When infamous receiver Terrell Owens made the jump from Philly to Dalls, sportswriters counted on him giving Dallas one stellar year, then becoming poison. He did it in San Francisco, he did it in Philly, he'd be almost certain to do it in the "Big D". One thing they hadn't counted on though: Terrell Owens has climbed to such undeserved stellar heights that he no longer needs to "prove himself" for a year before infecting the team with his wretched attitude.

He showed up to camp, and has put in more hours on the bike than Lance Armstrong in all of his Tour de France wins combined. While the other players have been struggling to prove themselves in the hot Texas sun, T.O. has shown all the work ethic of a hobo. He simply expects to suit up on opening day and begin adding to his career stats.

But there's more to it than that, I believe. It appears that T.O. is attempting to send the message to Bill Parcells that HE, not Parcells, runs the Cowboys. And he's done a pretty good job of it to. In every preseason practice, T.O.'s absence has taken top billing over the development of other players. Writers are hanging on every word T.O. says and watching the blood rise in Bill Parcell's cheeks like mercury in a thermometer on an August day in Death valley. T.O. is the story, and none of the remaining players on the team matter.

But Parcells has the means to regain the reins. The question is whether he has the will. All he needs to do is call T.O. into his office and tell him that, out of concern for T.O.'s tender hamstring, he will not start the season opener against Jacksonville. Or any other game, for that matter until T.O. can prove that he is fully recovered. He can and should appeal to T.O.'s ego by demanding that T.O. is far too valuable a player to put out on the field with questions about his health and viability. And then Bill Parcells should start in Owens' place the receivers who've worked day in and day out to be a part of the team. The receivers who've EARNED their jerseys.

T.O. probably won't get the message, even then. But he knows that adulation is never reserved for players who languish on the pine. And he may at least show up for practice and give the team back to Bill Parcells. And then Dallas can look for some other sucker to take in T.O., one that can provide several separate lockers for T.O.'s ego.