Oh I forgot, I’m s’posed to be mad at the media for promoting Vitale over my dudes. Yeah I’m mad, I guess. But I already knew that the media’s priorities are out of order. And nothing can erase the fond memories I have of Ewing and Olajuwon. Nothing. Not even Vitale screaming his played out aphorisms over ESPN’s ubiquitous jingle… Dig that, yall, I finally worked the word “ubiquitous” into a sentence! I feel like Walt Frazier.

I long ago recognize the hall as political, how does a James Worthy gets in before Nique? If Tommy Hienson is in the hall, certainly you can find room for Moncrief, Bob Love, Dick Motta, Dennis Johnson, I can name others. OK, for you MODI, BKing.

Dantley is very deserving of the honor. I believed the pistons sent him a ring for that year that he was traded in midseason, and they went on to win a title. He was traded not becasue he was a ball hog (Isiah controlled the rock), but becasue Isiah wanted his buddy Mark Aguirre on the team. It was believed that with Aguirre, he would strech the defense. Whereas with Dantley being a low post player, the defense clogged the paint. Don’t think Dantley ever forgave Isiah for that trade.

Yes, Dantley could be a ball hog, but unlike other ball hogs today he shot an incredibly high shooting % routinely over 55% even while averaging 30ppg. That is unheard of today and he routinely got to the line. But he was more than a gunner for a bad Utah team.

It was the Dantley trade that brought the Pistons to the next level after routine first round exits. His first year was Detroits coming out party where they got within a Bird steal from the finals. The next year they took the Lakers to 7 and maybe a championship if not for a highly questionable foul call against Kareem. Dantley led the Pistons in scoring both years. Of course, the following year Worthy and then Magic got injured in the Finals so I suspect that they may have won with Dantley as well as Aguirre.

– Personally, I’d like if college and pros were separated HOF’s but if it has to be combined, I’ve got no problem with Vitale getting a spot considering how much he has promoted basketball. But Jesus…

– Statesman, I stand corrected on Dantley’s championship as I thought he was still there for the first one. Bad memory. I will make correction.

– About headlines: Yeah, most headlines rightfully began with Hakeem and Ewing. This particular headline had “Ewing, Hakeem, Vitale headline HOF class”… just sticking Vitale in the title is ridiculous. It should be Ewing & Hakeem only with Riley and Dantley rounding out 2nd tier — and then Vitale.

– Temple, I’m with you on Packer…

– Des, I’m with you all the way except the part about Vitale’s sctick wearing thin 5 years ago… at least 10 years! gotta admit though, i did love it when he first started…

– MC, if there is not something in a journalist that doesn’t click right away that Vitale is low on the list, then I’ve got to question the competence of that journalist. Since Vitale’s tears did make good copy, you still include it, but toward the end of the article after Ewing/Hakeem/Dantley/Riley. Perhaps you conclude with it for effect… but the Vitale lead is consistent with a long pattern of both HOF voters and media folk on HOF coverage.

– I think what pisses me off the most is the anonymity of these “associated press” writers. If your work is the blueprint for articles sent around the nation, someone needs to put their name on it.