49ers Clubhouse Why is Terrell Owens the new 'Bad Boy' of the league?
by
Rob Baker
CASE ONE: St. Louis: 26-30. Owens was blamed for this loss because he
dropped three
passes. But JJ Stokes dropped passes as well, why wasn’t it his fault? Why
didn’t the
media lay blame on the defence that failed to hold the Rams, especially
Marshall Faulk?
Terrell has one bad game, and he’s the worst guy in the history of the ball
club. Yes,
Terrell did play a shocker, and he was bitterly disappointed. So what was
his reaction?
Well, like most people who have just played what could only be described as
the worst
game of they’re career, he wanted to dig a hole and hide from the world.
Now, how can
anyone come out and viciously attack him for reacting in a way that would be
fully
expected? But the media did. For Owens ignoring media, he was called
arrogant and
childish, he was frowned upon for showing his emotions and for not speaking
his mind.
Can’t the media see that he has just played the worst game of his career,
which happened
to be against one of the 49ers biggest rivals, and the best team in the NFL.
If the niners
win, not only do they beat their fierce rivals, they’d be considered actual
contenders, and
not just a team that has one games against easy teams. Anyone who’s just
lost a game as
big as that would be understandably distraught.
CASE TWO: Chicago: 31-37 OTThis time, we all heard how Owens tipped the pass
for
Mike Brown to return for a TD to win the game in OT. Why wasn’t the blame on
the
offence for allowing Chicago to score a safety? Why not Jeff Garcia for
throwing the pass
that was intercepted and returned for a TD? Or the defence for letting the
A-Train run
wild? But no, again it was ‘the pass that was intended for Owens’ that lost
it for the
niners. This time, seeing he got abused for showing his emotions and not
talking to the
media, he changed his tune and vented his anger at the coach. Seeing this
happens week in
and week out in the NFL, how could he go wrong? Well, he did according to
the media.
Last time he was called arrogant and childish for not talking to the media.
Now, he’s
arrogant and childish for talking to the media.
Again, this was another important game. The niners win, they’d be 5-1 and be
the lone
contender for ‘The Cinderella Award’ for 2001 and one win away from sitting
pretty on
top of the NFC West. But because of conservative play, it gave the Bears a
sniff, and
eventually a win. Jeff Garcia also criticised Steve Mariucci’s play calling,
didn’t hear too
much about that did we?
The result? Now it’s reported that Mooch and TO hate each other
passionately, and there
has even been claims that the superstar Wide Receiver could be traded or
even the coach
that can’t control his ‘bad boy’ receiver will be looking for a new job come
the off season.
It’s been up scaled to a national debate, recently ESPN.com having several
major articles
on his behaviour. It’s even overshadowed Bill’s Rookie Travis Henry’s run in
with the
law, or how Michael Strahan’s on track to break the single season sacks
record. Terrell
Owen’s reputation is loosing its shine.
What I’d like to find out is why do the San Francisco media hate Terrell
Owens so much,
the guy that took ‘The Catch II’, has an NFL record of 20 receptions in a
game, who
week in and week out produces, the man who’s won numerous games for the
niners and is
filling the shoes of the greatest wide receiver in history perfectly. I
could understand
clearly if he was like a Cris Carter or a Randy Moss, whose constantly
complaining about
how they should be getting the ball more, throwing on field tantrums and
arguing on the
sidelines make life hell for the coaches. Or an R. Jay Soward, who’s
constantly breaking
the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
Sure, Owens occasionally has a complaint about the coaching or something
else not going
his way, so did Jerry Rice and thousands of other past and present NFL
players. So why
are Owens’ outbursts so wrong? Why are his outbursts seen as the worst by
any NFL
player?
All I can see is that it stems back to his Dallas behaviour. Now, I’m the
first to say that
that was completely inappropriate, and the punishment fit the crime. But
it’s time to
forgive and forget. He’s hopefully learnt his lesson, so why can’t he be
given a break and
allowed to go out and play football, instead of worrying about what he says
and whom
he’ll offend?
I’m just glad I don’t have a Randy Moss crying because he’s the best player
and he
controls this team and he should get the ball all the time and he should be
the highest
payed player in the league because he’s the best and he should be calling
the plays and he’s
the leader of the team and he should be earning more money and he should
..........(insert complaint here)
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