While there are no current plans to set up shop the likes of Canton, Cooperstown or Springfield (well, at least not yet, but give it time), ESPNNewYork.com rolled out a list of candidates for its own virtual Hall, letting the fans decide the inaugural class spread over the city's major sports teams.
A panel of veteran writers from the New York sports scene narrowed down the list of finalists to 20 while voting opened on Monday to decide the top five. ESPN already reserved a seat at the table for Babe Ruth, but the rest is up for debate, which includes Lawrence Taylor as the Giants' lone representative.
"To this day, if you want to infuriate some of the guys who played with or against Taylor, just sigh nonchalantly and say, 'Awww, Taylor was pretty good all right. But I don't know about best ever,'" Johnette Howard wrote on why he belongs. "Then prepare to get an earful of stories about, say, his 20.5-sack season, the way he led the Giants to two Super Bowl wins, or the fact he won a league MVP award, not just Defensive Player of the Year (though he had three of those, too)."
In the spirit of things, beat writer Ohm Youngmisuk listed his top five Giants, which included Taylor, Frank Gifford, Emlen Tunnell, Roosevelt Brown and Mel Hein. HERE
Voting is open through August 18th, followed by the Class of 2011 announcement the next day.
Who would make your New York Hall of Fame?
