Oh No, T.O.

I'm going to make my position on Terrell Owens crystal clear - I can't stand Terrell Owens.  I do not have an ounce of sympathy for him and could not possibly care less about his mental and emotional state.  All of the trials and tribulations he is currently experiencing in his personal, financial, and profession life are all self-created.  He's to blame for everything wrong in his self-absorbed little world. 

The Seahawks signing of Terrell Owens needs to be seen for what it was, and it was nothing more than a page out of T.O.'s own playbook - any attention is good attention.  By signing Terrell Owens the Seahawks sent a clear signal that they are willing to sacrifice the development of younger players and team chemistry  for attention from the media.  ESPN has spent more time talking about the Seahawks this week than they did all of last year...all because they signed a 38 year old attention whore with a history of dropping passes.  It is kind of obvious to me that the Seahawks are more than okay with this.

Terrell Owens is incapable of escaping drama, he creates and thrives on it, and he'll bring plenty of drama to the Seahawks this year.  Even if he is on his best behavior, he's not going to be able to escape his own reputation or outrun the fact that he is in dire financial shape...and that's no joke.  He's going to be asked about missed child support payments, the foreclosed homes, Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia, being cut by a minor league team for missing a charity event...all of that is going to be snapping at his heels this season.

However, the biggest elephant in the room will be T.O.'s complete lack of contrition and regret for the way he has burned bridges and thrown teammates under the bus in San Francisco, Philly, and Dallas.  Owens may have been low key in Buffalo and Cincinnati, but the drama still lurked in the background.  His inability to admit his mistakes and be held accountable for them is his biggest weakness (alongside his penchant to grow alligator arms in big games) and that weakness fuels his enormous ego.  Owens truly believes the Seahawks need him more than he needs them and it is this belief that will burn and eat at him like a cancer. While he might not be outwardly demonstrative he will make life difficult for Seattle's young QBs, players that won't have the experience and political capital to keep Owens in check. 

To those of you thinking that the 4.45 Owens reportedly ran a 40 yard dash in is impressive, keep this in mind - aside from Peyton Manning and his bolted on head and Tom Brady, NFL players are fast.  That Owens ran a 4.45 at 38 years old and coming off ACL surgery is impressive, but he has always been a physical specimen, and speed in the NFL can be mitigated with coverage schemes...

Several other teams with even more need at the wide receiver position passed on Owens this off-season, not willing to sacrifice team unity and chemistry for a moody player in the twilight of his career.  Owens might still have a decent season in him (I have him pegged for 64 catches, 625 yards and 4 TDs), but the odds are against him staying healthy.  There are other players out there that could have given the Hawks similar stats, but without the wall to wall coverage that will accompany the T.O. show here in Seattle...and that brings me back to one of my original points - the Seahawks signed Owens to sell tickets, generate interest in the team, and move jerseys.  This wasn't a football decision, it was one driven by the very thing that has derailed Owens everywhere he has played - publicity.  In the end, that is what will undo the Seahawks 2012 season...well, that and their 'dynamic' QB situation and the other headcase on the team, Kellen Winslow, JR...but that's another post for another time.

So, welcome to Seattle, Terrell Owens...be nice to Tavaris when he sends a pass sailing over your head and to Matt Flynn when he checks down...yeah, you might have been wide open, but just be happy you are collecting a check with an NFL logo on it.  Seattle is the only team that wanted you, show some gratitude...