In Tuesday's USA Today columnist John Saraceno made an astute observation regarding the Terrell Owens free-agency fiasco. Owens, he writes, is the real-life version of Leon, the subject of a series of Bud beer commercials that poked fun at pouting football players who excel most at passing the buck. Yep, that's basically Owens in a nutshell.
An arbitrator will decide Sunday whether Owens' trade from the 49ers to the Ravens will stand after he and his agent were late to act on his option to file for free agency and collect a healthy signing bonus to play for the team of his choice, which is the Eagles. Insiders say Owens really has no chance in the case.
In an interview Monday with Philadelphia sportswriter Stephen A. Smith, Owens called the 49ers "sleazy" and "vindictive," labeled three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Jeff Garcia a "robot," and claimed to have told Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, "I don't trust you, either." It's a wonder why any team wants this guy.
I'm just waiting for the next time someone cracks him for excessive celebration, like George Teague did in 2000 (pictured) after "Leon" preened on the Cowboys' mid-field star for the second time in the game after scoring a touchdown. Owens was then suspended for a week by his own "sleazy" and "vindictive" team.
Other Sports Links:
• Syracuse the Rodney Dangerfield of College Hoop Polls — Despite an RPI ranking of 8, the Orangemen (21-6, 11-5) are ranked just below teams like North Carolina, a .500 team in the ACC with three more losses than SU, and way below Texas, which has the same record but a weaker strength of schedule and lower RPI.
• The Madden-ing Crowd — A Knight Ridder feature on the explosion of high-stakes football video game tournaments. Once again, if you ever want to try your luck against my Packers (I ain't playing the shitty Giants), IM me to set up a game.
• Yankees Purchase Naming Rights to Fenway Park — A satirical article from SportsPickle.com.
• Then & Now: From Rookies to Vets — ESPN.com's Page 2 compares photos of athletes and celebrities who have been accused of unnatural growth.
• 'Van Slyke Was Born to Be an Idiot' — The ageless Julio Franco fires back at allegations that his longevity is attributable to steroids. "I am on the juice. The juice of Jesus of Nazareth," he says.
The studying of athlete's photos from their rookie year to now has to be one of the most ridiculous support for the claim that an athlete is on steroids.
"You mean Barry Bonds actually put on weight after he became a pro ballplayer 17 years ago?!? Say it aint so, Barry!"
Posted by TTman at March 10, 2004 4:45 PM