touborg
Board Linebacker
**Staff Edit: Please provide a link. We cannot post entire articles. And we're not about to start searching for the link. Thanks**
Owens irked by trade to Ravens
HE'S SEEKING ESCAPE FROM BALTIMORE, VOWING, `I'M GOING TO STAND MY GROUND'
By Daniel Brown
Mercury News
Terrell Owens' penchant for controversy arrived in Baltimore before he did.
A day after the 49ers traded the talented, tempestuous wide receiver to the Baltimore Ravens, Owens indicated Friday that he has no plans to report to his new employer. The four-time Pro Bowl player is angry that a proposed trade to the Philadelphia Eagles fell through, and he implied he would rather fight the trade than put on a Ravens uniform.
``Terrell Owens is kind of unemployed at the moment,'' Owens said on Fox Sports Net's ``Best Damn Sports Show.''
49ers General Manager Terry Donahue acknowledged Friday that he talked with the Eagles about a trade but said the Ravens were in the driver's seat for Owens from the start because they offered the highest draft pick (51st overall). Donahue said he never considered the Eagles' best offer of receiver James Thrash and a fifth-round pick and called the ensuing controversy ``laughable.''
Owens, continuing a longstanding trend, has a different view than the 49ers. On the ``Best Damn Sports Show,'' he said he was ``shocked'' to be sent to Baltimore and said he expressed his reluctance to Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome.
``I've talked to Ozzie a few times the last couple of days. Honestly, I didn't feel comfortable with our conversation,'' Owens said. ``He knows I'm not happy with the situation. I'm going to stand my ground and see if we can't get something resolved.''
He later added: ``I don't want to go anywhere where someone just trades me off to. I feel like I'm entitled as a free agent to have my choice.''
Owens' portrait of himself as a free agent is a curious one, because he and agent David Joseph missed the deadline for filing for free agency, leaving the 49ers in position to trade the receiver.
Owens and Joseph disputed the blown deadline, and Owens said Friday on ESPN that he plans to file a grievance.
A league official requesting anonymity said: ``As far as we're concerned, the trade was made and Owens is a Raven.''
Carl Francis, a spokesman for the NFL Players Association, said: ``When his agent failed to submit the proper paperwork in a timely manner, it put T.O. in a bad position by restricting him. . . . Even if the 49ers had discussions with Philadelphia, they have a right to entertain other trading opportunities.''
Eagles officials sounded annoyed that the 49ers moved so abruptly in their dealings with the Ravens, but announced no plans for recourse.
In a conference call with Bay Area reporters, Donahue delivered a detailed account of the phone calls, offers and counteroffers made to Eagles Coach Andy Reid.
He said he told Reid that an undisclosed team had offered a second-round pick. When the Eagles countered with a fifth-round pick and Thrash, Donahue said he dismissed it instantly. He later called Reid trying to work out a deal for players -- not draft choices -- but those talks also went nowhere. After that, Donahue said, ``I told Andy that we were going to work quickly and that if he had any interest to call me back fast.''
Donahue soon called the Ravens to accept their offer.
The Ravens, meanwhile, await their reluctant superstar. Owens was scheduled to have a physical and be introduced by the Ravens today, but that was postponed until next week because ``we couldn't get him here on time,'' team spokesman Chad Steele said.
Steele was aware of reports that Owens is unhappy.
``We've heard that,'' he said. ``But he's under contract with the Baltimore Ravens.''
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It took the Bay Area eight long years to grow weary of Terrell Owens' act. It took Baltimore less than 24 hours. Maybe we're just too laid-back out here.
In the past few days, Owens has moved from merely being a contender for Biggest Crybaby in NFL History to being crowned undisputed champion. He has turned a fresh start into a fresh battle, recruiting a new group of enemies. The anti-Owens talk is now in stereo, broadcasting from both sides of the country.
T.O. wants to be the league's biggest star. Instead he's the biggest star in the knee-slapping sitcom ``Who Forgot to Become a $17 Million-aire?''
