Wow.

We said this a month ago, but now it is official.  Frank Gore is a retired player, as he signed a one-day contract with the San Francisco 49ers.  

A Third Round Pick from Miami (FL), Gore had his best year early in his career with a sophomore effort seeing Gore post career-highs in Rushing Yards (1,695) and Yards From Scrimmage (2,180).  Gore went to his first Pro Bowl that year, and was a Second Team All-Pro.  Over the next eight seasons with the Niners, Gore exceeded 1,000 Rushing Yards in seven of them, and earned four more trips to the Pro Bowl.

In 2015, Gore joined the Colts, and had his last 1,000 Yard season in 2016.  He would later play for Miami, Buffalo and the New York Jets.

Gore leaves the game with an even 16,000 Rushing Yards, which places him second all-time, and his 19,985 Yards From Scrimmage is fourth all-time.

As Gore did not play last season, he is eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026, and conceivably be a first-year inductee.  The stats are there, but a delay could arise, as at no point was, he ever considered the best at his position.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Gore the best in his post-playing career.

Just minutes after we wrote about Ryan Fitzpatrick retiring, we get word that Alex Mack, Center for the San Francisco 49ers is also retiring.  

A two-time Morris winner at California, Mack was a First Round Pick in 2009 (21^st Overall) by the Cleveland Browns, and he stepped in immediately under Quarterback and under the learning tree of future Hall of Fame Lineman, Joe Thomas, would make the Pro Bowl in his sophomore season.  A Pro Bowler again in 2013 and 2015, Mack joined the Atlanta Falcons, where he earned three more Pro Bowl Selections, before finishing his career in 2021 as a San Francisco 49er, where he earned Pro Bowl number seven.

Before the 2021 Season, Mack was listed at #50 among active players to consider for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  He is Canton eligible in 2027, but there is a long line of Centers and Offensive Linemen ahead of him.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Alex Mack the best in his post-playing career.

Another day, and another significant retirement.

One of the most intriguing career of an NFL Quarterback is coming to an end as Ryan Fitzpatrick has retired from the game.  He last played for Washington, suffering a season-ending hip injury in last year’s opening game.

From Harvard, Fitzpatrick was a Seventh Round Pick in 2005 by the St. Louis Rams, but he did not see any significant action until he was with the Buffalo Bills, where he had three straight 3,000 Yard years.  He would also exceed that mark once with the Jets, and once with the Dolphins while throwing for 34,990 Yards in total.  Fitzpatrick also played for Cincinnati, Tennessee, Houston and Tampa and retired with 223 Touchdown Passes.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Ryan Fitzpatrick the best in his post-playing career.

Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA as it’s more commonly known, has become more popular than ever in recent years. Once considered a niche sport, organizations such as the UFC have helped to push MMA into the mainstream, gaining millions of fans around the world. Today, the UFC is the world’s best-known MMA organization, but new promotions are constantly emerging as the demand for more fights grows. Fans of MMA are always interested in seeing their favorite fighters, and the sport is always developing as new techniques and styles reach the top.

As well as being extremely exciting to watch, MMA can be a lot of fun to bet on. All major sportsbooks will offer odds on the UFC, and many also offer the chance to bet on other organisations such as Bellator and One Championship. It’s one of the most interesting sports to bet on because of how unpredictable it can be. For this reason, you always need to be responsible when betting. If you’re looking to bet on MMA at Betway or any other sportsbook and have success, make sure you follow these tips.

Consider That Styles Make Fights

In MMA, different styles can work much better against some styles than others. This creates a kind of rock, paper, scissors effect, where a fighter might look bad in one fight against a certain type of opposition but then dominate in another fight. In a lot of cases, modern MMA fighters are more well-rounded than in previous years, but you still sometimes get specialists that are only good in one particular area of martial arts. For example, a fighter that’s very strong in jiu-jitsu may struggle against a striking specialist but excel against a wrestler.

This is very important to consider when placing a bet, as form by itself isn’t the only indicator of performance. It also means you can often find great value in the odds if you pay close attention. For example, a grappler who lost his last two fights would likely be an underdog, even if they’re facing someone with poor ground game.

Root for the Underdog

In MMA, the underdog can win much more frequently than in other sports. This will vary a lot depending on the organization itself, but in the UFC, it’s around 30% of the time that the favorite will be beaten. This can lead to some big wins if you’re smart with your bets. All you have to do is analyze each fight and judge whether you think the underdog has a chance.

It can simply take one punch or a mistake on the ground for a fight to be over, meaning that underdogs almost always have a chance of winning. There have been some big upsets recently, especially in women’s MMA. A good example was Amanda Nunes losing to Juliana Peña at UFC 269. Before the fight, Peña was a +600 underdog.

Follow the Weigh-Ins

In MMA, the weigh-ins are a crucial part of the fight, with most fighters shedding water weight before rehydrating to balance the scales and the odds of the fight in their favor. Using these techniques, fighters can be significantly heavier than their measured weight when they enter the cage. The idea is to gain an advantage over your opponent by being heavier and therefore stronger and harder to take down.

While weigh-ins can be beneficial for fighters, they’re a bit of a double-edged sword. By dehydrating themselves, fighters can affect their health and performance during the fight. A bad weight cut can cause serious issues, and many fighters have been hospitalized. Because of the impact it can have on the fight, it’s always worth paying close attention to how each fighter weighed in. Did the favorite look weak stepping onto the scale, and did they weigh in at the last minute? These can help you find value in the odds.