NewyScruggs Blog: Bob Costas Thinks T.O. Has Personality Issues

[CanadianCowboysFan]

TO had a screwed up childhood that most of us can't even imagine. He was raised by his crazy grandma and his father lived across the street for years without TO knowing it. It's very possible that he does have some problems because of that. Most people would.

I don't disagree but don't say I am not a psychologist then go on to diagnose someone with a psychological disorder.

 

[DallasEast]

oh boy!

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Sometimes I'm appalled at what I read here. I suppose let the flaming begin but I couldn't [respectfully] disagree with the above statements more.

IMO, Bob Costas is exactly right on in his statements. I myself came to the same conclusion about T.O., a LONG time ago, as well as Chad Johnson, among others. I don't know how anyone could possibly come to ANY other conclusion. He IS a big child. T.O. said it himself.. 'if it walks like a rat and talks like a rat.' Well T.O. definitely walks and talks like a big child, often. And if you don't see that, then your Cowboys bias is blinding. Kudos to Costas for voicing his opinion on the matter while many others (apparently including the large majority of members here) make excuses for the guy saying "he's just emotional" or the media has it out for him.

Would you honestly defend this guy so vehemently or take criticisms of him so personally if he weren't a Dallas Cowboy? I think not. I doubt you were lining up in his defense when he was labelled the same way during his fallout in Philadelphia. Or San Francisco. In fact, you probably would have agreed with Costas' remarks at that time. I don't see anyone here emphatically defending Chad Johnson when Costas apparently made the same remarks in regards to him. You most likely agree with him on '85'. So why the double-standard when it comes to Owens? It's that coddling mentality Costas is speaking of that enables T.O.'s immaturity to continue and be acceptable behavior. It's especially sad to see the average fan respond that way when they don't know him personally and don't even have the vested interest in the individual that his occupational superiors have. He just plays football for your favorite team.

The bottom line is this. You never have and I don't think you ever will see Jason Witten (for example) act in the immature, flippant fashion that T.O. does. I'm sure Witten has ups and downs as well as personal losses, etc. like anyone other player. We know about Witten's rough upbringing in an abusive household. Yet he performs on the same large stage under the same pressures as T.O. and still handles himself on and off the field in a mature and collected manner and THAT is the standard to which these pro-athletes should be held. They live priviledged lives and earn a fortune to play a game for a living and we shouldn't blindly defend them for their ridiculous antics just because they can catch a football well. (Or not so well sometimes, in T.O.'s case )

Spot freaking on. If owens was on any team other than the Boys he would get nothing in the form of respect from this place. He didn't when he was an eagle going through that stuff.

 

[superpunk]

Spot freaking on. If owens was on any team other than the Boys he would get nothing in the form of respect from this place. He didn't when he was an eagle going through that stuff.

Are you really suggesting that Cowboys fans generally support Cowboys players?

Shocking.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Are you really suggesting that Cowboys fans generally support Cowboys players?

Shocking.

Of course they do, to the extent of being hypocrites.
Just not all of us do.

 

[jobberone]

Spot freaking on. If owens was on any team other than the Boys he would get nothing in the form of respect from this place. He didn't when he was an eagle going through that stuff.

Of course most of us didn't support him. We didn't know him. Many of us know what the media and people in general can do and that there's always two sides to a story. Most of us adopted a watchful waiting approach to TO until the smoke cleared and we could make an informed decision on what to think of him.

It's no longer shocking that most of us generally like TO and more admire his dedication and talents. He's not a bad guy and in fact appears to be a good one.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Of course most of us didn't support him. We didn't know him. Many of us know what the media and people in general can do and that there's always two sides to a story. Most of us adopted a watchful waiting approach to TO until the smoke cleared and we could make an informed decision on what to think of him.

It's no longer shocking that most of us generally like TO and more admire his dedication and talents. He's not a bad guy and in fact appears to be a good one.

There is some truth to what you say, but there isn't an NFL fan alive who didn't pay close attention to owens when he had his problems with either of his former teams.
Every body weighed in on it and the opinions were very different than the poor owens he gets now.

He continues to bring it upon himself. I can't feel sorry for a person who consistently does that.

 

[SultanOfSix]

There is some truth to what you say, but there isn't an NFL fan alive who didn't pay close attention to owens when he had his problems with either of his former teams.
Every body weighed in on it and the opinions were very different than the poor owens he gets now.

He continues to bring it upon himself. I can't feel sorry for a person who consistently does that.

Sorry, but no one watching the Owens scenario objectively can state he brings it upon himself, as if he's solely responsible. The fact of the matter is, the media partially created the man, and they continue to inculcate their image of him in the minds of the public. Like jobberone stated, I was one of the many who didn't believe the myth created by the media while he was on the 49ers and Eagles, and watched to see what would happen when he came aboard my team. I say myth, because it appears to be just that now that I've watched him on my team. You have to understand, portions of the media never really want to look wrong. They'll spin it to seem they were misled before they admit to the latter.

