White Sox Josh Posted November 9, 2005 Share Posted November 9, 2005 What the f*** My Sportsman Choice: Terrell Owens Posted: Friday November 4, 2005 1:48PM; Updated: Friday November 4, 2005 2:43P By Ben Reiter The average recovery time from a fractured fibula, high ankle sprain and torn deltoid ligament is nearly 12 weeks. On Feb. 6, exactly 49 days after sustaining a combination of those injuries following a now-banned horsecollar tackle by Cowboys safety Roy Williams, Terrell Owens suited up to play wideout for the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. Surely, the pregame scuttlebutt went, the Eagles would use Owens as a decoy to take the pressure off of their other receivers, who on their own scared exactly no one. Surely, critics cried, Owens was being selfish as usual, ignoring his doctors' objections and putting his own quest for glory over that of his team. Owens needed all of 12 seconds to shut the haters up: He caught a 7-yard pass from Donovan McNabb on the Eagles' second play from scrimmage. He hauled in a 9-yarder on the next possession, and, running gingerly and without that explosiveness that has made him one of the best receivers in NFL history, a 30-yarder on the next. Unable to soar over or outrun the defensive backs as he has so often during his 10-year career, Owens simply turned himself into the best possession receiver on the field -- Wayne Chrebet in Superman's body. Owens finished with nine catches for 122 yards -- and we winced along with him after each improbable grab. Had the Eagles won, we might be talking about Owens' performance in the same breath as Willis Reed's heroic appearance in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals. But the Eagles lost to the Patriots, 24-21, and Owens' heroics were lost in a swarm of B's: Brady, Bruschi, Branch and Belichick. Then came this offseason's T.O. show, which pushed his super Super Bowl even further into the past. T.O.'s critics gleefully slammed him for not-so-obliquely calling out McNabb for becoming "tired in the Super Bowl"; for demanding a new contract and for being booted from training camp for a week. Just because he's better at making enemies than Kristin from Laguna Beach doesn't make Terrell Owens any less of a sportsman. Less of a sportsmensch? Sure. But wouldn't sports be boring if every athlete was a toe-the-line, coach-respecting, eminently unquotable Derek Jeter-type? In fact, some would even argue that Owens' antics enhance his greatness on the field, at least as far as entertainment value. In his autobiography Catch This!, Owens wrote, "Sports, at least pro sports, [are] about your ability to go out onto the field or the court and perform when it [counts]. The critics could keep on talking; I was going to keep playing football and try to help the Eagles win their first Super Bowl." In 2005, Owens nearly did just that in the year's most stunning, stirring, and brave performance, one that shouldn't be forgotten, no matter his peripheral shenanigans. Last year, SI named an entire roster of guys -- the Boston Red Sox -- as its Sportsmen of the Year. This year, we only need two letters: T.O. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 He's talking about his Superbowl game. Not any of this media s*** he's gone through. You're going to have a hell of a time convincing anyone on here that TO's Superbowl was not gutsy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Sox Josh Posted November 10, 2005 Author Share Posted November 10, 2005 QUOTE(witesoxfan @ Nov 10, 2005 -> 01:12 AM) He's talking about his Superbowl game. Not any of this media s*** he's gone through. You're going to have a hell of a time convincing anyone on here that TO's Superbowl was not gutsy. oh i agree with you. I think it was more gutsy than Schilling but isn't Sportsmen of the year supposed to count for some of the off the field stuff you do. I mean after the s*** he did last week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted November 10, 2005 Share Posted November 10, 2005 Sounds like they are referring to his actions in Jaunary. Good choice, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buehrle>Wood Posted November 11, 2005 Share Posted November 11, 2005 Sportsman of the YEAR award. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted November 11, 2005 Share Posted November 11, 2005 QUOTE(Buehrle>Wood @ Nov 10, 2005 -> 06:06 PM) Sportsman of the YEAR award. SPORTSMAN, not PR disaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalapse Posted November 12, 2005 Share Posted November 12, 2005 QUOTE(Steff @ Nov 11, 2005 -> 05:22 AM) SPORTSMAN, not PR disaster. I'm pretty sure being a good teammate/team player ties into being a great Sportsman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buehrle>Wood Posted November 12, 2005 Share Posted November 12, 2005 QUOTE(Kalapse @ Nov 12, 2005 -> 02:52 AM) I'm pretty sure being a good teammate/team player ties into being a great Sportsman. Exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 QUOTE(Kalapse @ Nov 11, 2005 -> 08:52 PM) I'm pretty sure being a good teammate/team player ties into being a great Sportsman. And last season and leading up top the Superbowl, which they clearly indicate is the time frame they are referring to.... he was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyyle23 Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 QUOTE(Steff @ Nov 14, 2005 -> 09:23 AM) And last season and leading up top the Superbowl, which they clearly indicate is the time frame they are referring to.... he was. last season was mostly 2004. i agree that his performance in the superbowl was gutty, but he sure hasnt endeared himself to the team concept since that moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 QUOTE(kyyle23 @ Nov 14, 2005 -> 09:20 AM) last season was mostly 2004. i agree that his performance in the superbowl was gutty, but he sure hasnt endeared himself to the team concept since that moment. Probably why they didn't mention anything AFTER the SB weighing in on the decision.. Holy good grief... :banghead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Sox Josh Posted November 14, 2005 Author Share Posted November 14, 2005 QUOTE(Steff @ Nov 14, 2005 -> 08:23 AM) And last season and leading up top the Superbowl, which they clearly indicate is the time frame they are referring to.... he was. didn't he get into a verbal fight with McNabb before the Super Bowl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 QUOTE(White Sox Josh @ Nov 14, 2005 -> 11:05 AM) didn't he get into a verbal fight with McNabb before the Super Bowl? WHAT DONOVAN SAYS MUST BE DONE. THERE IS NO FIGHTING IN A LOCKERROOM ESPECIALLY WITH DONOVAN Good grief, arguments occur all the time. An argument won't take anything away from his year last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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