Unterberger: The Rights To Ricky Sanchez Process Hall Of Fame Nomination Guide
The nominations for the Process Hall Of Fame are open, but what does that even mean?
Andrew Unterberger is a famous writer who invented the nickname 'Sauce Castillo' and is now writing for The Rights To Ricky Sanchez, as part of the 'If Not, Pick Will Convey As Two Second-Rounders' section of the site. You can follow Andrew on Twitter @AUGetoffmygold and can also read him at Billboard.
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As you've likely already heard on this week's podcast, we here at the Rights to Ricky Sanchez are celebrating the pod's five-year anniversary with the grand opening of the Process Hall of Fame, enshrining the greatest moments and Sixers since Hinkie first turned the franchise upside down in 2013, while also cordoning off our own RTRS wing of the museum for our efforts.
This announcement likely inspired some listener questions -- such as Who, What, Where, Why, When and How. Answering those in reverse order: How is by nominating your choices here and then voting for your favorites after we've narrowed it down to a shortlist of nominees, When is "now" for the former part of that last answer and "soon" for the latter, Why is because Halls of Fame are fun and stupid and stupidfun, and Where is TBD (though we're hoping Nerlens’ weed-littered, Gatorade-stained Philly home is still available).
As for Who and What, that's a little more intricate. But, as always, we're here to help with that. Let's take this one category at a time.
What Process moments should I be nominating for the Hall of Fame?
Essentially, any moment it's tough to imagine the last five years without. It can be an on-court Sixers highlight, like Marco Belinelli's buzzer-beating jumper to send Game Three against the Celtics to overtime or Joel Embiid dunking on Russell Westbrook or the entire James Anderson game. It can be an off-court highlight, like the Sauce Castillo trade or landing the No. 1 pick (and eventually, Ben Simmons) on draft night in 2016. It can be a social media highlight, like Embiid attempting to mack on Kim K and Rihanna or Evan Turner's limo breaking down on the way to Jrue Holiday's wedding. It can be MCW and Nerlens dancing with the cheerleaders after a win. It can be JoJo and DeMarcus Cousins getting into a slap-ass fight mid Kings-Sixers.
But it doesn't have to be entirely sunshine, lollipops and finger guns, either. It can be Brandon Davies getting traded in the middle of a game. It can be the time Jahlil Okafor's dad wanted to fight Shamus Clancy. It can be Nerlens fumbling the ball on an uncontested breakaway. It can be those Process Trusters shaking hands at the draft over (the ultimately traded) selection of Willy Hernangomez. It can be any number of Jerami Grant missed dunks, or maybe all of them collectively. And of course, it can be the Sam Hinkie resignation letter. Basically any moment, good or bad or an awkward mix between, that made you go "No way does this happen with any other team" at some point in the last half-decade.
Which Process Sixers should I be nominating for the Hall of Fame?
Well, far be it from us to dictate who you feel is or isn't a Hall of Famer -- all we'll say is we'd like to use this section to enshrine those players in Process History we want to ensure are remembered, as well as than those we could never possibly forget. So while obviously Joel, Ben, Covington and TJ are all Hall of Fame worthy, we also want to use this section to commemorate those who may have come and gone as far as Sixers history is concerned, but who nonetheless made an indelible impression on the Hinkie faithful: 10-day favorites, Summer League All-Stars, trade throw-ins, dudes who were gone by the time we'd finally managed to talk ourselves into them, and other Process-only greats.
And what about non-players? Coaches, execs, famous fans, 91? Well... the committee's still out on where we're drawing the line on those for the moment, but if you feel there's one who should be considered, definitely let us know about them, and we'll figure it out when the time comes. But don't bother nominating Hinkie: He's in. Hell, he is the Hall of Fame.
What RTRS moments should I be nominating for the Hall of Fame?
Well, too many classics to choose from, no doubt. But we'd encourage you to focus on times when the world of RTRS has intersected with the larger Sixers universe: The Hinkie billboards, or booing Tony Snell in Milwaukee, or Mike Weber accosting Adam Silver, or Embiid participating in Retweet Armageddon TJ reenacting the Knicks buzzer-beater at the live Ricky, or really any notable time where Sixers Fans Gathered. But of course, if you really want to rep for the invention of Lickface, or Spike and Mike fighting between Evan Turner and Dion Waiters, or Kevin O'Connor getting banned, then you're welcome to nominate any of those as well.
Does that help? Probably not? Is this entire exercise dumb? Hey, we've all gotten this far together, let's not start second-guessing each others' ridiculousness now.
Please submit your nominations here. Your Process needs you.