Dan Patrick, Chris Mortenson & T.O.

[Vertigo_17]

the arbitrator can reduse the unpaid suspension time, he can not force the team to release t.o.

teams have the right under the cba to activate who ever they like the arbitrator has no control over this. don't see him getting released. the eagles have to pay him no matter what so why would they release him? does'nt save them any money so there is no reason to release him other than helping him out and i don't think they care to help him in any way

Agree, if the arbitrator sides with TO - they are forced to pay him whether on the team or not. Paying him and releasing him is exactly what TO wants. I would think the Eagles wouldn't cave in after everthing that they held out against so far.

 

[joseephuss]

the arbitrator can reduse the unpaid suspension time, he can not force the team to release t.o.

teams have the right under the cba to activate who ever they like the arbitrator has no control over this. don't see him getting released. the eagles have to pay him no matter what so why would they release him? does'nt save them any money so there is no reason to release him other than helping him out and i don't think they care to help him in any way

That is the part I don't agree with Dan Patrick. He knows they don't have to release him. He just has a feeling that they will. Maybe just to finally be rid of him. Like I said, I doubt they release him this season. They really have little to gain by doing that. But "IF", could be interesting.

 

[Portland Fanatic]

TO coming to dallas = :ralph:

people on this board wanting TO in Dallas = :ralph: :ralph: :ralph: :ralph: :ralph:

speculation..geez!!!!

I second that......I NEVER want him here.....NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I heard Mort floating this idea the other day, but I don't see why there is anything wrong with what the Eagles are doing.

The closest I have heard is that they can't technically make him stay away from the team, and that after the suspension, he could show up for practice and the team couldn't lock him out, so to speak. Most people, like Keyshawn, wouldn't show up if the team didn't want them and wouldn't play them, but T.O. might be mental enough to try something like that. The thinking is that they could would release him to not have to put up with that.

But I doubt it would come to that. If he causes even a hint of a stink, just throw him out of practice Antonio Bryant-style. The union can't force a team to play a player.

 

[joseephuss]

That's an interesting clause, if true.

Same thing happened when the Commanders released Deion Sanders a few years back. He had to go through waivers. San Diego claimed him before Oakland could. He wanted to play for the Raiders, so he decided to retire instead.

 

[Hostile]

Okay, let's pretend for 1 minute that TO wins through the arbitrator, what will happen?

This is easy the Eagles will de-activate him. NFL rosters consist of 53 players. Not all of them suit up. Each week there are players listed as inactive.

That is what will happen to Terrell Owens.

He's not going to play for anyone else the rest of the year. The Eagles will pay him to stay away.

They're planning to do it for 5 games already, they'll simply add the other 3 games if the arbitrator rules against them.

He's an Eagle for 2005, but he won't play the rest of this year.

He will not be released in 2005. The NFLPA can't tell the Eagles who to activate and who not to.

He's done for the year.

Simple cap economics. They're not going to give him to someone during this season or take the cap hit. He'll be released after the season sometime before March 1st.

 

[joseephuss]

I second that......I NEVER want him here.....NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You don't want him in Portland?

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

How are theese arbitrators always on Owens side?

 

[JackMagist]

I'm not saying TO was a model employee... but as someone who employs a number of people, I can tell you that the Eagles need to have a much stronger case than this if they're planning on not paying him money that he's contractually owed. Depends on the clauses in the contract...My understanding is that there was a clause about the autograph signing and probably other standard clauses that cover some of these situations.

So I guess we can expect to be reading about how the Eagles will be dismissing Hugh Douglas soon? I mean if fighting is justification for suspension, then that only makes sense.

You need to "get real" -- if the Eagles organization sent Douglas in to "mix things up" with TO to bait him into doing something that they could axe him over... don't you think that will make a huge difference to the arbitrator? And you know that the organization sent Douglas in or did he do it on his own? Also, even if Douglas started the argument...TO got out of the whirlpool and put on his "tennis shoes" to get better traction so he could fight Douglas; a premeditated act in preparation for the fight. If Douglas "started the fight" TO would not have had the chance to put on his shoes first.

As long as we're talking about "getting real" -- what do you think would happen if I sent employee #1 to start a fight with employee #2 because I was hoping to fire #2? And then used that fight as justification to fire the #2? Do you think that would fly? I'll tell you what would probably happen, employee #2 would probably sue my arse and win! Again...what evidence do you have that Douglas was sent to start a fight? He may have been sent to "discuss the situation" with Owens but told to start a fight? You'll have a hard time proving that one.

