Box Score Beat

T.O. Much Coverage — 12.15.09

Posted on 15. Dec, 2009 by Graham Kates.

Updates on T.O’s career, age, and Twitter… updates.

• Before Buffalo’s Dec. 3 game against the Jets in Toronto, cornerback Darrelle Revis indicated that he wanted an invite to Owens’ birthday party. Owens said he would grace Revis with an invite upon scoring a touchdown on him.

• Unfortunately for Revis, he shut T.O. down — limiting Owens to three receptions for 31 yards.

Meanwhile, with all the attention surrounding T.O.’s birthday, his future became a hot topic.

• Owens said he sees himself playing football for another three or four years.

• T.O. said he’s open to a return to Buffalo next season, or even making a second attempt at being a San Francisco 49er — but BuffaloFootballReport says Owens still needs to prove he deserves more time with the Bills.

• No matter where Owens goes next year, he’ll be making some extra dough on the side with his new modeling contract.

In T.O. Twitter News:

• Terrell made new friends.

• He also had to face the grim reality of life in Buffalo.

Continue Reading

T.O. Much Coverage — 12.01.09

Posted on 02. Dec, 2009 by Graham Kates.

The media’s coverage of Terrell Owens’ season, until two weeks ago, could have been defined as “quiet.” Each week, reports noted that Owens’ offensive numbers were muted, and the loud personality we were used to was mostly silent. Things may be beginning to change….

After last week’s breakout performance against Jacksonville, Terrell Owens enjoyed the lauds he was accustomed to before coming to Buffalo.

• Rochester’s Democrat and Chronicle declared that interim Coach Perry Fewell finally unleashed T.O.’s talents.

• And Brad Evans at Yahoo! Sports said it was time for fantasy owners to grant T.O. a Thanksgiving pardon.

• The AP said Owens proved he is not washed up:

Terrell Owens has been called “a clown” on national television and rendered nearly irrelevant as part of an anemic offense. So when the Bills receiver stopped after making a catch in practice last month and spoke, it seemed like more of a joke than a vow.”I’m bound to have a breakout game one of these days,” Owens said, with a wink to a group of reporters standing within earshot along the sideline.

Turns out, he was serious. And correct.

All that was missing was an “I told you so,”

Then Owens backed up his performance with another solid game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday (five receptions for 96 yards and a TD), and FINALLY criticized the coach…the old coach that is.

From NBCSports:

And all Terrell Owens could wonder after he helped seal the rout with a 51-yard touchdown catch was what might have been if Bills owner Ralph Wilson had fired Dick Jauron a few games earlier.

“Well, he’s two weeks too late,” Owens said, crediting Fewell who took over when Jauron was fired Nov. 17. “I’ve been wanting to be aggressive all year.”

Oh, and as for that loud personality? T.O.’s new Bufallo-inspired clothing venture says it’s back.

Continue Reading

T.O. Much Coverage — 11.24.09

Posted on 25. Nov, 2009 by Graham Kates.

A tumultuous week for T.O. ended pretty much the same way it has all season. Presenting T.O.’s week….

Before Sunday’s game –

• The Bills fired Head Coach Dick Jauron and named Perry Fewell interim head coach.

• T.O. tweeted some poor math regarding the NFL’s black coaches.

• The Bills named Ryan Fitzpatrick the starting quarterback.

• Owens said he liked Fitzpatrick a lot (we’d later find out why).

• The New York Daily News advised benching Owens on your fantasy football team:
  

  The popcorn has gone stale. Somewhere, Tony Romo is rapping “How Ya Like Me Now.” Keep him stashed on your pine.

• Bleacher Report’s Eric Stashin said the Bills’ wide receivers were “low-end options” and asked if there was any chance they could regain their form.

During Sunday’s game -

• T.O. caught 9 passes for 197 yards. The game, his best this season, included this 98 yard TD reception:

Also, strong call by CBS’ announcer (either Bill Macatee or Steve Beuerlein) — “T.O. right here, this might be a good time to take a shot up the field.”

After Sunday’s game –

• Same old story for the Bills.

• In what’s becoming a post-game ritual, T.O. turned over his jersey to Mike Sims-Walker.

• And Fanhouse’s Matt Snyder said T.O. is Alive, but he “doesn’t buy any extended rejuvenation” by Owens.

Continue Reading

T.O. Much Coverage — 11.17.09

Posted on 18. Nov, 2009 by Graham Kates.

