The diva mentality at wide receiver isn't limited to just Terrell Owens. Damian Strohmeyer/SI
	POLL Which wide receiver is the NFL's biggest diva? Keyshawn Johnson Freddie Mitchell Randy Moss Terrell Owens  View Results

All the recent drama involving Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia got me thinking about NFL wide receivers. I'm convinced that no position in sports has more high-maintenance players.

That's not to say I'm condemning them or grouping them all in this category.  Still, I can't let another week go by without examining how one position can spawn so much diva-like behavior.

This issue has fascinated me for some time. Over the last couple of years, I've asked a few players, coaches and scouts about the trend. At first, I felt like I was reaching. Now I know I'm right. I've been certain since 2003, when Keyshawn Johnson was feuding with Jon Gruden in Tampa Bay, Owens was publicly chastising his offensive coordinator in San Francisco, and the Bengals' Chad Johnson and Saints' Joe Horn were paying hefty fines for their creative end-zone celebrations. Since then, the proof has rolled in.

I can start in Philly. When Owens demanded a new contract and made a flip remark about McNabb tiring in the Super Bowl, Owens went from being a great teammate to being a headache. The Eagles also have Freddie Mitchell, though he won't be around much longer now that he's talked his way out of town.

I'm only warming up. The enmity between Laveranues Coles and Joe Gibbs reached the point that Washington was willing to trade Coles to the Jets and take a $9 million salary cap hit. Plaxico Burress so infuriated the New York Giants with his hefty contract demands that the team publicly said it would no longer pursue him as an unrestricted free agent (they eventually signed Burress after he changed agents). I can't leave out Randy Moss, either. Minnesota finally tired of his attitude and shipped him off to Oakland.

Speaking of trades, wide receivers have easily been the most frequently moved players in the league over the last two years. Pro Bowlers such as Owens, Moss, Coles, Johnson, Jerry Rice and David Boston have all changed teams during that time. Some were dealt because they complained about their lack of catches; most simply became insufferable. But there's a deeper issue here and I've decided to explore it. So here are my theories on why so many high-maintenance athletes play wide receiver:

1. The personality of the position

Last fall, Keyshawn Johnson said, "I don't care how quiet a guy is. If he's a receiver, he has a big ego."

He's right. This has a lot to do with the fact that many NFL receivers rival NBA players in size, athleticism and expectations. They want the ball in their hands. They want people to notice their skills. In other words, they want to be the show. Some may not be as vocal about it -- Pro Bowlers such as Indianapolis' Marvin Harrison and Houston's Andre Johnson come to mind -- but they want their touches, too.

"Being a wide receiver is like being a jet pilot," says one longtime AFC scout. "It's a glamour job. Running backs were like that 20 years ago when people ran more, but now the receivers are in the spotlight. You get some of these guys together in one room and it's like a Ms. Universe pageant. They're all beautiful in their own minds and they all want to be No. 1."