C.W. Nevius.blog
The Long, Strange Trip of Terrell Owens
In the wake of what appears to be a suicide attempt by Terrell Owens, a lot of people are saying they never thought he'd do that. It's a life-long theme with Owens, actually. They didn't think a lot of things. They didn't think he'd ever be a player -- and they meant in high school, not in the Super Bowl. They didn't think he'd he'd get out of Alexander City, Alabama. And most of all they didn't think he'd turn out to be this showboating, controversial, troubled character. I met Owens back in 1996, when I interviewed him before his first starting assignment with the 49ers. He was a sweet kid. People don't believe that now, but he really was. At that point we didn't know if his first name was pronounced TEAR-ell or ter-ELL.
"It's Terrell, like barrel,'' he said.
He joked about the college program where he played, Tennessee-Chattanooga (he said he got some interest from Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina but went with T-C). He was, he used to admit happily, a bit of a bumpkin. In fact, he said, when he made the Tennessee-Chattanooga basketball team, and they traveled to Salt Lake City, it was the farthest west he'd ever gone. "What,'' I asked, "was the next farthest place?'' "West Virginia,'' he said.
He told the story of his grandmother, who was his surrogate mom, and who was so protective of him that when he got a bike, she made him stay on the driveway, riding around in little circles. He was skinny (185 pounds), raw, and thrilled to be playing in high school. He bulked up in a big way in college, so much so that a suspicious person might wonder if performance drugs were involved. By the time he was a senior he was 6-4, 220 pounds and could run like an antelope. He was taken in the third round of the NFL draft in 1996 and was hardly a sensation. Ten wide receivers were taken ahead of him and J. J. Stokes was the big name newcomer at the time.
Snip:
He's in deep trouble. He's lost his way, and not just as a player. Whether or not he ever plays in another Super Bowl isn't really the question. He's at risk for his life. And no, I am not saying it is anyone's fault but his. There are plenty of kids from tiny towns and humble backgrounds who hit the big time and manage just fine. He had a miracle chance and he blew it. But somewhere in there is that kid, riding little circles on his grandmother's driveway, the guy who was thrilled to have a chance to play. But right now that guy is lost. There are a lot of people who are completely fed up with him. And they wish Owens the worst.
They can stop now. They got their wish.
link:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=18&entry_id=9264#readmore
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