RE: _NFL Season begins with the Hall of Fame Week in about two weeks.
I feel sort of bad for this years enshrinees, you have guys like LT and Jason Taylor who dominated their positions for years, and were surefire Hall of Famers from the second they retired. And then you have a Hall of Fame contributor in Jerry Jones, who's impact on the game outside the lines has been instrumental in advancing it. And then you have the others, that all played their parts, had illustrious careers and have found themselves at the pinnacle of their sport.
So why do I feel bad for them?
Similar to why I felt bad for last years class.
Each of these men are more than deserving to find themselves on this stage, and they deserve to be at the center of attention, however, because of vendetta by the media, the headline won't be the individuals being enshrined, it will the individual not being enshrined, Terrell Owens.
I understand the controversy surrounding Mr. Owens, I understand the negative feelings many have for him, but outside of LT, he is more Hall of Fame worthy than the other six. As long as the media continues to disbar Owens from the Hall of Fame, the integrity of the Hall of Fame ceremony and the Hall of Fame itself, will continue to chip away, and that's just not fair to those being inducted.
I agree... Look, Terrell Owens will be a future HOF'er, you can take that to the bank. For all we know he could be enshrined next year. I mean just look at L.T. , he's been a model player in the eyes of the NFL, no drama, no embarassing behavior... Terrible Owens on the other hand has been nowhere near being a model player in the eyes of the NFL... So they punnish him and make him wait a few more years before he gets in. Perhaps Mr. Owens should have considered his behavior and how it might affect his future with the NFL before behaving in an embarassing manner to his employers... Yhis should be a lesson to any of the other players out there who may consider acting the fool. Perhaps if you behave foolishly in the NFL, the NFL doesn't take your career seriously as it should come HOF selection time..
Funny you brought this up, because i was just thinking about it the other day when watching videos of Marshawn Lynch, and others like Whatshisname? from the 49er's...oh yeah Kaepernick, and others who will most likely be handled this way... It doesn't mean they won't get in... it usually just means they will have to wait longer.
I'm no fan of the selection process, but it is what it is at the moment. I personally would prefer after the list of nominees are compiled they do like the MLB, and have a weighted selection process in which fans have an equal say in who is selected... this type of voting process tends to keep the media in check. It also gives a voice to the most important member of the NFL, the fan... Because lets face it there isn't a single sports league that would exist without it's fans...
I hope Owens gets in...I love that guy...Read Dude!
He'll get in.. I think the media is just hating on him right now because of all the crap he did while he was playing.. . I just can't see how they couldn't put him into the HOF eventually... he was a beast.
I agree his behavior throughout his career was less than stellar, I would never argue against that, he was immature and from time to time a detriment to team chemistry. However, regardless of that, he was a top receiver throughout his career, and is one of the best two or three players at his position in the history of the game. I understand his personality rubbed many the wrong way, media included, but to keep him out of the Hall of Fame for that, to ignore his contributions on the field because of a personal vendetta, damages the integrity of the NFL Hall of Fame.
he'll get in...... but it might take him a few years. This is why young athletes need to think about what their attitude and the image they present to the media and fans, as well as the league, will have on their career of work. The manner in which one holds themselves does matter. You would think these guys would have learned from Pete Rose... great player that should be in cooperstown, but the MLB to this day, some 30 odd years after the fact, will not life the lifetime ban... but no, these kids comming up think nothing of that sort of thing...
I agree his behavior was an issue, I'm not disputing that, but that shouldn't keep him out. I don't believe your comparison to Pete Rose is fair, because Owens didn't cheat the game. He was a jerk, and although he was a jerk, he is one of the best players in the history of the game. If it wasn't for his name, he would have been a first ballot Hall of Famer, and thats not right. That severely damages the legacy and integrity of the Hall of Fame.
it falls into the same category.... character unbecomming of the league. the only difference is the media has accepted that pete rose should be allowed entry into the HOF, but it is MLB keeping him out... with owens it is the media who has yet to greenlight ownes entry into the HOF.... like i have already said... OWENS WILL GET ENSHRINED INTO THE HOF....it's just going to be at the media's leisure, not his..