Talented Tantrums

Terrell Owens. Mario Balotelli. Carlos Tevez. Ndamukong Suh. Allen Iverson.

Anybody could tell you two things that all of these athletes have/had in common:
1. Immense talent.
2. Childish attitudes.

There is no doubting the big-play ability of Terrell Owens, the stunning strikes from Mario Balotelli and Carloz Tevez, the toughness of Ndamukong Suh or the quickness of Allen Iverson. But there are many out there that doubt the overall impact a person like that has on a team. Of course we have to weigh the pros and cons, and don’t forget, when considering what the team would be like without them, it is pure speculation. Too many of us get caught up in the “what if,” rather than just discussing the facts.
So let’s discuss the facts of Terrell Owens for a minute. The man is an entertainer, whether you like him or not. And what is an athlete if not an entertainer? Nobody in their right mind watches sports for a reason exclusive from being entertained. Terrell Owens was a player whom you couldn’t stop paying attention to, because you knew at any given moment, something amazing or amazingly ridiculous was about to happen. There’s everything from a first down catch against Green Bay in the playoffs, to pulling a Sharpie from his sock, to posing on the star in Dallas.

Now Mario Balotelli, in my mind, is almost like a younger Terrell Owens on a bigger scale. On a world scale, Manchester City and the Italian National Team are much bigger than the Dallas Cowboys. Now Balotelli, or should I say “Bibotelli,” is not in the press quite as much...perhaps because he doesn’t do shirtless workouts on his driveway for the media. But speaking of shirtless, his “Why Always Me?” antics sure got some press, as did his removing of his shirt after crushing a goal against Germany. And on that point, it’s always you because it’s always you, Mario. It’s as simple as that. Now he will go from a temper tantrum, to a fight with his coach which results in him being told he will never play for his club again, then being instrumental in them lifting the trophy...all the way to scoring two monstrous goals in the Euros to send Italy to the final against Spain, only to become practically invisible in that game.
These are only two examples of many. But what do you think...does the good outweigh the bad? Are the clutch shots, spectacular goals and tackles for a loss worth the on field antics, locker room disasters and media nightmares? You tell me.