Congratulations to Coach Pinkel.

http://www.utrockets.com/ViewArticle.dbm...=209961691

well deserved honor

(03-15-2015 03:14 PM)cnyrocketfan Wrote:  Congratulations to Coach Pinkel.

http://www.utrockets.com/ViewArticle.dbm...=209961691

The formal induction was actually yesterday (May 27th). Congratulations to Coach Pinkel and the other inductees.

http://www.utrockets.com/ViewArticle.dbm...=210110191

At the same dinner where Coach Pinkel was inducted into the MAC Hall of Fame, Mackenzie Chojnacky and Greg Mancz were also recognized by the conference, receiving the MAC Medal of Excellence. Congratulations to them as well.

http://www.utrockets.com/ViewArticle.dbm...=210110189

It's a travesty that UT wrestlers Dick Wilson and Greg Wojchiechowski are not in the MAC Hall of Fame. Wilson was on three Olympic teams, was the Pan American Games champion, was on two US World Cup teams, won three national AAU titles, won 3 MAC championships and finished second twice at the NCAA Championships.

Wojo won one NCAA title, was runner-up twice, won three MAC titles, had a 55-2 collegiate record losing only in NCAA title matches, was a member of the 1980 Olympic team, finished fourth at the World Wrestling Championships and was on a number of US World Cup teams.

There are wrestlers in the MAC HOF, but none match the overall accomplishments of Wilson and Wojo.

I agree about Wilson and Wojo.

Bad thing is that you got me started now. Some of the UT men's basketball players from the late 70s/early 80s have to be inducted soon. Unless I overlooked somebody or the list on the conference website is incomplete, the only men's basketball players in the hall of fame from around that time are Dan Roundfield (who played a little before the players listed below) and Ray McCallum. They both definitely belong in the conference HOF. But while I'm not sure all of the players listed below are worthy of induction, that none of them is in so many years later is stunning.

Joplin, Knuckles, Lehman, Miller, Selgo, Swaney.

I know I'm biased, but I definitely think Harvey, Dick and Jim belong. The other guys might be borderline hall of famers, but again, I can't believe none of them are in.

The ongoing Ealey/College Football Hall of Fame fiasco is the main thing that's made me skeptical about Halls of Fame in general. But that none of the players I've listed have been inducted into the conference HOF is another reason for my skepticism. Chances are one or more of them will be in sometime soon but even if that turns out to be true, I'll be wondering what took so long.

And now that I'm thinking about this, I'll probably be adding to this list soon. What other UT athletes have been overlooked?

If this link works, it will take you to the list of inductees.

http://mac-sports.com/hof.aspx?type=sport&kiosk=

(05-28-2015 10:52 AM)cnyrocketfan Wrote:  I agree about Wilson and Wojo.

Bad thing is that you got me started now. Some of the UT men's basketball players from the late 70s/early 80s have to be inducted soon. Unless I overlooked somebody or the list on the conference website is incomplete, the only men's basketball players in the hall of fame from around that time are Dan Roundfield (who played a little before the players listed below) and Ray McCallum. They both definitely belong in the conference HOF. But while I'm not sure all of the players listed below are worthy of induction, that none of them is in so many years later is stunning.

Joplin, Knuckles, Lehman, Miller, Selgo, Swaney.

I know I'm biased, but I definitely think Harvey, Dick and Jim belong. The other guys might be borderline hall of famers, but again, I can't believe none of them are in.

I wouldn't hold your breath to see any of those folks inducted. They only induct 5-7 people per year. There are 12 schools and what - something like 20 sports to be represented. If they voted in 1 player from each school from each sport from each of the last, say, 5 decades it would take more than 150 years to fill out the hall.

What is strange is that no where can I find published the process for how someone gets selected. Am I missing it somewhere? If there is no published criteria, and no documented nomination process, my guess is that if a MAC president or AD gets it in their head that someone needs to be in the HOF, they can force it through by shear will.

It seems like most of those already selected had significant notoriety after their college playing days were over, either coaching or playing in the pros - at least for the revenue sports. As much as I'd like to see all the UT BB players mentioned in the hall, only Joplin had much notoriety - as a coach - after his UT playing days were over.

(05-28-2015 05:37 PM)northcoastRocket Wrote:  

(05-28-2015 10:52 AM)cnyrocketfan Wrote:  I agree about Wilson and Wojo.

Bad thing is that you got me started now. Some of the UT men's basketball players from the late 70s/early 80s have to be inducted soon. Unless I overlooked somebody or the list on the conference website is incomplete, the only men's basketball players in the hall of fame from around that time are Dan Roundfield (who played a little before the players listed below) and Ray McCallum. They both definitely belong in the conference HOF. But while I'm not sure all of the players listed below are worthy of induction, that none of them is in so many years later is stunning.

