Committee Chairman

Hockey List revised! Nicklas Lidstrom now #1

Aug 02, 2014

We aren’t messing around with revisions any more here at Notinhalloffame.com!

Two months ago, the Hockey Hall of Fame inducted five men who were on our list of those to consider for enshrinement, and as you would expect those were all highly ranked individuals, including three in our top five.

Dominik Hasek was number one on our list last year, and the Czech Goalie entered on the first year of eligibility to the surprise of nobody. Peter Forsberg (who was number four) and Mike Modano (number five) also entered the Hockey Hall of Fame. Pat Burns, who we had at number nine, finally entered the Hall as a builder. There was much hope that Burns would enter the Hall of Fame three years ago, when he was dying of cancer so that he could live to see the day. A minor surprise in our eyes was the induction of Rob Blake, who we had at number eighteen.

This glut of Hockey superstars removed from the top twenty necessitates a major change in the top twenty and at this time we are excited to unveil our new top one hundred for consideration for the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.

With Hasek inducted, the number one slot is open. Like last year, we again turn to Europe and again look at someone entering his first year of eligibility.

Nicklas Lidstrom has now entered the number one spot on our Hockey list. The Swedish Defenseman and seven time Norris Trophy Winner should be a lock to enter the Hockey Hall of Fame on his first year of eligibility. Lidstrom also won four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings and the Olympic Gold Medal with Sweden.

Don Cherry, the controversial CBC broadcaster and former Jack Adams Trophy winner for the Coach of the Year in the NHL remains on the number two slot. Cherry, who was named as one of the top ten Canadians on a poll from CBC, remains an iconic figure in Canadian hockey.

Chris Pronger, who is making his debut on the Notinhalloffame Hockey List, will own the number three ranking. Pronger, a former Hart Trophy winner and Norris Trophy winner, was also a Stanley Cup winner with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

The number four spot goes to Sergei Federov, who like Pronger and Lidstrom enters his first year of eligibility for the Hockey Hall of Fame. The former superstar from Russia is the highest ranked forward on our list.

Fellow Russian, Sergei Makarov returns to our list at number five. Makarov has been in our top five for every year since our list’s inception until last year, and the former Red Army superstar finally goes up on the list as opposed to his perpetual plummeting.

The remaining five in the top ten starts with Paul Kariya who dropped from three to six. Despite three players in the top five receiving induction, Kariya dropped three spots as your voting and reevaluation has caused him to fall out of the top five. Remember, our lists were always meant to be fluid and aided by your input.

Rounding out the top five is Eric Lindros at seven and Mark Recchi at eight (the two had flip flopped their positions from last year), Theoren Fleury at nine (who moved up from eleven) and Dave Andreychuck at ten, which was the position he was in last year.

There are two more new additions, though they are on the tail end of the list. Former New York Islander and Ottawa Senator, Alexei Yashin debuts in the 86 spot. Ten slots below, Brian Rolston makes his first appearance at number 96.

As always, you know what we expect of you! Please vote on the new entries and let us know what you think of these players and who should be in the next Hockey Hall of Fame Class.

Teemu Selanne's number to be retired by Anaheim

Aug 02, 2014

Published in Not in Hall of Fame News

The Anaheim Ducks have announced that they will retire their first number in the history of their franchise. Teemu Selanne, who spent fifteen seasons with the team and announced his retirement from the NHL, a month ago, will see his number 8, hung to the rafters in a ceremony on January 11, 2015 next season. That night will see the Anaheim Ducks face the Winnipeg Jets, the first team that the “Finnish Flash” played for in the National Hockey League.

As a member of the Anaheim Ducks (and prior to the name change the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) Selanne would generate close to 1,000 (988 specifically) in Southern California and win his lone Maurice Richard Trophy (which was the inaugural) leading the NHL in Goals scored in the 1998/99 season. Selanne would also win the Bill Masterton Trophy in 2006. He would also be a member of the Duck’s first Stanley Cup win in 2007.

The superstar from Finland will likely enter the Hockey Hall of Fame once eligible, and in looking up and Anaheim roster, it is next to impossible to imagine any other member of the team’s history receiving this honor.

