The world of sports is full of opinions, and the NFL is no different. While fans and experts will often argue about teams and player ability, when all is said and done there are some that rise above these discussions to achieve respect from all parties, especially after their careers have finished.

In some cases, sports fans are happy to put their money where their mouth is by gambling on games and player props. Fans will shop around for the best odds and having a good understanding of teams, players, tactics, and performances in different circumstances can all help.

While many states now offer legal sports books, expert reviews on offshore sportsbooks can still come in handy for consumers in prohibitive states or, for those looking for more competitive odds. After all, the more analyses you read, the better your general knowledge of football. 

One market that can cause a lot of controversy is the NFL Hall of Fame, where consumers can bet on who they think will be inducted, with the top players earning a place.

There are just under 400 members currently in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with between 4 and 9 added every year. The selection committee's criteria for inducting players focuses on player contributions to the sport, but there are still some big names that haven't made the cut yet.

Reggie Wayne

Reggie Wayne is a name that will probably be inducted into the Hall of Fame sooner rather than later. 2007's top receiving yards player and key performer in the Indianapolis Colts' first Super Bowl in 2006 make him a contender for a place. 

Torry Holt

Torry Holt helped St. Louis to the Super Bowl and finished as the league-leading receiver on two occasions. He made it into the NFL All-2000s Team and participated in the Pro Bowl seven times.

Sterling Sharpe

Sterling Sharpe's career was sadly cut short by injury, but in his seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers, he was able to prove his worth as one of the best receivers of his generation.

During his career, he led the way in yards, touchdowns, and receptions, was an All-Pro first-team player three times, and was selected for the Pro Bowl five times.

Willie Anderson

Willie Anderson has come close to making it into the Hall of Fame, making it to the finals of the selection process three times. The former Bengals lineman made the All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams for four consecutive years and it seems like a matter of time before he gets the nod.

Ken Anderson

Ken Anderson remains the leading passer in the history of the Cincinnati Bengals and was named the AP Offensive POTY, League MVP, and All-Pro first-teamer in 1981.

When he retired he was in the NFL's top ten of all time for passing yards and passer rating and has made it to the semi-finals of the HOF on two occasions.

Hines Ward

Hines Ward was at the Steelers from 1998 to 2011 and remains their all-time touchdown, yards, and receptions leader. The 2005 Super Bowl MVP earned four Pro Bowl selections in a row and is widely regarded as the NFL's leading physical receiver of his generation.

Conclusion

The selection committee has a tough job and can only add a limited number of former players every year. There is still time for the players mentioned above to be inducted, and there are plenty more stars of the game that have not yet had the honor.

This year’s HOF saw Dwight Freeney, Patrick Willis, Andre Johnson, Steve McMichael, Julius Peppers, Randy Gradishar, and Devin Hester inducted, and fans will be eager to hear who will be joining them next. 

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has announced the addition of four new SuperFans to its James F. Goldstein SuperFam Gallery.  The names announced are well-known.

The new names to the wing announced are:

Billy Crystal.  The comedic actor and Saturday Night Live alumni has long been associated with sports, having competed on ABC’s Battle of the Network Stars, directing the HBO biopic on Roger Maris (*61), and playing an NBA referee in the film, “Forget Paris.”  Crystal is an avid fan of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Alan Horwitz.  Horwitz is a Philadelphia-based businessman who founded Campus Apartments.  He is known in Philly for his Sixers fandom which has at times been controversial, though nevertheless passionate.

Spike Lee.  A mega fan of the New York Knicks, the famed director has been a fixture at Knicks games for years and has appeared in multiple basketball-related commercials.  Lee was also prominent in the ESPN 30-for-30 episode on the famed Pacers/Knicks playoff series.

Jack Nicholson.  The Academy Award-winning actor has been associated with the Los Angeles Lakers since the 70s, where he was always courtside.  His fandom became infectious in Hollywood and helped make the Lakers the “it” team of its day.

This will happen as part of the SuperFan Celebration on October 13.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Once that is done, we will examine how each team honors its past players, coaches, and executives. As such, it is important to us that the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League will retire the number 97 of Connor McDavid.

The event will occur on January 10 during Erie’s home game against Saginaw.

Receiving a special exemption (Exceptional Player Status) to enter the OHL Draft at age 15 (only John Tavares and Aaron Ekblad have also done so), McDavid scored 285 Points in three OHL seasons and won multiple individual awards, including the CHL Player of the Year in 2015.

McDavid becomes the third player to have his number retired by the Otters, as he follows Brad Boyes (#16) and Vince Scott (#18).

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Connor McDavid for his impending honor.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLB. Once that is done, we will examine how each team honors its past players, coaches, and executives. As such, it is important to us that in honor of its 125^th Anniversary, the Italian club AC Milan has announced the formation of its own Hall of Fame.  Defender Franco Baresi will be its inaugural member.

Baresi played for AC Milan for his entire 20-year career (1977-97), during which he experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows. He helped them win the 1978-79 Serie A title.   Becoming the team captain in 1982, Beresi anchored the club to five more Serie A wins (1988, 1992, 1993, 1994 & 1996), three European Cups (1989, 1990, & 1994), two European Super Cups (1990 & 1994) and two International Cups (1989 & 1990).  Individually, he was the runner-up for the 1989 Ballon d’Or, was named the AC Milan Player of the Century and Serie A Player of the Century, and was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

Internationally, Baresi, a beacon of Italian football, led Italy to Gold in the 1982 World Cup and runners-up in the 1994 World Cup.

Moving forward, the Hall will have two categories: Elected Members (chosen through a voting process of registered AC Milan fans) and Honored Members (who will be inducted at the club’s discretion.).  There will be a four-year initial phase, where the Hall will focus on Strikers (2024), Midfielders (2025), Defenders (2026), and Goalies (2027).  Following the four years, the ballot will be open to all positions.

To qualify for the AC Milan Hall of Fame, a candidate must have played at least 50 Games, have conducted themselves with excellence and distinction, and be officially retired as a player.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate AC Milan for this accomplishment.