Suddenly talk-less T.O. tries new tactic: a note in place of talking

[ducks]

Suddenly talk-less T.O. tries new tactic: a note in place of talking
Suddenly talk-less T.O. tries new tactic: a note in place of talking

By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer
October 10, 2007

IRVING, Texas (AP) -- A new tactic for Terrell Owens: instead of talking, he wrote a note.

Even Owens apparently knows the Dallas Cowboys' game Sunday against New England, a pair of 5-0 teams and multiple Super Bowl winners, doesn't need any extra hype.

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Nor does Tom Brady vs. Tony Romo, and more interestingly, Owens vs. Randy Moss in a matchup of the league's highest-scoring offenses.

In place of the usually talkative receiver, reporters found at Owens' locker Wednesday a nearly poster-sized, typewritten note:

"Dear Reporters,

"Due to the magnitude of this week's game and high volume of questions for the Original 81 about the other 81. I will be taking all questions immediately following Sunday's game.

"Sincerely, (followed by Owens' signature)

"p.s. Getcha Popcorn Ready."

The "other 81" was an obvious reference to Moss, the controversial five-time Pro Bowl receiver who after two difficult years in Oakland is flourishing in his first season with the Patriots.

Owens' postscript referred to his "get your popcorn ready" comment made when he signed with the Cowboys in the summer of 2006 -- before he caught an NFL-high 13 TDs in his Dallas debut. Owens has 21 catches for 387 yards and three TDs this season.

"I think he's pretty focused. We don't want to give them any bulletin-board material," tight end Jason Witten said. "There's enough said. We all know what the challenge is. ... He's staying focused. He's anxious, excited about the challenge."

Moss is tied for the NFL lead with seven touchdown catches and has a league-high 551 yards (on 34 catches), even after being sidelined much of training camp with a hamstring injury -- similar to Owens' first camp with the Cowboys last year.

While Owens wasn't in the locker room, he was at practice, an unusual Wednesday workout with players in shorts without pads or helmets.

During the open locker room period, several of Owens' teammates stopped and read the note, then walked away smiling.

"It was funny reading it," Chris Canty said. "That's T.O. being T.O. You've got to love that guy."

Plus, they saw bigger messages in Owens' short statement.

"He's going to show it on the field. ... The talk is over. Now it's all about getting prepared and trying to get a win," DeMarcus Ware said.

"Anytime it's a big game, you guys (reporters) get on that guy pretty good and look for a sound byte," Marcus Spears said. "He's taking a different road. he's letting 5-0 speak for him right now."

When reporters crowded around quarterback Tony Romo, whose locker is in a different area of the room, they asked him about Owens' sign.

"I think it's interesting," Romo initially responded. "What is it?"

After being told, Romo quipped, "I may do that, too."

[Vinnie_Johnson]

TO is priceless I don't know why people hate him he is a funny guy.

[T Park]

in all serious, if TO is going into the game with a hardcore focused attitude, that makes this game potentially one of the best football games played since UT USC.

[NBA Junkie]

TO needs to shut the hell up!

Always thinking he's bigger than the game.

I'm sick of this piece of trash.

[kskonn]

TO needs to shut the hell up!

Always thinking he's bigger than the game.

I'm sick of this piece of trash.


Ironic that you would say this after he leaves a note to say he is not going to answer questions or talk to the media.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

TO needs to shut the hell up!

Always thinking he's bigger than the game.

I'm sick of this piece of trash.

Earth to Dumb shit come in he didn't say anything :dramaquee

[stretch]

TO needs to shut the hell up!

Always thinking he's bigger than the game.

I'm sick of this piece of trash.
You're an idiot.

[NBA Junkie]

Ironic that you would say this after he leaves a note to say he is not going to answer questions or talk to the media.

Why even write a note then? He can just be the jerk he usually is.

I stand by my statements, assholes.

[DarkReign]

Say what you want, he's the best WR in the league.

[peewee's lovechild]

He didn't say anything, so I don't see anything wrong.

However, I wish he wouldn't have written that P.S.

Still, it was pretty harmless.

