Owens’ Hall induction true to form

Unconventional ex-receiver bypasses Canton

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 960 kilometres away from Canton this weekend. Hours before the other inductees are honoured, 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 honour “right here where it all began.”

He’s been quite chatty on social media in the weeks leading up to his induction. Owens tweeted 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 “I don’t need to be on their stage to do it. I’ll be fine & im sure they will be, too.”

Chattanooga remains a place where Owens is loved for what he accomplished well before becoming an NFL star. Owens had 2,320 career yards receiving in college and also played basketball on two NCAA Tournament teams before the San Francisco 49ers selected him in the third round of the 1996 draft.

In the NFL, Owens strung together numerous antics — posing on the Dallas Cowboys’ star logo at midfield, engaging in sideline tirades — with five teams over 15 seasons. But his college coaches marvelled at his work ethic and considered him fun to coach.

“First guy (on the field), last guy off,” former Chattanooga football coach Buddy Green said. “He worked hard, man. He tried to get better every practice. You’d put him on a special team, and he was the first guy down the field. He just loved to play the game. He was great to coach. He worked as hard as anybody on the field, even harder probably.”

Owens spoke to Chattanooga’s current studentathletes Friday morning and also took 35 area youths on a shopping spree.

Athletic director Mark Wharton said the school will have a private dinner for Owens on Friday night.

He estimates that about 2,000 people will gather at McKenzie Arena on Saturday for Owens’ induction speech.

Owens ranks second in NFL history in career yards receiving (15,934) and third in touchdown catches (153).

Hall of Fame president David Baker called Owens’ decision unprecedented and disappointing.