We call this the “Hall of Fame Season”, and this is annually part one of a two-part apex where the Baseball Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame announces their new classes, although COVID-19 might have played an integral part in what transpired today in the baseball vote.

As it was projected by Ryan Thibodeau @NotMrTibbs, the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame did not select anyone.  As COVID-19 postponed the 2020 ceremony, the Class of 2020 (Derek Jeter, Larry Walker, Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller) will be inducted on July 25.  This also meant that there was no urgency by any of the writers to induct anyone. Whether or not this played a part in the minds of voters to exclude a player is subject to conjecture, but it could have played a part.  

While nobody was chosen, there is a lot to unpack.

Had it not been for the anti-media stance of Curt Schilling, he likely would have been inducted years ago. Schilling has the stats and the post-season success that befits a Hall of Fame inductee, but it was four years ago where he supported a joke about lynching journalists.  That resulted in a drop of support from 52.3% to 45.0, and he had been relatively quiet since in regards to the media.  He made to an even 70.0% last year, but the last two months have been a very spicy political climate.  He inched forward to 71.1% this year.

Schilling supported the far right wing riots on January 6, and has again been very critical of the media. One voter, who checked Schilling’s box asked if could be changed.  Jay Jaffe openly said that he couldn’t vote for Schilling because he feared it would give him a bigger platform.  With only one year remaining, Schilling would have to go on a serious “apology tour” to make it. 

However,

Here is what many voters and fans don’t seem to understand.  Once a player is retired, unless they are managing or broadcasting, they only have one more hurdle to climb; Cooperstown.  Pete Rose, by his own admission, is more known today because he is not inducted. When Dick Allen recently passed, it gained more attention because he was a Hall of Fame snub then he would have if it he was a Hall of Fame inductee.  An Induction for Schilling does not raise his platform at all, it actually decreases it, as the public knows that it is his politics that kept him out, and not his statistics.  How Schilling acts this year will be a must-watch for us.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are also one ballot away from elimination.  There is no fresh discussion here.  You are either vote for them, knowing they likely took PEDs, but did so in an era where baseball had no internal legislation to defy it.  Bud Selig, who presided over the era is in, as is manager, Tony LaRussa, who also was without a doubt aware what was transpiring. 

Bonds moved slightly from 60.7% to 61.8% and Clemens from 61.0% to 61.6%.  This is insignificant in regards to the elevation they need for induction.

Scott Rolen is rocketed up to 52.9% from 35.3% last year.  The infielder looks like he will be entering in the near future with his meteoric rise.

Omar Vizquel, who is embroiled in a domestic abuse allegation looks to have taken a tumble because of it.  He dropped from 52.6% to 49.1%   This was Vizquel’s fourth year on the ballot, and depending on what transpires in this accusation, he could fall out of what looked to be a Hall of Fame induction.

Billy Wagner made his second straight double-digit gain.  Wagner climbed from 16.7% to 31.7% from 2019 to 2020, and this year he is at 46.4%.  This was his sixth year on the ballot.

Todd Helton is in a similar state with Rolen, as he went from 29.2% to 44.9% on his third ballot.  It appears that Larry Walker will soon have Hall of Fame company wearing that Colorado Rockies hat.

Gary Sheffield, who was in limbo for years is making a move up the voting board.  He went from 13.6% to 40.6% in the last two years.

Andruw Jones, who was below 8% in his first two years, is now at 33.9% in his fourth year.

Former MVP, Jeff Kent is running out of time.  Last year was the first time he broke the 25% threshold, and now on year eight, he reached 32.4%.  This is not enough of a gain to see a plaque in Cooperstown in his near future.

Manny Ramirez, who has the Hall of Fame stats, WAS caught and suspended twice for PEDs, which could be the line for many voters.  He stayed the exact same at 28.2%, an indicator that he is moving nowhere.

Sammy Sosa was not suspended for PED use, but his performance in front of Congress where he forgot the English language clowns him to this day.  Sosa is at 17.0%, which is his highest to date, but he only has one year left. He has no chance at this time.

Andy Pettitte made a modest gain from 11.3% to 13.7%.  He is an admitted PED user, which might be enough to keep him out, though the way he handled it is the template for all athletes to follow.

Mark Buehrle is the highest first ballot inductee.  He received 11.0% of the ballot.  He was not the only debuts as Torii Hunter (9.5%) and Tim Hudson (5.2%) survive for another look.

