Last weekend, the 2018 National Football League season opened in Canton, Ohio with the 2018 induction class ceremonies and the first preseason game. The Baltimore Ravens beat the Chicago Bears 17-16, but that was secondary to the induction ceremonies.
Canton, Ohio is the birthplace of the NFL. In April of 1920, eight team owners met at a Hupmobile showroom in Canton, Ohio to form the American Professional Football Conference. Ralph Hay, who owned the automobile dealership, was also the co-owner of the Canton Bulldogs professional football team (one of the original eight teams). In August of 1920, the teams met for the second time and became the National Football League. Jim Thorpe was elected president. So Canton, Ohio was where it all started.
The idea of a NFL Hall of Fame came through in 1962. The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY was doing big business and the NFL owners thought they could do the same. The first Hall of Fame preseason game was played in 1964 with the New York Giants playing the Washington Redskins. In 1970, a major renovation took place, greatly increasing the size of the exhibition hall and the display rooms. Since then the Hall has been a work in progress.
The 2018 Class consisted of former general manager Bobby Beathard. senior players Guard Jerry Kramer and linebacker Robert Brazile, wide receiver Randy Moss, linebacker Ray Lewis, safety Brian Dawkins, linebacker Brian Urlacher, and wide receiver Terrell Owens. There were a number of memorable moments. Dawkins talked about his struggles with depression. Urlacher saluted his mother. Moss talked of his coaches and teammates. All were heartfelt and uplifting. However, the most talked about inductee was Terrell Owen. He was the first nominee to boycott the ceremony. He instead gave a speech at his alma mater The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Owens professed to be deeply insulted that it took three years for him to be inducted. Thus he passed on being with the rest of the class.
Many were so outraged that they are considering a rule to force future inductees to show up, send an authorized representative (in case it is posthumously awarded) or forfeit their induction. While I think it’s much ado about nothing, I admit it does give Owens the attention he so craves. Throughout his career, he has sought to be the center of attention and his outrageous actions have always been about getting that spotlight. Actually not being there to be honored is his loss — it is an opportunity that will never come his way again.
I also think that Owens’ ego could not deal with just being one of eight. Particularly with Randy Moss being there. Moss is ten times the receiver Owens is and Terrell just couldn’t stand that. Anyway the world did not end, the season will go on as usual and Terrell will find new ways to get media attention.
The NFL Hall of Fame is a business, make no mistake and the voting process is questionable to say the least. The whole election process should be examined and updated to be more about the players and real contributors to pro football and not the sports “journalists” who write about it. But more about that at another time.
snicewanger@yahoo.com