Cowboys, and especially T.O., were tardy often
T.O. repeat offender in being late to meetings; little incentive to comply
 Tony Gutierrez / AP file Terrell Owens was reportedly a repeat offender in being late for Cowboys team meetings this season. |
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Maybe it shouldn't be a surprise that the Dallas Cowboys were a virtual no-show for their must-win final regular-season game at Philadelphia.
It's amazing they arrived at all.
According a report in Tuesday's Dallas Morning News, the team's charter left late for road games five times this season because players were late to the airport. The total represented more than half of the eight regular season away games. Indeed, the Philadelphia trip was delayed by more than an hour.
Punishments left little incentive for promptness. Fines for being late or missing meetings and injury treatment sessions were far lower under coach Wade Phillips than they were under former coach Bill Parcells, the Morning News reported.
Under Parcells, players were fined $5,000 for being late to meetings, and as much as $12,000 for missing an injury treatment session.
This season, players were fined $100 for being late to meetings or missing a treatment. During training camp, linebacker Anthony Spencer was featured on HBO's Hard Knocks after being fined $100 for missing a treatment session.
Terrell Owens was a repeat offender in being late for team meetings, the Morning News reported. With the Cowboys needing to defeat Philadelphia to reach the playoffs, Owens was late for a Dec. 23 meeting, citing traffic problems two days before Christmas. Owens declined comment on his tardiness.
The Morning News reported that Phillips asked Jerry Jones to raise the fine total but was rebuffed by the owner.
Jones told the paper some players are late for meetings. However, he said sometimes a player is late because he has to meet his media responsibilities or had a legitimate excuse.
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