Yes, we know that this is taking a while! As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present our pre-2021 revision of our top 50 Houston Astros of all-time. As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following:  1.  Advanced Statistics. 2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in their League.  3. Playoff accomplishments. 4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet. There are no new entries but three rank elevations, none of which were reflected on the top five, which, as always, we present in our news updates.  They are: 1. Jeff Bagwell                                             2. Craig Biggio 3. Lance Berkman 4. Jose Altuve 5. Cesar Cedeno The complete list can be found here.  Outfielder, George Springer, moved up two spots to #16.  Springer’s ascension ends here, as he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as a Free Agent. Infielder, Alex Bregman, also advanced two spots and is now at #19.   Fellow infielder, Carlos Correa went from #31 to #24. We welcome your input and commentsand as always, we thank you for your support.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while! As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present the pre-2021 update of our top 50 Detroit Tigers of all-time. As for all of our top 50 players in hockey we look at the following:  1.  Advanced Statistics. 2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the American League.  3. Playoff accomplishments. 4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet. The complete list can be found here, but as always we announce our top five in this article.  They are: 1. Ty Cobb 2. Al Kaline 3. Hal Newhouser 4. Charlie Gehringer 5. Miguel Cabrera There are no changes in the entire list, but we did feel it necessary to state that this now reflects the end of the 2020 season.  Cabrera is the only active Tiger on the top 50, and while his rank did not change, his 2020 stats have been added to his profile. We welcome your input and commentsand as always, we thank you for your support.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame has announced the Class of 2021, and it will be headlined by former World No.1, Lleyton Hewitt. Hewitt won 30 Titles, including the 2001 U.S. Open and 2002 Wimbledon, and the Australian star led his nation to two Davis Cup wins (1999 & 2003).  Hewitt was ranked number one in 2001, at the age of 20, making him the youngest man at the time to ascend to the top. Hewitt will be joined by the “Original 9” of women’s professional tennis and tennis teacher, Dennis Van der Meer. The Original 9 consisted of Peaches Barthowicz, Rosie Casals, Julie Heldman, Billie Jean King, Kristy Pigeon, Nancy Richey, Valerie Ziegenfuss, Judy Tegart Dalton and Kerry Melville Reid.  The nine women broke away from the main tour and formed their own in protest to receive equitable pay. Van der Meer is from Namibia, and would later immigrate to the United States and he developed a standardised manner of tennis instruction.  The induction will be posthumous, as Van der Meer passed away in 2019. The ceremony will take place on July 17, in Newport, Rhode Island. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the newest members of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while! As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present our fourth revision of our top 50 Texas Rangers of all-time. As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following:  1.  Advanced Statistics. 2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the American League.  3. Playoff accomplishments. 4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet. This one went a complete overhaul, which was reflected in our top five as seen below. The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are: 1. Ivan Rodriguez                                             2. Rafael Palmeiro 3. Juan Gonzalez 4. Adrian Beltre 5. Frank Howard Our top five remains the same, but there two new additions, and one slight elevation.   Elvis Andrus moved up one spot from #15 to #14.   Pitchers, Lance Lynn and Mike Minor, debut at #43 and #49 respectively. We welcome your input and commentsand as always, we thank you for your support.

We have said since we began our website a decade ago that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has no little love for the Heavy Metal genre.  The metal artists know it too, but generally, we don’t hear them utter those statements often, so when they do, we consider it news. On his Twitter, Twisted Sister front man, Dee Snider said the following about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame committee: "The RnR Hall committee members are arrogant elitist assholes who look down on metal & other bands that sell millions because we're not their definition of cool. The fan vote is their 'throwing a bone' to the peasants. I want to say FU, but I want them to have to deal with us!" Iron Maiden is nominated for the first time this year, but they have been eligible for fifteen years.  Judas Priest and Motorhead have been nominated before, but have failed to get in.  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame fan vote is open until April 30, but has no impact on who will get in.

We are a month removed from the Baseball Hall of Fame 2021 vote, and that means it is time to release our new list of those to consider for Cooperstown in 2022.  With nobody elected in 2021, there are no removals from the list, but there are four new entries.  We currently have 108 on this list, and by Spring, we will be expanding it to an even 300, which will be our fixed number moving forward. As per our first year, there are three number ones, with the rational showing one eligible, and two ineligibles (Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson) due to gambling. Remaining at #1A is Pete Rose, the man who collected an all-time record 4,256 Hits.  Rose was banned from the game over 30 years ago for betting on baseball.   Also, staying at #1B, is “Shoeless” Joe Jackson.  Jackson was suspended for his alleged participation in the Chicago White Sox throwing of the 1919 World Series. Barry Bonds is at #1C.  Bonds is the all-time leading Home Run leader with 762, and he is also first in Walks (2,558), Win Probability Added (127.7) and Power-Speed # (613.9).  While never caught, the seven-time MVP was widely suspected of PED use, and the Baseball Hall of Fame voters have kept him out.  He only has one year left of eligibility.   Roger Clemens is just behind Bonds at #2.  Like Bonds, Clemens has been kept out of Cooperstown due to PED suspicion, and he is also entering his tenth and final year on the ballot.  Clemens is a seven-time Cy Young Award winner and is third all-time in Strikeouts (4,672). The highest debut is Alex Rodriguez, who appears at #3. Unlike Bonds and Clemens, Rodriguez was twice suspended for PED use, but also, unlike Bonds and Clemens, he seems to be welcomed back as shown by his gig at Fox.  Rodriguez is fourth all-time in Home Runs (696). Former Detroit Tiger Second Baseman, Lou Whitaker, is at #4.  Whitaker was a member of Detroit’s 1984 World Series Championship team, and is considered one of the best infielders not in the Baseball Hall.   Bill Dahlen, a former star in the 1900s is in at #5.  Dahlen won a World Series with the New York Giants in 1905, and is still in the top-fifty in bWAR for Position Players. Curt Schilling is at #6.  The former two-time World Series champion has one year left and has asked to be removed from the ballot after failing to enter the Hall.  He has feuded with…

Yes, we know that this is taking a while! As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present our third revision of our top 50 Minnesota Timberwolves of all-time. As for all of our top 50 players in basketball we look at the following:  1.  Advanced Statistics. 2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NBA.  3. Playoff accomplishments. 4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet. This one went a complete overhaul, which was reflected in our top five as seen below. The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are: 1. Kevin Garnett                                          2. Karl-Anthony Towns 3. Kevin Love 4. Wally Szczerbiak  5. Terrell Brandon Our top five remains the same, but there has been tinkering throughout the rest of the list. We welcome your input and commentsand as always, we thank you for your support.

We are in the preliminary process of reworking our Notinhalloffame.com Football List, which ranks the top 300 former players who should be considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  The top new entrant will be DeMarcus Ware, a nine-time Pro Bowl Linebacker, who played most of his career with the Dallas Cowboys.  Ware is expected to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first year of eligibility, but he was recently asked about his former teammate, Quarterback, Tony Romo. He had this to say: “From his resume, yes.  If it’s going off championships, no.  If it’s one of those things where you’re looking at a Hall of Fame quarterback according to how many titles they won, he won’t make it.  But from the way he played and the stats that he put up, all of that? Yes.  He’ll make it for sure.  Especially with his image now in the media, being a big-time guy on television.  So, here is the perfect candidate for it.  To also promote the Hall of Fame classes and stuff, so it makes sense.”   We are not sure that we will be even ranking Romo in our top 300, but should we? As always, we will be paying attention to Hall of Fame news, and look for our revised Football list next March.  

