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DEL.ICIO.UST.O. and his circus pay visit to Falcons
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Uh-oh. Here were the Falcons and the Ravens having a relatively sedate preseason game Saturday night at the Georgia Dome, and in the middle of it all, it got lively in a hurry. That’s because you had the most famous initials this side of A.I. sitting in Section 117, Row 5 and Seat 4.
What in the name of trying to get traded to the Falcons was T.O. doing here? “Just watching the game,” said Terrell Owens, with a little smile, before turning away from an AJC columnist to catch more of the (ahem) action.
If you had an opportunity to play for the Falcons, would you? “I just want to play football,” Owens said, with another little smile. So will you talk to anybody associated with the Falcons after the game about coming here? This time, Owens’ face turned serious before he said, “I know Coach Stewart [Falcons wide receivers coach George Stewart] who was my coach in San Francisco, and I know [Falcons linebacker] Ike Reese, who is a former teammate of mine, and I saw [Falcons safety] Ronnie Heard, and we played together in San Francisco, and I know Mark Anelli, who is playing tight end.”
Then Owens’ little smile returned, before he added, “I’m just here enjoying the football game.”
Uh-oh. I mean, surely T.O. was more than a spectator for this one, especially given the circus that he created during the past few days in Bethlehem, Pa., the training camp home of the Philadelphia Eagles. In case you haven’t heard, Owens became the ringmaster, the elephants and the clowns after he feuded with teammates and coaches before he was asked by Eagles officials to get lost until next Wednesday. If he can’t get his contract renegotiated (the one that he signed before last season with the Eagles without anybody sticking a knife to his throat), he wants to go elsewhere.
Like Atlanta, for instance.
Uh-oh. Owens lives in Lithonia, and although the Falcons snatched Roddy White in the first round of the NFL draft last spring, White still is a rookie with potential while the other guy lives in the Pro Bowl during most seasons. And remember: We’re talking about a league in which teams have a tendency to get amnesia if they think somebody has a dose of talent and the capacity to get your fingerprints on a Lombardi Trophy.
It’s just that this is the same T.O. who created that big top in San Francisco before Philadelphia. There was that Sharpie thing and that stomping on the star thing at Texas Stadium. Mostly, there were all of those blowup things with the 49ers, and the worst involved his screaming into the ear of offensive coordinator Greg Knapp on the San Francisco sidelines.
This is the same Greg Knapp who is the offensive coordinator for the Falcons these days. Not only that, the Falcons head coach is Jim Mora, the 49ers’ defensive coordinator during all of T.O’s San Francisco rants. No way they’d join Falcons general manager Rich McKay in bringing Owens to a locker room seeking chemistry.
Owens is anti-chemistry. We’re talking about a player who couldn’t care less that he joined the Eagles from San Francisco with much help from stellar quarterback Donovan McNabb. Ever since the Eagles stumbled last season in the Super Bowl to the New England Patriots (despite a glorious game from Owens recovering from a broken leg), he has whipped McNabb with his tongue.
That is, when Owens isn’t doing the same with coach Andy Reid, offensive coordinator Brad Childress or others wearing Eagles colors.
Supposedly, after Owens departed Bethlehem this week, he was heading for the Bahamas. Supposedly. Although Owens said he was at the Falcons-Ravens game, because, “I got some tickets from some friends,” you don’t just decide to come to a meaningless preseason game if you’ve got famous initials. In other words, it likely wasn’t a coincidence that Owens was positioned behind the Falcons bench. At one point, he shouted and waved toward Michael Vick, the guy that Owens wishes to throw passes his way instead of McNabb.
So what exactly did you say to Vick across the way? Owens swung his head around with another quick smile to say, “I’m just here to watch the game.”
Good. Let Owens watch. As for playing, let’s just hope that T.O. just G.O. â€â€? but not to the Falcons.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Terence Moore
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By Conrad
August 16, 2005 01:18 PM | Link to this
T.O., being from nearby Alexander City, AL, would certainly be considered “home grown” talent. Would playing near his new home (Lithonia), alongside the leagues biggest star (Vick) make him a little more humble? Would a new venue for his services change his ways? I think not. Last year, I became a T.O. supporter, and wished that the Falcons would have signed him instead of Philly; however, seeing his recent attitude, I must agree with you completely…Let T.O. just G.O. - but certainly not with the Falcons. If T.O. leaves Philly for a new team, and it doesn’t work out there either, the new team will be stuck with a salary cap hit, that will destroy any hopes of progression for several years. Worse yet, there is already bitter history between T.O. and Knapp. T.O. would look great in any uniform other than the Falcons.
By Jim Feely
August 20, 2005 09:14 AM | Link to this
T.O. is the least of the falcon’s problems. If last nights game is any indication of what the Falcon’s bring to this seasons schedule, they are in deep you know what. There was absolutley no defense against the pass, so there was no need for a running game by Tennessee. Atlanta’s offensive line was an absolute joke, including the first unit. Vick still can’t read defenses or see his receivers. take away his running ability and he isn’t even pro caliber. Hopefully, Mora is holding something back for the season opener, but what I have seen thus far is disgusting and boring to say the least.If Vick looked for Fwenneran, he’d look better himself.