10 Years A Felon: Roy Williams, Terrell Owens And The Birth Of The Horse Collar

10 Years A Felon: Roy Williams, Terrell Owens And The Birth Of The Horse Collar

It's Friday, Time to Dance

LeGarrette Blount is getting a lot of love heading into the AFC Championship game with his stellar performance last week, so let's all enjoy him doing the Ray Lewis dance.



I always enjoy when anyone but Ray Lewis does the Ray Lewis dance. Never forget.

Dez Bryant and the Wide Receiver Personality Paradox

Dez Bryant And The Wide Receiver Personality Paradox

Terrell Owens. Randy Moss. Two of the greatest wide receivers to ever step foot on the gridiron.  Over 15 seasons, T.O. compiled 1,078 receptions for 15, 934 yards and 153 touchdowns. Randy Moss managed 982 receptions for 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns over 14 seasons, and even added two passing touchdowns and a kick-return touchdown. Both have amassed team and league records. Along the way there were spectacular catches and clutch catches and hilarious celebrations. And yet these two incredible athletes are known as much for their sideline/off-the-field antics as they are for their fantastic achievements on it.

Watch any Dallas Cowboys game this season and you will see another incredibly talented wide receiver who seems to be cut from the same cloth as Owens and Moss. That receiver is Dez Bryant. Watch the Cowboys play and the chances are you will see Dez Bryant rack up somewhere around 100 yards receiving and probably a touchdown or two (he has 61 receptions for 851 yards and eight touchdowns through 11 games this season). You will see him make a spectacular catch, or a clutch catch, or a spectacular clutch catch, and you will most likely marvel at his ability and wish he was on your team.

But you will also see him look around with arms spread and palms up after every pass his way that goes incomplete. You may hear references to a checkered past, the details of which I won’t repeat here. And you may see a sideline implosion, with Dez ranting and raving and seemingly screaming at his teammates (NFL Films audio released the day after an incident this year seemed to indicate that the rant had a much more positive message than the video conveyed). Regardless of the message, the video can’t help but bring back memories of T.O. pacing the sidelines screaming at everyone in sight or of Randy Moss walking off the field in frustration before the final seconds had ticked off the clock.

Petulant. Selfish. Arrogant. These are adjectives that you will hear people sometimes throw around in the case of star athletes, and especially in the case of star wide receivers. But using these words and picking out a specific incident to justify their use is insufficient. As we have seen in the case of Dez’s sideline rant earlier this season, the video doesn’t always tell the whole story, and we don’t always have the full context of what is really going on.

Are there times where these types of players act petulantly, or selfishly, or arrogantly? More than likely, yes. But it is these same qualities that help make them great, that take them to that next level, that make them stand out.

To get to where these men get, you have to be somewhat arrogant. You have to be incredibly confident. You have to have a ton of passion. And when we see this combination spill out in a fit of frustration, it looks petulant and selfish and arrogant. When we see T.O. or Dez screaming on the sidelines or hear Keyshawn Johnson scream, “Give me the damn ball,” it’s not coming from a place of selfishness, of me, me, me, of I want to pad my stats. It’s coming from a place of wanting to win, wanting to be a part of helping the team win, and truly believing that getting them the ball is the best way to make that happen.

A parallel from another sport is my favorite athlete of all time, Allen Iverson. Yes, Allen Iverson took a lot of shots. But Allen Iverson took a lot of shots because he honestly believed that him taking a lot of shots gave his team the best chance to win, and most of the time he was absolutely right. Allen Iverson was far from perfect. He will be the first one to admit that, and sometimes the incredible pride and confidence he had that allowed him to become the greatest little man to ever play the game, or the “best pound for pound player of all time” as Lebron James would put it, sometimes manifested itself in negative ways, such as a less than ideal approach to practice or a neglect to take care of his body the way he should. But I wish that every athlete that ever stepped on a field or a court would compete with the intensity on a night-to-night basis that Iverson did, and I wouldn’t trade the privilege of watching him play for my favorite team for 10 years for anything.

I also had the opportunity to watch T.O. play for my favorite team for a short while, and for all the drama and the headaches, it was worth it. Because I knew every Sunday he would be out on the field doing his best to help win the game, and in doing so making incredible plays and providing countless memories.

Although this personality paradox can manifest itself in any athlete in any sport, it is particularly prevalent amongst wide receivers. DeSean Jackson, though not on the level of the other guys mentioned here, is an incredibly talented, play-making wide receiver who has been known to make a scene or have his attitude questioned by some. Even the seemingly mild-mannered Andre Johnson recently had a sideline spat with his quarterback and an early exit from the field, though it got much less scrutiny in the media than Randy Moss’ did. So even the most well-behaved of star wide receivers can occasionally fall victim to it. The very personality traits that allow them to excel and reach the heights of their profession and provide those spectacular moments and memories for the fans are the same traits that can lead to some sideline or off-the-field drama. You have to take the good with the bad, because without the bad the good wouldn't be there to enjoy.

