Say it ain't so!!!!! That man is a survivor, not a quitter. I am tired of all the hype, people putting him down. He is a human being and an Awesome athlete.
Maybe he doesn't have the social skills of Joe Montana, but neither does Keyshawn Johnson. The media needs to back off!!! He is what he is, and a lot of things we are hearing from the press about T.O. is stretched and manipulated to boost news paper sales. He needs the fans to support him, We lost Tillman way too soon, and It was something we couldn't prevent. This situation we can help, He needs US, Please don't let us loose Terrell too!
I think about that that game in 98 all the time. T.O. caught that pass in the end zone, with 19 seconds on the clock. For the first time in Steve Youngs career, With the help of Terrell Owens, The 49er were able to defeat Brett, and the Packers. I will always love him for that!!!
God Bless You T.O. Get well soon!

the media is not the cause of TO's problems and putting the blame on them is missing the target.  TO, while a fantastic athelete, seems to have a lot of personal issues that he needs to address by means of counseling or professional help.  He struggles with authority, for every teammate that he respects he alienates 2 others, he tends to resolve conflict in combative terms and it sure appeaars as if he is depressed.  

While these things are not helped by negative press they are also not caused by it either.  TO is a sick dude in many ways and needs help.  Like yourself Ashley I hope he eventually gets well but he needs to take the first step.        

-- Modified on 9/27/2006 8:55:26 AM

-- Modified on 9/27/2006 9:05:37 AM

It has to happen more than we hear about it.  Sports fans and coaches especially in football, generally aren't too sympathetic about it.  It's hard to associate depression with achievement on the field.

Whats that supposed to mean???

As a long time football nut I stopped watching NFL games because of the "look at me" antics of the players.  A guy makes a normal tackle and celebrates like he just stopped 4th and goal at the one inch line in the last 5 seconds of the Super Bowl.  Or his team is down by 40 points in the 4 quarter and he catches a touchdown pass then he celebrates as if the catch won the Super Bowl on the last play of the game.

There are more hotdogs on the field than are sold in the stands.

On one hand, it's great that someone can use their physical abilities to earn piles of fame & cash, but I've known a few local athletes that were disconnected from reality because at 20 they were given opprtunities that "normal people" don't get.  If someone had given me millions of dollars upon graduating from college, I might have been a bit irresponsible.  OK, more irresponsible than I am already!

It meant that I hope that TO gets well soon just as you too hope TO gets well soon...

You know what? The NFL is at fault. They made him into the monster he is. The pressure is almost to much at this point. You can't expect him to be nice, when everyone makes a point to attack him.
Parcell wasn't the one running out to get his hands on the receiver. It was Jerry Jones that brought Terrell on the team. Parcell thru a fit!!!
My point is, he has always been the outsider, he intimidates a lot of his teammates with his skill.
Wouldn't you hate the guy that's taking your job????  

T.O. has had to fight for everything that he has accomplished, and still people want to hate him. He acts out in frustration. He is sick of the Bullshit, and the media.    

-- Modified on 9/27/2006 9:30:40 AM

He's a fucking CANCER in a CLUBHOUSE.  A real cumstain on the bed of life!

All my football buddies said- "not a finisher!"

Fuck that guy with a Mack Truck up the kazoo.

(Later, I'll tell you how I really feel)

'The NFL is at fault. They made him the monster that he is.'  -  He's an adult not a child.  Adults make choices and TO often chooses to be combative.

'The pressure is almost to much at this point' - You might be right here but he can always vote with his feet and walk away.  He always has that choice.

'You can't expect him to be nice' -  There are countless pro atheltes in all sports who deal with intense pressure everyday.  Those that are nice tend to get praise, those that act out tend to get negative feedback.

'Parcell's threw a fit' -  Parcell's always throws fits.  TO has a long ,long line of players ahead of him that have felt the wrath of a Parcell rant.  Some overcame it and won the coach over, others did not.  TO is nowhere near being alone on this front.

'Always the outsider' -  Team sports are the perfect avenue for people who are outsiders to become part of a close knit group... provided the player makes an effort to do so.  Sure you may not get along with all teammates but you should not be a constant soruce of friction either.

'Intimidate teammates with his skill' and 'hate the guy who takes your job' -  TO is a WR.  Why would his skills bother his teammates who are linemen, RB's, DB's, QB, etc.?  I could see other teammate WR's being threatened and certainly opposing players but not his teammates who play other positions.  TO's mouth and attitide is what bothers most of his distractors and not his skills.    

'TO has had to fight for everything' -You might be right but he has succeeded and he is getting paid very well for it.  He is not the only pro who overcame odds and a tough background to reach his dreams.  But many others do so with a lot more dignity.

'He acts out in frustration' -He is not the only one in this regard.  I'm a huge Giants fan and a Shockey fan. He too goes overboard at times.  Although I like him as a player and he is on my team, I can't give him a free pass when he acts like a jerk. Again we are talking about adults not children.

