Tennessee Chattanooga’s Owens doesn’t get into HOF
Tennessee Chattanooga’s Owens doesn’t get into HOF
Terrell Owens was not voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and many seem upset by this. It’s not surprising.
Owens “had a mouth” and danced on the Dallas Cowboys’ star. Years ago, many stated that he disrespected the game’s traditions by doing so. When he retired, the common sentiment was that he wouldn’t get into the hall of fame on his first ballot due to this behavior. Some time has passed and now people are upset again.
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Guess what? He will get in.
TO won’t get in because he scored a touchdown against all 32 NFL teams. That’s an interesting stat, but doesn’t hold any weight. TO won’t get in because he was the oldest player to gain 200 yards receiving in a game. 200 yards was “a thing” in Isaac Bruce’s day. It’s widely discarded nowadays. TO will not get in because he had four or more touchdowns in 15 consecutive seasons. No one has ever said “wow 4 touchdowns on the year? Good for you!”
TO will get in because he was an excellent receiver and an unusually dominant force. The receiver position is usually quite dependent upon the quarterback’s ability. Logically, he throws the ball to the receiver and one would simply think this way. Well, TO played well regardless of whom the quarterback was. He is an outlier that will make people second guess that simple notion for decades.
Owens’ records speak for themselves. There is no need to clarify or recalibrate them in some whimsical fashion. They are obvious and quite special. He was elite.
Owens’ trouble generally stems from him misspeaking and the press misunderstanding Owens the man. He’s not “made” like everyone else and is super-competitive. He has this sixth gear that includes the passion and fire within. If you watched the man, you can almost see his eyes glow and fire come out of his ears when a game starts. After the game, it takes him some time to calm down and become TO the man rather than TO the firey competitor. Just about any question asked of him in this state would result in an answer that coincides with “I did what it takes to win.” There have been many athletes in pro sports that undergo this transformation of sorts. It’s intense and odd. Many just don’t understand it.
When Owens played basketball, yes basketball, I had the pleasure of meeting him and some of his family members. He’s a nice guy, a caring guy. Owens had suffered a back injury lifting weights while with the 49ers. While they had given him their blessing for him to play basketball, after the injury they rescinded this blessing. They wanted him to heal up and rest. He wanted to live out a childhood dream of playing professional basketball. The Adirondack Wildcats aren’t the NBA, but it is professional and a step above college talent.
Owens wasn’t a starter. He wasn’t in the game. He would stretch and lie just past the bench resting his back and making sure the muscles remained loose. The team put water into cups and had them on a tray. During timeouts, TO handed out water to his teammates. He offered words of encouragement. While lying down, he’d sit up from time to time to cheer his teammates on.
Most of the articles at the time were disapproving of TO. I couldn’t believe it, myself. I was sitting there watching this and then I’d go home and read…well garbage. None of the reporters were at the game, but they were writing as if. None spoke to TO and…the whole thing turned my stomach.
One of the things that annoyed me most was the lengthy articles and videos of how he was a bad teammate to the Adirondack Wildcats. There would be a picture of him lying down past the bench and people overreacted and made up stuff. A picture is worth a thousand words, just not necessarily factual words.
When Owens played, he wasn’t that great. He’d never make the NBA. He could leap like the best, but he got boxed out fairly easily and wasn’t the best at positioning. He had a sweet spin move and a gorgeous 360 layup he did. He didn’t have all the intricacies of basketball down. He looked like he was- a person that had spent most of his time playing football. His basketball defense was outstanding, but with his physical ability and mindset that was probably assumed.
Owens’ career would carry on to other teams. He did play for the Cowboys, the team he supposedly disrespected. He played for the Eagles and didn’t get along with their quarterback, Donovan McNabb.
Somewhere during this time in NFL history, the #1 pick in the draft was Keyshawn Johnson. Johnson was famously quoted as saying “give me the darn ball.” That quote would be used over and over and even be asked of players. Not the least bit surprising- TO wanted the ball. In this ultra-competitive state, wanting the ball wasn’t necessarily the right answer at the time. Maybe the team ran. Maybe another receiver was open. Still though, TO’s response was quite predictable.
As Owens career was winding down, he would be chasing records. When asked what he thought of anyone else, guess how the super competitor replied? Yes, that he was better. He wasn’t better than Jerry Rice, for example. The records clearly show that. However, if he said he was better, people did not approve of this. It was as if he disrespected the history of the game and a wide receiver he learned from in San Francisco.
Another key point in this mindset is that it is essential to their success. Owens would never have been the player he was if he did not think he was the best. He had to have that confidence, even if it bordered on arrogance, to succeed.
Away from the game, Owens has said some dopey things and put his foot in his mouth. Who hasn’t? Seriously, don’t we all do that at some point?
It was widely stated that the HOF committee would eschew his first eligibility chance for the Hall. That happened. The next step was always stated that he would eventually get in. He will. Just be patient. It’ll play out as “everyone” said it would many years ago. When he does, it will be wonderful. TO will flash that million dollar smile and thank everyone and…everything will be right in the football world. It’ll happen. Just give it time.
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