Friday, March 31

Hall Call

Artis Gilmore won't be heading to the hall anytime soon, and that's a damn crime!
Once again, the Hall has no love for A-Train.

On Monday, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will announce the latest inductees into its hallowed halls. Here's the shortlist of people from which the Hall will be choosing:

Players: Charles Barkley, Adrian Dantley, Joe Dumars, John Isaacs, Ralph Sampson, Chet Walker, Dominique Wilkins.

Coaches: Geno Auriemma, Van Chancellor, Pedro Ferrandiz, Sandro Gamba, Dave Gavitt, Gene Keady, Don Nelson.

Others: Ben Kerner, Dick Vitale.

First off, as I've written before, Artis Gilmore has gotten the shaft, but that's for another day. The pressing question is: Who would you pick?

Put me down for Barkley, AD, and Dominique. I honestly don't know enough about Big-10 basketball to determine if Keady is worthy, although a college coach who never won a national title seems to be an odd consideration. Heck, Frank Furtado was a trainer for 5,000 years, does that mean he gets a nomination as well?

I could be convinced about Dumars as well. A great player, a great GM, put it together and he's a worthy candidate. Plus, he's like a rich man's Nate McMillan, so he's got that going for him. Likewise, Walker was a consistently very good player, making a half-dozen all-star teams. Still, his numbers are on the fringe, and I doubt he gets in unless the voters are just tired of writing 'no' next to his name.

14 comments:

  1. Gilmore's chops should be in the hall at the very least. Just look at those things. They could eat a baby.

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  2. Oh, and be sure to click on the link for Artis in the story - there's a great picture of A-train looking like he could touch the top of the backboard. Plus he's wearing a yellow belt.

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  3. That linked picture of Artis is unbelievable. I want the poster for my wall ... tattoo it on my bicep ... name my unborn child after it. Just fantastic.

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  4. Count me down for Sir Charles, Joe D., and Nique. How about Don Nelson, he's won a million games, and if Lenny Wilkens can get in, then how about Don? On the other hand, he's friends with Mark Cuban so there's a definite knock against him.

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  5. How about Spencer Haywood. Check out his stats sometime and tell me why he's not in the Hall? If he had come out after college, he'd already been in if you ask me.

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  6. Thanks for the link, EJ. We always appreciate giving us something for nothing. Hollinger is Mr. Stat, but even a 7th-grade algebra teacher could see the Sonics are horrific on defense. Hollinger just explains it better.

    Now that you've made us a branch of ESPN Insider, can you hook up an illegal satellite at my house so's I can watch the porn?

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  7. Er, thanks, c-dub. A little mix-up, there.

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  8. How the hell did Ralph Sampson make the short list? He couldn't carry Artis' jock.

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  9. I just read that Dumars, Dominique, and the UConn girls' coach are in. Funny, but the espn story didn't mention Sir Charles. I think we can assume he made it, unless the Hall has instituted a weight clause.

    I guess Sampson is being considered because of his college/pro career, not solely because of his pro career, which wasn't all that Hall-worthy. This is a side topic, but I think the NBA needs to create its own Hall. This nonsense of Dominique having to wait a year while a bunch of Spanish assistant coaches get awarded is nonsense. Plus, it's confusing when considering people like Sampson; are years of great play at Virginia worth more than 15 years of great play by the A-Train in the pros? Apparently, yes.

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  10. We've set up at new website to promote Artis for the Hall of Fame. Enough is enough. I'm tired of image and popularity being the edge to get into the Hall.

    I've never met Artis, but I've heard from multiple sources that he's a great guy and the numbers speak for themselves. Maybe if he would have been a chest-thumpin', trash-talker he'd be in. Or maybe if he had played in NYC or LA.

    But the numbers alone speak for themselves. Let's face it, there is only a short list of guys we'd rather have patroling the paint in their prime than Artis.

    Furthermore, it's time that defense and rebounding were extolled for the outstanding basketball virtues that they are. Artis could certainly score, but here's a prime case where the total stat package should be looked at closely.

