First things first, I am beyond elated that two of my favourite wide receivers of all time made into the Hall of Fame. Randy Moss was the reason I became a Minnesota Vikings fan in the first place, he's what really got me into football because I was just a so-so on the fence fan before then. I'm more happy for Terrell Owens making into the Class of 2018 though.
Why is that ?? With my favourite receiver ever, the one that made me a Vikings fan, why am I more excited for Owens induction. It is because everyone knew T.O. deserved to be a 1st Ballot Hall of Famer and while yes it is harder to become a 1st Ballot Hall of Famer as a Wide Receiver if your stats speak loud and clear they will do that, like they have done with Randy Moss who was a 1st Ballot WR. Yet, not only did they hold out T.O. for 3 years now, he is a man that the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters changed the voting bylaws 2 times in order to keep him out of the Hall of Fame because of bias.
Look, everyone knows that Terrell Owens was a "character" let's say. That his antics in the locker room sometimes divided his team and many blame him for poor seasons that the 49ers, Eagles, and Cowboys had during and after he left (they won't blame him for Buffalo or Cincinnati though). Yet, despite the blame placed on T.O. I would put just as much blame on big egos like Donovon McNabb in Philadelphia, I'm not claiming Owens was a saint he for sure was not but he was not the team destroyer that so many made him out to be. These "character issues" are what caused him to not be a 1st Ballot Hall of Fame receiver, even though at the time no bylaw in voting stated that locker room or sideline issues counted towards your induction, UNTIL the next year when T.O. was up again then that was added to the bylaws to keep him out.
Here is where it gets ridiculous and why I question whether it is character issues or just people hating Terrell Owens.
I love Randy Moss but if T.O. had character issues in the locker room and sideline and that prevented him from making the Hall of Fame 3 times and that Randy Moss had no character issues on the sideline or in the locker room is ridiculous. I'm going to call bullshit. Favourite player or not, Randy Moss' ruckus attitude is part of what drew me to him, he was so brash and in people's face. This is a guy who mooned the Green Bay Packers crowd, who walked off the field sometimes, half assed his play when it was a run and not a pass, on a passing play that didn't go to him and went to someone else he would complain, a guy who insulted a bus full of company sponsors for the Vikings, insulted a chef that made meals specially for Vikings players at his restaurant by saying "I wouldn't feed this to my dogs". BUT most famously a man who said and I quote, "I play when I want to". Essentially stating that he didn't give it 110% on every down he was on the field, only when was involved or when he cared. That man is a 1st Ballot Hall of Famer. Yes, his numbers speak for themselves, Randy Moss is one of the best wide receivers in NFL history; however, the numbers that both Moss and Owens put up are fairly similar.
Over their careers these were their teams and their numbers:
Why is that ?? With my favourite receiver ever, the one that made me a Vikings fan, why am I more excited for Owens induction. It is because everyone knew T.O. deserved to be a 1st Ballot Hall of Famer and while yes it is harder to become a 1st Ballot Hall of Famer as a Wide Receiver if your stats speak loud and clear they will do that, like they have done with Randy Moss who was a 1st Ballot WR. Yet, not only did they hold out T.O. for 3 years now, he is a man that the Pro Football Hall of Fame voters changed the voting bylaws 2 times in order to keep him out of the Hall of Fame because of bias.
Look, everyone knows that Terrell Owens was a "character" let's say. That his antics in the locker room sometimes divided his team and many blame him for poor seasons that the 49ers, Eagles, and Cowboys had during and after he left (they won't blame him for Buffalo or Cincinnati though). Yet, despite the blame placed on T.O. I would put just as much blame on big egos like Donovon McNabb in Philadelphia, I'm not claiming Owens was a saint he for sure was not but he was not the team destroyer that so many made him out to be. These "character issues" are what caused him to not be a 1st Ballot Hall of Fame receiver, even though at the time no bylaw in voting stated that locker room or sideline issues counted towards your induction, UNTIL the next year when T.O. was up again then that was added to the bylaws to keep him out.
Here is where it gets ridiculous and why I question whether it is character issues or just people hating Terrell Owens.
