The 2011 Pro Football Enshrinement Ceremony is set for 7 pm ET on NFL Network and ESPN. There's also a bunch of other stuff going on. Deion Sanders headlines the induction class, becoming the first actual Atlanta Falcons player to make Canton. Expect him to be one of the final two on stage. He's joined by Marshall Faulk, native Atlantan Richard Dent, former Savannah State star Shannon Sharpe (five times fast!) and others.
As far as radio goes, ESPN Radio says they'll turn their attention to the HOF once the Yankees-Red Sox game ends. They said it, not me.
All things being equal, NFL Network is your preferred accompaniment for the day. For one thing, comparing Rich Eisen to Chris Berman or whoever ESPN trots out is like comparing the Pro Football Hall of Fame to a hallway, but it's also worth noting the NFL warmly acknowledges Deion's Falcons history while ESPN just thinks of him as COWBOYS RED SOX LEBRON JAMES JERRY JONES IS FAMOUS.
The day's surprisingly extensive TV schedule leading up to the ceremony itself. All times ET:
Top 10 Players Not in the Hall of Fame, 10 am, NFL Network: In honor of the first-ever actual Falcons inductee, this list really ought to include Claude Humphrey and Tommy Nobis. It really ought to regardless of who's being inducted this year. Looking forward to discovering which 1975 Steelers players have been most tragically overlooked #smh.
Deion Sanders: Canton Goes Primetime, 3 pm, NFL Network: They're doing hour-long specials on a few of the bigger names, concluding with Deion. You can look at that schedule here. This one first aired Thursday night, and it is excellent. I've mentioned this three times now, but it includes Andre Rison impersonating James Brown. You're sold.
2011 Hall of Fame Pre-enshrinement Ceremony, 4, pm, NFL Network: I have no idea.
For more on this year's other finalists and inductees, visit the 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame StoryStream at SB Nation's NFL hub. For more Falcons, join The Falcoholic.