Although it has been widely speculated for some time that this would be the final season of Ray Lewis’ career, today he made it official announcing that he will not return to active competition next season.

Lewis still at least one more game in him, as he will return to the Baltimore Ravens’ lineup after a triceps injury took him out for the entire regular season. The Ravens are entering the playoff as the number 4 seed in the AFC, and even if they win (thus extending the career of Lewis) this weekend, this is likely to be the linebacker’s final game in front of the Baltimore crowd.

Ray Lewis will go down as one of the greatest Defensive players in National Football League history. He is a two time Defensive Player of the Year, the Super Bowl MVP of 2000, a thirteen time Pro Bowler and a seven time First Team All Pro Selection. There should be zero doubt that he will enter the Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility (which is 2019).

We thank Ray Lewis for his wonderful career, and look forward to see what he will do next. Based on what we hear on the Raven’s sidelines, may we suggest motivational speaking?

As you may have noticed, we here Notinhalloffame is actually looking at those who are IN the Hockey Hall of Fame. We have uploaded a chance for you to look at the 1945 Class, so now we naturally continue chronologically with the next class which was in 1947.

This class consists of:

Aurele Joliat

Claude Robinson

Cyclone Taylor

Dit Clapper

Eddie Shore

Frank Calder

Frank Nighbor

James Sutherland

John Ross Robertson

Lester Patrick

Russell Bowie

W.A. Hewitt

William Northey

You know the drill. Check it out, and cast your votes. Look for upcoming classes soon

On Sunday, the doors will close on the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana. The institution is not shutting down; rather it is moving south to Atlanta where it will reopen in 2014. The National Football Foundation is making the move as the crowds (thus revenue) were nowhere what they hoped it would be when it moved it there from Ohio in 1995.

This leaves South Bend with a large downtown facility with no tenant. The College Football Hall has always (and always will be) in the shadow of the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Although the College game has grown substantially in the recent years, it has not translated into the respective Hall of Fame. It remains to be seen whether the move to Georgia will increase attendance. We will soon find out!

Piles upon piles of articles have come out questioning the candidacy of PED users on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot. The word “integrity” is coming up constantly, in the form of writers, fans and other former players stating that players who took Performance Enhancing Drugs lacked integrity (which is supposed to be a criteria to get into the Hall) and should not be granted entry.

As it stands now, the players referred to as “cheaters”, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens who have that label are not likely to get in this year; the vote tallies for Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro show us that!

However we ask this question when reading an article in the New York Times whereby the family of Dale Murphy is taking the other side of the argument. Dale’s son, Chad, makes a simple point; if a lack of integrity keeps some players out, should not a player with high morals have a better chance to get in?

Murphy is entering his 15^th and final year on the ballot, but has yet to reach the 25 percent mark. It is unlikely that he will get in this year. The two time National League MVP was considered one of true “good guys” of the game. He was known for his charity work, and won the Roberto Clemente Award, Lou Gehrig Award and was the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. Those accolades are certainly indicative of the high character that Dale Murphy had.

Now, does that translate into a few extra Hall of Fame votes? We would love to hear what you think!