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It's not good for the team...

Two days ago, I went on DallasCowboys.com and watched the interviews with Roy Williams2 and Keith Davis.

What Roy and Keith wanted to talk about: The Giants

What the reporters wanted to talk about: Everything else.

Star-divide

This is probably the most crucial game of our season. After blowing 4 NFC games, we had no realistic chance at defending our divisional title. The importance of a victory today CAN NOT be overstated. There's no guarantee whatsoever we win against Baltimore or Philadelphia (as both teams are playing well as of now). And let's say we lost today but somehow back into the playoffs anyway. If we can't win now, what's the point of going to the playoffs only to get One-and-Doned the third season in a row?

But back on topic. When Roy and Keith wanted to focus on the Giants, the interviews ended.

Of course, it's not just us. The Giants themselves continue to get hounded with questions about Plaxico "I need a permit" Burress. What do you think is a bigger distraction? Plax being gone, or question after question after question about Player Who Is Not There? The Giants have been blowing teams out without him (and Shockey and Tiki, go figure), they neither need nor miss him. But the Media doesn't see it that way.  They see a team that loses and immediately concludes that they are distracted. The Giants weren't distracted. They were simply unprepared for a healthy Brian Westbrook and Andy Reid's newfound focus on the running game.

Back on topic again. I'm just flat-out fed up with all the focus on our season being on things that shouldn't matter. And if I, a fan, feel that way, then how on Earth do the players themselves feel?

Before I go any further, I will admit that I like Owens. He's a great player, and in spite of his total jerkness in San Fran and Philly, I don't think he's the Devil Incarnate as some make him out to be. When he arrived here, I hoped it would work out for him and us. I hoped he would be Michael Irvin without the cocaine and the White House. As far as on-field production is concerned, he has. He led the NFL in TD catches in 2006. He was 2nd in the NFL in TD catches in 2007 (behind only Randy Moss's 23), and is one of the leaders this season (in spite of a significant drop in catches).

Off-field, it's been hit-and-miss. I will give him credit for trying. But it's not fair to the rest of the team, to be asked these inane questions week after week.

Are you distracted?
How do you feel about his comments about __________?

They don't ask those questions except when you lose. The only way to avoid questions like that are to go 16-0. Winning = No Distractions. Losing = Lost of Distractions.

I'm sure that would get very tiresome. And the reality of it is....it won't end. If you ever watch a Cowboys game on TV, then you know how often they aim the cameras at Owens to gauge his reactions to bad plays and losses. He's the only player I know of that gets criticized for FROWNING on the sidelines. Week in and out, he gets questions designed to bait him into criticizing a particular player or coach. Unfortunately, he sometimes does take the bait.

And even when he doesn't, it's not good enough. Remember when we lost the playoff game last season, and a reporter tried to get Owens to throw Romo under the bus? He didn't. He defended Romo, and left himself wide open for national ridicule by tearing up. Hell, the only other time you see players cry are during their retirement press conferences. Instead of the story being "Owens Defends Romo", the story was "T.O. Cries Like a Baby!". Can't win for losing, I guess.

Some of it has been his fault, though. He really shouldn't have complained about wanting the ball after having it thrown to him more than any other player in the first WAS game. But honestly, I didn't think that was as big a deal as others did. A Wideout wants the ball. Meanwhile, in less obvious news...

The irony of all of this is that Owens is being hammered harder now than he has since he got to Dallas, when it's mostly not his fault this time. Whatever the issue was, he (and Roy2 and Crayton) went to Garrett behind closed doors. Lost in all of this is the fact that we wouldn't know about this at all had it not been for the "Unnamed Source". Owens did exactly what he should have done when he was grumbling in San Fran in Philly, went directly to the other individuals and aired out the issues.

I have no idea who the source is, nor do I care. It really doesn't matter. But it is obviously someone who cares so little about their team that they would light a gasoline fire on the eve of the MOST IMPORTANT GAME OF THE SEASON! If the Unnamed Source doesn't go running their mouth(s), then the other players don't get peppered with questions about the locker room, and Owens and Witten don't nearly come to blows. We're trying to MAKE the playoffs, and some fool is trying to stir stuff? Are you kidding me?!

But the point of my post is....this is too much. The other 51 guys on this roster shouldn't have to answer endless questions about Owens as well as Adam "Pacman" Jones. I deliberately left out Tank Johnson's name because we have not heard a single solitary peep out of him since he got here. He has done nothing but exactly what the coaches ask of him. So unlike some people (some of whom get paid to do what I'm doing right now absolutely free), I'm not going to spend the rest of my life regarding Tank as some sort of irredeemable criminal. It's bad enough dealing with all the injuries we have (can you believe we're still thin at Cornerback even though we drafted two AND traded for Adam?). It's not good for the team to have so much focus on things that shouldn't matter. DeMarcus Ware is having a career season. Tashard Choice has shown us that he is the 3rd piece to our Three-headed Monster Running game. And the Defense is finally living up to the expectations placed when Wade Phillips got here.

But all of that may be for naught.

So here is me saying this: It may not be right, it may not be fair, but it may be necessary to let Owens go. I am a fan of the Dallas Cowboys first and foremost. And what's good for me is what's good for the team. And what is good for the team is a drama-free locker room.

Another user-created commentary provided by a BTB reader.

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Come and whisper in my ear, give us dirty laundry - ESPN

by Nelson... on Dec 14, 2008 4:12 PM CST up reply actions   0 recs

I agree, T.O and Pacr-rat both should be shown the door

But Jerry the enabler likes all the media coverage and he thinks he knows a thing or two about putting together a team, Any football fan who is honest with themselves knows Jerry fails when he tries to run the show…

by Deke on Dec 14, 2008 4:41 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

T.O. Needs to go

He is a Cancer on this team, the boys are done for this season after they loose tonight’s game anyway, i say find a way to rid the team of T.O. and anyone else who are not teak players, football is very much a team game, more so than baseball or basketball. i hate to say it but this season is over, what a mess it turned into after such a great start.

by TRFAN on Dec 14, 2008 4:52 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

I posted a fanpost about letting TO go

and most of the 200+ comments were akin to “are you crazy” or “are you an idiot?”. The guy is a phenomenal talent with the maturity of a 6th grade girl and this team will never go anywhere as long as he is on it.

by Billito on Dec 14, 2008 7:03 PM CST reply actions   0 recs

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