DMN: Blog: T.O. explains 'communication problem'

[Cbz40]

T.O. explains 'communication problem'

5:21 PM Mon, Jun 09, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Tim MacMahon


Here's a statement from Terrell Owens via his publicists about being placed in the "reasonable cause" testing program.


"This was a communication problem involving cell phone numbers. It was openly discussed and cleared up in a meeting that I had at the NFL Office last week. I have been in the NFL for over 12 years and have never had a positive test for substance of any kind. That includes tests that took place as recently as last month. The matter was resolved to everyone's satisfaction last Tuesday, and everyone has moved on."


The big question: Can T.O. turn this into an endorsement opportunity with a cell phone company?

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

When you have to absolutely be contacted anytime, anywhere in the world.... VERIZON!

:laugh2:

 

[dallasfaniac]

Can you hear me now? No? Reasonable Cause drug testing for you.

 

[Cbz40]

When you have to absolutely be contacted anytime, anywhere in the world.... VERIZON!

:laugh2:

 

[Torn_ACL]

I have been in the NFL for over 12 years and have never had a positive test for substance of any kind. That includes tests that took place as recently as last month.

I wish he would have said that in 12 years he has never taken any performance enhancing substance. This quote makes it sound like he's never been caught. I'm definitely on his side though.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I wish he would have said that in 12 years he has never taken any performance enhancing substance. This quote makes it sound like he's never been caught. I'm definitely on his side though.

I hear ya but "substance of any kind" covers it for me and it should cover it for anyone... even story fabricators.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

When you have to absolutely be contacted anytime, anywhere in the world.... VERIZON!

:laugh2:

 

[WoodysGirl]

League tells T.O. to stay by the phone

June 9, 2008 7:56 PM


Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley


Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens will probably clean out his voicemail a little more often following his meeting with league officials in New York last Wednesday. As first reported by ESPN's Chris Mortensen, T.O. was placed in the league's "reasonable cause" testing program for performance-enhancing drugs on the same day he agreed to a new contract worth $13 million in guaranteed money.

According to the report, T.O. missed day-of phone calls setting up the random tests. Players who can't be reached are subject to disciplinary action by the league, but T.O. will not be fined or suspended because he had a plausible excuse.

He passed a subsequent test, but his "reasonable cause" status means that the league can randomly test him for performance enhancers up to 24 times per year. T.O. apparently provided the league with Drew Rosenhaus' phone number as his primary contact. The voicemail on his alternate number was full, which gives us at least one annoying habit in common. The league's testing policy requires players to be accessible and provide their exact locations when contacted. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he knew about the issue before he signed off on T.O.'s new contract.

"Before I ever extended Terrell's contract, I knew that he had communication issues with the league but, trust me, I also know first-hand who he is and what he's all about," Jones said Monday. "Because of that, I didn't hesitate to give him [$27 million] and I negotiated that while this was going on. Anybody who knows me knows I would never under any circumstance give away that kind of money if I had any suspicion or evidence that there was some kind of risk like that involved. There is no risk with Terrell."

Hashmarks has learned that the Cowboys' players received notices from the league last week warning them not to use their agents as primary contacts. This appears to be an innocent mistake by T.O., but it's something he can't allow to happen again.

Something tells me he'll do a better job of cleaning out the voicemail. In fact, I was able to leave a message a few minutes ago. Maybe he's learned his lesson.


Terrell Owens, Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys

 

[dogberry]

If the league wants to test a player, but the player is in a foreign country or a hard to get to part of America, what does the NFL do about getting the sample in a timely manner?

 

[DallasEast]

Hashmarks has learned that the Cowboys' players received notices from the league last week warning them not to use their agents as primary contacts. This appears to be an innocent mistake by T.O., but it's something he can't allow to happen again.

Owens met with league officials last week, so the question becomes, "Did he meet with them before or after the 'do not use agents as primary contacts' notice was forwarded to the players"? If the notice was received after that meeting, it's irrelevant. After all, how would one know not to do something after the fact? If the notice was sent before that meeting, it's not an innocent mistake if you had prior knowledge of how the league wanted to contact you. Was this all or part of the 'communication problem' which Owens has previously spoken of? If that communication problem was essentially due to the league attempting to contact Owens via Rosenhaus' cellphone, who is responsible for the communication problem? Owens or the league?

 

[DallasEast]

If the league wants to test a player, but the player is in a foreign country or a hard to get to part of America, what does the NFL do about getting the sample in a timely manner?

That's a good question about player accessibility, but the only real question pertains to the communication problem.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Owens met with league officials last week, so the question becomes, "Did he meet with them before or after the 'do not use agents as primary contacts' notice was forwarded to the players"? If the notice was received after that meeting, it's irrelevant. After all, how would one know not to do something after the fact? If the notice was sent before that meeting, it's not an innocent mistake if you had prior knowledge of how the league wanted to contact you. Was this all or part of the 'communication problem' which Owens has previously spoken of? If that communication problem was essentially due to the league attempting to contact Owens via Rosenhaus' cellphone, who is responsible for the communication problem? Owens or the league?

