The plate: Owens speaks again
Terrell Owens will never win a championship.
Neither did Randy Moss, Barry Bonds, Jeremy Shockey or Kellen Winslow Jr.
But today I’d like to talk about Owens, the anti-New-England-Patriot, the man about whom nothing surprises anyone, the Dennis Rodman of the NFL, the man who is certain the world was created primarily to praise him. You know about his big stinking contract with the Niners a couple of years ago, when his agent forgot to cross out some T’s and dot some I’s, and Owens accidentally missed out on free agency. You know how he vetoed a trade to Baltimore by threatening not to report, and you know how he got into Philadelphia. You know how this offseason he stomped and complained like Angelina Jolie in front of a fake boob detector, because he didn’t like the incredibly lucrative contract he signed the year before. But you know TO wasn’t pleased that the Eagles didn’t stop the game and hold a ceremony honoring his 100th career touchdown two weeks ago?
That’s right, horror of horrors, Owens came out this week and questioned the entire Eagles organization because, in the midst of a terrible skein in which the defending NFC champs seemed to have trouble finishing with a winning record, the team it did not. highlighting an individual achievement for a player who has been louder than Cyndi Lauper. And this after the Eagles recognized his 100th overall TD just a few weeks ago. Then, after calling out the organization, Owens set his sights on quarterback Donovan McNabb, saying it’s Donny’s fault the team is losing, and if the Eagles had Brett Favre at the helm, they’d be undefeated. Is the man crazy? They lost 49-21 last week. Does McNabb cover the race lanes? Does he defend the bombs? Does he bomb? Does he board?
No, TO ended up in Philadelphia, just like it did in San Francisco and Baltimore. He’ll never get the fans back now, and he’s probably gone this offseason, gone to another franchise that will buy the fool’s gold of his physical talents, and who will guarantee themselves, like the Niners and Eagles before them. . , who will never win a title with Owens on board.
I feel a big NFL game in the offing. How do you see the Colts/Patriots game next Monday night? Even if you don’t want to tell us who your pick is, tell us how you think punters will behave. Where do you think the hearing will end and why?
Rob Gillespie, BoDog.ws: Colts undefeated, defense getting respect, coming off a bye week. The Patriots’ injuries are common knowledge and they looked mediocre against the Bills on national television. The public will be interested in the Colts and even some pros seem to jump that way early. The Patriots have been amazing at finding ways to frustrate the Colts in recent years, but the running back’s injuries make the challenge especially tough. I can see he is closer than people expect, getting 3.5 at home would be enough to get him to bite.
The same goes for the big tilt in Blacksburg this weekend: Miami vs. Virginia Tech. Does Tech have another big conference win in them? Does Miami have enough offense to score? Where will the public be in this case and what do you expect the implications of the national title to be?
RG, BoDog.ws: It’s going to be an interesting game. Both teams have not faced a tough opponent for weeks. Miami has been a double-digit favorite in its last five games (and a 20-plus point favorite in its last four), while VT has been a double-digit favorite in its last seven games. Whoever gets out of the gate fast will have a huge advantage. Technology has controlled Miami for the past two years and I can see that happening again. I expect the public action to be divided as people really aren’t sure about any of these teams. If VT can win, or better yet, win big, maybe they can take a couple of votes away from USC or Texas, but the reality is they won’t get into a title game unless one of those teams loses. They should get a boost in the computer polls that will help them stay ahead of Alabama and UCLA. Miami would likely only move up one spot with an upset and would need multiple teams to lose to have a title shot.
Is there any way Reggie Bush won’t win the Heisman?
RG, BoDog.ws: Yes. If UCLA holds him to 30 yards on 20 carries, he turns the ball over three times returning punts and the Trojans lose 48-10. Or if Vince Young racks up a combined 500 yards a few more times in comeback wins.
What do you think of Theo Epstein’s resignation as general manager of the Boston Red Sox? Is the world going to spin out on him (as everyone in Boston seems to fear), or will the Red Sox be a major contender in 2006?
RG, BoDog.ws: If you had asked me a month ago which of Epstein or Cashman would be with your team next year, I would have been wrong! The Red Sox must have some trouble in the front office; they win the World Series and Pedro shoots himself. Now they are contenders and ManRam wants out. Why do players want to go to the Yankees and leave the Red Sox?