A few thoughts:
Of course what T.O. did was minor compared to other players. He’s not Rae Carruth. But what he did affected his and his teammate’s gameplay. You just don’t routinely bash your teammates.
It’s the same reason a QB doesn’t go nuts when the receiver drops a few he shouldn’t have. The receiver knows he should have caught it, he doesn’t need a pissed off QB yelling at him. If McNabb was tired in the Superbowl, he knew it. He didn’t need a terminally adolescent Owens going to the media about it.
As far as teammates backing T.O. and not McNabb; well, who do you think needs more backing up? McNabb can talk to the media and not sound like a whiny little bitch. Owens can barely put together coherent sentences. T.O. needs the support and little pats on the back. McNabb has had to put with everything from being drafting instead of Ricky Williams (remember the boos on draft day) to the Limbaugh ramblings.
I still don’t understand his bitching with his contract. It was fine a year earlier. There were no major signings in the offseason that suddenly made his contract obsolete. What’s the problem? Oh wait…nevermind, he has an asshole agent. Next question!
Look, teams can forgive hookers, cocaine, and other felonies, as long as the output on gameday stays the same. But when a single player starts to tear a team (a good team, too) apart, he has to go. Hell, I enjoyed a lot of T.O.'s celebrations. He was entertaining and a hell of a receiver. But he’s a selfish asshole who doesn’t know how to part of a team.
He ripped into Garcia and McNabb more than once, too. These were not isolated incidents. Let’s not forget that he also handpicked McNabb to be his next passer. He’s a cancer to a team.
I also disagree with those that say he plays hard every down. B.S. I’ve seen him short-arm and alligator-arm a few catchable balls. And why is not listed among the best blocking receivers? He definitely has the size and strength to be a great blocker. He doesn’t want to.
Bottom line is Owens got what he deserved; not for being flashy and celebratory, but for repeatedly criticizing his teammates. I don’t like McNabb, either, though; so this isn’t about defending Mcnabb. I don’t like him because The Eagles have been good and hard to beat recently. I try to find negative things about him that can really make me hate him, but I can’t. He seems like a decent guy, I just don’t like him.
4th and 26 still makes me cringe,
Toddy