Letters posted here are associated with the following article:

9
Letters
Monday, December 26, 2005 12:00 AM

The year in sports

In a no-nonsense 2005, Terrell Owens and BALCO fizzled, while the hard-working Pats, Spurs, White Sox and Colts sizzled.

The letters thread is now closed.

View:
Sunday, December 25, 2005 10:42 PM

Not another cheap shot about T.O.'s contract...

King,

Not you too - taking a cheap shot at Terrel Owens because he wanted to renegotiate his contract. I expect this from the ditto-head sports writers, who march in lockstep on this issue, but not you.

As you well know, NFL contracts are non-guaranteed. In fact, I would be surprised if there is a single instance of a 7 year contract in the NFL being honoured to completion by both parties. Where would the outcry be had the Eagles cut him after the 4th year of the contract? Hell, where will the outrage be when Philly *does* cut him after this season? The idea that "a contract is a contract" is nonsense: teams are never held to account for failing to honour contracts.

Since it is so well understood that no long-term NFL contract will be honoured to term, why the universal scorn on TO for trying to renegotiate his? More importantly, since you are too smart for this, King, why are you part of it...

Brian

Monday, December 26, 2005 08:19 AM

T.O.'s Contract and King

King has always talked about T.O.'s contract the same way -- it's not that he wanted to renegotiate it, but that he was a raving ass about the way he went about it. There are not enough cheap shots in the universe to satisfy the karma debt T.O. owes.

Monday, December 26, 2005 09:01 AM

TO=ASS

It was a joy for Bay Area fans to watch TO get his comeuppance. I'm all for working people getting the most they can out of their labor, but...He's not exacty working class, more like talking ass. I urge any TO defender who makes less than a few hundred k a year to try the same stupid shit at their places of employment. See? I told you.

Welcome back King. The world is a happier place.

Monday, December 26, 2005 09:40 AM

TO

Well, Lezzbo, the next time I'm literally the best in the world at something, I'll sure give it a shot and let you know how it goes.

Monday, December 26, 2005 09:54 AM

The Best?

Indeed, Spike, T.O. really showed us where being the best arrogant, self-absorbed prick gets you. What happened to him this year should happen more often.

I don't care how good he is at catching footballs. His skill on the football field doesn't grant him, or anyone, the right to be an ill-mannered lout. He can choose to be an ill-mannered lout, as any of us can. Those who put catching footballs above human decency will tolerate or even celebrate his poor behavior. But that doesn't excuse it.

A dick is a dick, no matter how well he performs on the job.

Monday, December 26, 2005 10:06 AM

Literally?

Spike, if you can quantify "literally the best" maybe I'll stop laughing about the slathering praise.

Bukk makes a great point; TO's best at being a dick.

Monday, December 26, 2005 12:05 PM

Quantify?

What I meant was that it wasn't hyperbole. Terrell Owens is the best wide receiver in the NFL, and thus, the world. I would think I might ask for more money if I'd gotten a bad contract like he did, then proved that I was the best in the league as he did during Super Bowl XXXIX. The Eagles were just as guilty in the whole debacle by getting him in at bottom-basement because they knew TO had no other options, then refusing to renegotiate even after T.O. risked career-ending damage in coming back for the Super Bowl. That he played as well as he did despite McNabb's HORRIBLE performance throughout that game was even more reason for the Eagles to acquiesce. They didn't, and look where they are now. I guess everybody got what they deserved.

Thursday, December 29, 2005 05:14 PM

White Sox

Barely a paragraph on the White Sox? You must be kidding. This is what we White Sox fans are used to, though, getting ignored and getting little respect. That's okay, you can ll kiss our asses, the trohpy is in Chicago.

Tuesday, January 3, 2006 09:23 AM

Completely ignored the most dominant athlete in sports

Pretty typical stuff from this columnist - if it's not football, baseball or basketball, fergettaboudit.

The most dominant athlete in sports for 2005 was Roger Federer, a brilliant tennis player (many are already calling him the greatest of all time), and a great person. But hey - why mention him? He's not American, so who cares, right?

Most Active Letters Threads

530

Do Obama officials know what his Afghanistan plan is?

What explains the completely contradictory statements from key aides on a central plank of the war strategy?
175

I live in a van down by Duke University

How do I afford grad school without going into debt? A '94 Econoline, bulk food and creative civil disobedience
128

Is my kids making me not smart?

Stay-at-home fatherhood dulls my intellect to a nub. Excuse me while I ponder the subtext of "Hippos Go Berserk"
126

Trig, the anti-abortion straw baby

Sarah Palin's son is being used to demonize pro-choicers
119

A new report questions "suicides" at Guantanamo

Why is the Obama DOJ attempting to block judicial review of three highly suspicious deaths?

View all »

Letters Help

Currently in Salon