It feels like we have written about this before.

For the second time, Linebacker James Harrison has announced his retirement via an Instagram post from professional football though we think this time it is going to stick.

Undrafted out of Kent State in 2002, James Harrison would sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Harrison would struggle in his early professional years, as he was deemed too short to be an effective NFL Linebacker and was deemed by some of his teammates as a bit of a head case. The former Golden Flash would bounce off and on the practice roster and would see brief action on the main roster in Special Teams but he would be cut by the end of the year. He would sign with Baltimore in 2003 was cut again after a brief stint with Rhein in NFL Europe but was cut again. Harrison signed again with the Steelers in 2004 but this time he would stick.

From 2004 to 2006 Harrison (or “Deebo” as he was more commonly known) would play on Special Teams and Outside Linebacker showing much improvement from what they saw in his rookie year. In what had to be considered a surprise by many Harrison took over the starting Right Outside Linebacker position from Joey Porter who had been released due to salary cap issues. Harrison would prove Pittsburgh’s new Head Coach Mike Tomlin right as he emerged as one of the most feared defensive players in the National Football League.

In 2007 James Harrison would be chosen for the Pro Bowl, which would be the first of five consecutive. He was also named the Steelers MVP for the year. The next year would be the best season of Harrison’s career as he would record a career high 16 Sacks while earning First Team All Pro Honors. The Linebacker would also lead the league in Approximate Value and would be named the Defensive Player of the Year. Capping the season Harrrison would be the defensive force in the Steelers Super Bowl Win over Arizona. During the game he returned an Interception 100 Yards for a Touchdown, which is still the longest pick in Super Bowl History. This would be Harrison’s second Super Bowl as he played a minor role in their win three years previous.

In 2010 Harrison would be named a First Team All-Pro for the second time and he would compete (albeit in a losing effort) in his third Super Bowl. He would however like Porter find himself the victim of the salary cap and he would be released by Pittsburgh. “Deebo” would sign with division rival Cincinnati where he would play in 2013. The Bengals would cut him after the season and he would retire as a Steeler…but that retirement was short lived as injuries decimated the Pittsburgh D and Harrison would be called back into duty. Harrison was still an effective player in 2015 and 2016 but in 2017 he saw limited action and would be cut by the team in December only to be picked up by the New England Patriots who would go to (again) to the Super Bowl.

James Harrison retires from the NFL with 193 Games Played with 84.5 career Sacks. He has to be considered an outside candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame but the new Pittsburgh Steeler Hall of Honor has his name written all over it despite the fact that his final year in Pittsburgh was not exactly the most teammate and fan friendly.

Harrison will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to thank James Harrison for the on-field memories and we wish him the best in his post-playing career.

It was great sadness that we learned that Basketball Hall of Famer Hal Greer passed away. He was 81 years old.

From Huntington, West Virginia, Greer made history as the first African American to play for Marshall, which was also made him the first black collegiate basketball player in the state of West Virginia. Greer would dominate for the Thundering Herd and would named First Team All-MAC in 1958. He would then be drafted 13th overall by the Syracuse Nationals that year.

As a professional Hal Greer would enjoy steady improvement and in 1961 he would be named to his first of 10 straight All Star Games. Prior to the 1963-64 season the Nationals would relocate to Philadelphia and become the 76ers and Greer was the team’s star and would be joined two years later by Wilt Chamberlain. In his first seven seasons in Philadelphia Greer would average more than 20 Points per Game and from 1963 to 1969 he was named to the All-NBA Second Team. He would continue to play for Philadelphia until 1973.

Greer is the all-time leader in Philadelphia 76ers franchise history in Games Played, 2 Point Field Goals and Points Scored. In 1976 Greer would become the first former Sixer to have his number retired by the team. He was also named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982 and to the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to offer our condolences to the friends and family of Hal Greer at this time.

We have another significant retirement in the National Football League as Buffalo Bills Guard Richie Incognito announced his retirement from the game due to health issues. He had indicated last season that he might play one more season but after meeting with his doctor he elected not to continue.

A 3rd Round Draft Pick in 2005 by the St. Louis Rams, Incognito would crack the roster in the 2006 season and he would start every game albeit at three different positions (Center, Left Guard and Right Guard). He would settle in at the Right Guard slot and fared well, however he was one of the most penalized players in the league in 2009, many of which were silly penalties due to his inability to control his anger. This was not a surprise to many who had followed the Offensive Lineman throughout his career as he was involved in numerous fights during his time at the University of Nebraska and was kicked off the team. The Rams and their coach, Steve Spagnuolo grew tired off Incognito and would be placed on waivers. The Buffalo Bills would claim him and he played the last three games of the season there.

Incognito would sign with the Miami Dolphins for one season and after a respectable performance as their starting Left Guard and would promptly be signed to a three year deal shortly after. In that timeframe he would earn his first Pro Bowl Selection (2012), though he made more headlines by being accused by teammate Jonathan Martin of excessive bullying and he was suspended by the Dolphins midway through the 2013 season.

After sitting out the 2014 season, Incognito would resign with the Buffalo Bills and would arguably go on the best run of his career. From 2015 to 2017, Incognito would be named a Pro Bowler and would start every game for the organization.

With four Pro Bowls and 150 Games in the NFL Richie Incognito retires with a very good (though certainly controversial) career.

While he is unlikely to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame he would be eligible for Canton in 2023.

The University of Nebraska Athletic Hall of Fame has announced their seven member class for their Class of 2018 which will consist of five former student athletes and two very well known coaches.

The class consists of:

Darin Erstad: Baseball 1993-95 & Football 1994. The future two-time MLB All-Star would be a Finalist for the Golden Spikes Award in his senior year where he batted .410 and would become the first Cornhusker to be named the Conference Player of the Year. Erstad would also notably be the Punter on the 1994 Championship Football Team.

Peaches James: Softball 2001-04. James was the first four time first team All-Conference selection and was also a former finalist for the National Player of the Year.

Sarah Pavan: Volleyball 2004-07. From Canada, Pavan is a two time National Academic All-American of the Year, to date the only one to accomplish such a feat.

Mike Rozier: Football 1981-83. The two time Pro Bowl Running Back would win the coveted Heisman Trophy in 1983. The Cornhuskers would lose by one point in the 1984 Orange Bowl in the defacto Championship Game.

Tom Schlesinger: Gymnastics 1985-88. Schlesinger would become the first Nebraska gymnast to be an Academic All-American. He would also become an Olympian.

Bob Devaney: Head Football Coach 1962-72 & Athletic Director 1967-92. Devaney was the Head Coach for the Huskers from 1962 to 1972 and he would win the National Championship back-to-back in 1970 and 1971. He would also win eight Big Eight Titles. He served as the AD from 1967 to 1992.

Tom Osborne: Head Football Coach 1973-97 & Athletic Director 2007-13.   Osborne was an Assistant Coach for Nebraska from 1964 to 1968 and would later be the Offensive Coordinator from 1969 to 1972. He would than be hired by Devaney to replace him as the new Head Coach and he would take the Cornhuskers to three National Championships (1994, 1995 & 1997). Like Devaney he would become the Athletic Director in 2007 after being the Assistant AD for over a decade.

Devaney and Osborne become the first coaches to enter the Hall.

This group becomes the fourth class to the Hall.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the newest members of the University of Nebraska Athletic Hall of Fame.