farg Dallas! Thread

[General_Failure]

He's going to be the first person to intruduce himself for the hall of fame.

[MadMarchHare]

TO looking at losing a couple million on the sale of his Moorestown house.

IT WAS EXACTLY a year ago when Eagles coach Andy Reid jettisoned Terrell Owens from training camp for his inability to behave. TV vans and legions of reporters followed the wide receiver back to his Moorestown, N.J., estate, where later that day an unapologetic T.O. did situps and shot hoops in one of the more absurd episodes in the annals of local sports. With the appearance that evening of his irritating agent, Drew Rosenhaus, the only thing missing from the whole scene was a high-wire act.

But things are awfully quiet these days at 40 Landing Court. Owens is off with the archrival Cowboys, and his house is still up for sale. T.O. has been trying to unload it since Oct. 24, at which point it was explained that it had less to do with his intention to leave Philadelphia than with his desire to downsize. Overlooking the Rancocas Creek on 2.3 acres, the house is a sprawling 7,917 square feet with five bedrooms, 7 ½ baths, a three-car garage and a variety of extras. The place is so immense that previous owner Dawn Cline said it has 10 furnaces.

No buyers have stepped forward so far with an acceptable offer for the place. According to Erica Lacey, of Blue Chip Reality - which had the property until its listing expired July 27 - the house had "a fair amount of showings." She says there have been some offers, but none that have been acceptable to her client. Asked if she was surprised the house has been on the market for so long, Lacey says she had expected a "property of this magnitude... would take some time." Owens has lowered his asking price from $4.399 million to $4.199 million; Lacey could not say if Owens planned to lower the price even more. Lacey says, "That is up to Mr. Owens."

Why no buyer?

Luxury estates are apt to take longer to sell than lower-priced properties, but in the opinion of some knowledgeable realtors in the Moorestown area, the problem is that the house is somewhat overpriced. While Lacey would not comment specifically on this, except to say that the house was appraised for $4 million when he purchased it, the consensus is that Owens overpaid for the property by possibly $1 million when he purchased it for $3.9 million from Dawn Cline and her husband Dennis in May 2004. According to real estate records, the Clines had purchased the property in September 1998 for $1.150 million. But Dawn Cline says the house had been upgraded considerably since then, and that it "showed extremely well" when Owens came to look at it. Cline adds, "The house was worth it."

The story that still circulates in Moorestown real estate circles is that the house was not for sale when Owens was shopping for a place, that he simply saw it, had to have it and pounded on the door with a big pile of cash in order to get it. Dawn Cline says this is not so. In fact, Cline says she and her husband were then considering a move to Palm Beach, Fla., and placed "some feelers" out to Owens. "We knew he was coming into the area and that he was someone who could afford the property," says Cline, who adds that it was "very upsetting" to her when the house she so scrupulously cared for ended up in what she terms disrepair. While Lacey characterizes the house as in "great" condition, other realtors with knowledge of the property say that it is in something less than that, that the interior shows some signs of wear and the exterior is not what it could be. That said, it should be added that the lawn is no longer brown as it had been a year ago, but has been replaced with sod.

Ultimately, it appears Owens could end up taking a loss on the place. According to Tom Mabrey, of Prudential /Fox & Roach in Moorestown, there were 43 properties in Burlington County priced at $1.3 million or higher as of last Friday, 18 of those in Moorestown. He characterizes that inventory as high, and explains that since March "we have seen a back slide in price points." Market conditions were more favorable last October, but even then, Mabrey says, when the Owens estate came up for sale the "experts that I network with considered it well overpriced." Mabrey adds that even with aggressive pricing then it should have been priced at no more than $3 million.

And now?

Mabrey says, "I would say $2.6 million is probably reasonable."

Others echo that.

Alyce Klaus, of Weichert Realtors in Moorestown, weighs in at between "2.5 million and $2.6 million." She says when he saw the initial asking price of $4.399 million, "some of us wondered if there had been some kind of a misprint." She adds that while the property remains what she calls very nice, she agreed that Owens did "grossly pay on the high side" and that the previous owners received "an extraordinarily sweet price." Of the $4.199 million Owens is asking, Klaus says: "Candidly, I would say a price adjustment is in order."

Dee Shields, of Century 21 Alliance in Moorestown, agrees. "Had it been priced properly, it would have sold by now," says Shields, who concurs that Owens overpaid for it. "Today, I would price it at $2.3 million or so."

