Done Deal

It is done. Terrell Owens is in the fold. Book it. I am hearing from too many places that it is done, including a few that I determine to be reliable sources. Press Conference by Tuesday, I predict.

Cowlishaw seems less than impressed with the news …

Word began leaking out of Valley Ranch last week that Owens would be a Cowboy in 2006. When Philadelphia released Owens and the Cowboys released Keyshawn Johnson – sort of a T.O. starter kit in every sense of the word – it all started to fall into place.

Makes too much sense in a Jerry sort of way, even if it makes no sense in a football or team chemistry sort of way.

Doesn't make any sense in a Parcells sort of way, though. You really think at age 64 he wants to coach this guy, regardless of talent?

Parcells thought Antonio Bryant was too much of a headache. That's the Bryant who, by the way, just signed a four-year, $15 million deal with the 49ers.

So after this move takes place, if anyone out there is still trying to sell the line that Parcells calls all the football shots for Dallas, consider that person either uninformed or insane.

You can expect Owens to be a Cowboy this season and you can expect Parcells to be an ex-Cowboys coach in 2007. The contract extension Jones gave him at the end of a failed 2005 season means nothing other than Parcells getting more money out of the owner, and the owner having no idea where to turn once Parcells heads for Saratoga.
The Cowboys apparently are not worried about competition for Owens' services.

Parcells met with Owens' lovable agent, Drew Rosenhaus, at the combine in Indianapolis, and it's likely that the Jones family has already worked out terms on a new deal that will keep T.O. happy until at least the third week of training camp in Oxnard.

First Lubbock says he is signed, now Rosenhaus is saying he is not …

Despite Rosenhaus' denials however, a source close to Owens told FOXSports.com that the receiver has in fact agreed to a three-year deal with the Cowboys — a deal that likely won't be announced until the weekend in order for owner Jerry Jones to be available in Dallas to properly make the announcement.

And now the next 48 hours will tell who's telling the truth.

Owens was finally released by the Eagles on Tuesday, and his release was timed so that the Eagles could avoid paying him a $5 million roster bonus due Wednesday. In addition to Dallas, Denver, Kansas City and Miami were said to be interested.

But the Cowboys talk heated up when, soon after Owens was released, the Cowboys cut receiver Keyshawn Johnson to avoid a $1 million bonus. Johnson was scheduled to make only $1.5 million this season, but was seeking an extension and a raise.

Owens is two years younger than Johnson and more dynamic, with defenses fearing him deep and across the middle. He has also been disruptive to his own teams, leaving bad feelings in San Francisco and wearing out his welcome even more quickly in Philadelphia, albeit after helping the Eagles get to the Super Bowl.

Gramps tracks down Jimmy Johnson on the issue …

"I don't mind a little tension on a good team," Johnson said. "But on a struggling team, it will destroy you. And in the long run on any kind of team, it's not good.

"With Terrell, he's going to be disruptive. He's going to be yelling at Drew [Bledsoe], he's going to divide your locker room. It may be sooner, it may be later, but it will be a negative for your team.
"If you want his talent, you've also got to be willing to accept that."

In non-T.O. news, The warm and fuzzy story of Aggies hoops marches on as they upset Sorrycuse …

Chris Walker should've been intimidated. Two years ago, his basketball glory consisted of winning an intramural championship on a rec center court.

Every one of Texas A&M's players should've been intimidated. None of them had ever played in an NCAA Tournament game – or even a truly meaningful March matchup – until a couple of weeks ago.

So how do you explain Walker, the walk-on from Grapevine, fearlessly taking and making two early 3-pointers that forced Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim to call a timeout Thursday night?

How do you explain anything about this improbable season, which will last at least two more days after the Aggies, in their first NCAA Tournament since 1987, upset the 2003 national champion? A&M, the No. 12 seed, grinded past fifth seed Syracuse, 66-58, before a packed house at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.

You may know Chris Walker from that, but as we pointed out on March 1st, we know Chris for his singing and dancing:

What a Wonderful World …

Total Eclipse of the Heart …

Thug Luv …

The Monster Mash …
Til I collapse …

Big day in Spring training? …

If Juan Dominguez wants to be the Rangers' fifth starter, now is the time to show the club why.

The right-hander gets the start against the White Sox in Tucson today as the race for the final spot in the rotation enters the next phase. Less than two weeks of Cactus League games remain, meaning innings are difficult to come by and the evaluation period is shrinking. Pitchers must make the most of their opportunities, and that especially applies to Dominguez.

