Summer of His Discontent

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT > BETSON CONNECTION

The 'T.O. Contract Show' heads for Eagles training camp

By Chuck Betson

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Jul. 24, 2009

GET READY FOR DREW Rosenhaus and Terrell Owens coming at you all August, all the time. With the Philadelphia Eagles training camp getting ready to open this weekend, we can expect a deluge of coverage concerning this dynamic duo. Blame it on the proliferation of bloggers; blame it on the abundance of all-sports networks; blame it on whatever you want to but it is going to happen.

Is T.O. happy?

Or is he sad?

Did T.O. diss Donovan McNabb at practice or did they kiss and make up?

Did Drew get a new 'do, as in hairdo? Or did he actually have the courage to show up at camp and tell everybody he has a bit part on HBO's smash hit Entourage next week?

This Eagles camp promises to be a T.O. sideshow, which cannot make the man known as A.R. - Andy Reid - very happy.

The latest from the "T.O. All News All the Time Network" and his personal spokesperson in the media - Steven A. Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer - is that the All-Pro wideout will be in training camp, but he will not be very happy. Owens knows he has to give back a hefty signing bonus ($1.8 million) if he doesn't show up and that the Eagles can fine him $9,000 a day for every day he misses.

Checkmate Eagles and Joe Banner.

Owens and Rosenhaus should realize that you don't spit into the wind, you don't tread on Superman's cape, and you don't mess around with Banner.

The Eagles have proven once and again they are almost invincible when it comes to these nasty contract squabbles.

Just ask Duce Staley.

Still, the upcoming scenario promises to make an already long, hot summer almost unbearable with daily T.O.-Rosenhaus reports.

And Owens is not the only unhappy Eagle as defensive tackle Corey Simon is promising a hold out as well.

Let's go back to this time last year when the Eagles set a record for training camp crowds. The vibes were so good this was the NFL's equivalent of the Woodstock Eagle Nation: Peace, love and a Super Bowl, brothers and sisters.

Have you ever seen a player fall from grace as fast as Owens has now? It's almost as if the courageous performance in the Super Bowl in Jacksonville has been eradicated completely from memory.

The Eagles cannot play in five straight NFC Championship games, now can they? With the NFC still lacking any kind of major challenger it could happen again.

Still, one gets the feeling that the karma is so bad, A.R. might have to include yoga in the training camp regimen.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Eagles' season last year as a season ticket-holder. But this season the feelings are different. I am still feeling the sting of the Super Bowl loss and the mysterious behavior by McNabb at the end of the game.

Anybody want to buy some Eagles tickets in a very good section? If you do email me at chuckbetman@aol.com.

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