Could Owens still get the price he is asking? Mabrey says yes, that there is always the perfect buyer who could walk up and pay what he is seeking. (Owens did.) Klaus adds that while the house lacks some of the privacy that high-end buyers tend to look for in that it sits just 75 feet from the street, she adds that it does have a "George Washington slept here quality" in that it is owned by a celebrity. Eagles fans would probably argue with her selection of Revolutionary War comparisons (and opt instead for Benedict Arnold).

"Obviously," says Mabrey, "he is not looking to take a loss here. But the reality of it is, your property is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it."

Exactly how Owens plans to proceed is unclear at this point. According to Klaus, houses priced at $1 million or higher take an average of 118 days to sell. The Owens estate, which can be found online at 40landingcourt.com, has been up for sale close to 300 days. With the inventory high even on his own block in Peachtree Point, the house could sit a while longer. Meanwhile, Owens remains on the hook for $36,796 in annual property taxes, plus he can expect to pay - in addition to a brokerage fee - a New Jersey transfer tax and possibly even a nonresident penalty. Conceivably, if the assessments of the other realtors are correct and he has to adjust his price downward, Owens could indeed take a beating on the Moorestown property. Mabrey says, "Sometimes you just have to cut your losses."

With Owens now in Dallas, blissful serenity has been restored to the neighborhood. No news helicopters are soaring overhead as they did a year ago, the street is not packed with reporters, and T.O. and Rosenhaus are not standing in the driveway deflecting questions. Word is that the whole scene irritated the neighbors, one of whom is still somewhat peeved at the departed superstar. While he did not give his name, he did give his opinion when asked of Owens. Irritably, he said: "I just hope he sells it and gets the hell out of here."

HA!

[rjs246]

What's great about that article is that it now basically guarantees that no one (local) will buy it until the price is reduced significantly. Knowledge is king.

[PhillyPhreak54]

TO making light of the fact he has to ride a bike during practice...

[PhillyPhreak54]

From the Dallas Morning News blog;

If you watched or listened to Bill Parcells news conference earlier today, you heard him make his most forceful comments regarding T.O.'s left hamstring injury to date: "We need to see something here pretty soon," Parcells said of Owens.
He also repeated a phrase he's used many times over the past four years: "If they don't practice, they're not playing. Like everyone else."
Parcells isn't ready to panic, but I think his patience is wearing thin. Jerry Jones made a statement Saturday that it would be good for Owens to learn how to practice at 75 to 80 percent. He said he didn't mean that as a criticism, just that Owens is used to going at the same (full) speed all the time and might benefit from holding back a little in practice.

Tick, tock.

[Drunkmasterflex]

The Dallas fans down here are still stoked about having him, I was talking to a bunch of them down at the Guadalupe this past weekend.  They were actually being really cool to me, they couldn't believe that I had an Eagles tat on my chest.  I tried to warn them about TO, they don't want to hear it.

[MDS]

We were the same way. Let them think he will act like a decent human being, then when he acts like himself, let us relish in the sheer comedy of it.

[reese125]

according to Rotoworld: An MRI revealed no extensive damage to Patrick Crayton's injured ankle.

Dallas' third receiver may miss up a month, however, and is questionable for Week 1. He has a high ankle sprain


aaahhh, the good ol high ankle sprain. I can see this baby lingering for a while after. one down, 2 more to go

[Drunkmasterflex]

We were the same way. Let them think he will act like a decent human being, then when he acts like himself, let us relish in the sheer comedy of it.

That is basically what I told them, He fooled us and he is going to break their hearts too.

[Sgt PSN]

We were the same way. Let them think he will act like a decent human being, then when he acts like himself, let us relish in the sheer comedy of it.

That is basically what I told them, He fooled us and he is going to break their hearts too.

Yep.  It'll be the same thing that happened to us except this time it'll be for funner. 

[PhillyPhreak54]

Cowboys fan on TO:

MY HOPE = T.O. is 100% honest and sincere about his injury and truly believes he is doing the right thing by erring on the side of caution. He realizes he has everything riding on this season, understands he has some leverage (to miss practices) because he is a superstar and is rightfully afraid to take an unnecessary risk. He practices at 100%, and as an athletic artist he despises playing at 75% because it compromises his work ethic and causes him to lose a bit of his competitive edge. He knows his body better than anyone and will return in a week or so when he is 95-100%, and this missing practice media fixation will diminish while the popcorn's popping.

