It's been a tumultuous year for Terrell Owens. In Week 14 of the 2010 NFL season, Owens tore the meniscus cartilage in his knee to end his season. After that, during some mysterious off-season activity, he tore his ACL. Soon after this he had surgery but, likely thanks to the NFL lockout, he was never picked up by a team. It seemed he was content to sit out this NFL season with nothing but his successful past career and his VH1 show to be his ticket to fame.
Then, things got real. Owens went on a Sports Center special hosted by Stephen A. Smith with his family by his side. What a perfect time to announce to America that he would be retiring. He had a great career and after 15 seasons, it wasn't a short one either. He had a very heartfelt story about having his family always there for him and not wanting to quit on anything. He felt it was time. He was hanging up the jersey.
Then Wham! TO did what TO does best! Get that popcorn a poppin'! He April Fooled Stephen A in the middle of October! Only TO can do that! He said he was healthy and was ready to come back to the NFL "soon"! He then defined "soon" as a month or less. This was gunna get good! A bunch of teams needed wide receivers! He would get scooped up and breaking records again in no time!
Then, things got sad. No team showed interest. He had a pro day to showcase what he had left. Lots of media outlets came to see the progress and get the early lead on where he might be heading. The problem was, there was no hint at the destination. No NFL teams sent anyone to his pro day. Many people would have taken that as a sign but not TO. He and his agent, the infamous Drew Rosenhaus, kept at it, waiting for a team to have a slew of injuries or a last chance hope of making it into the playoffs and missing that last piece. But alas, that team never came. And eventually TO's "October Fools" prank became a distant memory and his hunt for a team became a non story.
And once again, TO seemed to be content to just live his life. It was so unorthodox for him. He was so used to the public eye. Even when he only gained it because of his playing, he found ways to spice things up and get more attention. Could this be a world where TO could sleep at night with nothing but all the money he made throughout his career and a twitter account?
Fat chance! It was announced this week, via Owen's twitter account. He was finally signed to a team! Oh goodness! All is right with the world! TO would be the starting Wide Receiver for the...Allen Wranglers? Of the Indoor Football League? Where the heck is Allen? In Texas? Okay? Alright, sorry. I'm just trying to take this all in.
So TO will be playing in the IFL this year. That's nice. The league isn't anything to sneeze at. They have 16 teams and, though they only play regionally, they seem to be blowing up to the magnitude of the AFL. Alls it needs is a real well known player to give it the credibility of being a real threat at a spring supplement to the NFL. ...Wait! That's it!
People have written this off as being the end of TO's career as a football player. It's one thing to go and finish your career in quiet in Arizona or Seattle or something. But to go to a town that no one's heard of to play for a team that no one's heard of? That's a little much. Even for TO. This is his last hurrah according to many. He will just sink into obscurity.
I see this going in a much different direction. I don't know anyone that's seen an IFL game in their lives. But I guarantee people will watch the Wranglers, if they can, just because of TO. They are going to have a tremendous ratings boost over last year, that's for sure. TO will probably last longer as an athlete in this league which mean he can play for years longer. That gives him enough time to hype the IFL and get it some real exposure.
After this, I think it takes off! Not quite to the level of the NFL, but it can give football fans something to look forward to in the spring. Kind of like a mini-USFL that Donald Trump won't want to destroy. Maybe soon more players, who would usually just be bench or practice team players, might jump on board. Create a real stir and make it a contender for that fifth sport(which I wrote about in the midst of the NFL lockout.) It's gunnna be huge!
If nothing else, this is just a great business decision for TO. He is a part owner in the Wranglers now so anything he does to gain popularity for the team and the league just stuffs his pockets. He can play the game he loves and be the larger than life personality he wants to be. He knows the potential this has to be a big thing in the sports world and, in my opinion, he is one of the only athlete/entrepreneur who can bring it to life.
I believe in this league, and I'm going to watch. I'm a huge Lehigh Valley Steelhawks fan! They don't play the Wranglers this year but maybe soon! I would love to see TO back in the area doing big things on the grid iron, no matter how small the grid is.
Hey! At least he won't get fined by Roger Goodell every time he does something cool and hilarious! A football league without that guy and his toupee? Sign me up too!
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