This was the last straw, if you will, for T.O. in Philly.


Terrell Owens isn't an Eagle anymore, but like him or not, he'll always hold a special place in Philadelphia as one if its more famous, or infamous, figures.

His actions were detrimental to the team and he deserved every boo he received here in Philadelphia, but now he's simply been turned into a sideshow act by the NFL and the media, and it's really a very sad display.

The most recent episode occurred when T.O. went to two of the Bills top P.R. guys and told them that he did not want to give a post-game press conference because he believes that the media baits him and he gets himself into trouble as a result.

Apparently they were unmoved, and told him that his press conferences are mandatory.

He then went right to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello, who didn't do anything to help his cause. He told T.O. that it is in the list of player obligations and that he can be fined by the league and by the team if he refuses to conduct a post-game press conference.

So T.O. did it. He gave the press conference in which he was obviously correct in his assumption that the media is attempting to bait him into giving them a headline and a column in which they could tear him apart, which has become like a rite of passage for a member of the media.

Here's the video.

Questions like, "What's your frustration level right now?," and "Terrell, are you and Lee (Evans) being wasted in this offense?" are being asked simply to hear T.O. say something negative about either the coaches or teammates in an effort to tear him apart. Then when he refuses to throw anyone under the bus, he's criticized for not taking the press conference seriously.

In all reality, he's being put into a lose-lose situation, and the NFL loves it.

When T.O. talks, the world listens, and when the world listens to T.O., they're paying more attention to the NFL. He's become nothing more than that sideshow of a tiger at a carnival that all the mean kids poke with a stick so they can watch him snarl and growl.

Here's a play-by-play of the worst back and forth.

After repeating the mantra "I'm just going with the plays that are called" several times, one reporter asks him what he thinks about the decisions made after the plays are called, which is obviously a direct attempt to get T.O. to throw Trent Edwards under the bus.

T.O., however, refuses to do so, telling the reporter that he would "have to ask him (Edwards)."

Now the reporter is pissed, and starts acting like a petulant child who was just told "no" for the first time.

"I'm asking you what you think," is how the reporter comes back at T.O., with a tone like T.O. is somehow being unreasonable by not taking his bait.

T.O. then says "I don't want to answer that."

"I'll ask him, I'll do my job." The reporter is now obviously frustrated that his plan has failed.

T.O. then states the obvious, which must really be a thorn in this guy's side.

"I don't want to answer that, because whatever I say, you guys are gonna turn it to however you want to say it."

The reporter then says, in what everyone knows is just a flat-out lie, "I'll print it exactly."

To which T.O. gives the best answer of the conference saying, "I just answered you, sir." He then follows it up with a very condescending smirk and nod of the head.

Of course then there's the guy who wants to ask the same question that someone else had already asked about his reception streak ending. Whether this guy's an idiot or just not paying attention is irrelevant, it's all an attempt to get T.O. going.

Now I realize that this is perhaps brought on by T.O.'s prior actions during his time with the 49ers and Eagles, but that's no excuse for how he's being handled now. As an Eagles fan, I'm in no way a T.O. apologist, but still think it's absolutely disgusting how the media doesn't even hide the fact that they're just looking to poke and prod him until he gives them a headline.

He got ousted in Dallas because of the media (and Jerry Jones' stupidity) and now it appears as though the same will happen to him in Buffalo. Then, once his time in the NFL is over, he will certainly be held out of the Hall of Fame because the same clowns who are attempting to get something out of him are the same guys with a vote.

This is by no means an attempt to cover up T.O.'s prior actions or dismiss them in any way, but when he's obviously attempting to take the high road now there's no reason to bait him into saying something.

It's sickening, it's unprofessional, and it's just plain wrong.