Emerson1
12-31-2006, 11:57 PM
Did We Expect Anything Else?
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
December 29, 2006 5:21 PM
IRVING, Texas - Why are we surprised?
Isn't this what we wanted? This is what the Cowboys wanted. This is what the media wanted.
Terrell Owens is a story. He always has been, always will be and most importantly, always wants to be.
And guess what, the media wants it that way too.
That's why we sit in front of his locker room every Wednesday or Thursday, whatever day he decides to talk, and ask him dozens of questions about everything from his relationships with his teammates and coaches, to dropped passes, injured fingers and everything else we can think of.
That's why we ask Owens what he thinks about this, just hoping he might (and usually does) say something controversial so some media source can have another headline for the day.
Why, kicker Mike Vanderjagt gets released after Thanksgiving and no other player gets asked his opinion. But Owens is asked and he tells the truth. He questions the move and hopes it doesn't "come back to haunt us."
Well, that's no different than what any other player, coach or even the fans think. They just don't say it. Yet, Owens gets criticizes for speaking his mind. It's a total setup. The media plays the game and yet Owens falls for it every time.
Or is it the other way around?
Maybe Owens is the one playing the game, and knows the media will fall for everything he says.
Who knows, but there certainly are more games being played than the 16 that are on the schedule each weekend.
No one can say they weren't warned about this guy. The Cowboys, from the owner to the coaches and players, all knew what they were getting into. The fans knew what they were getting and even the media knew the baggage that comes along with this guy.
He's a great player, yes. He's a piece of work, yes. With all the good, you have to put up with the mess that surrounds him.
That's what we thought. That's what we've got.
Yes, I might be one of the biggest T.O. apologists around. I find myself defending Owens on a regular basis. And it's not just because I have a personal friendship with the guy at all. Other than shooting a few baskets with him the day before the Carolina game earlier this season, I haven't really said two words to him other than in the locker room for interviews.
But somehow, I'm just not buying this guy is that much of a problem.
Quick, name the two or three things you're worried about this team heading into the playoffs.
If you've been watching at all, you started out with defense - the secondary giving up big plays or the absence of the pass rush. Either way, the Cowboys are going downhill fast on that side of the ball.
That's the reason they haven't been winning games here lately. So what does T.O. have to do with that?
Sure, the offense hasn't been lights out for the entire month of December, and Owens is part of the problem. He's dropped some passes at key times, but he's made some clutch catches, too.
When I think of Owens' season this year, if anything, it's a wash.
Sure, he talks a lot. He's always got something going on with him outside of the actual game. Whether it was the hamstring injury in camp, or the stationary bike incident, or the accidental overdose, or the broken hand, the spitting incident with DeAngelo Hall, it's always something.
Something, but nothing huge. Nothing that has prevented him from playing. And to be honest, I wouldn't say any of those incidents have had major effects on his play, much less the rest of the team.
If anything, the broken hand and the latest torn tendon in his right ring finger, most definitely affects his ability to catch the ball.
But for some reason, nobody wants to hear about it. In fact, Owens doesn't really want to talk about it. He knows it's just an excuse no one wants to hear. And he's right, the fans and media; they don't want to give this guy the benefit of the doubt when it comes to playing with pain.
Actually, Owens said it best on Thursday.
"If it was anybody else gutting it out with the way my hand is, I'm guaranteeing you that they would be probably saying that he's a warrior, he's sucking it up for the team," Owens said. "But just because it's me, that's not going to be case. I understand that."
Think about it. No really, think about that.
True?
If Marvin Harrison was playing with a torn tendon in his finger, don't you think it would be some feel-good story on HBO's Inside the NFL or something like that? Doesn't even have to be Harrison, just anyone but Owens.
I admit, with all of his baggage, it's not easy sifting through some of the (insert your own noun if you'd like) stuff T.O. throws out there on a daily basis.
But if he's legitimately hurt, especially on the part of the body he needs the most to do his job, then it shouldn't just be disregarded so easily.
OK, how 'bout last week against the Eagles. Rookie receiver Miles Austin has a broken left hand, similar to what Owens had earlier this year. So Austin has the hand taped up and he's carrying the ball in his right arm, closest to the defense. Austin gets stripped and fumbles, and the Eagles recover.
Immediately, Austin gets a media pass:
"Well, his left hand is hurt so he has to carry the ball in his right hand and that's why he fumbled."
OK, so why doesn't Owens get that? And don't tell me because he gets paid $25 million. Money has nothing to do with injuries.
All I'm saying is, if the guy has a "jacked-up hand" as he calls it, then don't throw it out of the conversation. We all know if he decided to have the surgery, he'd be called a soft, selfish, can't-play-with-pain type of player who is simply stealing money from the Cowboys.
