The rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen is one of the most intense that any sport has ever seen with both sets of fans fiercely defending their chosen champion. Perhaps that has something to do with the day and age we live in and the black-and-white opinions that dominate public discourse. Indeed, there is very little room for a nuanced view and when it comes to Hamilton and Verstappen, the cancerous culture wars seem to dictate the narrative which makes the conversation all the more toxic. But in reality, it shouldn’t be this way. 

Indeed, Verstappen fans won't want to hear it but there is a reason that Hamilton is always at the top of the spoty betting odds as the inescapable truth is that the 36-year-old does a huge amount in the fight for equality off the track. 

The spoty tips will always back a sportsperson who uses their platform for the greater good and there is no doubt that Hamilton has been incredibly brave over the years by raising his voice for those without one. 

Now, it’s easy to dismiss Hamilton's activism as virtue signalling but you have to go back to the start of the Englishman’s journey into motorsports to understand that life was, in all likelihood, exceptionally challenging and the reality is that he is probably best placed to talk about overcoming the odds. 

For instance, Hamilton’s dad Anthony worked three jobs to pay for Lewis’ karting career which indicates that nothing was given to this family, they had to pay untold sacrifices during a time when the world was perhaps less educated than it is now. In other words, there would have been many moments when Lewis could have walked away due to the hurt caused by unacceptable ignorance but he didn’t, he kept pushing on and is now a deserved champion of change, as well as a seven-time world champion. 

And as for Max, well, it's equally as complex as the 24-year-old tries to build his own identity in the world of Formula One with his father watching on. Of course, it's well documented that Jos Verstappen, Max's dad, was a lot less successful than Max, having raced 107 times in F1 without ever recording one win. Unfortunately, Max's dad became known as “Jos Vercrashen” in F1 circles such was the state of his own driving ability. This has prompted some within the industry to suggest that Jos has been trying to live his dream through Max by making up for the disappointment of his own career. 

You can all of a sudden understand how complicated the dynamics of their relationship are and how uncompromising an upbringing Max may have had to endure. Some may argue that there are worse careers to be thrust into and Max has made a success of it by winning 19 more times than his dad ever did. 

Granted, the Dutchman does look to relish the extremes of Formula One as well but you can be sure that there are times when Max questions whether he was forced into the sport or whether in fact, he would have ended up becoming an F1 driver on his own accord.

Perhaps the long and short of it is that for all of Max’s desperation to win and seemingly unsporting tactics these days, keep in mind that he was programmed like this from the start of his life. Off the track, he is quiet and reserved and can often be found in his mobile home playing on his PlayStation between breaks on race weekends. In essence, Max has a soft heart but the constant feeling of existential angst may well take its toll. 

Max and Lewis have come from markedly different backgrounds but they’ve had to fight their own battles to get where they are. Their respective pasts may override their decision-making today but deep down, they’re both good guys caught up in heat of battle.

Michael Brantley arrived in Houston as a high-profile free agent prior to the 2019 season, a veteran left-handed hitter widely regarded as having one of the most technically sound swings in the sport.

In his debut season in Houston, he demonstrated a specialized ability to manipulate the strike zone, recording a career-high 22 home runs while maintaining a .311 batting average. He showed the organization he was a foundational superstar by earning his fourth career All-Star selection and recording 179 hits, helping propel the club to a franchise-record 107 wins and an American League pennant.

The period between 2020 and 2021 was defined by unwavering offensive consistency. During the shortened 2020 campaign, he maintained an even .300 average, and he followed that with another All-Star performance in 2021, once again batting .311 and finishing second in the American League batting race.  He showed the organization he was a foundational winner by delivering in high-leverage postseason moments, particularly during the 2021 run to the World Series. While significant shoulder injuries eventually limited his availability in 2022 and 2023, his presence in the clubhouse and his technical mastery remained a standard for the younger players on the roster.

Everything culminated in his retirement following the 2023 season, marking the end of a 15-year career.  Wth the Astros, Brantley batted .305 with 411 hits.

Yuli Gurriel arrived in the Houston organization in 2016 following a high-profile defection that concluded a decade of dominance in the Cuban National Series. Having already established himself as a legendary figure internationally, he chose to leave the Cuban national team while in the Dominican Republic and eventually signed a five-year deal with the Astros at the age of 32.

Gurriel first demonstrated his ability to impact a championship roster during his 2017 rookie campaign. That summer, he recorded 18 home runs and a .299 average, finishing fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year voting and dominating the hitting safely throughout the 2017 playoffs, helping secure the franchise's first World Series title.

During the 2017 World Series, Gurriel's campaign was marked by a significant controversy following a home run off Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish in Game 3. Gurriel was captured on camera making a racially insensitive gesture in the dugout, an action that drew immediate backlash and a five-game suspension to be served at the start of the 2018 season. He issued a public apology and met with Darvish to express his regret, a moment that became a localized point of growth and reflection amidst the team's pursuit of a title.

Despite the tension surrounding the incident, he remained a focal point of the offense throughout the playoffs, helping secure the franchise's first World Series trophy. While the event remained a part of his narrative, his offensive reliability on the field continued as he recorded three consecutive seasons batting over .290.

At age 37, he evolved into the oldest player since Ted Williams to win an American League Batting Title, finishing the year with a .319 average. He showed the organization he was a foundational star by pairing that hitting crown with his first career Gold Glove Award at first base, proving he could remain an elite defender well into his late thirties. Though his regular-season production dipped significantly in 2022, he demonstrated a specialized ability to deliver in October, batting .347 during the postseason to help Houston capture their second World Series championship.

Following the 2022 Season, the Astros chose not to re-sign Gurriel. As an Astro, Gurriel compiled 866 hits, a .319 batting title (2021), and two World Series championships.

Mike Nesmith, one of the members of the Monkees, has passed away today.  He was 78 Years Old.

Nesmith was cast as one of the members of the Monkees, a show on NBC, designed to capitalize of Beatlemania, specifically a weekly variation of Hard Day’s Night.  It was a monster smash, with the group churning out hits, but behind the scenes, Nesmith and other members of the group wanted musical freedom, which they would eventually obtain.

Nesmith, who played bass in the group, was a visionary and drove the group to write and perform their own music, and most notably, he wrote “Mary Mary” for the group.  He also wrote “Different Drum”, a song that was rejected by the rest of the group, and would be given to Linda Ronstadt and her group, the Stone Ponies. 

The Monkees broke up, and Nesmith embarked on a solo career, but it did not generate many sales.  Where he was successful, was in the video medium, as shown by one of his early music videos when the idea was still novel.  He would later put together a program called “Pop Clips” of music videos for Nickelodeon, which would be the impetus for MTV.

Nesmith would also become a movie producer, having funded films such as “Repo Man” and “Tapeheads”.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Mike Nesmith.