12/18/24
March 05, 2009
Bye, bye, T.O.!: I guess it was going to come to this.
Man where is this guy going to play next year??? Oakland maybe?
posted by brainofdtrain at 03:19 AM on March 05, 2009
Maybe he'll go to pro wrestling.
posted by outonleave at 05:55 AM on March 05, 2009
Oh man, this one hurts! I'm no T.O. apologist but not only did Jerry Jones get rid of a future Hall of Famer, this is going to cost my 'Boys about $9 million dollars to release Owens. I loved the way T.O. always played but I have ALWAYS despised his me-first attitude. What is so wrong with a team mentality? What is so wrong with sharing the success for the betterment of the team? What ever happened with being humble and just going out and playing the game?
Oh, that's right! The self-entitlement came as soon as the million dollar contracts started popping up left and right like when a rookie is drafted #1 and the team that picked that player has now got to pay the price for selecting a player #1 and pay him more so than a guy that has actually already busted his hump and made Pro Bowls. Not saying that every rookie is like that but when a team pays a player that hasn't stepped one foot on the field more so than an established player, I personally think that it's a damn shame.
/climbs off my soapbox...
With T.O., here we have a player that has produced thru-out his career. IMO, a first ballot Hall of Famer but when it came to his attitude, that belongs in the Hall of Shame.
posted by BornIcon at 08:02 AM on March 05, 2009
By his own standards, Owens was better in Dallas than he was in Philly or San Francisco. Are the Cowboys really better without him, given the other options at wideout for Tony Romo? I'm not sure about this move.
posted by rcade at 08:29 AM on March 05, 2009
I am just amazed that Jerry Jones made a good move to help his team chemistry. Write the date down. What will he do to counter this move? Resign pac-man? Maybe Chris Henry? I hear Mike Vick is available.
posted by Debo270 at 08:51 AM on March 05, 2009
I assume they'll replace him with someone like Plaxico Burress.
posted by scully at 09:15 AM on March 05, 2009
The State Department, along with the Texas Correctional Commission, has asked T.O. to serve as the new commissioner of the Mexican Prison Football League.
His offices and headquarters will be at the Ciudad Jarez prison.
He is forming an all-wideout administrative team to help him run the league.
Drew Rosenhaus and Scott Boras will be his cartel liaison.
posted by beaverboard at 09:15 AM on March 05, 2009
I am just amazed that Jerry Jones made a good move to help his team chemistry.
This isn't the first time Jones tried to clean up the team's act. After the white house scandal -- where Irvin, Erik Williams and other players were caught renting a shared house for their various mistresses -- Jones passed on Randy Moss.
I figured that would be the last time in his ownership he ever used character as a factor in player selection.
posted by rcade at 09:22 AM on March 05, 2009
Any locker room and sideline is better without Terrell Owens, and while he's a great receiver, I think the equation reads:
NFLteam + TOskill + TOheadaches < NFLteam - TOskill - TOheadaches
He's just too much of a distraction, and there are plenty of receivers out there who can't add his talent, but don't cause negatives everywhere else.
And JJ? Get an editor for your blog.
posted by wfrazerjr at 09:23 AM on March 05, 2009
Jean-Jacque Taylor makes an interesting point (in the link justgary posted), but I'm not sure I agree with him 100%.
In Wade Phillips, the Cowboys still have a coach willing to take the blame for a lack of defensive consistency, an offense that turns the ball over far too often, the lack of a leadership presence in the locker room, the fact that your t-bone at Kirby's came out medium-well instead of medium-rare, and Bobby Carpenter not picking up after his dog when he walks him around the block.
That's not to say that Wade actually *does* anything about it, but he readily takes the fall.
To me, the aspect to watch will be Roy Williams. In Detroit, he got away with putting up gawdy numbers for a disappointing team and got branded as wasted talent. Now that he's got a big contract in a city with a press that is nothing short of rabid when it comes to football, that won't cut it any longer, and he didn't exactly come off as the cozy reporter-hugging type in the games he played in Dallas last year.
