The inevitable happened just before midnight this morning when the news broke that the Cowboys were going to release the enigmatic Terrell Owens. While the release of T.O. will cut down on the some of the circus atmosphere that is Wednesday afternoon at Valley Ranch, everybody associated with the Cowboys (fans and local media included) should realize they still have major problems to fix that Owens had nothing to do with.
When it comes to production, there aren't many receivers who can sit at the same table with Owens. Say what you want about his creative end zone celebrations and emotional outbursts, the guy scores touchdowns. Even this past season when he endured the water pistol arm of Brad Johnson for three games and a turnover prone Tony Romo, Owens still managed to catch a 1,000 yards worth of passes and 10 TD's.
That said, it probably was time for a divorce between Owens and the Cowboys. However it should be interesting to see what happens when the other glaring issues this team has pop up and Owens isn't around for everybody to dog pile on anymore.
At last check, Terrell Owens has been a wide receiver every year of his Hall of Fame worthy career. He has not been a general manager/owner who thinks it's more important to have his team constantly in the spotlight that it is to make sure they have a head coach who every player respects.
At last check, Terrell Owens must depend on a quarterback to get him the ball when he's open. He is not the reason the team's wreckless quarterback throws weather balloons to Ed Reed right before halftime of a must win game and then shruggs it off as if nothing is wrong with air mailing passes down the field when the best defensive return man since Deion Sanders is laying in wait. He is not the same over philosophical quarterback thinks getting worked by the Philadelphia Eagles 44-6 in a defacto playoff game is ok. He is not the quarterback who continues to hold the ball too long. He is not the quarterback who decided to openly criticize the very offensive coordinator that helped to get him more than 30 million in guaranteed money the year before.
Terrell Owens wore #81 during his three year stint with the Cowboys. He did not line up at safety and miss tackles on obvious running downs that turn in to 70 yard touchdown runs for running backs who haven't run that far since they were in college. He is not the safety that tried to tackle a 260 pound running back around the shirt collar when the team is trying to get the ball back in the same must win game.
Terrell Owens is not the safety who came into the league like a man possessed and flamed out of Dallas because he lacked foot speed and the ability to effectively play in space. Terrell Owens is not the talented rookie cornerback who refused to tackle a Giants running back as he waltzed into the end zone.
Terrell Owens is not the head coach who fines players a measley $100 dollars for missing treatment sessions. Terrell Owens is not the newly acquired receiver from football's version of Siberia who doesn't run precise routes. Terrell Owens is not in charge of special teams units that allow game winning blocked punts and fake field goals for crucial 1st downs.
Before you think I'm siding with T.O., let me be clear that I do not agree with everything he did in Big D. Just like a pitcher in baseball, you don't mess with the quarterback's psyche the way he did when he was campaigning for the offense to run through him. You don't openly tell the media you were more concerned about your birthday party than you were about Bill Parcells' speech to the team about seezing the oppurtunity to win a Super Bowl.
Terrell Owens along with the rest of the Cowboys organization all share in the blame as to why a team that is widely regarded as one of the league's most talented didn't produce a playoff win in his three years wearing the star on his helmet. Howver, for the sake of Cowboy fans, I hope all of those voices that were in Jerry's ear realize there's a lot more cleaning up to do at Valley Ranch.
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This situation reminds me of a song called THE SNAKE. In the song a woman on her way to work sees a sick snake. She takes it home and restores it to health only to be bitten by the now recovered snake. She does not understand why the snake bit her after she so generously aided him. The snake replies, "shut up silly woman, you knew I was a snake when you brought me here." Everyone knew what T.O. was when Dallas acquired him. So don't cry over not having a playoff team. Anyone for PACMAN????
ReplyDeleteA workingman's STEELER fan.