In the NFL: Terrell Owens Signs One-Year Contract with Buffalo Bills

Former Raider/Eagle/Cowboy wide receiver Terrell Owens has landed with a new team within 72 hours of being cut by the Dallas Cowboys. The Buffalo Bills wooed the 35 year old player in whirlwind courtship fashion, and were apparently the only team out of "several" who would offer guaranteed money: a one year contract in the $6,000,000 plus range.

We live two houses away from Owen's residence when he played for the Eagles. He was a good guy and a good neighbor. Our interaction with him was limited, obviously, but on and off the playing field, he left a trail of dead relationships in his wake.

If you can catch the televised press conference hosted by perennial media-magnet and sports agent Drew Rosenhaus on YouTube, it's worth the watch. Rosenhaus, who's never met a camera or film crew he didn't like, appears to actually exude victory - yes, victory, as strange as that may sound - in introducing his client to the Buffalo media. Owens' reaction, on the other hand, was priceless.

Wearing what appeared to be a Bills baseball cap, T.O. looks frankly stunned for the first part of the conference. His eyes are wide, his stare vacant, it's not until he opens his mouth that we get a sense of what the guy is actually thinking: What the hell just happened here? He babbles on about leaving "America's team for ...North America's team", apparently a reference to Buffalo's geographic location. The reference to the Cowboys was not particularly complimentary to the Bills, nor did the statement make any sense. Has the man taken so many hits to the head that he doesn't remember what constitutes a continent?

Our family lived in a Buffalo surburb, East Amherst, for two years. We loved everything but the weather. The people, the housing market, the quality of the schools, the affordable life style, the proximity to Canada, the food: it was all good, even great. But nothing is perfect. The weather is a killer. I felt as if we were living in Germany for much of the time; it was pretty typically gray skies and nearly always cold. We used to joke that spring in Buffalo lasts for two hours. Summer is a two-month time period. No small wonder, then, that the Buffalo area has one of the highest percentages of residential in-ground swimming pools in the country. If the season is that short, you're going to want to make the most of it.

And speaking of 'making the most of it', I question how T.O. will adjust to what is really a major change in NFL venue. The Bills are in one of the smallest media outlet areas in the NFL, especially when compared to the Dallas Cowboys. The Bills' fan base may be significantly smaller than the 'Boys, but their are fiercely loyal, generational fans who think nothing of sitting bundled up in 10 degree weather in the stands. It is not a particularly wealthy, affluent area, again unlike Dallas. Owens, whose home here in Moorestown, New Jersey from his playing days with the Eagles is STILL for sale, should be able to pick up a virtual mansion in the Buffalo area for under $1,000,00 and still have change left over.

Is Owens a good fit with the Bill's two year starter QB Trent Edwards? The hope is that T.O. will make him a better quarterback before he eventually kills the guy off with cheap-shot verbage. Will the genuinely refined Buffalo fans approve of their team's now most high-profile player screaming at someone, anyone, on the sidelines? Does it really matter? Be honest, now: How many players on the Bills can you name right now, off the top of your head? Not many for me, either. This would appear to be a real coup for the Bills and their 90 year old owner. This would appear to be a win for the fans, as well. There's nothing like free publicity to get your team's name in the news, to say nothing of the financial benefits that will undoubtedly follow: increased ticket sales, increased vendor sales, the percentage cut on T.O. jerseys and related items.

Hey, it's a one year deal. The Bills have literally nothing to lose and everything to gain. T.O.'s presence on the team will do nothing but boost ticket sales as well as related merchandising. Admit it: Now that Owens is a Bill, we'll all be watching the team a LOT more closely this season. Like a moth to a flame, we just can't help but wait to see how this all plays out. The folks in Buffalo deserve an interesting season, and this may just be 'the' one to follow this season. More power to them both.