T.O. Runnin' On Empty: Part Deux

On October 25, 2011, I posted an article about Terrell Owens' effort to sign with an NFL team after recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. Representatives of Owens, who declared him fit, invited several NFL scouts to an informal workout to observe Owens with the hopes of generating some interest in the loquacious receiver, but no one bothered to show up.

I had speculated that the only team that might take a flyer on Owens were the Seattle Seahawks, but only if they were able to position themselves into playoff contention, which I couldn't see happening (click here for the original article). 

As expected, no NFL teams  signed Owens so in January 2012, the former All-Pro (whiner) swallowed his pride and signed a contract with the Allen Wrangers of the Indoor Football League. But to no one's surprise, that didn't last very long and in May 2012, the team cut ties with the perennial malcontent.

TE Jake Ballard Claimed By Patriots

Well, here is a little bit of news that will get virtually no attention except for a sentence or two, filed under 'miscellaneous player transactions' in your local newspaper buried next to the horse racing section.

The New England Patriots claimed New York Giants tight end Jake Ballard off waivers.  Ballard who missed a portion of the season with a knee injury also suffered a potential career ending injury to his knee during the Super Bowl. The injury required surgery to repair damaged ligaments and cartilage and Ballard and will miss the entire 2012 season. For that reason, the Giants waived the 24-year old with the intention of re-claiming him once he passed waivers and then assign him to the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list with the intent of him returning to play in 2013. Given the seriousness

Guillen's Foot and Mouth Know Each Other Quite Well

So today Ozzie Guillen apologized to the Cuban community for remarks he made about Fidel Castro.  For those who missed the story Guillen, in broad terms, expressed great admiration for the dictator and in doing so, managed to offend half the Spanish speaking public in the United States.  Throughout Guillen's career he has always gotten himself in trouble with brash statements and survived but I think he has gotten himself in too deep this time. There are a lot of people lined up against Ozzie and this has all the hallmarks of a forced resignation in the making. 

Manning To Sign With The Broncos

As everyone is reporting, Peyton Manning is negotiating a deal to sign with the Denver Broncos. This makes sense (although I thought he would end up in Arizona). They have a very good defense and enough of an offense to make this a good fit for him. And of course there is the intangible of John Elway and the impact, if any, he had on Manning's decision.

Back on March 7, I blogged that as popular as Tim Tebow is, it would be a no brainer for the Broncos to sign Manning if they can, because most people know that Tebow is more of a cultural phenomenon than an NFL quarterback. I also said that I believe most Bronco fans would forget Tebow in heartbeat if they knew Manning was coming to town.

So what's next? I guess we'll wait for the official announcement of the signing and the contract terms. While that may be the end of this chapter in the Manning saga, it won't be the end of this story. In fact, the Tebow bandwagon has started to roll and everyone will soon be wondering where does he and his circus go now? And so on and on and on and on.......

Peyton Manning Released By Colts

The wheels are turning. As expected Peyton Manning was released today by the Indianapolis Colts. Really, this should come as a surprise to no one. I know that for months there was so much speculation as to how this was going to play out. As recently as last week, there were some very well respected people in the media who (just to be different?) were speculating that Manning and owner Jim Irsay would find a way to somehow work out their differences, clearing a path for Manning to remain with the Colts. This was just sentimental wishful thinking, a Hail Mary, if you will.  But most Hail Mary's usually go unanswered and this one was no different.

Sabathia Pulls Heist. Nets Another $30 Million

Really. Has greed in athletes reached such a height that players will squeeze every last penny out of their employers just (shaking head in disbelief) because they can? Let me be clear. This is the greatest country in the world and players should get paid their market rate. I don't have any major beef with Sabathia getting the extra $30 mill. At the same time you just have to wonder. $92 million over the next 5 years wasn't enough?? Sabathia (more specifically, his weasely agent) in effect told the Yankees "I want more or I'm leaving". And so, they just rolled over on their backs and gave it to him. I guess when you already have quad-trillion dollar payroll, what's another $30 million. Especially since they're not actually paying his salary. I beleive the mindset is that we'll just pass the cost on to our sniveling sucker fans.

Dr. J To Sell Prized Possessions

source: kimoracochran.com

The Atlantic Journal-Constitution has reported that Hall of Fame superstar Julius "Dr. J" Erving has decided to auction off some of his prized possessions he acquired during his 16-year NBA career. Among the several items included in the auction catalogue are Erving's championship rings  from the NBA and ABA.  There is some suggestion that Erving is selling off a portion of his collection because he is short on cash.  Apparently, Erving's company, The Erving Group  owes Georgia Primary Bank approximately $200,000 that stems from a $1,000,000 line of credit it received in April 2009. The bank filed a lawsuit against Erving in Fulton Superior Court seeking recovery for the amount owed.