history not named Michael Irvin, a Hall of Famer now by the way, has ever caught more? Or that only one player in Cowboys history has caught more touchdown passes in a single season, and his name was the Frank Clark, and but one more back in the team's stone ages (1962)?
Now, can the guy and his drama be a pain in the neck? No doubt. But if you have the constitution to deal with whatever is next - we came to realize whatever with this guy is far reaching - then the tradeoff is pretty good.
Now who really knows what he might say next, but there seemed to be two dynamics at work here on Thursday. First, and highly evident, Owens was running really well. Really well. Who knows, maybe that's the "fresh legs" theory. You know, he's been doing his own thing mostly while the other receivers and DB's have been busting their butts going through 11 of these OTA's the past three weeks.
But then again, maybe he's like really healthy for a change. Remember, he arrived here last year with a little bit of a groin problem, and that seemed to bleed into one thing after another. Remember, from Dec. 19, 2004, through Jan. 6, 2006, Terrell played but eight football games. And from Oct. 30, 2005, until July 29, 2006, he never once practiced in pads.
That is not good for a Thirtysomething athlete at a skilled position. The older you get the harder you must work to retain your skills. Believe me, my tennis game can attest to that.
"Oh, I'm ready," said Owens when told he seemed to be running free and easy.
Now the second factor at work here has no visual evidence. This is more of a sensing after being around the guy for nearly a year now and realizing he's not a very trusting soul. He seems to stay on-guard - an always suspicious sort.
But Terrell seems to trust Wade Phillips a little more than Bill Parcells, however founded or unfounded that might be. He just seems to, and Wade has only been here four months or so.
And while he never really said so, but sure threw out enough intimations last year, he sure as hell seems to trust Tony Romo much more than Drew Bledsoe. For some reason, Terrell gave off these skeptical vibes when it came to Bledsoe really being in his corner. The relationship seemed superficial. Neither seemed to believe in the other.
Terrell, though, seems to dig Romo, for whatever reason, and I'll refrain from playing Dr. Malfi here. Although, Romo seems willing to risk his own neck by throwing the ball up for grabs to him, and to Terrell that means the quarterback thinks he's capable of making the play. That's big with him.
Yep, that word trust again.
Jones reaffirmed his trust in Terrell 3 million times this week, although the wide receiver, uh, sorry, Eight-One, er Terrell, says he wasn't even aware of the payment until his agent did so. And why not, since Jones basically bought, at least from a numbers standpoint, one of the best single-season receiving performances in club history.
Which is why you, too, would have snickered Thursday when Jones was asked if the club planned on making T.O. a bigger part of the offense this year; if they planned on getting him the ball even more.
More?
With the likes of Terry Glenn and Jason Witten and the idea of throwing a few screens to Julius Jones, and even with Patrick Crayton stepping up last year, why become one-dimensional? More could become less.
"I thought he was a key part last year," Jones said.
He was, once you hacked your way through all the bull.