Add the fact that the Cowboys signed Jon Kitna as a backup QB (and he has thrown a ball or two to Williams in the past few years) and the ingredients are all present for a pretty tumultuous year. I'm not saying there will be a QB controversy going into Oxnard, but I do think Romo will get roasted if he continues the press conferences that are basically an apology and a shrug followed by a rushed exit to go watch his DVRed episodes of Mad Men.
posted by Ufez Jones at 09:30 AM on March 05, 2009
Attention Dan Snyder: Do NOT pick up the phone. (shamelessly stolen from owillis).
posted by trox at 10:13 AM on March 05, 2009
The State Department, along with the Texas Correctional Commission, has asked T.O. to serve as the new commissioner of the Mexican Prison Football League.
That just doesn't make any sense whatsoever. T.O. may be a lot of things but when has he ever been in trouble with the law? As a matter of fact, tell me when has he used profanity while speaking with the media? One thing about T.O. is that you could never call the man a liar. When the whole scenerio panned out in Philly with #5, no one really disputed what T.O. was saying about #5. He may well be be a headache but I haven't heard anyone call the man a liar or a criminal.
posted by BornIcon at 10:15 AM on March 05, 2009
Are the Cowboys really better without him, given the other options at wideout for Tony Romo? I'm not sure about this move.
I think so. Keeping TO, the Cowboys run the risk of TO influencing Williams and other guys. Last year, you had Witten and Romo on one side with TO on the other. That is what he did in Philly. TO had folks turning on McNabb, and McNabb had to defend himself. He is a locker room cancer, and it affects everyone. Perhaps the Cowboys can go after Boldin because he would be an upgrade at WR and in the locker room.
posted by bperk at 10:35 AM on March 05, 2009
You have to love the way that Jerry Jones keeps his team in the spotlight. Never a dull moment.
As a non-Cowboy fan living in Dallas, I don't think this makes the Boys a better team, so I'm all for it. Though I will miss the turmoil T.O. always seems to create.
Will be interesting to see where he ends up.
posted by dviking at 10:57 AM on March 05, 2009
McNabb is still there, but T.O. should end up in some outpost. Detroit, maybe?
P.S. to the Eagle brass: if you even THINK of taking back T.O., please jump in the Delaware with concrete shoes!
posted by jjzucal at 10:57 AM on March 05, 2009
I dont think TO will end up with a non-contender. HE is still a good player and someone that is losing (Detroit) will not risk putting him in the lockerroom where he can start throwing people under a bus in the first week. I can see him in Atlanta or maybe with Baltimore. He and and Ray Lewis are buddies.
posted by Debo270 at 11:06 AM on March 05, 2009
I was thinking San Diego or maybe a team with a new coach (like Seattle), but Baltimore would be fascinating.
By the by, the Cowboys have also released Safety Roy Williams.
posted by Ufez Jones at 11:23 AM on March 05, 2009
I was thinking San Diego or maybe a team with a new coach (like Seattle), but Baltimore would be fascinating.
I don't see how a new head coach would want to deal with TO. San Diego is possible, I suppose. He hasn't burnt bridges with anyone I can think of on that team.
Seattle and Baltimore are among the many teams with coaches that witnessed one of TO's rampages. The OC in Seattle was OC in SF when TO was there. The Baltimore head coach was in Philly for TO's disaster there.
posted by bperk at 12:45 PM on March 05, 2009
Kansas City. Give Cassell someone to throw to.
posted by dfleming at 03:02 PM on March 05, 2009
I am not surprised and I believe this will make them a better team. That's right, a BETTER team. Though he has the stats and the game to be as good as any receiver in the game, he is never going to live in harmony with the other teamates. Yeah, we all saw the tears and "That's my QB" speech, but truth be known, he had the receivers split, the OC constantly on the defensive, and he demanded the ball be thrown to him.
When Dallas and specifically Romo were at their best, they were that way because of Romo's ability to move around, escape the rush, and see the whole field. He was able to distribute the ball to a variety of playmakers. At that time, TO just happened to be having a great season. But, when the passes stopped going to Crayton, Witten, Miles Austin, and especially Marion out of the backfield, they became too predictable. I figure this will open up the offense again, allow them to control the running game with the massive line, and then get away from forcing the ball to a guy that is double covered. The cover-two schemes they used were in many points just to keep hiim from having the type of big game he thrived on, knowing he would eventually blow. ANd he did.
TO is about TO. He wants to have x amount of yards, x amount of touches, and x amount of TD's. If he truly cared about the team first, he would have stopped his whinning about not being involved in the offense. And, it worked because I saw many (too many to count) times when they forced it into a covered TO.
