Why is it that most of the NFLs best WRs are borderline sociopaths?

[WVRed]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2037602

Terrell Owens already wants a new contract from the Philadelphia Eagles before he starts his second season with the team.

Owens, who helped lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl in his first season in Philadelphia, is looking to renegotiate the seven-year deal worth almost $49 million he signed last March.

"This is not about me being greedy or selfish," Owens told The Philadelphia Inquirer for Thursday's editions. "I was called selfish for trying to come back and play in the Super Bowl. I just want people to think about what they're hearing from all these reports about me being greedy. Just take a moment and look at my stature in the game."

Owens set team records with 14 touchdown receptions and seven 100-yard games, and finished with 77 catches for 1,200 yards. He broke his leg and severely sprained his right ankle in Week 15 against Dallas, an injury that sidelined him until the Super Bowl.

Owens defied his doctor's advice by returning to the starting lineup against New England just 6½ weeks after ankle surgery, and was Philadelphia's best player on offense. He caught nine passes for 122 yards in the Eagles' 24-21 loss to the Patriots.

Owens fired longtime agent David Joseph and hired Drew Rosenhaus, who met with Eagles president Joe Banner last week. Last year, Joseph failed to file papers that would have made Owens a free agent from San Francisco. Instead, Owens protested a trade from the 49ers to Baltimore, refused to show up for a physical and eventually the three teams agreed to a trade before an arbitrator could rule on the case.

Rosenhaus, in an interview with Dan Patrick on the Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio, said Owens was forced to take a "sub-standard deal" with the Eagles.

"The NFL got him out of the trade [to Baltimore]," Rosenhaus said. "They brokered a deal to the Eagles, but he had to take a sub-standard deal because he had no leverage."

"Everyone knows my former agent settled for a low-ball number because of my situation last season when Baltimore traded for me," Owens said. "He told me he couldn't get a cent more, knowing I deserved more than they gave me.

"They used their leverage to strong-arm us because they knew I wanted to leave Baltimore for Philadelphia, and they capitalized on it. I can't go for that now. It's not in me to do that."

According to Rosenhaus, the contract Owens signed "sounds great on paper, but in the first two years of the deal he is not even in the top ten highest paid receivers in the NFL."

Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas told ESPN Radio on Thursday night that he disagreed with Owens' desire to have his contact re-negotiated.

"I don't agree with [re-negotiating a contract] because I believe that when you sign a contract your bound by that contract," Douglas said. "He's doing what he feels he needs to do, but I do believe that if you sign a contract you should honor that contract whatever circumstances you signed it under."

The playmaking, showboating, brash-talking Owens lived up to his hype in Philadelphia, delivering everything from his innovative touchdown celebrations to his outrageous antics -- including a steamy segment with actress Nicollette Sheridan for an intro to "Monday Night Football."

"I know I'm a top player in the game, and my current contract doesn't justify that," Owens said. "The fact that I signed this contract, that I'm under contract, doesn't factor into anything when it comes to the National Football League. [The Eagles] can cut me anytime they want to -- even if I'm performing well, I'm healthy and I'm putting up numbers, just because they don't want to pay a player that money.

"If they can do what's best for their financial future, then why can't I?"

Rosenhaus echoed Owens' comments, pointing to teams' ability to part ways with players despite signing them to long-term contracts.

"He was nothing short of remarkable last year with the Eagles," Rosenhaus told Patrick. "He absolutely outperformed his deal. I've had many players ... [who] have been cut when they underperformed despite having just did a multi-year deal the year before like Hugh Douglas with the Jaguars.

" ... Why can't we say that he outperformed this deal which was done under poor circumstances. What's wrong with that?"

[Chip R]

How is Owens wanting to renegotiate his contract make him a borderline sociopath? Teams renegotiate player contracts all the time but they don't get called "borderline sociopaths" nor do they get criticized for it.

[zombie-a-go-go]

Yeah; I don't understand the sociopath appelation myself.

[WVRed]

Didnt realize there were so many secret Eagles fans on here.

In a literal sense of the word, no, I do not believe Terrell Owens is psychotic or mentally ill, just the same as im sure others who used that word to describe Jim Bowden would feel.

