Life Class with Terrell Owens

In the style of Oprah Winfrey, we're going to take the lessons learned from Terrell Owens current dilemma and apply them to life. Lesson: don't burn your bridges.

When we're doing well we have the tendency to burn bridges. We believe that we don't need certain people, we sometimes have a nasty attitude, shun people who may help us, and behave other than our best. Terrell Owens, infamously known as T.O., is the classic example of what happens when you burn your bridges. We could go to Randy Moss but that's another story for another day. Terrell Owens is great receiver. He's accomplished things that most receivers dream of in his 15 year career. He's been in 6 pro bowls and 5 all pro teams and he's played with the best players. The problem is not his skill set, it's his attitude. Terrell Owens has burned every bridge he's ever crossed. He's a  known and a locker room cancer, who is no longer worth it. He's vocal about his grievances and seems to have little regard for the feelings of his team, the owners, or his teammates. Terrell Owens is now a 37 year old free agent in the winter of his NFL career with an injured knee and a history of burned bridges.

If there's a place where the smell of sulfur is the strongest, it's Baltimore. All of the analysts are naming the Baltimore Ravens as the perfect team for Owens. Their veteran receiver is on injured reserve, again, and the Anquan Boldin could use a veteran receiver equal. Everything is perfect, except that Terrell burned that bridge in 2004. In 2004, the Ravens were a struggling franchise. They were without a steady quarterback and a shadow of their 2000 Superbowl winning team. The Ravens figured they needed a wide receiver and negotiated with San Francisco to the rights to Owens. Well, Terrell negotiated his own contract with the Philadelphia Eagles and refused to go to the Ravens. The Ravens and 49ers were left to clean up the mess. With the new salary cap, salaries are short and memories are even shorter. Even if the Ravens could acquired Owens at a discount rate, I doubt they would, the wound is too fresh in the players, staff, and fans minds. This is the sentiment of every team that Owens has ever played for. There is no doubt about his skills and age and injury has never deterred a team from signing a player but there is no love for Owens.

As your grandmama would say, it's easier to maintain a bridge than to rebuild a bridge. The NFL is a small community. There are 32 pro teams with a 53 man roster. That means that there are 1,696 active players in the NFL and for every active player, there are 10 vying for their spot. The NFL no longer needs Terrell Owens, Terrell Owens needs the NFL and the NFL has shut its doors. Last week's workout reeked of desperation and no team bit. Let this be a lesson to all people in their career prime: a good attitude will keep the phone ringing long after it should have stopped. Show basic respect to everyone you meet and be nice to those you can't stand. Although you hope people have short memories, in reality memories are long when it comes to money.