Terrell Owens taken to hospital...

[#1MavsFan]

T.O. practices in pads; police would like apology
Associated Press

IRVING, Texas -- Stretching, running routes and catching passes, Terrell Owens was back at practice with the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday -- an indication he could play Sunday in Tennessee.

"The officers reacted because they were called to this location to do this job. Now they're being put under a microscope by some fancy little football person. Give me a break. Those officers are 10 times better than this man."
-- Senior Cpl. Glenn White

Coach Bill Parcells said he might not decide until Saturday morning whether Owens makes the trip, and he'll probably wait until that night to determine whether to use him in the game.

Parcells wants to evaluate all the medical information he can get. That includes details about Owens' broken hand and possibly a mental evaluation based on the events of Tuesday night and Wednesday, when T.O. was rushed to a hospital amid talk of suicide, a drug overdose and depression.

"I have to, as the coach, rely on other people to keep me informed as to really what's going on," Parcells said. "I can't form my own independent opinion other than those involving, `Is his hand functional and can he play on Sunday.' If my medical people tell me those things are in place, and then he looks like he's [OK], we'll make that consideration then."

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Parcells added that he can only decide whether a player is ready to play "based on performance and physical conditioning."

"I don't have the expertise to do anything in any other area," Parcells said. "To intimate I do would be wrong."

He pointed to the fact that Owens was released from the hospital after being checked out there.

"I have to rely on the doctors that apparently evaluated him in the hospital," he said. "If they deemed it appropriate to release him, there must be a reason why they did that. I have to assume that was the proper course of action. That's all I can do. I don't have time to go around checking on every little thing."

Owens wore receiving gloves Thursday with bandages under the right one to protect the broken bone leading to his ring finger. He broke it in a game a week ago Sunday and had a plate screwed in the following day. This was his first practice in pads since.

Parcells said Owens did "everything he was asked to do." He's expected to practice again Friday.

"He seemed to be OK," Parcells said. "There was no visible evidence he was struggling to catch the ball."

Pain pills prescribed following the surgery were at the root of what Owens called a big misunderstanding that unfolded between the time he was taken by ambulance to an emergency room Tuesday night until he was released Wednesday. Owens gave his side of the story at an afternoon news conference.

"It was just an allergic reaction," Owens said. "It's very unfortunate for the reports to go from an allergic reaction to a definite suicide attempt."

Much of the confusion stemmed from a police report that reached media outlets Wednesday morning, before sections about a possible suicide attempt, drug overdose and depression were blacked out. None of that was visible once it was officially released, prompting Owens' publicist -- who was the person that called 911 -- to lash out at authorities.

Terrell Owens
AP Photo/LM Otero
Terrell Owens, seemingly out of view of coach Bill Parcells and owner Jerry Jones, practices Thursday.

"I am just upset that I just feel they take advantage of Terrell," she said. "Had this been someone else, this may not have happened."

Authorities did not immediately respond, citing privacy laws, but on Thursday the president of the Dallas Police Association -- which represents Dallas police officers -- demanded an apology from T.O. and his publicist.

"The officers reacted because they were called to this location to do this job. Now they're being put under a microscope by some fancy little football person," Senior Cpl. Glenn White said. "Give me a break. Those officers are 10 times better than this man. ... We police officers don't go out to these calls and make stuff up."

Publicist Kim Etheredge could not immediately be reached for a response. The voice mail on her cell phone was full, and she did not respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press.

According to Owens, the problems began when he mistakenly mixed his prescription pills with some supplements he ordinarily takes.

The combination left him woozy, and Etheredge, who was with him at his Dallas condo, became worried when he couldn't respond to her questions. Having also discovered an empty bottle of pills, she called for help.

Etheredge, said Wednesday that entries in the police report were inaccurate. She said she did not say he was depressed and "did not take anything out of his mouth," as the report said.

"I don't know where that came from," she said Wednesday at a news conference called so Owens could discuss what happened. "They said I said Terrell was depressed? I did not say that. Well, you know what? I am sitting here in front of you letting you know I did not say Terrell was depressed. Terrell did not say he is depressed."

Owens said at the Wednesday news conference he could not remember what he said to officers.

