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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, September 11, 2008

NFL: T.O. feels refs shorted him a TD

Associated Press

IRVING, Texas — T.O. still thinks he got shorted a TD, and the chance to do another celebration.

"Very much so," Terrell Owens said today.

Owens, already penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for celebrating after his first touchdown, thought he had another score when he stretched the ball toward the goal line while being tackled late in the first half of the Dallas Cowboys' season opener at Cleveland.

But officials instead marked the ball inside the 1, and didn't review the play.

"They made such an emphasis on my celebration," Owens said. "The league needs to put an emphasis on the referees getting right calls. ... Everybody knew it was a touchdown."

The Cowboys couldn't challenge the play because it was after the 2-minute warning. Marion Barber did score on the next play, his second TD run, and the Cowboys went on to win 28-10.

After the TD he did score, Owens placed the ball near the goal line and shook each leg as if he was getting ready to climb into the starting blocks and take on Olympic champion Usain Bolt. That drew the penalty flags.

"Clarification, apology, it's not going to change anything," Owens said, when asked if he got any explanation from officials.

Owens has 130 career TD receptions, tied with Cris Carter for No. 2 on the career list. Jerry Rice tops the list with 197.