We’re more than a few weeks away from the Super Bowl, but there was no shortage of headlines on Tuesday night as news emerged of New England Patriots legend Bill Belichick falling just short of the requisite votes to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
That revelation shocked the sports world across the United States and Canada as several current and former athletes gasped at the audacity to leave Belichick short of votes. One among those voices was former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo.
Ex-Maple Leafs D-Man Outraged at Bill Belichick’s Missing Hall of Fame Votes
As news trickled of Belichick falling short of the number of votes to be a first-ballot member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Colaiacovo also joined in the outrage.
In response to a piece of reporting from ESPN’s Adam Schefter detailing that Belichick didn’t receive 40+ votes out of a total of 50 necessary, Colaiacovo tweeted, “Show yourselves. Cowards.”
President Donald Trump was also left shocked by the turn of events.
“It is the same mindset that gave pro football the new and unwatchable ‘Sissy’ Kickoff Rule, that made it possible for Bill Belichick to not be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Both are ridiculous and should be overturned!” the president posted on Truth Social.
Patrick Mahomes also joined in the outrage, writing, “Insane… don’t even know how this could be possible.”
And while there’s trouble brewing over the transparency (or lack thereof) when it comes to Hall of Fame voting, there’s even more troubling on the horizon for Colaiacovo’s beloved Toronto Maple Leafs, who all but surrendered their playoff hopes in a 7-4 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.
The Maple Leafs fell apart in a showdown where they typically have the number of their opponents. With only 10 games till the trade deadline, the Leafs, who are not yet mathematically eliminated but are clinging onto hope by a thread, will need to make a decision on where this franchise is heading.
Considering their lack of assets, turning into sellers could help in restocking as they look to make a splash later in the summer. Given GM Brad Treliving’s future is also up in the air, however, the next few months could get even stickier with the Leafs looking ever more likely to end their first season without Mitch Marner in disarray.
