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Column: One fool like Owens shouldn’t spark foolish Hall of Fame rule

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Sez Me …

“I think this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part.”

Eric Statton, Delta rush chairman, “Animal House”

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And that somebody is the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The HOF is putting its foot down, “and that foot is me.”

The Hall may be doing a Jim Marshall, going in the wrong direction. It seems to be panicking when nothing close to panic is necessary.

We all know by now Terrell Owens, having a hissy fit over having to wait until his third try on the ballot, became the first living inductee to skip enshrinement ceremonies. It was stupid, but, knowing the subject’s history as a manure disturber, it shouldn’t have been unexpected.

Nevertheless, the humiliated Canton folks are thinking of adopting a T.O. Rule that would require candidates for enshrinement to commit this in writing prior to the selection committee’s final vote: If selected, they either will attend the ceremonies or be banned (or personally have their busts carved for display in their own dens and have their tailors whip up the gold jackets).

The rule should be overruled.

It not only would be foolish and totally needless, but it would be playing into T.O.’s hands, which were known to mishandle a ball or two (he dropped passes at more than twice the rate of the top eight receivers in NFL history).

The Hall opened for business in Canton in 1963 (with 17 charter inductees) and now 310 players have been enshrined. Owens is the only one capable of attending who chose not to show up.

That’s one, as in uno.

One fool shouldn’t bring about a new rule.

I can’t imagine T.O. has become a hero to some great players who may make it one day and boycott the ceremonies.

There can be no greater honor for a player, and idiots not known as T.O. will be there. Hell, it’s an honor being a voter, which I was.

True, the Hall does some things that drive me mad, such as its failure to include coaches in the “contributor” category, which serves owners and personnel men. Coaches are nothing if not contributors and shouldn’t be lumped in with players. Coaches aren’t even eligible in the “Seniors” category.

But I digress.

The way I see it, if T.O. doesn’t need the Hall, the Hall doesn’t need him. If the museum lasts another 10,000 years, I’d wager there won’t be another player to boycott its ceremonies. It’s what these people play for.

I can understand the Hall’s anger. Being what he is, I also can understand T.O.’s anger.

But there’s one enormous thing the Canton knee-jerkers must understand: Terrell Owens isn’t worth the bother. …

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sezme.godfather@gmail.com; Twitter: @sdutCanepa

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