Bobby Abreu remains alive at 8.7%.  

The other vote-getters were Aramis Ramirez (1.0%), LaTroy Hawkins (0.5%), Barry Zito (0.2%) Shane Victorino, A.J. Burnett, Nick Swisher, Dan Haren and Michael Cuddyer.

If the vote for 2021 was not dramatic enough, Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz are now eligible in 20222. 

The NFL post-season usually is when we see significant retirements, and following that of Quarterback, Philip Rivers, we see Tight End, Greg Olsen, call it a career today.

Greg Olsen played his college football at the University of Miami where he would become one of the top Tight Ends in the 2007 Draft, taken 31^stoverall by the Chicago Bears.  Olsen did well, peaking with 612 Yards in 2009, but he was traded to the Carolina Panthers for a Third Round pick before the 2011 season.

With the Panthers, Olsen continued his work catching passes and blocking potential tacklers.  Already good at both disciplines, Olsen took it to another level, recording three consecutive 1,000 Yard seasons, all of which earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl.  

Injuries took their toll on Olsen, and his production dipped.  He played with Carolina until 2019, and had one final season with the Seattle Seahawks.

Olsen leaves professional football with 8,683 Yards and 60 Touchdowns.

Olsen will be Hall of Fame eligible in 2026, but is unlikely to receive any serious consideration beyond a preliminary list.  We had him ranked #113 in our pre-season rank of active players for Hall of Fame consideration, and #7 overall among Tight Ends. 

We will soon be creating a profile for him on our pending 2026 future eligible section.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Greg Olsen the best in his post-playing career.

This is a sad day not only for baseball, but for all of sports.  

Actually, for all of humanity.

Hank Aaron, who hit 755 career Home Runs, breaking the record held by Babe Ruth, died today at age 86.  Aaron faced death threats while he was chasing Ruth’s record, primarily because of the color of his skin.

After a brief time with the Indianapolis Clowns in the Negro Leagues, Aaron joined the Milwaukee Braves in 1954 and would become the greatest player in franchise history, which is no small feat considering the Braves are an organization spanning well over a century.  

Aaron became one of the most prolific hitters in the game of Baseball, collecting over 3,771 Hits with 755 Home Runs, a batting combination that has no equal.  A master of consistency, Aaron had 15 30-Home Run Seasons, 14 seasons where he batted over .300, and he was named to every All-Star Game from 1955 to 1975.  Aaron was named the National League MVP in 1957, the same year led the Milwaukee Braves to their only title while playing in Wisconsin, and from 1955 to 1973, Aaron always received an MVP vote.

While Aaron’s Home Run totals have been eclipsed, he is still the all-time record holder in Runs Batted In (2,297) and Total Bases (6,856).

In 1999, MLB created the Hank Aaron Award, which is given to the player who had the best offensive year.  It is hard to imagine who better the honor should be named after.

Following his retirement, Aaron rejoined the Braves as an executive, serving in various capacities until his death.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Hank Aaron. 

The first major football retirement in the NFL is here as Quarterback, Philip Rivers, has announced he is calling it a career after 17 seasons.

A star at NC State, Rivers won the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year in 2003, while also winning three bowl MVPs.  His success with the Wolfpack, earned him the fourth overall spot in the 2004 draft, and he arrived in San Diego as part of a draft day trade for Eli Manning, the top pick who made it known he would not play for the Chargers.

Spending his first two seasons as Drew Brees’ backup, Rivers took over in 2006 and would routinely finish each season at or near the top of the major passing categories.  An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Rivers led the NFL in Passing Yards in 2010 (4,710) and had 12 other seasons where he cracked the 4,000 Yard mark.  Rivers also led the NFL in Touchdown Passes in 2008 (34) and he never had a year where he had less than 21 TDs as a starter.

Rivers never made it to the Super Bowl, but in 2007 he took the Chargers to the AFC Championship Game, a loss to New England.  San Diego may have lost the game, but Rivers was commended for his performance as he competed with a torn ACL. 

The Chargers were looking to move on, and Rivers played one more season in 2020 with the Indianapolis Colts, still performing at an elite level and guiding the Colts to the playoffs.

Rivers finished his career fifth all-time in Passing Yards (63,440) and Touchdown Passes (421).

Rivers will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com wish Philip Rivers the best in his post-playing career.