Some people here are living in a fantasy world where everything is cut and dried and TO is some comic book villan to whom the Eagles can do whatever they like just because he's a jerk. Actually I think we are all living in a real world where most of us could get fired for the exact actions that TO is getting fired for.

Real life is much more nuanced. Translation...He's a highly paid professional athlete so he does not have to conduct himself with the same civility as the rest of the world. Sorry but I don't buy it. I’m sorry if some people can't grasp that. We grasp it...we just don't agree with it.

In the mean time, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't talk down to me like I'm some neanderthal TO apologist who goes around challenging my co-workers to fisticuffs. Speaking of talking down to people... "I'm sorry if some people can't grasp that." isn't that talking down in it's own right. I'd suggest that you might want to practice what you preach.

My responses in bold above.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

I'm in total agreement with DannyRight on this one.

Very few of these infractions seem grevious to me. Missing the mandatory autograph session seems to be the most serious, simply because Owens was made aware of it prior to it and simply refused to attend. The parking situation is probably the second most serious. If every American who'd ever been late to a meeting was fired, almost everyone would be in a soup line.

Nothing that Owens said bothers me too much. One needs to put Owens' "shut up" coment into context. They were having a verbal altercation. Even his Childress remarks could be construed as an attempt at conflict avoidance. Does anyone here doubt Owens' belief in the accuracies of his McNabb statements.


I've seen many people attempt to compare the Owens situation to an everyday workplace but that cannot be done without looking at both sides. If Joe Sixpack was subjected to the verbal abuse that a typical football coach subjects his players to, harrassment lawsuits would be coming out the yahoo. Lest we forget Parcells calling a cetain player an expletive on national television. I doubt that happens to an "ordinary" employee without serious legal ramifications to the employer.

The fight with Douglas, by most accounts, was instigated by Douglas. I don't know if it was at the behest of the Eagles' organization or perhaps even Rosenhaus (agent for both, Douglas apparently was instrumental in Owens signing).

 

[32BellyOption]

What's the difference between TO and a bag full of horse dung?

The bag

 

[CrazyCowboy]

TO is going to be very interesting........I will leave this decision in the hands of Coach Parcells. We are very lucky to have a coach who can make this decision to be in the best interst of the Dallas Cowboys......which BP will do!

 

[DallasInDC]

If he was released wouldn't he have to clear waivers first? If that is the case, does team with a losing record claim him and try to restructure his contract, or do you let him clear waivers and negotiate a new contract?

 

[Next_years_Champs]

What's the difference between TO and a bag full of horse dung?

The bag

paper or plastic

 

[mperfection]

Exactly.

Hey if, I saw TO laying in the middle of the highway, I can't guarantee you I'd swerve.

That said, it doesn't take a TO apologist to recognize a shaky list of grievances when he sees them. In today's professional sports environment, the items on that list are a drop in a bucket. That's a good weekend for Allen Iverson (who's beloved by the Philly fans, I might add).

I know you're a fan, but this is completely inappropriate - even if slight humor were intended.

 

[DallasInDC]

Mort said he has to go through waivers because the release(if released) would come after the trade deadline.

:doh: I guess I should have read the entire thread before I posted.

 

[ghst187]

TO coming to dallas = :ralph:

people on this board wanting TO in Dallas = :ralph: :ralph: :ralph: :ralph: :ralph:

speculation..geez!!!!

right on, i cringed when we brought in Key. I can only stand him now because he has **** and performed well, same for Glenn. Double that for Deion (gag)..
Randy Moss and TO are the two players that I absolutely can't stand and want to see out of the league any which way sends them there fast, although preferrably I'd love for their attitude to be their undoing.
I have often prayed that I didn't have such a Dallas Cowboys addiction. They've broken my heart a thousand times and I've wanted to stop loving them so much but it hasn't worked out so well. If JJ brought in TO though, I seriously have to think that I might not care to watch them anymore.
TO and Moss represent much of what is wrong with our society today...me, me, me, nothing is ever my fault, normal rules don't apply to me, and I need not show ANYONE but myself respect.
Even if it meant getting a ring, I'd feel like the Dallas Cowboys would've have sold their soul to get it. NO TO please.

 

[Portland Fanatic]

You don't want him in Portland?

LOL...ok smartarse

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Are we bringing him in to return punts...THAT may just change my mind.

 

[Manster68]

What Dallas should do is sign him, then convert him to free safety. Let him play the nickel packages.

Naaaa - that would never happen.