Attention: this is off-topic in that it only moderately concerns the Rockets. And even that isn't until the end.
How the hell is Reggie Miller not even a finalist for the HOF???
It's true. Somehow Reggie Miller did not even make the first cut of nominees for the 2011 Basketball Hall of Fame. Essentially, Reggie Miller is now getting the Cris Carter treatment. There is no logical explanation for this. At no point has anyone ever looked at Reggie Miller and said "nah, he's not really a hall of famer." Because that would be absolutely, utterly ridiculous.
On a more personal note -- there are exactly two (2) jerseys of NBA players that I own that are not Rockets jerseys. One is Penny Hardaway, who if not for injury might have been the greatest point guard of all-time. Yes, better than Magic Johnson. Penny was amazing. Then someone introduced him to the word "microfracture" and it was all over. So sad. The other jersey I own is Reggie Miller's #31 Pacers jersey. And why? Because Reggie was f--kin' awesome. You have to be a true badass for me to own your jersey and Reggie fit the bill. In every way. (For those paying attention, I do not own a Kobe Bryant jersey and I may be a bigger Kobe fan than most Laker fans.)
Yet some clowns who wield their authority like a high-school nerd scorned by the head cheerleader have decided that Reggie Miller is not even worthy of discussion as a finalist for the Hall of Fame.
Do you know who Reggie was competing with for nomination? Immortals along the lines of Dennis Rodman, Maurice Cheeks (good guy, but he's not Reggie), Ralph Sampson (!?!?!), Dick Bavetta (seriously?), Rick Pitino (now this is just absurd), and Mark Jackson (uhhhh...).
Dick Bavetta!?!?!?!? When did the Basketball Hall of Fame become the sporting equivalent of the Grammy Awards? This is like Jethro Tull winning the Grammy for "Best Heavy Metal Performance" over Metallica in 1989. Mind-boggling.
If Reggie Miller does not get inducted into the Hall of Fame next year, let me be the first to lead the ensuing riot in Springfield. Or as Al Bundy would say: "I am going to run amok and start killing people in alphabetical order."
Now, the only good news that can come from this is that the absence of Reggie Miller as a candidate makes it that much easier for one Rudy Tomjanovich to make the Hall of Fame. Do not get me wrong, it is still a massive mistake by the Hall that Rudy T is not an inductee while Jerry Sloan, John Stockton and the Worst Person Alive™ Karl Malone have already been afforded the opportunity to give lame speeches and be immortalized. It's shameful, in fact. And it must be corrected immediately.
So -- if not Reggie, put Rudy T in the Hall of Fame!
maddening update: Rudy T did not make the list of finalists either. F--k you, Hall of Fame!