The rave reviews are coming in: ``Laughable!'' says 49ers General Manager Terry Donahue. ``A joke!'' say Baltimore Ravens fans. ``Delightful!'' says a blue-eyed coach located somewhere in Detroit.
The disgust emanating from the chat room on the Baltimore Sun's Web site Saturday was palpable. ``TO is a crybaby.'' ``How can you be excited about a player that doesn't want to be here?'' ``TO needs to grow up.'' ``What a mistake!'' ``TO equals baby.''
The tenor of that Web site changed abruptly from joy at the acquisition of Owens to loathing, sometime between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Eastern time Friday. That, of course, was right around the time that Owens let Fox Sports' ``Best Damn Sports Show'' know that he considered himself unemployed and unenthusiastic about the Ravens. There are probably hundreds of people walking around in whiplash collars in Baltimore today.
He doesn't want to play for them. Well, they don't want him.
Owens has done a few astonishing things on the field, but what he has accomplished in the past two days is the most eye-popping. He has made his former employers look clever by dumping one of the league's best wide receivers for the 51st draft pick. Looking clever is not the 49ers' strong suit these days.
And he has performed a public service for one of the least beloved groups in society: sports agents. He has made every competent sports agent look like a godsend. All an agent has to do is say, ``Hey, I can both read a calendar and utilize a fax machine,'' and voila! that person can handle your future.
Give Owens credit for staying true to himself. He has never, ever taken responsibility for any of his bad behavior, and he's not about to become a man on this issue. He sees conspiracies, back-stabbing, double-crossing. What he doesn't see is the incompetence of his agent, David Joseph, or his unwillingness to do anything about it.
Owens should have fired Joseph immediately. Sure, it would have undermined his grievance with the league, but everyone knows that grievance isn't going anywhere. If the NFL makes an exception for Joseph's inability to read his mail (an odd shortcoming since Joseph seems to spend most of his time e-mailing reporters, taking them to task) it would open a contractual free-for-all in the league.
After firing Joseph, Owens then should have hired a competent agent. Someone such as Eugene Parker or Tom Condon or Jim Steiner. Someone whom the 49ers might have -- for the sake of maintaining professional relationships -- been willing to work with. Someone who had some status and respect around the league.
Under that scenario, things might have turned out better for Owens. Instead, the 49ers did the smart thing: offered the underwhelming deal of a fifth-round pick and mediocre James Thrash by Philadelphia, they quickly opted for Baltimore's offer of a second-round pick. Not exactly a tough decision. They were able to unload their muscular migraine headache, quickly and to the other conference, no less.
Frankly, it didn't seem like too bad a deal for Owens. Hey, he could have gone to Detroit. Or to another non-playoff team instead of to one of the better teams in the AFC.
But Owens is accusing the 49ers of making the deal just to spite him. If that was a bonus, well, so be it. But it certainly wasn't the only reason the 49ers made the deal.
He insists on calling himself a free agent. I could insist on calling myself Charlize Theron, but that's not going to make it any truer. Even his union doesn't have his back on this one.
Owens will turn 31 next season. It might be time to grow up.
So now he's Ozzie Newsome's migraine. The opinion of Ravens fans seems to be to trade Owens (followed closely by locking him in the woodshed with Ray Lewis).
One school of thought is that Owens might actually be a little scared to play for the Ravens (as opposed to last November when he looked a little scared to play against the Ravens). Baltimore's locker room is full of tough, seasoned players who won't put up with his act. With the 49ers, because he was one of the senior members of the team, his act was grandfathered in.
What are Owens' options? One, he could swallow his pride, back off his hard stance and embrace his new team. Right -- and he could also sprout wings and fly off to Never, Neverland.
Or he could choose to hold out, alienating yet another team while his value drops, his marketability plummets and his team's willingness to accommodate him shrinks to nothing.
