Breaking News:
Terrell Owens opened his mouth one too many times, it seems. Andy Reid announced today that Owens was suspended for four games without pay and would not return to the team following his suspension.
On one hand, the Birds will no doubt miss his performance on the field, which was never anything less than stellar. On the other hand, perhaps this will allow the rest of the clubhouse to regroup, move on, and fully prepare for the Monday night game against the hated Cowboys.
One major knock against the Eagles this year has been that they've looked mentally unprepared. Whether or not that has something to do with the turmoil Owens has caused in the clubhouse, we'll never know. But since Owens was dismissed from the team, players have started talking, and what they're saying implies a connection.
Donovan McNabb: "Obviously, it's tough losing a guy of his caliber, but I think we might be better off. I think we played well together as a team. Nothing against him and his attitude, but this game is about playing together."
Hugh Douglas: "T.O. is a great receiver, but he's also a troubled soul. Something's not right. Most of the leaders on the team felt that T.O.'s a grown man and he needed to handle himself accordingly. But it was a situation where we didn't know how crazy this man was, you know what I mean? We just didn't know how many issues this man had and it just got out of hand. I think everybody was sitting around like, 'Wow, I didn't know this man was this crazy.'"
Anonymous Eagles Player: "People are tired. People want peace and calm in the locker room so they can focus, so they can think without distractions. When it's over and over and over and over and over, it wears on you."
Now that Owens is out of the picture, one would hope the Eagles will return to playing the kind of football they played last year, with the added motivation of wanting to prove they can win without Owens. Unfortunately, there's no formula for how long it takes to get back that chemistry. Last night, in a 17-10 loss to the Washington Redskins, we learned that two days isn't quite long enough. But with the Cowboys coming to town for a Monday night showdown, Eagles fans are hoping and praying that 7 days is more than enough.
Comments:
Post a Comment
