« Why I respect Terrell Owens »

Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Joe Horn, Chad Johnson. All great wide receivers. All whiny arrogant brats.

First Owens doesn't want to play for the 49ers anymore, and try out free agency. His agent screws up, and he is still bound to the 49ers.

So the 49ers will give him a trade. Granted, T. O. wouldn't make nearly the amount of money he would from a free agency contract, but at least he gets to play for a team he probably would have picked in the first place.

NFL fanatics would start changing "Eagles," because of their lack of good receivers.

The Philadelphia Eagles started to make a trade with the 49ers for a 5th round draft pick and another player (assumed to be WR James Thrash).

Then somehow, Owens is reported to have been traded to the Ravens for a 2nd round pick.

First, this is a steal by any measure. The 51st best player in the draft for one of the best receivers in the game? Good lord, this is highway robbery.

But now Owens is displeased that he was not traded to the team of his choice. Philly was already working out a deal for a new contract with T. O., which would have included a $10 million signing bonus. In essence, the salary would have been about the same.

Why is Owens being a whiny brat about this? The answer is simple. He's being honest.

If he were to put on a face and say "I'm very happy and anxious to get to training camp and make an impact on the Baltimore Ravens," we would all see right through it.

Sports columnists and radio jocks all over the country are going to tell Owens to shut up and play. But that hasn't been Owens' style at any point in his career.

He showboated on the Cowboys' star. He signed the ball after a touchdown. He played with pom-poms after another touchdown. He played in the show after yet another touchdown. (He scores a lot of touchdowns.)

Yes, he calls out his quarterback. He yells at his offensive coordinator. He's worth his weight in Excedrin.

But he's being honest. And aren't all great receivers like this?

The inhuman exception has to be Marvin Harrison, who manages to be quieter than M. C. Hammer's cell phone.

Still, Randy Moss gloats on how nobody can make him give 100 percent on the field. Joe Horn makes a phone call after a touchdown. Chad Johnson holds up a sign after a touchdown saying, "Dear NFL: Please don't fine me." (It didn't work.)

Hey guys, just be your arrogant selves. Get fined, get booed, and get ripped apart by all the columnists.

Bring controversy to your team, bring notoriety, and back it up with 1,200 receiving yards a year. Who's to tell you how to act?

Remember, we're not communists.
- posted by Suss @ 1:21 AM | Permanent Link To This Post