shaketiller;2600965 said:
I can't speak for everyone who thinks it best to move on from Owens, but I promise you, I don't see him as any kind of "scapegoat."
I had mixed feelings when he signed his original Cowboys contract but was generally opposed. I was afraid of his track record. But Owens gave me much for which to cheer, and I came to think of him as an asset to the team, despite the distractions. Two things changed my mind: 1) He wasn't the same player in 2008, and 2) major problems surfaced in the Cowboys locker room... major problems.
Without having been in the locker room, nobody knows what role Owens played. But we have the evidence of his background. If your house was burgled, and you had a group of suspects, one of whom had committed burglary on two previous occasions, you logically would suspect the repeat offender. Maybe you'd be wrong. Maybe the repeat offender would be innocent. But he would be the first suspect.
Given the split locker room at Valley Ranch, Owens is, quite logically, the prime suspect. Combine that with the evidence of his overt behavior. He sat down, senselessly, for an interview with Sanders in which he expressed grievances. He complained that he couldn't both throw and catch the ball, a fact none of us could have found particularly surprising. Those things we know happened. There are reports in the media of other damaging behavior.
Now we have a prime suspect who also left fingerprints. The case is more damaging.
Ah Yes, the "where there's smoke there's fire perception. But we also need to realize that since he's came here in 2006, TO has been relatively quiet. There were posts made on this forum in 2007 about how he's been a model team player since he's been here. And as you mentioned in your post, since we don't know all the facts, we really don't know who's right or wrong with this situation. We just get bits of hearsay from the media and few facts. TO could be the guilty or innocent. But all we have is smoke. We have no fire.
shaketiller;2600965 said:
We have the facts that the Cowboys braintrust was very quick to rise up with a defense when it was reported that flights were delayed, and that Jerry Jones reacted practically with brass knucks when it was suggested Phillips would be fired. And yet Cowboys execs have been silent as the grave with regard to Owens' future.
This is not true. Jerry Jones has said numerous times that the roster is what it will be. He even said on a radio show that if he cut TO he could not sign Ware and he wanted to sign Ware. So the Cowboy execs have said they are keeping TO. Has Jerry Jones changed his mind before? Of course. But he has stated he's keeping TO.
shaketiller;2600965 said:
The lack of any public comments on the Owens situation doesn't offer proof he will be released, but it offers pretty substantial evidence of such being given consideration. Why would the team even consider releasing a contracted player who scored 10 touchdowns during the 2008 season if there were not behavioral issues?
But this is not really a behavioral issue. And you will always have "diva" and "bad boy" players in your locker room. You will alwyas have players that disagree with each other. The problem here is who made the locker room so public. As Jay Ratliff said, the locker room should be a sanctuary for these guys and anything said or done in there should stay in there. We as fans know too much and know too little at the same time so stories like this get out of control.
I've been in similar fights like this with my brothers when I was young. I was not kicked out of the house because I have a disagreement with my brother. I have had disagreements with my co-workers at work, and did not lose my job over it. neither situation makes you a person with bad behavior. These things will happen in any environment when you have a group of diverse people. No matter how much you disagree, the task is still there. You just shake hands and move on.
shaketiller;2600965 said:
As for the salary cap, the room is taken. Whether Owens plays or is released, most of the salary cap "hit" is in place. The difference is relatively minimal. So the real argument must be: Would the 2009 Cowboys be better or worse with Owens on the roster? It's understandable some believe, quite vehemently, the team would be better. There are others of us who disagree. I don't think it means people on either side of the issue are "idiots," or "haters," or have an agenda.
Yes. That's why the lines drawn with some of the members of this forum is totally silly. I will admit I am pro TO, but if he's cut tomorrow it would not ruffle my feathers.
I understand why the cut TO fans want him gone. They believe the team will be better and play better if he's not there. I just don't buy it. I believe TO is not the problem with that team, so we are not fixing the problem. It does not matter if we cut TO, the problems will still be there anyway, and we will do worse in 2009 than we did in 2008. But that's just me. Others feel different. We will know next season.
shaketiller;2600965 said:
A last point: In an economy such as the one in which we find ourselves, "real" money takes on some importance. Yes, Jones is a billionaire, but it doesn't mean he likes losing net worth. Who knows? Given the performance of the stock market, Jones might be down 30-40 percent.
Most millionaires are so well diversified and have such expert knowledge of their wealth that they actually make more money in a Bear economy than they do in a Bull economy. I seriously doubt Jerry Jones is down 30-40 percent. Heck he makes a killing off of licensing, and that is residual income that's recession proof.
shaketiller;2600965 said:
Obviously, Jones is going to eat, and he is still a wealthy, wealthy man. But billionaires didn't become such by being friovolous with money. Owens is owed a bonus to remain on the Cowboys roster for 2009. It's not irrational to suggest that Jones might be less inclined to "gamble" with that bonus in the current financial atmosphere than would otherwise be the case.
Those who think the Cowboys should bring Owens back for the 2009 season, but be prepared to cut him if he misbehaves, are suggesting Jones put the bonus money on the blackjack table, something he might be unwilling to do.
But your statements contradict themselves. If Jerry Jones is frivolous with money (and generally speaking, he is) then why would he throw away money for a player that he's already invented cap dollars for? We all know that while cutting TO won't affect our available cap money, he will still "cost" money because we are paying for a player not on the roster. To Jerry Jones the business man that's throwing money down the toilet. Now I also know he has thrown money down the toilet before. But you got a WR who performs pretty well, is almost never injured (has only missed one game since he's been here) and gives you one less area of your roster you have to worry about when there are other team areas to address (NT, LB, Safety, and backup QB are very critical this offseason). When you look at it that way, does it really make business sense to cut him?