Tho the blog doesn't say when they received the notice, I'm inclined to believe that the notice came after the Owens mixup. He met with them on Tuesday and more than likely the league subsequently issued a notice of advisement to the players. It doesn't make any sense otherwise. If the notice was sent before the mixup, TO wouldn't have gotten off as light as he did.

Watching Mike and Mike this morning, Golic blamed it more on Rosenhaus for not answering the call or returning it in a timely manner as his number was listed as TOs primary contact number.

 

[InmanRoshi]

I thought all this stuff was supposed to be confidential ... now reporters know who called who and when and what their primary and secondary phone numbers were within hours? Goodel better get all these leaks squared away, or the NFL is just begging for a defamation lawsuit.

 

[DallasEast]

Tho the blog doesn't say when they received the notice, I'm inclined to believe that the notice came after the Owens mixup. He met with them on Tuesday and more than likely the league subsequently issued a notice of advisement to the players. It doesn't make any sense otherwise. If the notice was sent before the mixup, TO wouldn't have gotten off as light as he did.

Watching Mike and Mike this morning, Golic blamed it more on Rosenhaus for not answering the call or returning it in a timely manner as his number was listed as TOs primary contact number.

I agree that it would make more sense for the notice to have been received after-the-fact. Was Golic aware of the reported claim that Rosenhaus' voicemail box was full? It's like I posted on another thread, the only way Rosenhaus could have followed up as Golic states is if he returned every call according to numbers listed in his caller ID. If he were covering all his bases, Rosenhaus should have done just that, but he didn't. And as I questioned before, who would?

 

[WoodysGirl]

I agree that it would make more sense for the notice to have been received after-the-fact. Was Golic aware of the reported claim that Rosenhaus' voicemail box was full? It's like I posted on another thread, the only way Rosenhaus could have followed up as Golic states is if he returned every call according to numbers listed in his caller ID. If he were covering all his bases, Rosenhaus should have done just that, but he didn't. And as I questioned before, who would?

Per the various articles, the secondary number was the one with the full voicemail, not the primary voicemail.

Timing is everything, so who knows when the league tried to contact TO and what Rosenhaus was doing when they called. More contract negotiations?

The secondary number is probably what caused all the issues.

 

[TNCowboy]

I agree that it would make more sense for the notice to have been received after-the-fact. Was Golic aware of the reported claim that Rosenhaus' voicemail box was full? It's like I posted on another thread, the only way Rosenhaus could have followed up as Golic states is if he returned every call according to numbers listed in his caller ID. If he were covering all his bases, Rosenhaus should have done just that, but he didn't. And as I questioned before, who would?

If you're Drew Rosenhaus, and you know that you're one of your biggest clients primary contact with the NFL (perhaps Rosenhaus wasn't aware that he was), wouldn't you make sure and have someone clean out and monitor all of your voicemail, if you aren't doing it yourself?

 

[tyke1doe]

I thought all this stuff was supposed to be confidential ... now reporters know who called who and when and what their primary and secondary phone numbers were within hours? Goodel better get all these leaks squared away, or the NFL is just begging for a defamation lawsuit.

Good luck. Leaks are everywhere, in every organization.

 

[DallasEast]

Per the various articles, the secondary number was the one with the full voicemail, not the primary voicemail.

Timing is everything, so who knows when the league tried to contact TO and what Rosenhaus was doing when they called. More contract negotiations?

The secondary number is probably what caused all the issues.

Thanks WG. Jerry Jones and Owens were in the final stages of contract negotiations, so I can see how that would play a factor in the communication problem. Still, it's interesting. The primary cellphone's voicemail didn't record a message and the secondary cellphone's voicemail couldn't because it was full. That would be communications problem, alright.

If you're Drew Rosenhaus, and you know that you're one of your biggest clients primary contact with the NFL (perhaps Rosenhaus wasn't aware that he was), wouldn't you make sure and have someone clean out and monitor all of your voicemail, if you aren't doing it yourself?

If you're Rosenhaus and you want to make absolutely certain of just that, I don't see why not. He should have the staff and resources to accomplish the task; and even if he doesn't, he could make it happen easily, in my opinion.

 

[speedkilz88]

I brought this up in another thread and now Norm Hitzges is asking the same thing(he still hasn't gotten an answer since the Cowboys can't legally discuss this) But the question is why can't the league just call the Cowboys? They should be able to get a hold of their player.

 

[WoodysGirl]

I brought this up in another thread and now Norm Hitzges is asking the same thing(he still hasn't gotten an answer since the Cowboys can't legally discuss this) But the question is why can't the league just call the Cowboys? They should be able to get a hold of their player.

Don't quote me on this, but I think it has to do with the CBA and the Club knowing beforehand when a test is being administered...or if the player is in the program.

I recall their being a discussion about this when Quincy was released, because the rumor was that they knew he was about to be fined for a bad test or something like that.