Posted on 09/27/2006 7:36:05 AM PDT by stainlessbanner
Controversial Dallas Player Tells Authorities He Overdosed On Painkillers
(CBS News) DALLAS Controversial Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens has told police he tried to kill himself by overdosing on pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
A Dallas police report released Wednesday morning said Owens told his friend "that he was depressed."
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that (his) prescription pain medication was empty and observed (Owens) putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
The friend attempted to pry them out with her fingers, then was told by Owens that before this incident he'd taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied. Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time (he) stated, `Yes.'"
CBS affiliate KTVT in Dallas-Fort Worth and other local media had reported that Owens had been taken to Baylor Medical Center Tuesday night, possibly for an allergic reaction to pain medication he is taking for his broken hand.
According to the Dallas Police Department incident report, Owens told police he took more than 30 pills in a suicide attempt.
Sources tell KTVT that Owens was taken to Baylor Hospital by Dallas Fire Rescue and that emergency room doctors attempted to induce vomiting.
Baylor Hospital officials continue to deny Owens received treatment. However, federal privacy laws allow people to block their name from being released.
"This is not serious," Owens' publicist Kim Etheridge had said in Wednesday's online edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Two weeks ago Owens broke his hand during a football game against the Washington Redskins.
Earlier Tuesday, Parcells said he expected Owens to rejoin his teammates at practice Wednesday and would start Sunday in Tennessee if he proves he can play.
"It's just, can he withstand the pain of catching the ball?" Parcells said. "When he can stand it, he can play."
The Cowboys had a bye last weekend, so Owens has yet to miss a game because of this injury. He's repeatedly said he'll play Oct. 8, when he gets to face his former team, the Eagles, in Philadelphia.
Owens chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room Tuesday afternoon and seemed fine.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill — who mostly deals with troubled players — said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
Dallas police officials said they were planning a news conference, but did not immediately release a time. A hospital spokeswoman said early Wednesday there was no patient registered as Terrell Owens, although federal privacy laws allow people to block their name from being released.
Owens' publicist and agent, and the Cowboys, did not return repeated calls from The Associated Press. No teammates or Cowboys officials were seen entering the hospital late Tuesday night.
* On September 24, 2000 in Dallas, Terrell Owens showed off his excitement after his two touchdown catches by celebrating on the Dallas Cowboys' famous star logo. The second time Owens made a trip to the star, Cowboys safety George Teague hit him during the celebration, sending him sprawling to the turf. Owens was suspended a week for his actions by his head coach at the time Steve Mariucci, and had a week's pay docked as well.
* During a Monday Night Football game against the Seattle Seahawks on October 14, 2002, Owens pulled a Sharpie marker out of his sock to sign the football he caught to score a touchdown, and then gave the ball to his financial planner, who was in the stands.
* After he scored a 45-yard touchdown run against the Green Bay Packers on December 15, 2002, Owens celebrated by waving a pair of pom-poms borrowed from a 49ers cheerleader.
* On November 17, 2003, the 49ers hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Monday night game, and Owens wore a wristband with the words "The Answer" emblazoned on it. Just over eight minutes into the game, he caught a 61-yard touchdown pass from Tim Rattay (who was starting at quarterback because Jeff Garcia was injured), and excitedly pointed to the wristband after reaching the end zone to draw attention to it. After the game (won by San Francisco 30-14), Owens was asked by a sideline reporter the significance of the slogan on the wristband, and he replied: "Because I am The Answer." "The Answer" is the widely known nickname of Philadelphia 76ers guard Allen Iverson.
Celebrations in Philadelphia
* The Bird Dance "The Bird" became T.O's trademark dance with the Eagles. In 2004 season the Birdheadz (The Original 'Ol Head, Whey Cooler and DJ Holland) a local Philadelphia group came up with a song called "Flying with the Birdz, Do the Bird" during the Eagles 2003 playoff run. T.O. did the Bird Dance all that season after a big play or TD. During the Super Bowl New England players were trying to imitate Owens's Bird Dance during their celebrations.
* Imitated and mocked the trademark pre-game ritual of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis after scoring a touchdown while playing against the Ravens in the 2004 season.
* After catching a touchdown from Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb during a game in Cleveland, Owens ran through the end zone and tore down a hand-made sign which read, "T.O. has B.O.".
* After scoring his 100th career touchdown in Philadelphia, he pulled a towel from his waist, folded it over his arm, and then placed the football in the palm of his hand, holding it over his shoulder and pretending to serve it up to the opposing team like a waiter would present a meal.
Yep, the guy is a real role model.
Like many sports star thugs, he was either not caught committing a crime or crimes, or he was caught, and some sports fanatic judge or jury refused to convict him (sweep it under the rug, after all, he's such a great sports star!).
If he "finds" Jesus, it will probably be of the faked, "jailhouse" conversion type.
It was just reported on ESPN that both of Owen's former teams asked Owens to seek mental health counsel because of his erratic behavior. Owens refused. Jones must take responsibility for the Owens decision. A lot of divorces result from the same mistake Jones made. One looks at their future spouse and sees all the faults and previous failures and lies to themselves that they are the one person who can change the person even though all the red flags are solidly in place. The third team was not the charm.
"I wouldn't be surprised to hear Andy Reid or some of the players visit him after this."
Agreed. Despite all the bad blood between them, I wouldn't be surprised if Donovan McNabb pays him a visit. That's just the kind of guy McNabb is!
Agreed.
I must admit, I expect to one day to see him on TBN with Paul and Jan (and Neon Deion).
Well I hope so. Eagle fans are not known for their compassion for opposing players. I don't think it was a real attempt to kill himself, but a desparate attempt to ask for help. He is obviously depressed. I hope he finds what he needs.
He lives that long or doesn't finally get thrown in jail.
"I wouldn't be surprised to hear Andy Reid or some of the players visit him after this."
Agreed. Despite all the bad blood between them, I wouldn't be surprised if Donovan McNabb pays him a visit. That's just the kind of guy McNabb is!
Double-post DOH!!!
That dropped TD pass may well have been the trigger.
I can't say I'm surprised. His behaviour so far has been rather bizarre. He needs help.
nope, I think he was trying to get high and simply overdid it
She may think so but what is a fact is that publicist Kim Etheridge is a serious moron.
The job of a publicist is to lie.
Depends on what the allergic reaction is. They could be one and the same, some painkillers make some people depressed, my wife gets depressed on ibuprofen. It's not too far out of the realm that the pain pills made him depressed and so he took a whole bunch.
LOL!!
As an Eagles Fan I can agree and say that is Funny!!
SZ
They'll probably throw pill bottles.
Wow...there's no cynicism in you!
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