 

[jobberone]

There is some truth to what you say, but there isn't an NFL fan alive who didn't pay close attention to owens when he had his problems with either of his former teams.
Every body weighed in on it and the opinions were very different than the poor owens he gets now.

He continues to bring it upon himself. I can't feel sorry for a person who consistently does that.

I can't fault you for judging him for that and I can't argue with that last point. I do think he's gotten enough support to be able to handle a lot of attn not self generated as well. I refuse to believe that most people really care that much or even believe some of the things they say about him. It's got to be orchestrated at least a little.

 

[superpunk]

Of course they do, to the extent of being hypocrites.
Just not all of us do.

I see nothing wrong or hypocritical in that. I'm sure plenty of people mocked Charles Haley as a 49er. Those same people can appreciate the contributions he made to the Cowboys dynasty. Holding people's pasts against them instead of just moving on is pointless.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

I see nothing wrong or hypocritical in that. I'm sure plenty of people mocked Charles Haley as a 49er. Those same people can appreciate the contributions he made to the Cowboys dynasty. Holding people's pasts against them instead of just moving on is pointless.[/QUOTE]

I would agree with that generally. In this case owens hasn't let be his past.
He's still doing the very same things he always has. Just not as severe.
He might never get any worse, I don't know that, but he still does the same things. That's not past, that is present.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

Sorry, but no one watching the Owens scenario objectively can state he brings it upon himself, as if he's solely responsible. The fact of the matter is, the media partially created the man, and they continue to inculcate their image of him in the minds of the public. Like jobberone stated, I was one of the many who didn't believe the myth created by the media while he was on the 49ers and Eagles, and watched to see what would happen when he came aboard my team. I say myth, because it appears to be just that now that I've watched him on my team. You have to understand, portions of the media never really want to look wrong. They'll spin it to seem they were misled before they admit to the latter.

And yet he keeps throwing gas on the flames.

 

[Iago33]

There is some truth to what you say, but there isn't an NFL fan alive who didn't pay close attention to owens when he had his problems with either of his former teams.
Every body weighed in on it and the opinions were very different than the poor owens he gets now.

He continues to bring it upon himself. I can't feel sorry for a person who consistently does that.

You think most NFL fans paid as close attention to Owens when he had his problems with other teams as we do to Dallas Cowboys players? We live and breathe what goes on with our players--other players we may read an article about....

I was not as educated on the Philly situation as die-hard Philly fans were. To be honest, as long as it hurt them I didn't care who did what to whom. I don't follow other players like I do our own, and I would imagine that's true for the vast majority of NFL fans.

 

[SultanOfSix]

And yet he keeps throwing gas on the flames.

I have to disagree with this. Nothing that I can recall that he's said if he wasn't TO would be anything that would be considered such. I'm positive that if he went completely silent with the media, the media would still spin it like he's giving them the cold shoulder. But, it's impossible for a sports figure of his caliber to be like that. He just has to be responsible to the best of his ability, which I think he's done. To me, particular people in the media such Keyshawn Johnson and Tom Jackson, have been shown to be more irresponsible than him.

 

[Dave_in-NC]

I have to disagree with this. Nothing that I can recall that he's said if he wasn't TO would be anything that would be considered such. I'm positive that if he went completely silent with the media, the media would still spin it like he's giving them the cold shoulder. But, it's impossible for a sports figure of his caliber to be like that. He just has to be responsible to the best of his ability, which I think he's done. To me, particular people in the media such Keyshawn Johnson and Tom Jackson, have been shown to be more irresponsible than him.

I get your point but like another poster said, it would all calm down if owens himself would let it. To me his no comment today was huge. If he can keep that up it will get boring even for the media. I doubt he can, he likes the attention, any kind of attention.

 

[WV Cowboy]

I understand where people choose not to like Owens.

He is not what most of our parents, or coaches taught us we should be like.

However, I have coached for 16 or 17 seasons and I have seen all kinds, ... not all were what our parents or coaches taught us we should be like.

As the coach, I still had to find a way to embrace them though, whether they were my idea of the model player or not.

That was my initial reaction when he came here.

I have to say, I paid no attention to Owens when he was at SF.

I only started to sort of follow him because he was in the NFC East.

I saw how he reacted in a couple of situations, and I kind of started to like the guy. He reminded me of a couple of kids that I have coached.

Because of my utter disdain for McSpoiled, I tried to see Owens side during that fiasco in Philthy and came to the conculsion that McChunky was as much at fault as Owens, if not more so. He was like the teachers pet that did stuff to get others in trouble, but always came out smelling like a rose.

