T.O. faces disaster

Cover 2's all-time favorite wide receiver, needless to say Terrell Owens, is currently facing "financial disaster" according to GQ Magazine.

Hey — we said he was our fave, not the best, the smartest or the most frugal.

Owens is being swamped by the gigantic mortgage payments — as much as three-quarters of a million dollars per year — on the multitude of homes he bought prior to the housing crisis.
The former Eagle bought most of the homes at inflated prices and they are no longer worth what he paid just a few years ago. He is currently paying as much as $750,000 per year in mortgages, a total that is getting continually harder to manage without an NFL paycheck.

To make things worse, Owens is also responsible for $44,600 a month in child support for four children with four different women, according to GQ.

Owens told the magazine he has squandered most of the roughly $80 million he earned over the course of his NFL career. The 38-year-old recently signed with the Allen Rangers in the Indoor League, where he plans to play and also become the co-owner of the Texas team.

During his NFL career Owens was a six-time Pro Bowler, a five-time First-Team All-Pro, and is likely to be looked at for the Hall of Fame. He had 1,078 receptions, earned 15,934 receiving yards, and scored 153 touch downs.

Candlestick arrests

Seems the fabled "summer of love" is long over in San Francisco, where police say they arrested 29 people at Sunday's NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park — and tossed out another 110 for unruly behavior.

Shockingly, Sgt. Michael Andraychak said Monday that most of the arrests were alcohol-related.

We'd always thought Bay Area residents were a little more mellow than that.

Ratings bonanza

The Giants' overtime victory at San Francisco was the third-most watched conference championship game in 30 years. New York's 20-17 win for the NFC title Sunday on Fox drew 57.6 million viewers, according to the network, trailing only San Francisco's win over Dallas on Jan. 10, 1982, which featured Dwight Clark's famous leaping touchdown catch (68.7 million), and New Orleans' overtime victory over Minnesota on Jan. 24, 2010 (57.9 million).

And get off Williams' back, will yah?

Seems those once laid-back Bay Area folks are downright nasty, especially when it comes to their beloved football team.

Niners' kicker David Akers took to Twitter on Monday asking people to stop with the harsh remarks directed toward his teammate, Kyle Williams, saying "ppl need to get a grip! Leave Kyle alone!"

He also reminded everybody the NFC West-champion 49ers (14-4) win and lose together, so there would be no finger-pointing in the locker room.

Williams, you'll recall, committed the game's only two turnover, leading to 10 New York points, as the Niners went down, 20-17.

"I'm irritated with the way people are treating him, absolutely," Akers said. "I think it's ridiculous. You know, get a grip on what life's about. He went out and he put his soul out there. That's what he does. He was not trying to do anything other than make an incredible play for this team. He had a great kickoff return. Mistakes happen. We all make mistakes. But when you're out there truly battling to do the best you can, my hat goes off to him, to anybody that does that."

Williams, the backup punt returner who was only playing because Teddy Ginn, Jr., was injured, took the high road.

"It's one of those things you have to take accountability for," Williams said. "Everybody is responsible for what they do on the field. It's something that I was responsible for and I made a mistake and it's time to own up to it and move forward."

Coaching carousel

Denver's defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is the leading candidate to become the next Oakland Raiders head coach, ESPN reported.

Allen has no previous head coaching experience and 2011 was his first year as the 39-year-old had served as the Broncos' defensive coordinator.

If he does get the job, he would be the first defensive-minded coach to get the Raiders head job since John Madden was hired before the 1969 season.

The Al Davis Era truly is over.

The Indianapolis Colts are going to interview Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano for their head coaching vacancy, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Former Green Bay Packers and Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman will interview with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers again, according to Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times.

The Bucs made an offer Oregon head coach Chip Kelly on Sunday, but early Monday morning Kelly had a change of heart and decided to stay at Oregon, Stroud said, forcing Tampa Bay to look elsewhere for a replacement for the fired Raheem Morris.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Contact Don McKee at dmckee@phillynews.com.