It has been reported that Vincent Jackson, former NFL Wide Receiver, has been found dead in his hotel room in Brandon, Florida.  He was only 38 years old.  The cause of death has not been given, but it is known that his family reported him missing on February 10, and found at the hotel he was staying in two days later. He had checked in the hotel on the 11th. Jackson played his college football at Northern Colorado and he was drafted in the second round by the San Diego Chargers, where he played until 2011.  With the Chargers, he went to two Pro Bowls, and had three four-digit seasons in yardage.  Jackson joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he played five more seasons, where he again had three 1,000-yard plus years, and went to his third Pro Bowl in 2012. That year he led the NFL in Yards per Reception (19.2). Jackson amassed 9,080 Yards with 57 Touchdowns over his 12-year career.  We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to offer our condolences to the friends, fans and family of Vincent Jackson.

We have another significant retirement in the NFL.  Actually, two. The Pouncey twins, (Maurkice and Mike) are both retiring at the age of 31.   The Pounceys played at the University of Florida, both on the offensive line.  Winning the 2009 BCS National Championship with the Gators, the brothers were both taken in the first round in 2011, Mike 16thoverall by the Miami Dolphins, and Maurkice, 18thby the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Both would play at Center in the NFL. Mike went to three Pro Bowls with Miami (2013-15), and went to a fourth in his first season with the Los Angeles Chargers, 2018.  Maurkice was with the Steelers his entire career, where he was a nine-time Pro Bowler, three-time First Team All-Pro and member of the 2010s All-Decade Team. Both are eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026, though only Maurkice has a legitimate shot. We will be writing their bios for our football futures section shortly. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Maurkice and Mike Pouncey the best in their post-playing career.

When you follow halls of fame as diligent as we do, it is a festive season when you have the Baseball Hall of Fame and Football Hall of Fame announce their classes a week about.  Throw in the fact that the Rock and Roll Hall is now announcing their Finalists, we have an unprecedented time on our hands. Due to COVID-19, the nomination process for the Class of 2021 was delayed by several months, but until two days ago there was no set date as to when it we learn who would be on the ballot. The nominees are: Carole King:  Ranked #87 on Notinhalloffame.com.  King entered the Rock Hall a long time ago as a songwriter with her partner, Gerry Goffin, but her solo work as a performer is also Hall worthy.  This is the first time she has been nominated since 1989. Chaka Khan:  Ranked #168 on Notinhalloffame.com.  The Hall wants Chaka Khan in, as they have nominated her in the past as a solo, and later with the group, Rufus.  Again, as a solo, this is her sixth overall nomination. Devo:  Ranked #80 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Devo returns to the ballot after a year, and their work in Post-Punk/New Wave is among the most influential of its day. Dionne Warwick:  Ranked #362 on Notinhalloffame.com. Warwick has a trophy case full of Grammys and a laundry list of hits, but with an Adult Contemporary sound, her rock and roll credibility is suspect.  That hasn’t stopped Hall voters before. Fela Kuti:  Ranked #397 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Every year there is a wild card, and this is year it is Fela Kuti, the most important singer from Africa.  If the Rock Hall voters value world music, he is the best choice they could make. Foo Fighters:  Ranked #3 on Notinhalloffame.com.  Foo Fighters are in their first year of eligibility and it should be no surprise to anyone that they were nominated, nor should anyone be shocked to see them gain immediate entry.  An induction will make Dave Grohl a two-time inductee, having already been enshrined with Nirvana. The Go-Go’s:  Ranked #111 on Notinhalloffame.com.  The Go-Go’s were he first all-female band to go #1 on Billboard, and this is their first nomination since being eligible in 2006. Iron Maiden:  Ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com.  This is a pleasant surprise as the Heavy Metal gods have never been nominated despite being eligible since the 2004 vote.  Heavy Metal has struggled to find representation in the Rock Hall, and in the past few years, Judas Priest and Motorhead have…

Mary Wilson, founding member of the Supremes, passed away last night.  She was 76 years old.  No cause of death was given, only that she passed away suddenly. The Supremes, comprising of Wilson, Diana Ross and Florence Ballard first got together in their native Detroit, as the Primettes.  Signed by Berry Gordy of Motown, they became the Supremes, and they emerged as the label’s most successful artists, with 12 number one songs. Gordy’s push of Ross led to a name change of the Supremes to Diana Ross and the Supremes, and Wilson was moved to the back for the duration of Ross’s stay.  Ross left the group for a solo career, but Wilson stayed on with the Supremes who performed, though not as successfully, throughout the 1970s.   The Supremes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends, fans and family of Mary Wilson.

It was announced today that former NFL Head Coach, Marty Schottenheimer passed away today following a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.  He was 77 years old. Schottenheimer played six years in pro football, four with Buffalo and two with the Boston Patriots. Schottenheimer went into coaching, and moved up to defensive coordinator by the Cleveland Browns in 1980.  Five years later, he became their head coach. Under Schottenheimer, Cleveland went to the AFC Championship Game in 1986 and 1987, and to the playoffs four out of five years.  Schottenheimer left Cleveland in 1988 for the Kansas City Chiefs after he and Browns owner, Art Modell, mutually parted ways. From 1989 to 1997, Kansas City was either first or second in the AFC West going to the post-season seven times. The Chiefs made it is far as the AFC Championship Game in 1993, losing to Buffalo.  After a 7-9 1998 season, Schottenheimer resigned, and became an analyst for ESPN. Schottenheimer was hired by Washington in 2001, but it would only be for one year as his team were a disappointing 8-8, and he was fired at the season’s end.  He was not out of work for long, as Schottenheimer was hired by the San Diego Chargers in 2002.   With San Diego, Schottenheimer only went to playoffs twice, but it looked like they were Super Bowl bound in 2006 following a 14-2 season, but they lost to the Patriots in their first playoff game.  That would be Schottenheimer’s last game as an NFL Head Coach, as clashes with ownership led to his dismissal. Schottenheimer had a career record of 200-126-1. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends, fans and family of Marty Schottenheimer.

For most people, the Super Bowl is one of their favorite days of the year.  It is for us too, but we have one day on the football calendar that we like just a little bit more.  It is the day before the Super Bowl, when they announce the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Class. The Pro Football Hall of Fame committee met virtually two weeks ago due to COVID-19.  This is atypical, as they usually meet in person close to the Super Bowl.  We expected that leaks would come out, but to the credit of those involved, the spilling of details were minimal: Let’s get to it! The Class of 2021 is: Alan Faneca:  Guard: 1998-07 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets & 2010 Arizona Cardinals.  A Super Bowl Champion with the Steelers, Faneca went to nine Pro Bowls and was a six-time First Team All-Pro.  Faneca has been a Semi-Finalist and Finalist in his first five years of eligibility, and this made year six.  He has been arguably been “leapfrogged” by Steve Hutchinson and Kevin Mawae, and it won’t happen again.  Faneca has been overdue for some time.  Ranked #4 on Notinhalloffame.com. Calvin Johnson: Wide Receiver:  2007-15 Detroit Lions.  Johnson went to six Pro Bowls, three First Team All-Pros and was considered the most exciting Wide Receiver of his day.  This was his first year on the ballot, and while other Wide Receivers exceed his overall stats, there was no one who passed the eye test more than “Megatron”.  Ranked #27 on Notinhalloffame.com. Peyton Manning: Quarterback:  1998-11 Indianapolis Colts & 2012-15 Denver Broncos.  Manning took both the Colts and Broncos to a Super Bowl win, and he is a five-time MVP with 14 Pro Bowls and seven First Team All-Pros.  He would throw for 71,940 Yards and 539 Touchdowns and this is his first year on the ballot. There was zero doubt that Manning was going in, and it was already leaked that his selection was filmed at a party.  Ranked #1 on Notinhalloffame.com. John Lynch: Free Safety:  1993-03 Tampa Bay Buccaneers & 2004-07 Denver Broncos.  Lynch went to seven Pro Bowls and won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay.  Lynch gets in on his eighth try.  Ranked #25 on Notinhalloffame.com. Charles Woodson:  Cornerback/Safety:  1998-05 & 2013-15 Oakland Raiders & 2006-12 Green Bay Packers.  Woodson is a Super Bowl Champion with the Packers and has 65 career Interceptions.  The nine-time Pro Bowler is also a former Defensive Rookie of the Year (1998) and Defensive Player of the Year (2009).  This was Woodson’s first year of eligibility, and like Manning, he was…

