DAWES: THE T.O. SWEEPSTAKES BEGIN

[SLAG]

I think this sums it up!


DAWES: THE T.O. SWEEPSTAKES BEGIN
Nov 08, 2005, 4:13:47 PM by Rufus Dawes - FAQ


It’s so easy to say now: what were they thinking? What led the Philadelphia Eagles’ management to think that they were the ones to handle Terrell Owens?

More importantly, what can be going through the mind of one local radio talk show host to query Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson earlier this week if he or his head coach had any interest in the talkative Terrell? Peterson’s reply, if it needed to be given at all, but with some of these dullards it probably did, was: why don’t you ask the Eagles if they thought it was all worth it, I mean the trouble and the $12 million and all that the Eagles have paid him over these past two seasons? Do you really want a wide receiver who can’t get along with his quarterback, or in Owens’ case, his quarterback(s)?

As has been written here before, Terrell Owens is a God-send to all-sports networks everywhere and yesterday’s airwaves were littered with all sorts of pros and cons (yes, there were pros because this is talk radio, or TV’s version of it, and you’ve got to find a dupe somewhere) on Owens and how he’s likely going to end up with the Raiders or Broncos. He fits the Oakland profile, don’t you think? Or, Denver doesn’t care about the salary cap; Mike Shanahan can work with anyone. He did wonders with Dale Carter and Chester McGlockton and company, isn’t that right?

Forgetting the obvious for a moment, here’s the options for the Terrell Owens sweepstakes as they stand now. Owens is suspended for the maximum of four games for conduct detrimental to the team. Such a clause exists in every NFL player’s contract. Andy Reid and the Eagles can legitimately do that. After his suspension is over, Reid has said Owens will play no more for the Birds until when he did not say, but the feeling is he’s put on the green for the final time.

Owens’ cap number is somewhere in the vicinity of $3.88 million and he is only in the second-year of a seven-year contract. If he were to be waived today it would cost the Eagles $2.258 million this year and $1.53 million next year. Now, the Eagles are in very good cap shape with $6.73 million still remaining, according to NFL records. If the Eagles were to part company with Owens sometime after next March they would realize a savings of $7.5 million Or, within five days of that date in March they could trade him to another team and at least recoup some value for their disgruntled superstar, much like Tampa Bay did with Keyshawn Johnson. (This year’s trading deadline is well passed.) Again, this would accelerate his contract which would hit the Eagles at first hard, but at least Philly would get something for its pain.

A third option is to let him sit, far from the field but never far from your living rooms as he would surely appear again and again on ESPN or any of the sports programs that would have him, and there would be many suitors. He would become much like Johnson who was banished from the Tampa Bay Bucs, sent home to wait, and then eventually traded to Dallas. If terminated, Owens would have his choice of teams since he is a vested veteran and could sign with whomever he wished or whoever wished to be the next Eagles organizations that thought they “understood” Owens and were prepared to “work things out” before they got out of hand. But signing him to a long-term contract is a reach, to be sure. He will be 33 years old next year and his “prime-time” is quickly disappearing to make any serious long-term loot.

The idea that he would be perfect for the Raiders, the halfway house for misunderstood superstars who are never muzzled by management, while making for interesting conversation raises some obvious red flags. For starters, the Raiders are $35 million over for next year in cap dollars. Moreover, they have already added one superstar wide receiver and his teammate Joey Porter, who only recently re-signed with the Raiders, no doubt wouldn’t be happy in sharing the spotlight further or being dumped in favor of Owens. Over $36 mill locked up in a couple of wide receivers? Yeah, that’ll happen. But what a boon for Bay area media. Meanwhile, the cover of Sports Illustrated which featured quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Tom Brady last week could have images of Owens and Moss in a similar pose, and ESPN could then predict the Raiders had all the weapons they needed to win the next Super Bowl. After all, the acquisition of players is all the media thinks it takes to win a championship, or so they say year after year.

As for Denver, well what do they care about the salary cap, according to one local Kansas City columnist? Mike Shanahan is a genius at manipulating the numbers and they’re just smart enough to pull it off. Imagine Chiefs fans, Moss and Owens in the same division. The trouble is Denver, too, is $33 million over the cap for 2006.

Will any of this come to pass?

Does it really matter where he ends up?

Is this what all the fuss is about in the end?

Isn’t it all just another example of the media’s, and the public’s too, infatuation with reality TV, which we know now if we never knew in the first place, is about as far from real as anyone can get? Besides, it’s all gussied up to look like some morality play and at best it’s a contrived soap opera. It’s ”(ESPN dramatic series) Playmakers without the script or the bad acting,” contends Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Phil Sheridan. (November 8, 2005) “Well, without the script.”

“Here’s the bottom line,” claims Sheridan and who but the talking heads couldn’t agree. “Take ESPN out of the equation, and this is a run-of-the-mill contract squabble between a star player and a football team.”

The opinions offered in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Prodigiously well-researched, informative and opinionated, Rufus Dawes examines media coverage of the Chiefs occasionally throughout the year.

[jspchief]

The PR machine rolls out quickly.

Don't worry Carl, most fans don't want him either.

[HolmeZz]

I'd take him.

[morphius]

What an idiot, the "dullards" just asked the question just to give Carl a chance to say it. Its not like they could not ask they question, and they were both laughing when they asked him.

So, who is the dullard, the one that asked the question, or the dumbass who doesn't get the "joke"...

[Frazod]

I sure don't want to see that piece of shit in Denver. And character (or more to the point, lack thereof) sure screams BRONCO, doesn't it?

[cmh6476]

did anyone else notice in there it said Oakland would be $35 mil over tha cap next year?

[jidar]

Looks like the Donks and the Faid are about to go into Cap hell.
Here's to it being us and the Dolts on top for the near future.
Yeah I realize this all means jack and shit, but let me dream.

[OldTownChief]

Originally Posted by cmh6476

did anyone else notice in there it said Oakland would be $35 mil over tha cap next year?

Wow, and they suck now. Looks like we get 8 straight.

[cmh6476]

damn, and the Broncos $33m

[Eleazar]

Like the cap applies to the Donkos.

On another note this might be the first Doofus column I've read that I didn't think was all hot air.

[SLAG]

Originally Posted by Cochise

Like the cap applies to the Donkos.

On another note this might be the first Doofus column I've read that I didn't think was all hot air.

Thats one reason I posted it seemed pretty Straight Forward to me

[RealSNR]

Where in this column does Dufus Rawes say that Whitlock is a douchebag?

[Mr. Laz]

i didn't read it, but i'm sure there is a "fans are stupid" and "media corrupt" in there somewhere.

[greg63]

Just saw on the local news TO about how sorry he was for his behavior. Classic!

[Rausch]

Great article.

Good points, well stated, and true...