UPDATED: TO Suspended for the Rest of Season

[Punch and Judy Garland]

No way they'd release him now. Did you mena the Bears would be interested after the season? Philly would surely send him home before they let another team get him and potentially use him against the Eagles int he playoffs. I bet the Bears would have zero interest.

[Rowand44]

Short term pain for long term gain. I applaud the stance the Eagles have taken here.

Well of course, you're a cowboys fan. I agree though, I like what the eagles are doing.

[DBAHO]

Well of course, you're a cowboys fan.     I agree though, I like what the eagles are doing.

Well yeah, even with TO I don't know if the Eagles would have made the playoffs. You just can't put up with all of the BS that he has pulled on that team for so long.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

Its easy to say that the eagles will be better off without him. That logic was faulty with Moss and the Vikings. Of course they had other circumstances like Birk but its kind of a close example

[DBAHO]

I honestly do not blame TO for all of this, as the Eagles are one of the most thrifty franchises in the game and other players like Trotter and Westbrook feel the same and have said similar things to TO in regards to the money situation. 

http://www.igglephans.com

That's because they don't give big contracts to veteran players who are past their prime. Hugh Douglas was a perfect example. Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent left, and they hardly missed a beat, getting Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard (who they drafted) to step in.

[DBAHO]

Its easy to say that the eagles will be better off without him. That logic was faulty with Moss and the Vikings. Of course they had other circumstances like Birk but its kind of a close example

Yeah, well the Eagles will definitely be drafting another WR very high in the upcoming draft, but they've got some good young WR's in Greg Lewis and Reggie Brown (I think that's his name), who deserve some playing time.

[MattZakrowski]

I personally like T.O., he is willing to speak his mind, and not suck up to the coaches and owner.

[Balta1701]

Yeah, well the Eagles will definitely be drafting another WR very high in the upcoming draft, but they've got some good young WR's in Greg Lewis and Reggie Brown (I think that's his name), who deserve some playing time.

The interesting thing is that it looks right now like they will in fact be drafting fairly high in the draft...given that their QB is a battered wreck who's throwing passes 80% of the time and now their best WR got himself suspended.

 

Oh yeah, and Westbrook is pissed off about his contract situation too, and I get the feeling he won't be back with that team next year either.

[GoodAsGould]

They have been good recently but really its a dumb franchise.....

 

As for TO yes he is an ass and talks to much but hey he is arguably the best WR in the game and he did put his career on the line last year in the Super Bowl. If this suspension only is 1 game its really dumb since TO wasnt going to play anyway....

 

With TO the eagles would struggle to make the playoffs from the looks of it now w/out him I dont think they even will especially in that division.

[Rex Hudler]

They have been good recently but really its a dumb franchise.....

 

As for TO yes he is an ass and talks to much but hey he is arguably the best WR in the game and he did put his career on the line last year in the Super Bowl.  If this suspension only is 1 game its really dumb since TO wasnt going to play anyway....

 

With TO the eagles would struggle to make the playoffs from the looks of it now w/out him I dont think they even will especially in that division.

 

Actually it had been established that he would probably play on Sunday. He said as much in his interview. And even if he wasn't going to play, it gets him and the distraction out of their hair and costs him money, so you can't say it would have been dumb. There's a reason for everything.

[Rex Hudler]

Interesting, but not surprising stuff from four ESPN talents, all former NFL players.....

 

Experts weigh in on TO

 

some excerpts.....

 

Theisman

 

It's a shame, really, because Owens is the most physically gifted receiver in the game today. He's big, fast, tough, strong, has great hands, and wants to be the best, but he's stupid. It absolutely amazes me that someone who has so much to give to a team continues to take away. Never in my 31 years around the professional game of football have I seen such a waste and such a degree of selfishness.

 

Salisbury

 

Owens isn't just a cancer, he's a terminal cancer in a locker room. He has the maturity of a 7-year-old and it looks like he'll never mature. I used to think he was worth the trouble, but he's proven me wrong as he went from punking his teammates to punking the organization. He's the ultimate I-guy in a game that is the ultimate we-sport.

 

Schlereth

 

Terrell Owens' suspension is a message from the organization to the rest of the team. If the Eagles are going to make the playoffs, then they are going to do it as a cohesive unit. This could be a galvanizing moment for this coaching staff and the 52 other players on the team. This could get everybody refocused because there are two types of people in the world: energy drainers and energy enhancers. Owens is an energy drainer and he's sucked the life out of this organization with his constant complaining and harping.

 

Hoge

 

What's really sad is that Owens is an amazingly talented receiver. He puts in a ton of time making sure that he's in great shape and he could've owned the city if he would've kept his mouth shut. This is a town that wants a championship badly and wants players who are hard workers and who play hard every play. After his great play in the Super Bowl it was all set up for him. Instead of recognizing this, he alienated yet another set of fans.

[GoodAsGould]

Actually it had been established that he would probably play on Sunday.  He said as much in his interview.  And even if he wasn't going to play, it gets him and the distraction out of their hair and costs him money, so you can't say it would have been dumb.  There's a reason for everything.

 

With the amount of money he had do you really think missing pay for 1 game is really going to hurt him?

[Chisoxfn]

Eagles season is officially over.

 

They have an injured QB, no receivers worth a s*** and no running game.

 

This is comical.

 

I honestly do not blame TO for all of this, as the Eagles are one of the most thrifty franchises in the game and other players like Trotter and Westbrook feel the same and have said similar things to TO in regards to the money situation.  As far as McNabb goes, he hasn't been very good this year and TO has been great.  No argument there from me.  More or less, he was suspended because Andy Reid and some of the Eagles players cannot stand the fact that he is in fact bigger than the team at times.  The Eagles should have dealt him prior to the season.  Now after this latest episode his value continues to fall.

