The Pro Football Hall of Fame is basically going to ignore Terrell Owens at the Class of 2018 induction ceremony on Aug. 4.
Owens, who was always equal parts great player and great headache, isn't going to the ceremony after the voters failed to get him into the Hall on his first two tries. The Hall of Fame doesn't seem thrilled about that decision.
HOF executive director Joe Horrigan told Talk of Fame Network's Clark Judge that Owens will not be introduced during the ceremony, saying, "The focus is on the guys who are here."
Here's more of what Judge wrote:
But let's make something clear: This isn't the Pro Football Hall of Fame being vindictive or punitive. It's about it being sensible. As Horrigan pointed out, the situation isn't unlike a senior who decides to boycott his school's graduation. His name isn't mentioned, and his diploma isn't awarded.
Instead, he receives it afterward.
And, so, Owens' gold jacket - which, under normal circumstances, would be placed on his shoulders at Friday's Gold Jacket dinner - will be mailed first thing Saturday morning. But his name that evening won't be mentioned with the others, just [as] it won't be recognized 24 hours later when individuals are introduced at Saturday's nationally-televised induction.
Ouch. The gold jacket will get mailed to him on the day of the ceremony. Unless the post office makes special exceptions for gold jackets, Owens won't even have it at his own little private ceremony. But that's OK. Remember, TO did have a custom gold jacket made last year (see story). Maybe he can use that one at his alma mater.
Judge goes on to say that when the entire class is mentioned, the Hall won't exclude TO. It just isn't going out of its way to mention him.
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Even without Owens, the Class of 2018 is still pretty strong. It includes Eagles great Brian Dawkins, as well as Ray Lewis, Randy Moss and Brian Urlacher. It's clear the HOF isn't going to let TO's absence steal any attention from the other members of the class.