As I said in my first reply to your post Ashley, I honestly think TO is a troubled man in need of professional counseling.  Many folks in such a state blame those around them for their problems and deny the fact that they do not know how to cope in adverse situations.  I think TO falls into this category.

our society that put him there... really who buys the infotainment crap we get fed.  We do. and with respect to the guy coming out of college without being able to deal with it, well, believe me when I tell you that too many young people come out of Ivy League Universities without a clue! Witness our fearless leader GW, or his No-bell opponent - Kerry.  Both ivy league grads - but leaders?  I think not.

We pay upside down in terms of importance... and I am all for doing away with lots of stuff that make no sense... the pay that sports and entertainment types get, is a sorry reflection of our society... and I am sorry, but Katie Couric?  why should she get that amount of money for READING what others write.?  no reason.

yea, easy to blame TO - it is a cheap shot fired by professional cheap shooters.... now if they would really want to write about significant stuff here is my list:

Education - does it need to change to reflect the world shifts and needs of a global economy?

Health and social services - how can we pay for what we need, and build a larger contributor base?

National defense - what is is? How does it need to be structured for the coming century?

International relations and responsible global civility - clearly religions can no longer afford to teach hatred and conflict... how can we change that message... what are the appropriate ways to combat the conditions that lead to global unrest.

finally....

Information - verification....  with the internet, anything can be globlalized in minutes... without verification.  That is, untruth can be made fact....   production values supercede content.  this needs to change.  Our differences of opinions on the boards should serve as a guide to the great internet information debates....  do they?

hee hee.....   serious stuff.... but could/would the likes of a katie couric take on such weighty issues?! or punt in favor of picking on an easy media target.... remember most of my gripe centers on doing the difficult work of clinical evaluation of information and sorting through to fact.....  

And let's face it - I am getting grumpy and really don't quite know why!
lol!  Can anyone guess    ?

According to his just-concluded press conference, TO said he had an allergic reaction to a combination of meds & supplements.  If he had indeed tried to commit suicide earlier, he sure is one heck of an actor.  
The press really went overboard on this one trying to one-up & outscoop each other.  Especially ESPN.  They should all be ashamed of themselves and be made to retake their Journalism 101 class especially the part about double-checking their sources before running with a story.

Now, if it's 10+ years from now, and he's blown all his money, is millions in debt, getting his cars repo'ed and his house forclosed on...  Then I'd understand being depressed and wanting to end it, but when you're rich, famous, and currently employed... At least party yourself into the ground before taking the losers way out!

I am sorry,but the rants, the childish behavior, the outrageous demands.... really, noone should have signed him on... this is the THIRD time! that he has an opportunity that many would give years of their life to have.

Yea, TO is a troubled man, but he is enabled by a society that simply refuses to stop enabling childish behavior by our sports and entertainment types.... sorry, there is plenty of blame to go around....  

And for the record, Dallas, as an organization, lost me as a fan when they dismissed Tom Landry the way that they did.  Payback, its a bitch!  

These truths are all there to see....

you can't always get what you want, but you can always get what you need....

everything is a function of time....

there is no such thing as a sure thing.... and the unifying force of the universe.....

Everything... and I do mean everything always comes back to you.... Karma!

'The NFL is at fault. They made him the monster that he is.'  -  He's an adult not a child.  Adults make choices and TO often chooses to be combative,
     
Only when provoked. What High profile Celebrity do you know that acts like an adult? it just makes me giggle to read that!

'The pressure is almost to much at this point' - You might be right here but he can always vote with his feet and walk away.  He always has that choice.

Oh really? hows he supposed to live? unless I am dreaming, he does need a pay check. I just wouldn't be so quick to walk away, He doesn't know how to, football is his life.


'Intimidate teammates with his skill' and 'hate the guy who takes your job' -  TO is a WR.  Why would his skills bother his teammates who are linemen, RB's, DB's, QB, etc.?  I could see other teammate WR's being threatened and certainly opposing players but not his teammates who play other positions.  TO's mouth and attitude is what bothers most of his dis-tractors and not his skills.
 
Its about who gets the ball more on offense. The more td's the more money. These guys get bonuses for their performances. If T.O. out played you this week he gets more dough and more attention, than you. Its about more than you think. Money, power, control.
Some of these pro's have psyc majors, don't you think that they would know how to use that shit against him?
Steve Young once compared both Jerry Rice and T.O,You know what he said? You have to think open minded with your receivers. You have two men with very different backgrounds and personalities, you have to know how to handle each personality, to get the same effect.

T.O is not the sharpest tack in the bunch. He lets his emotions and his teammates get the best of him. but that's what makes him such an athlete, His passion!  

but that's your opinion, maybe we don't know the real truth, because of all the nasty little backstabbing that does go on. Don't be so quick to judge!

self delete

-- Modified on 9/27/2006 1:10:17 PM

of sports and entertainment types... I just wish that the news media would get it straight... these people in sports and entertainment are there for our amusement.... they are not rocket scientists.... and we should pay them (sports and entertainment figures) accordingly....  

