Reward or respect?
The Philadelphia Eagles are forcing Terrell Owens to take a timeout while they salvage their integrity as one of the NFL's model franchises.
Over the next few days, Owens' indefinite suspension – in which his season-long fate will be decided – will boil down to one decision. Either the Eagles permanently jettison Owens or the team risks giving him another chance to slap the organization in the face.
It seems like an easy choice now that Owens has thoroughly given the brass knuckles treatment to everyone in sight. If the Eagles are smart, and if the organization has any guts left, Owens' suspension will be followed by permanent expulsion.
Because to leave cancer No. 81 untreated one more time is to allow it to destroy the most vital asset Philadelphia still possesses – respect.
The coaching staff and front office are losing face around the NFL, earning a reputation as Owens' band of cowardly whipping boys that are afraid to make a tough-but-obvious decision. Is this a hard-line organization that sticks to its' long-term design? Do the Eagles still follow the credo that says no one man is worth derailing an entire franchise? Or have they become so desperate to piece together another shot at a Super Bowl that they will allow Owens to embarrass them time and again?
Consider what the franchise has endured from one man this season:
Owens ripping the franchise over his contract during the offseason and implying that management lies.
Owens taking a thinly veiled jab at Donovan McNabb for "getting tired" in the Super Bowl, then openly ignoring and feuding with his quarterback.
Owens arriving to training camp with a chip on his shoulder, then getting into confrontations with coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Brad Childress.
Owens saying that if he had to do it all over again, he never would have come to Philadelphia, nor attempted to return from last season's injury to play in the Super Bowl.
Owens wearing a Michael Irvin jersey after suffering a blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Owens agreeing that the Eagles would be better off with Brett Favre at quarterback.
Owens essentially saying the franchise lacked class for not celebrating his 100th touchdown catch.
To be sure, he has delivered on the field this season, with 763 receiving yards and six touchdowns in seven games. He remains an elite wide receiver and clearly is still one of the league's most potent weapons. But for every positive, Owens has done nothing but deliver overwhelming negatives.
Which begs the question: Is a shot at the Super Bowl worth this? Because one thing is clear: T.O. is about as likely to be in Philadelphia next year as Mike Tice is to get a 10-year extension in Minnesota. Owens' New Jersey home is up for sale, the front office absolutely abhors him and he has a total of $8.27 million due in 2006 that the Eagles are not going to give him.
Add it all up, and the only factor that has kept Owens in the picture to this point is a diminishing Super Bowl window. Simply put, this is an Eagles team that may have only one or two rock-solid opportunities left before the roster needs some serious tweaking. So they have let Owens spit on them, knowing deep down that their chances of a championship shrink significantly without him.
That's why Owens keeps getting second chances. And it's why his latest inflammatory comments – about Favre being a better option than McNabb and the franchise lacking class – are followed by a 30-second apology that has about as much heart as an IRS audit.
"I've had an opportunity to talk with the Eagles organization and I have learned that the team does not recognize individual achievements," Owens said in his prepared statement. "It has been brought to my attention that I have offended the organization and my teammates. Therefore, I would like to apologize for any derogatory comments toward them."
Notice that he was apologizing for offending people. He's not retracting anything. He's not saying he was wrong. He's saying he's sorry people got upset. And by doing so, he makes the Eagles look worse.
Owens kicks the organization in the groin, and the best he can do is offer a tissue to wipe away the ensuing tears? It's a charade. It's embarrassing. And it's everything this franchise shouldn't be.
Maybe now the Philadelphia Eagles are finally seeing that.
