Chocolate Lab said:
The way I read it, they could still do that, but are choosing to release him just to wash their hands of him...
Although I wish they wouldn't do that, I can't say I blame them. They probably hope he gets picked up by a division rival and wrecks that team like he did them.
Found this....
Sheridan: Just let T.O. go
By Phil Sheridan
INQUIRER COLUMNIST
Release him. Release all of us.
Whatever magician/arbitrator Richard Bloch decides in the matter of Terrell Owens, the Eagles' immediate response should be to cut Owens. Put an end to this thing once and for all.
Release him. Release the rest of the players from having to deal with it. Release the coaches from having to waste another moment on it. Release the fans from having to hear one more word about it.
Bloch reportedly informed the Eagles and Owens' camp that he would have a decision by noon Wednesday. Never mind how he can know when he'll have a decision without knowing what that decision might be. Stage magicians - and Bloch apparently is a pretty good one - know all about building up to a big finish.
If the decision comes at noon, the Eagles should release Owens at 12:01.
You want reasons?
The Eagles will be best served by ending this sorry chapter in their history as soon as possible. This is not the first time I've written that, but maybe there is enough blood on the walls down at the NovaCare Complex for someone to realize how big a mess this is.
It is time to stop managing this thing, and mismanaging it at times, with an eye toward getting revenge on Owens for everything he's done to ruin this season. Short of kneecapping him, there's no way to get real satisfaction. So it's time to start thinking beyond Owens.
The more the Eagles hurt Owens at this point, the more they ultimately hurt themselves. Other players are watching now, around the locker room and around the league. They are watching, and they are forming lasting impressions about what kind of organization the Eagles are running.
Time to take the higher road. Time to rise above Owens and his ridiculous behavior.
Since May, the Eagles have been worrying about Owens' appearing to win this battle of wills. They don't want him to get what he wants - free agency, a new contract, the brightest spotlight made by man, whatever - by acting out.
They were willing to risk their 2005 season on that principle. Well, congratulations. You made your point and you're 4-6. Your quarterback, the target of Owens' most egregious comments, faces a public-relations challenge that is exponentially bigger than it was in May. Your otherwise classy attempt to keep a popular player, Hugh Douglas, around has been perverted to look like some kind of anti-Owens muscle job.
You decided to keep the most polarizing figure in the NFL around and - presto, as the Amazing Blocharini might put it - your fans, the media, and maybe your own locker room are now polarized.
If this is winning the battle with Owens, what would losing look like?
Bloch could rule that Owens' four-game suspension must be reduced. That means the Eagles would have to follow through with their threat to place him on the inactive list for the rest of this season's games. That would likely result in another grievance by Owens and another hearing.
Cut him, and that's that. No more media encampments at the Airport Marriott. No more four-hour ordeals for Andy Reid when he's supposed to be coaching his team. No more discussion and debate and waiting for the next ruling.
And what if the Eagles do get their way and they pay Owens to not play for the rest of the season? Does anyone believe that's the end of this thing? Rephrase that: Does anyone who is conscious believe that?
Owens will have his own show on ESPN by the weekend. Heck, the Bristol crew may just follow the pattern of recent years and give him his own channel: ESPNTO. And much of his programming day will be spent ripping the Eagles, ripping the Eagles and ripping the Eagles.
Cut him.
Because you can't make the argument that you can move on successfully without him while clinging to his rights like this, cut him.
Because it sends a message to the rest of the world that you're bigger than this and not petty and vindictive, cut him.
Because there is a locker room full of players sick to death of being asked about this embarrassing episode, cut him.
Besides, it may be more fun for everyone involved to see what happens next. Owens could be claimed by some 2-7 team and forced to play out the season in misery or create another disturbance in protest of the NFL waiver system.
And, if and when he does become a free agent, surely Owens and agent Drew Rosenhaus will forgo some big signing bonus because of their steadfast belief in the need for guaranteed annual salaries. Surely they weren't lying about that.
Call his bluff. Cut him. It's way past time.