Sunday’s loss to the Tennessee Titans proved to be Terrell Owens’ biggest game as a Buffalo Bill (his three catches for 85 yards was a season high)–unfortunately it came amidst his sloppiest week.

First, T.O. had a run-in with the couch which resulted in two days of missed practice with a hip strain.

Then Owens was seen yelling at coaches on the sideline during the game (as a brief note: every week this season, there’s been someone who predicted that Owens was on the verge of blowing up — the winner for timing their prediction right is this guy).

Next, having lost a bet with Tennessee’s Chris Johnson over whose team would win, T.O. turned over his gameday jersey.

And after the game, the press conference was rocky.

Buffalo’s coach Dick Jauron was fired today, and Owens had a clumsy day of it on Twitter:

• T.O. gleefully tweeted about the “beautiful day” in Buffalo.
• An hour later, came the recant.

In T.O. charity news:

81 Buffalo families are going to receive the special T.O. treatment.

Continue Reading

T.O. Much Coverage — 11.10.09

Posted on 10. Nov, 2009 by Graham Kates.

Nine weeks into his quietest season, the name “Terrell Owens” remains synonymous with “complaining” — as in “Roy Williams pulled a Terrell Owens.”

First Williams noted that he was not seeing the quality or quantity of passes from Dallas QB Tony Romo that a number one receiver should see… and was immediately compared to Terrell Owens.

Then Williams was warned of what happens to Dallas wide receivers who complain. From Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News‘ “The Trenches” blog:

Is Cowboys receiver Roy Williams aware of the franchise’s recent history with whining wideouts? At least Terrell Owens produced like a No. 1 when he was in town….

Williams needs to just be quiet and do his job, be happy that the team is winning, and that he is still contirbuting in some way. Remember, he was rescued from the winless Lions last season.

The T.O. comparisons were not well received by Williams. From DallasCowboys.com:

“I didn’t complain. I didn’t complain that I didn’t get the ball,” Williams said Thursday. “I got seven opportunities in the (Seattle) ballgame. All I said was that, when it comes to me, it’s not there. I’m not saying it can’t be fixed, because that’s what we do every day. We try to work on it and get it fixed. I’m not a T.O. or I’m not trying to be a T.O. I don’t know why people are trying to put me in that category, because I’m happy to win.

Finally, after compiling 75 yards on five catches, Williams was no longer an Owens lookalike.

Meanwhile, up in Buffalo…

• TMZ reported that “T.O. acknowledges his own irrelevance.”

• Owens’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, says it’s not T.O.’s fault. The Bills quarterbacks are bad, and the offensive line is the “worst in the league.”

On T.O.’s Twitter account, a real-life drama played out…

• T.O. offered a $1,000 reward for the return of two phones he lost at the Staples Center.
• Owens then set up an email address for tips.
• There was no luck getting the phones back.
• Finally, the obligatory plea for a rolodex refresh.

Continue Reading

T.O. Much Coverage — 11.03.09

Posted on 04. Nov, 2009 by Graham Kates.

Prior to Buffalo’s loss to Houston on Sunday, coverage of Terrell Owens focused on T.O.’s analysis of himself. However, after the game, the talk was about how Owens went about scoring his first touchdown since Week 2.

T.O. told reporters last week that his production this season has been “pathetic.” In order to improve his numbers, Owens has set a couple of goals. Sean Leahy of USA Today wrote:

Terrell Owens is angry with his paltry performance thus far this year. But, buoyed by two straight wins by the Bills, Owens is refocusing his goals.

1. Help the Bills get to 4-4 before their Week 9 bye.
2. Outproduce his former teammate — and presumptive replacement in Dallas — Roy Williams.

“I have been looking at my stats compared to Roy E. Williams’ stats over there with the Cowboys and my goal is to have better stats than him by the end of the season,” Owens said Wednesday. “I am looking forward to it. I can feel the momentum on this team.”

Owens made progress with regards to his second goal on Sunday. While both T.O. and Williams scored touchdowns, Owens had more receiving yards and scored his TD on a 29 yard rush.

In response to the touchdown, SBNation declared “We Have a Terrell Owens Sighting.” Meanwhile, Rotowire advised fantasy owners to be wary…

T.O. did show a very nice burst of speed on the score, but he’s not someone you can rely on until this offense starts to figure things out.

