.81 it is.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y.— For Bills fans filling out their programs: Yes, folks, T.O. will be No. 81.

The Buffalo Bills said Thursday that newly signed receiver Terrell Owens will be getting his familiar number, and that second-year receiver James Hardy will be switching to No. 84.

Hardy, the team's second-round draft pick out of Indiana last year, wore No. 81 during his rookie season. It's unclear whether Hardy will be compensated by Owens to switch numbers. In the past, veteran players joining new teams have been known to pay for or provide compensation for the right to switch numbers.

Owens has worn No. 81 throughout his NFL career, but wore No. 80 in college at Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Associated Press

.that was quick~.

T.O. will be playing with the Buffalo Bills to be sure he can pay for his bills (if you know what I mean). :op Haha, ok that was silly I know but I had to make light of what could possibly be T.O.'s last stop in the NFL. I hope this isn't the case but since he signed a 1-year deal and he isn't getting any younger, the future remains to be seen. The great news for T.O. is this deal gives him more money this year with the Bills than he would have earned if he was still a Cowboy. Nice work Drew!

So, I was wrong in my thought process. No chance he’ll be back in a 49ers jersey next year after signing his 6.5 million dollar contract with Buffalo. I’ll be honest, seeing him in a Bills hat and envisioning him in a Bills uniform next season is definitely going to take some getting used to. After all, he’s always been that high profile kind of guy, wanting to play for the most high profile teams.

But, after watching his press conference when the official announcement was made that he was indeed going to Buffalo, it dawned on me how many people in the media just can’t stand him. Granted he has had his share of on-and-off the field issues. Of course there is the outspoken attitude and emotional side of T.O. that the ESPN world loves to magnify. Then, there was the “accidental overdose/possible suicide” incident that had people wondering if he’d gone off the deep end.

My take is that the guy knows he’s had chance after chance to prove the media wrong. And to date, it seems that no matter what positive he does—all we really hear about is the negative. I say give T.O. a break. Let the guy have some breathing room and let him be who he is because if anything, he’s being real. What’s so wrong with yelling on the sidelines—doesn’t that show passion for the game? Would he receive the same criticism if he was sitting on the sidelines laughing and joking around while his team trails on the scoreboard? And quite frankly, if I had his skills as a Receiver, I’d want the ball a ton more too. Listening to him speak at the Bills press conference showed me a relaxed T.O. who I think is misunderstood. The way he spoke sounded very genuine to me. I do believe he is hurt and sad to have been cut from the Cowboys but he’s moving on and proving to everyone that all he wants to do is what he loves—and that is play football.

Lastly, I give props to his agent Drew Rosenhaus. As usual, the media didn’t take him seriously that there were indeed teams interested in T.O. and that he’d have a deal in place within a week of T.O. being cut. A part of me is glad that things are working out for T.O. and I hope that he does well with the Bills. There is one thing that resonated most with me during T.O.'s press conference. It’s when he said, “God has a plan for me”. That right there is why I’m going to continue to cheer for T.O. and actually watch the Bills just to see him play.

Love,
Peace,
& 81,
-c

P.S. I wonder if he’ll still wear #81? Right now Rookie James Hardy has #81. I’m thinking we can expect a business transaction to take place—unless he pulls a Kobe and switches to a totally new number. Hmm.

.the T.O. saga.

T.O. is no longer a Dallas Cowboy and unlike some Sportscasters, I AM surprised. I did not believe Jerry Jones would let his pride and joy Terrell Owens go. Maybe QB Tony Romo told Head Coach Wade Phillips that it is impossible to play with T.O. going forward. Maybe TE Jason Witten felt he couldn't be himself on the field knowing T.O. would be on the sidelines hoping for a botched Romo-to-Witten play. Maybe Offensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach Jason Garrett gave Jerry Jones an ultimatum, T.O. goes or I go. Maybe they needed to place the blame of a horrible season on a specific person? Who really know what went on. What I can say with confidence is that in the end, he had to make a choice between his flesh and blood son Cowboys VP Stephen Jones and his adopted son Owens. In some situations you’ve got to go with family over your pride and for Jerry Jones; this was one of those situations.

After the news broke that T.O. had been cut, Jerry Jones stated, "In the aftermath of the season, we talked about change. Some of what is changing involves the process and some of it involves people. This is a decision that was made based upon consideration for an entire team. We will move on now with a new team—a new attitude—and into a new stadium. The evaluation process and the prospect for change will continue at every level of the organization.”

Wonder what that last sentence means—more changes to come at other “levels”? Hmm.

How did T.O. take it you wonder? To the disappointment of Sports Analysts and Reporters everywhere, T.O. did not come through with a ranting response or a press conference to vent, he merely released a stand-up guy statement. He thanked Jones, head coach Wade Phillips and the Cowboys’ organization. He said, “thank you for the opportunity to be a member of the team for the past three years. Big thanks to the fans—you've been awesome!” Owens added. “I look forward to the upcoming season and continuing to play in the NFL.”

Later, more news from the T.O. camp came from his infamous agent, Drew Rosenhaus. He indicated in a text message today (to ESPN) that his client won't be out of work for too long. He says, “There are several teams that are interested in signing Terrell. I have been in negotiations with these teams. I will not identify the teams at this time. Terrell and I expect to have a deal in place by the end of next week if not sooner.”

Here are a few teams I think T.O. will end up (in no particular order):

· Baltimore Ravens
· Kansas City Chiefs
· Tennessee Titans
· Oakland Raiders
· Detroit Lions
· Minnesota Vikings
· Jacksonville Jaguars

Here's a thought. Wouldn't it be bittersweet to see him sign with the San Francisco 49ers? With Michael Singletary at the helm of the team and the prospect of a new or rookie quarterback who will need a reliable receiver—it doesn’t see too far fetched. Plus, the Bay area loves T.O. and since he started with the 49ers, how awesome would it be see him full circle and make some history with the very team that drafted him? I think it would be very interesting, especially if the 49ers somehow ended up with Vick as their QB. Ok, I know it's a long shot but ANYTHING can happen in football and you know it's true!

All in all, I'm proud of T.O. for taking this like a man and being optimistic about his chances of playing for another team. I'm not going to lie, I happen to like T.O. and am a fan of his. He's an awesome and exciting player on the field. I have faith that he can be that humble, dedicated and appreciative guy he once was. The 4th time could be the charm and if I had my way, he'd be in a Chargers uniform next year. ;) Haha, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Get your popcorn ready, -c