Owens a reminder that athletes aren't like rest of us

	Terrell Owens' unpredictability is reminiscent of the sometimes-erratic behavior of former DE Alonzo Spellman. Brian Bahr /Allsport
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I have been accused of not sending in my two cents worth on Terrell Owens. Only two mailbag entries deal with T.O. in any form at all, so either Andrew or you, my readers, are getting as tired of the whole thing as I am. My take on it is the same as the one I had when I wrote about Dimitrius Underwood, the former Viking No.1 draft choice who had a psychiatric breakdown.

I don't have a serious background in that field, but I do know something about schizophrenia, based on the experiences of someone close to me. I think Owens has major psychiatric problems. In this day and age many such people, particularly schizophrenics, can be stabilized with the proper medication. But here's where the psychiatric community falls short. It doesn't really understand, I believe, why dealing with superior athletes is different from treating normal people.

The psychotic meds that I've seen tend to have a dulling effect. For the normal patient this is no big deal, except in the case in which there's a major weight gain, but for a serious athlete it's devastating. Their temple is their body. Who wants to lose that little edge, that pop that separates them from the herd? So they get off the meds, and they have an episode. Then they have to get back on them, and they lose the burst. It's a vicious cycle.

Why do I think T.O. is a borderline schizophrenic? Because I've seen people with the disease who acted much in the same manner -- having periodic outbursts, never satisfied unless they're stirring up some kind of unrest, whether it's warranted or not. I felt sorry for Underwood and the Bears' DE, Alonzo Spellman, who both were schizophrenic affected, but It's hard to feel sorry for T.O. because he has a real mean streak. Not only that but he's a bully. You'll notice that he saved his heaviest shots at Donovan McNabb for when the QB was the farthest down, physically and emotionally. When McNabb was on top of his game, T.O. didn't bother him. I think Owens is headed for some serious problems unless he gets rid of the Drew Ronsenhaus types around him and gets some real treatment.

To answer one of the e-mail questions on T.O., from Bill of Chapel Hill, N.C. -- How would things be different if the Eagles had won the Super Bowl last year? I think that even then he would have found a way to make trouble, probably about his contract. Second part -- how many coaches would accept a meltdown such as the one the Eagles are going through now in exchange for a Super Bowl the previous year? Oh, almost all of them, figuring they'd be astute enough to know how to deal with T.O.

T.O. Question No. 2, from Jeff of Colorado Springs -- Can he be traded in mid-season? No, the deadline has passed.