Every baby needs playtime

When a 32-year-old man is whining and complaining on national TV, two things come to mind. Either the man is on the Jerry Springer show or he is Terrell Owens.Terrell Owens is a child; he needs to be coddled and nurtured, or else he will stick it to you in various ways. None of which involve spilling his Cheerios on the kitchen floor, or spilling his milk all over his daddy…whom, according to Owens, is NOT Andy Reid.

Instead, the little boy goes about his business by threatening his team, disrespecting his coaches and snubbing his teammates. All very good reasons for a team to suspend him from training camp for a week.

Disrespecting coaches? Yes, saying “shut up” to your head coach would fall under that category.

Then again, has Owens ever had an ounce of respect for an authority?

Whether he’s giving the cold-shoulder to the offensive coordinator or mouthing off to the management, he really doesn’t care. To him, it’s not about playing for the love of the game. It’s not about being a team player and it’s certainly not about having any honor or integrity. It’s just about T.O.

Since he is one of the top players in the game, he puts himself ahead of the team. In his radically warped opinion, he should be allowed more leniency and special treatment from the organization.

Anyone ever hear of his personal workouts at camp, instead of training with the team?

This fiasco has gone past holding out for the bigger contract. It’s true that he’s not even in the top 10 highest-paid receivers in the NFL, but he still needs to prove he’s worth more money.

But maybe it’s worth paying Owens some extra money to keep him quiet for a while. Banner could offer him some money to “tide him over,” saying that if he performs well, they’ll restructure his contract at the end of the 05-06 season. However, it’s unlikely that the Eagles will do that, as they have made repeated comments that they believe in players “honoring their contracts.”

As Philadelphia struggles to control their outspoken, immature receiver, they begin to wonder if he’s worth all of this. Put simply, T.O.’s discipline problems outweigh his talent on the field. A team like the Giants might be willing to take chance on Owens, basically because New York hasn’t had any good receivers (other than Shockey), but most other teams cannot afford the distraction.

This season will be a testament to Philadelphia as a team. Whether they can return to their 13-3 form without the presence of their Pro-Bowl receiver. Because it will be extremely trying for the offense to prosper this season, with their two best receivers being Reggie Brown and Greg Lewis.

When watching Terrell Owens talk, the impression is drawn that he is a rookie. A toddler fresh out of college, who happened to be named first-team All-Southern Conference as a senior.

So when the “man” turns out to be 32, has played 10 seasons in the NFL, and is a 5-time Pro Bowler, the question does cross one’s mind: how the heck does T.O. succeed in the NFL?

The answer is hidden within the depths of this so-called man. His talents are undeniable, and he is extremely valuable to any team he plays for. He’s better in the fourth quarter than the first, he can break a tackle with ease, and if you try to get into his body he will toss you aside. T.O. blocks in the running game, he’s a big threat in the quick passing game, and there are times when he will display his ability to be a team player. Playing semi-injured in the Super Bowl was a valiant effort, and people thought he had really turned himself around. But now he turns it around, claiming that he had to sign a secret waiver incase of another injury, and that he “risked his life” in that game.

Coaches are the teachers, and the players are the students. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, T.O. is a first-grade student. And last week’s suspension is nothing more than a short recess for the petulant baby, who is still trying to get along with his classmates at playtime.

For more stories by Kent Summer, check out
3rdand10.com