When Steve Spagnuolo was introduced as the new head coach of the St. Louis Rams, he talked about rebuilding the team with a "four pillars" foundation.
Faith. Character. Core values. Team first.
Well, now. If the Rams go ahead and sign wide receiver Terrell Owens, the four pillars will stand for something else:
Loss of faith. Faulty character. Compromised values. Me first.
Spagnuolo and Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur were members of the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff in 2005 when Owens destabilized quarterback Donovan McNabb and largely succeeded in his efforts to blow up the team. The '05 Eagles finished 6-10, their first losing season since 1999. I'd be stunned if Spags signs off on this one.
Given Owens' damaging habit of publicly insulting and maligning his quarterbacks at virtually every stop of his career, I can't believe they'd put a known shark into the same locker room and huddle with the No. 1 overall draft pick, Sam Bradford. Yeah, this is how you develop a rookie quarterback: bring in a fading wide receiver to tear the kid up before he has a chance to take root in the NFL.
Yes, Owens would be a target for Bradford's passes.
But Bradford would be a target for the notorious T.O. ego.
That's not a smart tradeoff.
Let me get this straight: Spagnuolo, who strives to have a quiet, controversy-free working environment and a unified and unselfish team, is thinking about bringing in a reality TV-show star with a craving for attention?
Spagnuolo is an honorable and genuine man who has made character an important element in shaping his roster.
To that end, Spagnuolo has been killing more weeds than Ortho.
Spagnuolo has reduced the knucklehead factor at Rams Park by dismissing the likes of Richie Incognitio, Alex Barron, Claude Wroten and others.
The Rams have parted with aging big-name players who were slowing down and dropping in productivity: Torry Holt, Orlando Pace, Isaac Bruce, Marc Bulger, Drew Bennett, Randy McMichael, Will Witherspoon. They've dumped wasted draft picks such as Adam Carriker, Tye Hill, Joe Klopfenstein, Jonathan Wade.
To this point, Spagnuolo and GM Billy Devaney have declined to enlist the services of head-case talents capable of upgrading the roster. The Rams resisted the chance to give up a middle-round draft pick for a troublesome wideout such as Santonio Holmes or Brandon Marshall. And they're capable of performing at a high level.
In 2008, Devaney wouldn't draft DeSean Jackson because he didn't like the wide receiver's intangibles. And Jackson went on to become a Pro Bowl receiver and returner for Philadelphia.
And Devaney got defensive during the 2010 draft when pressed on the quality of the Rams receivers. "We didn't come into this saying we have to get a receiver," he said at the time. "I guess people think we're desperate to take a receiver, but we certainly don't feel that way. Not even close."
And Devaney added: "We think that at the end of the day, our receivers are going to be pretty good. Last year, there were a lot of (young) guys learning on the fly."
And now, rather curiously, the Rams are making eyes at Owens?
Why are they thinking about doing T.O. a favor? He wouldn't want to come here if he had better options.
Training camps are opening, and Owens is desperate for a job. He's been begging Cincinnati to sign him, but the Bengals have held off, at least so far. The Rams are his last resort. Do you think this dude really wants to be with a 1-15 team in St. Louis? Please.
San Francisco tired of Owens, Philadelphia got rid of him, Dallas couldn't take any more of him, and Buffalo doesn't want him back. Good teams are avoiding Owens, and he's hoping the Rams will be the one NFL outfit still gullible enough to think that they can change him. Right.
Moreover, T.O. can't turn the Rams into a winner. It's not as if the Rams are a couple of players away from becoming a contender.
So what would be the point of this? Selling tickets? Maybe. But adding Owens would also create a backlash. The Rams could lose customers because of him.
The warning signs are everywhere. Owens turns 37 in December. His best days are in the past. He caught only 55 passes for Buffalo last season, his lowest total in a full season since his rookie year, 1996.
According to STATS LLC, Owens has dropped 47 passes over the last four seasons. His yards gained after the catch dropped to 248 yards last season.
I realize the Rams lack a true No. 1 receiver, but Owens no longer fits that profile. As Devaney pointed out, the Rams have some young receivers with potential. So why not give them the opportunity to mature together, developing in unison with Bradford?
Owens would probably be a one-year patch, but his presence would take away snaps from kids who need to play to get better. And if Donnie Avery, Mardy Gilyard and a couple of the young wideouts take big steps in 2010, the Rams may have something percolating for 2011.
The Rams are probably thinking that Owens has no choice but to go with the program and be a good teammate. Owens has reached the stage of his career where he can't afford to be a problem player. He's running out of chances. That's why he behaved in Buffalo last season.
Ah, but with a high-profile rookie like Bradford around attracting attention, there will be more national interest in the Rams. And there will be more ESPN crews in St. Louis compared to what T.O. saw in Buffalo last season. The lights will tempt him. He could become a pillar killer.
Just say N-O to T.O.
