Bengals excited about T.O joining them
Many sportswriters, experts, analysts, anyone you can think of, are talking about how Terrell Owens could be a problem for the Cincinnati Bengals. Fans keep talking about the fact that the Bengals will have two very large personalities at wide receiver.
There is much speculation about how coach Marvin Lewis will have trouble babysitting and how Carson Palmer will have headaches in every huddle. You wouldn’t be thinking about that if you got the word on how the team themselves feel about the signing of one of the greatest receivers to play the game.
The Bengals are settling in for training camp and they will soon welcome a flamboyant receiver not named Chad Ochocinco: "This just shows that we are building this team to go all the way this year," offensive guard Bobbie Williams said. "That's all you can ask an organization to do. So bring on TO! I'm excited."
The signing of the 36-year-old came as a surprise to many after the team already had a chance to sign him in March but opted to sign Antonio Bryant instead.
By now signing Owens, the Bengals may have some challenges ahead of them. This means less playing time for another receiver, other receivers will get fewer passes thrown their way and Ochocinco and T.O will have to keep their egos in check. The media will be all over the team this year to see how the two larger-than-life figures interact.
"Everybody's telling me I need to start one," receivers coach Mike Sheppard joked.
Ochocinco and Owens are really close friends and usually they carry their own spotlight, but now they will have to find a way to share the spotlight this season. All eyes are on the two of them and how they will be able to help the Bengals win football games.
This franchise is kind of like an orphanage that gives troubled players without a home a chance for redemption. It would be greatly to Lewis and company's credit if the duo is able to work constructively and lead the team, they can form quite the dangerous duo this year. What the signing came down to was the opinion of Palmer. Palmer worked with Owens and liked what he saw, so the Bengals gave the teamless receiver a chance.
"We've been through a lot here," quarterback Carson Palmer said. "A lot of ups and downs, a lot of personalities, a lot of egos. He definitely is another personality. I had a chance to work with him. He's been very easy to work with, very coachable."
The thing with Owens is he has a history of budding up with quarterbacks and then having altercations with them. You can ask Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo about that. In all fairness though, last season in Buffalo Owens stayed on good behaviour with the Bills despite a mediocre season for the team. Owens stayed in line and showed many improvements in his attitude.
Owens also feels that his tarnished reputation was a result of the media over-blowing situations and is out to prove that he has matured and is not the locker-room cancer he is mad out to be.
Receiver Andre Caldwell has his own way of looking at the possibility of Owens disrupting the team.
"Chad -- if he can't do it, I don't think nobody else can do it," Caldwell said. "Chad's enough. If Chad can't disrupt this team, I don't think TO can."
Now there’s the question of who will get the number 81. Bryant currently wears that number and that could be an issue, but a minor one and will be resolved.
All the secondary issues aside though, the receiving corps looks very strong and the Bengals seem to be embracing Owens. He has a chance at a fresh start and can prove the pundits wrong and show that he’s still a great receiver and not the locker room cancer so many saw him as.
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