Sorry, here is another show we never watched beyond an episode or two…and that was while intoxicated. However, “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper” lasted five years on ABC, so once again….somebody must have watched it.

Here is what we can tell you. “Mr. Cooper” was played by comedian, Mark Curry, who was not a bad stand up, but always seemed lame in any other situation. We guess Cooper never saved any of that NBA money (why he should he be different than most actual NBA players) and had to teach school and needed roommates. The two roommates was a reject from the Cosby Show spinoff, A Different World, and the delicious Holly Robinson-Peete, who in the shows we did see, Cooper struck out with.   According to Wikipedia, the two characters did hook up in season four, as we can only guess that she decided to trade down from journeyman quarterbacks, however by that time we decided Cooper was not worth hangin’ with.



The Bullet Points:
TV Show Appeared:
Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper (1992-1997)

Actor:
Mark Curry

Position Portrayed:
We have no idea

Played for:
Golden State Warriors

Why you should vote for him:
He was a Golden State Warrior who did not choke his coach.

Why you should not vote for him:
It took him how many years on the show to get with Holly Robinson Peete?   That should have happened in episode one.

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We can’t say we ever thought “Salami” (or the annoying kid in the “Master”) would ever become an acclaimed TV director, but that’s our fault for initially doubting him because he was named for lunch meat.

Actually, Salami may have been one of the coolest characters on 70’s television. He was a white basketball player who was friends with, and respected by his black teammates. Despite his nickname, “Salami”, was not a geek, and possibly the coolest white kid in a predominately black High School. Actually, let’s change that too definitely; as he was the kid from Carver who banged his sexy teacher. Game, Set, Match: Salami.



The Bullet Points:
TV Show Appeared:
The White Shadow (1978-1981)

Actor:
Timothy Van Patten

Position Portrayed:
Bench

Played for:
Carver H.S.

Why you should vote for him:
For a guy named Salami, he owned it!

Why you should not vote for him:
Ever watch him in that Lee Van Cleef debacle; “The Master?

Although Track and Field was not really featured here, we thought we would add Omar Epps on the ballot (again). As Malik Williams in “Higher Learning”, Epps was the lead in an ensemble film about race issues on a university campus. Williams was a track star at the fictitious Columbus University, which allows us to place Epps on the ballot one more time. We grant that this was a very good role for Epps, but is it enough of an athletic one to merit this Hall?



The Bullet Points:
Movie Appeared:
Higher Learning (1995)

Actor:
Omar Epps

Raced for:
Columbus University

Why you should vote for him:
Epps is on this ballot so many times, without a strong candidate. Maybe we can throw him a bone here.

Why you should not vote for him:
Track is far from the focal point of this movie.

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As much as boxing may struggle to find relevancy in the new sporting landscape, we wager that the boxing film will never die. It is the perfect sport for a movie; two combatants, great visuals and dramatic storytelling. Perhaps this is why transferring this to women’s boxing; a sport that never gained mass popularity (and probably never will) can still work in a major movie.

Of course it doesn’t hurt to have one of the best directors (Clint Eastwood) and a fine actress (Hilary Swank) to pull it off. Swank played Maggie Fitzgerald, an Ozark born natural pugilist with a mother who berates her, and Eastwood played Frankie Dunn, a hard assed trainer who has no relationship with his own daughter. You can see where this is going can’t you? The path may be obvious, but the road is a wonderful one, with a bit of twist at the end. We will say though that if our Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame is based on acting, this is a strong contender.



The Bullet Points:
Movie Appeared:
Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Actor:
Hilary Swank

Why you should vote for her:
This was an Academy Award winning performance.

Why you should not vote for him:
As mentioned, for a boxing movie this is no Rocky ending.

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