A Love/Hate Relationship: Why I'll Miss T.O.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

I’m not a fan of reality shows.

However, anything Cowboys related since the acquisition of Terrell Owens and subsequent release has seemed like one.

Heck, I didn’t need Melrose Place anymore. Forget Big Brother or Rock of Love. I had the Dallas Cowboys and T.O. to quench my thirst for the drama of reality TV.

Let me take you back a few years so I can fully explain the emotional highs and lows I’ve experienced with T.O. in my life. As a woman, this relationship I’ve had with T.O. has been a lot like the guy my mom warned me about.

In the end, he didn’t mean to break my heart, but he had to move on.

On September 24, 2000, T.O. became my least favorite player EVER. I’ve disliked players over the years for being egotistical and showboating, but this incident that occurred in Dallas that day would be the first time I would say I hated a player.

This game would also become one of the most memorable moments of Texas Stadium on ESPN in 2008.

I celebrated nearly every game with an impromptu Cowboys fan club at a local sports restaurant. I was fortunate to be the first woman allowed into the boys' club because of my passion and knowledge of the ‘Boys.

For anyone who’s been living under a rock, T.O. had two touchdowns that game and thought it would be “cute” to celebrate on our star. OUR STAR! For God’s sake, what was this guy thinking?

I remember exactly where I was that day and it was a dark day for Dallas fans, and any respect we had for T.O. would be lost in a few plays. This was the year my most cynical comrades penned Troy Aikman “The Mannequin” because of his inability to move in the pocket. That game, he suffered two more concussions and would later be forced to retire from the NFL due to his injuries.

The 49ers were ahead by seven when T.O. had his first score and first celebration on the mid-field star.

Emmitt Smith attempted to take back our honor by scoring and marking his spot on the mid-field star, erasing the defamation by T.O.

The bad boy wasn’t giving up, though.

To add insult to injury, T.O. repeated the same offense later in the game after scoring another touchdown and putting the game out of reach for the Cowboys. Grinning as wide as his mouth would go, he took long, easy strides down the field and I watched in horror as the scene unfolded in slow motion.

Just as he spiked the ball to the ground, a blur of blue tackled him from behind. That was the day George Teague became my personal hero, and T.O. was the Antichrist of football.

And so it was. After several seasons with the 49ers, he moved on to the rival Eagles in 2004.

He loved to mock me twice a year, grinning at my Cowboys as he gained more popularity as a star wide receiver with the Eagles.

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