Cowboys Corner

Terrell Owens says he is broke because he was misled and was too trusting, hopes others can learn from him

It’s no secret that Terrell Owens is with the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League partly because he is broke.

Okay who are we kidding, that is the reason.

Owens has blown the millions he earned during 15 years in the NFL and is now having trouble paying child support on several children.

He can earn up to $500,000 as a part-time player and owner for Wranglers in hopes of getting back to the NFL and recouping his finances.

Owens blames his financial situation on being too trusting of people with his money. He said he was misled. He said it was an eye opener for him and he hopes other players can learn from his mistakes.

“I am a very trustworthy person,” Owens said. “I allowed people to tell me they were taking care of my situation, go out and focus on football. And they were going to be taking care of their end. I am partially fault for that. It was an eye-opener for me and my family. it is an eye-opener for a lot of people in the National Football League that are going to be put in this particular situation. I feel like I have been put on this platform to allow people to tell these guys, ‘Be on top of your finances.’  Because they say they are doing one thing and they’re not and they’re doing another.

“Other than that, however many dollars as I have lost, I can still make up those dollars,” Owens continued. “Other than that, it’s been a rough situation. It’s been a rough year. But overall I am still holding my head up high. I am going about my business.  I still have a smile on my face. My family has been very, very supportive of me and upbeat about what I have been going through. There have been some friends that I thought were friends that aren’t there. I’ve really realized what family means to me. That’s what I am relying on at this point.”

Clarence Hill  

 

Terrell Owens offers support for Sam Hurd, says he was shocked but calls him a friend

Terrell Owens took receiver Sam Hurd under his wing when he was rookie with the Cowboys in blank. Owens is back in Dallas trying to revive his career with the Allen Wranglers but he still has a heart for Hurd is facing federal drug charges.

Owens is admittedly shocked by Hurd’s situation but says he still considers a friend and will be there for him need be.

“I’m very shocked and at the same time, it’s a very unfortunate situation for Sam,” Owens said. “I don’t condone what has happened and what went on or what have you. But I still consider Sam a friend, a great friend of mind and I would never turn my back on him or a friend just because of their circumstances so I wish him well and I’ve been trying to get in contact with him but other than that if he’s listening he definitely has a friend in me.”

 

Clarence Hill 

 

Terrell Owens still disappointed in Jerry Jones, bitter about being cut by the Cowboys

 

Receiver Terrell Owens remarked on at least two occasions during a fan fest Wednesday night to welcome him as a member of Arena Wranglers that he had hoped to retire as a member of the Cowboys.

That was his plan when he signed with the Cowboys in 2006 in hopes of reviving his career after a bitter divorce from the Eagles. He was buoyed in his belief by promises from owner Jerry Jones that Owens would remain with the team even after he was embroiled in a locker room spat with quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten.

Of course that was before Jones was convinced by son and vice president Stephen Jones that it was in the best interest of the franchise to part ways with Owens.

Owens said he realizes he can't trust anyone.

"I think everybody knows after the first three years, (that I wanted to retire with the Cowboys)," Owens said. "I had signed an extension and after that season I got that call or whatever, that meeting that said they wanted to part ways. Then again it was very disappointing it was one of those things where again, it’s a lot of lip service people saying they’re going to do one thing and do another. I've learned a lot within the last three to five years about life in general and even people in general. My grandmother, who passed just the beginning o f the year I remember her telling me not to trust anybody because god is the only person you can trust, man can change their mind at any given time, and it’s sad and its unfortunate but other than that I have to really take what she has taught me and move forward."

Owens says he has moved on and is not bitter towards Jones but his words and tone tell a different story. He still has regrets of not being able to play in new Cowboys Stadium.

"I’ve seen him maybe a handful of times since then, other than that, it is what it is," Owens said. "I'm not bitter about it, at that time it was disappointing considering the stadium was about to be open and he had told me I was going to be a big part of that process and then it's like having the wind knocked out of you. But life goes on."

 Clarence Hill

 

 

 

Question of the week: Where do the Cowboys match up best with the Giants?

The New York Giants found the formula for another Super Bowl championship. In today’s NFL, that means getting hot at the right time behind a good quarterback, good receivers and defense that can pressure the quarterback.

Don’t the Cowboys have those ingredients, too? Except for the getting hot at the right time?

