T.O. has been one of my most hated players for the last decade. Then, in the matter of about 20 minutes, I have developed a wholehearted man crush for him. This is the most awkward day in my life as a Bills fan. Go Bills. Thanks Ralph.

I was as shocked as everyone with this signing. I think it’s less of a risk for a team like the Bills than it would be for a team that made the playoffs last year. I gotta say this makes me more pumped for next season!!

sorry, joey galloway. you won’t be a Bill.

other players may realize we’re serious about winning now, and maybe not turn down our offers.

I feel the same way I’m excited and scared to death, but at this point what do we have to lose? I feel because it was only a one year deal it’s a good thing.

for once all media coverage is on buffalo, which can be a blessing and a curse, but not living in buffalo, i can never get enough bills coverage. also i love the deal, i said it wouldnt be worth it if it was more than 2 year, preferably one year. its like OBD actually listened to its fan base, amazing isnt it?

also i just came from the cowboys blog, talk about sour grapes, i dont wanna call anyone out over there, but it just re-enforced why i hate the “boys”.

also, it seems we gained a bunch of bloggers in the matter of a few hours, if this is what TO does to our lil blog, imagine on a national stage!

Pros-
1- 1 year deal, if he messes up, we can toss him and keep moving
2- TO only blows up in years 2-3 it seems, he will be on his best behavior since he NEEDS us to make a new market for him
3- Our O gets better automatically, no more doubles on Lee (ESPECIALLY if we get a pass catching style TE), no more 8 in the box for ML and Freddy
4- He WILL sell tickets/suites
5- The National media will actually pay attention to us now
6- No one in the AFC East has enough quality CBs to cover Lee AND TO

Cons-
1- Primmadonna
2- Can be a locker room cancer (usually year 2 or 3 though)
3- Wants the d*mn ball
4- Drops the d*mn ball
5- Can be hard on QBs (understatement, I know)

My Thoughts-
For a team quicly sliding into the morass that the Lions exsist as regards the National stage of the NFL (NONE that is), this move is solid. He will need to behave to get another big pay day. We need a play maker who can take the heat off of our RBs and Lee, he will provide it. He will be a sideshow freak for the season, but if that freak produces AND sells tickets? Win-Win.

Some have complained this could destroy the team, well, this team as we know it would cease to exsist ANYHOW if DJ went 7-9 or worse in the upcoming season WITHOUT TO. So, with TO, if we make the playoffs, anyone going to complain? We have a winning record better than 9-7? Anyone going to complain? If we tank WITH TO it won’t matter anyway, DJ, the staff, and ALOT of the players would be gone anyhow.

Bring on the Sideshow (hope we win!).

I think we’re a lot more viable now with three WRs, 1 TE, and 1 RB now. That would be Evans, Owens, and Reed, with Fine/Schouman (Which one would they start?) and Lynch in the starting lineup.

Wow, that’s not too shabby now is it? Most of Owens’ problems stem after he serves the first year of a contract. Let’s hope that stays true. :)

and we can call them TOLT. Then when they score we can say I TOLT YOU SO!!!!! Sorry dumbest post ever. I apologize.

But for 1 year at $6.5 million this is a steal. Owens will be on his best behavior with an eye towards what will most likely be his last contract next year. I must say that I am now offically pumped for this coming season.

The Bills think they’re the Patriots, but just proved themselves teh Raiders.

Please let me repeat – I’m still in shock. I keep typing words, and then deleting them because I can’t figure out how I feel about this. It’s amazing on so many levels.

First – let me apologize to BG. I threw some trash your way a few weeks ago, arguing that Buffalo would not make a splash in FA. Is "cannonball" the right word here today?

As Bob Dylan wrote and sang all those years ago:
“When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose.”
I totally support this signing, despite the fact that T.O. stands for almost everything I dislike about pro sports. However, he plays hard, has an attitiude and wants to win. Do the Bills have another player with “attitude?” Not that I know of.
What I am very confident of is that the defense will have to account for him every play; that will make every skill player on offense more effective.
Evans can go deep and T.O. range in the middle, both inside and out. Maybe even Roscoe or a tight end could catch a pass.
If it turns out to be a disaster, so be it. Standing pat is much worse.

I still can’t believe it.

I’ve got to give the Bills credit for at least trying to be competitive and trying to win. Whether it works out or not, we’ll see. What have they got to lose? Did anyone see the interview with Russ Brandon? He looked like he was falling asleep. I guess Brandon has been working.

