Terrell being Terrell Redux

I know ... I shouldn't waste the time, effort and bandwith on this. But it is time to break out the soapbox.

I have commented before on Terrell Owens, but I have pretty much reined in my thoughts after his so-called suicide attempt. Now, it's time to let loose.

Below is courtesy of The Associated Press. It's a timeline of notable events from T.O. -- not his entire checkered career with San Francisco, Phialdelphia and Dallas.

No. This is just with the Cowboys. And it's not even seven months old! Feel free to read on if you like:

March 18: Four days after being cut by the Eagles, Owens signs a three-year, $25 million deal with the Dallas Cowboys that includes a $5 million bonus and a $5 million salary in 2006. "I'm a star among stars now," Owens says at a news conference.

May 5: Forty-eight days after Owens signed, Bill Parcells speaks about him for the first time. "I don't view it as a gamble. It's in my best interest that he's successful." When he speaks again two days later, Parcells puts the subject of Owens off limits until training camp.

June 2: Owens goes through his first day of minicamp, catching every pass thrown his way but one in a nearly two-hour practice. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity that I can make to help this team win," he says. "That's why they brought me in here."

June 8: Owens arrives after 5 p.m. for a scheduled 3 p.m. visit with the roughly 60 campers attending the Terrell Owens Youth Football Camp. "I'm sorry I'm late. I've been playing for the Dallas Cowboys," he tells the kids.

July 5: "T.O.", the second setting-the-record-straight autobiography Owens has written in 22 months, is released five days ahead of schedule. The biggest revelation: His relationship with Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb soured for good when Owens was told "Shut the (expletive) up" in a huddle. McNabb later calls the autobiography a "children's book."

July 13: At his first book signing, Owens claims he didn't say his return in time for the February 2005 Super Bowl was "heroic," even though that's what he wrote. He called it one of the words chosen by his co-author.

July 27: Owens goes to Point Mogu naval base to greet teammates when they fly in to Oxnard, Calif., for the start of training camp. Owens has driven up from Los Angeles.

July 29: A record crowd of 5,500 attends Owens' first training camp practice. After being the last player out of the locker room, he makes the best play of the session, beating Aaron Glenn for a long touchdown, drawing loud cries of "T-O!" from fans.

Aug. 3: Owens misses practice because of a hamstring problem. "I wouldn't say I'm injured, just a little sore," he says. Says team owner Jerry Jones: "For a guy who is renowned for playing hurt, renowned for working hard and wanting to be out here, we don't have any concerns."

Aug. 5: An MRI shows no major problems with Owens' hamstring.

Aug. 7: Owens says he's flying in doctors and trainers to examine his hamstring.

Aug. 8: Parcells seems flustered by all the T.O. talk: "I'm getting the sense that most of the media is just waiting for something to be controversial in that regard. And I'm here to tell you, it's not going to happen from me. So you need to get that in your head. OK?"

Aug. 10: Owens wears the silver and blue uniform of Lance Armstrong's Discovery Channel pro cycling team while riding a stationary bicycle. He calls it "my little kickoff for the Tour de T.O. Comeback."

Aug. 16: Owens returns to practice after missing 14 straight workouts.

Aug. 18: Parcells tells Owens he hasn't practiced enough to play in the second preseason game.

Aug. 19: After working out in the morning, Owens misses the afternoon session because of a setback with his hamstring. He later blames coaches for using him too much.

Aug. 25: Owens is fined $9,500 for missing a team meeting and a rehabilitation session, and being late to an offensive meeting. He later says he overslept. "It's not a big deal," he says.

Aug. 28: An Internet gambling site posts a 50-50 bet on whether Owens is still employed by the Cowboys at the end of this season.

Aug. 29: Owens returns to practice.

Sept. 1: Owens plays 19 snaps over two series in the preseason finale, catching a 6-yard pass from Tony Romo on the first ball thrown his way and missing a wide pass from Romo in the end zone.

Sept. 10: Owens catches six passes for 80 yards and a touchdown in the opener, a 24-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Sept. 17: Owens breaks his right ring finger while blocking on one of the first plays of a 27-10 victory over the Washington Redskins, but doesn't leave for X-rays until the middle of the fourth quarter. His play reflects the injury: three catches for 19 yards, all in the first 11 minutes; several drops, including one in the end zone, and two penalties totaling 20 yards.

Sept. 18: Owens has a plate screwed into the bone attached to his right ring finger. Recovery time estimated at two to four weeks.

Sept. 26: Owens taken via ambulance to Baylor University Medical Center for what his publicist calls an allergic reaction to medicine he's taking for his broken hand.

Sept. 27: A police document obtained by media outlets before being formally released by authorities says Owens was depressed and attempted suicide, which Owens later denied. He said he became groggy after mixing painkillers with supplements. Publicist Kim Etheredge, who made the 911 call, denied she removed pills from Owens' mouth, as described in the police document, and said it was unfair for anyone to think Owens would kill himself.

Sept. 28: Police close the case, calling it an "accidental overdose" and release the 911 tape of Etheredge's call. Owens returns to practice.

Oct. 8: In his much-hyped return to Philadelphia, Owens catches only three passes for 45 yards. Owens was seen screaming at passing game coordinator Todd Haley on the sideline.

Oct. 11: Owens shows up late to practice, explaining that he was using the bathroom. Haley yells at him for being tardy.

Oct. 13: Owens vows to stop speaking with Haley, who vowed during training camp that all matters would stay behind closed doors, after accounts of their confrontation appears in media reports.

And you know it's a matter of time before this is updated with ...Cowboys release Owens. I mean, it's just heading down that same road again.

When T.O. looks in the mirror, some of the adjectives that probably leap to his mind are warrior and game-breaker. There are other adjectives to describe him, though: foolish and narcissistic are two of mine. Like Barry Bonds, like O.J. Simpson, Terrell Owens is what is wrong with sports. It's all about the individual's achievements -- the ultimate bling, if you will -- and team no longer enters into the equation.

I truly feel if you quietly asked the other 44 members of the Cowboys how they feel about L'Affaire Terrell, I would guess about 35 of them either want him cut from the team or they'd rather just take a shot at him.

This subject now will be closed and this blog will be Terrell-free.