Diva Wideouts

Not a whole lot else is happening when Terrell Owens being cut is portrayed as a shocking development on Sports Center. I think of T.O. as the new puppy on Christmas: it's fun for a while, but when it starts nipping at your fingers and then poops on the rug, the novelty starts to wear off. But he is very obviously not the only diva at receiver- even one of the harder nosed WRs, Anquan Boldin, recently had a little hissy fit in the NFC Championship over perceived lack of playing time. Something about the position seems to draw attention-seeking egomaniacs, to put it gently.

I think some of this might have to do with the circumstances surrounding the position. It is not the eldest child, the quarterback, nor the youngest, the halfback. Wide receiver is the middle child of offensive skill positions (tight end is the stepbrother and linemen are the one the parents disowned). Receivers are vital to the passing game, which is the most aesthetically pleasing phase of the game and produces the most dramatic plays, whether long gains for touchdowns or interceptions. But they are not the focal point of the passing offense. Obviously, that's the Peyton Mannings of the world. The running back, too, gets a phase of the game largely to himself: although the fullback and lineman have as much or more to do with the running game within the first four yards or so, the running back is perceived to be the key component close to the line of scrimmage and really is the key at the second level and beyond. Wide receivers, then, have almost nothing to themselves. Yes, acrobatic catches and balletic agility make highlight reels, but the quarterback gets to be involved in everything, and they're the ones with the MVP trophies. Receivers think of themselves as unappreciated- whether they're right or not I can't tell, but somehow, I don't think so.

Obviously, as the attention starved second son, the receiver has to make some noise to get noticed. This starts with demanding the ball. This is a way to let the public know that you're "hungry" and arrogant in that special way that can make an athlete great: Jordan was one of the world's most arrogant people, and a hitter who thinks he can't be beaten has an innate advantage over the one who expects it. The sports viewing public perceives a certain degree of brashness and bravado as a boost to a player. They admire the self-confidence and, to a certain extent, wish they had it in their own lives. Obviously, I generalize, but I think this is fair to say. The next step is in the celebrations. This one is very simple- it heightens the sense of drama in the player's accomplishments. In a way, it's like the Pavlov experiment: when the receiver scores, the audience gets the pleasure of seeing something wacky and original, establishing the mental connection (TD catch)X(Wide receiver)=happiness. Thus, even meaningless scores late in a game become highly anticipated moments with dramatic overtones. Even a Steelers fan like myself was at least partially invested in seeing Chad Johnson (I absolutely refuse to refer to him by his new name, which, incidentally, means "eight-five" not "eighty-five") score. "What sort of shenanigans will he get into this time?" is the general mode of thought. When even such antics aren't enough to claim the whole spotlight (hellooooo, popcorn in my face!), things become drastic. Now it's time to bring in the artillery: annoying, repetitive accusations of being overlooked in the passing game. "Never mind that I've had more yards and touchdowns than the other receivers combined," Owens says in essence, "Romo is clearly avoiding me to run super secret plays with his BFF Jason Witten." This is all in search of validation- the receiver wants his contribution recognized at the level he thinks it deserves to be. His perceived self-worth is partially inflated by the inferiority complex and jealousy brought on by the media focus on the quarterback, much like the artist or musician who thinks he must be a great deal better than his more popular counterpart precisely because a little less attention is payed to him. Sometimes the bridesmaid wants the reception to be in her honor.