Joplin, Knuckles, Lehman, Miller, Selgo, Swaney.

I know I'm biased, but I definitely think Harvey, Dick and Jim belong. The other guys might be borderline hall of famers, but again, I can't believe none of them are in.

I wouldn't hold your breath to see any of those folks inducted. They only induct 5-7 people per year. There are 12 schools and what - something like 20 sports to be represented. If they voted in 1 player from each school from each sport from each of the last, say, 5 decades it would take more than 150 years to fill out the hall.

What is strange is that no where can I find published the process for how someone gets selected. Am I missing it somewhere? If there is no published criteria, and no documented nomination process, my guess is that if a MAC president or AD gets it in their head that someone needs to be in the HOF, they can force it through by shear will.

It seems like most of those already selected had significant notoriety after their college playing days were over, either coaching or playing in the pros - at least for the revenue sports. As much as I'd like to see all the UT BB players mentioned in the hall, only Joplin had much notoriety - as a coach - after his UT playing days were over.

I believe there are only 2 wrestlers in the HOF. Neither are Olympians or world team members.

Those basketball players mentioned have no chance. Joplin, Selgo and Lehman never even made first team All-MAC once. The only BB player would be Kozelko who was 3x All-MAC, twice MAC POY and is the last UT player that had an NBA career, although it only lasted 3 years.

[/quote]


What is strange is that no where can I find published the process for how someone gets selected. Am I missing it somewhere? If there is no published criteria, and no documented nomination process, my guess is that if a MAC president or AD gets it in their head that someone needs to be in the HOF, they can force it through by shear will.

[/quote]

Good point. I noticed this too. It's possible we both missed it on the MAC site, but I don't think that's likely.

(05-28-2015 05:47 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote:  I believe there are only 2 wrestlers in the HOF. Neither are Olympians or world team members.

Those basketball players mentioned have no chance. Joplin, Selgo and Lehman never even made first team All-MAC once. The only BB player would be Kozelko who was 3x All-MAC, twice MAC POY and is the last UT player that had an NBA career, although it only lasted 3 years.

Don't disagree that Wilson and Wojo deserve it, I was just trying to illustrate that it is a numbers game. UT will probably, on average, get 1 person every other year. So, those guys have to compete with others like Chester Taylor, Barry Church, or Brianna Shook, April Williams, several women's BB players, etc for the UT spot. Someone probably has to go to bat for them over the others. They deserve to get in, but will the people who make that happen agree?

As for BB, both Jones and Brisker had long and productive pro careers - much more than Kozelko. As did Paul Seymour if you go back far enough. Of course Brisker isn't even in the varsity T hall of fame, so he has no chance.

Note that of the UT folks already in the HOF, a large number are coaches:
Coaches: Nichols, Pinkel, Anderson, Lautiber
Players: Ealey, Mix, Beutler, Knuth, Long
Did I miss anyone?

Joplin, Knuckles, Lehman, Miller, Selgo, Swaney.

I know I'm biased, but I definitely think Harvey, Dick and Jim belong. The other guys might be borderline hall of famers, but again, I can't believe none of them are in.

(05-28-2015 05:47 PM)DetroitRocket Wrote:  Those basketball players mentioned have no chance. Joplin, Selgo and Lehman never even made first team All-MAC once. The only BB player would be Kozelko who was 3x All-MAC, twice MAC POY and is the last UT player that had an NBA career, although it only lasted 3 years.

I agree that Stan, Tim and Jay would be a stretch. But if you're saying that Miller (who played a handful of games in the NBA) Swaney, and Knuckles have no chance, I don't agree with that. My point is that someone from that era is deserving. That no UT basketball player is in from that time is what I think is beyond belief.

I'm also not sure that playing in the NBA is part of the criteria. Just for example, to the best of my knowledge, Ray McCallum and Manny Newsome never played in the NBA.

You raise a good point about Kozelko, who should also be in. What the conference needs to do is expand the size of induction classes. All those years starting in the mid-90s when they stopped inducting people has the conference way behind the curve. Expanding the size of the induction classes would make for a lengthy recognition dinner, but that's the only downside I see. The conference has too much catching up to do.

Here's a link to a summary of Dick Miller's NBA "career"

http://basketball-players.pointafter.com...ick-Miller

And here's a link to a history of the MAC Hall of Fame. Looks like no was inducted from 1995 through 2011, with inductions resuming in 2012.

http://mac-sports.com/hof.aspx?