Former Heavyweight Champion, Leon Spinks, passed away today following a long battle with cancer.  He was 67.  At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Spinks represented the United States and won Gold in the Light Heavyweight division.  Spinks turned pro, and in only his eighth fight, defeated the Muhammed Ali for the Heavyweight Championship.  This was the highlight of his career, as Spinks lost the title back to Ali seven months later. Spinks challenged Larry Holmes for the Heavyweight Title in 1981, but lost via TKO in the 3rdround. He later dropped down in weight, and challenged for the WBA Cruiserweight Title but lost to the incumbent, Dwight Muhammad Qawi.   Spinks still had a name but over the rest of his career, he lost more than he won.  His last fight was in 1995, and he retired with a record of 26-17-3.  Spinks’ younger brother, Michael, was also a former Heavyweight Champion, and his son, Cory, is a former World Welterweight Champion. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Leon Spinks.

Butch Reed, who competed in many main events in professional wrestling during the 1980s, passed away today at age 66.  He had suffered multiple heart attacks in recent weeks. Playing football at the University of Central Florida, Reed first competed in the Central States territory, before moving on to Florida where he and Sweet Brown Sugar won the North American Tag Team Titles by beating Dory Funk Jr. and David Von Erich.  Reed would even receive title shots against NWA Heavyweight Champion, Ric Flair. Reed would continue to wrestle for various NWA promotions before joining Bill Watts’ promotion, Mid-South.  Reed was used at or near the top, feuding with the Junkyard Dog and again having main events against Ric Flair. In 1986, Reed signed with the World Wrestling Federation.  With bleached blonde hair and Slick as his manager, Reed had a good run, and competed at Wrestlemania III and Wrestlemania IV, and was in the main event of the first Survivor Series.  Reed left in 1988, and joined WCW in 1989, where he would eventually team with Ron Simmons to form the team of Doom.  The tandem won the Tag Team Championships holding it for nine months.  The team broke up, with Simmons winning the feud, and Reed wrestling sparingly form then on as he competed mostly in the rodeo circuit instead. In our last ranking of those to consider for the WWE Hall of Fame, Reed was ranked at #93. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Butch Reed.

This was hardly a surprise. Allegedly at a party in Peyton Manning’s honor, Pro Football Hall of Fame president, David Baker, informed Manning that he will be entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first year of eligibility.  Camera crews were on hand, so we can expect to see the footage on the official Hall of Fame broadcast this Saturday.   At the time of Manning’s retirement, he was the all-time leader in every significant quarterback stat.   Manning was a five-time MVP and two-time Super Bowl Champion.  Last week, LeRoy Butler revealed on Twitter that he was not chosen. We are down to 13.

Dustin Pedroia, who last played in 2019, has announced his official retirement from baseball. Knee problems held Pedroia to only nine combined games in 2018 and 2019, and he did not play at all in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, so while this announcement is not unexpected, it is impactful considering what he meant to the Boston Red Sox. Pedroia debuted in 2006 for Boston, two years after he was taken in the second round of the amateur draft, and the two years that followed for the Second Baseman was nothing short of magical.  Pedroia won the 2007 Rookie of the Year Award, while also being the spark plug of the Red Sox team that won that year’s World Series.  His following year did not add any finger jewelry, but his trophy case needed expanding.  Pedroia won the Gold Glove, Silver Slugger and MVP, and he was also the American League leader in Hits (213), Runs (118) and Doubles (54). Remaining one of the top Second Basemen over the next half-decade, Pedroia went to four All-Star Games, and would be four-time Gold Glove recipient.  He retires with 1,805 career Hits, 140 Home Runs and a .299 Batting Average.  Pedroia’s career bWAR of 51.6 places him 22ndall-time at his position, and his JAWS is 46.3, 20thall-time among Second Basemen.   It is significantly lower than the average Hall of Famer at his position, 57.0, but many of those above him do not have two World Series rings and/or an MVP. Pedroia will be eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2025, and in the near future, there will be a profile on him in our baseball futures section. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Dustin Pedroia the best in his post-playing career.

2021 seems so familiar to 2020. Another legendary figure in the sports world has passed away as Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and College Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, John Chaney, passed away.  He was 89. John Chaney led Cheyney State to a Division II Championship in 1978, and Temple University hired him as their men’s basketball coach in 1982.  He held that position until 2006. Chaney’s Owls appeared in 17 NCAA Tournaments and while he was quick to lose his temper, he was even quicker to help those in need.  A stickler for the defensive side of the ball, Chaney led Temple to six Atlantic 10 titles and he was a five-time conference Coach of the Year.  Chaney retired in 2006 with a career record of 741-312. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of John Chaney.

We have another major retirement in the National Football League as Jason Witten has called it a career. Drafted in the 3rd Round out of Tennessee in 2003, Witten would see significant playing time in his rookie year but in 2004 he would rise to Pro Bowl status with a 980 Yard season. This would be the first of many seasons where the Dallas Cowboy would be considered an elite Tight End. From 2005 to 2010 he would be named to six more Pro Bowls, which would also include two First Team All Pro Selections. Four more Pro Bowls would follow (2012-14 & 2017). Four of his seasons would see Witten exceed over 90 Receptions and 1,000 Yards, incredible numbers for a Tight End. Witten first retired after the 2017 season, and went into the broadcast booth for ESPN for their Monday Night Football package.  He unretired, coming back in 2019, and joined the Las Vegas Raiders last year. Witten retires as the all-time Cowboys leader in Receptions (1,215) and Receiving Yards (12,977).  and he retires with 13,046 Yards and 74 Touchdowns in total. With his 11 Pro Bowls and statistical accumulation he has an excellent shot at entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026. He will certainly have a prime position on our Notinhalloffame.com Football list.  In our 2020 pre-season rank of active players and their Hall of Fame credentials, Witten was placed #9 overall and #2 in Tight Ends behind Rob Gronkowski. We will be creating his Notinhalloffame.com profile shortly in the 2026 section. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to thank Jason Witten for all of the memories on the field and we wish him the best in his post-playing career.

You had to know that leaks would happen. We know that LeRoy Butler will not be one of the five men inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  The news came from Butler himself ?? maybe next year!! ? plus it’s always a good thing, to be discussed with the best to ever play THE GAME! — leroy butler (@leap36) January 27, 2021 Butler was one of fifteen players who were finalists, and this was his second year reaching this stage.  This news could bode well for John Lynch, a fellow defensive back who has been a finalists eight times.We will continue to report on news as it comes.

