CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens delivered an emotional, 40-minute speech at his former college, the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, where he reiterated why he skipped this weekend's Hall of Fame ceremonies and acknowledged Jerry Rice, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant as athletic inspirations.
The 44-year-old Owens, elected to the Hall of Fame on his third attempt, again criticized what he labeled as a "flawed'' voting process.
"There's been a lot of speculation and false reports as to why I chose not to be there,'' Owens said of Canton. "I would like to set the record straight: It's not because how many times it took me to be voted to the Hall.