Roy Avoids the Noid

Williams ready to replace T.O.
AP

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Day by day, kid by kid, Roy Williams is doing his best to replace Terrell Owens as the most popular receiver on the Dallas Cowboys.

Every afternoon of training camp, Williams plucks a youngster out of the stands to be his water boy (or girl) for the rest of the workout. They get to hang out on the field of the Alamodome for about an hour, dwarfed by all the huge guys and loving every second.

"It's a non-paying position," Williams says, smiling, "but you've got first dibs on getting an autograph."

Although Williams did the same thing in Detroit, continuing the tradition here shows how comfortable he is in his new role as the No. 1 receiver. It's a good sign for the Cowboys considering how much they are relying on him now that T.O. is gone.

Team owner Jerry Jones pointed out again at the start of camp that "the decision to move on without Terrell was almost totally made" to get more out of Williams. There were other reasons T.O. had to go, but Jones is right.

The Cowboys sent first-, third- and sixth-round picks to Detroit for Williams last October, then gave him a $45 million, five-year contract extension. In return, he provided a measly 19 catches for 198 yards and one touchdown in 10 games. Owens had 213 yards in a single game last season.

"Everybody thinks I (stink)," Williams said. "I just have something to prove. It's not to prove that I don't (stink). It's just to be a consistent ballplayer."

Rest of story here.

Do people really think Roy Williams sucks? I didn't think we had swung to that side of the pendulum yet. Its hard for anyone to succeed in Detroit. The Lions suck you in and make you horrible. Unless you're Barry Sanders. Then they just break your spirit. And Dallas last year was chaotic to say the least. I understand releasing the guy with the good stats looks like bad business but having T.O. is just too much too handle. And so the Buffalo Bills doomsday clock continues to click. Ralph Wilson and Marv Levy must be rolling over in their graves. Oh? Not dead yet? My bad.