T.O. is a Hall of Famer
For the second straight year Terrell Owens was denied entry into the NFL Hall of Fame. His stats warrant inclusion into football's most exclusive fraternity. He has the second most receiving yards all time, only behind Jerry Rice, and is third all-time in receiving touchdowns. So why does Owens not have a shrine in Canton?
Well, people will point to the fact that he was a distraction on many of the teams that he played for. His sideline outbursts paired with his unfiltered passion for the game made many characterize him as a self-centered egomaniac. While this may be the case, you cannot convince me that Owens' talent was outweighed by his occasional meltdowns. What wide receiver isn't a bit of a prima donna?
Upon seeing that T.O. did not make the Hall of Fame, I looked deeply into how the selection process works because I was befuddled that someone of his stature could get waltzed over. After reading a great deal about the process, I think I might have an explanation as to why Terrell Owens is not a Hall of Famer. The selection committee is comprised of 48 voters, the majority of whom are newspaper columnists. I do not need to go much further than that when explaining the process for you to understand my theory. In all seriousness, who reads the newspaper nowadays? I know some do, like my seventy-five-year-old grandfather, but many have reverted to watching sports television shows or reading a variety of sporting websites. Ten to fifteen years ago, sports columnists had all of the power in the world. That was before Twitter and before streaming live events on your computer was an option. In the sports world. newspaper columnists are often in the peripheral. So how do they try to remain relevant? By making a bold stand and leaving out one of the three greatest wide receivers in the history of football.
Randy Moss is up for enshrinement next year. Will he get in? Moss quit on his teammates while with the Vikings, walking off the field in the fourth quarter. Another time he sprayed an official with a water bottle. It sounds petty, but if you leave Terrell Owens out with his accomplishments, what says you won't find a reason to leave out another all-time great?