The Mirrored NFL Paths Of Randy Moss And Terrell Owens

The Mirrored NFL Paths Of Randy Moss And Terrell Owens

The Reverend Rankings — My 5 Favorite Players: Eagles Offense

With basketball and hockey on hiatus for the summer and football still a month away from real games that count, there's nothing happening except the dog days of summer. So I'll be publishing my own personal lists of my five favorite players of the four major Philadelphia sports franchises.

View the first installment on the Phillies here, the second installment on the Sixers here, the third installment on the Flyers here and the fourth installment on the Eagles defense here.

I'm Roy Halladay-ed out. The Phillies should get him. If they don't I'm not going to be happy. I hope Rubes reads this today and just pulls the damn trigger. That's all I have left to say about that.

Now let's shift focus to my favorite Eagles on the offensive side of the football in my lifetime.

1. Donovan McNabb



I know half of Philadelphia just threw up in their mouths at placing Donovan McNabb in my top spot. He's everyone's favorite whipping boy, some criticism extremely deserved, some completely absurd. But I'm as big a McNabb as fan as there is. He is, hands down, the most prolific quarterback in Eagles history, and most certainly the best modern-day QB ever to wear an Eagles uniform. Arguing this just sounds uninformed and frankly, ignorant.

Check the numbers: He's the franchise leader in completions (2,534), passing yards (29,320) and passing touchdowns (194). He's posted a career record of 82-45-1 in the regular season, gone to to playoffs seven times in 10 seasons, gone to five Pro Bowls, five NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl. Add in his 3,109 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns, and you have yourself a great player.



Yes, he didn't win the big one. Yes, he's had subpar performances in many championship games. And yes, he threw up in the Super Bowl. He also led the Eagles to all those opportunities, oftentimes without superior talent at the receiver position. He's battled through injuries, controversies and disappointment, all the while establishing himself as the face of the Eagles.

Yes, he can drive me crazy when he buries a pass at someone's feet or fails to take the open field in front of him with his legs, but he also helped bring a lifeless franchise back from the dead, and he's still here some 10 years later. Each and every season with McNabb at the helm, the Eagles are among the favorites in the NFC. As much as those final losses hurt, it sure as hell beats the Ty Detmer/Rodney Peete/Bubby Brister eras of no hope. A major reason is Number 5.



2. Brian Westbrook



Simply put, Brian Westbrook is the most explosion weapon I've ever seen in an Eagles uniform. Beginning as a punt returner who saw spot duty when he was drafted, Westbrook displayed his dynamic game-changing ability from the start, scaring opposing punt coverage teams to death.



His talent could not be ignored, forcing his way onto the field despite concerns about his size and durability. While injuries have nagged him over his career, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more complete back (LT excluded) in his prime during the years Brian Westbrook has been in Philadelphia. His speed and explosiveness made him a threat to take it to the house on any play. He could break it to the outside, but as he has shown, his strong frame made him just as effective between the tackles. Catching the ball out of the backfield was perhaps his biggest strength, creating all kinds of matchup problems (no linebacker alive can cover him) and despite his stature, he turned into a devastating blocker.

In 2006 and 07, he was as good as back as there was in the league. In 06, he rushed for 1,217 yards, seven touchdowns and averaged 5.1 yards per carry, all while catching 77 passes for for 699 yards and four TDs. He followed that up with a remarkable 2007, rushing for 1,333 yards, seven TDs, averaging 4.8 ypc and nabbing 90 receptions for 771 yards and five TDs, leading all the land with 2,104 yards from scrimmage.

And even last year, playing through injury, he put up 936 yards rushing, 9 TDs, and added 54 catches and five more receiving touchdowns. And of course, he made huge plays in the playoffs, especially against the Vikings. It's damn near impossible to not love Brian Westbrook if you're an Eagles fan.



3. Duce Staley



When the Eagles let Duce Staley go, I was admittedly bummed out. Turns out the Birds were right, as Staley had nothing left in the tank, but regardless, I was not pleased. During his seven seasons in Philadelphia, Duce was nothing short of a workhorse, putting up some phenomenal seasons, specifically in 1998, 99 and 2002, when he rushed for over 1,000 yards and carried the ball at least 258 times (325 in 99) each of those seasons.

When a small contingent of moronic Eagles fans booed the selection of Donovan McNabb in 1999 because they wanted Ricky Williams, I applauded the move of picking a potential franchise QB because the Eagles already had a damn good running back in Staley. Sure, Duce wasn't a speed burner with game-changing speed the way Westbrook has been in his career, but he was a dependable, tough workhorse who also could block and catch the ball out of the backfield well. Not to mention that his effort could never be questioned, giving it his all every down.

In fact, in the 2004 NFC Championship game, while the rest of his teammates looked flat and, frankly, disinterested against the Carolina Panthers, Duce played his tail off. Honestly, to me, he looked like the only Eagle, on either side of the ball, who looked like he gave a shit in that game.

And of course, who can forget his incredible performance in the "Pickle Juice Game" in 2000, when he rushed for 201 yards against the stinking Cowboys in Cowboy Stadium?



Huge Duce fan.

