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TO is deja vu all over again

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  • TO is deja vu all over again

    from usa today:

    Not only does Terrell Owens have a history of fractured relationships with his quarterbacks, but the new Dallas Cowboys star has a thing for grand entrances.

    So Owens was indeed the last player on the field Saturday morning for his debut training camp practice, met by a buzz provided from an estimated crowd of 5,500 that was the largest ever for a Cowboys practice at the makeshift facility behind a hotel.

    "Go back and check in Philly," Owens said. "I'm always the last one out of the locker room."

    He provided the biggest highlight of the session with a deep touchdown reception that demonstrated he still possesses his big-play ability, then accented the moment with a T.O. curtain call: He celebrated with a spike and audience-participation orchestration that had him waving his arms to fuel frenzy from the boisterous crowd.

    Using his size and speed, he ran past cornerback Aaron Glenn, snatched a long pass and raced into the end zone, throwing the ball down in celebration.

    A chant of "T.O." started immediately and grew louder at the urging of another newcomer, kicker Mike Vanderjagt. Then Owens made his way back to midfield waving his arms to keep the cheer going.

    If there was still any doubt whether Cowboys fans would embrace Owens, it ended right there. As long as he catches passes and scores touchdowns, they'll love him as much as anyone who has ever worn a star on his helmet — regardless of what he once did to the star logo on their home field.

    "They're excited for me to be here and I'm equally excited for me to be here," Owens said. "I got it every day in Philadelphia, fans chanting my name each and every day, so I expect that."

    Owens certainly didn't disappoint the rabid fans who wanted a first glimpse at the controversial receiver who joined the Cowboys with a three-year, $25 million free agent contract last spring after he was dumped by the Philadelphia Eagles.

    "I felt like the offense was a little sluggish," explained Owens, relaxed and grinning. "We didn't get a lot of things accomplished that we wanted to. The tempo was a little down, so I'm trying to get the guys fired up a little bit."

    Some wonder if Owens' tendency to emote will become an issue on a team coached by the sometimes combustible Bill Parcells, whose reputation includes no-nonsense gruff. Parcells, though, issued no bulletins when asked about Owens' opening act.

    "You think that's important?" Parcells said. "I got a little more to worry about than that."

    Given Owens' tenure with the Eagles, which included being sent home from training camp for insubordination and subsequently a suspension and deactivation for the final nine games, scrutiny attached to the all-pro receiver's fresh start is unyielding.

    "I'm just going by what I see," Parcells said. "He's here; he's a player. We're going to treat him with respect and see what happens. Coach him, correct him, try to put him in position to make plays. Make him part of the team, part of the offense. ... If it works, it works. If it doesn't work, it doesn't."

    Owens insists past issues are in the rearview mirror. After his stormy chapter with the San Francisco 49ers ended with a trade to Philadelphia in 2004, he became disgruntled over his contract and feuded with quarterback Donovan McNabb.

    "I'm good," Owens said in comparing his state of mind to what it was at the start of camp last year. "There were a lot of things I've gotten off my chest. I don't have to sit around the room and think about those things, be burdened with them. I'm stress-free at this point."

    Still, if there's any player in the NFL whose presence might be likened to watching a ticking time bomb, it is Owens. Before he clashed with McNabb, he had differences with former 49ers quarterback Jeff Garcia.

    Now Owens' relationship with Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe is under watch. Bledsoe says he isn't concerned, that working with Owens so far, including offseason time, has "been outstanding."

    "If you're honest with somebody and they know what to expect coming in, then the problems don't come up," Bledsoe said. "T.O. is a lightning rod, but I've dealt with a lot of receivers who are volatile guys. That's kind of just the nature of the position."

    "He's so physical, so fast," Bledsoe raved. "The thing that's probably most impressive is what he does after he catches the ball. He turns up the field like he's trying to score every time he touches it. Thad's paid off huge for him. He's led the league in yardage after catch, and hopefully that will be the case this year."

    Parcells laughed when asked about advice for an Owens-Bledsoe co-existence.

    "I told Bledsoe to get a hair cut," he said. "He'd look a lot younger."

    Owens had much support on hand Saturday. His entourage included his mother, Marilyn, son Terique, 6, agent Drew Rosenhaus and actress Sanaa Lathan, who's a close friend of Owens' publicist Kim Etheridge.

    "It was cool," Owens said of his work. "Not bad for a first day. We're off to a good start."