We said yesterday that the omission of Curt Schilling would have to see the former pitcher go on a bit of an “apology tour” if he wants to make the Baseball Hall of Fame next year on his last year of eligibility.  Schilling fell 16 votes shy, finishing at 71%.  It is clear that statistically he belongs, but his politics and anti-media stance have seen voters openly state they would not vote for him. In response, Schilling responded on his official Facebook page: I can say at this point I am mentally done. I know math and I know trends and I know I will not attain the 75% threshold for induction.  As I’ve stated often over the past years to those I’ve spoken with in my heart I am at peace. Nothing, zero, none of the claims being made by any of the writers hold merit. In my 22 years playing professional baseball in the most culturally diverse locker rooms in sports I’ve never said or acted in any capacity other than being a good teammate.  I’ve certainly been exposed to racism and sexism and homophobia as it’s part of who human beings are. I’ve played with and talked with gay teammates. I’ve played with wife beaters, adulterers, assaulted, drug addicts and alcoholics. I’ve never hit a woman, driven drunk, done drugs, PEDs or otherwise, assaulted anyone or committed any sort of crime.  But I’m now somehow in a conversation with two men who cheated, and instead of being accountable they chose to destroy others lives to protect their lie.  Having said all that the media has created a Curt Schilling that does not and has never existed. It’s one of the things that has allowed me to sleep at night. Not an ounce of that is to absolve myself of sin, Lord knows I’ve committed my share and will do so again. Never malicious, never to willfully or intentionally hurt another person. I was 100% accountable and still am. Even the thought of responding to claims of “nazi” or “racist” or any other term so watered down and rendered meaningless by spineless cowards who have never met me makes me ill. In modern times responding to such drivel somehow validates the claim.  My love of this country has always been worn on my sleeve. My desire to do the right thing and be a good person has driven most of my…

We call this the “Hall of Fame Season”, and this is annually part one of a two-part apex where the Baseball Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame announces their new classes, although COVID-19 might have played an integral part in what transpired today in the baseball vote. As it was projected by Ryan Thibodeau @NotMrTibbs, the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame did not select anyone.  As COVID-19 postponed the 2020 ceremony, the Class of 2020 (Derek Jeter, Larry Walker, Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller) will be inducted on July 25.  This also meant that there was no urgency by any of the writers to induct anyone. Whether or not this played a part in the minds of voters to exclude a player is subject to conjecture, but it could have played a part.   While nobody was chosen, there is a lot to unpack. Had it not been for the anti-media stance of Curt Schilling, he likely would have been inducted years ago. Schilling has the stats and the post-season success that befits a Hall of Fame inductee, but it was four years ago where he supported a joke about lynching journalists.  That resulted in a drop of support from 52.3% to 45.0, and he had been relatively quiet since in regards to the media.  He made to an even 70.0% last year, but the last two months have been a very spicy political climate.  He inched forward to 71.1% this year. Schilling supported the far right wing riots on January 6, and has again been very critical of the media. One voter, who checked Schilling’s box asked if could be changed.  Jay Jaffe openly said that he couldn’t vote for Schilling because he feared it would give him a bigger platform.  With only one year remaining, Schilling would have to go on a serious “apology tour” to make it.  However, Here is what many voters and fans don’t seem to understand.  Once a player is retired, unless they are managing or broadcasting, they only have one more hurdle to climb; Cooperstown.  Pete Rose, by his own admission, is more known today because he is not inducted. When Dick Allen recently passed, it gained more attention because he was a Hall of Fame snub then he would have if it he was a Hall of Fame inductee.  An Induction for Schilling does not raise his platform at all, it actually decreases it, as the public knows that it is his politics that kept…

The NFL post-season usually is when we see significant retirements, and following that of Quarterback, Philip Rivers, we see Tight End, Greg Olsen, call it a career today. Greg Olsen played his college football at the University of Miami where he would become one of the top Tight Ends in the 2007 Draft, taken 31stoverall by the Chicago Bears.  Olsen did well, peaking with 612 Yards in 2009, but he was traded to the Carolina Panthers for a Third Round pick before the 2011 season. With the Panthers, Olsen continued his work catching passes and blocking potential tacklers.  Already good at both disciplines, Olsen took it to another level, recording three consecutive 1,000 Yard seasons, all of which earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl.   Injuries took their toll on Olsen, and his production dipped.  He played with Carolina until 2019, and had one final season with the Seattle Seahawks. Olsen leaves professional football with 8,683 Yards and 60 Touchdowns. Olsen will be Hall of Fame eligible in 2026, but is unlikely to receive any serious consideration beyond a preliminary list.  We had him ranked #113 in our pre-season rank of active players for Hall of Fame consideration, and #7 overall among Tight Ends.  We will soon be creating a profile for him on our pending 2026 future eligible section. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Greg Olsen the best in his post-playing career.

This is a sad day not only for baseball, but for all of sports.   Actually, for all of humanity. Hank Aaron, who hit 755 career Home Runs, breaking the record held by Babe Ruth, died today at age 86.  Aaron faced death threats while he was chasing Ruth’s record, primarily because of the color of his skin. After a brief time with the Indianapolis Clowns in the Negro Leagues, Aaron joined the Milwaukee Braves in 1954 and would become the greatest player in franchise history, which is no small feat considering the Braves are an organization spanning well over a century.   Aaron became one of the most prolific hitters in the game of Baseball, collecting over 3,771 Hits with 755 Home Runs, a batting combination that has no equal.  A master of consistency, Aaron had 15 30-Home Run Seasons, 14 seasons where he batted over .300, and he was named to every All-Star Game from 1955 to 1975.  Aaron was named the National League MVP in 1957, the same year led the Milwaukee Braves to their only title while playing in Wisconsin, and from 1955 to 1973, Aaron always received an MVP vote. While Aaron’s Home Run totals have been eclipsed, he is still the all-time record holder in Runs Batted In (2,297) and Total Bases (6,856). In 1999, MLB created the Hank Aaron Award, which is given to the player who had the best offensive year.  It is hard to imagine who better the honor should be named after. Following his retirement, Aaron rejoined the Braves as an executive, serving in various capacities until his death. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Hank Aaron. 

The first major football retirement in the NFL is here as Quarterback, Philip Rivers, has announced he is calling it a career after 17 seasons. A star at NC State, Rivers won the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year in 2003, while also winning three bowl MVPs.  His success with the Wolfpack, earned him the fourth overall spot in the 2004 draft, and he arrived in San Diego as part of a draft day trade for Eli Manning, the top pick who made it known he would not play for the Chargers. Spending his first two seasons as Drew Brees’ backup, Rivers took over in 2006 and would routinely finish each season at or near the top of the major passing categories.  An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Rivers led the NFL in Passing Yards in 2010 (4,710) and had 12 other seasons where he cracked the 4,000 Yard mark.  Rivers also led the NFL in Touchdown Passes in 2008 (34) and he never had a year where he had less than 21 TDs as a starter. Rivers never made it to the Super Bowl, but in 2007 he took the Chargers to the AFC Championship Game, a loss to New England.  San Diego may have lost the game, but Rivers was commended for his performance as he competed with a torn ACL.  The Chargers were looking to move on, and Rivers played one more season in 2020 with the Indianapolis Colts, still performing at an elite level and guiding the Colts to the playoffs. Rivers finished his career fifth all-time in Passing Yards (63,440) and Touchdown Passes (421). Rivers will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026. We here at Notinhalloffame.com wish Philip Rivers the best in his post-playing career. 

2021 is looking a lot like 2020. As we are days away from learning who the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2021 will be, Don Sutton, who was inducted in 1998, passed away after a long battle with cancer.  He was 75 years old. Sutton debuted with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1966, and played there for his first fifteen seasons.  A four-time All-Star, from 1972 to 1976, Sutton finished in the top five in Cy Young voting and was a four-time league-leader in WHIP.  He also played for Houston, Milwaukee, Oakland and California, and finished his career at age 43 with a final run as a Dodger. He retired with a career record of 324-256 with 3,574 Strikeouts. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to fans, friends and family of Don Sutton.