I love Randy Moss but if T.O. had character issues in the locker room and sideline and that prevented him from making the Hall of Fame 3 times and that Randy Moss had no character issues on the sideline or in the locker room is ridiculous. I'm going to call bullshit. Favourite player or not, Randy Moss' ruckus attitude is part of what drew me to him, he was so brash and in people's face. This is a guy who mooned the Green Bay Packers crowd, who walked off the field sometimes, half assed his play when it was a run and not a pass, on a passing play that didn't go to him and went to someone else he would complain, a guy who insulted a bus full of company sponsors for the Vikings, insulted a chef that made meals specially for Vikings players at his restaurant by saying "I wouldn't feed this to my dogs". BUT most famously a man who said and I quote, "I play when I want to". Essentially stating that he didn't give it 110% on every down he was on the field, only when was involved or when he cared. That man is a 1st Ballot Hall of Famer. Yes, his numbers speak for themselves, Randy Moss is one of the best wide receivers in NFL history; however, the numbers that both Moss and Owens put up are fairly similar.
Over their careers these were their teams and their numbers:
Terrell Owens
Drafted - 3rd Round of the 1996 Draft -San Francisco 49ers
16 seasons in NFL, 219 games played
Played for: San Francisco 49ers (1996-2003), Philadelphia Eagles (2004-2005), Dallas Cowboys (2006-2008), Buffalo Bills (2009), Cincinnati Bengals (2010).
Catches: 1,078 (8th in NFL History)
Receiving Yards: 15, 934 (2nd in NFL History)
Touchdowns: 153 (3rd in NFL History WR's, 5th Overall)
9 seasons with 1,000 yards, 8 seasons with double-digit touchdowns, 3 seasons leading NFL in touchdowns (2001, 2002 & 2005)
4x All-NFC, 5x All-Pro, 6x Pro Bowl, Member of NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000's
16 seasons in NFL, 219 games played
Played for: San Francisco 49ers (1996-2003), Philadelphia Eagles (2004-2005), Dallas Cowboys (2006-2008), Buffalo Bills (2009), Cincinnati Bengals (2010).
Catches: 1,078 (8th in NFL History)
Receiving Yards: 15, 934 (2nd in NFL History)
Touchdowns: 153 (3rd in NFL History WR's, 5th Overall)
9 seasons with 1,000 yards, 8 seasons with double-digit touchdowns, 3 seasons leading NFL in touchdowns (2001, 2002 & 2005)
4x All-NFC, 5x All-Pro, 6x Pro Bowl, Member of NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000's
Randy Moss
Drafted - 1st Round of the 1998 Draft - Minnesota Vikings
14 season in NFL, 219 games played
Played for: Minnesota Vikings (1998-2004), Oakland Raiders (2005-2006), New England Patriots (2007-2010) , Minnesota Vikings (2010), Tennessee Titans (2010), San Francisco 49ers (2012)
Catches: 982 (15th in NFL History)
Receiving Yards: 15,292 (4th in NFL History)
Touchdowns: 156 (2nd in NFL History for WR's, 4th Overall)
10 seasons with 1,000 yards, 10 seasons with double-digit touchdowns, 5 seasons leading NFL in touchdowns (1998, 2000, 2003, 2007, & 2009)
4x All-Pro, 6x Pro Bowl, Member of NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000's
14 season in NFL, 219 games played
Played for: Minnesota Vikings (1998-2004), Oakland Raiders (2005-2006), New England Patriots (2007-2010) , Minnesota Vikings (2010), Tennessee Titans (2010), San Francisco 49ers (2012)
Catches: 982 (15th in NFL History)
Receiving Yards: 15,292 (4th in NFL History)
Touchdowns: 156 (2nd in NFL History for WR's, 4th Overall)
10 seasons with 1,000 yards, 10 seasons with double-digit touchdowns, 5 seasons leading NFL in touchdowns (1998, 2000, 2003, 2007, & 2009)
4x All-Pro, 6x Pro Bowl, Member of NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000's
It took Terrell Owens 3 times to make it into the Hall and Randy 1 time. Just face it. The voters hated Terrell Owens and that's what it was. There was no other reason because T.O. and Randy were equally as big of a locker room problem while they both are almost interchangeable players in terms of accomplishments in NFL history. It truly is a farce that Randy made it after only one time but again when based on the new bylaws they should have postponed him at least one year.
I'm just glad that T.O. made it into the Hall of Fame.
To quote Hall of Fame Tight End Shannon Sharpe when asked about the issue before T.O. was in: "If Terrell Owens isn't a Hall of Famer.......no one is."
I'm just glad that T.O. made it into the Hall of Fame.
To quote Hall of Fame Tight End Shannon Sharpe when asked about the issue before T.O. was in: "If Terrell Owens isn't a Hall of Famer.......no one is."