Stay tuned for more wacky episodes of the nationwide hit ``Everybody Loathes Owens.'' It's a laugh a minute.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Owens irked by trade to Ravens
HE'S SEEKING ESCAPE FROM BALTIMORE, VOWING, `I'M GOING TO STAND MY GROUND'
By Daniel Brown
Mercury News
Terrell Owens' penchant for controversy arrived in Baltimore before he did.
A day after the 49ers traded the talented, tempestuous wide receiver to the Baltimore Ravens, Owens indicated Friday that he has no plans to report to his new employer. The four-time Pro Bowl player is angry that a proposed trade to the Philadelphia Eagles fell through, and he implied he would rather fight the trade than put on a Ravens uniform.
``Terrell Owens is kind of unemployed at the moment,'' Owens said on Fox Sports Net's ``Best Damn Sports Show.''
49ers General Manager Terry Donahue acknowledged Friday that he talked with the Eagles about a trade but said the Ravens were in the driver's seat for Owens from the start because they offered the highest draft pick (51st overall). Donahue said he never considered the Eagles' best offer of receiver James Thrash and a fifth-round pick and called the ensuing controversy ``laughable.''
Owens, continuing a longstanding trend, has a different view than the 49ers. On the ``Best Damn Sports Show,'' he said he was ``shocked'' to be sent to Baltimore and said he expressed his reluctance to Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome.
``I've talked to Ozzie a few times the last couple of days. Honestly, I didn't feel comfortable with our conversation,'' Owens said. ``He knows I'm not happy with the situation. I'm going to stand my ground and see if we can't get something resolved.''
He later added: ``I don't want to go anywhere where someone just trades me off to. I feel like I'm entitled as a free agent to have my choice.''
Owens' portrait of himself as a free agent is a curious one, because he and agent David Joseph missed the deadline for filing for free agency, leaving the 49ers in position to trade the receiver.
Owens and Joseph disputed the blown deadline, and Owens said Friday on ESPN that he plans to file a grievance.
A league official requesting anonymity said: ``As far as we're concerned, the trade was made and Owens is a Raven.''
Carl Francis, a spokesman for the NFL Players Association, said: ``When his agent failed to submit the proper paperwork in a timely manner, it put T.O. in a bad position by restricting him. . . . Even if the 49ers had discussions with Philadelphia, they have a right to entertain other trading opportunities.''
Eagles officials sounded annoyed that the 49ers moved so abruptly in their dealings with the Ravens, but announced no plans for recourse.
In a conference call with Bay Area reporters, Donahue delivered a detailed account of the phone calls, offers and counteroffers made to Eagles Coach Andy Reid.
He said he told Reid that an undisclosed team had offered a second-round pick. When the Eagles countered with a fifth-round pick and Thrash, Donahue said he dismissed it instantly. He later called Reid trying to work out a deal for players -- not draft choices -- but those talks also went nowhere. After that, Donahue said, ``I told Andy that we were going to work quickly and that if he had any interest to call me back fast.''
Donahue soon called the Ravens to accept their offer.
The Ravens, meanwhile, await their reluctant superstar. Owens was scheduled to have a physical and be introduced by the Ravens today, but that was postponed until next week because ``we couldn't get him here on time,'' team spokesman Chad Steele said.
Steele was aware of reports that Owens is unhappy.
``We've heard that,'' he said. ``But he's under contract with the Baltimore Ravens.''
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It took the Bay Area eight long years to grow weary of Terrell Owens' act. It took Baltimore less than 24 hours. Maybe we're just too laid-back out here.
In the past few days, Owens has moved from merely being a contender for Biggest Crybaby in NFL History to being crowned undisputed champion. He has turned a fresh start into a fresh battle, recruiting a new group of enemies. The anti-Owens talk is now in stereo, broadcasting from both sides of the country.
T.O. wants to be the league's biggest star. Instead he's the biggest star in the knee-slapping sitcom ``Who Forgot to Become a $17 Million-aire?''
