Some people seem to think that complaining about your own performance in a team sport is selfish. After all, it's all supposed to be about the team. Terrell Owens is the devil himself for doing this, or at the very least, some sort of mythical figure of evil.
Roy Williams, Owens' "replacement" on the Dallas Cowboys, is likely to be the latest target of people who think like this.
He's disappointed with his performance throughout the season, and he should be. If it hadn't been for Miles Austin, Cowboys fans would have been wondering if it was too late to bring back T.O.
But there seems to be Ol' Roy's problem. From ESPN.com: "He gets the ball thrown correctly his way," Williams said of Austin. "I'm stretching and falling and doing everything. Everybody [else] who's been here's balls are there. Our footballs [from Romo to Williams] are everywhere right now."
And he's right. Romo and Williams just aren't on the same page. Romo is throwing behind Williams or Williams breaks off routes too early. And this is despite working out with Romo in the offseason, who believe it or not, actually worked out in the offseason. They were better when they were making it up on the fly last season.
Is he wrong for pointing it out, though? His team is 5-2, tied for first in their division, and can take the number one spot outright by beating the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend. Plus, he's rich, in shape, and plays football for a living. What the fuck could he have to complain about? Selfish prick. I'd sit on the bench and just be happy if they're paying me that kinda money.
See, that's what regular asshole sports fans say, not knowing the situation.
First of all, like always, a reporter asked the question and he simply answered it. He didn't call a press conference to announce that he sucks right now, because Fox is showing us that much for free. But most importantly, this has nothing to do with being selfish. He's happy his team is winning. In fact, ESPN.com said: "Williams stressed that he's pleased that the Cowboys are winning, but he's frustrated that he hasn't been more effective."
How hard is that to understand? Lemme put it in layman's terms.
Let's say you work in a warehouse, but you're just having a bad day. You're putting boxes on the wrong trucks, you're falling out of the scaffolding, and you just keep running over your supervisor's feet with the hand truck. But the company's still profitable. You just want to get through the day without injuring people. Including yourself. That's kinda where Roy is now. Everyone wants to be able to do their part for the team, unless they wash themselves with a rag on a stick. Those people just don't give a damn anymore.
Even T.O.'s drama came from that same line of thinking: "I just want to do my part." It's just that in his case, he believed that the best chance for anyone to win meant throwing him the ball. How was he supposed to know that he had hands of stone?
Not only that, what professional athlete do you know that doesn't want to play well every time out? These are competitive people who understandably get frustrated if they don't do well. What, do you think Michael Jordan punched Steve Kerr because of his geopolitical outlook? Getting angry at poor performances are part of what makes pro athletes into pro athletes, because if that anger is keeping you outside shooting jumpers in the rain, you're not calling into talk radio stations.
Pro athletes people are driven, trash-talking and obsessive, cheaters. Not to mention, bad losers and at times, generally bad people. We hate to see these qualities in people, but that's what makes them great. The only opinion that matters to them is theirs, not Nameless Sports Beat Reporter, who thinks he knows what they should be thinking. These people don't read the papers, anyway. Reading is for people who AREN'T living the dream. If I could run a 4.3, I'd have quit opening books in high school, too.
Maybe I'm crazy because it doesn't bother me to hear players talk like Roy Williams is doing now. Maybe I understand that sometimes, it's just not enough to be a part of the team, but a VALUED part of the team.
No, he's just being a diva. That must be it.
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