Random Thoughts with EB and Jim Marshall’s wrong way run away from Canton and who else should be in their Hall of Fame!

Jim Marshall started 270 consecutive games in the National Football League. Legend has it he never missed a practice during his entire career as well! How in the hell is a guy like that not in the Hall of Fame? There are guys with less sacks than Jim Marshall. While he’s more widely known for his big time gaffe of running the ball the wrong way, 66 yards, after a fumble recovery and scoring a touchdown for the opposing team(49ers) he should be known as a Hall of Famer! For context Jim Marshall had 130.5 sacks. The guy who is recognized as one of the greatest defensive players ever, Lawrence Taylor, had 132 sacks! Come on man, what is going on here?

Two of Marshall’s teammates, Carl Eller and Alan Page, are in the pro football Hall of Fame. Gary Larsen, the fourth member of the Purple People Eaters, as they were known, isn’t in and probably won’t be, but Jim Marshall should be in! Among others I think should be in are Reggie Wayne, Joe Jacoby, Torry Holt, Roger Craig and Ken Anderson. There are several others that are deserving of this honor too.

On the baseball side of things it really ticks me off that Dwight Evans isn’t in the Hall. There are guys in Cooperstown that are in that have lesser stats than Dewey but got the nod. It’s sickening. Several have been left out due to alleged or proven steroid use. And then there’s Pete Rose. What an awful tragedy it is that he passed away without getting into the Hall of Fame. What hypocrisy by the MLB. Bonds, Clemens, Palmeiro, Santana, Arod(yup even him), should be in the HOF. Put an asterisk next to their name. Make a special room at Cooperstown for those who were suspected or who tested positive for steroids. First of all, there are way more that didn’t get caught that got into the hall than didn’t. I would bet my life on it. Regardless, Dwight Evans should be in the Hall of Fame – Period!

In the NBA the list is long for Hall of Famers that aren’t yet anointed either. Tom Chambers is not in the hall of fame. Tim Hardaway. Jimmy Jones(look him up). Come on guys, figure it out!

While I don’t know much about the NHL I gotta believe Paul Kariya, Theoron Fleury, Jeremy Roenick, Chris Osgood, Pierre Turgeon, and Curtis Joseph should be on this list.

Alright on to high school and my thoughts on the VPA playoffs.

It’s a big day today for the St. Johnsbury Academy. The Hilltoppers are at South Burlington which should be a wicked game. The Vikings, meantime, host the Enosburg Hornets on Wednesday which also should be a banner game!

Congratulations to Rex Hauser on winning the Vermont Gatorade Player of the Year in Baseball, following up on his Vermont Gatorade Player of the Year in Basketball as well. It’s unprecedented and remarkable. He has been fun to watch.

In softball the Vikings take on Rice on Wednesday at James Patrick Brown Memorial Field and I think the winner wins it all! But, Mt. Abe and Otter Valley are very good on the other side of the bracket. We shall see.

In division three it’s the Oxbow Invitational. It’s over, other than the final score.

I’ve been saying this for a bit but we are oh so close to launching the EB and Johnny’s Ticket to the Game website. Trying to close out the legal process, EIN, etc. Almost there. I am excited to announce that we will be holding a golf fundraiser on Sept 17th at Orleans Country Club. If you’re interested in playing let me know!

The opinions expressed by EB are solely his and do not reflect those of NSN. If you’d like to reach out to EB, please contact him at eberry@nsnsports.net. You can read all of Eric’s blogs at www.nsnsports.net.