That was my ghostwriter

Once in a while I take the space in my column to call on my inner-psychic and make some sports predictions. It's a damn good thing I'm not having to put my money where my mouth is — or keyboard in this case — or I might be headed for skid row.

For example, I predicted about two months ago that the Mariners were going to make the playoffs by winning the mediocre AL West.

Oops. The Mariners promptly fell into their annual summer swoon and dropped out of any possible pennant race. You'd think by now I would know the M's modus operandi.

I also hopped on the ever-so-brief Phil Michelson bandwagon and predicted that he had the skills and game to eventually win more majors than his nemesis, Tiger Woods.

Ouch. Since my bogus prognostication, Phil returned to being Phil — meaning he looks great until the back nine on Sunday — and Tiger returned to being Tiger — meaning he destroys his scared competitors on the back nine on Sundays.

Last year, I called Texas' football team overrated, wondering how any self-respecting journalist could have been voting them ahead of USC. Suffice it to say, I ate some humble pie on that one.

Having admitted to all of that, I think I'll put the crystal ball away for a while.

Big respect to the teams with guts

I loved watching Miami and Florida State open their season against each other, and I love the fact that Ohio State and Texas are willing to do battle this Saturday. All four of those schools annually vie for national titles, and a loss all but eliminates them from contention. They all basically put their entire seasons on the line, and that takes guts and is worthy of respect.

Too often in this day and age, teams pad their non-conference schedules with patsies, and then hope they can run through their conference schedule and put themselves in position for a national title. Sometimes this formula actually works, as B(C)S computers crank out numbers that would make Archimedes' head spin.

Years ago Kansas State would try this route. They would beat the likes of Jack's Barber College, Kansas School of Drafting and ITT Technical Institute like rented mules, usually ending with scores like 77-3. Then they'd get to the end of the season and cry foul when they were undefeated, yet left out of the championship picture.

Make no mistake, some B(C)S conference teams will do the same thing this year, hoping a computer thinks their blowouts are impressive. Big respect to the teams that aren't afraid to put their seasons on the line during their non-conference schedules.

Beating a dead horse

Since I'm sure most sports fans haven't yet gotten their fix of all things Terrell Owens, I thought I'd opine on the star Dallas Cowboy receiver.

I like the guy. Before you start calling for my head, let me explain.

Is he a locker room cancer that puts himself on a pedestal above his teammates? Absolutely.

Has he dragged every quarterback who's ever thrown him a pass and every offensive coordinator he's ever played for under the bus? Yep.

Does the lemming-like media overblow his every word and action? Of course, they're journalists, trying their best to sell papers.

Is he the real deal? Yes, and that's why I like him.

Unlike many pro sports stars, who act one way but behave differently when the camera is rolling, Owens calls 'em like he sees 'em. I may not always agree with him, but I respect that he's not a hypocrite, like many of his compatriots.

Owens also plays with heart, courage and skill that is unrivaled in the NFL. He never takes a play off, he goes across the middle without fear and he wants to win as badly as anyone. Oh yeah, he is also the most dangerous playmaker each and every time he steps on the field, and believes his team's chances of winning improve when the ball is coming his way.

Will Owens be an All Pro receiver with the Cowboys in 2006, or will he implode with his third consecutive team? I have no idea.

Will he strap it up and play football the way it was meant to be played each and every Sunday that he takes the field? Absolutely.

? Eric Plummer is sports editor at the Daily Bee. For comments, questions or story ideas, he can be reached at 263-7392, or via email at "eplummer@cdapress.com"