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Top Five Allen Sports Stories of 2012: 3. Guest of honor: Terrell Owens joins Allen Wranglers
BY Matt Welch, mwelch@starlocalnews.com
Former NFL wide receiver Terrell Owens admits he had never heard of the city of Allen.
The city had heard plenty of the highly-decorated pass-catcher though, and that much was apparent last Wednesday night from the AEC when the Allen Wranglers formally welcomed the latest addition to their indoor football team.
"God works in mysterious ways," Owens said. "It was an opportunity for myself and my family; it's a great way to keep in shape. I haven't retired from the NFL and I definitely want to play a couple more years, so this will allow me to do that and really assess where I am right now."
It was during rehab in Los Angeles when Owens first learned of the Wranglers' interest from an acquaintance between Owens and owner Jon Frankel -- a man simply referred to as Ed.
"We talked about the possibility of signing Terrell in theory," Frankel said. "Ed said 'oh' then just picked up his phone and dialed Terrell. I said, 'you're not really talking to him' and he said, 'I am.'
"That was the first time we spoke, which was a couple months ago."
Owens entertained the idea for a month, with Frankel eventually issuing the receiver a deadline for the team's offer. With no NFL playoff teams calling the 15-year receiver, Owens made the move to indoor football official Jan. 18, signing on as a player and 50 percent co-owner with the second-year IFL franchise.
"I'm a player first and I'll put on [the owner hat] when needed," Owens said. "But right now, I'm looking forward to working with the guys, getting back on the football field, running around, getting hit and just having fun."
In doing so, Owens will assume his spot as the most prolific player in the IFL by donning Wranglers' blue, red and gold and the No. 81 that has defined his NFL career.
"It's great for the team and the league as far as national exposure," said Keithon Flemming, Wranglers running back. "A lot of people didn't know about the IFL unless you had a team in the area.
"It's definitely an eye-opening experience, especially when T.O. walks on stage and you see this is real."
The Wranglers faithful shared Flemming's experience last Wednesday when the team hosted a welcome celebration for Owens. Fans were handed bags of popcorn before the ceremony, emceed by Allen general manager and former Dallas Cowboy Drew Pearson. With Frankel, head coach Patrick Pimmell, IFL commissioner Tom Benizio and the Wranglers roster on stage, onlookers were treated to cheerleaders and an ice sculpture by Chef Pete before Owens took the stage to speak and field questions.
With the welcome festivities over, the team continues to build toward the first leg of its 2012 campaign, which commences Feb. 25 at 7:05 p.m. from the AEC against the Wichita Wild.
Owens will be in uniform, as will be the case for all Allen home games while details regarding playing road games are still under discussion.
There's also the process of getting acclimated to the indoor atmosphere, complete with a shortened field and faster turf, boards barricading the perimeter of the field and the varying responsibilities of the receiver position in the IFL.
"Other than that, it's still football," Flemming said. "It's something he's been doing all his life, so I don't think he'll have a problem making those adjustments."
Owens and the Wranglers begin training camp Monday at Lovejoy, building toward 2012 after an inaugural season that netted the team a 12-5 record, Lone Star Division Championship and appearance in the Intense Conference Championship Game.
Signing Owens, in addition to a smorgasbord of other offseason acquisitions, has upped the stakes for 2012 considerably.
"We had [those expectations] before T.O. with the success we had last year," Flemming said, "but then once we sign him everybody's now circling that Allen Wranglers game on their schedule. It puts a bit of a bulls-eye on our back, but that's something we thrive on."
Owens will be front and center for the Wranglers' season, helping build the franchise's brand along the way.
"I'm very excited to help put Allen, Texas, on the map," Owens said, "and I think these teammates right here are going to help me do that."
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