Hall of Fame

Thanks to his stellar career in both China and the US, Yao Ming is a surefire Hall of Famer. But the former center isn’t ready to be inducted just yet. Ordinarily, NBA players must wait five years after their retirement to be eligible for induction. However, since Yao was nominated by a member of the Chinese media as a “contributor” to the game, he could go in as early as next year. The eight-time

The Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomed seven new members Saturday night, headlined by players Deion Sanders, Shannon Sharpe, Marshall Faulk, and Richard Dent. Chris Hanburger, Les Richter, and Ed Sabol were also enshrined. “What separates us is that we expect to be great,” Sanders said. “I expect to be great, I expect to do what had to be done. I expect to make change.”

The Big E got the big snub. Eric Lindros, a bruising injury-prone power forward once appointed the “Next One,” will have to wait until next year before entering the pantheon of hockey’s greatest. Ed Belfour, Doug Gilmour, Joe Nieuwendyk, and Mark Howe were among the four players chosen to be elected into this year’s Hockey’s Hall of Fame class, the selection committee announced Tuesday. The Class