Get Yer Popcorn Ready

I haven't been writing this blog long enough to properly convey my love of Terrell Owens. I have watched him over his career, an by 'watched' I mean googled shirtless photos of him every Monday morning (the above photos is one of my favs from Men's Health) and calling it research. He is my favourite player. Has been for a long time. Even through the dark times of fake overdoses and random driveway press conferences. He changed what a wide receiver is.

T.O. changed what GM's expect when acquiring a wide receiver. And while he might not be the best receiver to ever play the game, he has made an impact in the sport. Because of T.O. wide receivers are now expected to be tall, strong, muscular (hence the googling), fast, and aggressive. They are expected to do just as much off the ball as they are when they are thrown to. T.O. is an amazing blocker with an without the ball, which provides any team he is on another level of offence, you're not going to get with a Jerry Rice (that's right, I just compared him to Rice, what?).

I always battled with my friends when watching T.O. play (especially when he was on the Cowboys, because I have a lot of deranged friends who think it's ok to cheer for the Cowboys). They always get hung up on the fact that he has a lot of drops. But, with T.O. that's not the end all be all. He's a threat, whether you're throwing to him or not. And particularly at the end of his career, that's a pretty special thing.

If you haven't heard by now, T.O. had secret ACL surgery and it is doubtful that he'll ever return to the league. But, really, if you play for the Bengals, why would you want to? (I digress) As much as you want to smack talk the guy, call him a publicity whore and selfish, you can't deny that when he went to the Super Bowl with the Eagles he carried that team and if they would have won, he would have been MVP.

I might concede that he is a quarterback killer, although I think he took it easy on Palmer. But, in a day and age, when sports super stars are few and far between. T.O. gave us the show and backed it up with talent. Part of the success of the NFL is the back story. The players with personality that won't always give you the 'party line' in an interview.

If he does retire, I'm going to miss T.O. and my all time favourite interview quote: "Get Yer Popcorn Ready"

j

PS. Do you remember the time he cried about Tony Romo? Oh, that was brilliant. I'm googling that press conference right now...after I check out that Men's Health issue again.