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McNabb, Garcia have T.O. stories they can tell
Kevin Lynch, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Every so often, Eagles roommates Donovan McNabb and Jeff Garcia will be watching video when "The Player" will appear. That's what McNabb calls his former teammate, wide receiver Terrell Owens.
Owens clashed with McNabb in Philadelphia the past two years before Owens signed with Dallas. Before that, Owens and Garcia nearly came to blows while they worked out in the 49ers' weight room three years ago.
Owens publicly has blasted both quarterbacks. He questioned Garcia's sexuality in a Playboy interview after he left the 49ers and McNabb's conditioning after Super Bowl XXIX, which the Eagles lost to New England 24-21.
"When he pops into the picture, we might tell a story or two," Garcia mused.
On a conference call Wednesday, McNabb was asked by a Chronicle reporter if Owens was the worst teammate in sports. McNabb then was told that Owens was a challenge for the media to cover.
"It is something we have together, guys," said McNabb to the 49ers' beat reporters, referring to the time Owens spent with the 49ers (1996-2003). "That's in the past. We keep moving on and it's a new day. We don't talk about The Player. We let The Player just be a thorn in Dallas' side."
Garcia probably won't think about Owens on Sunday, his first game on San Francisco soil as anything other than a 49er.
Garcia would prefer to still be with San Francisco. He was released by then general manager Terry Donahue following the 2003 season after Donahue and Garcia couldn't agree on a contract restructure. That year, the 49ers got rid of their two starting wide receivers (Tai Streets, Owens) their quarterback (Garcia) their starting running back (Garrison Hearst) their left tackle (Derrick Deese) and their right guard (Ron Stone).
After going 7-9 in 2003, the team fell to 2-14 in '04 and Donahue and coach Dennis Erickson were fired.
Garcia was signed by Cleveland and played 10 games before a knee injury ended a dismal season for him . He went to Detroit last year for a trying season with former 49ers coach Steve Mariucci. Garcia shattered his leg in training camp and wasn't much of a factor for the woeful Lions.
He signed a one-year deal this year with the Eagles to be McNabb's backup.
"It helps being on a team that has a chance to win on any given Sunday and where players are accountable," said Garcia, who also admits it's tough to be on the bench.
The ever-earnest Garcia, who wasn't drafted by an NFL team, also serves as a foil for the constantly joking McNabb, who was a first-round draft pick in 1999.
"At times, you almost wish he could be more serious," Garcia said. "I guess with what I had to go through (to make an NFL team), I had to be so serious. I couldn't make a mistake."
If Garcia, 36, has a lament, it's that a deal wasn't brokered to keep him with the 49ers.
He had the unenviable position of following Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young. Also, Garcia had to deal with the sometimes smothering effects of being a local hero (he's from Gilroy) playing for the team he followed as a kid.
"You don't realize what you've missed until it's gone," Garcia said. "There were a lot of requirements and sometimes I thought, 'Can I just get a breath?' But I miss that support."
Garcia requested 86 tickets for Sunday's game and expects to have several other friends get their own tickets.
It might be his last visit to Candlestick as a player. Garcia isn't sure how long he'll play, particularly after playing with four teams in four years. He's also getting married in June.
"It took awhile (to get engaged)," Garcia said. "It's time for me to work on that part of my life and maybe have some little ones."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/09/21/SPGBHL9LVT1.DTL
Kevin Lynch, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Every so often, Eagles roommates Donovan McNabb and Jeff Garcia will be watching video when "The Player" will appear. That's what McNabb calls his former teammate, wide receiver Terrell Owens.
Owens clashed with McNabb in Philadelphia the past two years before Owens signed with Dallas. Before that, Owens and Garcia nearly came to blows while they worked out in the 49ers' weight room three years ago.
Owens publicly has blasted both quarterbacks. He questioned Garcia's sexuality in a Playboy interview after he left the 49ers and McNabb's conditioning after Super Bowl XXIX, which the Eagles lost to New England 24-21.
"When he pops into the picture, we might tell a story or two," Garcia mused.
On a conference call Wednesday, McNabb was asked by a Chronicle reporter if Owens was the worst teammate in sports. McNabb then was told that Owens was a challenge for the media to cover.
"It is something we have together, guys," said McNabb to the 49ers' beat reporters, referring to the time Owens spent with the 49ers (1996-2003). "That's in the past. We keep moving on and it's a new day. We don't talk about The Player. We let The Player just be a thorn in Dallas' side."
Garcia probably won't think about Owens on Sunday, his first game on San Francisco soil as anything other than a 49er.
Garcia would prefer to still be with San Francisco. He was released by then general manager Terry Donahue following the 2003 season after Donahue and Garcia couldn't agree on a contract restructure. That year, the 49ers got rid of their two starting wide receivers (Tai Streets, Owens) their quarterback (Garcia) their starting running back (Garrison Hearst) their left tackle (Derrick Deese) and their right guard (Ron Stone).
After going 7-9 in 2003, the team fell to 2-14 in '04 and Donahue and coach Dennis Erickson were fired.
Garcia was signed by Cleveland and played 10 games before a knee injury ended a dismal season for him . He went to Detroit last year for a trying season with former 49ers coach Steve Mariucci. Garcia shattered his leg in training camp and wasn't much of a factor for the woeful Lions.
He signed a one-year deal this year with the Eagles to be McNabb's backup.
"It helps being on a team that has a chance to win on any given Sunday and where players are accountable," said Garcia, who also admits it's tough to be on the bench.
The ever-earnest Garcia, who wasn't drafted by an NFL team, also serves as a foil for the constantly joking McNabb, who was a first-round draft pick in 1999.
"At times, you almost wish he could be more serious," Garcia said. "I guess with what I had to go through (to make an NFL team), I had to be so serious. I couldn't make a mistake."
If Garcia, 36, has a lament, it's that a deal wasn't brokered to keep him with the 49ers.
He had the unenviable position of following Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young. Also, Garcia had to deal with the sometimes smothering effects of being a local hero (he's from Gilroy) playing for the team he followed as a kid.
"You don't realize what you've missed until it's gone," Garcia said. "There were a lot of requirements and sometimes I thought, 'Can I just get a breath?' But I miss that support."
Garcia requested 86 tickets for Sunday's game and expects to have several other friends get their own tickets.
It might be his last visit to Candlestick as a player. Garcia isn't sure how long he'll play, particularly after playing with four teams in four years. He's also getting married in June.
"It took awhile (to get engaged)," Garcia said. "It's time for me to work on that part of my life and maybe have some little ones."
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2006/09/21/SPGBHL9LVT1.DTL