From ESPN
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- All-Pro wide receiver Terrell Owens left Philadelphia Eagles training camp Wednesday after being suspended until next Wednesday by coach Andy Reid.
ESPN's Sal Paolantonio reported Reid told Owens to leave after Owens "dropped an expletive" on him during a heated exchange about the wide receiver's practice session that was conducted apart from the team. Owens then left for his Moorestown, N.J., home where media members found him later Wednesday.
"I got sent home until Wednesday for whatever reason," Owens told Comcast SportsNet for a TV interview from his front lawn. "It was just a difference of opinion. I was defending myself."
Comcast SportsNet reported the disagreement occurred during a team meeting. Owens then got his belongings and cleared out of training camp at Lehigh University.
"T.O. was asked to leave by Andy Reid," Owens' publicist Kim Etheredge said. "I don't think that it was heated, it was a difference of opinion. I don't know if there was an argument."
Owens did not say what the argument was about.
"If the truth needs to be told, then that's what I'll do," Owens said. "If he [Reid] wants me to be a man about it and have me really go on the air and really tell the people what happened, then I can. It was a difference of opinion."
The Eagles responded with a brief statement:
"Terrell Owens has been sent home from training camp due to undisclosed team issues. He is expected to return to the team on Wednesday, August 17th."
Owens' agent Drew Rosenhaus said: "Basically, the coach told him he should take a rest and get some rehab and [Reid] would get back to him in a few days."
Owens is unhappy the Eagles have refused to redo his contract as he enters the second season of a seven-year, $48.97 million deal. He hired Rosenhaus and threatened to skip camp completely. Instead, Owens reported, then injured his groin last Thursday.
He was day to day and the injury wasn't considered serious, but he missed practice Wednesday for the fifth time in six days.
Owens worked out with the team's assistant trainer for about 20 minutes on a separate playing field from his teammates, catching balls from a machine and doing some light running. He did not speak to reporters or acknowledge the fans who chanted his name.
Owens also skipped a scheduled autograph session with the rest of the Eagles' receivers after practice.
"He was unable to attend because he was injured," Etheredge said.
Owens said the fans have been great, but he didn't sign autographs at the tent because he was rehabbing his groin. He also said he was having fun at camp, even if it didn't look that way.
Since arriving at camp Owens has been distant on the field with his teammates. After signing autographs and slapping hands with fans on a nearly daily basis at last year's camp, Owens has jogged on and off the practice field without much acknowledgment of their chants and screams of support.
"Just because I don't talk to everybody, that's up to me," Owens said. "Everybody needs to understand the situation is all business, it's nothing personal. The situation is between me and management. They know what's going on.
"I think some people are kind of ticked off because I haven't really said much. They don't pay me to go in there and talk to everybody and be friendly to everybody. They paid me to play and they paid me to perform. That's what I've been going in there and doing."
The Eagles had a special teams practice Wednesday afternoon and Owens was not required to attend.
Last season, Owens had 77 receptions for 1,200 yards and a franchise-record 14 touchdowns before severely injuring his ankle late in the season. He missed the final two regular-season games and the first two playoff games before returning for the Super Bowl, in which he had nine receptions for 122 yards.
While Owens has been an off-field distraction, the Eagles sorely need his production. Todd Pinkston is on injured reserve and out for the season with a torn Achilles' tendon, and the rest of the wide receivers -- Greg Lewis, Billy McMullen, and Reggie Brown -- are young and inexperienced.
The Terrell Owens soap opera continue.....
Moderators: Mop, Dictators in Training
Yeah, Reid was about to lose the team. Hugh Douglas, and the rest of the team are made to do camp activities, sign autographs, make appearances, etc. But TO hasnt done any of this. So the players went to Reid and asked him why TO was exempt. That's when Reid called him into his office and the shouting match started and Reid kicked his dumb ass out of camp. Bravo Reid. This is all alleged I guess, what Ive piece together.
I hope they sit TO out all fuckin year. The Eagles got to the NFC championship game a couple years ago with nobodies at WR, they can do it again.
I hope they sit TO out all fuckin year. The Eagles got to the NFC championship game a couple years ago with nobodies at WR, they can do it again.
You were right Tikker. We suck.
I bet Rosenhaus would love to dump TO right about now. He's received no cash for him and gotten a ton of bad PR,
Rosenhaus and Steinberg were on Quite Frankly yesterday, and it was an interesting discussion. Steinberg was accusatory to Rosenhaus for basically being a shark, until Charlie Casserly told Steinberg he was identical to Rosenhaus 25 years ago.
Rosenhaus and Steinberg were on Quite Frankly yesterday, and it was an interesting discussion. Steinberg was accusatory to Rosenhaus for basically being a shark, until Charlie Casserly told Steinberg he was identical to Rosenhaus 25 years ago.
What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.
– C. S. Lewis
– C. S. Lewis
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Zanchief
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Zanchief
xaoshaen wrote:lyion wrote:Zanchief wrote:I'm assuming he wants to be traded to a team that will renegotiate his contract? How does he think that's gonna happen when he's acting like an asshat?
Two words: Jerry Jones
I'll see your two and raise you one: Dallas Star Celebration.
I have no clue what your talking about.
TO once defiled the Dallas midfield star by dancing on it after a TD reception. It was looked upon poorly and he tried it again, but was greeted by Roy nicely.
I still think Jones would grab T.O. in a heartbeat, regardless of that, simply because of the type of owner he is. He wants to win bad enough to do whatever it takes.
I still think Jones would grab T.O. in a heartbeat, regardless of that, simply because of the type of owner he is. He wants to win bad enough to do whatever it takes.
What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step.
– C. S. Lewis
– C. S. Lewis
lyion wrote:TO once defiled the Dallas midfield star by dancing on it after a TD reception. It was looked upon poorly and he tried it again, but was greeted by Roy nicely.
I still think Jones would grab T.O. in a heartbeat, regardless of that, simply because of the type of owner he is. He wants to win bad enough to do whatever it takes.
I'm generally against cheap shots in football because of the risk of injury, but that was a thing of beauty.
Jones might still go for Owens, but I always got the impression that he always bought into the Cowboy mythos. I don't know that for a fact, it's just the impression I have from limited exposure to him in interviews and the like.
Phlegm wrote:Al Davis should grab him and pair him with Moss if the Eagles decide not to keep him.
lmfao, this will never happen, not because TO wouldn't go or Mr. Davis wouldn't sign him, but with those two down the field begging, crying, fighting over the ball all the damn time, one of them would be traded by the end of game 2 if that long. Not to mention you would need a QB in raider country that could handle them.
And yes TO is a piece of shit, to his fans, to his team, everyone. Although I'd love to see him get injured on the field... if it happens on a crotch rocket going 90, that'd be better because his contract would be like Winslow's .... utter trash.
P.S. bravo Andy Reid, bravo.
~Beelz~