At this time, we here at Notinhalloffame.com would like congratulate both Teemu Selanne and the Anaheim Ducks for this upcoming event.

The regular visitors here at Notinhalloffame.com know that we will be looking overall at the major North American sports franchises and how they handle their past stars. This addition will certainly elevate the Ducks in our eventual rankings.

We would like to congratulate both Teemu Selanne and the Anaheim Ducks at this time.

Eric Chavez Retires

Aug 01, 2014

Published in Not in Hall of Fame News

In a retirement that almost slipped through the cracks here for us at Notinhalloffame.com, Eric Chavez of the Arizona Diamondbacks has announced his retirement. Chavez, who was in his seventeenth season in Major League Baseball, was with the Oakland A’s for thirteen of them, and it was in the Bay Area that he had his most productive campaigns.

Known mostly for his defensive skills, Chavez won six consecutive Gold Gloves at Third Base, though he brought offensive production to the plate with 260 career Home Runs and a more than respectable career Slash Line of .268/.342/.478/.821 and was the American League leader in Walks in 2004. Chavez was also the Silver Slugger recipient in 2002.

Eric Chavez, with a career bWAR of 37.4, had a very good career but not one that will likely be considered ready for Cooperstown. Still, Chavez should be commended for leaving a lot of guaranteed money on the table (which he would have made had he stayed with Arizona) as he stated that he wouldn’t feel right taking money while staying on the disabled list. Chavez’ last few seasons has mostly been on a bench role.

We would like to thank Eric Chavez for the memories, and we are sure that the fans in Oakland are remembering him fondly at this time.

Steelers retire Mean Joe Greene's Number

Jul 31, 2014

Published in Not in Hall of Fame News

You would think that with the successful history of the Pittsburgh Steelers that they would have a plethora of retired numbers. They don’t, as prior to today’s announcement the Steelers have only retired the number 70 of Ernie Statutner, their star Defensive Tackle from the 1950’s who was a ten time All Pro and first ballot Football Hall of Fame selection. Now, a member of the famed “Steel Curtain” defense of the 1970’s will join Stautner in receiving the ultimate Steeler accolade.

“Mean” Joe Greene was not just a member of the punishing Steelers defense, he was its leader. The fourth overall pick of the 1969 NFL Draft, Greene would make an instant impact and earn his first of ten Pro Bowl selections in his rookie campaign. His trophy case also holds eight All Pro Selections, membership to the 1970’s All-Decade Team, the NFL’s 75^th Anniversary Team and a pair of Defensive Player of the Year Trophies, which were bestowed upon him in 1972 and 1974.

Calling Joe Greene “Mean” was not just a clever play to come up with a rhyming nickname. He literally was considered the meanest man in the already vicious sport, and the tales of him challenging the sport’s other legendary tough men (like Dick Butkus) to a fight, and kicking opponents in the groin (which occurred in 1975) are almost as legendary as his distaste for losing.

That desire to win rubbed off on his teammates and the Steelers, which won four Super Bowls that decade. Greene becomes the first from that elite group of talent from those championship squads to earn this honor. We have to wonder if this will usher in the retirement of more numbers from those legendary teams.

Greene was not just a beast on the field; he also was the star of an iconic Coca Cola commercial in the 70’s, possibly the most famous one ever from a Steeler, or at least from a Football player of that era.

It should be noted that nobody has worn the #75 since Joe Greene retired in 1981. This has been a common practice for Pittsburgh as they have also not reissued the numbers of past Steelers (#1) Gary Anderson, (#12) Terry Bradshaw, (#32) Franco Harris, (#36) Jerome Bettis, (#52) Mike Webster, (#58) Jack Lambert, (#59) Jack Ham, (#63) Dermontti Dawson and (#86) Hines Ward, and have not retired them either.

The ceremony will take place on November 2^nd, which will see Pittsburgh host their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens.

We would like to congratulate “Mean” Joe Greene and the fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers, many of whom we suspect are celebrating this decision.