, 1992-94 Los Angeles Rams
^BILL PARCELLS – 1983-1990 New York Giants, 1993-96 New England Patriots, 1997-99 New York Jets, 2003-06 Dallas Cowboys
BUDDY PARKER – 1949 Chicago Cardinals, 1951-56 Detroit Lions, 1957-1964 Pittsburgh Steelers
DAN REEVES – 1981-1992 Denver Broncos, 1993-96 New York Giants, 1997-2003 Atlanta Falcons
MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER – 1984-88 Cleveland Browns, 1989-1998 Kansas City Chiefs, 2001 Washington Redskins, 2002-06 San Diego Chargers
CLARK SHAUGHNESSY – 1944-47 Washington Redskins, 1948-49 Los Angeles Rams, 1951-1962 Chicago Bears
DICK VERMEIL – 1976-1982 Philadelphia Eagles, 1997-99 St. Louis Rams, 2001-05 Kansas City Chiefs

CONTRIBUTORS

K.S. “BUD” ADAMS, JR. (Founder/Owner) – 1960-Present Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Titans
GEORGE ANDERSON (Trainer) – 1960-1993 Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders
BOBBY BEATHARD (Admin.) – 1966-67 Kansas City Chiefs, 1968-1971 Atlanta Falcons, 1972-77 Miami Dolphins, 1978-1988 Washington Redskins, 1990-99 San Diego Chargers
GIL BRANDT (Admin.) – 1960-1988 Dallas Cowboys, 1995-present National Football League
C.O. BROCATO (Scout) – 1974-76, 1981-present Houston Oilers/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans
LEO CARLIN (Admin.) – 1960-Present Philadelphia Eagles
JACK KENT COOKE (Owner) – 1974-1997 Washington Redskins
OTHO DAVIS (Trainer) – 1971-72 Baltimore Colts, 1973-1995 Philadelphia Eagles
^ED DeBARTOLO, JR. (Owner) – 1979-2000 San Francisco 49ers
RON GIBBS (Official) – 1940-1962 National Football League
RALPH KOHL (Scout) – 1978-1992 Minnesota Vikings
EDDIE KOTAL (Admin.) – 1947-1961 Los Angeles Rams
ROBERT KRAFT (Owner) – 1994-Present New England Patriots
ART McNALLY (Official) – 1968-Present National Football League
^ART MODELL (Owner) – 1961-1995 Cleveland Browns, 1996-2011 Baltimore Ravens
BILL POLIAN (Admin.) – 1978-1982 Kansas City Chiefs, 1984-1992 Buffalo Bills, 1993-94 National Football League, 1995-97 Carolina Panthers, 1998-2011 Indianapolis Colts
ART ROONEY, JR. (Admin.) – 1961-Present Pittsburgh Steelers
STEVE SABOL (Contrib.) – 1964-2012 NFL Films
CARL STORCK (Owner/Coach/Admin.) – 1918-1930 Dayton Triangles, 1930-1941 National Football League
^PAUL TAGLIABUE (Commissioner) – 1989-2006 National Football League
BURL TOLER, SR. (Official) – 1965-1989 National Football League
JIM TUNNEY (Official) – 1960-1991 National Football League
RON WOLF (Admin.) – 1991-2001 Green Bay Packers
^GEORGE YOUNG (Admin.) – 1968-1974 Baltimore Colts, 1975-78 Miami Dolphins, 1979-1997 New York Giants, 1998-2001 National Football League

The list will be cropped to 25 in November.