Terrell Owens - The one that didn't get tired in the Super Bowl aka T.O. THREAD OF SCANDAL (aka the one who won't be playing again this season!)

Blaming McNabb for losing last week when the defense nearly gives up 50 points and 600 yards is insane.

I hadn't heard about Irvin saying the Eagles would be undeafeated with Farve on QB. What a joke, did he see some of the interceptions that Farve threw against the Bengals last week? Irvin should understand T.O. pretty well, as he was about as full of shit when he played for the Cowboys.

The funny thing is that I think ESPN has played T.O. like a piano and got exactly what they wanted out of him for TV over the past few years. Someone in Fox's NFL management is probably scratching their head why they couldn't get Owens to spout off such lunacy in front of their cameras.

No longer any reason to cut T.O. some slack

By Stephen A. Smith, Inquirer Columnist
August 14, 2005

He had me until the sit-ups.

Before that spectacle at his home on Wednesday afternoon - and it can be described as nothing else - Terrell Owens had a case.

There was a $48,724,000 contract. There were legitimate concerns about whether the Eagles would honor it entirely. There was a system that appears far from player-friendly. And a birth certificate that mandates that he look out for his self-interest.

But after that fiasco at his home in Moorestown, which would give any circus a run for its money, Owens has become a caricature of himself. The situation has surpassed embarrassing. So much so that regardless of his case, its merits or any genuine passion behind it, his actions simply cannot be defended any longer.

A player can't be defended when he tells his offensive coordinator not to speak to him unless he's spoken to. No player can be defended when he continues to take one jab after another at a teammate who has said nothing about him, especially when that teammate happens to be Donovan McNabb, the star.

Such flagrant insubordination, disrespect and defiance can never be tolerated - even if Eagles coach Andy Reid told Owens to shut up, as Owens claimed Reid did.

Reid and the Eagles' organization would be absolute fools to tolerate any more of this nonsense.

And the rest of us would be fools to grant Owens the benefit of the doubt any longer.

Myself included.

While a city strapped itself to the Eagles' cause, spewing venom in Owens' direction because of his contract squabbles and the egregious manner in which he allowed his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, to handle things, I never saw much of a problem.

What I saw was Owens' 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns; the infusion of some personality that the Eagles desperately needed; and McNabb's 3,875-yard output, along with 31 TD passes, last season.

Owens has a seven-year deal. His talent screams that he's worth every penny of the $48.7 million and then some. And because a collective-bargaining agreement allows the Eagles to go to a player to cut his salary or waive any long-term obligations, I see no problem with a player's attempting to revisit his contractual situation if he performs up to par.

Particularly when the alternative is Greg Lewis and some no-name who may not even end up being better than Todd Pinkston.

But taking into account Owens' petulance and insubordination and then his pleas for sympathy - with Rosenhaus literally holding his hand - the situation is downright sickening, no longer capable of being stomached.

If Owens was so insulted, so frustrated by Reid's telling him to shut up, why didn't he just leave training camp, go away and vent his frustration, after getting the week off?

Why did he go home and entertain a media contingent he had spent a week ignoring?

Why did he shoot basketballs, lift weights, and do sit-ups in his yard to entertain the reporters?

Where was the frustration? The anger? The look that's on the faces of most people who have been "disrespected," as Owens has continuously claimed to have been over the last few weeks?

I didn't see that on Wednesday when he was talking to the media. I saw too much of it on Thursday while he was sitting side-by-side with Rosenhaus, getting interviewed by everyone but Barbara Walters.

Meanwhile, the one person displaying class in this whole ordeal ends up being the one person insulted by Owens the most.

"I still, to this day, see no reason for us to talk," McNabb said, responding to Owens' saying he had no desire to speak to the quarterback. "When we step on this field, it's all about business. We're professionals that line up and do the right thing."

The right thing for Owens still could have had everything to do with pursuing a new contract. He could have stayed unhappy, let it be known, maintained his rift with McNabb and a few others, and simply gone about his business.

