Owens & Rosenhaus To Meet With Eagles Brass

[PhillyPhreak54]

Owens, Eagles' brass may meet

By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Terrell Owens and Drew Rosenhaus probably realize by now that they are not going to get any more money from the Eagles.

Sources close to Owens said yesterday that the wide receiver and his agent still want a meeting with the team, however. One source close to the situation said the two plan to talk with coach Andy Reid and team president Joe Banner, possibly as soon as tomorrow.

Owens and the remainder of the Eagles' veterans are expected to be checked in at Lehigh University by 5 p.m. today. All indications remain that Owens will report on time, although one source close to him said he has spent a lot of time recently with his ailing grandmother, Alice Black, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease and lives in Alabama.

It is not known whether Owens will talk to reporters today. The Eagles have not scheduled any media sessions for him. A year ago, he talked once a week during training camp and the regular season.

A source close to Owens said the receiver feels as if he has been disrespected by the Eagles and wants to clear the air before he joins his teammates at camp.

A team source did not dismiss the possibility of the Eagles meeting with Owens and Rosenhaus. In fact, one team source said Reid wants to have a meeting with his unhappy receiver, who spent much of the off-season trying to get the Eagles to rework the seven-year contract he signed before last season.

Another team source said it is standard procedure for the Eagles to meet with a player and his agent when the player returns to the team after a contract dispute. The source added that neither Owens nor Rosenhaus had requested a meeting as of late yesterday afternoon.

The same source made it clear over the weekend that the Eagles will not make any new deal with Owens, who will be paid $3.5 million this season if he cashes in on what are considered to be easily earned incentives.

The last player to have a clear-the-air meeting with the Eagles after a contract dispute was running back Duce Staley, who staged a 26-day holdout from training camp in 2003 and left the team as a free agent the next year.

Derrick Harrison, the agent who represents Staley, believes it's imperative that quarreling sides meet at the end of a long contract dispute even if the issue remains unresolved.

"That's pretty much what you have to do," he said from his home in South Carolina. "After all the things that have been said and written about, you need that little opportunity to sit down and put it all behind you."

Harrison said Staley benefited from his meeting with Reid in 2003.

"Obviously, I think there are a lot of reasons and variables that affect the way a player thinks when he holds out, and teams have reasons for the decisions they make," Harrison said. "Oftentimes, those two things are not consistent with each other, but you have to be professional and understand the business aspect of things.

"When you sit down and meet at the end of it, both sides get to make their points, and then you have to get on the same page, which is trying to win a title for your team."

Although Staley's situation lingered deep into training camp, it did not become nearly as messy or as personal as the disagreement between Owens and the Eagles.

Staley never publicly insulted quarterback Donovan McNabb, and he didn't receive nearly as much national exposure as Owens and Rosenhaus have over the last four months.

There were, however, some nasty exchanges between the Eagles and Staley's camp, and Staley signed the next year with the Pittsburgh Steelers. But during the 2003 season, Staley remained a productive member of Reid's offense even in a reduced role. He also was extremely professional throughout the season and was looked upon as a leader by his teammates.

The Eagles hope for the same kind of thing from Owens. Though they will not guarantee anything, a patched-up relationship followed by another tremendous season from Owens could be the best avenue for the receiver to get the $8.28 million he would be due in 2006.

Stranger things have happened.

[PhillyPhreak54]

A source close to Owens said the receiver feels as if he has been disrespected by the Eagles and wants to clear the air before he joins his teammates at camp.

This tells me something right here. Obviously, in my opinion, the disrespect came when Banner came out and threw gas on the fire by saying that TO & Rosenhaus were two people who don't think in common sense terms.

So if TO wants to meet with them and clear the air before joining his teammates, then that is a good sign that he wants to play football and get down to business.

[Don Ho]

A source close to Owens said the receiver feels as if he has been disrespected by the Eagles and wants to clear the air before he joins his teammates at camp.

This tells me something right here. Obviously, in my opinion, the disrespect came when Banner came out and threw gas on the fire by saying that TO & Rosenhaus were two people who don't think in common sense terms.

So if TO wants to meet with them and clear the air before joining his teammates, then that is a good sign that he wants to play football and get down to business.

Agreed.  Banner blew it by throwing that comment out there.  The brass looked like heroes(kind of a strong word)through all this by just staying cool and just layin' low.  No need to throw that garbage out there.  Must be hard though having to bite your lip as Drew and TO just continue pop off on every talk show known to man.

Should be interesting come Tuesday when/if he comes out to the practice field.  Can't wait to see what the fans reaction will be.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Owens should feel like he was disrespected, because he has the intelligence of a 2x4, and it's very hard to respect the smarts of a piece of farging wood.

[MadMarchHare]

Again, I think there is no way Banner made that statement as a "flip" comment.  That was a calculated statement, this FO is very careful how they use the media.

[PhillyGirl]

Again, I think there is no way Banner made that statement as a "flip" comment.  That was a calculated statement, this FO is very careful how they use the media.

I don't know...do you really think he WANTED TO to lash back and make MORE of a "scene"?

[ice grillin you]

banner is a numbers nerd...hes not a coach gm or owner...so he really shouldnt EVER open his yap

[PhillyGirl]

banner is a numbers nerd...hes not a coach gm or owner...so he really shouldnt EVER open his yap

[MadMarchHare]

I have no idea what his intentions were.  It just seems to me they are very careful what they say in public, have been for their entire tenure.  I find it hard to believe he just vented steam.

[PhillyGirl]

I have no idea what his intentions were.  It just seems to me they are very careful what they say in public, have been for their entire tenure.  I find it hard to believe he just vented steam.

They also have always (for their entire tenure) not wanted controversy and to keep things "in house". So Banner's comments were COMPLETELY against the norm. If he was supposed to be careful in how he proceeded with his comments, he would not have said what he said which only acted as fuel to the fire.

[rjs246]

So now that camp has started can we throw all of these threads into a pile and burn them? Let's talk about football and hot celebrities. Not, whiney millionaires and front office nerds.

[Tomahawk]

So now that camp has started can we throw all of these threads into a pile and burn them? Let's talk about football and hot celebrities.

And the tastiness o' bacon.

[rjs246]

Amen to that. Went to a wedding this weekend and at the brunch the next day they had the the crispiest and most delicousest bacon I've had in months. I ate so much of it I felt sick and was belching up salty pork for the rest of the day. The ladyfriend was not impressed. I have no regrets.

[TempleOwl]

I have no idea what his intentions were.  It just seems to me they are very careful what they say in public, have been for their entire tenure.  I find it hard to believe he just vented steam.

They also have always (for their entire tenure) not wanted controversy and to keep things "in house". So Banner's comments were COMPLETELY against the norm. If he was supposed to be careful in how he proceeded with his comments, he would not have said what he said which only acted as fuel to the fire.

Let me spin this another way.  What if the FO WANTED Drew/TO to keep talking because they felt that every time they opened their mouths they shovelled more dirt on top of themselves.  Then Banner's comments would be explainable.  I cannot believe he made that type of comment offhand.  But, Banner is the ONLY one in the FO that could have made that comment and have it be fixable.  i think there must have been a decision made to let Banner be the lightning rod if there needed to be one.  Anyway, food for thought.  Let's just get everyone in and get it started!

[PhillyGirl]

FWIW, WIP just reported that TO is in Philadelphia and will be at camp soon and will be meeting with Banner and AR tomorrow.