A few years ago, I tried an experiment. Whenever I spoke — whether it was at a convention or a church gathering or an Optimist Club meeting — I would find the time to ask a question: How many of you think Pete Rose belongs in the baseball Hall of Fame?

I would say — and this is conservative — at least 90 percent of the hands have gone up in the air.

That’s what statisticians might call "a small sample size." It’s anecdotal. Your experience might be completely different — you might not know anyone who thinks Rose should be in the Hall. But I’d say most fans — even some who don’t like Rose — think he deserves a place in Cooperstown.

Look at it: Rose got more hits and reached base more times than anyone (he also came to the plate more often and made more outs). He was amazing, durable and iconic. He was a hero in perhaps the greatest World Series ever, 1975 against the Red Sox. He played in 17 All-Star Games, won a season MVP, a World Series MVP, two Gold Gloves, three batting championships … and he was banished for gambling on baseball as a manager almost 25 years ago. Many people think the punishment overshoots the crime.

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But it’s one thing to think Rose belongs in the Hall. It’s another to map out a path for him. That’s much harder.

There are two ways to get elected. One is by the Baseball Writers Association of America, but that track seems closed for Rose: his eligibility to be on the ballot expired more than a decade ago. True, Rose’s name never appeared because he was banned. Still, it seems unlikely Rose could get on the ballot now.

Second — and more importantly — even if Rose somehow did get on the ballot, he’d get nowhere near the necessary 75 percent of the votes. Remember, this is a group that did not vote anyone in this year.

The other way in is through the Veteran’s Committee, a collection of living Hall of Famers. Again, I’ve been doing my own informal polling. I think Rose has almost no chance of getting 75 percent of their vote. The vets' feelings about Rose, who has alienated so many people with his gambling and bad decisions the last quarter-century, seem even more entrenched than the writers’.

So what’s the Rose road map? Is there one? How could he realistically get in? I asked Dan McGinn, a leading crisis manager who works with companies and individuals coping with the most intense catastrophes and difficulties imaginable. McGinn also believes strongly that Rose does belong in the Hall of Fame.

Slideshow   Slideshow: Pete Rose, then and now The best images from the all-time hits leader who is also banned for life from reaching the Hall of Fame for having gambled on baseball.

“Look, you can certainly make an argument that Pete Rose has been his own worst enemy,” he began. “I could see a scenario where, if he had handled all this in a very different way, he might be in the Hall of Fame right now. … I think Pete would have to begin by asking himself the question: Are you willing to take advice? That’s essential. He can’t make a direct deal to be put on the ballot for the Hall of Fame, I just don’t see that happening. Pete has to make a commitment to demonstrate that, for the rest of the years he’s on this earth, he will live a different way.

"Is Pete Rose willing to do that? I can’t answer the question. He’s, what, 71 or 72 years old now? [Rose turns 72 in April)]. He would have to decide how he wants to live the rest of his life and if he wants to leave a different legacy."

I interject here to say that nothing in Rose’s past suggests he would be willing to make this sort of commitment and take this sort of advice. Rose signs autographs in Vegas, and he just did that dumb reality TV show “Hits and Mrs.,", and it took him forever to admit he bet on baseball, after he was caught and expelled. He grabs for attention, even third-rate attention. It is part of his psyche.

But let’s say he did take advice. What could he do?