Jones says T.O. saga tops it all
By MAC ENGEL
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - In his days since he bought the team, Jerry Jones has been a part of some the most bizarre incidents and employed some of the most unique individuals in the history of the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL.
Michael Irvin was indicted for possession of cocaine, and left a scissors wound in a teammate's neck. Barry Switzer was arrested and charged with carrying a handgun through airport security. Erik Williams was charged with drunken driving after a wreck that nearly killed him. And Deion Sanders was still in Prime Time as a Cowboy.
But according to Jones, no scene and no player compared with this week's bizarre sequence involving receiver Terrell Owens.
"This one had more visibility," Jones said Friday afternoon. "It had more intense local and more interest going after it than anything I've experienced with a player or players or any situation since I've been here."
Owens was rushed to Baylor Medical Center in Dallas on Tuesday night with what he called "an allergic reaction" after mixing painkillers he was taking for a broken right hand with his usual supplements. He was released from the hospital Wednesday morning and later denied a police report that he attempted suicide. Police have reclassified the incident as an accidental overdose.
Speaking to the media for the first time since Owens was admitted to the hospital, Jones said he originally found out Tuesday evening.
"I was concerned when they told me T.O. had gotten ill and been taken to the hospital," Jones said. "I was concerned and trying to get any information that I could there during the night and was relieved when I was told that he was OK, that for all physical purposes he was going to be OK.
"I was told that probably in the early part of the evening. I really didn't hear anything about any other issues until probably about 8, 8:30 Wednesday morning."
He spoke with Owens on Thursday, and characterized the meeting as "very normal."
"Based on all of that, I don't want to use my word as 'concerned' [because] it's implied that I have knowledge about personal health issues, because I don't," Jones said. "I have no thought about information regarding personal health."
Jones watched Owens in practice Friday and said he thought he was moving well.
When asked if he would play Sunday, Owens said, "Ask Bill."
When asked how his surgically repaired right hand felt, Owens said, "Ask Bill."
The swelling around the stitches in the hand appears to have decreased significantly since Wednesday afternoon.
Of course, Cowboys coach Bill Parcells remains noncommittal whether Owens will play in Nashville against Tennessee. He did say Owens will travel with the team.
Quarterback Drew Bledsoe said, "I hope he does [play]."
As for Jones, he is happy thus far with the on-the-field performance of the receiver, who has nine catches for 99 yards with one touchdown.
"Terrell made an impact in those [two] games," Jones said. "Teams we play had to account for him and every other team will, too. He's had some injuries that concerned us before the games. But he's been diligent and very conscious of getting healthy. That was the primary thing that I had in mind when Terrell joined our team, [for him] to make that contribution."
As for the massive amount of attention Owens has generated in his short time with the Cowboys, Jones has no expectations about what might come in the future.
He just knows that "[Owens] being a part of this team," Jones said, "has been a plus in our first two games."
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - In his days since he bought the team, Jerry Jones has been a part of some the most bizarre incidents and employed some of the most unique individuals in the history of the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL.
Michael Irvin was indicted for possession of cocaine, and left a scissors wound in a teammate's neck. Barry Switzer was arrested and charged with carrying a handgun through airport security. Erik Williams was charged with drunken driving after a wreck that nearly killed him. And Deion Sanders was still in Prime Time as a Cowboy.
But according to Jones, no scene and no player compared with this week's bizarre sequence involving receiver Terrell Owens.
"This one had more visibility," Jones said Friday afternoon. "It had more intense local and more interest going after it than anything I've experienced with a player or players or any situation since I've been here."
Owens was rushed to Baylor Medical Center in Dallas on Tuesday night with what he called "an allergic reaction" after mixing painkillers he was taking for a broken right hand with his usual supplements. He was released from the hospital Wednesday morning and later denied a police report that he attempted suicide. Police have reclassified the incident as an accidental overdose.
Speaking to the media for the first time since Owens was admitted to the hospital, Jones said he originally found out Tuesday evening.
"I was concerned when they told me T.O. had gotten ill and been taken to the hospital," Jones said. "I was concerned and trying to get any information that I could there during the night and was relieved when I was told that he was OK, that for all physical purposes he was going to be OK.
"I was told that probably in the early part of the evening. I really didn't hear anything about any other issues until probably about 8, 8:30 Wednesday morning."
He spoke with Owens on Thursday, and characterized the meeting as "very normal."
"Based on all of that, I don't want to use my word as 'concerned' [because] it's implied that I have knowledge about personal health issues, because I don't," Jones said. "I have no thought about information regarding personal health."
Jones watched Owens in practice Friday and said he thought he was moving well.
When asked if he would play Sunday, Owens said, "Ask Bill."
When asked how his surgically repaired right hand felt, Owens said, "Ask Bill."
The swelling around the stitches in the hand appears to have decreased significantly since Wednesday afternoon.
Of course, Cowboys coach Bill Parcells remains noncommittal whether Owens will play in Nashville against Tennessee. He did say Owens will travel with the team.
Quarterback Drew Bledsoe said, "I hope he does [play]."
As for Jones, he is happy thus far with the on-the-field performance of the receiver, who has nine catches for 99 yards with one touchdown.
"Terrell made an impact in those [two] games," Jones said. "Teams we play had to account for him and every other team will, too. He's had some injuries that concerned us before the games. But he's been diligent and very conscious of getting healthy. That was the primary thing that I had in mind when Terrell joined our team, [for him] to make that contribution."
As for the massive amount of attention Owens has generated in his short time with the Cowboys, Jones has no expectations about what might come in the future.
He just knows that "[Owens] being a part of this team," Jones said, "has been a plus in our first two games."
posted by The Gryphon at 8:49 AM
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