It was announced today that Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Floyd Little, 77, is battling cancer.  

A GoFundMe page has been set up by Patrick Killorin, his teammate at Syracuse to help with the expenses to fight the disease.

Little was a three-time All-American, and his number 44 was retired by the Orange. The Halfback was chosen seventh overall in the 1967 Draft by the Denver Broncos, which would be the only NFL team he ever played for.  In his nine-year career, Little was a five-time Pro Bowl Selection and would rush for 6,323 Yards, with another 2,418 accumulated in the air.  

After he retired, his number was retired by the Broncos, and his name is enshrined in the Broncos Ring of Fame.

Little entered the Pro Football Hall in 2010 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com wish Floyd Little the best in his fight against cancer.

Rock n roll is always considered to be more of a lifestyle than a form of music. Rock stars are known to live in excesses. It's popularly romanticized as a life of excess drugs, sex and hedonism. Many rockers bend the rules and stretch it to the limit. Some survive, some become casualties. The golden era of rock n roll was probably the 60s with legendary bands like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and The Doors pushing the limits both musically as well as in their own personal lives. 

There are several sordid stories of overdosing on drugs and sometimes even endangering the lives of those around them. This kind of a lifestyle is something you can probably taste a slice of in Las Vegas with all its casinos and clubs. Although it's true that Las Vegas now does offer more than just gambling like this article says. But as we enter the era of hip hop and electronic music, it would be a good idea to look back and go through some of the greatest tragedies of rock n roll history. 

Death of John Bonham

There is absolutely no doubt that Led Zeppelin was one of the greatest bands on the planet and that John Bonham was one of the greatest drummers who ever lived. His unique style of drumming remains unparalleled and still inspires a whole new generation of drummers. Bonham was known for his excessive drinking which is what led to his death in 1980 when he was only 32 years old. The band decided not to carry on without him and that was the end of Led Zeppelin. His death is considered to be one of the greatest losses to the world of rock.

Death of John Lennon

There has probably never been a more famous band in the history of the world than The Beatles. It's a remarkable story how four young lads from Liverpool went on to confquer the world with their brilliant tunes and sharp songwriting. John Lennon was at one point considered to be almost god like. After quitting the The Beatles, Lennon pursued a solo career and went through a series of personal awakenings and changes. His wife Yoko Ono and he became activists and protested against a lot of decisions that the government was taking at that time. In 1980, John Lennon was shot dead outside his home by a crazed Beatles fan by the name of Mark Chapman. Chapman claims he was upset by claims that Lennon had made about The Beatles being more famous than Jesus. Chapman is still in jail and seeking parole according to this article. 

Death of Buddy Holly

Buddy Holly was an American singer-songwriter known for being an influential figure in the rock n roll scene of the 50s. He is known to be the first musician to come up with the traditional band format of two guitars, drums and bass. He had a very short career and yet his work managed to influence legends like Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. In 1959, Buddy Holly died in a plane crash along with the rest of his band mates. The event was considered to be so tragic that Don McLean refers to it in his song American Pie saying it was the day that music died. 

There are many more events that could make the list like the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash and Elvis Presley's death that changed the course of rock n roll forever. 

Six NBA players that retired too soon

NBA fans waiting for the resumption of the season can get the best deals for casino games at live dealer roulette NJ. In addition to enjoying digital experiences, fans also continue to debate who are some of the greatest basketball players to have exited stage right before their time. 

Yao Ming

The first pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, Yao Ming came to the league with a stellar reputation after five years with the Shanghai Sharks in the CBA. The Chinese star lived up to the hype during his nine-year stint at the Houston Rockets, where he was named Rookie of the Year and helped the franchise to the NBA Play-offs on four occasions.

Ming’s exceptional rebounding and blocking ability saw him become an eight-time NBA All-Star. Still, after playing all 164 games in his first two seasons, injuries started to regularly hamper his game time. After suffering a fractured left ankle in the 2010/11 season, Ming decided to retire at just 30-years of age. 

Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson was one of the three best NBA players in the 1980s alongside Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, but his career came to an abrupt end in 1991 when he was diagnosed with HIV. Johnson is still regarded as the best point guard to have played the game, and he backed up his talent with five NBA Championships between 1980 and 1989.

After twelve years with the Los Angeles Lakers, the then 31-year-old retired to become an advocate for HIV and AIDS prevention, though he did win an Olympic gold medal for the US as part of “The Dream Team” in 1992. Johnson briefly returned in 1996 for a 32-game stint with the Lakers, but fans are still left wondering what might have been if he had been able to continue playing in his prime.

Michael Jordan

Still regarded as the greatest player to ever play basketball, Michael Jordan retired twice in his career after securing infamous “three-peats” with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan started a new career in Minor League Baseball in late 1993 before returning to the Bulls in 1995, where he went on to secure NBA Championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998 before retiring for a second time at 35 years of age.

With the Bulls still in the ascendency at that time, commentators have speculated that Jordan and the Bulls could have continued its dynasty and dominated the Eastern Conference for a few more years if he and teammates Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman had stayed together. ‘Air Jordan’ returned for a third and final stint with the Washington Wizards before retiring for good in 2003.

Brandon Roy

Shooting guard Brandon Roy was the sixth pick in the 2006 NBA Draft and was named Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Portland Trail Blazers. However, he was never able to fulfill his potential due to an ongoing knee problem. Roy averaged 19 points a game with the Blazers over five seasons before joining the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The then 27-year-old had already undergone six surgeries in an attempt to fix the problem, but he was unable to hold out any longer and eventually retired in 2011. A brief comeback in 2012/13 also ended after five regular-season games as Roy succumbed to another knee injury.

