The infection known as Terrell Owens threatens Half of Texas' Team.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram: POSTCARDS FROM THE LEDGE
Cowboys coach Bill Parcells has chosen his words very carefully when talking about Terrell Owens and his injured hamstring.
Bill Parcells almost had me feeling sorry for him last week. Almost.
You could virtually hear the plaintive whine in his voice when he said, "I'm trying not to get pinned down on anything here, because I might have to change my mind."
He was talking about t.o. (no capitals for this joker), of course. Who else?
This is what t.o. and Jerry Jones' obsession have wrought. A proud and future Hall of Fame NFL coach carefully watching every step he takes around the subject of the league's biggest headache.
We all know that Parcells has always had a policy that if players don't practice, they don't play. But t.o. is slowly but surely backing his coach into a no-win situation.
If Owens continues to play footsie with his tender hamstring and doesn't practice again before Jacksonville, yet tells Parcells and Jones he can play in the game, what does Big Bill do?
"I really need to see something on the field before I can play someone," Parcells has said on numerous occasions.
That makes sense, but it's about the only thing about this t.o. situation that does.
Does Parcells roll over and change a lifelong policy for t.o.? Does he allow him to play even though he hasn't practiced? And if he decides "no," does Jones step in and order his coach to play "the player?"
More important, is Parcells' pride more important than what's best for the team? And is playing t.o. what's best for the Cowboys, whether he practices or not?
Those are the questions Parcells is wrestling with, and time is running out. Owens could ease the pressure by getting his butt back on the field, but there's no telling when that may happen.
Still, I can't feel too sorry for Big Bill here, because he had to know what he was getting into when he signed off on Jones' signing of Terrell Owens. He can't plead ignorance on this one. He had to know the aggravation that was headed his way. He asked for this.
Still, watching t.o. gradually win this battle of wills has brought no joy. Just the opposite, in fact.
It's made me sick to my stomach.
But, wait! The 'Boys may have a way out:
If the Cowboys release Terrell Owens before the start of the season, they could save $5 million and possibly use that money to make a run at disgruntled Patriots receiver Deion Branch. -- Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Thanks to Sports Illustrated for spreading this rumor.)
That would be the coolest NFL thingee EVER. If T.O. isn't on the opening day roster, he can kiss that $5 million goodbye.
But it will not happen. Jerry "Scary Plastic Surgery Disaster" Jones is the owner and he chose to sign T.O. Mr. Jones does not seem to be the type of guy who readily admits mistakes.
Then again, there is this news of sports greatest soap opera from Canada.com:
IRVING, Texas -- Terrell Owens overslept. That's it.
He insists he wasn't late for work Friday to send a messages to his bosses, test his boundaries or anything else his critics might think. And, get this: He says it'll probably happen again, even if he was fined $9,500 US.
"I think everybody has overslept, you know, once or twice in their life," Owens said Monday, more amused than angry that a fuss is being made over something that's happened to him before, though not since he's joined the Cowboys.
"It's not a big deal," he said. "It was not something I purposely tried to do. It's something that I will try to make more of an effort, a better effort, to get here on time. Other than that, it's really not a big issue."
Jerry Jones agrees, pointing out that some of the most upstanding citizens in team history were fined for similar transgressions.
He also insisted it's a mistake to read more into Owens' tardiness, the fine and his lingering hamstring issue simply because of T.O.'s past.
"From my standpoint, it's all good," Jones said. "Apart from him not being on the field and getting repetitions, has it in any way affected relationships on this team, teammates on this team, relationships between me and Bill, me and the coaching staff, Terrell and Bill, Terrell and the coaching staff? Zero impact there."
Rats! It looks like Jones is giving T.O. a pass. We might have to hope for a Parcells explosion...
Due to boredom and hatred of the Cowboys, we now move to further action.
Jones and Parcells declined to comment specifically about the fine, saying it's an internal matter. Jones went so far as to say he'd fire whoever leaked the news, "I don't care who it is."
Jerry's looking for one of the little people he can fire.
Silly owner. That won't make his T.O. headache go away.
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