This feature originally ran in The Standard-Times on Jan. 21, 2005.

By Nick Tavares

The Philadelphia Eagles are one win away (again) from reaching the Super Bowl, and one man to thank for that calls himself "Hollywood."

All season long, wide receiver Terrell Owens hogged the spotlight and the headlines, becoming a caricature of himself in the process. Arguably the most immature superstar athlete this country has to offer, he was flashy enough and productive enough to bag the credit for the Eagles' 13-3 season.

But right now, he's out. And Freddie Mitchell is in.

Freddie "Hollywood" Mitchell was the third option at wide receiver for Philly this season, behind Owens and Todd Pinkston, who became infamous late in the season for giving up an easy reception so that he could duck a hit from a Washington Redskins safety.

So when Owens went down late in the season with an ankle injury, most wrote off the Eagles, giving the Super Bowl edge in the NFC to Green Bay or Atlanta.

But don't believe that he makes this team for a second. The rest of the Eagles don't.

All day against Minnesota, Donovan McNabb had no problem finding Mitchell and running back Brian Westbrook, while Jeremiah Trotter and the rest of the defense were more than able to stop Dante Culpepper, the second-best passer in the NFL this year.

Before last Sunday, I barely knew who Mitchell was. Other than making the infamous "4th-and-26" catch to put the Eagles in last year's NFC title game, he has spent his time in the shadows. He made only 22 catches in the regular season, but Hollywood was just waiting for his moment.

Two touchdowns and a fourth trip to the NFC championship later, he had it.

And while he was at it, he showed just how much better at cracking wise and playing the star he is.

"What can I say? I'm a special player," Mitchell deadpanned to the Philadelphia media. "I've just got to thank my hands for being so great. I've just been chillin' being patient, being humble. I knew my time was going to come."

The press were howling in laughter as Mitchell, decked out in his Indiana Jones-esque fedora and bow-tie, worked his magic on the writers.

"I want to say 'Hi' to all my new friends out there, those people who doubted me and the receivers."

Well, no one's doubting anymore.

Throughout the course of the season, Owens grabbed the headlines, doing everything between his 77 catches from questioning Browns quarterback Jeff Garcia's sexuality to calling Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis a murderer.

All the while, "Hollywood" stayed quiet, waiting for his time. And when it came, he delivered.

His performance really was special for a number of reasons. It proved that this was not a one-man team, and it proved that Owens isn't even the most creative member of their receiving corps.

Owens sits in the press box for games now, just a spectator still clamoring for the spotlight while his teammates do their work.

This week, he even guaranteed the Eagles would be going to Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville. And I think that's cute. He'll have a great view from his luxury box to watch it from, too.

But it's his teammates who are cashing the checks his mouth won't stop writing. McNabb. Westbrook. Trotter. Mitchell. They're the ones who should be able to take care of Michael Vick and the Falcons in two days.

And the Eagles will finally go to the Super Bowl.

Nick Tavares is a columnist for The Standard-Times. E-mail him at ntavares@s-t.com.

This story appeared on Page C1 of The Standard-Times on January 21, 2005.