Time to chime in on the T.O. saga, now that it is over. It's true that I'm a die-hard Eagles fan. I've followed them since I was 5 years old (my first year in Philly) and I'll cheer for them until the day I die. There have been many moments in my time as an Philly fan that have endeared me to a city that few find lovable: Cunningham's comeback against the Skins in '89, The Body-Bag game on MNF, 4th & 1 against the 'Boys, 4th & 26 in the playoffs against Favre, Gang Green in '91 (best defense of all-time, if you ask me) and T.O.'s comeback from injury to play in the 2005 Super Bowl.
Terrell Owens was told he was done for the season, rehabbed like crazy, came back and won the hearts of every Philadelphia Eagles fan on the planet. If you know anything about Philadelphia sports, you know that this is a nearly impossible task. But he did it. Even though the Eagles lost the big game, T.O. had established himself as a fighter, and Philly loves a fighter. Risking his career for the sake of the team, T.O. had put himself in a league of his own.
And then the off-season began...
Never in the history of sports have I seen a fall from grace quite like this one. Owens went from city hero to a complete outcast in the matter of 9 short months. We all know how it happened, T.O. wanted more money, threatened to hold out, was disruptive during camp, suspended during camp, rocked the boat in a cohesive locker room, questioned his coaches, repeatedly insulted his QB, called the Eagles 'classless' and got in a fight with Hugh Douglas (team abassador!!!).
Nevermind that T.O. had signed a contract and now wanted a new one (what, 8 million a year isn't enough?). Nevermind that T.O.'s situation may have led to other holdouts (Simon, Westbrook). Nevermind that T.O. fired his previoius friend/agent and hired Drew Rosenhaus, the scum of the sports agent world and the inspiration for the villain, Bob Sugar, in the movie, "Jerry Maguire". Nevermind all that.
What matters is that we understand one thing. Terrell Owens cares about
himself and no one else. His absolute selfishness has led him to a string of terrible choices, ones that have, essentially, doomed his career. T.O. is now a side show, the village idiot, an example of how NOT to handle yourself. People want to blame this on Drew Rosenhaus, and while he certainly didn't help the situation, those same people are quick to forget that T.O. was just as big a problem in San Fran. Just ask Jeff Garcia and Steve Mariucci if they're able to get out from under the bus T.O. threw them under.
Football is the ultimate team sport, and in football, there is only so much room for selfish, me first, show me the money type childishness. With T.O., it wasn't about the wins in San Fran and it wasn't about the money in Philly. With T.O., it's about him. If you're winning, but he's not getting the ball, T.O.'s upset. If you're losing and he is getting the ball, he's A-OK. If he's not getting more money, regardless of his contract, he's upset. If T.O. doesn't get public recognition for being able to walk and chew gum at the same time, he's upset. T.O. does everything to satisfy his narcissistic insecurities. It is this public realization that has been his undoing. Lots of players want more money, lots of players have issues with management. T.O. is clearly a different breed and while I pity him and realize that T.O. may need professional help, I can only hope that his example is one that young players and coaches will learn from. In the end, T.O. didn't just hurt the Eagles. He hurt himself. He'll be watching football on his couch for the rest of the year and after that, no team will ever sign him to another long term deal. The Eagles gave him his last shot at that... it's one year contracts from now on.
He is now an outcast from Philly, and from most NFL cities. As an NFL observer, I want him gone. The Eagles want him gone and most teams in the league wouldn't touch him for all the gold in Fort Knox. His greed and disruptive ways are too much for most teams to deal with, especially in the long term. But as an Eagles fan, I think it goes beyond that.
The biggest reason the Philly fans are hurt is not that T.O. was money hungry or troublesome, but that we all realize that we were duped. We now realize that the act of coming back to play in the Super Bowl wasn't a heroic move, but a calculated risk. It wasn't a team driven decision, it was a contract driven one. T.O. wanted more money, and he fooled us into thinking he just wanted to win. As a proud Eagles fan, I was ever more endeared to my city and my team by the Owens comeback. After this year, I and the rest of the football world now realize it was a sham.
Too bad, T.O. You've had your chance.
