Surprise, Surprise

T.O. is at it again. Everyone was wondering when T.O. would show his true colors and start some drama in Dallas. And now he has. Apparently he is upset that his quarterback Tony Romo has a close relationship with tight end Jason Witten. Owens claims that Romo and Witten have private meetings to discuss plays and that he is not included. He and fellow receivers Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton had a private meeting of their own with offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, discussing their feelings that the offense has been too reliant on Witten.

First of all, how old is this guy, like 5? Seriously, grow up. Owens leads the team in yards with 848 and touchdowns with 9. He is second in receptions to Witten. Witten has 64, Owens has 55. That's a difference of 9. 9 more catches all season. So Witten is averaging less than one more catch per game than T.O. I'm no math whiz, but that doesn't seem to me like Romo is locking on Witten.



So I guess this guy literally thinks he should get the ball EVERY play. I understand that every NFL receiver needs to have a mentality that they deserve and need the ball, but T.O. is out of control with it. He is a PART of a TEAM. He thinks he IS THE TEAM. This is football, and they cannot give you the ball every single play, Mr. Owens. Shut up and play.

All of this is not lost on his teammates. "The thing that bothers me more than anything about this problem is that it's always something with him--San Fran., Philly, and here, always something. And he brings other people into it. You know, he talks to Sam Hurd and Roy Williams, who just got here and doesn't really know these guys. T.O. talks to him, and so now he probably thinks Witten politics with Tony for the ball. That's so far from the truth. You think Tony is throwing to him because that's his buddy? His best buddy is Bobby Carpenter, and that's not helping him too much. It's crazy to think that, and I hate that he acts that way." That was one anonymous Cowboy.

Cowboy players are upset with the way T.O. handles his frustration and with the way the organization has handled T.O. Owens threw one of his patented temper-tantrums earlier this season and was rewarded the next game by throw after throw going his way and having his best statistical game of the season, 7 catches, 213 yards, and a TD. "What do you think he said after he complained about not getting the ball and then in the San Francisco game he gets 213? He said, 'Look. It works. The more hell I raise, the more I get what I want.'" Another player said, "Well, T.O. got his way. It never fails how we operate around here. Drives me crazy, but what can you do?"

His teammates also seem reluctant, if not afraid, to confront Owens. "It's just hard. I think right now everybody is to the point where, 'We're going to need him, so let's not piss him off.'" Also, "You really want to address it with him and say, 'Are you serious? Let's cut the shit.' But we're trying to win our way into the playoffs and, if something like that happened, if you backed him into a corner, he'd be pissed off and try to fight you or something," the current Cowboys player said. "So what do you do? Let it go? Then you're just like everybody else." No one wants to confront him because they are scared he will fight or quit, somehow find a way to make the situation worse. That sounds like a healthy team.

I find the situation equal parts laughable and sad. It's laughable because it blows my mind that this grown-ass man, a man with everything, is foolish enough to act like this. He has money, fame, and talent. And he continues to tarnish all of this because he is so incredibly self-absorbed, greedy, and out of touch.



Not only does he have incredible talent, he is on a team bursting with talent. This team should be steamrolling people. They were many experts' preseason pick to go to the Super Bowl, and instead of recognizing and appreciating this, he has managed to reduce the Cowboys to an 8-5 team who must battle their asses off just to make the playoffs. And that is also why this is funny, because he is doing it to the Cowboys. The sad part is what his legacy will be. He had the potential to be remembered as one of the greatest receivers to ever play this game. Instead all we will remember how he tore apart every team he was ever on. T.O. and Donovan could've been one of the greatest QB/WR tandems ever, and who knows what those Eagles teams could have accomplished? Same thing in Dallas. So keep doing your thing T.O., and I'll keep laughing and shaking my head.