OK, so now that we've established some sort of injury, that leads us to the drops.
Sure, he drops more than the rest of the guys. He also catches more too. If you get more passes thrown your way, you're going to catch and drop more, right?
Michael Jordan missed more shots than most guys. Why do you think that is?
To me, I have a hard time criticizing a wide receiver who leads the NFL in touchdown catches. Isn't that the goal?
And I understand some of those touchdowns have come late in the game or turned out to be meaningless scores. The opportunities he's had to make game-changing plays haven't always gone his way.
There was the big drop pass against Washington that would've put the Cowboys up by two touchdowns. OK, and even though T.O. blamed the loss on himself, was that really the case? Did Owens lose the game, even though he scored a touchdown and caught seven passes for 76 yards? Seems like there was a missed field goal or something there at the end. But of course, Marc Colombo is a pretty nice guy. So let's just blame Owens.
He dropped a fourth-down pass against the Giants. Yeah, that was a big play. Of course, the Cowboys were still down 12 at the time, late in the third quarter. Owens also caught six for 96 yards and a touchdown in that game, one dominated by the Giants. But then, Owens took his share of blame for that one.
Ask yourself what you'd rather have - a guy who catches about 85 passes for 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns, or a guy that catches every one of the passes that goes his way, but yet ends up with about 40 for 500 yards and about three scores. Because you've got that, too. His name is Patrick Crayton.
If you look closely, you'll see that Owens is just too easy of a target to pass up. So everyone takes their shots.
Terence Newman says people to need to stop talking and immediately everyone from ESPN to Jason Witten assume he's referring to Owens. As it turned out, Newman apparently pulled T.O. aside and told him it wasn't him he was referring to after all.
But then again, when in doubt, just blame T.O.
Because if we can blame this whole thing on T.O., then all of you who called him a cancer and a locker-room divider can say those three words that most of us live to shout on a daily basis: "I was right."
Everyone wants to be right. They want to say, "Told you. Told you T.O. would tear this apart like he did the 49ers and Eagles."
Well, here we are with one game to play and the Cowboys on the verge of a 10-6 season and a trip to the playoffs. Know it hurts to hear, but Owens hasn't torn this team part. He hasn't torn anything at all.
Other than a tendon in his finger. But of course, no one seems to care about that.
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?editorialAuthor=2&id=D0865FC4-92F3-C95C-044E3D49A26E59EF
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
December 29, 2006 5:21 PM
IRVING, Texas - Why are we surprised?
Isn't this what we wanted? This is what the Cowboys wanted. This is what the media wanted.
Terrell Owens is a story. He always has been, always will be and most importantly, always wants to be.
And guess what, the media wants it that way too.
That's why we sit in front of his locker room every Wednesday or Thursday, whatever day he decides to talk, and ask him dozens of questions about everything from his relationships with his teammates and coaches, to dropped passes, injured fingers and everything else we can think of.
That's why we ask Owens what he thinks about this, just hoping he might (and usually does) say something controversial so some media source can have another headline for the day.
Why, kicker Mike Vanderjagt gets released after Thanksgiving and no other player gets asked his opinion. But Owens is asked and he tells the truth. He questions the move and hopes it doesn't "come back to haunt us."
Well, that's no different than what any other player, coach or even the fans think. They just don't say it. Yet, Owens gets criticizes for speaking his mind. It's a total setup. The media plays the game and yet Owens falls for it every time.
Or is it the other way around?
Maybe Owens is the one playing the game, and knows the media will fall for everything he says.
Who knows, but there certainly are more games being played than the 16 that are on the schedule each weekend.
No one can say they weren't warned about this guy. The Cowboys, from the owner to the coaches and players, all knew what they were getting into. The fans knew what they were getting and even the media knew the baggage that comes along with this guy.
He's a great player, yes. He's a piece of work, yes. With all the good, you have to put up with the mess that surrounds him.
That's what we thought. That's what we've got.
Yes, I might be one of the biggest T.O. apologists around. I find myself defending Owens on a regular basis. And it's not just because I have a personal friendship with the guy at all. Other than shooting a few baskets with him the day before the Carolina game earlier this season, I haven't really said two words to him other than in the locker room for interviews.
But somehow, I'm just not buying this guy is that much of a problem.
Quick, name the two or three things you're worried about this team heading into the playoffs.
If you've been watching at all, you started out with defense - the secondary giving up big plays or the absence of the pass rush. Either way, the Cowboys are going downhill fast on that side of the ball.
That's the reason they haven't been winning games here lately. So what does T.O. have to do with that?
Sure, the offense hasn't been lights out for the entire month of December, and Owens is part of the problem. He's dropped some passes at key times, but he's made some clutch catches, too.