In other T.O. news:

• Bleacher Report’s Anothony Emerson called Owens the fifth craziest athlete ever.
• On Twitter, T.O. was giving out tickets to Sunday’s game.

Continue Reading

T.O. Much Coverage — 10.27.09

Posted on 27. Oct, 2009 by Graham Kates.

While Terrell Owens contributed yet another lackluster performance in Buffalo, his name is quickly being tied to the rise of a new star in Dallas. Following Miles Austin’s second consecutive monster game for the Cowboys, the comparisons between the young wide receiver and his predecessor, Owens, were immediate.

The Associated Press declared Austin “the big play threat Dallas lost when it cut Terrell Owens.”

Cedric Golden of the Austin American-Statesmen says that Austin is like T.O., but with a smile.

Golden writes:

Of course it wouldn’t be fair to call Austin the second coming of Owens because he isn’t. What’s pretty obvious is that he has a similar skill set with the big frame (Austin is 6-3, 215 pounds), the big hands, and that natural ability to take a simple pass and turn it into something monstrous. Something about Austin suggests he won’t blast offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and quarterback Tony Romo if he doesn’t get enough balls thrown his way.

Thomas George of Fanhouse says Austin is the remedy for Dallas’ Terrell Owens hangover.

While Austin may be Dallas’ new T.O., offensively, Sports Illustrated’s Peter King says that the Cowboys may need to start treating Roy Williams like a T.O. personality:

If Terrell Owens were in Dallas now, the team would have to figure a way to tiptoe around him and keep him happy. Romo eventually may have to do a little of that with Roy Williams, The Invisible Man in the Dallas offense (more on this in Stat Of The Week). But all Romo cares about, from watching him, is set up, survey the field, find the open guy. That’s it. And as long as that continues, Dallas is going to play well on offense.

In Other T.O. News:

• Scott Stinson of the National Post says the failures of Owens and Bills head coach Dick Jauron have just added to the despondency of the Buffalo fan base.
• On Twitter, @LetsG0Buffalo asked Owens about a rumor that he doesn’t travel with the team. T.O. responded that he doesn’t improve of the fan’s sourcing.

Continue Reading

T.O. Much Coverage — 10.20.09

Posted on 20. Oct, 2009 by Graham Kates.

Terrell Owens’ on-field play this season has been consistently mediocre, and his off-field behavior has been consistently muted. As Owens’ season has stalled, the T.O. media coverage has begun to reflect his quieter personality.

There are those who are still waiting for the entertainer to arrive…

Bill Simmons wrote of T.O. last week:

We’re just sitting here on the edge of our seats waiting for things to blow up. It’s nerve-racking. Don’t rephrase that question about his role in the Buffalo offense. Don’t do it! No!

Some have moved on and accepted a new T.O….

Newsday’s fantasy football analyst, Adam Ronis, says Owens “isn’t getting open like he used to.”

Meanwhile, Will Leitch, writing for New York magazine says the new T.O. has not quite won over his critics:

OK, so everybody hates Terrell Owens; even Peter King hates Terrell Owens, and that guy probably finds something lovable about Glenn Beck. But this year, Owens has been quiet, respectful and even a little humble. He seems to enjoy the quiet poverty ‘burg that Buffalo has become.

In Texas, at least one reporter says the Cowboys offensive problems are inextricably linked to the absence of T.O….

Larry Bump of the Austin American-Statesman wrote that Dallas is still a T.O. show:

Even in his absence, Terrell Owens’ soap opera is making itself felt at Valley Ranch. The question is still: Who should be his successor as Dallas’ No. 1 receiver?

In Other T.O. News:

• Despite Owen’s poor numbers this season, Garth Woolsey of the Toronto Star says the Bills have focused the promotions for their December rematch with the Jets in Toronto on the game being T.O.’s first appearance up North.
• T.O. won the “Really Favorite Performer of the Year” honor at the Fox Reality Channel Really Awards last week.
• On Twitter, Owens accused NCAA refs of cheating during Florida’s 38-7 victory over Arkansas on Saturday.

Continue Reading

T.O. Much Coverage — 10.13.09

Posted on 13. Oct, 2009 by Graham Kates.

