NFL: Bears hope to celebrate big-time at T.O.'s expense
By Gene Chamberlain
http://www.post-trib.com
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The last time the Bears' defense saw the Terrell Owens variety show, it was playing in Soldier Field's south end zone.
They anticipate the colorful Dallas Cowboys wide receiver should have less to celebrate Sunday night than when he played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004 and did sit-ups for a post-touchdown celebration during an eight-catch, 110-yard performance in a 19-9 Bears loss.
"If you make a play, I guess you've earned the right to do your dance or do your little whatever you do after you make a play," Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "If we don't want him to do it, we should stop him.
"That's the easy solution to it right there."
The Bears do not begrudge Owens his post-TD antics, though. In fact, they have to admit they're fans of his creativity -- as long as it doesn't get out of hand.
"I mean, if I get a pick, I might get up and dance, too," said Bears cornerback Charles Tillman. "That's just how it is. You can't take that personal. That's just him having fun.
"That's the sport, that's the love of the game. That's him having fun. You can't take it personal."
Added defensive end Alex Brown: "As long as you don't call out anybody or talk down to somebody, another player, or make fun of them because you just beat them.
"You don't have to do that, but everything else -- the fans love it -- so just do it. I don't see a problem with it."
Owens got fined $7,500 for his latest post-TD stunt last week in the Cowboys' 37-20 victory at Miami. He hid behind a goal post and used the football like an old crank-handle camera, pointing it at Miami's sidelines to mimic New England coach Bill Belichick videotaping someone.
"It's like you can't do nothing anymore," Owens complained this week in Dallas after the fine. "It wasn't even the fact that I used the goal post as a prop. They said I used the ball.
"Man, next thing we're going to be playing rugby. Can't even use the football for nothing anymore. It's like they're trying to find any way to take fun out of the game. I'm kind of limited right now in what I can do. It's kind of hard, really to understand the rules."
Reporters told him to do the celebration on the sidelines.
"Next you can't go to the sideline anymore," T.O. said. "I'm like Belichick. I misinterpreted the rules."
Owens still owns the NFL record for catches in a game with 20 against the Bears in 2000 at San Francisco. He has eight catches for 184 yards and already has three TDs.
Owens has been keeping a lower profile under new head coach Wade Phillips than when he starred in a virtual soap opera under former coach Bill Parcells. He and Dallas quarterback Tony Romo get along far better than T.O. did with Eagles QB Donovan McNabb.
"I don't think he's changed," Romo said via conference call. "Honestly I just think last year there was so much publicity about him coming in, how he was going to disrupt everything that people were just really looking for anything to nitpick.
"I mean, if you really look hard enough at any guy, you're going to find little things. It's just when T.O. is an hour late in the morning on a random Wednesday in the 13th week of the season, it's a big deal -- but if the backup tackle overslept in an hour no one knows about it. It's just kind of how it goes with him."
Of course, in Philadelphia there are different opinions. Owens split the Eagles' locker room with his antics.
Bears nose tackle Darwin Walker played on the 2005 Super Bowl Eagles and 2004 team that beat the Bears. He resisted initial attempts to get his insight about Owens. However, Walker finally relented and spoke volumes about his feelings without walking all over Owens.
"One of the things I love about here is we have good chemistry in our locker room, our guys are close, we play hard together, we play together, and that's crucial at this level," Walker said when asked about Owens. "One of the things that I don't believe in is calling teammates out in the media, anywhere, because we play together and help one another.
"That's what I love about our locker room."
Even Walker admitted to finding Owens' post-TD antics amusing.
"Usually, I'm just laughing because he's usually putting on a show -- like he says he does," Walker said. "He puts on a show. I'm like one of the fans sitting there just tickled."
Soldier Field fans no doubt will be more tickled Sunday without an Owens celebration.
-- Sun-Times News Group
http://www.post-trib.com
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The last time the Bears' defense saw the Terrell Owens variety show, it was playing in Soldier Field's south end zone.
They anticipate the colorful Dallas Cowboys wide receiver should have less to celebrate Sunday night than when he played for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004 and did sit-ups for a post-touchdown celebration during an eight-catch, 110-yard performance in a 19-9 Bears loss.
"If you make a play, I guess you've earned the right to do your dance or do your little whatever you do after you make a play," Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "If we don't want him to do it, we should stop him.
"That's the easy solution to it right there."
The Bears do not begrudge Owens his post-TD antics, though. In fact, they have to admit they're fans of his creativity -- as long as it doesn't get out of hand.
"I mean, if I get a pick, I might get up and dance, too," said Bears cornerback Charles Tillman. "That's just how it is. You can't take that personal. That's just him having fun.
"That's the sport, that's the love of the game. That's him having fun. You can't take it personal."
Added defensive end Alex Brown: "As long as you don't call out anybody or talk down to somebody, another player, or make fun of them because you just beat them.
"You don't have to do that, but everything else -- the fans love it -- so just do it. I don't see a problem with it."
Owens got fined $7,500 for his latest post-TD stunt last week in the Cowboys' 37-20 victory at Miami. He hid behind a goal post and used the football like an old crank-handle camera, pointing it at Miami's sidelines to mimic New England coach Bill Belichick videotaping someone.
"It's like you can't do nothing anymore," Owens complained this week in Dallas after the fine. "It wasn't even the fact that I used the goal post as a prop. They said I used the ball.
"Man, next thing we're going to be playing rugby. Can't even use the football for nothing anymore. It's like they're trying to find any way to take fun out of the game. I'm kind of limited right now in what I can do. It's kind of hard, really to understand the rules."
Reporters told him to do the celebration on the sidelines.
"Next you can't go to the sideline anymore," T.O. said. "I'm like Belichick. I misinterpreted the rules."
Owens still owns the NFL record for catches in a game with 20 against the Bears in 2000 at San Francisco. He has eight catches for 184 yards and already has three TDs.
Owens has been keeping a lower profile under new head coach Wade Phillips than when he starred in a virtual soap opera under former coach Bill Parcells. He and Dallas quarterback Tony Romo get along far better than T.O. did with Eagles QB Donovan McNabb.
"I don't think he's changed," Romo said via conference call. "Honestly I just think last year there was so much publicity about him coming in, how he was going to disrupt everything that people were just really looking for anything to nitpick.
"I mean, if you really look hard enough at any guy, you're going to find little things. It's just when T.O. is an hour late in the morning on a random Wednesday in the 13th week of the season, it's a big deal -- but if the backup tackle overslept in an hour no one knows about it. It's just kind of how it goes with him."
Of course, in Philadelphia there are different opinions. Owens split the Eagles' locker room with his antics.
Bears nose tackle Darwin Walker played on the 2005 Super Bowl Eagles and 2004 team that beat the Bears. He resisted initial attempts to get his insight about Owens. However, Walker finally relented and spoke volumes about his feelings without walking all over Owens.
"One of the things I love about here is we have good chemistry in our locker room, our guys are close, we play hard together, we play together, and that's crucial at this level," Walker said when asked about Owens. "One of the things that I don't believe in is calling teammates out in the media, anywhere, because we play together and help one another.
"That's what I love about our locker room."
Even Walker admitted to finding Owens' post-TD antics amusing.
"Usually, I'm just laughing because he's usually putting on a show -- like he says he does," Walker said. "He puts on a show. I'm like one of the fans sitting there just tickled."
Soldier Field fans no doubt will be more tickled Sunday without an Owens celebration.
-- Sun-Times News Group
posted by The Gryphon at 11:48 AM
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