4. Irving Fryar



Irving Fryar played 17 seasons in the NFL. Only three of them were with the Eagles, but two of those three were two of his finest seasons of his career. In 1996, he caught 88 balls for 1,195 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning a Pro Bowl bid in his first season with the team.

Fryar followed that up with another Pro Bowl year in 1997, catching 86 passes for 1,316 yards and six TDs. He tapered off in 98, as age finally caught up with him, but a guy who had been considered a bust and troublesome character for the Patriots turned into a very fine player and upstanding citizen as an Eagle. He also made one of the most incredible catches I've ever seen, leaping up the air, full extension and plucking the ball out of mid-air with one hand, reaching back behind him, and coming down with it as he slammed on the Vet's horrific turf and getting hit. It was amazing.

5. Terrell Owens



I know, Terrell Owens was only an Eagle for one and half seasons, effectively dividing a locker room and causing headaches and distractions beyond belief in his second season. He's an asshole. An attention-whore. A certified lunatic who doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself. He also was a part of the most fun professional football season in my lifetime, and easily the most dominant wide receiver the Eagles have ever had in one season.

The arrival of T.O. in 2004 brought an excitement and fun to the Eagles that had been lacking. No longer was Donovan forced to choose between Todd Pinkston and James Thrash. No, he had his man, finally, and McNabb and Owens instantly became the most lethal QB-WR combo in the league: 77 receptions, 1,200 yards, 14 touchdowns. The only thing that could slow them down was Roy Williams and his dirty fucking tackling.

Owens was electric in that one season, even returning from that injury in the Super Bowl, only to be the best player on the field. Big, fast, talented. He made the offense better than it had ever been under Andy Reid. And as painful as the 05 campaign was, I'd do it all over again if I had the chance, no questions asked.

With Owens in the fold, it wasn't if the Eagles were going to win, it was by how much. They cruised through the season. It was just so damn fun. And Owens was everything we'd hoped he'd be and then some.



The man was a beast. He's tired and played out now, but in 2004, shit, that man could do no wrong in this city. And it was easily my favorite season ever for an Eagles wide receiver.

I expect a ton of people to question my decisions here. No Randall Cunningham, you ask? No, no Randall. He never won a playoff game, and I typically find that the same people who lambast McNabb are ardent Cunningham fans. That annoys the shit out of me to no end, because McNabb is a million times better at playing quarterback than Randall ever was. Not that I blame Randall. I was a fan of his, for sure. Fred Barnett and Calvin Williams almost made the list, because that duo was badass. But that's the list. Take it for what you will.

DeSean may be coming in the future. If he remembers to cross the goal line before dropping the ball.

It's Friday, Time to Dance

I love this video so much that it just had to be the dance song of the week.

What are We Talking About?

I have some good news and some bad news to pass along. The good news is the hot water in my house is back on, but it wasn't fully heated this morning. Still, I was able to get a moderately lukewarm shower, which was much, much more bearable than yesterday's ice shower. The bad news is I'm busy as hell at work yet again. Bullshit.

But, on a bright note, fan and now certainly friend of the site Justin passed along an incredible video that you will watch over and over again. I'm sure it's been on plenty of sites today, but I haven't had a chance to peruse many because I've been too busy getting my soul crushed by my job. This helped cheer me up. Enjoy.

Linking It All Together

I have to admit, I'm a little depressed. In the past week, Philadelphians have lost the greatest safety to ever roam the city, a beloved winger and been forced to witness a former No. 1 overall pick face the Phils in a foreign uniform. These things can be traumatic to the psyche of us fans.







Man, it's been a rough week. Last night, I even took a break from watching sports to get some wings, drink some beer and test my trivia. Then I won two games of NHL '09 after a week hiatus, pissing off two of roommates in the process. It cleared my head momentarily, but in all honesty, I don't have much going on in the old noggin right now, so I link.

-Henry Abbott is a mad man. I mean, actually trying to make sense of the NBA's traveling rules/enforcement? Damn. Check it out here, here, here, here and here. Damn.

-If you don't know, now you know: I'm a huge Ween fan. True story. And seeing Deaner chill with Chris Paul makes me love them even more.



-Some love for Shane Clark.



I hope Clark, along with Dante and Dwayne, can go out with a big bang.

-I agree, Ahmad Nivins is the best college player in Philadelphia.



Hell, I'd argue he's the best player in the A-10.

-Upon news of Terrell Owens' release from the Cowboys, one jerk comes to T.O.'s defense.

-Another jerk doesn't feel the same way.

-A-Roid needs surgery.

-The Bat will be attending the ring ceremony.

-Who's madder: Don Nelson or Shoals?



I'm pretty sure this whole Nellie idea can't work out well.

-Classic:



-Now that's a good prank:

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.

It's Friday, Time to Dance

Since the Eagles' idea of a No. 1 receiver Kevin Curtis succumbed to the dreaded sports hernia, I decided, as painful as it might be for some Eagles fans, to feature the only true No. 1 the Birds have had with Donovan McNabb under center.

So here I present, Terrell Owens doing the Ray Lewis idiotic dance.



That was the coolest celebration I've ever seen, and I loved every second of it when it happened.