My offseason mantra has been to add difference-makers to both sides of the ball. On offense, T.O. can be a difference-maker in the short term to buy time for James Hardy to turn into the Plaxico Burress-type of player that the Bills need him to be opposite Lee Evans. T.O. is great at getting yards after the catch. Emphasis on the word after.

My guess is that Evans will be the split end and T.O. will be the flanker. This could be significant because T.O. evidently struggled versus press coverage last season, and since the split end lines up on the line and the flanker lines up off the line, T.O. may have an easier time getting a free release. To help his relsease, I wouldn’t be surprised to see T.O. sent in motion a lot, too.

Although T.O. should behave himself for 1 year, I am concerned about his impact on Trent Edwards.

It’s “Getcha popcorn ready.”

you mentioned we might need to “talk you into it” loving this move. You and I had some dialogue about two Months ago in regards to our concern for Edwards development.

While I can certainly understand those that feel Owens can be counter productive to a QB’s success because he can add pressure on a QB to get him the ball which can be a diversion when just trying to find the open man on any given play.

In saying that, I don’t feel the potential pressure Owens can bring is any worse than the pressure he would have been under to find the open man with our current WR’s and TE’s minus T.O, in the 3.5 seconds a QB has to get the ball out of his hands.

I can see Edwards emerging now. I think we are about to see his strengths shine, which are accuracy and the ability to get the ball out quickly.

the Phins fans seem pretty confident they’ll be able to stop TO because he played for Parcells.

Look, I don’t care if the man is a cancer to the locker room. With this move, we are supposedly a linebacker, pass rusher, pass catching tight end, and interior lineman away from being legitimate contenders. The offense has to be taken that much more seriously now that there are at least three men you must gameplan for. Hopefully, this translates to longer and more successful drives, which would really help out the defense. The special teams is still probably considered to be in the top tier of the league, so not much needs to be done there. If a few more pieces fall into place, this could turn out to be a real good year. Please Buffalo, get us either June, Keiaho, or Petersen. With this development, I would even consider giving up our first rounder to get Owen Daniels to further enhance the offense. After that, add some pieces in the draft and this team is legitimate.

What do you think is going through #5’s mind now?

What’s up with the background’s on the bb.com videos today? It looks like an acid flashback had a baby with the color we can’t define here when block quoting.

Brandon says they still have room to add some players. That surprises me. When I heard word that Owens was a Bill, I thought FA was done.

Where was the official Bills text message today? You usually get them for anything that happens. "Lee Evans changed his toothbrush today." Or, "Mitchell declares Lucky Charms as his favorite cereal." TO signs, and nothing?

What is Turk Schonert doing right now?

Did DJ come home to his wife tonight and say, "Honey. I did it. I went all in. Please hope the turn card is a Jack."

Do any current Bills have any history with Owens? For that matter, do any coaches?

Just watching the Blazers game, and the announcers said a basketball player looked “like TO going over the middle.” Then he mentioned the signing, and finished with, "how about that weather?’

Impressive shock wave the Bills have made.

My head asplode.

Dallas wasn’t exactly the epitome of team unity off the field. A guy like Owens (I refuse to refer to him as TO..hear that A-Rod, J-Lo) will get along fine with his new teammates. Friendships are better built upon success than failure. Besides, there’s enough high-character guys to absorb a diva or two. Even if he drops the occasional pass, tell me that DC’s won’t have to plan for him.

Buddy are you ok? Cause Im not! WOW – OH WOW! I am pretty HOTT.

is that Owens’ first catch as a Bill (the ones that count), will be the one that surpasses Andre Reed’s total.

Wait a minute….you don’t like popcorn?!?!?! What is wrong with you?

i found out about the T.O stuff a few hours ago and I was appalled..I thought I would go to the bars..have a few drinks..and see how it sat with all that. it’s still very surreal to me. It’s a very unorthodox move for the Bills and I don’t know how to take it. As long as T.O. keeps his mouth shut I’ll be good. But, the minute he opens his mouth to criticize Trent, Turk or Dick (although it might be warranted) the entire Bills fan base will be down the throat of OBD asking for the release of everyone involved (Dick, Turk, Ross, Tom) and I will be on that wagon. I have never been so apprehensive to watch a season of NFL football in my short 23 years of life. I hope I’m wrong in the end…but T.O. is nothing more than