Terrell Owens: Cincinnati Bengals WR Turns Over New Leaf

Terrell Owens, now a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, had an open letter published in The Cincinnati Enquirer on August 20th. 

The controversial wide receiver is finally saying all the right things. 

It seems as though T.O. somehow has grasped the fact that he needs to make a good impression on his new team, a realization he has failed to have in the past.

T.O. has not exactly had the cleanest record in the past. He wore out his welcome in San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Dallas. 

But now the slate has been wiped clean and T.O. along with his tabula rasa has taken his services to Cincinnati.

Let's take a look at this letter and see just how well Owens did. 

Super Bowl Dreams

"Feb. 6, 2011 is now marked on my calendar with a big orange circle."

For those who don't know, on February 6, 2011, the Super Bowl will be held in the new Cowboys Stadium.

Owens decided to start his letter off by saying exactly what fans want to hear. 

It may only be lip service, but it is important for T.O. to let his new fans know that he, like them, holds that date as his ultimate goal this season.

The point isn't whether or not Owens can help the Bengals make it to the Super Bowl.

Instead, it's just smart for him to plant that thought in their minds in the hopes of generating a greater level of excitement for the upcoming season.

Gratefulness

"As I joined the Cincinnati Bengals and continue my career I'm very excited with the opportunity to be in pursuit of the championship.

First off, I'm thankful to Mike Brown and the Bengals' organization for giving me another opportunity to play football."

For T.O., it has always been about T.O. 

He has made a career out of singling out his quarterbacks and demanding more touches. So this is a new direction for the receiver.

For what seems like the first time, Owens is actually expressing his gratefulness for the opportunity to play football. 

Carson Palmer has got to be loving this part of the letter. 

Team First Attitude

"Second, I'm certain in life nothing is guaranteed—but for us to win the Super Bowl it will take a total team effort.

"Third, I'm promising you that the focus will be stronger than you've ever seen it. Life isn't always easy but it's the bumps along the way that makes you stronger. With my 'me against the world' mentality as a young man, I've learned that life can be more challenging but I've matured.

"If it wasn't for the support of my grandmother and the love of my family and true friends, I would be lost. My faith, confidence and maturity keeps me strong and focused on more than just T.O.

Did anyone ever think that Terrell Owens would put this words down on paper with his name attached? 

Throughout his career, it's been all about T.O. and, just like in the last slide, these sentences are great illustrations of a potential change.

Cincinnati fans should take solace in the fact that Owens was willing to address the problem everyone knew he had and hope that he may have changed for the better. 

A New Home

"The Bengals are now my extended family and I look forward to learning more about your city, teammates, coaches and you all. This is my home and I'm happy to be in the Midwest. I'm confident in our team's chances of winning the title, so anything less than the playoffs is unacceptable to us. It will definitely take a fight but if my gut is correct, Who Dey Nation will be proud this season. I signed here for a reason."

In order to play hard, a player has to feel as though they belong. 

This part of Owens' letter makes it seem as if he truly wants to be a part of the Cincinnati community. 

By making a concrete goal, in this case the playoffs, T.O. has once again planted a seed of hope into the minds of his fans. 

In the past, when Owens has signed on with a team for a reason, the reason has generally been maximizing his touches and wreaking havoc upon his organization. 

If this letter is any indication, the reason has now changed.

All the Right Stuff

"With hard work and unity, this team will restore power and respect. We're focused on playing in Texas on Feb. 6. Just take a look at my calendar, the date is saved. Let's make the Jungle roar this season!"

Hard work.

Unity.

Power.

Respect. 

Focus.

Those are all the attributes that the Bengals organization desperately hope T.O. actually brings to the team.

With Chad Ochocinco and rookie Jordan Shipley also among the receiving core, watch out if he does. 

Is It Believable?

It's one thing to write what your intentions are. It's another thing to follow through on them.

Terrell Owens doesn't exactly have the best history here so it cannot yet be determined if he is being sincere.

It also doesn't help his case that he signed the letter "Terrell Owens aka T.O. aka I'm Batman!"

So what do you think? Is T.O for real?