Instead, he keeps going too far. He even claims now that he signed a secret waiver to play in the Super Bowl - a claim the Eagles categorically deny. He signs autographs for kids when the cameras are away after refusing for days to sign them when the cameras were rolling.

The situation has surpassed ridiculous purely because Owens appears to have no clue about how ridiculous he looks.

"I'm a good teammate," he said. "Just because I don't speak to a couple of guys doesn't mean anything. I have no desire to speak to [McNabb]."

Well, that's smart - a receiver has no desire to develop chemistry with the guy assigned to throw him the ball.

Brilliant! Now let's see if it gets him a new contract.

Sadly, we know it won't happen. At least not to Owens' liking.

It's time to dismiss this case.

Countdown to a Bill Simmons column calling T.O.-Eagles 2005 the most predictable meltdown in sports since the day Ron Artest snapped and that his only regret is that the fight wasn't televised so it could earn "Save Until I Delete" status on his TiVo and take its rightful place next to All-Time Predictable TV Meltdowns such as Superbowl XX and Kelly's recurring cocaine habit during the college years of 90210:

t-minus 3 days, 13 hours, 22 minutes

Owens and his agent are idiots and I am loving watching play the game and get burned. What is funny is that T.O. is now not making ANY money and he will probably have to take a pay cut to play for another club. There is no team in the NFL that will outlay a big chunk of change for this clown, no matter how good he is on the field.

What team will even take a chance? Owens has already spurned the big loud mouth team with a coach egotistical enough to think he could make it work in Baltimore. The Raiders have Moss and I don't see that happening, even though they are your ususal destiation for league misfits.

The only places I can figure is maybe Atlanta or for some reason Miami. The thing is can you imagine T.O. being happy playing with Gus Ferotte or having to share the stage with Vick?

my primary regret: not living w/n listening range of WIP any more -- it must be practically RADIOACTIVE wr2 comments about TO these days.

The Eagles should bench him as long as they can and cut him. Not just for the sanity of their own organization (can you imagine them giving in to his stupid demands at this point? What a personnel nightmare...we just gave a ton of money to a shitbag all of you hate, ha ha rest of team pwned), but for his own safety. I mean it's not exactly hard for the guys meant to block for him or help him out at all to start, oh, let's just say not always playing their 100% on the field due to lack of respect (that's pretty close approximation of the words that have come out of T.O.'s mouth on national television, right?).

Too bad Rushbo isn't on NFL Countdown - given TO's Favre comments, he could totally go on a "See? I was right!" jag for at least 2 minutes before TJ & Irvin string his strung-out ass up across one of the studio big screens.

Also: TO using "predicate" = he might've bought Tony Yayo's album = COME ON!!

Bonus: Westbrook gets more touches like he wanted!

i admit it, i was happy when T.O. signed with the eagles simply b/c of his talent. but this has gone too far. even if the eagles take a hit this season (and they will -- it's too late to regear their offense, and donovan's not been in good health), they should just get rid of him.

The outspoken star receiver was suspended for Sunday night's 17-10 loss at Washington, and will remain suspended for three more games. After that, the Eagles plan to deactivate Owens for the rest of the season.

``The league has been notified by the players' union that they will be grieving our right to take that action,'' Reid said, ``therefore there is nothing more that I can say at this point.''

Owens was suspended over the weekend following a tumultuous week in which he criticized the club, fought with a former teammate and took another verbal shot at quarterback Donovan McNabb.

``I do want it to be clear that this decision is a result of a large number of situations that accumulated over a long period of time,'' Reid said.

Owens ``had been warned repeatedly about the consequences of his actions,'' Reid said. ``We gave Terrell every opportunity to avoid this outcome.''

Owens was suspended Saturday, two days after he said the Eagles showed ``a lack of class'' for not publicly recognizing his 100th career touchdown catch in a game on Oct. 23. In the same interview with ESPN.com on Thursday, Owens said the Eagles would be better off with Green Bay's Brett Favre at quarterback.

Owens was involved in a fight last week with former Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas, who remains with the team as its ``ambassador.''

