Terrell Owens: the most outspoken man in football

Perhaps no player in NFL history has ever gotten more attention for playing less football than Terrell Owens did last year. The five-time Pro Bowl receiver was punted by his own team for nine games for "conduct detrimental to the Philadelphia Eagles." But why? Because he held out for a better contract after inking a lucrative five-year deal just a year before? For saying that if the Eagles had a different quarterback than Donovan McNabb they'd be in a "better situation?" Both here and in his recent memoir, T.O. (Simon & Schuster), Owens cuts loose with his side of the story.

DAVE HOLLANDER: First question: In your opinion, is life fair?

TERRELL OWENS: I can say, going through what I went through in Philly, that life isn't fair. But you have to learn how to deal with the consequences, whether you feel it's right or wrong.

DH: How do you feel about [Eagles quarterback] Donovan McNabb now?

TO: He's a great personality, but I will stand by what I said. I came in there and became a fan favorite right under his nose, and it wasn't something that I was trying to do. It just so happened I was a personality, and when I got there, you know, I gained a lot of popularity with the fans. Some people can handle that, and some people can't.

DH: Based on what I've read in your book, I don't think you guys will be sharing any Campbell's Chunky soup [which McNabb is a spokesperson for] any time soon.

TO: If we have a future dialog with each other, I am open and receptive to that. I don't think he's a bad person, but just like people may have their opinions about me, I have my opinions about him.

DH: Around the time when everything was happening between you and the Eagles and McNabb, the president of the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP in an article essentially said that McNabb was letting black people down because he didn't run the ball. What did you think about that?

TO: I didn't know where that came from or what he was trying to imply. Donovan has faced a lot of criticism as well, and I think he's smart enough to deal with things as they come. I think the bigger issue around that time was me and the Eagles and Donovan.

DH: You don't think McNabb is selling out his race, do you?

TO: I didn't see that in him. Donovan out of the blue did try to throw the race card on me last season. So it makes you wonder where this is coming from.

DH: Your end-zone celebrations are now the stuff of legend. And they're very entertaining. Do you consider yourself a funny guy?

TO: Yeah, to people who know me. But publicly, no. I'm not a person who, outside of football, is gonna be the guy who wants a whole lot of attention.

DH: You've sure gotten a lot of attention for someone who doesn't want it.

TO: That's one thing that I've learned about this sport: You're going to get attention whether you want it or not. It's like, you are going to be a role model to kids, whether you want it or not.

DH: Your suspension with the Eagles--you went into arbitration to fight it and you raised a lot of issues about players' rights in the

NFL. Is there a lack of fairness?

TO: Yes, but that was more of an injustice with the arbitrator's ruling [upholding the suspension]. Of those infractions the Eagles were presenting against me, only the $150 fine for being late was accurate. That was it. I admit I was wrong for that, but all these other incidents, we basically blew them out of the water.

DH: There's a big difference, it seems to me, between basketball, baseball, and football. Football players have a much shorter lifespan, and they don't have guaranteed contracts.

TO: That's right. This is not to discredit the attorneys or the players' association, but I will say that compared to the basketball players union and the baseball player's union, I feel like we need to have a stronger union to push for players' rights.

DH: There's a book out right now by New York Times columnist William C. Rhoden called Forty Million Dollar Slaves. He argues that even though players are making million-dollar salaries, they are slaves as long as owners control the rules that allow that money to be made.

TO: Look at the millions of dollars pumped in from TV networks every year, and then look at football salaries compared to basketball and baseball. They're raising billions of dollars and the owners are pocketing the majority of the money, and it's like they're rationing it out to the players. But until something happens or people step up and make a stand, it will continue. Players have to realize that and stand up and let there be a strike. I'm not going to benefit from it, being my age and where I am in my career. But for the future guys. Dude, we put our hearts and our souls on the line. We put our bodies at such risk.

DH: You signed a deal with Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. Do you feel in that relationship that you guys are equal?

TO: Every owner is different, every situation is different. There are some people who are gonna be straight up and tell you what the deal is. There are shysters out there as well. Jerry is different, and I appreciate that he didn't get caught up in the negative reports about me.