T.O. stands for Time Out

Before the Terrell Owens bashing begins, let’s take a look at what he has done throughout his 10 year presence in the NFL.

Owens has over 10,000 career receiving yards, 700 receptions, 100 touchdowns, and averages over 14 yards per catch. Owens has the record for most pass receptions in a game. He played along side Jerry Rice, who is highly regarded as the best wide receiver to ever play the game, in San Francisco while Owens was still growing as a receiver.

Owens has shown grit, composure, persistence on the field, especially in the 2004 season when Owens broke his leg during the regular season. Everyone believed he would not be able to come back and play during the Eagles post season. The Eagles got to the Super Bowl, with Owens miraculously coming off a broken leg to put up 9 receptions for 122 yards.

How can a player who has the potential and signs to be the greatest, self-destruct?By being a me-player.

A me-player is the selfish, egotistical, self-absorbed players who plague a team, causing any chemistry between players to collapse. In a me-player’s mind, he feels he is too good for the team, and wants the ball to show how good he feels he really is. We have seen players like this in the NFL and in other professional sports as well.

So why are the Philadelphia Eagles putting a stop to Terrell Owens and his antics? The Eagles believe in team chemistry more than the names on the back of the jersey.When a me-player attacks the team by questioning the Quarterback and the front office, it is time to wonder who in fact is running the team. When a me-player complains that the team could win with a quarterback who plays worse than the me-player’s quarterback, who is controlling their players?

Especially when a me-player upsets teammates, to a point where they are fighting in the locker room, accusing the me-player of “faking injuries,” the front office executives need to realize that the team is turning into a circus, rather than the four-time NFC championship contender it has been in the past.

The Philadelphia Eagles realized that a me-player, no matter how good statistically the player may seem, cannot help the team win. The Eagles grasped the fact that a me-player causes self-destruction.

Now we are seeing the aftermath of a me-player, and it is showing on the faces of the coaching staff, players and fans.

Terrell Owens has been suspended and will not play in an Eagle’s uniform this year, possibly ever. Players are now split on if they want Owens to play with them or not, even though the fans have been tossing their Owens’ jerseys in a mock coffin before every Eagles’ home game.

There is disillusionment, there is anguish, and there are too many distractions in Philadelphia to be a Super Bowl contender this year.

All of this because Owens wanted a contract extension and more money. He felt he was underpaid, and his production speaks for his “needs.”

Yes, there were players at his position making more money than he was. Yes, his injury could have had some implication to whether or not the Eagles wanted to risk forking out more money on a veteran. But Owens sliced and diced his way out of Philly, and now his craving for a huge contract will more than likely be unsuccessful.

The T.O. show is likely to be a year-by-year event now. Many teams are unwilling to give Owens a long-term deal because he will be in his eleventh year at the starting of the 2006 season. He will likely be skipping from team to team, unless an organization would want to risk the off-field shenanigans. An organization that has had me-players throughout its franchise history. An organization like the Dallas Cowboys.

It is outrageous to ponder the thought of T.O. in Dallas. We all remember the 49ers-Dallas game where Owens ran out to mid-field and showboated idiotically on the Cowboys’ mid-field star, in front of a livid Dallas audience.

It was this kind of nonsense that has publicized Terrell Owens’ career. The kind many teams don’t want to deal with. But Dallas has seen many problematic players come in and out of the locker room, some such as Michael Irvin, that have helped bring Dallas Super Bowl wins.

Could Terrell Owens end up in Dallas? For the moment, many analysts are predicting such a sight. Even Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is not counting out the possibility.

“He’s an outstanding addition to an offense,” said Jones. “In general, I am a risk-taker. We’ve gone down that road. We’ve had some situations that worked and some that didn’t.”