The "TO" Situation
by Scott Pagel
BETHLEHEM, PA. – I remember my excitement back in February of this year. It was Super Bowl Sunday and my beloved Birds were back in the big game for the first time since 1980, when I was just 6-years-old. Back in 1980, another 6-year-old was growing up. He was living in Alabama and was probably watching that same game, dreaming of someday playing in it. Twenty-some years later, Terrell Owens’ dream came true.
But, it was a long road.
You all know the story: after battling a foot injury and defying the odds, Owens eventually played in this year’s Super Bowl and was a huge factor despite a heartbreaking loss. It’s because of this comeback Owens is a bitter man, and he wants to let everyone know his hard work didn’t come with a small price tag of JUST a few million dollars.
Cleary, Terrell Owens is not a happy camper this year in Bethlehem. It’s a far cry from a year ago when he yucked it up with fans and teammates and seemed to have a jolly ol’ time, despite the dog days of summer and two-a-day practices. This year, Owens has that look of a boxer just before round one: straight-faced, serious and all business – yet almost fake.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus promised T. O. would be a distraction at camp and Owens has lived up to the hype. And if you think about, his plan of attack for doing so is … well … simply brilliant. After months of wondering whether T. O. would show up for training camp, he announced to the world he’d be there - but he wouldn’t be happy about it. As a result, fans and media were foaming at the mouth, just waiting for Mount T. O. to erupt on a daily basis.
Who would he rip … management … his coach … the fans … the media … quarterback Donovan McNabb … or just anyone in his path? The possibilities were endless. But, much to the disappointment of everyone, it was nothing but silence - the good old silent treatment. That’s certainly not what we all expected. Kind of elementary school like, too. But as promised, T. O. is the distraction – by not saying a word.
I was at Eagles camp on Aug. 4 for an 8:45 a.m. start. As reporters and cameras waited for T. O. to come out of the Lehigh University fieldhouse, he played a little game and snuck out around the side of the building instead – alone - and leaving many hoping for a photo or comment empty-handed.
T. O. spent much of that morning practice alone, softly speaking a few words to some of the lesser-known players who are trying to make the team. While the first team took a break to catch their breath, often huddled in small groups, Owens would kneel down, take a drink, and then walk around the back of the group to the other end – alone. He never dogged it on the field though. Whether he caught or dropped a pass, fans cheered, jeered or booed, depending on their mood. When McNabb hit T. O. with a deep ball, battling cornerback Rod Hood before making a spectacular catch,
Owens got up, turned his back to Hood and slammed the ball in his direction. The crowd cheered. It wasn’t the old T. O. who might have took a few moments to admire his catch, or look to the sky to thank God, dance or even point to the fans and flash his smile. This was an angry T. O. He’s mad, and he wants his money. The longer this silent treatment goes on, the uglier the end result seems like it’s going to be. Teammates joke about it, saying that’s just the way T. O. is, he keeps to himself and he did the same last year.
There is definitely a sense of weirdness in the air at Lehigh this summer, though. Even McNabb goes out of his way to not say his name and called holdout Brian Westbrook the team’s ultimate weapon. McNabb can play the game too.
The players can say what they want – the situation is still a distraction.
We’ve all been involved in the silent treatment at one time or another and it’s always on your mind, no matter which end you’re on. You’re always keeping an eye out, wondering what he’ll do, or won’t do, next. Wondering if this is the day he speaks to you. Things got more interesting Thursday when Owens got hurt later in the morning. Then on Friday, number-two receiver Todd Pinkston was lost for the year with an Achilles injury.
Does this mean Owens has the Eagles right where he wants them? Probably not.
Joe Banner, Andy Reid and Eagles management are a stubborn bunch. As easy as it would seem to give T. O. some extra funds, the Birds are a team in complete control of their salary cap, for today, and years to come, and they don’t adapt well to change. The way Owens’ contract is structured, it’s obvious he was a two-year experiment. Owed a $5 million roster bonus next season if he’s on the team, I find it hard to believe the Eagles would invest that money into the soon-to-be 34-year-old player.
The levelheaded person in me says to let T. O. sit out, let him be a baby and let him stomp around the field all he wants. He signed a contract, so now go honor it. But the Eagle fan in me knows that won’t make for a productive team, let alone a return trip to the Super Bowl. There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight, and with Pinkston lost for the season, the karma surrounding this squad gives me a very bad feeling. There’s gotta be a way for everyone to save face in this situation, but it’s not for me to come up with.
Who knows what’s next. But when Owens scores on Monday night in Atlanta and calmly hands the ball to the referee, I’ll have seen enough.
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