Graham Kates somehow escaped an intro last week but won’t elude me again. Kates is a 2007 graduate of SUNY Binghamton, where he earned a degree in political science and English. He is a freelance reporter, author of the True/Slant blog “Coaches in the Crosshairs” and a student at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. Since high school, Kates’ sports career has been limited to a stint at second base for a recreational coed college softball team and couch-based analysis of baseball, football, college basketball and the Knicks. Asked why he pitched a weekly column on the coverage of T.O., Kates responded: “There are 25 million reasons why the sports media’s Terrell Owens obsession needs to be dealt with.”

Coming off a Bills game that played out like a televised reading of Atlas Shrugged, the national media took to gossiping Terrell Owens. After Buffalo’s 6-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns — in which Owens caught four passes for 44 yards — the T.O. narrative has shifted towards a possible trade scenario.

The LA Times says that Owens-to-Chicago trade talk — which it points out was started on ESPN’s NFL “Insider” rumors page — has overtaken the internet.

However, Mike Florio of NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk says T.O. is not on the chopping block.

The National Post’s Noah Love says that ESPN reporter Adam Schefter first mentioned the trade idea. Love tracked the rumor’s progress:

Schefter’s item appeared in ESPN’s Rumor Central section, where reporters post all kinds of wild theories that never come to fruition. But, given how starved the Bears are for a No. 1 wideout to pair with Jay Cutler’s heroic (if not always accurate) arm, the good people of Chicago are making it known that they support the possibility this hypothetical trade becoming a reality.

At the time this was written, the search term “T.O. to Bears” was No. 12 on Google Trends and climbing.

But not all Chicago fans want Owens. DeCon of the Bears fan blog Bear Goggles On says he puked in his mouth when he heard.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo News wants to make sure that sad Bills fans get a keepsake in case Owens does head west. Pick up a copy of today’s paper for your very own full-page T.O. poster.

In other T.O. news…

• Shed your locks at T.O. Cutz.
• Owens’ recent Twitter tete-a-tete with Rodney Harrison, is just the latest in a new tweet trend.

Other uses T.O. has found for Twitter…

• Showing off the “T.O. Girls.”
• Scripture.

Continue Reading

T.O. Much Coverage — 10.7.09

Posted on 08. Oct, 2009 by Graham Kates.

Terrell Owens is one of most publicized athletes in all of sports. He’s everywhere, from VH1 to Twitter to the blogosphere, and of course, on your TV on Sundays. Because of his brash play and equally brash mouth, Owens is never far from the spotlight. It is with this in mind that we present “T.O. Much Coverage,” a weekly column written by Box Score Beat’s newest addition Graham Kates. The column will look into the media coverage of Owens, curating and then analyzing what is being said and how.
On Sunday, Bills quarterback Trent Edwards managed a QB rating of just 51.0 against the Miami Dolphins, throwing three interceptions to one touchdown and getting sacked six times. Yet, across the country many newspapers still considered Terrell Owens the story.

The Associated Press led their game recap with this: “Terrell Owens made three catches Sunday — not great, but not bad considering his team seldom had the ball.”

Tom D’Angelo of the Palm Beach Post began his article about the game by observing: “If body language is the barometer, Terrell Owens isn’t happy.”

And Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald led with: “Terrell Owens, the dynamic receiver who has built a well-deserved reputation for big plays and bigger talk over 14 mercurial seasons, suddenly has gone as quiet behind the microphone as he has on the field.”

Conversely, back home in Buffalo Owens was merely an afterthought.

Rochester’s Democrat and Chronicle never mentioned Owens in its analysis of the Bills poor first month (for which both the players and the coaches are to blame).

Likewise Mike Catalan of Rochester’s News 13 TV station also did not mention Owens, although he did get dramatic with his analysis:

“The Declaration of Independence says ‘All Men are Created Equal’. That is a wonderful document for the United States of America in the real world.  But the NFL isn’t part of the real world. All the men in an NFL franchise are not supposed to be equal. Two men on a team are more important than any other. That would be the head coach and the starting quarterback. That is why the Buffalo Bills are failing now and will continue to fail until there is a major change.”

For the Buffalo News’ Jerry Sullivan, T.O. is best used as an example of what’s wrong with Buffalo’s coaching staff.

“They’ve done the impossible. They’ve even turned Terrell Owens into a dull, pathetic milquetoast. T.O.’s sunglasses could be on fire and he’d tell you nothing was wrong. He’ll keep working hard and if you want to know his opinion on Edwards or Jauron or Brandon, just ask them.”

In Week 4, the tone of T.O.’s coverage can be divided into two categories: that from upstate New York and that from everywhere else.

Continue Reading