And by the way, didn't he drop an awful lot of passes?
posted by Mickster at 04:41 PM on March 05, 2009
If I am a Cowboy fan the only thing I am pissed off about is that Jones didn't give him the boot before Coles and Houshmanzada had settled in elsewhere.
posted by jbou at 06:16 PM on March 05, 2009
I wonder if TO's planned reality show had anything to do with the cut. Jerry doesn't really like competition for his mug on camera.
posted by graymatters at 06:37 PM on March 05, 2009
posted by BoKnows at 06:39 PM on March 05, 2009
Terrell should go play for Mike Singletary.
12 hours into the arrangement, Singletary would put him on his back, where he belongs.
Then Coach would do it again. As many time as he had to, until the sorry clown wideout shut his ass up.
The world is full of TO enablers. He should have gotten a whupping from a sane man a long time ago. And his poodle agent too.
Rinse and repeat.
posted by beaverboard at 06:49 PM on March 05, 2009
Cowboys are making the offense more Romo-friendly. Get rid of the wide receivers so he only has to throw to the tight end. And then let him hand it off the rest of the time to their three running backs. To those who claim TO was all the problem, remember that at the end of the season Romo was trying to force the ball to Witten whether he was open or not and whether he was looking for the ball or not. Results were incompletions and interceptions; losses; and no playoff. If Cowboys win, Romo gets all the credit. If they lose, he's looking for someone to blame. Despite all of TO's mouth problems, he did make some fantastic catches last year. If he could just play the game, shut up, and disappear until the next game, he would be one of the greatest receivers in the game.
posted by graymatters at 07:02 PM on March 05, 2009
You're dreaming, Beaverboard. Singletary was 5-4 as an interim coach and barely survived to coach again. The idea that he could give a "whupping" to any star player making T.O.-level money is far-fetched. Once a team signs a big-name free agent, they're as committed as the pig at breakfast.
posted by rcade at 07:10 PM on March 05, 2009
Give me the damn ba--, whoops! Note to my other squad in Toronto: while it may be tempting to have T.O. run loose on a 65-yard-wide field, please don't do it! That having been said, he'll be somewhere in the NFL, somewhere without a young quarterback (takes out Baltimore). If I have a young quarterback, I would not want him to turn my QB into a basket case!
posted by jjzucal at 07:25 PM on March 05, 2009
If the rumors about fighting with the offensive coordinator and losing Romo's support are true, he had to go, and it's a good move. I say that even though I kind of like the guy and love watching him play.
But now the pressure falls on the rest of the team, especially Romo. It's similar to Boston getting rid of Manny last year. The pressure was on to perform well (and one game from the world series wasn't bad). Now the Cowboys have that pressure.
posted by justgary at 07:28 PM on March 05, 2009
If T.O.s attitude was better, can you imagine the career numbers he would have probably been able to put up? As it is, he's got tremendous statistics. He has been on really good teams, and if they all didn't look to part ways with him like he's a disease, he'd be the receiver of all-time. Regardless of what he has done or does in the future, he's still wasted a great deal of potential with his personality issues.
posted by dyams at 07:52 PM on March 05, 2009
I can't fathom how great of a receiver he could have been if he only would have learned to shut the #%$@ up!!!! His talents were as good as any receiver I have ever seen, effort running down the field on a play for Felix Jones, and others to mention. But, when you have someone that believes they are allowed to say whatever they want, about whomever they want, there is a price to be paid.
See, this is the lesson. Everything in life has a pricetag. Certainly he could be a first ballot HOF, and rich and famous for the rest of his life. But, who in their right mind would put him in their clubhouse if Jerry "The Warden" Jones throws him out? I cannot see one team picking him up (though it will happen probably for a much smaller price). Yeah, got his 12 mil guarantee, but who will pay him again. He is 35, and he has more drops than TD's each year now.
What a waste of talent....
posted by Mickster at 11:41 PM on March 05, 2009
And by the way, didn't he drop an awful lot of passes? posted by Mickster at 04:41 PM on March 05
Terrell Owens had 10 dropped passes last season (4th highest in the NFL.) Braylon Edwards (Cleveland) led the league this category with 16 drops.
posted by Newbie Walker at 03:39 AM on March 06, 2009
T.O.'s statement on his Web site:
http://www.terrellowens.com/
Thanks to the Cowboys? After his antics, he should have said, "Thanks for putting up with me for three years."
posted by jjzucal at 04:04 AM on March 06, 2009
The Terrell Owens Social Network. That's genius.
posted by dfleming at 09:08 AM on March 06, 2009
The world is full of TO enablers.
