Owens happy and productive for Cowboys
By Clarence E. Hill Jr.
FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM
Sunday, September 30, 2007
IRVING — Dallas Cowboys receiver Patrick Crayton looked at receiver Terrell Owens and just smiled.
"He's happy now," Crayton said in comparing the Owens of 2007 to last season. "Look at him. He's happy."
A giddy Owens doesn't deny feeling good about himself and his life these days.
On the football field and off.
Physically and emotionally.
It's all good with Owens, who is playing as well as any receiver in the NFL in 2007 and is at peace with himself for the first time in years.
Sure, a lot of Owens' good feelings have to do with the Cowboys' success and the major role he's playing in the team's undefeated start.
The change in coaches from Bill Parcells — who refused to call him by his name and didn't heavily involve him in the offense — to Wade Phillips has affected Owens' outlook. Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett have made a point to get Owens the ball as much as possible.
Owens came to Dallas promising to be a better man and teammate after being discarded by the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, it didn't take long for the turmoil to begin. He skipped the offseason program and then missed 21 days in training camp with a hamstring injury, causing friction with Parcells, before suffering a broken hand in the second game of the season. Adding to Owens' disappointment was his former fiancée ending their relationship on Sept. 25.
One day later, a frustrated Owens admittedly took some extra pain pills with his supplements following a therapy session at his home.
Not long after, his publicist, Kim Etheredge, found him unresponsive and made the decision to call 911.
"I just remember thinking, 'What is going on?' " Cowboys linebacker Bradie James said. "It was just crazy."
Owens had no interest in pausing this week to reflect on the events of last year.
In order to move on, he said he had to learn how to forgive.
He made amends with trainer Buddy Primm, whom he fired for elaborating too much to the media. He apologized to Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb for his role in their acrimony.
And he is back on friendly terms with Etheredge, with whom he parted ways a few weeks after the incident.
He's at peace and finally feeling at home with the Cowboys.
"At this point in time, I definitely would like to retire here and go into the Hall of Fame as a Cowboy," Owens said. "It's a lot of fun right now."
OWENS AT A GLANCE
2007 rankings
Yards: 4th (329)
Receptions: Tie for 19th (16)
Average: 7th (20.6
Yds per game: 5th (109.7
TDs: Tie for 5th (3)
1st down % (min. 10 catches): 3rd (93.8)
All-time rankings
Yards: 14th (12,044)
Receptions: 14th (817)
Receiving TDs: 4th (117
Rush/Receiving TDs: 9th (119)
Yards from scrimmage: 38th (12,208)
FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM
Sunday, September 30, 2007
IRVING — Dallas Cowboys receiver Patrick Crayton looked at receiver Terrell Owens and just smiled.
"He's happy now," Crayton said in comparing the Owens of 2007 to last season. "Look at him. He's happy."
A giddy Owens doesn't deny feeling good about himself and his life these days.
On the football field and off.
Physically and emotionally.
It's all good with Owens, who is playing as well as any receiver in the NFL in 2007 and is at peace with himself for the first time in years.
Sure, a lot of Owens' good feelings have to do with the Cowboys' success and the major role he's playing in the team's undefeated start.
The change in coaches from Bill Parcells — who refused to call him by his name and didn't heavily involve him in the offense — to Wade Phillips has affected Owens' outlook. Phillips and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett have made a point to get Owens the ball as much as possible.
Owens came to Dallas promising to be a better man and teammate after being discarded by the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, it didn't take long for the turmoil to begin. He skipped the offseason program and then missed 21 days in training camp with a hamstring injury, causing friction with Parcells, before suffering a broken hand in the second game of the season. Adding to Owens' disappointment was his former fiancée ending their relationship on Sept. 25.
One day later, a frustrated Owens admittedly took some extra pain pills with his supplements following a therapy session at his home.
Not long after, his publicist, Kim Etheredge, found him unresponsive and made the decision to call 911.
"I just remember thinking, 'What is going on?' " Cowboys linebacker Bradie James said. "It was just crazy."
Owens had no interest in pausing this week to reflect on the events of last year.
In order to move on, he said he had to learn how to forgive.
He made amends with trainer Buddy Primm, whom he fired for elaborating too much to the media. He apologized to Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb for his role in their acrimony.
And he is back on friendly terms with Etheredge, with whom he parted ways a few weeks after the incident.
He's at peace and finally feeling at home with the Cowboys.
"At this point in time, I definitely would like to retire here and go into the Hall of Fame as a Cowboy," Owens said. "It's a lot of fun right now."
OWENS AT A GLANCE
2007 rankings
Yards: 4th (329)
Receptions: Tie for 19th (16)
Average: 7th (20.6
Yds per game: 5th (109.7
TDs: Tie for 5th (3)
1st down % (min. 10 catches): 3rd (93.8)
All-time rankings
Yards: 14th (12,044)
Receptions: 14th (817)
Receiving TDs: 4th (117
Rush/Receiving TDs: 9th (119)
Yards from scrimmage: 38th (12,208)
posted by The Gryphon at 10:21 PM
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