McNabb, who feuded with Owens throughout the summer and has been a constant target of his criticism, finally took a stand in the matter, saying the Eagles might be ``better off'' without Owens.

``Obviously it is tough losing a guy of his caliber, his ability, but I think we might be better off,'' McNabb said after throwing an interception that sealed the loss to Washington. ``I think what we did tonight, we showed that we played well together. I think we also showed that when given the opportunity, guys can make plays for us. We're 4-4. We're not 1-7. I think that's the way to look at it. For the guys in the locker room, we win together and we lose together.''

``T.O. instigated the fight,'' Plummer said, ``and he instigated the fight against Hugh Douglas. That's what people need to know. He is not the victim.''

However, Owens continued to throw verbal jabs at McNabb.

Best part of press conference was the peanut gallery question to Rosenhaus: "What have you done for Owens beside getting him kicked off the Eagles?" Even T.O. laughed.

and the WIP was every bit as radioactive as i expected (i heart howard eskin).

Reggie Jackson with the late 70's Yankees is the best example I can come up with. (they still won two World Series -- team chemistry? Bah!)

Rosenhaus seems insane, why would anyone hire him,is I guess my question, if this is a normal type of behavior from him.

"If the Eagles management declines to remedy its mistake, commissioner Tagliabue, you should intervene to overturn the team's decision, which dishonors this country's traditional respect for free speech and cheats fans of an opportunity to see arguably the best receiver in football.

"Let him play."

Nader signed the letter as founder of League of Fans, which he describes as a sports reform project.

"Fans have purchased tickets for Eagles' games, in Philadelphia and elsewhere, on the assumption that they will see one of the game's most exciting receivers, so long as he is healthy enough to play. The Eagles' action denies them this opportunity."

-- ESPN.com news services"

Jesus H, that's rich!

I have a feeling Minnesota's gonna clean house at the end of the '05 season.
-- Johnny Fever (sidewaysou...), November 7th, 2005. (johnny fever)

J-Fev is correct. Our new owner is furious. Really doubt we'd take a chance on TO, they've got major major local PR problems with the fans after the boat scandal, and he's got a stadium deal to get done....I think certain moves are going to be made in the off-season to make the team more palatable to the Joe Suburb voter dude....And, fuck, I mean our current team is clearly fucking worthless so it's probably not a bad thing....I think some players that finally get charged in the Boatsxe thing will probably get let go, esp. if there were actually hookers...

RANDY + TO at the Bad Boy Raiders would be the greatest soap opera on Earth!

I first read this as "certain movies are going to be made in the off-season."

I like PK's suggestion of Dallas. If TO can benefit from anything, it's an old-school coach like Parcells who isn't afraid to yell right back in his face. I'm of the firm belief that what he needs right now is a drill sergeant.

What have you heard? Because Dallas isn't exactly having the shittiest of seasons this year.

Keyshawn is an apt comparison, but he is a player that is nowhere near as good as his own hype. Johnson always believed him to be this "elite" player, but he never was much better than pretty good. I'll give him some props for having good hands and the size to be able to go across the field with anyone, but the guy in his whole career "dissapears" in the red zone and Keyshawn never could run as fast as his mouth.

Keyshawn was just as much an asshole as a team mate, remember he was all jealous of Wayne Chrebet and made a big stink about it in the press after he was traded to the Bucs. Chrebet paid Keyhshawn and the Bucs back too with a big game winning TD. During some bye week or something, KJ went on Fox wearing a Bradshaw vintage jersey and was trying to suck up and Bradshaw dissed him openly on the air. I thought it was pretty funny. I also thought it was funny when the Bucs said see you later.

Lets be honest, in the cutthroat world of the NFL with guys that may or may not have dealt and or used drugs, committed or lied about homicide, committed violence against members of the public at large or worse their own family, you have to be a REAL asshole for a team to send you home just for talking.

Eventually we learned that Owens' background was one of unbelievable sadness and deprivation. He lived with a strict, unloving grandmother who was an alcoholic and took him to visit bootleggers. His mother lived across town with his other siblings.