Gilbert Arenas

Gilbert Arenas is still considered to be one of the best second-round draft picks. After joining the Golden State Warriors in 2001, ‘Agent Zero’ was named the most improved player in the league after the 2002/03 season and continued to make a name for himself as a leading point guard after being traded to the Washington Wizards.

A career-high record of 29.3 points followed soon after. Unfortunately, things took a turn in the late 2000s when a knee injury and a controversial incident involving a handgun resulted in an indefinite suspension from the NBA. Arenas was never quite the same again, and he retired at 30-years of age in 2012.

Tracy McGrady

Florida-native Tracy McGrady can be considered an NBA journeyman after playing for seven teams during his 16-year career, but many still believe he may have left the game too soon. McGrady, the ninth pick for the Toronto Raptors in the 1997 NBA Draft, really came into his own during a four-year stint with the Orlando Magic in the early 2000s, where he was a two-time NBA scoring champion.

McGrady was a seven-time NBA All Star between 2001 and 2007 before back and knee injuries started to eat into his natural talent and dull the shooting streaks for which he was renowned. He eventually retired at 32 years of age.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Last time, we looked at the NBA Finals MVP.  This time we went back to basketball, and the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award.

The J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award is given to the player who shows the most outstanding service and dedication to the community.

While this is generally given to star players, we will not dissect the season in question as the award is not meant to be defined by stat lines and on court accomplishments.  Please also note that players do not always win this award, and those will be marked with an asterisks. 

So how many J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award winners have made the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame?

Let’s find out!

The following are the past players who have won the J. Walter Citizenship Award who are eligible for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.

Wes Unseld, Washington Bullets 1974-75                       

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

Dave Bing, Washington Wizards 1976-77                       

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.

Bob Lanier, Detroit Pistons 1977-78                              

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

Calvin Murphy, Houston Rockets 1978-79                     

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers 1982-83                     

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Dan Issel, Denver Nuggets 1984-85                                

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons 1986-87                          

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.

Alex English, Denver Nuggets 1987-88                           

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.

Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers 1991-92                 

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.

Joe Dumars, Detroit Pistons 1992-94                            

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Vlade Divac, Sacramento Kings 1999-00                        

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Dikembe Mutombo, Atlanta Hawks & Philadelphia 76ers 2000-01       

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Alonzo Mourning, Miami Heat 2001-02                          

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.

David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs 2002-03                 

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Reggie Miller, Indiana Pacers 2003-04                           

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.

Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves 2005-06          

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns 2006-07                                

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

The following are the players who have won the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award who are eligible for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:

Slick Watts, Seattle SuperSonics 1975-76                      

Eligible Since 1985.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

Austin Carr, Cleveland Cavaliers 1979-80                      

Eligible Since 1987.  Ranked #66 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Mike Glenn, New York Knicks 1980-81                          

Eligible Since 1992.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Kent Benson, Cleveland Cavaliers 1981-82                    

Eligible Since 1992.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

*Frank Layden, Utah Jazz 1983-84                                

Non-Player.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Lakers 1985-86 Co-Winner   

Eligible Since 1996.  Ranked #33 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Rory Sparrow, New York Knicks 1985-86 Co-Winner      

Eligible Since 1998.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Thurl Bailey, Utah Jazz 1988-89                                    

Eligible Since 2005.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Doc Rivers, Atlanta Hawks 1989-90                               

Eligible Since 2002.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Kevin Johnson, Phoenix Suns 1990-91                          

Eligible Since 2006.  Ranked #17 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Terry Porter, Portland Trail Blazers 1992-93                 

Eligible Since 2002.  Ranked #72 on Notinhalloffame.com.

*Joe O’Toole, Atlanta Hawks 1994-95                            

Non-Player.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Chris Dudley, Portland Trail Blazers 1995-96                

Eligible Since 2009.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

P.J. Brown, Miami Heat 1996-97                                    

Eligible Since 2014.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Steve Smith, Atlanta Hawks 1997-98                             

Eligible Since 2011.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Brian Grant, Portland Trail Blazers 1998-99                  

Eligible Since 2012.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Eric Snow, Cleveland Cavaliers 2004-05                        

Eligible Since 2014.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Chauncey Billups, Detroit Pistons 2007-08                    

Eligible Since 2018.  Ranked #11 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Samuel Dalembert, Philadelphia 76ers 2008-09             

Eligible Since 2019.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Metta World Peace, Los Angeles Lakers 2009-10            

Eligible Since 2021.  Ranked #83 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Let’s update our tally, shall we?        

So, who is up next?

The following are the players who have won the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in the NBA who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame:

Luol Deng, Chicago Bulls & Cleveland Cavaliers 2013-14

Eligible in 2023.

The following are the players who have won the NBA J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award who are still active.

Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers 2011-12

36 Years Old,Free Agent.

Kenneth Faried, Portland Trail Blazers 2012-13

29 Years Old,Playing in China.

Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls 2014-15

34 Years Old,Playing for the Los Angeles Clippers.

Wayne Ellington, Brooklyn Nets 2015-16

32 Years Old,Playing for the New York Knicks.

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers 2016-17

34 Years Old,Playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

J.J. Barea, Dallas Mavericks 2017-18

35 Years Old,Playing for the Dallas Mavericks.

Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers 2018-19

29 Years Old,Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers.

This is an award based more on character, and will likely continue to yield winners all over the ability spectrum.

So, what is up next?

We return to the NFL with a similar award to this one, and the last one we will look at in that league: The Walter Payton Man of the Year.

As always, we thank you for your support, and look for that soon.