Corsicana — Dear readers, we all know sports figures are the same as other celebrities in that they display good, bad, and the ugly. There are those who believe these individuals should not be held up as “role models,’’ as teachers, service men and women, police officers, fire fighters, presidents, and parents are better suited for such endeavors. I understand the point those folks are trying to make. However it’s my opinion sports figures should carry themselves in a manner setting a positive example for our young fans. Sports figures, especially “superstars’’ whether they like it or not, are often emulated and looked up to by countless young people whom watch their every move both on and off the field. Emmitt Smith used to say he never considered himself a role model, but he usually carried himself in a way making him a gentleman on and off the field. I think there are far more of those individuals than those such as “Terrell’s Gone.’’ I refer to Terrell Owens as “Terrell’s Gone’’ as a sort of good riddance.

His latest gaff with the Allen Wranglers is just one of many in his career. It’s a shame his athletic talents didn’t show up in his various on and off the field antics. Most players making the kind of money he does do not need to play in the minor leagues once their big league career is over. To be fair Terrell Owens is far from being the only superstar winding up, relatively speaking, broke. That however, is something to be discussed separately. Owens felt he was too good and didn’t have time to visit a children’s hospital. According to the Wranglers, this along with various other team violations was the last straw. There are those believing the Wranglers were to blame due to the fact they knew about his poisonous behavior before they signed him. Since I believe in a little thing called “personal responsibility,’’ I don’t see it that way. The Wranglers were merely exercising a great publicity move and giving a fallen warrior an opportunity to make a living and rehabilitate his miserable reputation. Owens failed deplorably. That is why he is now “Terrell’s Gone.’’ Now he has the unbelievable gall to threaten the Wranglers with a lawsuit that should be thrown out like last week’s garbage.

Some years ago Owens displayed his odorous talents in a game against our Dallas Cowboys. By the way, unfortunately, “America’s Team’’ is not immune to various sports malcontents. Several years ago the Cowboys employed a gifted and talented running back by the name of Duane Thomas. He was a live wire. Thomas once referred to a much respected Tom Landry as “phony and a plastic man.’’ Anyway, in a contest against the Cowboys as a San Francisco 49er,  Owens took it upon himself to grandstand by running to the middle of the field. There he proceeded to take a bow upon the Cowboy’s star insignia. I remember thinking, even though he received a penalty, George Teague was a hero for leveling Owens. Funny how things wind up as a few years later he became a Dallas Cowboy. I believed then it was just one of Jerry Jones’ mistakes as a general manager. Sure enough, true to form, Owens embarrassed himself and the Cowboys with yet another one of his distasteful escapades. In a game against the Redskins in 2006, Owens preceded to act as if he was taking a nap using the football as a pillow after catching a TD pass. This was in response to members of the media pointing out his habit of falling asleep during team meetings. I remember Randy White threatening to kick a certain player’s tail for such an offense during his playing career. Owens should be glad Randy White wasn’t around when he played.

The list of his pathetic behavior was as long as one’s arm. In 2006 during a Thanksgiving Day game against Tampa Bay, Owens committed an “Oops, I did it again’’ incident in which he dropped the football into a Salvation Army red kettle as his donation after catching a TD pass. He quipped, “That was my donation. I hope it was worth as much as the fine.’’ In a 2007 game against the Dolphins, he mocked Bill Belichick after scoring a TD by hiding behind the goal post and using the football as a camera like he was secretly spying and filming game footage. He was fined $7,500 by the NFL. Pocket change to people like him, but that just opens another can of worms. Owens said it was because he used the football as a prop and not because it was a classless act. There simply is not enough space to list all, or more of Owens’ “gentlemanly” behavior. I believe you “get the picture’’ and it’s not a pretty work of art.

I’m glad dear readers, there are much more examples of upstanding sports figures like Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, and Randy White than Terrell Owens. Until next week we can be happy that Terrell’s Gone.  

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Mark Fleischer is a Daily Sun columnist. His column appears on Sundays. Want to “Soundoff” on this column? Email: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com