T.O. and Ocho: Commisioners of the More Fun League

"I love me some me."-Terrell Owens

The famous quote by the oft-maligned wide receiver evokes one of two responses from pro football fans: laughter or anger. Mostly, fans turn their noses in disgust, citing T.O.'s self-promotion and vanity as reasons. Other NFLers get the same treatment. Chad Esteban Johnson Ochocinco is repeatedly criticized by the media for being a loudmouth and caring only about his personal accolades. What people say is certainly true. These guys love to showboat, celebrate when they score, talk trash, and often pout when they don't get the ball. However, it is all blown out of proportion. Both have clean criminal records, both are active in their respective communities, and both go out of their way to please their fans. For the most part they are just having fun.

The nickname No Fun League has come about for various reasons. Players are not able to celebrate when they score, quarterbacks play by touch football rules, and fines are handed out like pink slips in Detroit. The NFL is the most successful league in the U.S. because of the efficiency with which its run. Ochocinco's No Fun League is Commissioner Goodell's well oiled machine. This is not a letter to the commissioner asking for more lenient rules. The message here is to the fans. These brash and cocky athletes, not just Chad and Terrell, are good for the game. They provide perfect contrast to the Eli Mannings and, well, Peyton Mannings of the world. Part of the problem is that fans are brainwashed. They regurgitate whatever they hear on sports talk radio. When ESPN's talking robots (cough Mark Schlereth cough) go on rants about how T.O. is ruining the Cowboys, fans immediately hop on board.

One question I have is how someone can be insulted for putting a sharpie in his sock during a game and signing the football after scoring a touchdown. That is pure brilliance. T.O. should have been given a bonus for originality. The only thing that Chad should get nailed for is not coming through on some of his potential celebrations. Before the Bengals played the Bears this season, the flamboyant wideout instructed fans to crowd surf him from the endzone back to his sideline after a TD catch. Fearing an astronomical fine, he decided against it. Think of the joy that would have brought tens of thousands of Bengals fans, not to mention the millions watching on TV.

Many fans enjoy these silly outbursts, but loathe the "me me me" attitude. OK fine, but all professional athletes have that gene. When soon to be NFL prospects are lifting weights and running stadiums before the draft they are doing it for one of a few reasons:
1. To become the best.
2. To make money
3. To achieve their personal goal of making it to the NFL.
Not one of them is thinking "I really hope I can be a role player on a mediocre team." Every player wants to win. Every player wants to succeed as an individual. Show me a player that wants to win more than Terrell Owens and I'll eat my socks. The subjects of this article could probably do a better job of being team players, sure, but let's face it, all they really want to do is win. So, instead of chastising these guys for their antics, how about applauding them for their honesty? Nobody is going to change them, so how about this: shut up and enjoy it while it lasts.