I think this is a mistake

I know I'm going to be in the minority here, and probably outshouted by folks like Tim MacMahon of the Dallas Morning News, but I think this move of releasing Terrell Owens is a big mistake by the Dallas Cowboys. I'll admit, his best days are behind him, but I'm willing to say the same of just about everyone on the current Cowboys roster and Owens was the best pure athlete on that roster.

MacMahon seems to think Owens was a negative voice in the Cowboys locker room and was the principal reason the Cowboys were more of a soap opera than a football team. To me, Owens came across as one of the few players willing to speak out, take charge and provide some sort of leadership in the locker room. MacMahon admits all the younger players looked up to and respected Owens, but he also thought this was a bad thing. Why? Because he tried to motivate them when namby-pambies like Tony Romo or leave-me-alones like Jason Whitten wouldn't or couldn't? According to MacMahon, he "poisioned" the younger players by saying calling out Romo, Whitten and offensive coordinator Jason Garrett when they should have been called out. Let's see: Owens, Romo, Whitten or Garrett; which one has the best shot of making it into the NFL Hall of Fame? Don't make me laugh. Owens earned that respect his fellow players gave him, while Romo thinks it comes with the position he plays, like some divine right of Aikman or Staubach.

Next season, the Cowboys will still be more of a soap opera than a football team -- owner Jerry Jones, head coach Wade Phillips and Romo will make sure of that. If anyone thinks releasing Owens makes the Cowboys a better football team, they need to retake Football 101.