MY FEAR = T.O. is a passive-aggressive, egotistical guy who gets into power struggles wherever he goes. The more attention this story gets, and the more he senses impatience from BP, the more determined he is to drag his feet in quiet defiance. Yeah, his hammy's bothering him a little, but that's not the whole story here. He actually got a little out of football shape in the offseason due to his layoff, his book, his music and other distractions, and his ego will not permit his return until he gets his full wind back by running the tour de Oxnard. T.O wants to let the tension rise-- he wants people to doubt and criticize him, and to make him the center of attention, so he can "save the day" at the last minute, proving to BP and everyone else that his way is the right way, that his many detractors are wrong about him, and that nobody-- Parcells included-- can tell him what to do.

What do you think? Do you have similar hopes/ fears about T.O?

[reese125]

"T.O wants to let the tension rise-- he wants people to doubt and criticize him, and to make him the center of attention, so he can "save the day" at the last minute, proving to BP and everyone else that his way is the right way, that his many detractors are wrong about him"



This couldnt be more true its sickening

[bobbyinlondon]

http://www.profootballtalk.com


WHISPERS CIRCULATE REGARDING WHETHER TUNA HAS GONE SOFT

As Cowboys coach Bill Parcells apparently tries his damnedest not to create headlines by subjecting receiver Terrell Owens to the same treatment that any other player on one of his teams would experience if they missed 13 straight practices with a hamstring injury that showed up on an MRI as a bruised vagina, Parcells is the target of scuttlebutt in league circles that the Tuna has lost his teeth.

Parcells' strategy, it seems, is to give Owens plenty of room to recover from the hamstring "injury," if for no reason other than to avoid giving 99 percent of the media and all non-Cowboys fans the satisfaction of seeing the T.O. era end even before it begins. 

The consequences?  League insiders can't believe what they're seeing and hearing.

Here's a prime example.  On Monday, Owens said, "It's just a situation where we all have to be patient with one another." 

Said one league source in response:  "That is a f--king joke.  The coach has the final word."

On Tuesday, Owens missed practice again.  And Parcells seems to be sick of talking about it.  "I really don't have much to say," Parcells said. "This subject's getting a little redundant."

It is getting a little redundant, Coach.  And though we freely admit that we're one of the many who'd love to see this thing blow sky high, there are only two men who push the calendar beyond February 2nd -- Owens, and you. 

With each passing day in which Owens gets his way and the head coach doesn't, Parcells' authority within the locker room is undermined, and his stature around the league is diminished.

[PhillyGirl]

"If any coach can keep him in line, its Parcells. He won't let TO get away with the stuff Reid and Mariucci did. Plus, the leaders on the team will also keep him in line."

[PhillyPhreak54]

SI.com; Michael Silver

SI.com has learned that the previous afternoon, during the team's training-camp practice in Oxnard, Calif., Cowboys coach Bill Parcells approached trainer Jim Maurer and pointedly said, "Look, you tell Terrell that tomorrow I want him out here for practice. Tomorrow's the day. I don't care. Tomorrow's the day."

"Before T.O. got back out there, a lot of people were starting to second-guess Bill," one Cowboys player says. "For the first time ever, he'd shown a little weakness, like he might not be totally in control, and like he didn't know how to handle this situation. Because, let's face it, it's been a total spectacle so far."

Don't think that the "Tour de Terrell" stunt Owens pulled last week -- wearing the Discovery Channel pro cycling team's silver and blue jersey and a racing helmet while riding his stationary bike on the sideline during practice -- didn't irk Parcells, who reacted disgustedly. "As soon as he saw T.O. in the jersey, and saw all the TV cameras heading over, Parcells got up and walked to the other end of the field," says the same Cowboys player. "It's like he was saying, 'There's no way you're gonna get a shot of me in the same frame as that crap.'"

Despite having consistently complained of hamstring pain, the wideout was rumored to have run a 4.48 40-yard dash on Tuesday. An MRI exam on Aug. 5, three days after he said he first injured the hamstring, reportedly came up clear.

"We all just sat and wondered, 'Who's gonna win this battle?'" says the Cowboys player. "As a player, you can't help but get distracted when something like that is going on. The guy comes out last every single practice, has somebody carrying his helmet and is always putting on his uniform at the last minute, and then he's out there riding the bike and drawing attention to himself. Even if he's not trying to be a deterrent -- and he clearly is -- it's obvious that the coach isn't happy.

"The bottom line is, he appeared to be healthy and wasn't practicing. So we'd sit and wonder, Who's gonna win? How's it gonna go down?

Already has his teammates saying he's a distraction. Haha!