We have our first significant retirement in this NFL post-season as Indianapolis Colts’ Left Tackle, Anthony Castonzo, has announced his departure from pro football. A First Round Pick from Boston College, Castonzo began his rookie season as a starter, and he never appeared in an of his 144 Games with Indianapolis without beginning the game. Castonzo was never chosen for a Pro Bowl but he did have three years where he scored a double-digit in Approximate Value according to Pro Football Reference. Injuries began to compile, as he missed nine Games in the past three years.  Castonzo flirted with retirement before this season, but it is official now. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Anthony Castonzo, the best in his post-playing career.

The Boston Bruins announced today that they will be inducting the number 22 of Willie O’Ree, who made history over six decades ago as the first black player in the NHL.  O’Ree, 85, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Builder’s Category in 2018. The event will take place on February 18, during their home game against the New Jersey Devils. O’Ree made history when he was called up for two Games in 1958 for the Bruins, and he came back for 43 Games in the 1960-61 campaign.  He scored 15 Points over his NHL career, but played pro hockey for 21 years. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Willie O’Ree for earning this honor.  

Yes, we know that this is taking a while! As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team. We have a new one to unveil today, that of the Cleveland Indians. The origin of the Cleveland Indians begins in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1894, where they played in the Western League.  The franchise relocated in 1900, becoming the Cleveland Lake Shores, and eventually were an inaugural team of the American League, going through multiple name changes (Bluebirds, Broncos, Naps) before becoming the Indians for over a decade. Cleveland would become a great sports town, but the baseball team has not given them very much to cheer for over the years.  The Indians have only won the World Series twice (1920 and 1948), with three other appearances.   The team has announced that they will soon drop the Indians nickname, though as of this writing, it is not sure what they will change it to and when precisely it will take place. Our Top 50 lists in baseball look at the following: 1.  Advanced Statistics. 2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the American League. 3. Playoff accomplishments. 4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet. Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories. This list is updated up until the end of the 2019 Season. The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are: 1. Bob Feller 2. Nap Lajoie 3. Tris Speaker 4. Lou Boudreau 5. Stan Coveleski We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.   Look for our more material coming soon! As always, we thank you for your support.

The College Football Hall of Fame announced their Class of 2021, which include 11 former players and two coaches. The Class of 2021 is: Harris Barton -- Offensive Tackle, North Carolina, 1983-86:  Barton was an immediate starter at UNC, playing mostly at Left Tackle.  The All-American was named the ACC Outstanding Offensive Lineman as a senior and he was also an academic All-American. Barton would later win three Super Bowl Rings with the San Francisco 49ers. David Fulcher – Defensive Back, Arizona State, 1983-85:  Fulcher was a two-time All-American who recorded 12 Interceptions.  He earned the nickname of “Fo-Rock” for his punishing hits, as he hit like a rock, and the “Fo” was in reference to the start of his last name. Rudy Hubbard – Head Coach, Florida A&M, 1974-85:  A former Running Back at Ohio State (1865-67), Hubbard was an Assistant Coach for the Buckeyes before taking over the reins of the Rattlers in 1974.  Hubbard had a career record of 83-48-3 and won two Black College National Championships and a Division I-AA Title. Dan Morgan – Linebacker, Miami (FL), 1997-2000:  Originally a Fullback, Morgan became one of the best Linebackers in the country.  In 2000, Morgan made college football history becoming the first player to win the Butkus Award, Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award.  Morgan also won the Big East Defensive Player of the Year.  At the time of his graduation, Morgan was the all-time school leader in Tackles (532).  He would later play seven years with the Carolina Panthers. Carson Palmer – Quarterback, USC, 1998-2002:  One of the best Quarterbacks in Trojans history, Palmer won the Heisman Trophy in 2002, and also was the winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.  Statistically, Palmer threw for 11,818 Yards and 72 Touchdowns.  Palmer would play in the NFL for 15 years after being taken number one by the Cincinnati Bengals, and he went to three Pro Bowls. Tony Romo – Quarterback, Eastern Illinois, 2000-02:  Romo took Eastern Illinois to two OVC Championships and was a three-time OVC Player of the Year.  Winning the Walter Payton Award as the top player in the Division I Subdivision, Romo threw for 7,816 Yards and 82 Touchdowns in college.  He moved on to the pros, playing for the Dallas Cowboys for 14 years and earning four Pro Bowls. Kenneth Sims – Defensive Tackle, Texas, 1978-81:  Sims became a starter as a Junior and in his senior year, he became the first Longhorn to win the Lombardi Trophy.  Also named the UPI Lineman…

We didn’t see this one coming. Corey Crawford announced that he is retiring from the NHL days before he was set to begin play with his new team, the New Jersey Devils.  He asked for a leave of absence on Friday, and will evidently not be returning. Crawford played all of his NHL Games with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he had a career record of 260-162-53. Backstopping Chicago to Stanley Cup wins in 2012 and 2014, Crawford also won the William M. Jennings Trophy in 2013 and 2015.  He also finished in the top-ten in Vezina voting three times.  Crawford also participated in two All-Star Games. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Corey Crawford the best in his post-playing career. 

A year removed from his last game, former Indianapolis Colt Safety, Antoine Bethea announced his retirement from professional football. A Sixth Round Pick from Howard in 2006, Bethea helped Indianapolis win the Super Bowl as a rookie as a starter. Staying with the Colts for eight seasons, Bethea went to two Pro Bowls in Indianapolis (2007 & 2009) and had five seasons where he cracked at least 100 Combined Tackles. Bethea went on to play for the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons, going to his third Pro Bowl in 2014. He would complete his career with two seasons in Arizona and a final one as a member of the New York Jets. Bethea accumulated 25 Interceptions, 9.5 Sacks and 1,333 Combined Tackles.  He will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024, and we will shortly upload his profile for consideration on our futures list. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Antoine Bethea the best in his post-playing career. 

2021 remains a lot like 2020. Hall of Fame Manager, Tommy Lasorda passed away today at 93 after suffering a sudden cardiopulmonary arrest last night.   A Pitcher who made it to the Majors for 26 Games playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Kansas City Athletics, Lasorda became a scout for the Dodgers after his playing career ended. He went on to manage in the minors before becoming L.A.’s Third Base Coach in 1973 under Walter Alston, and it was clear he was being groomed to replace Alston when he was ready to step down. Lasorda took over in 1976, and would manage Los Angeles for 21 seasons, accumulating a record of 1,599-1,439 and took L.A. to World Series Titles in 1981 and 1988.  He also won the Manager of the Year in both 1983 and 1988. He retired as a Manager in 1996, but he remained with the Dodgers in an advisory capacity. Lasorda was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997, and three years later, he came out of retirement to manage the United States in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.  The Americans won, and Lasorda became the first Manager to lead a team to a win in the World Series and Olympics. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Tommy Lasorda