[O-Factor]

Why even write a note then? He can just be the jerk he usually is.

I stand by my statements, assholes.

If reporters start asking him questions and he doesn't respond to them, they'll keep bugging him and start saying stuff like "T.O. has a bad attitude again" or "He's so upset with the Cowboys he's not even talking to the media" Man you are stupid, and I stand by that statement.

[sa_butta]

He is still an attention whore, but cant take anything away from his game.

[NBA Junkie]

TO shouldn't be writing or saying anything in light of the game last Monday where he was dropping 60-70% of the passes thrown his way.

I'd rather he do his talking on the field as in making a contribution rather than him stating in a note that this is a game between him and Moss. He acts as though that's what this game is all about. And, it ain't. It's about two excellent football teams going head-to-head. Not two star wide receivers.

[Walter Craparita]

Quit dropping passes and then run your mouth TO.

[Whisky Dog]

You can't just not say anything or leave anything for the media in his case because the media is a vindictive little whore who will trash you and make shit up if you piss them off. Since a lot of mindless people eat their shit up like gospel they can pretty much say anything about you that can't be proven or disproven and get away with it. I liked his tactic.

The media is a double edged sword that can make you bigger than life if you feed them but can also tear your ass down and make life miserable if you cross them.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

Why is it called a drop when the ball gets striped out of your hands or if it's a low bad throw? I counted two that he should have hauled in. Everyone of the top guys drop passes even Mr Chad Johnson. Whitten dropped two passes as well I don't see everyone on his nut sack.

[monosylab1k]

Why is it called a drop when the ball gets striped out of your hands or if it's a low bad throw? I counted two that he should have hauled in. Everyone of the top guys drop passes even Mr Chad Johnson. Whitten dropped two passes as well I don't see everyone on his nut sack.
If Chad Johnson or Witten dropped the passes in clutch situations that TO dropped, they should get criticized just as much.

And I don't care if he got it ripped, if TO is as good as he says he is, he should never lose a fight for the ball with some random Buffalo third-stringer.

[stretch]

And I don't care if he got it ripped, if TO is as good as he says he is, he should never lose a fight for the ball with some random Buffalo third-stringer.
You were also the one that said you were screaming about pass interference on that "rip".

[mardigan]

If Chad Johnson or Witten dropped the passes in clutch situations that TO dropped, they should get criticized just as much.

And I don't care if he got it ripped, if TO is as good as he says he is, he should never lose a fight for the ball with some random Buffalo third-stringer.
Ball was underthrown, if it had been higher the defender wouldnt have ever been a factor. The other drop that could have set up the field goal though, no excuse for that one

[monosylab1k]

You were also the one that said you were screaming about pass interference on that "rip".
You can't still make the play? The throw was not great but TO didn't handle the ball as well as he should have.

[stretch]

You can't still make the play? The throw was not great but TO didn't handle the ball as well as he should have.
The throw was considerably underthrown. And considering he was already being shoved and having his arms grabbed well before the ball got to him, thats a little to much to ask of anyone. If Romo threw it a foot higher, he would have had it, regardless of the interference.

[Walter Craparita]

Why is it called a drop when the ball gets striped out of your hands or if it's a low bad throw? I counted two that he should have hauled in. Everyone of the top guys drop passes even Mr Chad Johnson. Whitten dropped two passes as well I don't see everyone on his nut sack.

What good are those guns if you can't hold on to da ball. He should have not only caught the ball but caught that bills defender in his arms and carried him back to the 50 yard line. THEN he can whore up all the attention in the world.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

Just making the point he gets piled on because he is TO fair or not. The games I have seen this year he had made a lot of big third down catches not Monday night. Also the spiking call was weak and the extra point was face guarding at the least.

[Holmes_Fans]

TO needs to shut the hell up!

Always thinking he's bigger than the game.

I'm sick of this piece of trash.
Yet you probably love Chad Johnson

[Holmes_Fans]

TO shouldn't be writing or saying anything in light of the game last Monday where he was dropping 60-70% of the passes thrown his way.