 

I fully expect an interview with Rosenhaus to be the lead story on Sportscenter tonight.

 

Yippee.

 

Also, seems some Eagle fans are pissed.

 

http://www.igglephans.com

I pretty much feel the same way you do. I'm interested to see how long they stick with this because they aren't a playoff team without TO, especially with McNabb all banged up.

 

I've never ever seen TO take a play off on the field. Thats something that can't be forgotten.

[Chisoxfn]

On ESPN Radio this afternoon they were talking that the eagles might release TO and if they do would the Bears be interested. As much as i hate the guy, he is an amazing reciever, and with a team of Moose and TO we would go from having one of the worst group of WR's the one of the best. His attitude would probably f*** up the team though.

If Philly were going to cut them they might as well wait to the end of the season. No reason to let another contender potentially pick him up. Simple answer, yes, I'd sign him in a heartbeat if I were the Bears.

 

Although he'd never come to Chicago and play with a rookie qb.

[Rex Hudler]

With the amount of money he had do you really think missing pay for 1 game is really going to hurt him?

 

The guy has done nothing but b**** about money, so to him it has to mean something, does it not?

[Chisoxfn]

I thought he was suspended with pay.

[GoodAsGould]

I thought he was suspended with pay.

 

Can they really even suspend him w/out pay for something like this. He didnt do anything to breach his contract or something like that. Didnt do anything against the rules.....

 

Because if you could just suspend people without pay..... even if they are part of the salary teams could do that to players who have sucked once getting the big money.

[DBAHO]

Can they really even suspend him w/out pay for something like this.  He didnt do anything to breach his contract or something like that.  Didnt do anything against the rules.....

 

Because if you could just suspend people without pay..... even if they are part of the salary teams could do that to players who have sucked once getting the big money.

It depends, I think if it's for 1 game they can, but if they do for a whole season like Jon Gruden did with Keyshawn, then they have to pay him, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

 

I doubt TO would care greatly anyway. He's going to sell his house for $4.4M as well.

[sayitaintso]

I cant stand TO's rich whining ass. I would have suspended him along time aog if i could hcvve.

[DBAHO]

I pretty much feel the same way you do.  I'm interested to see how long they stick with this because they aren't a playoff team without TO, especially with McNabb all banged up.

 

I've never ever seen TO take a play off on the field.  Thats something that can't be forgotten.

I don't think the issue is how TO goes on the field, we all know he doesn't take a play off, and is one of the best etc.

 

Inside that locker room however, if you're Donovan McNabb, how can you possibly play with this guy? And his other team-mates as well? He's already bashed you numerous times. And because Donovan's signed long - term, and he's playing through an injury for the good of the team, no way you want to alienate him anymore. No 1 man is bigger than the team.

[Rex Hudler]

To put it all in perspective.........

 

Anyone here think Ozzie would have put up with this crap if TO were playing for the White Sox and doing this?

 

Hell no.

[DBAHO]

Good piece here from the Czar;

 

Andy Reid and the Eagles knew the risk when they traded for receiver Terrell Owens.

 

He got them to one Super Bowl, and by pushing $7.5 million of bonus money into the 2006 season — money that T.O. won't ever collect now — they protected their salary cap in the process.

It was that bonus money that Owens was crying about earlier this year. It was why he wanted to renegotiate so badly. The Eagles, primarily vice-president Joe Banner, never budged, never flinched. Owens hired top agent Drew "Rosehips," but he was unable to receive even one proposal from Banner. Both sides dug in their heels, and now Owens is suspended from tonight's game against the Washington Redskins. The Eagles might even dock him his weekly paycheck of $205,882.

 

The Eagles could suspend him for three more games, the maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement. Of course, he could also apologize to quarterback Donovan McNabb for saying the Eagles would "be undefeated if Brett Favre" was Philadelphia's quarterback all season. If Owens apologizes to the quarterback and his teammates for his statements and actions, there's a good chance that Reid will reinstate Owens for next Sunday's game against Dallas.

 

If Owens doesn't apologize, it's anyone's guess what will happen next. The Eagles could maintain the suspension or even decide to simply release him, believing his great talents are no longer worth the locker-room turmoil he creates. There's the outside chance that Reid believes he can still fix Owens — you know, straighten him out.

 

If the Eagles give up on him, what team will want Owens? Would anyone claim him and the remaining $1.65 million on his contract?

 

It seems unlikely that he would be claimed. Many teams don't have that available salary-cap room, while other teams, like the Vikings and 49ers, definitely need a game-breaking receiver but would steer clear of him. Seriously, can you see either one of them signing him?

 

Most believe that Raiders owner Al Davis would want Owens. But there's no way with the salary cap that Davis could afford Owens, considering all the money he's paying Randy Moss and Jerry Porter.

 

"We're having a hard enough time getting the ball to Randy, who is the game's best receiver," said one Raiders' insider. "We've been doing our best to get rid of troublemakers. Why would we want him?"

 

The bottom line is that Owens has cooked his own goose. He's been screaming about being underpaid and under-appreciated, but what team is going to throw a $10 million bonus at him under these circumstances? The answer is no one.

[Confederate_48]

Oh yeah, and Westbrook is pissed off about his contract situation too, and I get the feeling he won't be back with that team next year either.

 

They are cloose to signing Westbrook to an extension according to Comcast. Im sure thats gonna make T.O. even happier when thats all finalized.

[Kyyle23]

They are cloose to signing Westbrook to an extension according to Comcast. Im sure thats gonna make T.O. even happier when thats all finalized.

 

Do you feel that T.O. is underpaid?

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

T.O. is a major tool. His attitude is bad for the sport and he is a poor role model. It is people like him that has made people lose interest in football. No other sport has three jack asses like T.O., Randy Moss, and Ricky Williams.