IRVING, Texas - Terrell Owens was in midseason form Wednesday, sounding off on any and every topic thrown his way.

Prediction for himself: “I am expecting an explosive year.”

Prediction for the Dallas Cowboys: “I feel very confident in going on record now saying we are going to make the playoffs. We are going to win some playoff games.”

His review of last season: “I really felt like I let this team down.”

His relationship with Donovan McNabb: “I did what I had to do when I saw Donovan. I apologized.”

How about things with a more recent sparring partner, Bill Parcells: “Anything regarding Bill Parcells is not a non-issue, it’s a dead issue. D-e-a-d, dead.”

Owens even delved into the taboo topic of dogfighting, saying he attended one “when I was younger.”

“Being from the South, that’s something that’s very prevalent in that area,” he said.

Later, he compared dogfighting to hunting deer: “They cut their heads off and they go to mount them on the wall. And they are animals as well. I don’t see a big difference in the situation.”

T.O. Unplugged lasted 30 minutes.

Owens has been in a great mood for months, and with good reason: Parcells quit in January, a much friendlier coach was hired in Wade Phillips in February, and the Cowboys picked up a $3 million bonus in June to go with his $5 million salary.

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Better yet, the new coach believes in spotlighting star offensive players, the offensive coordinator plans to make it happen by moving Owens around, and he has terrific rapport with quarterback Tony Romo.

“Any time you can go into a season without any legitimate distractions ... yeah, you’re going to go out there and play free, you’re just going to have an overall better feeling about yourself,” he said.

When talk turned to distractions, Owens noted that no problems he’s caused have involved illegal activity.

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“That is a credit to the way my family raised me,” he said. “I know right from wrong just as well as other guys. I just tend not to put myself in situations where things may come up. Considering some of things that have been going on since I have been in the league, especially this past year, I am a saint. I think you guys don’t give me enough credit.”

While that might sound angry, his tone wasn’t. He even ended with a line that made him laugh.

“You have the power of the pen,” he said. “So maybe you guys need to go to the store, get you some new pens and write it up.”

Owens was waiting at his locker when reporters were allowed in. He opened by saying that after announcing “get your popcorn ready” when he joined the Cowboys last year, his plan this year is to “butter the popcorn.”

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He said things went “stale” last year partly because of injuries. There was a hamstring problem in training camp, a broken hand in the third game that led to surgery, and the prescription of pills that were part of an accidental overdose, followed by a finger injury that required offseason surgery.