One of the core lists for us at Notinhalloffame.com is our Football List, where we rank 300 former players who are deserving of Pro Football Hall of Fame consideration.  Unlike our other sports/hall related lists, those at the end of the countdown have significantly better enshrinement chances than the others.  As such, the glut of deserving Senior candidates dwarf that of any other sport, and we were thrilled that this year it was announced three would be named Finalists, though there are still so many snubs that remain.

It is not a lock that those selected will be elected, as they move on to the final vote, but based on recent precedents, we feel comfortable projecting the Finalists as 2023 Pro Football Hall of Famers.

The three player Finalists are:

Chuck Howley (Linebacker, 1958-59, 1961-1973): Howley is the only player to win a Super Bowl MVP on a losing team (Super Bowl VI), and he was a six-time Pro Bowler who played most of his career with Dallas.  He has never been a Finalist until now, and for many Cowboys fans, he is the most wanted.

Joe Klecko (Defensive End/Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle, 1977-1988): A member of the famed “New York Sack Exchange,” Klecko played all of his career with the New York Jets.  Klecko went to four Pro Bowls, and was the 1981 UPI Defensive Player of the Year.  He has never been a Finalist, but like Howley, this changed today.

Ken Riley (Cornerback, 1969-1983): Riley played his entire career with the Cincinnati Bengals and recorded 65 career interceptions, more than any other player not already in the Hall of Fame. Like Howley and Klecko, Riley is now a Finalist for the first time.  This is especially extraordinary, as he was never a Pro Bowl Selection.  Arguably, no Senior Candidate has seen his stock rise more than Riley.

Those who did not make the cut were:

Ken Anderson (Quarterback, 1971-1986):  Playing his entire career with Cincinnati, Anderson led them to their first Super Bowl appearance and individually was a four-time Pro Bowl.  Anderson was a Finalist in 1996 and 1998.

Maxie Baughan (Linebacker, 1960-1970, 1974):  Chosen for nine Pro Bowls, Baughan played for Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Washington.  A member of the 1960 Eagles NFL Championship team as a rookie, Baughan has never been a Finalist for the Hall.

Randy Gradishar (Linebacker, 1974-1983):  The heart of the “Orange Crush Defense,” Gradishar played all 10 seasons with the Denver Broncos, seven of which earned him a Pro Bowl nod.  He won the 1978 AP Defensive Player of the Year and he was a Finalist three times. For many, (including us), his failure to advance is one of the biggest shocks.

Cecil Isbell (Tailback/Defensive Back/Halfback, 1938-1942): Isbell played all of his career with Green Bay, where he was a one-time NFL Champion and four-time Pro Bowl selection.  He was a Finalist in 2020.

Bob Kuechenberg (Guard/Tackle/Center, 1970-1983):  Kuechenberg spent the entirety of his 14-year career as a member of the Dolphins, where he went to six Pro Bowls.  He was a Finalist eight times.

Eddie Meador (Cornerback, 1959-1970): Meador played his entire career with the Los Angeles Rams, where he earned six Pro Bowls. Meador’s 48 Interceptions remain a franchise record, but he has never been a Hall of Fame Finalist. 

Tommy Nobis (Linebacker, 1966-1976):  Atlanta’s first ever Draft Pick, Nobis won the NFL Rookie of the Year and went to five Pro Bowls.  He was a Finalist in 2020.

Sterling Sharpe (Wide Receiver, 1988-1994): Sharpe made five Pro Bowls and his Hall of Fame ring was likely delayed by severe injuries.  He has never been a Finalist.

Everson Walls (Cornerback, 1981-1993):  Walls played most of his career with the Dallas Cowboys, where he went to four Pro Bowls and led the NFL in interceptions three times while in Dallas. He finished his career with the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns and helped New York to victory in Super Bowl XXV.  He was a Finalist in 2018.

The Coach/Contributor Finalist will be announced next week.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate those who have made it this far.

The younger brother of Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol carved a spectacular career in his own right and is far more than just the "second best" Gasol.

Gasol first arrived in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2008, and he played there for over ten seasons, going to three All-Star Games, albeit on a level of obscurity, considering Memphis was not very good when he played.  The Spanish Center developed into one of the better defensive players who still could score, as shown by his eight 14-plus PPG years.  Twice named an All-NBA player, Gasol won the 2012-13 Defensive Player of the Year, again a fantastic accomplishment considering how rare Memphis was on any form of national television.

Late in his career, Gasol was traded to the Toronto Raptors, and his veteran presence aided the Raps in winning their first NBA Championship (2019).  Gasol concluded his NBA career with a final year as a Laker, but he will (and should be) remembered as one of the greatest Grizzlies of all time.

If you go by Gasol's NBA career, he might not have a Hall of Fame resume, but never forget the international components matter in Springfield.  A champion in the Spanish Leagues before he came to the States, Gasol represented Spain many times, winning two Olympic Silver Medals, two World Cup Gold Medals, and five medals (two Gold, one Silver, and two Bronze) in Eurobasket.  That is a big deal, making Gasol one of the most successful International players ever.

We honestly think that Tyson Chandler is among one of the most underrated players in the history of basketball, and is that not a strange thing to say out a former second overall pick who played twenty years.  So why would we say that?

Chandler began his pro career with the Bulls, and the hype around him and Eddy Curry was bloated.  They could not bring Chicago back to the promised land, and the five years he spent with Michael Jordan's former team was arguably a bust.  

Traded to the New Orleans Hornets in 2006 and to the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010, it was his lone year in Dallas (2010-11) where he put it all together.  Chandler was outstanding in this environment, and his defensive skills were finally perfected.  Dallas won the NBA Championship, shocking the LeBron James-led Miami Heat, and he entered free agency as a star.

Chandler signed with the Knicks after, and he was one of the best defensive players in the league.  The Californian won the 2011-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and while he was known mainly for that side of the ball, he led the NBA in Field Goal Percentage that year (.679), and from 2010-11 to 2014-15, he led the league four of five times in Offensive Rating.  Chandler also played for Phoenix, the Lakers, and Houston and was a Gold Medalist for the United States in both the 2010 World Championships and 2012 Olympics.

Chandler likely won't get into the Hall, but his numbers are much closer than you think.

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 post-2021 revision of our top 50 Jacksonville Jaguars.

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 National Football League. 

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Jaguars were abysmal, finishing last overall with a 3-14 record, and a team this bad is not expected to have anyone new in a top 50, and they didn’t, though there was one elevation.

As always, we present our top five:

1. Jimmy Smith

2. Fred Taylor

3. Tony Boselli

4. Mark Brunell

5. Maurice Jones-Drew

You can find the entire list here.

The only rise was Linebacker, Myles Jack, who played his last season with the Jaguars last year, as he is now a Pittsburgh Steeler.  He moved up to #35 from #38.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.