HERE IS THE STORY: 

SAN ANTONIO — The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame recently announced that Spurs great Manu Ginobili will ultimately be enshrined among the game's greatest.
It was a no-brainer if you look at his NBA and international basketball accolades.
However, Fox Sports Radio host, Ben Maller, believes the Hall of Fame made a "mistake" in honoring the franchise's legend. 

"The Hall of Fame made a mistake honoring Manu Ginobili," Maller said. "Nothing against him. I hear he's a nice guy. He was a good player; he's just not a Hall of Famer. My theory on the Hall of Fame is spot on. They have extremely low standards for admission."

He did not stop there.
Maller went on to dogpile Ginobili's honor harping on how he never won an NBA MVP Award. "As an NBA player, how many MVP awards did Manu Ginobili have," Maller asked. "The same number that you had and I had. We were even with Manu Ginobili.”

Maller's take drew ire from San Antonians and basketball fans in general. As dozens of people pointed out, Maller may need to focus on the fact that this is a basketball honor not just an NBA honor.

And Ginobili certainly fits the bill to be enshrined. 

Over his 16-year NBA career – all with the Spurs – Ginobili amassed 14,043 points, 4,001 assists, 3,697 rebounds and 1,392 steals, and was honored with the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2008, as well as twice being named to the All-NBA Third Team (2008, 2011).

On the international stage, Ginobili helped deliver the first and only gold medal in Argentina's basketball history at the 2004 Olympics, as well as the bronze at the 2008 games.

He joins Bill Bradley as the only two players to have won a EuroLeague title (2001), an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal.

Including how he helped usher in the Eurostep that players still use and adapt to their own game, clearly Ginobili's impact on the game of basketball will forever be felt.

The enshrinement ceremony is set to take place in Springfield, Mass., from Sept. 9 to 10.

HERE IS WHAT THIS PETITION IS CALLING FOR:

Signatures to support the removal of Ben Maller from Fox Sports Radio. Our country is filled with enough negativity and false narratives. His time is up. 

If Ben Maller had done his research on the criteria considered for this type of award he would know his comments on MVP status holds no merit on the Hall of Fame decision.

To be eligible for Enshrinement, a player needs to be retired for four full seasons. Should Ben Maller, have any issues with requirements, his concerns should be taken up with the The Hall of Fame CEO, John Doleva. 

Keeping Ben Maller on payroll with Fox Sports Radio so he can use his platform to shine a negative light on another man’s award recognition is disheartening.

Both Manu Ginobili and Ben Maller have dedicated years to their craft and should be respected. 

Manu running the court as Maller runs his mouth behind a microphone is not a reason to frown upon what Manu Ginobili has done for the game of basketball as a whole.

Our country’s youth need to have more role models like Manu Ginobili in their lives. Discrediting another man’s hard work for radio ratings is a weak rookie move.

WHO DOES BEN MALLER INSULT BY SAYING THE HALL OF FAME HAS “EXTREMELY LOW STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION”?

• The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is a historic America history museum. They inducted their first class in 1959. 
• The committee members who took their time to follow their rules and vote for Manu Ginobili. These committee members include: North America Screening Committee, Women’s Screening Committee And Veterans Screening Committee.
• The 630,000 visitors who have chosen to visit the Hall of Fame museum in Springfield, Massachusetts.
• The 401 basketball hall of fame inductees, including their proud families, coaches and fans.  That includes: David Stern, NBA Commissioner. Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the Chicago Bulls. Mannie Jackson, Harlem Globetrotter star. Swin Cash, four-time WNBA star. Bob Huggins, former Kansas State men’s basketball coach and more. 
• Manu Ginobili himself including his millions of fans world wide with his family, children, coaches, teammates and mentors. 

WHO IS BEN MALLER, FOX SPORTS RADIO HOST? 

Ben Maller was born in Scotland. He went to Saddleback College, a community college in Mission Viejo, California. No records found on Maller’s graduation date.

Online reports state, Maller began to “fall behind in school and consequently was placed in S.E.L.F., Secondary Education Learning Facility.”
Maller played football in high school, no record of an MVP awarded to him during his playtime.

It seems that the organization that has a low standard of admission my be Fox Sports Radio, itself.  

***** SIGN AND SHARE ******

A personal note to Manu Ginobili: Thank you for continuing to be influential to our city by sharing your activity after retirement. San Antonio was listed as one of the unhealthiest cities in America. 

Your love for cycling on our local bike trails in San Antonio has influenced many, including myself and my children, to hit the trails along with you. We’ve fallen in love with cycling and hope to one day be lucky enough to wave at you    and your three sons riding alongside of us. Thank you for what you’ve done for the sport of basketball and for our city of San Antonio, Texas. 

You’re a true influencer. Congratulations on your well-deserved award in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. From your biggest fans, we raise our glasses up to you. In the words of Charles Barkley, we all say… “Ginnnnooooooobiliiiii!!!!” #GOAT