By now you may have heard what San Francisco receiver Terrell Owens did.
But in case you didn’t, Owens, after scoring a touchdown in last Monday’s game in Seattle, pulled a marker out of his sock, signed the ball, and handed it to his financial advisor who was sitting in the stands.
Ever since then, the league and the so-called “football experts and analysts” have had their panties in a bunch about the situation, saying Owens is immature, his actions silly, and he’s lucky not to have gotten suspended.
Look, what Owens did was clever, creative and ingenious, and anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot.
I usually don’t get this passionate about something that doesn’t involve the Miami Hurricanes or the Pittsburgh Steelers.
I hadn’t planned on writing about this, but all that I heard on television and read in the newspapers last week was that Owens is not good enough to be so arrogant and cocky.
Well, let’s get the facts straight. First, Owens is arrogant and cocky, as are all talented players. He’ll be the first to admit it.
Second, Owens is better than good enough. He’s great.
He is almost the best receiver in the league (behind Randy Moss).
ESPN’s John Clayton said Owens’ stats aren’t worth the trouble he creates.
Unfortunately, sometimes reporters’ personal feelings get in the way of their objectivity.
Clayton may not like Owens, so he said Owens is not a good player, with no statistics to back his claim.
Perhaps that was by design because if Clayton had researched Owens’ stats he would have found that, other than Marshall Faulk, Owens has scored the most touchdowns in the NFL over the last four years.
Then Clayton’s argument would have been moot and he didn’t want that.
There are the facts for you.
I guess the question this whole situation presents is: when does celebration after a big play cross the line into taunting and showing up the opponent? My answer to this is: there should be no line at all.
A player can only taunt if he or she has something to taunt about. Seahawks defensive end John Randle said he was insulted by Owens’ actions.
Randle should have been more disgusted at cornerback Shawn Springs for blowing coverage and allowing Owens to score.
The problem is the NFL’s (and college football’s) rules were created by a bunch of old, out-of-date, out-of-touch fogies who either never put football pads on and have no idea of the amount of pride and passion a player has, or haven’t stepped on a field in 50 years and forgot what it means to be on one.
The league sort of indirectly fined Owens for his actions, making him pay $5,000 for “having an untucked shirt during the game.”
Owens struck back saying racism was the cause of all the backlash he’s received from reporters and league officials.
Now, my position as a public informer prevents me from agreeing, or disagreeing, with such a statement, but I will say I completely understand his claim.
And he doesn’t need statistics to back it.
Kevin Fair, 19, is a sophomore newspaper journalism student from Pompano. He is The Famuan’s assistant sports editor. He can be reached at Kfair1@mail.net.