TMZSports.com
Terrell Owens wants the “ring culture” crowd to take a seat … telling TMZ Sports championships shouldn’t account for everything when it comes to respecting an athlete’s greatness.
We caught up with Owens on the heels of 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony announcing his retirement last week … and the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver told us although the Syracuse legend never won an NBA ring, he’s still an all-time great.
Of course, T.O. and Melo have something in common — both were among the best in their respective sports during their playing days … but were never able to reach the pinnacle before walking away for good.
With that being said … we asked T.O. about the folks trying to discredit ringless résumés … and he feels it should have zero impact when it comes to legacy.
“Not everybody gets to win a championship,” Owens said at LAX. “That’s not the defining thing. Obviously, as an athlete, you want to compete. You obviously want to win a championship, but sometimes that’s not in everybody’s cards.”
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T.O. defended Melo … saying his body of work in the pros playing most notably for the Nuggets and Knicks “speaks for itself” and warrants respect.
FYI — former NY Giants running back Tiki Barber was one of the biggest talking heads to compare Melo to T.O. given how their careers played out … saying, “Obviously one of the all-time greats. You’re not even questioning his skill. You don’t question T.O.’s skill. But, you do start to question the winning. Did he ultimately win?”
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Owens didn’t take the comment as a diss … and went on to say despite not winning championships, they’ll both have some bling that holds a lot of weight when it’s all said and done.
“He’s going to be a Hall of Famer,” Owens said confidently. “And for me, a lot of people are like, ‘Oh, well, you don’t have a ring.’ Well, essentially, he will have a ring. I do have a ring. I have a Hall of Fame ring, and not a lot of people can say that.”
