Just Follow the Crumbs From T.O. to Maualuga

Bob, the guy filling in for host James Brown on the radio Monday, was talking about Terrell Owens, calling him all kinds of names, while making a point he had been rooting hard for the Philadelphia Eagles to beat the Washington Redskins a night earlier to send a message to Owens.

In fact, Bob thought the Eagles “looked good” on offense without Owens, while scoring one touchdown in the game.

Bob’s guest, Brian Baldinger, introduced as a football analyst, went so far as to suggest Owens might be “sick,” and then said, “It’s about team -- you’re better off losing as a team.” So good riddance, Terrell Owens.

I would imagine a lot of people feel the same way today, tired of Owens and all the other me-first, millionaire louts, and so good for the Eagles in firing this one.

It feels good, doesn’t it?

You probably remember saying, “Good riddance, Gary Sheffield.” Or, “Good riddance, Jose Guillen.” I probably said something like, “Good riddance, Shaq.”

Now I have to hope Chris Mihm can come through every night.

For that matter, the Dodgers haven’t been the same without Sheffield, while the Angels didn’t win a playoff game a year ago after dismissing Guillen, and continued to have a power void this year.

I don’t know too many people siding with Owens, but issuing earplugs to every Eagle player might have been a better solution -- at least keeping the Eagles in the playoff hunt and still giving season-ticket holders their money’s worth.

You take away the jerks or troubled athletes, and how much fun is it going to be to watch sports, or how good is your local team going to be without Barry Bonds, Keyshawn Johnson, Kevin Brown, Milton Bradley and Randy Moss?

Do you want to send them a message too? How about USC freshman Rey Maualuga, who is just beginning his big-time athletic career?

My first reaction was good riddance, or at least park the kid on the bench for being arrested for allegedly punching a man at a party. A witness to the alleged assault described it in bloody detail to The Times, and I think I understand why Uncle Pete didn’t call to talk with the witness.

Right now his focus is on keeping USC No. 1, and how much fun are we all having because of that? The Trojans need Maualuga now more than ever because of injuries to linebackers, and I sure hope the city attorney takes that into account.

It’s one thing to put Owens in his place, quite another to risk a national title, and so I understand why Carroll isn’t going to be swayed by everyday standards.

“I don’t need a set of rules to govern my football team,” Carroll said in the Orange County Register, and although that might sound like someone who no longer feels he has to answer to anyone, as long as the Trojans rank No. 1, what do you think?

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NFL COMMISSIONER Paul Tagliabue is going to be here this week schmoozing city officials, and Page 2 reader Freddy Nager e-mailed with an interesting conspiracy theory -- for Tags to deny.

Nager wrote, “Maybe the NFL and Saints’ owner Tom Benson want the Saints to lose as much as possible. Why? To land the No. 1 draft pick

Now if the Saints (2-7) can figure out a way to secure three No. 1 picks in the first round, allowing them to pick up Leinart, Reggie Bush and LenDale White, they might have a shot at convincing Uncle Pete to join them.

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THREE OF the four Grand Slam winners -- Serena and Venus Williams and the Watch Girl, also known as Justin Henin-Hardenne -- won’t be competing in this week’s WTA Championships in Staples Center.

I asked Mary Pierce about that at Monday’s media gathering, got some politically correct answer like “life is good,” and then the journalist sitting next to her told her, “what a wonderful answer.”

I tried again, and a female journalist from tenniswire.org, explaining later she was trying to protect the 30-year-old Pierce, answered for her. I asked Pierce another question, and this time a male journalist, Don Sand, spoke for her.

I asked Sand what news organization he represented, and he said, “I work for God.” I work for Dwyre, so I know what’s that like.

I never did get a straight answer out of Pierce and feel badly about that because this is the last year for this tennis championship sham in L.A., and I hate to end our run together on such an empty note.

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THE TELECAST for the World Finals in Bull Riding began Sunday with all the competitors sitting in a Las Vegas locker room listening to Tom Lasorda, the foremost bull expert in sports, deliver a pep talk.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO The Times’ Helene Elliott for winning the prestigious Elmer Ferguson Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame. I’m sure she’s written a lot of really good hockey stories.

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TODAY’S LAST word comes in e-mail from Blabba Ranks:

“As a fellow sports writer, I can’t believe you’re getting paid for the garbage you produce. You are TERRIBLE at sports writing. You are TERRIBLE at life in general ... I love the Lakers so much that I’m wasting my life responding to you ... Keep it up, buddy, and you will not get access to any players, coaches, PR ... You have no idea who you are messing with, but you will.”

Before or after the Lakers are eliminated from the playoffs?