Stop Talking and Just Play!

Here is a contribution from our two new freshman writers Kenny and Jake:

Wide receivers, the playmakers of the N.F.L. happen to complain more than any other position players. Why?

Wide receivers are important in football because they play a key role in making plays. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to complain, because the majority of wide receivers only want the ball. They will usually blame the coaching staff because of the play-calling or the quarterback because he did not throw the ball to them.

Terrell Owens, a premier wide receiver in the N.F.L., has been tagged as a huge complainer. He’s been quoted as saying: “When I get my hands on the ball, good things happen,” and, “I can’t throw and catch the ball myself.” Most wide receivers, like Owens, are very selfish in wanting the ball. However, it’s not exactly fair to blame them. They truly are the ones that can turn the game around.

Plaxico Burress, another all-pro receiver for the New York Giants, has had similar issues. During New York’s week 3 match up against the San Francisco 49ers, Burress was penalized twice for completely unnecessary displays of aggression. Tom Coughlin, the coach of the Giants, confronted Burress on the sideline in response to the costly errors. The two broke into a heated argument that resulted in Burress receiving a one game suspension. The suspension was unwarranted—Burress was simply upset with his performance, but he expressed his anger through a questionable medium.

How could you talk about outrageous wide receivers without mentioning the infamous “Ocho Cinco?” In the summer of 2008, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson no longer was Chad Johnson. He legally changed his name to Chad Javon Ocho Cinco. His uniform number is 85, so the eccentric playmaker decided to make it his new last name. “Ocho Cinco” is a great wide out in the N.F.L. but has had his fair share of problems on and off the field. The reason why Chad is not meeting expectations is because of his team’s difficulty to win games and the injury to Bengals’ starting quarterback, Carson Palmer. In his first five games of the 2008 season, he only caught 14 passes, which is a significant decrease in production from last year.

Don’t you find it funny that most talented wide receivers complain? Play after play, wide receivers run up and down the field even when the ball is not put in their hands. They do have some right to complain. However, all wide receivers should stop talking and just play!