After watching the Super Bowl, the Star-Telegram’s NFL writers answered this question: “Where do you think the Cowboys match up most favorably with the Super Bowl champs?”

Their answers follow. Give us yours in the comments.

Clarence Williams, Cowboys beat writer: Wow ... As of right now, the Cowboys don't match up well against the Giants, who have a better offensive line, better receivers, better defensive line, a better secondary, albeit slightly, and -- dare I say it? -- a better quarterback. The Cowboys have the edge at tight end, running back and linebacker because of DeMarcus Ware and Sean Lee. The emergence of DeMarco Murray puts the Cowboys over top at running back. But none of it appears to be enough to put the Cowboys over the top in the NFC East, where they will head into next season as the third best team behind the Giants and the Eagles and just ahead of the Redskins.”

Charean Williams, Cowboys beat writer: Um, well ... Let's see ... The Giants are better at quarterback, better in the offensive line, better at receiver. They have a better pass rush. Their secondary isn't any worse than the Cowboys. The Cowboys do have a better running game. DeMarco Murray looks like a star in the making, and pairing him with Felix Jones, the Cowboys could have a good one-two punch there next year behind fullback Tony Fiammetta. But the Cowboys have a lot of areas they have to get better in this off-season if they are going to catch the Giants.”

Carlos Mendez, Cowboys beat writer: The areas where the Cowboys compare favorably to the Giants are on offense. The quarterback, running back and tight end for the Cowboys are good enough to start for the Giants – in fact, would, except for the quarterback. But the Giants wouldn’t take any of the Cowboys’ linemen, except Tyron Smith. They could use cornerback Mike Jenkins, and linebacker Sean Lee could cover more ground in coverage than Michael Boley. But that’s about it for significant advantages for the Cowboys. At defensive end and defensive tackle, the Giants are better. They’re as good in the secondary and on special teams. They’re sure better at receiver. Coach and front office? Do we need to get started there?

David Humphrey, Cowboys beat editor: Considering the Cowboys had the Giants on the ropes in the regular season, Dallas might be closer to a Super Bowl contender than they look. Dallas can easily match the Giants' offensive talent. They still have work to do on defense to catch New York.

 

Vegas gives Cowboys 20-1 shot to win 2013 Super Bowl, only third-best in NFC East

The Cowboys have 20-1 odds to win the next Super Bowl, according to the first listing from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. That puts them in the middle of the pack, and with the third-worst odds in the NFC East.

The defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants have 8-1 odds to win the 2013 game in New Orleans. But the Philadelphia Eagles have better odds, 6-1.

The Washington Redskins are listed at 125-1, second-worst odds. Jacksonville is the longest shot, at 150-1.

The MGM says the New England Patriots are the favorite for the championship next year, at 5-1, with the Packers next at 11-2.

-- Carlos Mendez

Twitter @calexmendez

Are the Cowboys in line for another Week 1 date in New York? Why not?

Could the Cowboys be headed back to New York for the season opener again?

Sure.

The NFL usually rewards the Super Bowl champion with the home opener on the first Thursday night of the season. That’s a big prime-time game. It’s going to get lots of viewers. But who better than the Cowboys to drive up the ratings potential even more?

Don’t be surprised. Television loves the Cowboys in prime time, and wouldn’t it make for great television to see the defending Super Bowl champs celebrate in front of one of its biggest rivals?

But still, it’s probably a longshot.

The game is going to get ratings even without the Cowboys. There are other terrific candidates for the Giants to play – the Packers, the Steelers, the Saints, to name three.

Plus, the league surely wouldn’t make the Cowboys open in New York in back-to-back years, would it? And the Cowboys have opened on the road four seasons in a row.

It’s probably a better bet that the Cowboys open 2012 at home. But it is the Cowboys, and it is the NFL. So who knows.

-- Carlos Mendez

Twitter @calexmendez

Charles Haley, Bill Parcells aren't in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012

For Charles Haley, it was a first. He didn’t make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he made the cut to 10.

Both Haley and Bill Parcells were eliminated in the cut from 10 to five. Thus, for only the second time in seven years, the Cowboys will not have a player or a coach with ties to the team inducted.

Dermontti Dawson, Chris Doleman, Cortez Kennedy, Curtis Martin and Willie Roaf were the five modern-era candidates who made the cut to five.

Haley has been eligible for the Hall of Fame for seven years, with this his third as a finalist.