"Him and his publicist need to apologize to the officers that were out there, that did their job," said White, head of the largest police employee group in the Dallas department with more than 3,500 active and retired members.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

[dude1394]

"The officers reacted because they were called to this location to do this job. Now they're being put under a microscope by some fancy little football person. Give me a break. Those officers are 10 times better than this man."
-- Senior Cpl. Glenn White

NOW I'm dissing the DPD. Owens stood up and apologized for the deal, if he wants to gripe at the publicist then go ahead, everyone else is. Sheesh everyone wants to get on camera.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by #1MavsFan

"The officers reacted because they were called to this location to do this job. Now they're being put under a microscope by some fancy little football person. Give me a break. Those officers are 10 times better than this man."
-- Senior Cpl. Glenn White

Boo-hoo, it must suck being a public servant asked to serve a taxpayer...

I love how everyone denies accountability - it's the "American Way", I guess...

[nashtymavsfan13]

McNabb, Reid and other Eagles support T.O.

By ROB MAADDI, AP Sports Writer
September 28, 2006

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Terrell Owens can add Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid to his list of well-wishers.

The two men tormented most by T.O.'s antics in Philadelphia last season had only sympathy for Owens on Thursday.

"I pray for him and his family that this will continue to pass over, and I continue to just try to send blessings his way," said McNabb, the Eagles' five-time Pro Bowl quarterback. "It was good to hear that he went out there and worked out and he's looking forward to playing. I'm excited to hear that."

Owens denied a police report Wednesday that he attempted suicide, saying he was hospitalized a night earlier when he became groggy after mixing painkillers with natural supplements.

On Thursday, the Cowboys receiver was back at practice, his first in pads since breaking his right hand on Sept. 17. Coach Bill Parcells said he might not decide until Saturday morning whether Owens travels to Tennessee, and he'll probably wait until that night to determine whether Owens will play against the Titans.

"You don't want to see anything bad happen to anybody," Reid said. "I don't know what happened, but I surely wouldn't want anything bad to happen to T.O."

McNabb and Reid certainly had their share of problems with Owens in Philadelphia. From his contract demands to his constant criticism of McNabb, Owens because such a nuisance he was kicked off the team last November.

But none of that matters now to his former teammates, who followed the T.O. developments on their day off Wednesday.

Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, a team leader who tried to mediate the conflict between Owens and the organization last year, said he never believed reports of a suicide attempt.

"He loves himself too much," Trotter said. "I've never been around a person who loves himself as much as T.O. He has a shirt that says, 'I love T.O."'

Wide receiver Greg Lewis, one of Owens' closest friends during his 1 1/2 seasons in Philadelphia, blamed the media for its scrutiny of Owens.

"I talked to T.O., and he's fine," Lewis said. "He's a fine person."

Owens came to the Eagles in 2004 after eight often controversial seasons in San Francisco. He caught 77 passes for 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns, helped the Eagles to a 13-1 start and made a valiant return from ankle surgery to play in Philadelphia's loss to New England in the Super Bowl.

But Owens' problems in Philly started when he demanded a new contract just one year into a seven-year, $48.97 million deal. He criticized management, feuded with McNabb, violated team policies and eventually was banished seven games into the season.

An arbitrator upheld the Eagles' decision to suspend Owens without pay for four games and deactivate him the final five games. He was released in March and signed a three-year, $25 million deal with Dallas a few days later.

The Eagles host the Cowboys on Oct. 8.

[Flacolaco]

"He loves himself too much," Trotter said. "I've never been around a person who loves himself as much as T.O. He has a shirt that says, 'I love T.O."'

lol classic. That's the kind of non-sympathetic callous reaction people should be having....

[jthig32]

So, the police concluded their report, said it was an accidental overdose.

The 911 tape is out, and Kim mentions nothing about suicide, just says she thinks he took too many pills.

I'm willing to say it wasn't even an half-assed suicide attempt, as Mary has speculated. I'm confident with "accidental overdose"

[fluid.forty.one]

Would be pretty sweet if TO just dominated philly after all this.

[mary]

It also seems as if Cheif Kunkel (sp?) is standing behind the initial report, which was based on information provided by......T.O.'s publicist. I especially enjoyed the part where he said that Owens and Etheridge were more than welcome to file an internal affairs complaint, if they believed some portion of the report to be false.