    It might be too early to start talking about statistical goals since it remains to be seen how Parcells will use Owens. It has often been said that he shouldn't expect to catch 100 passes, but the truth is he's only hit that mark once in his career.

    Owens said his only statistical goals are to have "a lot" of receptions and touchdowns. He later said fantasy football team owners should pick him because "if you want touchdowns, if you want somebody to be up there at the top of the leaderboard, then I guess I'm your man."

    He seemed to be going for a laugh with those lines. With a more serious tone, he talked about wanting to fit in.

    "Bill kind of strives on that running game. I'm behind that 100%," he said. "We're going to feed off each other. Some games, the running game is going to be where it needs to be and sometimes the passing is not. And sometimes it's going to be vice-a-versa."

    Owens had a brief chat with Parcells, then another with Bledsoe during the first workout. Everyone was full of smiles.

    Asked about the conversation with Parcells, Owens said the coach told him, "We're going to have some fun."

    Owens knows he's not going to always have such pleasant exchanges with his new coach. That seems to be OK with him.

    "I know Bill's the kind of guy that's going to test guys, so to speak," Owens said. "I'm kind of like a couple steps ahead of him in that department. If he gets onto me, I know it's for the good of the team. So I welcome that. ... As long as I'm doing my job, we'll have no problems."

    None?

    "Not at all," he said. "I think everybody's speculating, they're kind of waiting for that to happen. So you guys keep waiting."

    The Associated Press contributed to this report

    Unlike most of you, i think year 1 in Dallas will be smooth sailing for TO but it's amazing how this article is just like the reports from philly TC two years ago. Which of course means year 2 in dallas will be implosion time.

  • #2
    Is it wrong that i want him to shred his knee in his first game?

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    • #3
      TO will probably be a monster this season. And I mean that in a good-for-the-Cowboys, bad-for-everyone-else kinda way.

      Yo TO, break a leg.
      http://shop.cafepress.com/content/global/img/spacer.gifOK, let's try this again...

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      • #4
        I bought my antacids, I'm prepared for ESPN to air him every weekend. It's a trip about the hype machine though. He came out last for his first practice, him and Vanderjagt pump up the crowd to keep chanting, etc. He must have a dozen mirrors in his living room.

        There seems to be real excitement in Dallas, tempered with some urgency though - like "we've been down long enough, these players are great, we're ready to take the NFC East now -- but some players aren't getting any younger, now is the time" - Drew Bledsoe is a 14 (?) year vet, Terry Glenn is a 12-year vet, even Owens has 10 years in, Parcells is 65 years old, etc.
        "Philly fans are great....It's the only place where you pull up on the bus and you've got the grandfather, the grandmother, the kids and the grandkids - everybody flicking you off. At other stadiums, they give you the thumbs-down. Here, they give you the middle finger.”
        — Michael Strahan

        "No one likes us, no one likes us, no one likes us, we don’t care, we’re from Philly, F—-ing Philly, No one likes us, we don’t care!”
        - Jason Kelce with the best championship speech ever

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        • #5
          my friend told me about sportscenter last week, where the host literally was saying, in regards to the cowboys:

          'Well Bill Parcells is thinking bla bla bla TO'

          'And on the Offensive Line, you have some bla bla bla and then bla bla bla TO'

          'On special teams, bla bla bla TO'

          the sportscenter guy was really saying 'bla bla bla'
          Five straight losses, including a crucial one at Dallas on Christmas Day, send them out against Atlanta, needing the win, plus help. -Dr. Z, 8/31/06

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          • #6
            TO hasn't finished a season since 2001. Yet people talk about Westbrook being injury prone.

            Dallas opens at Jacksonville and at home against the Skins. They could very well open 0-2 and then look out!
            Canada's #1 Eagles fan.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by SwingOnThis
              Is it wrong that i want him to shred his knee in his first game?
              YES...if he does that you cannot share in the glory of watching him systematically destroy the cowboy franchise by week 12.

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              • #8
                While it is not my desire to see a certain ex-Eagle WR injured, I do hope to see Dawkins and Lewis, or maybe Trotter "pinwheel" him as he dives for a catch across the middle. Just to remind him that he's not an Eagle anymore. Then let him get up and commence the jawing back and forth, ready for the next hit!

                If he is injured, well that is the nature of the game. Nothing personal.

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                • #9
                  I would also like for some psychiatrist to psychoanalye Mr. Owens and write a book about THAT. Still not sure that I would even read it, as I will pass on Mr. Owens' latest literary effort.

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