    So stop by our blogsite and give some props if you want to help build the support for Artis in the Hall.

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  11. For all readers: here's a reminder of why Artis Gilmore is WAY OVERDUE for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. His remarkable career highlights include:

    JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY


    • Led Jacksonville University to the NCAA championship final game vs UCLA in 1970.

    • All-time NCAA Division I career rebounding average leader (22.7 rebounds per game)

    • NCAA All-Tournament Team (1970)

    • One of only eight players in college history to average 20 points and 20 rebounds per game over a career

    • NCAA rebounding champion in 1970 and 1971

    • National Association of Basketball Coaches All-American Team (1970-1971)

    • Number retired in 1992.


    AMERICAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION


    • ABA Championship, Kentucky Colonels (1975)

    • ABA Most Valuable Player and Rookie, 1971-72

    • One of seven unanimous selections to the 1997 ABA
    All-Time Team

    • Regular season ABA numbers: 22.3 points and 17.1 rebounds. Playoff averages: 22.0 points and 16.1 rebounds.

    • Four-time ABA rebounding champion (1972-74, 76)

    • Two-time ABA field goal percentage champion (1972-73)

    • Two-time ABA shot blocking champion (1972-73)

    • 1974 ABA All-Star Game MVP

    • 1975 ABA Playoff MVP

    • Five-time All-ABA 1st Team selection (1972-76)

    • Four-time ABA All-Defensive Team selection (1973-76)

    • ABA single-season record for the most blocked shots (422)

    • ABA regular season single game record of 40 rebounds versus New York, February 3, 1974

    • During a five-year ABA career played in all 420 games.

    • Finished in the top 10 in scoring all five seasons.


    NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION


    • Career .599 field-goal percentage - highest in NBA history.

    • Four-time NBA field goal percentage champion (1981-84)

    • .600 or better field goal percentage in six different seasons,

    • Six-time NBA All-Star (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986).

    • Regular season NBA numbers: 17.1 points and 10.1 rebounds.

    • All-Defensive Second Team (1978)

    • Chicago Bulls club record field goal pecentage (.587).

    • Led Chicago Bulls in scoring, rebounding, field goal shooting and blocked shots in three consecutive seasons and four overall (1976-78, and 1981).

    • Led Chicago Bulls in field goal shooting and blocked shots
    in 1980.


    COMBINED ABA/NBA ACHIEVEMENTS

    • Ranks first in career ABA/NBA regular season field goal percentage (.582); also holds the NBA (.599) and ABA (.558) career records

    • 3rd highest shot blocker in pro basketball (ABA/NBA) history (3,178)

    • 5th highest rebounder in pro basketball (ABA/NBA) history (16,330)

    • 18th of all time pro basketball (ABA/NBA) scorers (24,941)

    • One of only 24 players to score a total of 20,000 or more points (ABA and NBA combined).

    • Leading left-handed scorer in professional basketball (ABA/NBA) history

    • All Star in 11 of 17 years as a pro

    • 5th best all-time for pro (ABA/NBA) minutes played (43,836)

    • Appeared in 670 consecutive ABA/NBA games

    • Ranked in the top ten in rebounding in 12 of 17
    ABA/NBA seasons

    • Ranked in the top ten in blocked shots in 13 of 17
    ABA/NBA seasons

    • Ranked in the top ten in field goal percentage in
    15 of 17 ABA/NBA seasons


    ITALIAN LEAGUE

    • Made the European All-Star Team playng with Bologna
    Arimo (1988-89).


    OTHER HONORS

    • Named to Sporting News’ Top 50 of the first 50 Years of
    the NBA

    • Named to Athlon’s Top 50 of the first 50 Years of the NBA

    • Top of ESPN’s list of “Players Missing From The Hall Of Fame”

    • Kentucky Sports Hall Of Fame (inducted with entire Kentucky
    Colonels 1975 ABA championship team in 2005)

    • Florida Sports Hall Of Fame (1974).

