In what will likely be the most significant retirement of the off-season, Joe Thomas of the Cleveland Browns has announced that he will no longer compete in the National Football League.

On his ThomaHawk podcast, Thomas cited his recent knee injury as the main reason for his retirement.

Drafted third overall out of the University of Wisconsin in 2007, Thomas proved to be one of the most durable players in league history. Since he was drafted, the Left Tackle played 10,363 consecutive snaps until a tricep injury forced him out on October 22 of this past season. This is (unofficially) the longest streak of its kind.

In a career spanning eleven seasons, Thomas was named a Pro Bowl selection in ten of them. Only four other players went to the Pro Bowl in their first ten seasons, and he did this all for Cleveland, a team that has not been good (he never played in the playoffs). He also was named a First Team All-Pro seven times.

Thomas will always be revered in the city of Cleveland. Despite the team’s failure to build stars around him, he never asked to leave, always conducted himself with class and led by example. He should be a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame (he will be eligible in 2023) and has a better than average chance to enter on his first ballot.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Joe Thomas on an incredible career and we wish him the best on his post-playing life.

As long been speculated, Kid Rock has been announced as the latest inductee to the WWE Hall of Fame.

Kid Rock broke out in the early 1990’s and has put out a unique career that has transcended multiple genres and has sold nearly 30 million records.

The native of Michigan has had his music used as official theme songs of WWE pay per views and his song, “American Bad Ass” was used as the Undertaker’s theme during his biker phase and his cover of ZZ Top’s “Legs” was used for Stacy Keibler. Kid Rock also appeared at Tribute to the Troops and he played a brief set at Wrestlemania 25.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Kid Rock for achieving this honor.

In what has to be considered a mild surprised (as his name was not speculated about like the rest of this year’s class) Hillbilly Jim has been named as the next inductee for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018.

Born James Morris, Hillbilly Jim began wrestling in 1975 and prior to joining the then named World Wrestling Federation competed in various promotions most notably as the biker, Harley Davidson. Morris would sign with Vince McMahon’s promotion in late 1984 and would regularly appear at television tapings as a fan. After weeks of appearing in the crowd he would jump the barricade and save Hulk Hogan from having his hair cut by Bobby “the Brain” Heenan, Big John Studd and Ken Patera. Hogan would then go on to train Hillbilly Jim in a series of vignettes and essentially he was given the rub and cemented as a top babyface.

Jim would suffer an early setback as he suffered a severe leg injury while chasing Johnny Valiant during at ringside and was sidelined for month but was given the role as the manager for his “relatives” Uncle Elmer and Cousin Junior (later to be replaced by Cousin Luke) and would assist them in feuds against the Heenan Family, Roddy Piper and Jesse Ventura.

Hillbilly Jim would return to action and would compete in the Wrestlemania 2 battle royal and at Wrestlemania 3 in a mixed tag team match against King Kong Bundy. While he would also be in the opening battle royal at Wrestlemania 4, realistically following early 1986 he was never involved in any significant program although he remained over with the fans. After being left off the Wrestlemania V card, he would enjoy his biggest win to date on a house show at the Nassau Coliseum by defeating Andre the Giant by disqualification. He would cease wrestling in the spring of 1990.

The native of Kentucky would continue to work for the WWF for years after. Jim acted as the ambassador for Coliseum Home Video for a decade and for a brief spell was the manager of the Godwinns. He would also compete in the gimmick battle royal at Wrestlemania 17.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Hillbilly Jim for earning this honor.

A universal truth in sports is that it has the ability to bring people of all walks of life together.  Another reality in athletics is that everybody loves a good underdog story.  When you put them both together you have the tonic for an excellent sports film.

American Wrestler: The Wizard takes this formula and adds a Persian twist.  Set in 1980 and based on the real life experiences of producer Ali Ashfar (who pulls double duty as the uncle of the protagonist), the 17 year old Ali Jahani escapes Iran through his family’s assistance to avoid forced conscription.  Sadly for young Ali, the U.S. (Petaluma, California specifically) is not at first the land of opportunity that is often written about.

In 1980, the Iranian hostage crisis occurred and all things Persian were the target of American xenophobia.  Ali (played brilliantly by newcomer George Kosturos) is expectedly bullied by his classmates and even suffers from a lack of support from the school’s principal (played by Jon Voight, who is deep into his Academy Award-winning career) but also faces passive aggression from his uncle who during the hostage situation lost his business and was ostracized from the home he had for years. 

Movie underdogs do not accept defeat easily and neither does Ali. After failing in trying out for multiple high school sports, he eventually finds a loophole where the amateur wrestling team has to at least give him a tryout.  Much to the chagrin of the wrestling coach (William Fichtner), Ali goes toe-to-toe with the school’s top wrestler and makes the team.

Ali, thorough the help of his unknown natural abilities and his uncle, who himself is a former amateur wrestler and becomes the surprise star of the squad, not only earning respect from his teammates but helping his uncle regain his own self-respect.

Sports really can do that.

Overall, the film may feel similar to other underdog storylines (despite being based on a real story), but it's ultimately a feel good sports film that teaches the right lessons not only in athletics, but also in what it means to be American.  This lesson seems to be more valuable now than ever.

Please check out the film at AmericanWrestlerMovie.com and see for yourself!

This post was sponsored by ESX Productions.