He was taunted for his awkwardness and dark skin. When he was a young teenager and developed a crush on a girl across the street, he was told abruptly by the girl's father to leave her alone. Why? Because she was his half-sister. The man he had lived across from all his life was the father he didn't know he had. He had few role models or order.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/13130025.htm

Young gave some interesting insight into exactly when the change came in TO, saying that it wasn't the catch in 98, but rather in 2000, after Young and other veterans left the organisation.

And I agree with him, that the saddest part in all of this is that this guy, who had Hall of Fame written all over him, right now cannot play football. Forget anything else: the fact that he's rendered himself inactive is just plain sad.

T.O. is a jerk, but he hasn't really done anything criminal.

What is kind of funny is that there are some people saying Irvine should be in the HOF and would not perhaps have any thoughts on voting for Ray Lewis, but T.O. is a plague on the game.

There are probably literally dozens upon dozens upon dozens of NFL players who have had as a tough a background that don't end up making themselves disgrace to the game.

The thing that T.O. didn't pick up from Deion about self promotion is that you can only go so far until it starts hurting the product. Neon Deion seemed to understand the limits he could go. Sanders also kept his contract options open, so he could play the open market for his services.

Being a Bengals follower, I have noticed that Chad Johnson has turned himself down a notch or so and being much more humble and down to earth in interviews. I think either he figured it out or someone pointed it out to him, that you can only flash that kind of stuff so long before people really get sick of it. You don't want to kill the golden goose.

oh come on, this is fucking dumb.

From what I've read in the local papers, he was already getting into fights with 300 lb. linemen when he was only in 1997 -- his second year!

maybe he's trying to return some bad juju on philly fans for cheering on that hit that almost paralyzed him.

To be expected. Can't allow a precedent where players get to ditch their contracts by acting a fool etc etc.

The next Rosenhaus press conference should be fun. I hope TO beats him up.

Rosenhaus is the Iago of sports agents.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Ag2FiEBMkisMIGVJ_8Yvi6dDubYF?slug=ap-eagles-owens-specter&prov=ap&type=lgns

I still think this one is weird. Does Specter realize that T.O. is still getting paid?

Until T.O. - who is now of course gone - name me one genuine big-play receiver the Eagles had after they traded Harold Jackson to the Rams as part of the disastrous Roman Gabriel deal in the spring of 1973?

Guess we'll have to wait another 30+ years for the next one.

Genuine big-play receivers? I think not.

Man, this is flat-out embarassing... even worse than the MNF where my Leos got blown out by the "good-version" Rams 35-0, 4 years ago (a game I attended, unfortunately.)

I was really rooting for McMahon to do well too.

but the game was fun because it allowed Madden to take-up space with the usual non-sequitor blathering. I particularly enjoyed the moon waxing/waning discussion.

I'd already checked out but this sounds classic. Did he use the telestrator?

Classic. They need to just let these guys have a football talk show and forget the game.

By the time Irving Fryar joined the Eagles, he had lost several steps.

Fred Barnett? Close, but not quite.

And Keith Jackson was a tight end.

A Shark Never Sleeps

"At this point I was raising my voice, waving my hands, pounding my fists together, being as loud and dynamic as I could be. This was my one chance to command his attention so that he would be overwhelmed by my energy and desire. I put on a show." (page 50, on his first job interview)

yeah i pretty much agree, but it actually makes me angry that such an amazing player and reasonable, generous guy has been consistently shit on by dudes who were supposed to have his back. and it kinda pisses me off to think that he maybe could've nipped the whole thing in the bud by just NOT being such a nice dude. i feel for him big time, but i can also see why it'd be hard for his teammates to respect him right now. it's like (get ready for a shitty movie analogy) in MASTER & COMMANDER, how the crew was planning to kill that one first mate who was too soft and indecisive. and then he tried to be friends w/them and it just made things worse. your heart goes out to a guy in a difficult situation, but you also understand that some things just need to be handled in a certain way.

or maybe i'm just talking out my ass lol!