J.K. Rolling

Author: Jeff Klein

You know what I am sick of in professional football? Wide receivers complaining that they are not getting the ball enough.

Every semi-talented wide receiver always thinks he should get the ball on every play. But lately the complaining has gotten out of control. Wide receivers now feel they have the right to rant and rave after every game about the lack of passes thrown their way. If their team loses, the receiver will vehemently claim that the coaching staff and quarterback blew the game by involving other players in the offense.

A couple of weeks ago, after the Cowboys lost to the Eagles on a game-ending interception, our favorite Terrell Owens launched into one of his patented tirades. As T.O. stormed into the locker room after the game, he reportedly screamed and demanded to know why the Cowboys bothered signing him in the off-season. Yeah, T.O., I am dying to know the same thing. Why did the Cowboys bother signing you when you've destroyed all the unity and clubhouse chemistry of every other team you have ever been on?

In the Cowboys' game against the Eagles, he dropped several more-than-catchable passes thrown by Drew Bledsoe. So if you're going to constantly cry about not getting the ball enough, T.O., you better catch the ones that come your way.

Meanwhile, two weekends ago, after the Bengals suffered a 14-13 loss to the previously winless Buccaneers, wide receiver Chad Johnson felt it was his turn to speak out. Claiming the team was no longer comprised of "the aggressors" like it was last season, Johnson offered his two cents: "We should at least have 10 more 50-yarders by now. I guarantee you eight of them would be completions. Put up a lot more points."

Yeah, Chad, that sounds like a great strategy for success. Johnson went on to lament the fact that because the Bengals' offensive players were no longer being "the aggressors" and getting him the ball on long routes, he couldn't trash-talk his opponents and make outlandish guarantees prior to a game, as he did last season. Aw, poor Chad. That's why your quarterback should throw to you more? Now that is really being a team player.

Look, I understand that a wide receiver will get frustrated when his team is losing and he is not getting the ball. Many wide receivers are more competitive than everyone else and want to put in that extra effort to win. But they have to understand that this is, above all, a team effort.

Some wide receivers have such inflated egos, it makes me cringe. Yes, T.O., yes, Chad, you guys are highly talented receivers who need the ball to make plays. But you're not God's gifts to the world. So stop whining and start winning.