I'd rather he do his talking on the field as in making a contribution rather than him stating in a note that this is a game between him and Moss. He acts as though that's what this game is all about. And, it ain't. It's about two excellent football teams going head-to-head. Not two star wide receivers.

Not really

Here is a breakdown of his passes monday

1. Incomplete – Ran quick hitch from right WR; throw way over his head.

2. 14-yard gain – Ran out from left slot; made outstanding leaping catch on high pass.

3. Incomplete – Improvised from right WR after Romo bought extra time, going deep after first coming back toward line of scrimmage; dropped ball after making excellent adjustment on ball thrown behind him on sideline; would have been highlight-reel catch.

4. Incomplete – Ran fly from right WR; had step on CB Terrence McGee, but ball was underthrown and almost intercepted.

5. Incomplete – Ran one-step stop route from left WR; dropped pass after looking up at CB before ball arrived.

6. Incomplete – Ran stop-and-go from left WR; caught ball but ruled out of bounds; should have been called a force-out and 31-yard completion.

7. Incomplete – Ran out or corner route from right WR; ball low and outside; either Romo threw a bad pass on a corner route or T.O. ran a sloppy out route.

8. 11-yard gain – Ran out route from right WR; made routine catch and stepped out of bounds.

9. Incomplete – Ran out route from right WR; dropped pass that was low and behind him but originally ruled completion.

NOT OFFICIAL PASS: Incomplete -- Ran fade route from left WR on two-point attempt; CB Jabari Greer ripped ball out of T.O.'s hands; T.O. let ball come to body instead of catching it at highest point.


1 drop on a ball that was actually catchable and 1 on a play that in the history of football works %1 of the time.

[NBA Junkie]

Yet you probably love Chad Johnson

I prefer wide receivers that do their talking on the field who quietly put up solid numbers year after year without becoming attention whores. Guys like Marvin Harrison, Cris Carter, Jerry Rice etc...

And, you can spin doctor his performance on Monday all you want, but I'm not buying it. If this was one isolated game where he just had an off-night, fine. But, history has proven that he hasn't been a sure handed receiver over the course of his career.

TO should be held responsible for his poor game just as much as Romo was.

Now tell me how that note on his locker doesn't scream the antics of an attention whore?

[TLWisfoine]

If reporters start asking him questions and he doesn't respond to them, they'll keep bugging him and start saying stuff like "T.O. has a bad attitude again" or "He's so upset with the Cowboys he's not even talking to the media" Man you are stupid, and I stand by that statement.

The same thing they did to former Cowboys RB Duane Thomas. He went the whole year without tallking to the media and they crucified him. But he also allegedly didn't talk to his teammates as well if I'm not mistaken.

[TLWisfoine]

If Chad Johnson or Witten dropped the passes in clutch situations that TO dropped, they should get criticized just as much.

And I don't care if he got it ripped, if TO is as good as he says he is, he should never lose a fight for the ball with some random Buffalo third-stringer.

Says the guy who has a player on his avatar who won't venture the middle of the field to catch a ball.

[TLWisfoine]

Just making the point he gets piled on because he is TO fair or not. The games I have seen this year he had made a lot of big third down catches not Monday night. Also the spiking call was weak and the extra point was face guarding at the least.

Good point on the face guarding. I was wondering that as well.

[kskonn]

If Chad Johnson or Witten dropped the passes in clutch situations that TO dropped, they should get criticized just as much.

And I don't care if he got it ripped, if TO is as good as he says he is, he should never lose a fight for the ball with some random Buffalo third-stringer.


Well Witten did drop the Ball in a clutch situation, but it is really rare.

Also the no name defender received AFC defensive player of the week the week before they played the cowboys, so he must be somewhat of a decent player. TO should have caught the two point conversion, but it was a face guard, and the defender never turned around and ran up into his chest so I can understand how he did not make the catch.

the catch to set up a field goal was a tough grab and he almost pulled it off.

when a quarter back is off it makes it tough on his receivers, they need the timing also. their were drops by witten, crayton, TO, and marion barber in that game, I think Romos off performance had more to do with that than anything else.