Seriously, education in this country needs an overhaul, our process for choosing government leaders that will tackle real problems facing all of us needs to be repaired.... and most importantly, we need to decide exactly what kind of country we wish to live in... cause no one seems to be driving the bus.  sorry.... just can't get excited over a sad sports team and an even sadder player who is paid far more than he contributes to society as a whole.... sorry, just can't do it.

High Profile Celebrities who act like adults:  There are plenty.  Pro sport examples - Mark Messier, Brian Leech (NHL), Tiki Barber, Jerry Rice, E. Smith, Walter Peyton (RIP) and Pat Tillman (RIP) who you yourself cited earlier in your post (NFL), Mike Piazza, Derek Jeter (MLB), Tim Duncan, Grant Hill (NBA).  This list could be increased tenfold without difficulty Ashley.

He needs a paycheck:  If you take $3.5 million dollars and pull $120,000 a year WITHOUT interest, you could do this for 30 years.  TO has already earned 5 times that amount in his NFL career.  

The more TD's, the more money:  I agree to a point but championships bring a lot of bling to the table as well.  Teams win championships and not individual players.      

He let his emotions get to him:  Fine then he should be a man and accept the critique and occasionally apologize for poor conduct.    

I agree that neither you or I are in possession of the entire truth when it comes to TO antics.  But judgement goes both ways.  You judge him to be a victim of circumstances.  I judge him to be a selfish man who seemingly is unwilling to learn how to deal with adversity.  There are poeple that can help him with these skills.  Up to this point he either does not think he needs it or he refuses to do it.  I do agree Ashley that this is just an opinion...

Luv your passion for the game no matter what...              

-- Modified on 9/27/2006 1:59:15 PM

Check out the name of one of Ashley's cats on her website. Better to drop the subject if you ever expect to see this pretty lady. Love your passion Ash!

That depends on your plans, though.  If you intend to go to Mars, cure cancer, see a different provider every night, or have a wife, you should, of course, raise the amount accordingly.  

Money can buy happiness, perhaps.  What it can't do is treat mental illness.

What if???????

So back off! I do love my little baby cat!
Would you like to play with my pussy? LOL!!!

Personally, I can't.

It seems to me that one is more grave than the other.

is that he's gay!  kid  you not!  and that the suicide/plea for help/misplaced the pills in a drawer/it is all a police plot to have revenge on me/allergic reaction/publicist gone wild stuff you hear is all because he is a conflicted guy afraid to come out of the closet!  I kid thou not...  

So hear ye, hear he...  ye olde though and mighty may be (acccording to local gossip mongers) a bit more genteel that we suspected... at first.  lol!  We in Philly are know for being the city of brotherly luv!  lol!!!

AS some have said, this year, forget the Superbowl... it will be the Birds under McNabb against the Boys with Tooo (band my fingers are all broke up) Ouch!  TO to youse guys.

And I thought they were GODS!  Met a DC cheerleader once and fell in love with her... (well we shared a seat on an airplane... lol)

Tom Landry kept the faith of good sportsmanship, taking care of business and helping the players with more than just the on field tactics... member Lance Rentzel (receiver - and it is rumored that Lance Armstrong is named after him)?  Landry personally helped the guy- after he beat up his then wife, Joey Heatherton, and exposed himself to a 10-yr-old girl....  but later, Landry intended to retire gracefully, but was forced out ignominiously by the front office. sheese.... so here we had a stand-up guy, who built "America's Team" hell, he even invented the concept of "America's Team,"  who was tossed aside like a used piece of toilet tissue.... is there any wonder?  

On the contrary, assholes like T.O. who crave the attention all the time will undoubtedly do something stupid in front of the world.  There's one getting arrested or in some other type of hot water every day.  Unlike others, I don't really get sick of seeing their shit in the papers.  I laugh at them.  Besides the game is still good enough to look past the assholes in the unis (not to mention the assholes who are owners).

Then there's the supreme "me" guy, T.O..  Not for one second did I believe he tried to commit suicide.  Not b/c he's a fighter (you got him totally wrong Ashley), but b/c this is the ultimate way for him to get his fat paycheck, not have to play (at less than 100%), and still be in the spotlight.  He knew Parcells was getting fed up with him.  Parcells was going to put him back on the field NEXT week (broken hand or not), and T.O. couldn't bear the thought.  This stunt gets T.O. several extra weeks to get "evaluated" & "tested" before being put back on the field.  All the while, he gets the attention.  Then more attention as he tries to "reassure" every one that he's fine.  I'm sure we'll be hearing lots of "I just want to get back on the field and help my team" B.S. coming forth from him over the next few weeks.  Then, of course, he'll get MAJOR ATTENTION when he finally does return.  Trust me, this smells very calculated to me.

...they sometimes get intentionally duped.  See my post above.  I smell T.O. & his agent cranking up the spotlight machine in a bold, daring move to change T.O.'s image.