The "Today's Athlete" dilemma

Terrell Owens was recently asked to leave Eagles training camp and "given a week off." This illustrates an interesting trend having to do with today's big name athletes.

Imagine if Bud Grant had still been coach of the Minnesota Vikings when Randy Moss came around. What would have happened if Bear Bryant was at the helm of a team consisting of Keyshawn Johnson and Terrell Owens? In today's atmosphere, who wins out? The hard-nosed coach or the troublesome but talented player?

Here is the dilemma: Teams have to win at almost any cost. Professional sports are businesses these days and a team needs to do whatever it takes to win. The problem comes when the most talented players on a team understand this. They realize that they are indispensable. The classy ones take that bit of knowledge with a grain of salt and display some integrity. But increasingly more athletes are taking things into their own hands by demanding more money even if their contract isn't up, or extending their feelings of invincibility outside the football field and breaking laws. So what's a team to do?

The Vikings made their decision. After seven years of putting up with Moss' on and off the field antics, they finally traded him away. Many other teams handle situations similarly, while others allow their players to do anything as long as they put up the numbers.

Throughout sports history, there have been controversial players. Babe Ruth is as well known for his ability to party as he is for his ability to hit the ball out of the park. But the Babe Ruths of the world used to be few and far between. Now you can barely go a day without hearing about some star athlete demanding more money or fighting his most recent charges.

In my opinion, more teams need to do what the Vikings did. Let the trouble go. Respect the integrity of the sport. Respect the rules of society. No one should be able to act like these guys, no matter how much money they make. No matter how many fans forgive anything and everything in exchange for a touchdown. Would it really be so bad if Owens or Johnson or Moss couldn't find a job? Would the NFL really be affected that much?

The Vikings didn't think so, and neither do I.