Haley is the only player with five Super Bowl rings – two with the 49ers and three with the Cowboys – and his teams went 153-66, including 19-6 in the postseason. His 100.5 sacks came in 71 games, and his teams were 59-12 in those games. His teams ranked in the top 10 in total defense in his first 11 seasons.

Haley, Larry Allen and Parcells will be candidates for the Class of 2013. Allen will be eligible for the first time next year, along with defensive tackle Warren Sapp and defensive end Michael Strahan.

Parcells was a candidate for the third time. He also was a finalist in 2001 and ’02 before he unretired and returned to coaching with the Cowboys, where he stayed for four seasons.

The Cowboys have had six players with ties to the team enshrined in the past seven years, including Deion Sanders last year, Emmitt Smith in 2010 and Bob Hayes in 2009.

-- Charean Williams

Pick the Super Bowl with our writers and columnists

The Cowboys went 0-3 against the conference champions. Tom Brady and Eli Manning both mounted fourth-quarter comebacks against Rob Ryan's defense. And, of course, the Giants defeated Dallas, 31-14, on New Year's Day to clinch the NFC East title.

What do you expect the final score to be in Super Bowl XLVI? Post your picks in the comments below or vote for your choice here.

Here is how the Star-Telegram staff predicts the Super Bowl to play out:

 

Mac Engel, columnist:

Giants 27, Patriots 24... Giants front four get to Brady enough to make the difference. Eli will get the second Super Bowl title that Peyton never will.

Charean Williams, beat writer:

Giants 24, Patriots 20... Eli Manning isn’t Tim Tebow or Joe Flacco. He should be able to exploit the Patriots defense, while Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul and company will get after Tom Brady, who has been less than Super in five of his past six postseason games.

Carlos Mendez, beat writer:

Giants 28, Patriots 26... Manning and Brady cancel each other out. The Giants win it with a running game the Patriots can’t stop.

Randy Galloway, columnist:

Giants 27, Patriots 26... I’m holding my nose and holding down my breakfast in picking the dog-butted Giants. But, yes. Eli over Brady.

Clarence E. Hill Jr., beat writer:

Giants 28, Patriots 24... Elite Manning, aka dumb face, now has two rings to Tony Romo’s one playoff win. Ouch.

Stanback finally catching onto receiver position

Isaiah Stanback still wears a quarterback number – 18 – but he finally feels like a receiver. The Cowboys drafted the University of Washington quarterback with hopes of turning him into a receiver.

But he caught only two passes and returned only 13 kicks in two seasons.

“I didn’t know what I was doing when I was there [in Dallas], to be honest with you,” Stanback said Thursday. “I was a quarterback trying to learn the receiver position. I didn’t even know how to stand when I was there. All the guys used to laugh at me. I felt like I was watching what the other receivers were doing and trying to learn. It’s tough to do it that way when you’re on the toughest level there is in sports. I didn’t get taught a lot. I was thrown into it, and it was kind of hoped I would be successful. Unfortunately, I had a bunch of injuries when I was there, and it just didn’t work out.

“Now, I’m a lot better receiver. I actually feel like I’m a receiver.”

Stanback had three surgeries while with the Cowboys – two on his shoulder and one on his knee. He had an injury-free year with the Patriots in 2009, playing quarterback and receiver. But he spent the past two seasons on injured reserve with the Seahawks. He tore his Achilles’ in 2010 and strained a hamstring in 2011.

Stanback was sitting at his home in Lewisville, contemplating his future, when the Giants called offering him a job on their practice squad. He will be a free agent in the off-season.

“I feel blessed,” said Stanback, whose first child – Nadia Renee – is due March 23. “God has got a plan for me.”

-- Charean Williams

Cowboys deny Raiders chance to interview DeCamillis

According to sources, the Cowboys have denied the Oakland Raiders permission to speak with special teams coach Joe DeCamillis about a position on their staff.

DeCamillis is still under contract with the Cowboys and now appears will be back in Dallas for a fourth season. 

Raiders coach Dennis Allen had hoped to interview and possibly added DeCamillis to his staff with the title of assistant head coach. Allen and DeCamillis are close friends and had been on the same staff together in Atlanta.

But it would have been considered a lateral move and per NFL rules, teams only have to let coaches interview with other clubs for a head coaching position.

DeCamillis had hoped to get in the mix for the head coaching job in Jacksonville but that opportunity never came.