ORCHARD PARK - Terrell Owens is hardly a candidate for being a sympathetic figure.

The Bills’ veteran wide receiver, acquired as a free agent during the off-season, has been a career-long lightning rod.

A self-promoting diva who has always seemed more concerned about his own stats than his team’s, T.O. had been a distraction in three different NFL lockerrooms.

Some would argue he’s starting a fourth.

But while virtually all of T.O.’s travails have been self-inflicted, it’s hard not to feel a little bit sorry for him.

TWO WEEKS ago yesterday, at his Wednesday session with the media, Owens was asked about Trent Edwards’ performance in the heartbreaking loss at New England.

In so many words, T.O. explained that when the Bills’ QB looked the at the video of the game, he would probably see some missed opportunities to throw the ball down the field.

Edwards admitted exactly the same thing later that day.

But it was T.O. who was subsequently filleted nationally, particularly by ESPN’s Mark Schlereth who maintained Owens’ philosophy was “I cannot tell a lie, it was his fault over there.”

It was a grossly unfair shot - albeit a product of T.O.’s history. Owens gave an honest, uncritical answer to a legitimate question and, in no way criticized, Edwards.

HE WAS A target again on Monday following the bizarre post-game press conference after Sunday’s loss to the Saints when he immediately sprinted off the field, quickly changed clothes and answered 11 questions with snipped answers that totaled 117 words that included three phrases repeated a total of eight times.

Anybody watching the tape of the session couldn’t miss the fact T.O. was bothered not only by the loss but also the fact that his streak of 185 straight games with at least one reception - almost 12 full seasons - had come to an end.

That night, NBC studio analyst Tony Dungy noted of T.O’s press conference, “You really don’t want that. But I think you know that’s what you get with Terrell Owens.

“When things aren’t going well, you’re going to get stuff like that. That’s hard to coach.”

To which fellow commentator, Rodney Harrison, the former Patriots and Chargers strong safety who previously called T.O. a “clown” added, “(he’s) more concerned with his own stats than the team’s success.”

Owens wasn’t amused.

While he declined to attack Dungy, the respected former Colts coach, Harrison got no such break.

T.O. sent out this series of three Twitters.

“I could (care) less about Rodney Harrison! Anybody (that’s) using steroids, yes STEROIDS rodney, is a cheater & cheated the game!

“(Did you use) steroids (because you) were worried about (your) stats or (was) it (because you) were losing it? (Laugh out loud)! (You’re) a loser & a cheater? Got any steroids I (can) borrow?”

“Hey rodney! Send me (some) steroids (to) the Bills facility next week!”

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The words in parenthesis replace the Twitter/Text abbreviations used to economize on characters.)

WHEN ASKED about those Twitters, Owens maintained,” I think I choose what I say very wisely. I don’t think I say anything out of the way that would have created any type of controversy or division within this locker room. If I fire back at someone who is making an asinine comment about me, then yes I am going to fire back and I think that’s an avenue with Twitter I can use to get my point across.”

As for his response to Harrison, he said, “It is what it is. Those guys are going to say what they want to say and I can only take so much of being the butt of someone’s jokes. They want to try to get on there and make a name for themselves, but I’m not going to allow someone to call me a clown and just run all over me.

“I’ve been taking enough heat as it is with the media. When you have someone who has played this game (Harrison) ... I responded the way I knew how, said what I had to say and left it at that.”

He added of Harrison, “I played (against) him when I was in San Francisco. We pretty much got the best of him. Other than that he’s just a regular loud-mouth safety. He (was) pretty good back there, but I don’t know what prompts guys to get on national television and say some of the things they have to say.”

OWENS, who admits, “the camera is always on me,” conceded that he’s bothered by the way his comments are microscoped.

“It’s very frustrating because I think that some of the guys and the coaches want to me step up and be more vocal and say things as a leader,” he said. “I feel like sometimes I try to do that, try to say things in a subtle way without being harsh, but other outlets are taking those quotes, making them headlines and making them more of an issue than they really are. I think that’s why the first couple of games I tended not to say anything.”

T.O. added, “I’ve always been vocal and always spoken honestly and I think over the years that has gotten me in trouble and created some sort of division in the locker room with some of the guys on the team. I just try to do the right thing now. (But) even when I try to do the right thing, it’s not the right thing. I’m in a no-win situation. So I just try to be the best I can be without offending someone.”

(Chuck Pollock, the Times Herald sports editor, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)

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RKT wrote on Oct 2, 2009 7:24 PM:

" The only way in most people's minds that TO comes off as sympathetic is having to play for the inept Buffalo Bills in his sunset career. Talk about hitting rock bottom after being in San francisco, Dallas, and Philadelphia. Ending up in a palookaville WNY city like Buffalo would elicit tears from almost anybody outside WNY "

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