Donny boy is a big strong athlete, and when healthy, a very good QB, but he is a putz, a spoiled and catered to athlete, ... wouldn't want him as my QB, ever. He is not a leader because he is not secure enough to share the glory.
And he seems to shrink in the clutch.

This passionate hate that the media has for Owens either started when he crossed paths with McPuke, or because he signed with the dreaded Dallas Cowboys.

A move that I was in favor of since I heard he might come here.

But that is when this all became so personal with the media.

I have never seen an athlete villified by the media to the lengths that Owens is. He is not without guilt, be he does not deserve the treatment that he gets. It does not matter what he says or does, they find fault.

They would love to see your Cowboys blow up mid-season, and they would love to blame Owens so they could say, "I told you so."

He hasn't done anything since he has been in Dallas, except work hard, catch balls, score TD's, and set records.

So to say we all hated him prior to him becoming a Cowboy is not true in my case. He is not perfect, but I have found enough to like about him to offset what I don't like.

I'm glad he's here. We would suck offensively without him.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

I understand where people choose not to like Owens.

He is not what most of our parents, or coaches taught us we should be like.

However, I have coached for 16 or 17 seasons and I have seen all kinds, ... not all were what our parents or coaches taught us we should be like.

As the coach, I still had to find a way to embrace them though, whether they were my idea of the model player or not.

That was my initial reaction when he came here.

I have to say, I paid no attention to Owens when he was at SF.

I only started to sort of follow him because he was in the NFC East.

I saw how he reacted in a couple of situations, and I kind of started to like the guy. He reminded me of a couple of kids that I have coached.

Because of my utter disdain for McSpoiled, I tried to see Owens side during that fiasco in Philthy and came to the conculsion that McChunky was as much at fault as Owens, if not more so. He was like the teachers pet that did stuff to get others in trouble, but always came out smelling like a rose.

Donny boy is a big strong athlete, and when healthy, a very good QB, but he is a putz, a spoiled and catered to athlete, ... wouldn't want him as my QB, ever. He is not a leader because he is not secure enough to share the glory.
And he seems to shrink in the clutch.

This passionate hate that the media has for Owens either started when he crossed paths with McPuke, or because he signed with the dreaded Dallas Cowboys.

A move that I was in favor of since I heard he might come here.

But that is when this all became so personal with the media.

I have never seen an athlete villified by the media to the lengths that Owens is. He is not without guilt, be he does not deserve the treatment that he gets. It does not matter what he says or does, they find fault.

They would love to see your Cowboys blow up mid-season, and they would love to blame Owens so they could say, "I told you so."

He hasn't done anything since he has been in Dallas, except work hard, catch balls, score TD's, and set records.

So to say we all hated him prior to him becoming a Cowboy is not true in my case. He is not perfect, but I have found enough to like about him to offset what I don't like.

I'm glad he's here. We would suck offensively without him.

This is a good post.

I know what you meant in the bold. But to me there is a definitely twist to that. Kids should be more like Owens in atleast one way... heck some adults should be like Owens in one... that way being... HE IS A SELF MADE MAN... He made himself who he is today, success-wise.... how many people would have folded up the tent after his rough/tough upbringing.

 

[Plumfool]

You know it is very disheartening to hear people tear a person down just to make themselves larger. I watch TO and I do see a person who is a bit narssisistic. Maybe a bit different; but not a bad person. And thats the part that bothers me most: is the disdain he recieves when these individuals chime in on their opinons of the man. I can gurantee only a handful have even spoken to him ever. But yet they somehow have pschoanalyzed him from afar. Even when the do praise him, its in a backhanded manner. Which leads me to wonder if most have a personal vendetta.

 

[Da Hammer]

i wonder if we will ever see a 60 minutes interview or somethin with T.O that would be koo because i think it would allow him to show the nation the type of person he really is although a lot of people in media have a pure agenda and would say everythin he said was BS so maybe it would be a waste of time although at least the fans would be able to see who he really is!

 

[Spectre]

Why does no one here seem to grasp the fact that you are accusing the media of attacking T.O. from afar when they don't know him personally, aren't qualified to judge him and have an agenda when that is EXACTLY what the members here are doing, only in defense of Owens?

None of you know him personally or have even the slightest connection to him beyond his presence on your favorite football team. So how is the media, who have at least been in his immediate presence on multiple occasions, spoken with him directly and are employed to follow these players' lives closely, not entitled to their opinion but you are yours?

Doesn't make sense. I understand contraversy is good for business in the media world but I have to admit I am more apt to accept their take on T.O. than yours because they have at least had direct contact with him and have to maintain some kind of credibility in order to stay employed and (most importantly) don't have the vested interest in seeing the Dallas Cowboys as 'all peaches and cream' the way you do.