11/05/24
August 15, 2005
Eagles inform Owens in writing of behavior issues: The Eagles are playing hard ball with T.O.
That is what the agent is for. By the way, it was just said that the Steelers and Hines Ward may have a contract in place by the end of the week. Hines will be at the game tonight in a good faith showing to the team and the Steelers. A real class act.
posted by dbt302 at 03:11 PM on August 15, 2005
Owens isn't stupid. Not by a long stretch. He's just narcissistic in the extreme. And yes, Hines Ward feels he's made his point about the contract, and he had no intention of leveraging himself out of Pittsburgh at all. That's what makes Ward a likeable person and Owens, well, not. I love the last sentence in that article: Reid has said he would only allow Owens back on the field if he sees a marked change in his behavior and attitude. Ha! I agree with Michael Irvin on (only!) this point: Owens isn't going to change his attitude for nobody. I think I'll put a fiver down on "Owens sits out the year, the Eagles void his contract, and he signs a one-year contract for about the same money he'd have made in Philly, somewhere else."
posted by chicobangs at 03:21 PM on August 15, 2005
I feel bad for all the eagles fans for having to deal with a child like T.O. I didn't think athletes were paid to run their mouth.
posted by tina at 03:57 PM on August 15, 2005
Funny thing is this means nothing to T.O. because in his eyes he did nothing wrong . With his attitude he will most likely use the note as toilet paper (or have his agent do it for him ) and send it back to the Eagles . The Eagles should do the same with his contract .
posted by evil empire at 03:57 PM on August 15, 2005
Their is nothing sadder than a good player who only has HIS agenda on his mind and not the team, fans, and everyone else involved. That is just talent gone to sh*t.
posted by tina at 04:50 PM on August 15, 2005
(lays a ten-spot down alongside chicobangs' fiver, nods silently)
posted by alumshubby at 07:20 PM on August 15, 2005
Their is nothing sadder than a good player who only has HIS agenda on his mind and not the team, fans, and everyone else involved. That is just talent gone to sh*t. That's all I have on my mind when I go to work in the morning. I'm a good, productive employee and taxpayer, but I don't care about the company, the boss, the customers, or my co-workers. I only care about my agenda and accomplishing it. I go to work and put up with crap because I enjoy eating. The second that changes, I am such a ghost. What is talent but a means to a personal end? Why should I hold TO to a different standard? Does that mean I'm a narcisist?
posted by loquax at 07:47 PM on August 15, 2005
The Eagles hold the winning hand here . There's no need to void his contract , if he doesn't play he won't get paid and will be fined . They own his ass for years to come , so if he wants to play it will be with the Eagles . Face it TO , you have no leverage here .
posted by evil empire at 07:47 PM on August 15, 2005
I think its a little different, a football team needs to communicate, its part of his job. Lets look at the word team, its supposed to mean unity, he obviously doesn't understand that concept. I know where you are coming from though, but working a 9-5 job is nothing like playing in the NFL, to me he has no excuses. You do because I am in the same position as you and I understand, but not him.
posted by tina at 09:49 PM on August 15, 2005
I hope they suspend him!
posted by daddisamm at 12:32 AM on August 16, 2005
"Terrell only asks what every other worker in America asks for, respect and dignity." Oh yeah, and a multi-million-dollar raise.
posted by fabulon7 at 07:29 AM on August 16, 2005
And in other news Hines Ward makes a good faith effort and will report to camp while continuing to negotiate for a new contract. Saying he wants to retire as a Steelers and doesn't think he would look right in any other uniform. Interesting difference I noticed in these two cases: Hines has been talking on the telephone with many of his teammates and coaches including Jerome Bettis, Antwaan Randel El and Bill Cower over the last few weeks. This has been credited with keeping the spirits of the team up. In Philly they have to write a letter to TO. I assume his report card came back unsigned by his mommy. Go Steelers!
posted by scully at 08:07 AM on August 16, 2005
All this talk about TO is getting old. And as usual, the sports media can’t seem to disengage from its feeding frenzy. Last night I turned on ESPN hoping to see a football game between the Steelers and Eagles and all I got was incessant blather from the 3 talking heads about TO this and TO that with a little HJ Heinz thrown in. Oh, they did deviate from that at times to pass on mega boring trivia crap stories about Donovan McNabb’s third cousin’s uncle’s playing time at South Eastern North Dakota. (I made that last part up.) Suzy Q also contributed by sticking her mike under the nose of almost every player on either sideline even though they couldn’t speak in complete sentences. When will they learn that some of us actually want to watch the game?
posted by tommysands at 08:34 AM on August 16, 2005
you sign a contract, be a man and honor it. quit being a cry baby. i will just take the interest on the money you make.
posted by hullie16 at 09:57 AM on August 16, 2005
As the Red Sox proved last year, it doesn't take a happy home to produce a championship. Two key players, Manny and Pedro, were wanting to get out of Dodge as soon as possible. A third, Schilling, can do the preening thing as well as anyone. The main part of teamwork, harmony and all of that b.s. is doing your job well, not sending bouquets from FTD. Jordan punches Kerr. The Bronx Zoo. Shaq-Kobe. Keyshawn-Sapp. Even the Pats were at odds with their coach for cutting Lawyer Malloy before the season in which they won their second SB title. Teams that know how to deal with the different squabbles along the way will win games. (In some of those cases, the team imploded immediately the title.) If you're not able to get past that for six months, you're probably not championship material. I just think teams (and their public) are conditioned to tolerate certain behaviors than others. It's funny that there's a ho-hum response to the parade of NFL arrests in August, because teams know how to get out of those binds. But people get a major case of incontinence when it comes to a motor-mouth who's about as harmless as your average office gossip.
posted by jackhererra at 01:14 PM on August 16, 2005
The NFL is unique. Players can be cut at virtually any time, and the threat of injury is always looming. Players need to get paid. I'll never fault a guy for wanting to get paid more. That said... This jerk already got his long term deal. Furthermore, he lacks the bargaining power to get what he wants. He has a bad attitude, and is a poison to a franchise. There are times were you push for more money, and there are times when you stfu and play. Personally, if I were an NFL owner I would never keep him on my roster. The Eagles should trade him and not look back.
posted by chmurray at 01:41 PM on August 16, 2005
Even the Pats were at odds with their coach for cutting Lawyer Malloy before the season in which they won their second SB title. According to Michael Holley's book on the Pats, this is an incorrect perception based solely on Tom Jackson's comments, which he later admitted he'd based on assumption. Not that I disagree with your larger point.
posted by yerfatma at 02:55 PM on August 16, 2005
Thanks for the correction.
posted by jackhererra at 05:10 PM on August 16, 2005
loquax: Do you renege on contracts you've signed, or go out of your way to piss off your boss and embarrass your employer in front of their clients in order to make a point? If so, then perhaps you have a problem.
posted by rodgerd at 12:30 AM on August 17, 2005
It's nice to hear most of the other Eagles are now getting pissed at Owens for creating a rift in team chemistry .
posted by evil empire at 08:22 AM on August 17, 2005
anyone wanna bet the eagles cave and give the crybaby what he wants?
posted by hullie16 at 10:18 AM on August 17, 2005
Naw, he maxed out all that he could possibly do, they have the upperhand. If they do then they are idiots.
posted by tina at 11:52 AM on August 17, 2005
Owens can read?