"He's got some things he's been working on," Rangers manager Buck Showalter said. "Hopefully it will come into play [today] if he's going to stay in this competition. It's that time of spring where a guy should start locking in on what they're able to show you. We're far enough along in this process that we need to see it in games."

Now is the time? What about last August and September when they handed him the ball repeatedly, and repeatedly he handed them quality starts? Look, it is no secret that Buck doesn’t care for this guy, and many of you agree with him. We all know that over-sleeping is a felony in most states, but if you are trying to convince us that a start on St Patrick’s Day against a line-up with many minor leaguers in it can tell you more than what you already know, I am not buying it.

You may remember this from the December 17th blog, where I calculated his work in 2005:

Dominguez 10 starts, 6 quality starts (8/24, 8/29, 9/3, 9/14, 9/20, 9/25)

Comments: 60% Quality Start Percentage??? If he isn’t in the opening day rotation, this team needs its head examined. Dominguez may have his warts, but he also has the ability to be a dominant starter.

Stackhouse has views on the Mavs priorities the rest of the regular season …

"Yeah, it would be great to have the No. 1 seed and have home court throughout the playoffs," Jerry Stackhouse said. "But that could all be gone in one game. We got to worry about hopefully having our guys come back and trying to have enough games to get them in a good rhythm going into the playoffs with some continuity.

Stars put on a hockey clinic in Los Angeles, pound the Kings …

"The goals came easy to them, and that is frustrating," Kings coach Andy Murray said. "You like to make it more difficult on your opponents. We need to simplify our game with the lineup we have right now and be grittier and a little tougher to play against."

Barnes, who replaced the injured Bill Guerin on Arnott's line with Brenden Morrow, ended a personal eight-game points drought. He assisted on both of Arnott's goals in addition to scoring his 14th of the season. But he was stopped on a penalty shot by Garon, depriving him of his second career four-point game.

"Playing on a line with them, I think the big thing is just making sure you stay out of their way and maybe try to create some turnovers for them and let them do their thing," Barnes said of Arnott and Morrow.

"They're not only big guys who not only can set up in front of the net, but they can work hard in the corners and they've got the hands and the skill to go along with it. So if they do get the opportunity on a puck in front, they can bury it in the net."

Barnes replaced Guerin, who was busy with his “just say no to visors” campaign. I kid, I kid….




The Patriots way is raising eyebrows again …

Willie McGinest, gone. David Givens, gone. Christian Fauria, Matt Chatham and Andre Davis, gone, gone, gone. Adam Vinatieri? Going, going, almost gone.

What in the name of Tully Banta-Cain are the New England Patriots doing in free agency?

Pretty much what they always do, to no great surprise. Sticking to their plan amidst all the hand-wringing by fans and the media. Refusing to break their carefully crafted business model and overpay. Keeping emotion and nostalgia for past successes in check and out of the decision-making process.

Hey, one of these days that formula isn't going to work like it has in the past. Eventually New England's free-agent losses are going to turn into regular-season losses, and not even savvy mid-level signings, shrewd trades and consistently strong drafts are going to be enough to offset all the defections on both the personnel and coaching fronts. It's the law of the NFL jungle.

But until it does, it's hard to quibble with the results, no? Nobody ever said the Patriot Way didn't require a healthy dose of patience and perspective, especially when there's a gaudy $20 million to spend under the salary cap and New England has yet to make a free-agent addition to counterbalance its subtractions.

The Soap Opera that is Brett Favre’s future rolls on in Green Bay …

Quarterback Brett Favre's $3 million roster bonus is due from the Green Bay Packers on Monday, but all indications are that the deadline for paying it will be pushed back while he considers whether to retire.

Under terms of the contract, Favre would become an unrestricted free agent if the Packers did not pay the bonus. But the sides have an understanding that the payment deadline will be pushed back if Favre needs more time to decide on his future.

According to a National Football League source with knowledge of the deal, the payment is due 10 days after the start of the new salary cap year, which began Saturday. It is unclear whether that was the date originally placed in the contract or an adjustment made later.

Packers officials have denied an ESPN report that Favre told them he would return if the club became more active in free agency and they have been adamant that they plan to attack the off-season in a way they think will best serve the long-term plans of the organization.

Finally, Just 2 Guys kick it Revolutionary War style ….