In today’s society, image is everything. It can either make or break you.
If several people said the same thing about you does that mean it’s true?
For Terrell Owens his image may be slowly diminishing. Owens is one of the most explosive wide receivers in the NFL. He can take advantage of any defense at will. Yet his off-the-field antics have landed him with his third team in five years.
The Dallas Cowboys recently released Owens after offering him a new contract that included a $12 million signing bonus. According to ESPN, Owens couldn’t get along with the quarterback Tony Romo because he claims he wasn’t getting the ball enough.
However, he led the team in receptions just a year ago. There were also reports about him being at odds with tight end Jason Witten.
Sound familiar? Well, Owens had similar problems with his previous teams. He couldn’t get along with Jeff Garcia in San Francisco.
His relationship with Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia wasn’t any better even though they made it to a Super Bowl.
It seems like a pattern with Owens. Whenever he gets to a new team he says all the right things.
As the season goes on he says he doesn’t care how much he gets the ball as long as the team is winning. That makes sense, but even when his teams were winning, and he still wasn’t getting the ball, it became a problem.
When Owens became a free agent, most teams shied away from trying to acquire him. According to an article in The New York Times, when the New York Jets were asked why they didn’t try to get him a spokesperson said, “Owens would poison the team.” Although most teams don’t say it openly, this seems to be Owens’ reputation around the league.
Some, if not most, would say he is a self-centered player who is only happy when he gets his way.
Owens repeatedly denies that he is the problem, but if you were to talk to his previous teams they would say other wise. So that brings me to my point.
If all the teams are saying the same things about him, does that mean it’s true? You would think after all the ridicule he would take a serious look at himself. Something should click inside of him to say, “Maybe I am the problem.”
He’s with a new team now, but if he doesn’t wake up and realize the team doesn’t revolve around him, he’s going to be searching for a new team and maybe even a new career.
I’m not “hating” on Terrell Owens. I’m actually a big fan of his. I was rooting for him in Philadelphia and in Dallas. I’m just worried about what kind of example he’s setting for up and coming football stars or youngsters in any other profession.
You can be great, but what’s the point of being great if no one wants to work with you.
That may be the case for Owens soon if he doesn’t get his act together. This could be true for anybody else who thinks they are so great and irreplaceable. Talent alone isn’t enough if you don’t have humility and acceptance to go along with it. Even if you are successful money can only take you so far.
So while you’re striving to be the best at what you do, make sure you take the time to evaluate yourself and your relationship with others. You may think that you don’t need anyone, but see how far you make it in life by yourself.
Dekywan Debose is fourth year broadcast journalism student from Orlando. He can be reached at famuansports@gmail.com.