I'm willing to say it wasn't even an half-assed suicide attempt, as Mary has speculated. I'm confident with "accidental overdose"

They also interviewed her at the scene, no?

Maybe you're right, maybe his emotional state had absolutely nothing to do with how many pills he took. Just keep in mind that the term "accidental" overdose doesn't at all imply that the pills were "accidentally" ingested, nor does it imply an "allergic reaction".

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by mary

It also seems as if Cheif Kunkel (sp?) is standing behind the initial report, which was based on information provided by......T.O.'s publicist. I especially enjoyed the part where he said that Owens and Etheridge were more than welcome to file an internal affairs complaint, if they believed some portion of the report to be false.

They also interviewed her at the scene, no?

Maybe you're right, maybe his emotional state had absolutely nothing to do with how many pills he took. Just keep in mind that the term "accidental" overdose doesn't at all imply that the pills were "accidentally" ingested, nor does it imply an "allergic reaction".

I'm not saying his emotional state didn't have anything to do with it. And I'm definitely nto saying it was an allergic reaction or they were accidentally ingested.

I think he purposefully took more than normal, to drown out some pain, either emotional or physical. or both.

I just don't think he took them to end his life, on any level. That's all.

[dude1394]

edit:

[Male30Dan]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I'm not saying his emotional state didn't have anything to do with it. And I'm definitely nto saying it was an allergic reaction or they were accidentally ingested.

I think he purposefully took more than normal, to drown out some pain, either emotional or physical. or both.

I just don't think he took them to end his life, on any level. That's all.

Agreed.

[#1MavsFan]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I'm not saying his emotional state didn't have anything to do with it. And I'm definitely nto saying it was an allergic reaction or they were accidentally ingested.

I think he purposefully took more than normal, to drown out some pain, either emotional or physical. or both.

I just don't think he took them to end his life, on any level. That's all.

You hit it right on. TO took extra pills on purpose to try and come back quicker than expected and not to end his life.

[mary]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I'm not saying his emotional state didn't have anything to do with it. And I'm definitely nto saying it was an allergic reaction or they were accidentally ingested.

I think he purposefully took more than normal, to drown out some pain, either emotional or physical. or both.

I just don't think he took them to end his life, on any level. That's all.

Well, I think that's a pretty grey area, but we mostly agree. I don't think he was trying end his life, but given the events of the day, I don't think the "cry-for-help" theory can be outruled.

Heck, even if you're just popping pain pills for a good 'ol time - its still not a good thing.

I just heard the 911 tape..and it definitely sounded like there were indications he had actually done something, and that DPD could have been justified in their original assessment.

"The pills are down his throat."

"Oh god."

They should be ashamed for trying to pin this back on the police.

[chumdawg]

I'm wondering why no one has raised the possibiliy that the woman poisoned him and then thought better of it.

[mary]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

I'm wondering why no one has raised the possibiliy that the woman poisoned him and then thought better of it.

She has 25 million reasons to not do that.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by mary

Well, I think that's a pretty grey area, but we mostly agree. I don't think he was trying end his life, but given the events of the day, I don't think the "cry-for-help" theory can be outruled.

Heck, even if you're just popping pain pills for a good 'ol time - its still not a good thing.

I just heard the 911 tape..and it definitely sounded like there were indications he had actually done something, and that DPD could have been justified in their original assessment.

"The pills are down his throat."

"Oh god."

They should be ashamed for trying to pin this back on the police.

I want to know why people keep saying "they". T.O. didn't do any blaming of the police. In fact, he thanked them for everything they did.

Kim was the one that did the attacking, saying that they were out to get T.O.

I also think whoever leaked this brought a bit of the scrutiny on the DPD themselves, because the media overreacted, calling this a "police report", when in reality taht document was nothing of the sort.

[MavKikiNYC]

Owens dismisses trainer who revealed private struggles

11:24 PM CDT on Thursday, September 28, 2006

By MICHAEL GRANBERRY / The Dallas Morning News James "Buddy" Primm, Terrell Owens' personal trainer, said Thursday that the Cowboys wide receiver had relieved him of his services and was no longer speaking to him.

