Committee Chairman

2017 Baseball Futures are up

Sep 24, 2014

We have not been as quick as we would like here at Notinhalloffame.com in regards to updating our futures list. We can assure you that there is a lot in the pipeline that will allow you to cast your opinion on future players who will be eligible for their respective Halls of Fame.

As such, we have finally updated a section in our Baseball Futures, and have put up the 22 players who will be eligible for the Cooperstown in 2017. As the case with almost every year, we have players who should be strongly considered, a few who will be on the fence, some who will struggle to get a few votes, and those you wonder how they got on the ballot at all.

For reference, to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame, a player has to have been in the Majors for at least ten seasons and been retired for five.

The eligible players for 2017 are as follows:

Aaron Rowand
Arthur Rhodes
Carlos Guillen
Danys Bawz
Derrick Lee
Edgar Renteria
Freddy Sanchez
Ivan Rodriguez
J.D. Drew
Jason Varitek
Javier Vasquez
Jorge Posada
Julio Lugo
Magglio Ordonez
Manny Ramirez
Melvin Mora
Mike Cameron
Orlando Cabrera
Pat Burrell
Ryan Franklin
Tim Wakefield
Vladimir Guerrero

Three big names stand out in the form of Vladimir Guerrero, Ivan Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez. Statistically speaking this is a trifecta of talent that has a Hall of Fame resume, but the Cooperstown is not all about statistics anymore is it?

Manny Ramirez is arguably the biggest name, but also the most controversial. The Dominican meets every statistical requirement that the Hall covets but rather that go over them here, the biggest obstacle is the one that has kept Bonds, Sosa, McGuire and Clemens out, Performance Enhancing Drugs. However, unlike the previous four, Ramirez tested positive for a banned substance and has served a suspension for it. Sadly, this is the type of player that the Hall’s rule to change the time on the ballot from 15 years to ten years was made for.

Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez also has the Hall of Fame stats for inclusion. However, Rodriguez has never tested positive for PEDs, Jose Canseco as a steroid user named him in his book, but it is only rumors at this point. A cloud of this type has kept Jeff Bagwell and Mike Piazza from induction at this point, so is it safe to say that IRod’s road is a little harder?

As for Vladimir Guerrero, the former American League Most Valuable Player of the Year has never been linked with Performance Enhancing Drugs and is believed to have played clean. “The Impaler” brings a 59.3 bWAR, 2,590 Hits a Lifetime Batting Average of .318 and 449 Home Runs; very good numbers that should warrant him heavy consideration.

We are very curious to see what kind of support that Derrick Lee, Tim Wakefield and Magglio Ordonez receives on their first year on the ballot.

Gang, you know what we want you to do! Click here to take a look at this crop of potential candidates and cast your vote and give us your opinions!

RIP: Rob Bironas

Sep 23, 2014

Published in Not in Hall of Fame News

As you may be aware by now, former National Football League Place Kicker, Rob Bironas died due to an automobile accident. He lost control of his Yukon Denali on the curve of a road near his home in Nashville, Tennessee and was pronounced dead at the University of Vanderbilt Medical Center. He was only 36 Years Old.

Brionas played his College ball at the University of Auburn, and later at Georgia Southern for his Senior season where the team won the Division I-AA Championship. He would not be drafted and would latch on to teams in the Arena Football League, but in 2005 he made the Tennessee Titans roster as the team’s starting Place Kicker.

He would go on to have a nine year career with Tennessee, making 236 Field Goals with 1 85.7 FG Percentage. His arguable career highlight was the month of October in 2007, where he was named the AFC Player of the Month and accruing over 60 percent of the team’s points that month. Bironas would also be named to the Pro Bowl in 2008.

Bironas was the son-in-law of Pro Football Hall of Fame Hall of Fame inductee, Terry Bradshaw. We would like to extend our condolences to the friends and family of Rod Bironas at this time.

