We are losing too many legends already in this short year.

Rock and Roll superstar, Jeff Beck passed away today at the age of 78.  He first gained international attention as a member of the Yardbirds, and his blues-infused style made him one of the most admired guitarists of his era.  The Yardbirds also featured Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton (before Beck joined), and generated the hits, “Heart Full of Soul”, “For Your Love”, and “Shapes of Things”, but like Clapton, Beck left the band in 1966 and formed his own group.

As a solo, or leading the Jeff Beck Group, Beck remained amongst the apex of rock guitarists.  There were no styles he couldn’t blend, and his pioneering work of feedback and distortion are legendary.  Beck did not have the hits, or even the album sales, but the respect was there, and it is no accident that he won eight Grammys and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; one with the Yardbirds and one as a solo.

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

Following his military service, Carl Furillo debuted in Brooklyn in 1946. He was a right-handed outfielder known for his quiet professionalism unlike the more famous "Boys of Summer." Nicknamed "The Reading Rifle" for his feared arm, he was the master of the high right-field wall at Ebbets Field.

While Furillo initially commenced his career in center field, he achieved a pinnacle of versatility upon transitioning to right field, where he acquired the skill to interpret nearly 300 different trajectories of baseballs rebounding from the complex surface of the Ebbets Field walls. He owned the position, recording at least 10 assists in nine successive seasons and twice leading the league in this category. By 1949, he reached a new level of offensive excellence, batting .322 with 106 RBIs and finishing sixth in the MVP voting, thereby substantiating his capabilities beyond defensive prowess.

In 1953, Furillo secured the National League Batting Title with a .344 batting average, representing the highest mark achieved by a right-handed Dodger in the modern era at that time. Although he suffered a broken hand in a brawl against the Giants, which effectively ended his regular season in September, he notably returned for the Fall Classic, thereby reinforcing his reputation as a significant contributor in high-stakes games. Furthermore, he was a consistent presence for the 1955 World Series champions, hitting a career-high 26 home runs and playing a pivotal role in Brooklyn's first world championship.

After moving to Los Angeles with the team and contributing to the 1959 World Series victory, Furillo tore a calf muscle early the next year. He was released by the organization in May, sparking a lengthy legal battle in which Furillo claimed the team released him to dodge paying his 15-year pension. Although he won a court settlement, the dispute essentially blacklisted him from professional baseball.

He exited baseball with 1,910 Hits, 192 Home Runs, and a Batting Average of .299.

A switch-hitting shortstop who spent nearly a decade in the minor leagues before being granted an opportunity, Maury Wills finally made it to the Majors in 1959, and once he secured his place in the lineup, he operated as the most disruptive force on the basepaths since the Deadball Era.

In 1960, during his first full season as a regular player, Wills led the National League with 50 stolen bases, the highest total in the senior circuit in nearly forty years. He demonstrated complete mastery of the lead-off role in the early 1960s, securing six consecutive stolen base titles and establishing that his athleticism was a fundamental asset for a team primarily focused on pitching and defense. His career reached its zenith in 1962, when he became the first player in the modern era to surpass the century mark with 104 stolen bases, thereby earning the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award and the inaugural All-Star Game MVP.

Wills was the catalyst for the Dodgers' 1963 and 1965 world titles. During the 1965 campaign, he recorded 94 stolen bases and scored 92 runs, serving as the spark that allowed the "Koufax and Drysdale" era to thrive with minimal run support. While he faced criticism for a below-ideal walk rate and a difficult relationship with some media members, his on-field efficiency remained reliable; he earned two Gold Gloves and was a seven-time All-Star.

During a Japan team exhibition tour, Wills, nursing a knee injury and frustrated, jumped the tour without permission to go home. The organization saw this as a major breach of loyalty, leading owner Walter O'Malley to trade Wills to the Pirates in December 1966 for Bob Bailey and Gene Michael. Despite a brief stint in Pittsburgh and Montreal, he was traded back to the Dodgers in 1969 to lend veteran leadership for his last four seasons.

Wills had 1,732 Hits and 490 Stolen Bases in Dodger Blue, and in 2019, Wills was one of four players awarded plaques in the stadium as Legends of Dodgers Baseball.

Last night, TCU was destroyed by Georgia in the National Championship Game, but for us at Notinhalloffame.com, the true story was the announcement of 18 new members chosen for the College Football Hall of Fame.

The inducted players are:

Eric Berry, Tennessee, 2007-09, Defensive Back:  Berry was a two-time All-American with the Volunteers, winning two Jack Tatum Awards as the nation’s top DB.  He also won the 2008 SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the 2009 Jim Thorpe Award.  Berry accumulated 241 Tackles and 14 Interceptions in his three college seasons, and he would professionally go to five Pro Bowls and collect three First Team All-Pros as a Kansas City Chief.

Michael Bishop, Blinn Junior College 1995-96 & Kansas State, 1997-98, Quarterback:  Bishop led Blinn to two consecutive NJCAA National Championships and he was given a chance at QB with the Wildcats.  With Kansas State, Bishop threw for 4,401 Yards and 36 Touchdowns and rushed for 1,314 and 23 TDs, and was the 1998 Heisman runner-up.  He won the Davey O’Brien Award as a Senior, and as a pro led the Toronto Argonauts to a Grey Cup win.