In a telephone conversation with The Dallas Morning News, Mr. Owens acknowledged as much and said Mr. Primm "had no business" discussing details of his private life with the news media.

Mr. Primm, 55, said Wednesday that Mr. Owen had been distraught over not being able to see his son, who celebrated his 7th birthday Monday. Hours later, he said, the receiver's fiancée, a woman he had dated for three years, ended their engagement.

"He shouldn't have been telling you anything about my personal life anyway," Mr. Owens said. "That's where it stops – right there. He should have never said anything remotely involving me or my personal life, especially my son or even my ex-girl."

A resident of Georgia, where Mr. Owens makes his off-season home, Mr. Primm began training the wide receiver seven years ago, when Mr. Owens played for the San Francisco 49ers.

He says he cares deeply for Mr. Owens and loves him like a son, one whose fatherless childhood took place in abject poverty in rural Alabama and who was raised by his mother and grandmother. Mr. Owens apparently went for years without knowing that a man who lived on his street was his father.

Provide structure

"The background that I've had," Mr. Primm said Wednesday, "it's enabled me to take a very special person who, if he stays within a structure, would be able to accomplish anything. I believe I'm one of the people who can help provide that structure."

As for playing the role of a father figure, he said, "There's never been one there. ... My thing is helping other people. I enjoy that. I'm a Christian. It gives me a feeling of fulfillment. I like to do the best I can and be the very best at it."

Mr. Primm calls his style "hands-on and personal." Until recently, he had been living with Mr. Owens at Mr. Owens' newly purchased loft in the shadow of Fair Park.

Mr. Owens said Mr. Primm was inexperienced in dealing with the news media.

'Can't trust nobody'

"He is a victim of what I have fallen victim to over the course of my career," Mr. Owens said. "He shouldn't have said anything about my personal life – period. Now I really have to be guarded as far as who I talk to. If I can't trust my own trainer, I can't trust nobody."

Kim Etheredge, Mr. Owens' publicist who, on occasion, also shares Mr. Owens' home, called 911 on Tuesday when Mr. Owens had accidentally overdosed – which led police to believe he had attempted suicide.

After a rigorous workout Tuesday, Mr. Owens said he downed several prescription pain pills for the hand he injured this month, despite having consumed 30 tablets – natural supplements supplied by Mr. Primm – earlier that day.

As a trainer, Mr. Primm is widely regarded as one of the best in the business. He helped Mr. Owens heal rapidly from a broken leg in 2004 and play only weeks later in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Mr. Primm says the receiver's recovery was aided by a battery of new-age devices he introduced to the athlete. They include a $40,000 laser designed to stimulate blood flow to injured parts of the body. He also uses a hyperbaric chamber and a microcurrent machine.

Mr. Owens has counted on Mr. Primm not only to sculpt his body but also to help him overcome a series of injuries. When Mr. Owens pulled his hamstring during Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, Calif., he flew in Mr. Primm to oversee his rehabilitation.

And his approach has worked well enough to enable the wide receiver to play as early as this Sunday, Mr. Primm said. The Cowboys will travel to Nashville to face the Tennessee Titans.

[Underdog]

Bring out the lions, clowns & flying trapeze!

[rabbitproof]

People <3 drama.

I'm rootin' for TO and I'm a 49er fan.

[Flacolaco]

Yeah Im done with this now. I was very interested. I got sucked into the drama...I am a sheep. .... baaaaaa

but now. I'm done with this.

I hope he plays too soon and hurts his hand more trying to block. Him playing this week is so unnecessary. The Titans blow.

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

lol classic. That's the kind of non-sympathetic callous reaction people should be having....

i wouldn't mind one of those tee shirts

[alby]

Originally Posted by mary

She has 25 million reasons to not do that.

greatness

[alby]

so he fired his trainer but not his publicist? lol =/

[Flacolaco]

Originally Posted by alby

so he fired his trainer but not his publicist? lol =/

He must be...you know...err.... "copulating" with her

yeah.

copulate

that's the word i was looking for

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

He must be...you know...err.... "copulating" with her

yeah.

copulate

that's the word i was looking for

...or maybe she has enough dirt on him to ruin his career?