CFL HOF 2014 Inductions Official

Sep 22, 2014

Published in Not in Hall of Fame News

Admittedly, we have no intention of ever doing a rank of those who are not in the Canadian Football League Hall of Fame, though we have serious respect for the league north of the border and think it is worth commenting on what they do. As such, the Hamilton, Ontario based institution will be inducting their latest class.

The arguable headliner is Ben Cahoon, the Slotback from BYU. Cahoon was the favored target for years of Anthony Calvillo, who has the most Passing Yards of anyone in Professional Football history. Cahoon, who was raised in Sothern Alberta won the CFL Outstanding Canadian Award twice and the Grey Cup three times. Cahoon is in the top ten in Receiving Yards, Receptions and is easily the most prolific Canadian born Receiver in CFL history.

Cahoon is joined by Charles Roberts, the California born Running Back who spent most of his CFL run with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Roberts is fifth all time in CFL Rushing Yards and the all time leading rusher for Winnipeg. He is also a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Fame.

Neil Lumsden, a three time Grey Cup winner with the Edmonton Eskimos also enters the CFL Hall of Fame. The Fullback would win a fourth Grey Cup as the General Manager in 1999 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Moe “The Toe” Racine enters the Hall, based on his combination of Offensive Line and Place Kicking skills with the Ottawa Rough Riders. He played the most games in Ottawa history.

Offensive Tackle, Ozooma Okeke also enters. He was a seven time CFL All Star who played with the Shreveport Pirates, Ottawa Rough Riders and the Montreal Alouettes.

Wally Buono also was enshrined. The Italian born player played ten seasons at Linebacker, earning two Grey Cups, but it was his acumen as a Head Coach, where he holds the CFL record for the most regular season wins and most Grey Cups as a Head Coach. He is currently the General Manager and Vice President of the B.C. Lions.

The final inductee is Larry Haylor, a long time coach in Canadian College Football.

The Canadian Football League Hall of Fame opened in 1972 and is based in Hamilton, Ontario.

BYU to retire Jim McMahon's Number

Sep 21, 2014

Published in Not in Hall of Fame News

As you may know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are in the process of ranking every major North American sports franchise and how they handle their own Halls of Fame, Retired Numbers etc. Once done, we will take a look at the major University Football and Basketball teams, and as such we thought we take a look at BYU, who has announced that former Quarterback, Jim McMahon will have his number retired and enter the school’s Hall of Fame.

Used as a Punter in his Freshman Year, McMahon took over the role as the team’s starting Quarterback when regular QB Marc Wilson went down with an injury in his second year in BYU. He would lose it back to Wilson when he returned from injury and McMahon was himself injured in the off season and he was redshirted in 1979. Wilson would go on to have a great season, but McMahon would be back following Wilson’s graduation.

Now as the undisputed starter of the Brigham Young offence, Jim McMahon set a plethora of records in 1980, the most notable being Passing Yards (4,571), Touchdown Passes (47) and Efficiency Rating (176.9) and was named the WAC Player of the Year. McMahon also finished fifth in Heisman Trophy balloting and was named to the All-America team. Individual accolades are nice, but the pivot was about to pull off one of the most dramatic comebacks in Bowl history.

In that seasons Holiday Bowl, McMahon led his team back from 20 points down with four minutes left to go against a powerful SMU team in what was called by the BYU faithful as the “Miracle Bowl”.

The following season, McMahon played two less games due to injuries, but was an even more efficient passer. He won the Sammy Baugh Award and Davey O’Brien Trophy and was again an All American, and finished third in Heisman balloting. He would repeat as a Holiday Bowl champion, this time defeating Washington State.

Finishing his College career with 9,536 Passing Yards and 84 Touchdown Passes, McMahon was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999. McMahon was ten credits short of his BYU degree when he left to turn professional, but he recently completed his degree. The BYU Hall of Fame states that completion of a degree must occur before a student-athlete can be considered for their Hall.

McMahon becomes the sixth player to have his number retired by BYU, joining Eldon Fortie, Steve Young, Ty Detmer, Marion Probert and Gifford Nielson.

We would like to congratulate Jim McMahon for obtaining this impressive accolade.