It's not often a team on a three-game losing streak and desperate for victory can be guaranteed one, but there is a way for the 49ers to do just that this week.
Here's how: Sit Terrell Owens down for a game.
Don't let him play against Detroit and his good friend, Steve Mariucci. Make Owens one of the inactive players on Sunday. Don't suspend him. Just make him stand on the sidelines in civilian clothes. Make him watch and stew by himself. Do that and victory is guaranteed.
Without Owens, the 49ers would become something they need to be and haven't been -- a team. His act has worn so thin on the other 52 guys on the roster that they'd be better off without him.
If Owens remains in the lineup, after three weeks of escalating gripes and finger-pointing at everybody but himself, the 49ers will remain dysfunctional. They have enough problems without this. As for the argument that Owens is the 49ers' biggest weapon, just look at what San Diego did on Sunday. The Chargers suspended their best receiver, David Boston, and achieved season highs on offense against the Raiders.
The 49ers would be better off without Owens. It now is apparent they should have tried to trade him in the offseason, when he had a year left on his contract and they might have been able to get value for him. They didn't want to consider that; they thought they needed Owens, because he was their playmaker.
No, they don't need him. He is a cancer on the team. He is more trouble than he is worth.
Football, as we have seen repeatedly, is the ultimate team game, a concept that remains foreign to Owens after more than seven seasons in the NFL.
Owens is the ultimate me-first player. He doesn't understand the team concept.
Each week, his tirades get more boorish, more ridiculous, less reasoned.
He wants the ball? Then don't drop it.
He says he doesn't give up? Then prove it by not quitting on plays and by fighting for the ball down the field.
After the St. Louis game 17 days ago, Owens, while insisting to reporters,
"I'm not griping," griped that he wanted the ball more. He also criticized wide receiver Cedrick Wilson for not being able to stop the clock on the final play of the fourth quarter.
After the Cleveland game 10 days ago, Owens said, "I don't think the coaches realize the talent that I have," and ripped the offensive line by saying, "We can't get any protection to get the ball downfield."
And after Sunday's blowout at Minnesota, a game in which he dropped, short-armed or made no effort on several passes, Owens managed to pat himself on the back while ripping quarterback Jeff Garcia. And this was after his in- game expletive-filled meltdown directed at offensive coordinator Greg Knapp.
Well, at least Owens has proved this: His demons run much deeper than the public feud he had with Mariucci.
Dennis Erickson was too tepid in his reaction this week, essentially announcing a zero-tolerance policy. Hey, Dennis. Maybe Terry Donahue didn't tell you about this guy when you took the job. Maybe the NFL needs a three- strikes law. But handling Owens requires action, not a warning.
We're long past the warning stage. Owens is a serial, pain-in-the-rear, divisive griper, a coach-killer, and the sooner you learn that, the better off you'll be.
It no longer is a question of whether the 49ers will try to re-sign Owens after the season. That is not an option. They would be as daft as he is if they did that. The guy is out of control in his contract year when he logically should be on his best behavior. Who could control him next year?
And that is yet another problem for the 49ers. They might have applied the franchise-player tag and tried to deal Owens to get something for him. Now,
that will be harder because every time Owens opens his mouth, he is turning off more potential employers.
But look on the bright side. It's not just the 49ers who are getting hurt by Owens. He is hurting himself, too. One NFL general manager said Tuesday he wouldn't be surprised if Owens' outbursts cost him nothing in free agency because there's always a team somewhere that thinks it can reform a player.
A respected agent, however, said he believed Owens was costing himself a ton of money, especially in the wake of San Diego's fiasco with Boston.
The agent, who also represents coaches, said a lot of coaches aren't going to want to touch Owens.
One who already learned that lesson will be in town Sunday. If the 49ers want a team assured of beating Mariucci, they will have to make themselves into a team. And now they know the quickest and surest way to do that.
Marc, I'm in COMPLETE agreeance with you over this issue. Owens needs to be put on the bench for at least one game, with NO pay. His attitude of "Me" needs to get wiped out. If he can't do that, they need to not play him.
As for what San Diego did with Boston, that was a great decision, and I support my team for that.
When your ego is too big, it needs to be brought down. Teams need to get rid of the "I" mentality, and realize that they are a T-E-A-M!!!
:::>^..^<::: ~*~The Journey is more important than the end or the start~*~ :::>^..^<:::
Originally posted by Marc Flemming I don't think the coaches realize the talent that I have," and ripped the offensive line by saying, "We can't get any protection to get the ball downfield."
Typical Terrell Owen statement!
I surprised he can fit his head in the locker room....this guy's ego has always been over the edge since day one. Something needs to be done to bring him back to earth.....Im surprised they didnt do something about it after the stupid Dallas stunt he pulled....he's ridiculous!
His lack of class is bring his whole team down!
But...thats Terrell.....it will be a miracle if they can ever get him straight!
I say sit him for longer than a week.....a week is nothing...to him it wont matter.....I say sit him for longer than that...and let him see how the team fares without him.....
His comments this week were uncalled for......me, me, me, me, me......its all about Terrell....what a jerk!
Of course thats just my opinion....I could be wrong. (Dennis Miller)
"You might be the toughest little whacker. . .but in my world, you're about as worrisome as a cloudy day." (Dutch Dooley)
10-01-2003 06:38 PM
