2008 Woodie Awards
Terrell Owens: Love Him or Hate Him? Part 2
Brian Fitzsimmons Sports Columnist
Issue date: 9/29/05 Section: Sports
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At the conclusion of Week three, he has tallied 335 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Those Pro Bowl type statistics, plus the rare ability to dominate a contest with his presence on the field, has the Eagles boasting a 2-1 record. Despite the one loss, they are making believers out of fans all over the country.
Last year, Owens racked up 1,200 yards in the air and found the end zone 14 times before he broke his leg and missed the final two games of the regular season, plus two rounds of the NFC playoffs. He pushed his body through extreme workouts and rigorous physical therapy to attempt to play in the Super Bowl. His heart and determination got him there, and in a losing effort, he was less of a decoy and more of a contributing factor.
Owens is a 6'3'' 225 pound athletic machine with extreme confidence, heart, and willpower who puts up Pro Bowl caliber numbers year in and year out. So what's not to love?
Old school fans who appreciate sportsmanship and respect have such a problem with Owens because he does the exact opposite. The man has 100 career touchdowns, but when he does score in a game, he acts like he's never done it.
A couple years ago when he was receiving for the San Francisco 49ers, he caught a TD pass and proceeded to sprint to the cheerleaders, steal one of their pom-poms, and dance with them in front of the opposing team. How many of you remember against the Cowboys, when he scored and then ran full speed to the 50 yard line and put the ball down in a cocky manner?
By then the football world all agreed on the same thing. Terrell Owens was out of control.
The man who has eclipsed the 1,100 receiving yard plateau for five straight seasons is sports most talked about bad boy. This bad boy, however, is probably the most popular player in the league. In fact, he has the hottest selling jersey in the NFL merchandise market.
The fans who love him see that he really isn't bad; he just portrays behavior that sports are not used to. Sure the poor sportsmanship doesn't show the greatest professionalism, but he devotes his time religiously to his job. The NFL is an entertainment business that makes money off of players who do well on the field.
Hate him or love him, T.O. earns every one of his receiving yards and works hard to get to the end zone, which has become his play pen. Since he is so good at his job, shouldn't he have the right to enjoy himself? His uncanny capability to take over a game and get away with questionable antics makes Terrell Owens one in a million.
Hate him or love him, he will be someone who football fans will tell their grandchildren about. So, do the people who hate him actually attempt to see what Terrell Owens is really all about? It doesn't appear so. I'm not sure if people give him credit for the superior statistics he earns, or the way he is passionate about putting a ring on his and his teammate's fingers. One thing I am sure about, however, is that when he tossed that autographed football into the stands, the Owens haters were the ones screaming and waving their arms frantically, hoping he would toss the ball to them.