    ReplyDelete
  12. For all readers: here's a reminder of why Artis Gilmore is WAY OVERDUE for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. His remarkable career highlights include:

    JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY


    • Led Jacksonville University to the NCAA championship final game vs UCLA in 1970.

    • All-time NCAA Division I career rebounding average leader (22.7 rebounds per game)

    • NCAA All-Tournament Team (1970)

    • One of only eight players in college history to average 20 points and 20 rebounds per game over a career

    • NCAA rebounding champion in 1970 and 1971

    • National Association of Basketball Coaches All-American Team (1970-1971)

    • Number retired in 1992.


    AMERICAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION


    • ABA Championship, Kentucky Colonels (1975)

    • ABA Most Valuable Player and Rookie, 1971-72

    • One of seven unanimous selections to the 1997 ABA
    All-Time Team

    • Regular season ABA numbers: 22.3 points and 17.1 rebounds. Playoff averages: 22.0 points and 16.1 rebounds.

    • Four-time ABA rebounding champion (1972-74, 76)

    • Two-time ABA field goal percentage champion (1972-73)

    • Two-time ABA shot blocking champion (1972-73)

    • 1974 ABA All-Star Game MVP

    • 1975 ABA Playoff MVP

    • Five-time All-ABA 1st Team selection (1972-76)

    • Four-time ABA All-Defensive Team selection (1973-76)

    • ABA single-season record for the most blocked shots (422)

    • ABA regular season single game record of 40 rebounds versus New York, February 3, 1974

    • During a five-year ABA career played in all 420 games.

    • Finished in the top 10 in scoring all five seasons.


    NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION


    • Career .599 field-goal percentage - highest in NBA history.

    • Four-time NBA field goal percentage champion (1981-84)

    • .600 or better field goal percentage in six different seasons,

    • Six-time NBA All-Star (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986).

    • Regular season NBA numbers: 17.1 points and 10.1 rebounds.

    • All-Defensive Second Team (1978)

    • Chicago Bulls club record field goal pecentage (.587).

    • Led Chicago Bulls in scoring, rebounding, field goal shooting and blocked shots in three consecutive seasons and four overall (1976-78, and 1981).

    • Led Chicago Bulls in field goal shooting and blocked shots
    in 1980.


    COMBINED ABA/NBA ACHIEVEMENTS

    • Ranks first in career ABA/NBA regular season field goal percentage (.582); also holds the NBA (.599) and ABA (.558) career records

    • 3rd highest shot blocker in pro basketball (ABA/NBA) history (3,178)

    • 5th highest rebounder in pro basketball (ABA/NBA) history (16,330)

    • 18th of all time pro basketball (ABA/NBA) scorers (24,941)

    • One of only 24 players to score a total of 20,000 or more points (ABA and NBA combined).

    • Leading left-handed scorer in professional basketball (ABA/NBA) history

    • All Star in 11 of 17 years as a pro

    • 5th best all-time for pro (ABA/NBA) minutes played (43,836)

    • Appeared in 670 consecutive ABA/NBA games

    • Ranked in the top ten in rebounding in 12 of 17
    ABA/NBA seasons

    • Ranked in the top ten in blocked shots in 13 of 17
    ABA/NBA seasons

    • Ranked in the top ten in field goal percentage in
    15 of 17 ABA/NBA seasons


    ITALIAN LEAGUE

    • Made the European All-Star Team playng with Bologna
    Arimo (1988-89).


    OTHER HONORS

    • Named to Sporting News’ Top 50 of the first 50 Years of
    the NBA

    • Named to Athlon’s Top 50 of the first 50 Years of the NBA

    • Top of ESPN’s list of “Players Missing From The Hall Of Fame”

    • Kentucky Sports Hall Of Fame (inducted with entire Kentucky
    Colonels 1975 ABA championship team in 2005)

    • Florida Sports Hall Of Fame (1974).

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

    ReplyDelete

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