More Simpson backlash
Terrell Owens talked about Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo again Thursday – this time, to clear the air.
Just in case anyone thought he was serious Wednesday when he proclaimed his quarterback’s latest girlfriend “not a fan favorite,” Owens explained he was merely having fun with a subject that’s been tossed about by others for days.
Owens being Owens, however, the story took on a life of its own. He was driving home Wednesday afternoon when friends told him about the ruckus.
He wound up on the phone with Romo, who’d already heard from Simpson.
“I guess she was kind of upset about it,” Owens said. “(I) just told him I would do whatever I can to rectify the situation.”
Owens said the call “wasn’t necessarily an apology.”
“I was just kind of explaining to him what kind of happened during the course of the (interview) session,” Owens said. “I kind of told him what was said, and he kind of expressed what Jessica had told him. I was like, ‘Look, dude, it wasn’t meant like that. Everybody was having fun, and I was saying what I had to say.’ There it is, it’s a big story.”
Owens said he thought things were fine between him and Romo. The quarterback’s take on all this is unknown because he hasn’t talked to reporters since immediately after a 10-6 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday. Questions then focused on his poor performance and injured hand – not his girlfriend.
Romo has been the Cowboys’ starting quarterback for a little more than a year and already has taken the glamour of the position to new levels.
A photo of him and Simpson is on the cover of the current edition of People magazine. TV cameras caught her in a luxury suite wearing a pink No. 9 jersey during Sunday’s game.
Backlash from fans followed – either because he played poorly in a game she attended, because people don’t like her songs and movies … or, both.
Still, it took Owens’ comments to turn the relationship from gossip-page fodder to sports-page controversy.
“Romo’s bruised right thumb should be just fine when Dallas plays the Carolina Panthers on Saturday night.
NFL rejects Jones appeal
The NFL rejected an appeal by the players’ union on behalf of suspended Tennessee cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell turned down Jones’ request for leniency Nov. 6. The NFL Players’ Association appealed that ruling as excessive and had a hearing by telephone Dec. 14. But Jones must serve the final two games of his season-long suspension.
“Commissioner Goodell notified Adam Jones today that his suspension for the 2007 season will not be modified,” the league said in a statement.
Bush not ruled out yet
Saints running back Reggie Bush sat out practice, but coach Sean Payton isn’t ready to rule him out for Sunday’s crucial game against Philadelphia. “
We backed off him some today,” Payton said of Bush, who practiced to a limited extent on Wednesday.
The Saints discovered on Dec. 6 that Bush had a partial posterior cruciate ligament tear that would not require surgery but would likely require about a month of rehabilitation.