The rave reviews are coming in: ``Laughable!'' says 49ers General Manager Terry Donahue. ``A joke!'' say Baltimore Ravens fans. ``Delightful!'' says a blue-eyed coach located somewhere in Detroit.
The disgust emanating from the chat room on the Baltimore Sun's Web site Saturday was palpable. ``TO is a crybaby.'' ``How can you be excited about a player that doesn't want to be here?'' ``TO needs to grow up.'' ``What a mistake!'' ``TO equals baby.''
The tenor of that Web site changed abruptly from joy at the acquisition of Owens to loathing, sometime between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. Eastern time Friday. That, of course, was right around the time that Owens let Fox Sports' ``Best Damn Sports Show'' know that he considered himself unemployed and unenthusiastic about the Ravens. There are probably hundreds of people walking around in whiplash collars in Baltimore today.
He doesn't want to play for them. Well, they don't want him.
Owens has done a few astonishing things on the field, but what he has accomplished in the past two days is the most eye-popping. He has made his former employers look clever by dumping one of the league's best wide receivers for the 51st draft pick. Looking clever is not the 49ers' strong suit these days.
And he has performed a public service for one of the least beloved groups in society: sports agents. He has made every competent sports agent look like a godsend. All an agent has to do is say, ``Hey, I can both read a calendar and utilize a fax machine,'' and voila! that person can handle your future.
Give Owens credit for staying true to himself. He has never, ever taken responsibility for any of his bad behavior, and he's not about to become a man on this issue. He sees conspiracies, back-stabbing, double-crossing. What he doesn't see is the incompetence of his agent, David Joseph, or his unwillingness to do anything about it.
Owens should have fired Joseph immediately. Sure, it would have undermined his grievance with the league, but everyone knows that grievance isn't going anywhere. If the NFL makes an exception for Joseph's inability to read his mail (an odd shortcoming since Joseph seems to spend most of his time e-mailing reporters, taking them to task) it would open a contractual free-for-all in the league.
After firing Joseph, Owens then should have hired a competent agent. Someone such as Eugene Parker or Tom Condon or Jim Steiner. Someone whom the 49ers might have -- for the sake of maintaining professional relationships -- been willing to work with. Someone who had some status and respect around the league.
Under that scenario, things might have turned out better for Owens. Instead, the 49ers did the smart thing: offered the underwhelming deal of a fifth-round pick and mediocre James Thrash by Philadelphia, they quickly opted for Baltimore's offer of a second-round pick. Not exactly a tough decision. They were able to unload their muscular migraine headache, quickly and to the other conference, no less.
Frankly, it didn't seem like too bad a deal for Owens. Hey, he could have gone to Detroit. Or to another non-playoff team instead of to one of the better teams in the AFC.
But Owens is accusing the 49ers of making the deal just to spite him. If that was a bonus, well, so be it. But it certainly wasn't the only reason the 49ers made the deal.
He insists on calling himself a free agent. I could insist on calling myself Charlize Theron, but that's not going to make it any truer. Even his union doesn't have his back on this one.
Owens will turn 31 next season. It might be time to grow up.
So now he's Ozzie Newsome's migraine. The opinion of Ravens fans seems to be to trade Owens (followed closely by locking him in the woodshed with Ray Lewis).
One school of thought is that Owens might actually be a little scared to play for the Ravens (as opposed to last November when he looked a little scared to play against the Ravens). Baltimore's locker room is full of tough, seasoned players who won't put up with his act. With the 49ers, because he was one of the senior members of the team, his act was grandfathered in.
What are Owens' options? One, he could swallow his pride, back off his hard stance and embrace his new team. Right -- and he could also sprout wings and fly off to Never, Neverland.
Or he could choose to hold out, alienating yet another team while his value drops, his marketability plummets and his team's willingness to accommodate him shrinks to nothing.
Stay tuned for more wacky episodes of the nationwide hit ``Everybody Loathes Owens.'' It's a laugh a minute.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