Oh, what a day! The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the 15 Finalists for the Class of 2021.  This group was pared down from 25 Semi-Finalists, who were chosen from 133 Preliminary Candidates.   Let’s get right to who they chose for the final stage. Jared Allen: Defensive End:  2004-07 Kansas City Chiefs, 2008-13 Minnesota Vikings, 2014-15 Chicago Bears & 2016 Carolina Panthers.  This is Allen’s first year of eligibility, and anyone who makes it as a Finalist in his first year of eligibility will make it to Canton eventually.  Allen led the NFL in Sacks twice (2007 & 2011) and had 136.0 in total.  He was also a five-time First Team All-Pro.  Ranked #19 on Notinhalloffame.com. Ronde Barber:  Cornerback/Safety:  1997-12 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  Barber is a former Super Bowl Champion and was the 2001 leader in Interceptions.  He has over 1,000 Solo Tackles with 47 career Interceptions.  After four years as a Semi-Finalist, Barber makes it through to the Finals.  Ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com. Tony Boselli:  Tackle: 1995-01 Jacksonville Jaguars & 2002 Houston Texans.  The career of Boselli was short, but he is believed to be the greatest Jaguar of all-time. The Lineman has now been a Finalist for the five years in a row.  Ranked #45 on Notinhalloffame.com LeRoy Butler: Safety: 1990-01 Green Bay Packers.  Butler had 38 career Interceptions, won a Super Bowl and went to four Pro Bowls over his career.  He is on a four-year streak of Semi-Finalist nods, and he was also a Finalist last year.  In terms of gaining momentum over the past three years, Butler is in the upper-tier of the list.  Ranked #73 on Notinhalloffame.com. Alan Faneca:  Guard: 1998-07 Pittsburgh Steelers, 2008-09 New York Jets & 2010 Arizona Cardinals.  A Super Bowl Champion with the Steelers, Faneca went to nine Pro Bowls and was a six-time First Team All-Pro.  Faneca has been a Semi-Finalist and Finalist in his first five years of eligibility, and this makes year six. He has been arguably been “leapfrogged” by Steve Hutchinson and Kevin Mawae.  Could this be his year?  Ranked #4 on Notinhalloffame.com. Torry Holt:  Wide Receiver:  1998-08 St. Louis Rams & 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars.  Holt won a Super Bowl with the Rams, and he went to seven Pro Bowls with 12,832 career Receiving Yards.  Holt is now a two-time Finalist, but the Wide Receiver position is loaded with worthy candidates.  Ranked #9 on Notinhalloffame.com. Calvin Johnson: Wide Receiver:  2007-15 Detroit Lions.  Johnson went to six Pro Bowls, three First Team All-Pros and was considered the most exciting Wide Receiver of his day.  This is his first year on the ballot, and while other Wide Receivers exceed his overall stats,…

January 2, 2021 feels a lot like 2020. Moments after learning that Hall of Fame Running Back, Floyd Little died, news broke out at that Basketball Hall of Famer, Paul Westphal passed away at age 70 after a battle with brain cancer. Earning two First Team Pac-8 honors at USC, Westphal was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the tenth pick in the 1972 Draft.  Westphal helped Boston win the 1974 NBA Championship, but his greatest individual success happened later with the Phoenix Suns, where he was a four-time All-Star and three-time First Team All-NBA Selection.  Westphal added a fifth All-Star with Seattle (1981), and he finished his career with New York and a final run with the Suns. Westphal was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018 and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.  His number 44 was retired by the Phoenix Suns and number 25 by USC. After his playing career ended, Westphal became a coach, and at one time was at the helm of the Suns (1992-95), Seattle (1998-2000) and Sacramento (2009-12).  His last coaching role in the NBA was as an Assistant for Brooklyn, which ended in 2016. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend condolences to the friends, fans and family of Paul Westphal.

Pro Football has lost another great as it was announced today as Hall of Fame Running Back, Floyd Little, passed away at age 78 after a battle with cancer. A three-time All-American at Syracuse, Little was taken by the Broncos in 1967 with the sixth overall pick. Playing for Denver for the entirety of his nine-year career, Little went to five Pro Bowls and was a First Team All-Pro in 1969.  He would lead the NFL in Rushing Yards (1,133) in 1971 and Rushing Touchdowns (12) in 1973. At the time of his retirement his 6,323 Rushing Yards were seventh all-time.   Little was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. His number 44 has been retired by both the Broncos and Orange.   We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend condolences to the friends, fans and family of Floyd Little.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while! As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  We have a new one to unveil today, that of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  There are many that feel that the Pittsburgh Steelers really did not begin until the 1970s, but of course, that isn't true. The origin of the Steelers dates all the way back in 1933, and they are the seventh oldest NFL franchise in existence.  They made the playoffs in 1947, but that was the only time they made it to a post-season from 1933 to 1971.  The Steelers would then become the power of the AFC, winning four Super Bowls in the 1970s, primarily on the strength of their potent "Steel Curtain" defense. Their 70s success made them one of the most popular teams in the game, a status that they maintain today.  Pittsburgh never had another dynasty, but they did have success winning two more Super Bowls this millennium, giving them six, which is tied with the New England Patriots for the most. 1.  Advanced Statistics. 2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL. 3. Playoff accomplishments. 4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet. Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories. This list is updated up until the end of the 2019 Season. The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are: 1. Joe Greene 2. Jack Lambert 3. Mike Webster 4. Franco Harris 5. Jack Ham We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.   Look for our more material coming soon! As always, we thank you for your support.

One of our pet projects, the Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the Class of 2020, which will be the 6thfull class.   The Finalists were decided by all of you, after being pared down from other 500 Preliminary Nominees, to a group of Semi-Finalists, and then sixteen Finalusts. Whoever gets inducted this year, will join these previous inductees: Spinal Tap, The Monkees, The Blues Brothers, Gorillaz, Tenacious D, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, Wyld Stallyns, Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Wonders, Bleeding Gums Murphy, Otis Day and the Nights and Stillwater. The Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2020: Josie and the Pussycats (Josie and the Pussycats):  From Riverdale, they went to outer space and back again and were a three-time Finalist before getting in.  This entrant is for the cartoon and not the film.   We are pleased to induct Josie and the Pussycats to the Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Marvin Berry and the Starlighters (Back to the Future):  This was the band that played at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance in 1955.  Marty McFly played with them for one song.  Had it not been for McFly and Marvin, Chuck Berry never would have found that sound he was looking for. We are pleased to induct Marvin Berry and the Starlighters to the Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Rutles (All You Need is Cash):  Finalists on two other occasions, The Rutles remind of us another group called the Beatles.  In the fictional musical universe, there are few that have been as successful. We are pleased to induct The Rutles to the Fictitious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The other Finalists were Buckaroo Banzai and the Hong Kong Cavaliers (The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension), Don Music (Sesame Street), Figrin D’An and the Modal Nodes (Star Wars), Leather Tuscadero (Happy Days), Nick Rivers (Top Secret!), Phoebe Buffay (Friends), Rowlf the Dog (The Muppets), Sex Bob-Omb (Scott Pilgrim VS The World), The Archies (The Archies), The Banana Splits (The Banana Splits), The Be Sharps (The Simpsons), The Max Rebo Band (Return of the Jedi), The School of Rock (The School of Rock) and The Soggy Bottom Boys (O Brother, Where Art Thou?). When one class is announced, it means it is time to induct another.  The Preliminary Nominees for the Fictitious Rock Hall is now up. You can vote for…

We might be ending 2020, but for the purposes of Notinhalloffame.com,  we are right in the middle of “Hall of Fame Season”. Yesterday, The Poker Hall of Fame announced their newest entrant into the hall, Huck Seed, the winner of the 1996 WSOP.  Seed becomes the 59thmember of the Poker Hall. The process of the Poker Hall nomination is open, with all 31 living Hall of Fame members who have ten votes to distribute.  There was one absentee, so there was a total of 300 votes issued.   The votes were: Huck Seed: 76 Votes Matt Savage: 51 Votes Isai Scheinberg: 45 Votes Eli Elezra: 30 Votes Antonio Esfandiari: 23 Votes Lon McEachern and Norman Chad: 20 Votes Ted Forest: 20 Votes Mike Matusow: 17 Votes Patrik Antonius: 15 Votes Chris Ferguson: 3 Votes We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like congratulate Huck Seed for entering the Poker Hall of Fame.

