Owens declines HoF Ceremony Invitation

[Thomas5737]

6 hours ago, Nabbs4u said:

Exactly. We're not talking about a member being inducted after passing away. There is no obligation to show a montage for a player actively deciding not to attend. It's not petty, it's appropriate.

If He wanted recognition, he should of attended. Instead he's getting exactly what he wanted all along. The Conversation all about "Him" and not the actual "Class of 18". Which is unfortunate for the rest.

Well it seems like they should still celebrate anyone entering the HOF just for the work done on the field. Obviously it wouldn't take long without the speech and intro. Show a video of his achievements or whatever and move along. To ignore him at the ceremony seems petty, putting them on T.O.'s level. I'm sure his fans would like to see something  the HOF is about honoring players but that isn't all it is about it is also about honoring achievements and educating fans.

[lancerman]

14 minutes ago, Thomas5737 said:

Well it seems like they should still celebrate anyone entering the HOF just for the work done on the field. Obviously it wouldn't take long without the speech and intro. Show a video of his achievements or whatever and move along. To ignore him at the ceremony seems petty, putting them on T.O.'s level. I'm sure his fans would like to see something  the HOF is about honoring players but that isn't all it is about it is also about honoring achievements and educating fans.

His fans can watch a recording of the speech he gives at his college. 

[TecmoSuperJoe]

I wonder if his speech will even be televised on NFL Network. 

[NVRamsFan]

1 hour ago, Thomas5737 said:

Well it seems like they should still celebrate anyone entering the HOF just for the work done on the field. Obviously it wouldn't take long without the speech and intro. Show a video of his achievements or whatever and move along. To ignore him at the ceremony seems petty, putting them on T.O.'s level. I'm sure his fans would like to see something  the HOF is about honoring players but that isn't all it is about it is also about honoring achievements and educating fans.

To not go and accept the honor with all the other people inducted with you seems just as petty. Neither the Hall or TO get a pass in this. But the complaint that he's not getting a video or anything during the induction ceremony is all on TO himself. 

[Thomas5737]

9 minutes ago, NVRamsFan said:

To not go and accept the honor with all the other people inducted with you seems just as petty. Neither the Hall or TO get a pass in this. But the complaint that he's not getting a video or anything during the induction ceremony is all on TO himself. 

I agree both sides are being petty I just think the HOF should take the high road and not ignore him during the ceremony. Let him take all of the criticism for being petty and show that you are an honorable organization that takes the high road. Owens has nothing to lose, no one cares if he is petty. The HOF will be around and relevant much longer and a blemish on them still matters, even if just a little bit.

[NFLExpert49]

And still nobody suggests that the HOF should maybe stop making it so that a bunch of scumbag sports writers control who gets inducted.

Although personally, I think the HOF is a dumb idea to begin with. Why exactly are these players being honored, and why is there sentiment attached to it?

The general consensus seems to be that it's for being good at playing football. Uh...who cares? Why do they deserve a sentimental honor for that? 

And why do people consider it such a great award when it's literally decided on by sports writers? You know, the same people who make a living on lying in headlines and creating false narratives to generate revenue? 

[NVRamsFan]

7 hours ago, Thomas5737 said:

I agree both sides are being petty I just think the HOF should take the high road and not ignore him during the ceremony. Let him take all of the criticism for being petty and show that you are an honorable organization that takes the high road. Owens has nothing to lose, no one cares if he is petty. The HOF will be around and relevant much longer and a blemish on them still matters, even if just a little bit.

True but the counter could be said as well, the Hall will be around for forever, and the blemish that's TO will be forgotten in a dozen years when a player is inducted who was better than TO on the field and did it without the circus side show. The next generation of fans won't care that either side did this when their players are inducted.

[CKSteeler]

This is the same HOF that wouldn't let Junior Seau's daughter give a speech to celebrate him. Now these sanctimonious idiots won't even acknowledge a guy they are inducting (years late - tell me Owens wasn't a first ballot talent and I'll laugh at you).

This is about fans as much as it is a moment of the players. It's a bad business decision. It's less entertaining. And it's all about the egos of people who run a third rate museum about football/the blowhard sports writers who make it about themselves just as much as TO ever did.

[TecmoSuperJoe]

They should just put Owens' bust in the backseat of one of the convertibles used for the downtown Canton HOF parade they have every year for the inductees. Just drive it around.

It's a surreal thought picturing Owens at his house getting the FedEx package with his jacket in it.

[sryan66611]

4 hours ago, PapaShogun said:

They should just put Owens' bust in the backseat of one of the convertibles used for the downtown Canton HOF parade they have every year for the inductees. Just drive it around.

It's a surreal thought picturing Owens at his house getting the FedEx package with his jacket in it.

Yea it just seems wild to get the mail lol...  So is Owens the first person to decline ?

[TecmoSuperJoe]

20 minutes ago, sryan66611 said:

Yea it just seems wild to get the mail lol...  So is Owens the first person to decline ?

First person, and probably the only person moving forward. 

[seminoles1]

On 7/13/2018 at 11:28 AM, Bullet Club said:

Who cares? He's in the Hall of Fame. They should acknowledge it briefly and move on. Not doing so is the Hall actively being petty.

Owens doesn't want to be involved so the Hall of Fame is granting his wish.  Can't have your cake and eat it too.

[Uncle Buck]

When TO was playing, they had to put up with his childish antics because the teams he played for needed him for the next play, the next series, the next game, etc.  

The Hall of Fame has no need for the guy, so there is no reason for them to put up with his buffoonish behavior.  I wouldn't waste a second on any player who doesn't want to be a part of the ceremony.

[NFLExpert49]

3 hours ago, Uncle Buck said:

When TO was playing, they had to put up with his childish antics because the teams he played for needed him for the next play, the next series, the next game, etc.  

The Hall of Fame has no need for the guy, so there is no reason for them to put up with his buffoonish behavior.  I wouldn't waste a second on any player who doesn't want to be a part of the ceremony.

Yeah, but just leave O.J. Simpson's bust right where it belongs, right?

There are no antics to put up with. All he did was decline the invitation to participate. You handle it the same way you handled everyone else who wasn't there (many deceased men have been inducted). 

[seminoles1]

7 minutes ago, NFLExpert49 said:

Yeah, but just leave O.J. Simpson's bust right where it belongs, right?

There are no antics to put up with. All he did was decline the invitation to participate. You handle it the same way you handled everyone else who wasn't there (many deceased men have been inducted). 

That's not even close to the same thing.