When I think of Owens' season this year, if anything, it's a wash.
Sure, he talks a lot. He's always got something going on with him outside of the actual game. Whether it was the hamstring injury in camp, or the stationary bike incident, or the accidental overdose, or the broken hand, the spitting incident with DeAngelo Hall, it's always something.
Something, but nothing huge. Nothing that has prevented him from playing. And to be honest, I wouldn't say any of those incidents have had major effects on his play, much less the rest of the team.
If anything, the broken hand and the latest torn tendon in his right ring finger, most definitely affects his ability to catch the ball.
But for some reason, nobody wants to hear about it. In fact, Owens doesn't really want to talk about it. He knows it's just an excuse no one wants to hear. And he's right, the fans and media; they don't want to give this guy the benefit of the doubt when it comes to playing with pain.
Actually, Owens said it best on Thursday.
"If it was anybody else gutting it out with the way my hand is, I'm guaranteeing you that they would be probably saying that he's a warrior, he's sucking it up for the team," Owens said. "But just because it's me, that's not going to be case. I understand that."
Think about it. No really, think about that.
True?
If Marvin Harrison was playing with a torn tendon in his finger, don't you think it would be some feel-good story on HBO's Inside the NFL or something like that? Doesn't even have to be Harrison, just anyone but Owens.
I admit, with all of his baggage, it's not easy sifting through some of the (insert your own noun if you'd like) stuff T.O. throws out there on a daily basis.
But if he's legitimately hurt, especially on the part of the body he needs the most to do his job, then it shouldn't just be disregarded so easily.
OK, how 'bout last week against the Eagles. Rookie receiver Miles Austin has a broken left hand, similar to what Owens had earlier this year. So Austin has the hand taped up and he's carrying the ball in his right arm, closest to the defense. Austin gets stripped and fumbles, and the Eagles recover.
Immediately, Austin gets a media pass:
"Well, his left hand is hurt so he has to carry the ball in his right hand and that's why he fumbled."
OK, so why doesn't Owens get that? And don't tell me because he gets paid $25 million. Money has nothing to do with injuries.
All I'm saying is, if the guy has a "jacked-up hand" as he calls it, then don't throw it out of the conversation. We all know if he decided to have the surgery, he'd be called a soft, selfish, can't-play-with-pain type of player who is simply stealing money from the Cowboys.
OK, so now that we've established some sort of injury, that leads us to the drops.
Sure, he drops more than the rest of the guys. He also catches more too. If you get more passes thrown your way, you're going to catch and drop more, right?
Michael Jordan missed more shots than most guys. Why do you think that is?
To me, I have a hard time criticizing a wide receiver who leads the NFL in touchdown catches. Isn't that the goal?
And I understand some of those touchdowns have come late in the game or turned out to be meaningless scores. The opportunities he's had to make game-changing plays haven't always gone his way.
There was the big drop pass against Washington that would've put the Cowboys up by two touchdowns. OK, and even though T.O. blamed the loss on himself, was that really the case? Did Owens lose the game, even though he scored a touchdown and caught seven passes for 76 yards? Seems like there was a missed field goal or something there at the end. But of course, Marc Colombo is a pretty nice guy. So let's just blame Owens.
He dropped a fourth-down pass against the Giants. Yeah, that was a big play. Of course, the Cowboys were still down 12 at the time, late in the third quarter. Owens also caught six for 96 yards and a touchdown in that game, one dominated by the Giants. But then, Owens took his share of blame for that one.
Ask yourself what you'd rather have - a guy who catches about 85 passes for 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns, or a guy that catches every one of the passes that goes his way, but yet ends up with about 40 for 500 yards and about three scores. Because you've got that, too. His name is Patrick Crayton.
If you look closely, you'll see that Owens is just too easy of a target to pass up. So everyone takes their shots.
Terence Newman says people to need to stop talking and immediately everyone from ESPN to Jason Witten assume he's referring to Owens. As it turned out, Newman apparently pulled T.O. aside and told him it wasn't him he was referring to after all.
But then again, when in doubt, just blame T.O.
Because if we can blame this whole thing on T.O., then all of you who called him a cancer and a locker-room divider can say those three words that most of us live to shout on a daily basis: "I was right."
Everyone wants to be right. They want to say, "Told you. Told you T.O. would tear this apart like he did the 49ers and Eagles."
Well, here we are with one game to play and the Cowboys on the verge of a 10-6 season and a trip to the playoffs. Know it hurts to hear, but Owens hasn't torn this team part. He hasn't torn anything at all.
Other than a tendon in his finger. But of course, no one seems to care about that.
http://www.dallascowboys.com/news.cfm?editorialAuthor=2&id=D0865FC4-92F3-C95C-044E3D49A26E59EF