Lookin' Sharpie

"It's TERRell," Owens said, interrupting Reid's answer to a question about the Eagles' tangled, improbable pursuit of the four-time Pro Bowler, which culminated in yesterday's three-way trade among the 49ers, the Ravens and the Eagles.

Reid mumbled an apology, then said: "We'll get this straight right now - it's T.O.! "

In between the yuks, Reid and Owens sketched out how they think all of this is going to work, Reid's team-first emphasis and T.O.'s preening flamboyance, Reid's belief in spreading the ball around and T.O.'s superstar status, Reid's quiet stolidity and T.O.'s incendiary temper.

They were convincing, within the context of a feel-good first news conference. We'll need to check back in, say, November, maybe on a day when the offense is struggling and T.O. doesn't have many catches. But both parties seem to understand the possible pitfalls here - and the possible benefits of this partnership, a theme quarterback Donovan McNabb later expanded when he spoke to reporters via speakerphone.

Regardless of anyone's qualms about how Owens managed to wear out his welcome in San Francisco, the overview today has to be that the Eagles listened when key players spoke after that devastating third successive NFC Championship Game loss about the team needing playmakers on both sides of the ball. They weren't able to do it quickly and cleanly, as they'd planned, but bottom line, the Eagles went out and got Jevon Kearse for the defense and T.O. for the offense. Could they have made a more emphatic statement?

"It's not every day you can execute your ideal strategy," triumphant team chairman Jeffrey Lurie said last night.

"The difference in most games is three to five big plays," Eagles offensive tackle Jon Runyan said yesterday. "You need somebody that's going to make a big play. "

Linebacker Ike Reese said the offseason additions, which some observers feel have been out of character for the sometimes risk-averse Birds, tell him management is "open-minded - anything's possible as far as making this team better. "

McNabb said Owens will be welcomed "with open arms" in the Eagles' locker room.

"I want a guy that wants the ball when it's time," said McNabb, who was the Eagles' lone lethal weapon in the playoffs. "I want a guy that will pump everybody up in the huddle, on the sideline . . . Guys can't say, 'Well, I'll wait for the next series,' or, 'If the ball comes to me, then I'll make a play. ' I want somebody to say, 'I'm open. If you don't have anything, throw me the ball. ' "

McNabb said the acquisition of Owens "kind of reminds me of when we signed Jon Runyan . . . adding an attitude and an aggressive approach. "

Maybe it figured that his new teammates would relish Owens' talents more than they worried about his antics. Owens, after all, has garnered more than 1,000 receiving yards each of the past four seasons, while the Birds haven't had a 1,000-yard receiver since Irving Fryar in 1997.

"I think my character has definitely been an issue as far as whether I'll fit in or how I will mesh with the coaches and my teammates," said Owens, who agreed to a 7-year contract that a source close to the situation said could be worth as much as $49 million with incentives, including signing and roster bonuses of $8 million to $10 million this year. "We've talked. [Reid] has explained the structure. I'm very aware of that. I understand that. I think a lot of people get it misconstrued from my passion on the field vs. my personality off the field . . . I think these guys have gotten to know me the last 2 or 3 years over in Hawaii [at the Pro Bowl]. "

Later, Owens spoke of having "a clean rap sheet so to speak . . . a fresh beginning for me. "

During the news conference, and in a brief conversation afterward, Reid said he wasn't abandoning his cherished beliefs about offensive diversity, but he might have to tweak them just a bit.

"We're going to do what we always do with good football players, that's exploit their talents," Reid said. "If that means more balls go to Terrell, then that's what happens. "

Owens, 30, acknowledged he had spoken with Reid specifically about some of the headline-grabbing stunts Owens has pulled during his eight NFL seasons - such as grabbing a cheerleader's pompoms and doing a dance after scoring a touchdown, or running to plant the ball on the star in the middle of the Cowboys' field, twice, after scoring touchdowns.

"He said he liked the pompoms, but outside of that, I can say that maybe the Dallas thing was kind of over the hill a little bit," Owens said. "I'm just going to go out there and have fun. They're not going to hold any reins on me as far as my passion for the game and how I play the game. I'm going to give 100 percent once I'm on the field. "

Reid does feel he knows Owens from those last three Pro Bowls - there had to be some sort of upside to losing all those NFC title games - but still, when the opportunity to acquire Owens arose during the season, the Eagles showed no interest whatsoever, a source close to the situation said yesterday. Who can say exactly what changed? Maybe the third loss on the brink of the Super Bowl made Reid and team president Joe Banner look at some issues a little differently.

For what it's worth, Owens' character off the field never has been questioned - he's always in great shape, never in the headlines for the kinds of lifestyle issues that seem to afflict pro athletes. Owens' agent, David Joseph, spoke glowingly of Owens' character last night - not just the kind of platitudes you'd expect an agent to mouth, but expressions of heartfelt gratitude for a client who didn't throw his agent to the wolves last month when the 49ers and the NFL management council said Joseph had blown Owens' chance for free agency by filing his contract void notice too late.

"It's been such an amazing, nightmare experience," said Joseph, who later referred to the last 3 weeks as "our walk through the [valley of the] shadow of death. "

Joseph said that as the vituperation spread, and he was savaged in the national media, it affected his own confidence, but not Owens' confidence in him.

"I've always said Terrell lives at the center of the hurricane," Joseph said. "There's a storm around him, but he has this ability to stay calm, this sort of clarity about him. I've really relied on him a lot."