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| Authored by Andrew Perna - 10th November, 2005 - 4:33 pm
 Good-bye T.O.
It was fun for a little while, but as we all know nothing lasts forever.
Well, except maybe for those huge diamond studs in your ears. Your stay in Philadelphia was supposed to be a match made in heaven. You were the athletic, downfield weapon that quarterback Donovan McNabb had always lacked. Your arrival in Philadelphia to pair with McNabb and their stifling defense meant the sky was the limit for the Eagles. Despite your tragic leg injury towards the end of the season, the Eagles still accomplished their goal of winning the NFC Championship.
After intense rehabilitation you suited up for the Eagles in the Super Bowl. On the NFL?s biggest stage Terrell, you shined. You had over one hundred yards receiving on one good leg, but your Eagles fell to the Patriots, 24-21. Soon after, the honeymoon was over. Apparently you were upset that the Eagles still sounded confident about continuing to win football games without you on the field. A team that had reached three straight NFC title games without you had no right to believe they could achieve the same feat without your incredible athleticism.
Then you questioned Donovan?s stamina. You said in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl it was his fault that the offense was running so slowly. You said it wasn?t the first time that Donovan?s lack of stamina had become a problem on the field, and that maybe he should work as hard as you do in the gym. Soon after you began complaining to the media about your contract situation, and how you wanted it restructured.
Whenever Donovan was asked about his personal relationship with you or your contract issues, he shrugged the questions off. He was trying as hard as he could to keep the problems ?in house.? You, on the other hand, seemed to always go to the media whenever you felt there was a problem with Donovan or the rest of the Eagles. You reported late to training camp, and were sent home midway through camp by Coach Andy Reid. You went home to a media circus, but returned quietly to camp after your punishment was over. You had a relatively quiet pre-season, as you hooked up with Donovan for a long touchdown score in your first preseason game against the Bengals.
Several weeks into the season the Eagles weren?t exactly where they hoped to be at 4-3. As if the Eagles needed the added drama, you began to stir things up yet again. You said that you agreed with a statement made by ESPN analyst Michael Irvin. You agreed that the Eagles would be much better off with Brett Favre as their quarterback rather than Donovan. You said that Favre plays hard despite injury, but last I checked Donovan hasn?t missed a game because of his recent sports hernia. With no disrespect to Brett Favre, to say that Favre would be a better fit to the Eagles is ludicrous. Despite Donovan?s injuries his stats are far better than Favre?s - the only category that Favre leads McNabb in is completion percentage.
Donovan still held back from the media, and refused to air his dirty laundry for the entire world to hear. Following a week of your typical drama you were suspended for one week by the Eagles. In a matter of a few days you had gotten into a fist-fight with former Philadelphia defensive end, and current team ambassador, Hugh Douglas, after he questioned the validity of your ?injured? ankle. That led to you punching Douglas, and challenging the rest of the Philadelphia locker room to a fight.
Then on Thursday you blasted the Eagles organization for not celebrating your 100th career touchdown reception two weeks ago against the San Diego Chargers. You were also critical of Donovan again, but like the kind spirit you are, you issued a public apology to the team on Friday. However, the Eagles apparently wanted a more sincere apology and handed down your one-game suspension on Saturday morning. The Eagles announced that later in the week they would make a decision as to what further action would be taken. However, the team didn?t waste any time. You were suspended for four games, and would remain inactive for the rest of the season. The punishment didn?t seem to even leave the door open for a return to the Eagles in 2006.
As usual, you called a press conference with super-agent Drew Rosenhaus. You publicly apologized to Donovan, the Eagles, and your fans by putting side your pride and owning up to your actions. The Eagles didn?t wait long to respond to your public apology. They released a statement saying that they don?t want you back. Case closed. The Eagles had given you your last Time Out, T.O.
Your stay in Philadelphia brought the Eagles one season of pride and greatness, but you have wasted a season for Philadelphia with your selfishness and childlike behavior. Even if the Eagles miss the playoffs this season, and you never return in green and black ? the Eagles will be better off without you.
You have shown over and over again that you are not worth the trouble, and have showcased how patient Donovan McNabb is. Your constant criticism has shown that McNabb is as good of a teammate and person, as he is a football player. Not once has he complained about playing with injury, or having to deal with you. Has Donovan ever demanded that his already lucrative contract be restructured? Or has he ever demanded that you be traded, or suggest that another NFL receiver would be a better fit for the Eagles? Most recently as your time as an Eagle came to a bitter end, he did nothing but complement your athletic skills.
When Donovan lobbied for you to come to Philadelphia at the 2004 Pro Bowl it was supposed to be the beginning of a dynasty for the Eagles. But, instead of Philadelphia native and Eagles fan, Will Smith doing a remix of his famous song, ?Just the Two of Us,? for you and Donovan, instead you?ll be hearing Elton John?s ?Philadelphia Freedom.? Whether you like it or not.
Go cause trouble elsewhere.
Adios, au revoir, see you later. However you want to say it, good-bye. It?s obvious you?re not welcome in Philadelphia anymore.
Andrew Perna can be reached at PacerPerspective@yahoo.com |
