One of the most vocal opponents of Terrell Owens' Hall of Fame candidacy has a new retroactive basis for opposing Owens' induction.
Gary Myers, formerly of the New York Daily News, was at the front end of the bashing of Owens that occurred when voters snubbed him twice for enshrinement. In the aftermath of Owens' decision Thursday not to show up for the Hall of Fame ceremony, Myers has a new basis for trying to keep Owens out.
"Terrell Owens informed Pro Football HOF he's not attending induction ceremony," Myers said in a Thursday tweet that has since been deleted. "Unprecedented. Classy guy. If I knew he would not show up, I would have voted for somebody who would have. T.O was not happy it took until third year to get in. Don't know reason he's not showing up."
It wasn't just that it took Owens three tries to get in. Plenty of guys need three tries to get in, including Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin. But when Irvin didn't make it on his first or second try, none of the voters felt compelled to say anything other than only five modern-era candidates get in each year, which means that many eventual Hall of Famers will have to wait.
And they could have said other things. After all, Irvin stabbed a teammate in the neck with scissors. But it's Owens, not Irvin, who has the "bad teammate" label routinely applied to him.
"The bottom line on T.O. is he was so disruptive," Myers said after Owens was overlooked the first time, in early 2016. "[H]e tore teams apart. He's a Hall of Fame player that five teams couldn't wait to get rid of. So what does that tell you about how disruptive he was?"
Victim of kidnapping?
Lenny Dykstra says an Uber driver kidnapped him last month in New Jersey in an incident that led to criminal charges against the former baseball star.
Dykstra said Friday in New York that the driver threatened him after Dykstra asked to change the trip's destination.
Linden police charged Dykstra with making terroristic threats and drug offenses. Police found cocaine, marijuana and other drugs among Dykstra's belongings.
Police said the Uber driver told them Dykstra held a gun to his head. No weapon was found.
Dykstra claims he called police from the car. The driver said he called police shortly before stopping and running out of the car.
Dykstra played 12 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets. He has served prison time for crimes including bankruptcy fraud and money laundering.
Stricklen delivers
Shekinna Stricklen had a four-point play at the buzzer to give the Connecticut Sun an 88-86 victory over the New York Liberty on Thursday night.
Stricklen caught the ball on the wing off a pass from Jasmine Thomas, hit the shot and was fouled as time expired. After a brief review by the officials, the basket was ruled good. Stricklen shot the free throw with no time on the clock.
Stricklen, 27, played high school basketball at Morrilton High School before playing collegiately at Tennessee, where she averaged 13.5 points in her four seasons with the Lady Vols. She was the second overall pick of the 2012 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm.
Sports on 06/09/2018