Terrell Owens will Have Plenty of Suitors

I hope some day, an undergrad student somewhere decides to do a thesis paper on perception, and chronicles the life and times of Terrell Owens. Almost everyone has an opinion of him, but nobody disagrees that he’s a good football player. While the Buffalo Bills are moving in a different direction, they’re releasing Owens back in to the wild and this beast won’t be unleashed for long.

While he’s turning 37-years old, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in the league who trains as hard as this man does. He takes immaculate care of himself, which is perhaps one of the best lessons he learned from his days alongside Jerry Rice. Aside from the year he was exiled from Philadelphia, Owens has never played in fewer than 14 games. He might be older. He’s a barn burner for the media. But he’s also a very capable receiver and while you may not like him personally, I’m pretty sure Owens isn’t asking to be your friend.

In a word, when it comes to Owens, people need to get over themselves.

I’ve used my writing career to defend Owens over the years because, when it really comes down to the facts, Owens just hates losing. If you look at his time in Dallas, the only times he erupted was when the Cowboys were a sinking ship. The only time he caused a big riot in Philadelphia is when he threw Donavan McNabb under the bus for puking during the two-minute drill in Super Bowl XXXIX after Owens had rehabbed like a madman to return from a broken leg.

If Chad Ochocinco celebrates, he’s applauded no matter how outrageous his celebrations are. The guy jokingly tried to bribe an official on the field and the announcers just laughed. If Owens tried it he’d be crucified. Randy Moss is noted for taking plays off, something Chris Gamble criticized him of when the Panthers lost to the Patriots 20-10. If Owens even remotely jogs a route, the announcers pounce on him like he’s a hot fudge sundae that was snuck in to a fat kid camp.

Ray Lewis allegedly killed a man in a limousine and he’s destined for the hall of fame. Donte Stallworth did kill a man by accident and he hasn’t been roasted half as badly as Owens, who has never had any brushes with the law whatsoever. Again, it’s simply about perception, and we more often than not just jump on the beatdown bandwagon because it’s more fun to scrutinize an undeserving player rather than laud his achievements.

Owens made the bed he sleeps in, and considering that the Bills paid him $6.5 million for his troubles last year, I’m sure the bed is of the finest goose down feathers in the world. He does have issues on the field, like his poor temper (which more than half the guys in the league have) and his recent problems with holding on to the football. You can judge him all you want, but if he’s playing for my team, I’m going to be happy about it.

That being said, which teams are going to be in the market for T.O.? Some of the teams may surprise you…while one in particular won’t at all.

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Baltimore Ravens (20-1 Odds To Win Super Bowl XLV)
The Ravens were actually the team that was supposed to land Owens instead of Philadelphia in 2004 and already Baltimore has come out of the wood work to patch up a receiving corps that was nothing short of deplorable in the playoffs. Joe Flacco needs weapons, and it’s only a matter of time before the wheels fall off the bustling defense of Baltimore. The Ravens already added Stallworth on the cheap with a $900,000 deal. It’s obvious that they’re not scared of guys that have some demons in the closet, and nabbing Owens at a “mature” stage in his life could give Flacco the consistent target he needs in the AFC.

Cincinnati Bengals (25-1 Odds To Win Super Bowl XLV)
The front runner in the hunt for Terrell Owens seems to be the Bengals for a multitude of reasons. First, they need to find a proper replacement for T.J. Houshmandzadeh, which is something they never found all of last season. Second, this is a team that has housed trouble cases like Cedric Benson, Larry Johnson and the aforementioned Ochocinco. Marvin Lewis isn’t scared of taking on anybody if it means his team will win – and with his ass firmly in the hot seat this year, the Bengals need another big playmaker. This marriage has “success” written all over it.

Washington Redskins (60-1 To Win Super Bowl XLV)
Think Mike Shanahan won’t do it? He loved Brandon Marshall for all the same reasons that Owens excels as a player. Jason Campbell needs a big target and the receiving corps needs a reliable second guy since Antwaan Randle El has obviously not been that capable. It’s a crazy union to imagine, but Snyder has the bottomless wallet and the balls to go for it. This is a team infamous for their hired guns.

Chicago Bears (40-1 To Win Super Bowl XLV)
The problem would be the Bears front office, which doesn’t generally gravitate towards guys like Owens. But hell, a pouting crybaby like Jay Cutler didn’t stop them from giving away the estate to get him. With Mike Martz now pushing this passing attack through the roof (and I’m still pretty sure that’s not a good idea), Cutler and Martz need weapons. Chicago ranked 17th overall in total passing yards last season and the fans are not going to tolerate another dismal season like the one they just endured. Owens is almost a perfect fit for the Bears, but mostly because he would be an easy scapegoat if things go south in the second year of the Cutler era.

Wherever he goes, we know that Owens is going to make the news. But this time, with that elusive world championship still missing from his resume, Owens is going to pick a team that is in serious contention. To have a crack at slipping on his first Super Bowl ring, Owens may be desperate to make some unholy alliances with a new team.

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