Owens set for own ceremony

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Leave it to Terrell Owens to choose to become the first person to celebrate being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame somewhere other than at the Canton, Ohio, shrine.

The receiver who provided so many exhilarating and exasperating moments during one of the NFL’S most prolific careers is about 600 miles from Canton this weekend. Hours before the other inductees are honored, Owens will give his own acceptance speech at Chattanooga, where he played college football and basketball and ran track.

Owens announced on Twitter in June that, while “incredibly appreciative,” he wouldn’t attend the induction ceremony. Owens never shared his reasons for staying away. Less than a month later, Owens again used social media to say he’d hold his own induction ceremony in Chattanooga.

“Getcha popcorn ready!” wrote the man who once celebrated a touchdown with popcorn.

Owens said Friday in Chattanooga there’s a “flaw in that system” about how Hall of Famers are selected and he wanted to “make a stand” for future candidates. Owens, who wasn’t selected to the Hall of Fame until his third year of eligibility, noted how grateful he was to accept this honor “right here where it all began.”

He’s been quite chatty on social media in the weeks leading up to his induction. Owens tweeted that he “wouldn’t have a PRO career if it wasn’t for Chattanooga #THISISFORYOU.” When asked why he’s bypassing the Canton ceremony, Owens tweeted that “I don’t need to be on their stage to do it. I’ll be fine & im sure they will be too.”