We are thrilled here at Notinhalloffame.com to announce that our own hall, The Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame presents the six new members of the seventh full class, the Class of 2020.   This was all decided by you, after being pared down first from over 500 Preliminary Nominees to 50 Semi-Finalists, to 15 Finalists and now to the Class of 2020. There are three wings in the Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame: The Fictitious Athlete wing, whose members are: Rocky Balboa (The Rocky series), Roy Hobbs (The Natural), Crash Avis (Bull Durham), Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn (Major League), Happy Gilmore (Happy Gilmore), Reggie Dunlop (Slap Shot), The Hanson Brothers (Slap Shot), Charlie Conway (The Mighty Ducks) Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez (The Sandlot), Apollo Creed (Rocky), Willie “Mays” Hayes (Major League), Forrest Gump (Forrest Gump), Bobby Boucher (The Waterboy), Paul “Wrecking” Crewe (The Longest Yard), Dottie Hinson (A League of Their Own), Daniel LaRusso (The Karate Kid), Clubber Lang (Rocky), Ivan Drago (Rocky) and “Fast” Eddie Felson (The Hustler & The Color of Money. The Fictitious Contributor wing, whose members are: Harry Doyle (Major League), Carl Spackler (Caddyshack), Mr. Miyagi (The Karate Kid), Chubbs Peterson (Happy Gilmore), Gordon Bombay (The Mighty Ducks), Mickey Goldmill (Rocky), Morris Buttermaker (The Bad News Bears), Coach Ernie Pantusso (Cheers) and Adrian Balboa (Rocky) The Fictitious Veteran wing, whose members are: Andy “Champ” Purcell (The Champ), Dennis Ryan (Take Me Out to the Ball Game), Guffy McGovern (Angels in the Outfield), Huxley College (Horse Feathers) and Sport Goofy. The members of the 2020 Fictitious Hall of Fame Class are:   Athletes: Al Bundy (Married With Children).  Bundy has been a Finalist every single year of the Hall’s existence with the Polk High football star finishing fourth on two occasions.  He is most famous for scoring four touchdowns in a game, and he also led the Newmarket Mallers to a league championship in baseball.  Bundy was also an excellent bowler. We are pleased to induct Al Bundy into the Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame. Homer Simpson (The Simpsons).  The multi-time Semi Finalist has excelled in multiple sports including Softball, Boxing and Mixed Curling.  He has played alongside Daryll Strawberry, fought a heavyweight champion (Drederick Tatum) and was in the Olympics with his wife.  Homer has been a Finalist before, and he has all the skills you expect from a fictional athlete. We are pleased to induct Homer Simpson into the Fictitious Athlete Hall…

Yes, we know that this is taking a while! As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  We have a new one to unveil today, that of the Cincinnati Bengals.  If you want you to name a team that exemplifies hard luck in the National Football League, it would have to be the Cincinnati Bengals.  Formed in 1968 as the last member of the American Football League, the Bengals joined the NFL with the official merger two years later.  Cincinnati always seems to be a team that struggles, but they have appeared in two Super Bowls, losing both to the San Francisco 49ers.  While they have never been a champion, two Super Bowl appearances are the envy of a few teams in the NFL.   As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following:  1.  Advanced Statistics. 2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL. 3. Playoff accomplishments. 4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet. Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories. This list is updated up until the end of the 2019 Season. The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are: 1. Antony Munoz 2. Ken Anderson 3. Geno Atkins 4. Boomer Esiason 5. Ken Riley We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.   Look for our more material coming soon! Up next, will be the top 50 Cincinnati Bengals. As always we thank you for your support.

Two months ago, we put together our first ever Notinhalloffame.com mock committee which sought to mimic the process of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and select 25 Semi-Finalists.   It was one of the best ideas that we ever had, conversing on a topic we are passionate about, and we knew that we wanted to do it again, with the second meeting discussing who we would put through the Finalists.   We went with two groups of Semi-Finalists; the one that we came up with two months ago and the other that is official from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Through Twitter, this is the group that was assembled: @notinhalloffame(Official Twitter site of Notinhalloffame.com and run by Kirk Buchner) @2ndHandBurrito(Evan Nolan, co-host of the Hall of Fame Show) @konadreamssssss(Glen Pawlowski, triathlete from Buffalo) @readjack(Jack M. Silverstein, Sports Historian and writer from Chicago) @lhd_on_sports(David Whitlock is a blogger and commentator on lhd-on-sports.com. @tedcrockettlll(Ted Crockett is a veteran and follows all sports halls. @ThomasHallNFL(Thomas Hall follows the Denver Broncos and is the host of Convincing Numbers, a show on Football Analytics.  He also contributes to @milehighhuddle. @Profhofcantonf(As his Twitter handle will tell you, Paul Lawrence has been studying the process of the Pro Football Hal of Fame for years. @VinLospinuso91(Vinny Lospinuso studies journalism at Hofstra, and is a regular guest on our shows.   @TheFakeSith(Alec Tessitore is a baseball hall enthusiast and avid Jacksonville Jaguars and Clemson fan. This was a group that comes from varying fan bases and differing perspectives.  As we progress, we hope to expand it, adding more people from different parts of the United States, and beyond.   Please note that in our Zoom discussion, Paul were unable to attend, but his initial votes were counted.   We hope to have him on for future roundtables.  This is also Alec’s first appearance, as he was not part of our initial group.  Echoing what was said in our first write-up this is still a work in progress and will be constantly tweaking to make things better. Each person was asked to submit their 15 selections from ours and the official list.  First off, the lists, with the number of votes given (out of nine): Please note that we decided unilaterally NOT to just accept the top 15 vote-getters and call it a day. The best part of this endeavor is exchanging our opinions as to why a player should, or should not be where they are.  Notinhalloffame.com 25 Semi-Finalists…

2020 can just go away. It was announced this morning that Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher, Phil Niekro, passed away last night at the age of 81.  This makes him the seventh Hall of Fame inductee to pass away this year following the deaths of Lou Brock, Whitey Ford, Bob Gibson, Al Kaline, Joe Morgan and Tom Seaver. The master of the knuckleball debuted in 1964 as a member of the Milwaukee Braves.  Three years later, he was a permanent fixture of the Braves rotation, winning the ERA Title in 1967 (1.87) and going to his first All-Star Game in 1969.  Niekro was second in Cy Young voting that year, and would be third in 1973. Niekro’s knuckleball allowed him to stay a productive player well into the 70s and early 80s.  Playing with Atlanta until 1983, he had three more top-ten Cy Young finishes, and appeared in three more All-Star Games. Niekro was also a five-time Gold Glove winner with the Braves. Released by Atlanta, Niekro signed with the New York Yankees, and defied age where at 45 years old, he went to his fifth All-Star Game.  Niekro played until 1987, finishing with Cleveland, Toronto and one final game in Atlanta.  He left the Majors with an overall record of 318-274 with 3,342 Strikeouts. The Baseball Hall of Fame would induct Niekro in 1997, his fifth year on the ballot. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends, fans and family of Phil Niekro.

The world of amateur and professional wrestling lost one of great ones as Danny Hodge passed away at the age of 88. Hodge is one of the best amateur wrestlers in American history, having never been taken off of his feet in a 46-0 career at the University of Oklahoma.  He would win the NCAA Title for the Sooners three years in a row (1955-57), and in 1956, he won the Silver Medal for the United States Melbourne Olympics. After his amateur career, Hodge became a professional wrestler, competing mostly in the Mid-West usually for promotor, Leroy McGuirk.  Hodge won the NWA Junior Heavyweight Champion eight times.  He is a member of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame. He is currently ranked #45 on our current list of those to consider for the WWE Hall of Fame.  We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends, fans and family of Danny Hodge.

