Owens Needs a T.O. In Order for Monster to Subside

     Having personal issues is more accepted now than any other time in history.  Yet while many people have demons some have monsters.  Terrell Owens has the latter.       Drafted out of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga into the highly visible San Francisco 49er organization, Owens immediately made himself a fixture in the franchise’s plans.   He put up very decent numbers as rookie and would catch no less than 60 passes the rest of his time with the club (mostly winning seasons).  Later he would supplant the great Jerry Rice as the team’s most productive wide receiver.  These accomplishments, that would make most upbeat about their existence, strangely made Owens very uneasy.  He had to up the anti.  He had to feed a thirst for more.  More accolades, more money, and more attention.  He soon would start to express these needs.  

     In 2000, the best year he had playing alongside Rice and Rice’s last year as a 49er, Owens made a desperate plea for notoriety in a game at Dallas by repeatedly dancing on the Cowboys star logo at midfield.  What looked like an over the top prima donna having too much fun to his harshest critics that day, was actually a lot worse than even they could have imagined.  It was the initial sacrifice to a monster.  
It is a monster whose appetite for notoriety can never be quenched, the monster that lives inside of Terrell Owens.  From that day on, the monster grew and grew.  With Rice gone Owens became the face of the 49ers.  His need to do “something” because everyone was watching soon caused San Francisco quarterback Jeff Garcia and offensive coordinator Greg Knapp to fall victim to the monster’s wrath.  Owens ripped the team’s signal caller Garcia on everything from his arm to his manhood and devoured Knapp very publicly on a sideline in Minnesota.  Given the 49ers past success, the spotlight was just too hot for Owens to sit quietly.  Whether it was hiding sharpies in his socks or swiping cheerleaders’ pom-poms, he just could not control the urge.  

     Fast forward to Philadelphia and the cravings for the monster became ten times worse.  The Eagles, who were coming off three straight loses in the NFC Championship Game, saw Owens as the missing piece they needed to get over the top.  While Owens was outwardly giddy about this new opportunity, the monster on the inside of him was eagerly sizing up potential victims.  Early on, the escalation of Owens’ touchdown dances and wild antics were indicators of the greed that was within.  Halfway through his first season in Philadelphia it became obvious that Donovan McNabb (a quarterback he supposedly wanted to play with) would be his primary target.  Owens berated McNabb on the sideline during a blowout loss at Pittsburgh, before which the Eagles were undefeated.  Later the two would downplay the incident, but that too was the monster’s way of seizing the spotlight.  Next, the worse scenario that could have possibly happened took place.  

     Owens captivated the nation by quickly overcoming a devastating ankle and leg injury to play in the Super Bowl.  His performance during the big game was miraculous considering the circumstances.  Leading up to Super Bowl Sunday the press wondered could Owens actually play and be effective.  Afterward they marveled at what he accomplished.  Owens platform was now national and the monster’s appetite increased accordingly. There was no way that Owens would remain content.   David Joseph, his friend and agent, was replaced by super agent Drew Rosenhaus.  Months after silencing critics and rising to legendary status in Philadelphia, Owens began to throw it all away over a contract.  Sure his deal with the Eagles was considered bad because it featured a lot of back-loaded money, but the way Owens went about renegotiating it was even worse.  Donovan McNabb once again found himself in the crosshairs of the rage inside of Owens.  Owens ripped his conditioning in the final minutes of the Super Bowl.  Later he referred to McNabb as a corporate guy.  

     As Owens’ latest gripe played out in front of America, he found an unlikely ally in former Cowboy and current ESPN analyst Michael Irvin.  Irvin and Rosenhaus provided Owens’ monster with plenty of chum and fodder.  After Irvin jumped into bed with Owens, he went public with Owens’ feelings on McNabb and Brett Favre.  Owens was all to willing to share his opinions publicly and now he does not have a job.   Yet still, the monster is hungry.  Owens recent apology proves it.  As long as the monster receives attention, it will continue to destroy.  So note to Irvin, Rosenhaus, and the rest of us, look away.  To Irvin and Rosenhaus especially, look away before you become the next victims.