In Defense of T.O.

Terrell Owens is obnoxious. He is pompous. He is arrogant.

Owens is also unique. He is unique because he is real. In a world full of those who are merely concerned with mastering their image and pretending to be people they are not, Terrell Owens dares to be himself. Owens does not hide his obnoxious, self-serving behavior. On the contrary, he flaunts it.

One could not help but feel the excitement of the sports media with the reports of Owen’s attempted suicide. Their excitement was not at the thought of T.O.’s possible death, but rather it was the belief that he had become depressed. The news of an attempted suicide suggested the demise of someone sports writers despise.

In sports we love to see the underdog succeed. We love to cheer for the good guy. We also love to watch the favorites and the arrogant fail. Perhaps there is some deeper meaning. Maybe we live vicariously through the underdogs because we see a little part of ourselves in them.

So why do we hate Terrell Owens?

Do we hate T.O. because he epitomizes all the qualities we hate about fellow citizens, co-workers, or employers? Do we hate him because he represents every spoiled kid that we grew up with who somehow always got his way? Do we hate him because we are told to hate him? Or because it is cool to hate him?

As an economist, I often find myself questioning others and in contradiction to the conventional wisdom (it is by no coincidence that this term was coined by an economist). Thus I find myself asking a different question.

Why don’t we love Terrell Owens?

In a world full of people pretending to be something they are not, Owens dares to be real. His actions may be deplorable at times, but they are genuine. We boo Alex Rodriguez because he is too clean-cut, too defensive. Yet we boo Owens for being just the opposite. Owens hides nothing. He was once quoted as saying, “I love me some me.” Honesty — and arrogance — is not displayed any clearer.

Ultimately, whether you like him or hate him, Terrell Owens is very much the product of a 24/7 news environment. The media may despise him, but they are the ones who enable Owens to constantly be in the public spotlight.

But while some are inclined to hate Owens, I choose to embrace him. Sure, he is pompous and obnoxious, but he is also real. Which is more than I can say for many of the figures who are featured on the 24/7 news cycle.