"This is it. This is it. This is it," Robert Brazile said excitedly as he walked quickly to answer the knock on his hotel-room door in Minneapolis on Saturday.

And it was: David Baker, the executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, had arrived to tell the former Vigor High School standout that he'd been elected to the football shrine as a member of its Class of 2018.

More than 33 years since the final football game of his 10-year NFL career with the Houston Oilers, Brazile is headed toward enshrinement. The induction ceremony for the eight-member Class of 2018 will be held on Aug. 4 in Canton, Ohio.

"This is the ultimate dream come true for Robert Brazile," Brazile said later. "I've always loved this game of football. You know what football just told me tonight when I got that knock on the door? I love you back.

"I can't believe it. Words can't describe what I'm feeling right now. I wanted this so bad. To be able to share this honor with my family and friends is unbelievable.

"This means so much to me. I'm so happy because my parents will be able to share this experience with me."

Most of the finalists waited in rooms at the downtown Hilton Hotel in Minneapolis to see if they would get the knock from Baker after the 48-member Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee debated their merits and voted on their candidacies on Saturday.

Owens, who prepped at Benjamin Russell High School in Alexander City, was not among those waiting, though. After reaching finalist status in each of the previous two years and waiting in vain, Owens did not take part in the process on the eve of the Super Bowl.

Before he was chosen for the Class of 2018, Owens told The Associated Press he would be in Los Angeles playing basketball.

"I'm just over it, to be honest," Owens said. "I have given my honest take on what it is supposed to mean, the bylaws, the criteria. They have brought up character issues, and my thing is: Where do you draw the line as far as character issues? Just because I was outspoken or someone didn't like me made me a character problem when you see guys in the hall with major character issues in terms of crimes. But when it comes to me, it has extended beyond that."

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.