But you do have to admit that most upper echelon WRs act differently compared to the rest of the NFL players. Whether it be Moss mooning the fans, Keyshawn's antics in Tampa, TO being TO, or even this famous sign by Chad Johnson-

[macro]

I think the first step in this process would be to find the gun that was held to Owens' head while he was forced to sign the contract.

I get SO sick of athletes demanding renegotiated deals after they have signed an agreeement. Funny thing is, I don't recall an athlete ever demanding to renogiate down after they've stunk up the joint while receiving a nice paycheck. It's like it's a one-way street and a no-lose situation for the players. If Owens wanted to revamp his pay structure after the 2004 season, he should've signed a one-year deal and went from there. Instead, he hedged his bets and took the multi-year deal. Stop crying and play out the terms of the contract you signed.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by macro

I think the first step in this process would be to find the gun that was held to Owens' head while he was forced to sign the contract.

I get SO sick of athletes demanding renegotiated deals after they have signed an agreeement. Funny thing is, I don't recall an athlete ever demanding to renogiate down after they've stunk up the joint while receiving a nice paycheck. It's like it's a one-way street and a no-lose situation for the players. If Owens wanted to revamp his pay structure after the 2004 season, he should've signed a one-year deal and went from there. Instead, he hedged his bets and took the multi-year deal. Stop crying and play out the terms of the contract you signed.

But you're OK with teams renegotiating players' contracts?

[macro]

Originally Posted by Chip R

But you're OK with teams renegotiating players' contracts?

If the renogiation benefits both sides, then by all means. What I mean is, if a team stands to lose a great player to free agency in a year or two and can sign him long-term by chucking the last two years of the current contract, then that's a good deal to both sides. Yes, they're going to pay more for those two years, but they're guaranteed to keep the player longer.

What irritates me is when a player signs a deal, then sees others making more and wants to tear up the deal and get more money. Hey, if the team feels that it's in their best interest renegotiate and wants to do it, then do it. If not, the player should keep quiet and fulfill the contract they agreed to. Instead, it's all to common that they bellyache and throw a self-pity party to the media, like Owens is doing, however.

[rdiersin]

Its Been One Year!!!!!!!!!.

One Year!!!!!!!!

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by macro

If the renogiation benefits both sides, then by all means. What I mean is, if a team stands to lose a great player to free agency in a year or two and can sign him long-term by chucking the last two years of the current contract, then that's a good deal to both sides. Yes, they're going to pay more for those two years, but they're guaranteed to keep the player longer.

What irritates me is when a player signs a deal, then sees others making more and wants to tear up the deal and get more money. Hey, if the team feels that it's in their best interest renegotiate and wants to do it, then do it. If not, the player should keep quiet and fulfill the contract they agreed to. Instead, it's all to common that they bellyache and throw a self-pity party to the media, like Owens is doing, however.

Sure, your scenario is a win-win situation for both sides since both gain something.
But how does it benefit a player when the team renegotiates his contract so he is giving money back or when the team just flat out cuts the player? A contract is a contract, no? If you believe that one side should live up to their part of the bargain, don't you believe the other side should as well? Fans and the media whine about players wanting to renegotiate their deals but not a whisper is heard when they restructure a contract so that they never actually have to pay the player all they owe him. And they do the same thing when a player is just cut outright. Maybe players should be able to walk away from their deals after every year. Of course if that happened you'd never hear the end of it.

[westofyou]

Why is it that most of the NFLs best WRs are borderline sociopaths?

Stick-Um?

[Redsfaithful]

If not, the player should keep quiet and fulfill the contract they agreed to.

If contracts were guaranteed then you'd probably see players more willing to fulfill the contract they agreed to. Nobody moans about teams cutting players and not paying the last years on their contract, so nobody should complain if a player wants to renegotiate.

Owens deserves this. You can't tell me he wasn't a huge part of why they went to the Super Bowl last year.

[macro]

Well, don't I look like the dunce. I was saying all that within the context of NFL contracts being guaranteed, and it was only after reading you guy's posts that I recalled that they are not.

Sorry 'bout that!

If you hear of a MLB player with a guaranteed contract wanting to renegotiate, then let me know and I'll repeat those posts.