Oh stop it! The world is full of realistic people that understand that although he may talk a whole lot and loudly, he can still perform on the field. I would rather have T.O. in my locker room than a room full of players that constantly get arrested for DWI's, drugs, domestic violence and/or gun possession. It's ok for someone like Plaxico Burress to shoot himself in the leg and the GM for the Giants Jerry Reese says that as long as Plax settles his legal situation, he'll be welcomed back on the team...? WTF?!!? And that's fine? Give me T.O. for my team any day.
Jerry Jones just made a bad move for releasing T.O.
posted by BornIcon at 10:18 AM on March 06, 2009
Give me T.O. for my team any day.
Jerry Jones just made a bad move for releasing T.O.
I have the exact opposite view. Someone like Burress is affecting only himself. TO's actions damage the entire team. He is divisive and is very good at destroying team chemistry. Obviously, he is a crappy team player, but he isn't a crappy human being.
As an aside, Burress is a bad choice as a representative of the players behaving badly club. His "crime" would be possibly a misdemeanor if he was playing in an area with less restrictive gun laws. Plax should go to the Dolphins or Redskins or something.
posted by bperk at 11:06 AM on March 06, 2009
Someone like Burress is affecting only himself.
And that's exactly where you're wrong. Plax's actions not only affected him being able to walk without a limp but also the team since he wasn't able to play for the rest of the season. Did you forget about that little piece of information?
Plax is exactly the type of player we should be speaking of. He may not talk as much as T.O. does but that doesn't make him a better player or person. Regardless where he plays, why in the world would you want to go somewhere where you feel that you have to be armed? If I felt that I had to carry a gun to go to a specific location, I just wouldn't go. When was the last time anyone heard of T.O. getting arrested for anything?
posted by BornIcon at 12:16 PM on March 06, 2009
Thanks, bperk. Given the choice, I'd rather have a player injure himself than injure others with his me-first attitude. Plax will return healthy, the psychological affects of T.O.'s attitude carry into a next season. That's why he had to go now. He's thrown so many teammates under the bus that he's become a psychological cancer wherever he's gone. The next team which takes a chance on T.O. should woo Freud out of his permanent retirement.
posted by jjzucal at 02:02 PM on March 06, 2009
He may not talk as much as T.O. does but that doesn't make him a better player or person.
On that subject, I don't think T.O. is a bad person. He's just a diva, which makes him a bad teammate.
posted by rcade at 02:54 PM on March 06, 2009
I would rather have T.O. in my locker room than a room full of players that constantly get arrested for DWI's, drugs, domestic violence and/or gun possession.
That's a comically low bar you've set there. But you're right, T.O. is not a criminal. That's tough to argue with.
posted by justgary at 04:15 PM on March 06, 2009
I would rather have T.O. in my locker room than a room full of players that constantly get arrested for DWI's, drugs, domestic violence and/or gun possession.
Or guys that cuss alot.
posted by tron7 at 07:08 PM on March 06, 2009
I just can't believe the Bills, of all teams, signed him. As a Buffalo-area person, I can tell you the city's teams just don't tend to go after the big-name stars that are on the market, whether it be in football or hockey. It's amazing, though, that when the news T.O. was signed by Buffalo was announced how the people around the city reacted. Like the majority of fans around the country, people who despised T.O. a day earlier are now pumped due to the realization he'll be playing for them next season. The key, in my mind, is that he took a one-year deal. It seems T.O.'s pattern is to be dominating the first season with a new team, as if to prove whoever let him go wrong, but then to lose his mind in the second or third year. In the AFC East, the Bills could use this to their advantage in a big way. Lee Evans seems to be a perfect number-two option, and with T.O. opposite him, he should have a chance to be more productive than he's been to this point in his career. And in Buffalo, of all places, T.O. looks fairly decent, character-wise, since the team is currently dealing with Marshawn Lynch's gun-drug (possibly) charges.
posted by dyams at 10:08 PM on March 07, 2009
T.O. won't be around to blame anymore