Everyone is entitled to having a vigorous defense mounted on his behalf.

So today I don my powdered wig and, like John Adams representing the British troops after the Boston Massacre, defend the indefensible.

My client: Terrell Owens. (I will be representing all of his multiple personalities and, no, he will not be taking the stand in his own defense. God, no.)

Exhibit A: Just Win, Baby

If one thing has been borne out during Owens's tumultuous career it's that the teams he alienates were better off while he was alienating them than they were without him.

While Owens was with the Niners they had five 10-win seasons in eight years. But a record-setting 20-reception game and an impossible playoff-game-winning TD catch hardly mattered when the organization decided it didn't need someone in the locker room questioning the sexual orientation of the Pro Bowl quarterback. In the five years since T.O. left (it must feel like 15 to San Francisco fans), the Niners have gone 25-55 (.313) with zero 10-win seasons.

But the safeties might not have been responsible for so many TD-saving tackles if celebrated linebacker signee Zach Thomas had lived up to his billing. The 35-year-old Thomas wore down noticeably over the season, failing to reach double figures in tackles after Week 9. Thomas averaged a meager four tackles a game in the final seven games. (The 35-year-old Owens, conversely, finished strong with 547 receiving yards in his final six games.)

The idea that a tantrum-throwing prima donna wide receiver could have anything to do with a safety or a linebacker missing a tackle is preposterous. But the Cowboys missed more than a slew of tackles. They missed the playoffs. And so T.O. is looking for a job.

Rest assured he'll find one.

Gambling site Bodog has installed the Raiders as the early favorite to land Owens followed by the Redskins, Jets, Buccaneers and Patriots.

Of those scenarios, the Raiders may be the most likely, but the Redskins would be the most fun. Four games a year against the Cowboys and Eagles. That's a lot of popcorn and a lot of booing.

Owens coming to New York would be awesome. A reunion with Jeff Garcia could be, uh, awkward.

T.O. lining up opposite Randy Moss with Wes Welker in the slot is fun to ruminate on, but, c'mon, if the guy was jealous of Jason Witten he wouldn't be an ideal third banana in New England.

Wherever he lands, he will be the only receiver in the NFL going for a fourth straight double-digit TD season. And you can almost guarantee that his new team will be better than they were last year.

The defense rests.