2020 has taken another one legend from us and on Christmas Day no less. K.C. Jones passed away at 88 today, taking from us a man who wherever he went winning was always present. Jones, who played with Bill Russell at the University of San Francisco won two NCAA Titles (1955 & 1956) and was a key member of the 1956 U.S. Olympic Team that won the gold.  Jones was taken in the Second Round in 1956 by the Boston Celtics, a team he would play nine years for.  Playing at Point Guard, Jones was known for his defensive prowess, and he won eight titles in the nine NBA Championships he played. After his playing career ended, Jones was a Coach, winning four NBA Titles, one as an Assistant (1981) and two as a Head Coach for Boston (1984 & 1986).  The fourth title was as an Assistant in 1972 for the Los Angeles Lakers. Jones was chosen for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989 and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. This is the second legendary Celtic to pass away this year.  Tom Heinsohn, a long-time teammate of Jones, died on November 8 this year. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends, fans and family of K.C. Jones.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while! As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  We have a new one to unveil today, that of the Los Angeles Chargers.  The Los Angeles Chargers came into existence in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League. The stay in Los Angeles was brief, as they moved south to San Diego the season after, but this was one of the most successful teams in the AFL.  They would make the playoff five times in the upstart league, winning the AFL Title in 1963.   The Chargers would be part of the AFL-NFL merger, and while they have had their share of excellent players, they have only made the Super Bowl once, a losing effort in 1994.  In 2016, the Chargers moved back to Los Angeles. As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following:  1.  Advanced Statistics. 2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL. 3. Playoff accomplishments. 4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet. Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories. This list is updated up until the end of the 2019 Season. The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are: 1. Junior Seau 2. LaDainian Tomlinson 3. Lance Alworth 4. Dan Fouts 5. Philip Rivers We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.   Look for our more material coming soon! Up next, will be the top 50 Cincinnati Bengals. As always we thank you for your support.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while! As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  We have a new one to unveil today, that of the New York Giants.  In 1925, the New York Giants were one of five teams that joined the National Football League, and of those five, they are the only ones that are still in existence. The Giants have been in existence for nearly a century and have won eight Championships. The first four as NFL Champions (1927, 1934, 1938 & 1956) and they were a perpetual contender in the early 1960s. In the Super Bowl Era, they won in 1986 (XXI), 1990 (XXV), 2007 (XLII), and 2011 (XLVI). Eight Championships is impressive regardless of the league and the sport! As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following:  1.  Advanced Statistics. 2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL. 3. Playoff accomplishments. 4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet. Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories. This list is updated up until the end of the 2019 Season. The complete list can be found here,but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are: 1. Lawrence Taylor 2. Emlen Tunnell 3. Rosey Brown 4. Mel Hein 5. Michael Strahan We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.   Look for our more material coming soon! Up next, will be the top 50 Los Angeles Chargers. As always we thank you for your support.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has announced their Nominees for the Class of 2021. As usual, it is a gigantic list, so we will not be doing brief resumes of each candidate, and will do so when they become a Finalist. Finalists from the North American and Women’s Committee will be announced All-Star Weekend, with the full Class of 2021 announced during the Final Four.  At present, the 2021 Enshrinement Ceremony will take place in September. The 2020 Ceremony, which was postponed due to COVID-19 is scheduled for May 13-15. The Nominees are: (*indicates a First-Time Nominee) North American Committee Nominees: Rick Adelman (Coach) Ken Anderson (Coach)* Fletcher Aritt (Player) Johnny Bach (Coach) Gene Bess (Coach) Chauncey Billups (Player) Chris Bosh (Player) Rick Byrd (Coach) Muggsy Bogues (Player) Irv Brown (Referee) Jim Burch (Referee) Marcus Camby (Player) Michael Cooper (Player)* Jack Curran (Coach) Mark Eaton (Player) Cliff Ellis (Coach) Dale Ellis (Player) Hugh Evans (Referee) Michael Finley (Player) Steve Fisher (Coach)Cotton Fitzsimmons (Coach) Leonard Hamilton (Coach)* Tim Hardaway (Player) Lou Henson (Coach)* Ed Hightower (Referee) Bob Huggins (Coach) Mark Jackson (Player) Herman Johnson (Player) George Karl (Coach) Gene Keady (Coach) Ken Kern (Coach) Shawn Marion (Player) Rollie Massimino (Coach) Bob McKillop (Coach) Danny Miles (Coach) Steve Moore (Coach) Speedy Morris (Coach) Dick Motta (Coach) Jake O’Donnell (Referee) Jim Phelan (Coach) Digger Phelps (Coach)Paul Pierce (Player)* Jere Quinn (Coach) Lamont Robinson (Player) Bo Ryan (Coach) Bob Saulsbury (Coach) Norm Sloan (Coach) Ben Wallace (Player) Chris Webber (Player) Willie West (Coach) Buck Williams (Player) Jay Wright (Coach) Paul Westhead (Coach)* Women’s Committee Nominations: Leta Andrews (Coach) Jennifer Azzi (Player) Swin Cash (Player) Yolanda Griffith (Player)* Becky Hammon (Player) Lauren Jackson (Player)* Suzie McConnell (Player) Debbie Miller-Palmore (Player) Kim Mulkey (Player) Marianne Stanley (Coach) Valerie Still (Player)Marian Washington (Coach) Contributor Committee Nominations (Direct-Elect Category): Val Ackerman* Marv Albert Dick Baumgartner Bill Bertka Henry Bibby Marty Blake Vic Bubas Doug Collins* Wayne Duke Lou Dunbar Bill Foster Howard Garfinkel* Harry Glickman Marty Glickman Simon Gourdine Curt Gowdy Tim Grgurich Del Harris Greg Heineman Robert Indiana Johnny “Red” Kerr Bill King John Kline Red Klotz Tom Konchalski* Bobby Lewis Herbert Livsey Jack McCloskey Jerry McHale Johnny Most Dennis Murphy Joe O’Toole Billy Packer Jack Powers Dee Rowe Sam Schulman* Zelda Spoelstra Jim Valvano Donnie Walsh Jerome Williams Early African-American Pioneers Committee Nominations (Direct-Elect Category): Clarence “Puggy” Bell Sonny Boswell Bill Garrett Inman Jackson Clarence “Fats”…

2020 has been a brutal year for us all, and it isn’t over yet. It was announced today that Hall of Fame Linebacker, Kevin Greene, passed away today at the age of 58.  It was not announced at this time how he died. Playing his college ball at Auburn, Greene was taken in the Fifth Round in 1985 by the Los Angeles Rams.  After three years coming off the bench in a pass-rush role, Greene became a starter in 1988, and posted 16.5 Sacks, a number he matched in 1989, while also going to his first Pro Bowl.   The Linebacker joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1993, where he not only joined a competitive team but was gaining national attention.  A Steeler from 1993 to 1995, Greene helped the Steelers reach Super Bowl XXX, and in 1994, he led the NFL in Sacks with 14.0, while also earning First Team All-Pro honors.   Greene moved to Carolina for 1996, where his 14.5 Sacks led the NFL, and he was a First Team All-Pro for the second time.  He was in the NFL for three more years, one with San Francisco and two more with Carolina.   He would accumulate 160.0 Sacks and was a five-time Pro Bowl Selection. Greene was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends, fans and family of Kevin Greene.