It happened quietly but a former NHL Conn Smythe Trophy has called it a career today.
Jean-Sebastian Giguere has officially announced his retirement from the National Hockey League after a successful career that saw him win the Conn Smythe (2003) and the Stanley Cup in 2007. Giguere had his best seasons with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim/Anaheim Ducks, specifically the Conn Smythe season where he may not have won the Stanley Cup, but became a star posting a sub 1.75 Goals Against Average in the Playoffs.
In 2007, with a more loaded offence, he hoisted the Stanley Cup, again posting a Goals Against Average of 1.97, which was one of the best of the Playoffs. Giguere would play in one All Star Game (2009), record 262 Wins and a career Goals Against Average of 2.53.
Giguere would be reduced to journeyman status and realistically does not have a real chance to enter the Hockey Hall of Fame, which he will become eligible for in three years. He probably won’t make out top one hundred of those to consider either. With all of that being said, there is a secure place for him in the history of Hockey, especially in Anaheim as what he did in two different springs will grant him a legacy that few netminders ever have.
We have been very open in the past about our admiration for the relatively new NASCAR Hall of Fame and how they have put together not only a great facility, but a transparent process that allows for an interactive element to the Hall that allows fans to participate in selecting who gets in. Throw in the perfect location (Charlotte, North Carolina) and you have an institution that is hard to criticize.
Still, we have been a little bit neglectful on our Notinhalloffame NASCAR list, which we have updated accordingly and have seen a major fluctuation in the top ten since we last revamped the list as four of the top five have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Those men were Tim Flock (#1), Joe Weatherly (#2), Dale Jarrett (#3) and Rex White (#5).
It should also be noted that Fireball Roberts (#6), Fred Lorenzen (#8) and Wendell Scott (#36) have also been inducted and have been removed from the list.
Taking over the top slot this year is Mark Martin, considered by many NASCAR fans as the greatest racer never to win the Sprint Cup Series. Martin did however finish second in the Series five times and in third on four occasions. He was also named to NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers list in 1998.
Bobby Isaac and Geoff Bodine hold the #2 and #3 slot respectively. Both have been on the list since the beginning and have moved up from our last list (Issac was #4 and Bodine was #9).
Terry Labonte makes his debut on our list at the #4 position. Labonte won the Sprint Cup Series twice (1984 & 1996) and is another who made the NASCAR 50 Greatest Driver’s List. Harry Gant moves from the 10th position up to 5.
The top ten rounds out with Benny Parsons at #6 (up from #7), Jack Smith at #7 (up from #15), Speedy Thompson at #8 (up from #11), Buddy Baler at #9 (up from #13) and Davey Allison at #10 (up from #16).
With the glut of drivers entering the Hall of Fame, additional spots opened up at the back end of the list. Making their debut are Ken Schrader (#37), Elmo Langley (#45), Neil Castles (#48), Jeremy Mayfield (#49) and Cecil Gordon (#50).
As always, we here at Notinhalloffame.com encourage all of you to make your voices heard with your comments and votes and let us know what your opinions are!
The Pro Football Hall of Fame Senior Committee has announced that Mick Tingelhoff, the former Center for the Minnesota Vikings will be their lone nominee. Unlike previous years, the Senior Committee, which only looks at those whose players have been over for twenty-five years, has reduced their nominees from two to one.
Undrafted out of Nebraska in 1962, Tingelhoff signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Vikings and not only made the roster but cracked the starting lineup. He would begin an incredible streak of starting 240 consecutive games and would anchor the Offensive Line that protected Quarterback Fran Tarkenton who took the Vikings to four NFC Championships.
He would receive numerous individual accolades, earning Pro Bowl selections six years in a row from 1964 to 1969 and five First Team All Pro nods in that time frame. The Vikings retired his number in 2001 along with inducting him to the franchise’s Ring of Honor.
Approximately seventy percent of past Senior Nominees have advanced to the Hall of Fame, and with the reduction to one official candidate the odds should increase for Tingelhoff. He automatically advances to the final group of Finalists to be considered for enshrinement.
We had Tingelhoff ranked number 25 on our latest list for the Football Hall of Fame.
The Colorado Rockies officially retired the number 17 of Todd Helton today at Coors Field, marking the first time the franchise have retired a number of a former player.
Helton, who played his entire seventeen year career with Colorado first joining them in the 1997 season. Helton would arguably one of the top players in the first half of the 2000’s, if not the best the First Baseman in the National League. In a five year period from 2000 to 2004, Helton would win a Batting Title, a Slugging Title, an OPS Title (never finishing below 1.00 in that category during this time frame), three Gold Gloves and post his best power numbers.
Over the course of his career, Todd Helton had a stellar Slash Line of .316/.414/.539, 369 Home Runs and a 61.5 bWAR, numbers that put him into the Cooperstown discussion.
We would like to congratulate both the Colorado Rockies and Todd Helton for this special day.