Reggie Bush, USC, 2003-05, Running Back:  Bush may have had his 2005 Heisman taken away due to his family receiving gifts during his time as a Trojan, but he is now a College Football Hall of Famer.  Bush had 6,890 All-Purpose Yards.  Leading USC to a now-vacated BCS National Championship in 2004, Bush not only won the Heisman, but also captured that year’s Doak Walker Award and Walter Camp Award, and was named the AP College Football Player of the Year.  Bush would all go on to win a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints and had 58 Touchdowns with nearly 9,000 Yards From Scrimmage.

Dwight Freeney, Syracuse, 1998-01, Linebacker:  Freeney recorded 36 Sacks and 104 Tackles with the Orange and was a two-time All-Big East Selection.  He played most of his pro career with the Indianapolis Colts, where he went to seven Pro Bowls and was the leader in Sacks in 2004.

Robert Gallery, Iowa, 1999-01, Offensive Lineman:  Gallery won the Outland Trophy and the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2003, and he was later taken second overall by Oakland and had an eight-year NFL career.

LaMichael James, Oregon, 2009-11, Running Back:  James won the Doak Walker Award in 2010 as the nation’s top Running Back and was third in Heisman voting.  In his three years as a Duck, James rushed for 5,082 Yards and 53 Touchdowns.  He would only rush for 193 Yards as a pro.

Derrick Johnson, Texas, 2001-04, Linebacker.  As a senior, Johnson won the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Dick Butkus Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Jack Lambert Trophy, and had 10.5 Sacks, 9 Interceptions and 458 Tackles over his four-year career.  Later, with the Kansas City Chiefs, he went to four Pro Bowls.

Luke Kuechly, Boston College, 2009-11, Linebacker.  Kuechly was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2009, and the two-time All-American won the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2011.  It was a monster season for Kuechly, who also won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award, Lott Trophy, Butkus Award and Jack Lambert Award.  He went to be a five-time First Team All-Pro, a seven-time Pro Bowl and was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2013.

Terance Mathis, New Mexico, 1986-89, Wide Receiver.  Mathis accumulated 4,524 Receiving Yards and 36 Touchdowns for the Lobos.

Bryant McKinnie, Miami, 1998-2001, Offensive Lineman.  McKinnie was a member of Miami’s 2001 BCS National Championship Team, and would win the Outland Trophy and Jim Parker Award that year.  He later won a Super Bowl with the Ravens.

Corey Moore, Virginia Tech, 1996-99, Defensive Lineman.  In Moore’s senior year, he won the Big East Defensive Player of the Year (he also won it as a junior), Bronko Nagurski Award and Vince Lombardi Award.

Michael Stonebreaker, Notre Dame, 1986-90, Linebacker.  Stonebreaker was a two-time All-American and a key member of the 1988 undefeated NCAA Championship Team.

Tim Tebow, Florida, 2006-09, Quarterback:  Tebow was a phenom with the Gators, leading Florida to two BCS Championships (2006 & 2008), while also winning the 2007 Heisman.  The two-time All-American also added two Maxwell Awards (2007 & 2008), the Davey O’Brien Award (2007), Manning Award (2008), and the AP and Sporting News also named Tebow their 2007 Player of the Year.  He passed for 9,286 Yards and 88 Touchdowns while rushing for 2,947 Yards and 57 Touchdowns.  Tebow’s NFL career was not good, but there are few in his league collegiately. 

Troy Vincent, Wisconsin, 1988-91, Defensive Back:  Vincent was the co-winner of the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year in 1991, and would enjoy a long NFL career, that included the 2002 Walter Payton Man of the Year.

DeAngelo Williams, Memphis, Running Back, 2002-05.  Williams was a three-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year, and won the MVP in the 2005 Music City Bowl.  Rushing for 6,026 Yards and 55 Touchdowns as a Tiger, Williams was a two-time NFL leader in Rushing TDs.

The Inducted Coaches are:

Monte Cater, Lakeland 1981-86 & Shepherd 1987-2017.  Cater won 19 Conference Championships (3 IBFC, 12 WVIAC, 4 MEC) and was also a 12-time Conference Coach of the Year.  He had an overall record of 275-117-2.

Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech 1997-2001, Navy 2002-07 & Georgia Tech 2008-18.  Johnson had an overall record of 189-100, and he led Georgia Southern to back-to-back NCAA D-I-AA Titles in 1999 and 2000.  He was a seven-time Conference Coach of the Year.

Roy Kramer, Vanderbilt 1978-90, SEC Commissioner 1990-2002.  Kramer had a record of 83-32-2 with the Commodores but was more instrumental in his work as the SEC Commissioner where he elevated the conference.

Mark Richt, Georgia 2001-15 & Miami (FL) 2016-18.  Richt won three conference Coach of the Year Awards (SEC 2002 & 2005, ACC 2017), and was also named the 2017 Walter Camp Coach of the Year.  He had a 10-7 record in Bowls, including two Sugar Bowl wins, and Richt’s overall record was 171-64.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like congratulate the newest members of the College Football Hall of Fame.