PHILADELPHIA--According to a USA Today national survey, Eagles receiver Terrell Owens is now slightly less popular than the terror group Al Qaeda. Always a controversial figure, Owens’ reputation suffered a major blow when he decided to hold out of training camp recently, dropping him behind the likes of Osama bin Laden and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in terms of likeability. Others who finished ahead of Owens were congressman Tom DeLay and pop star Michael Jackson.

“Our polling shows that the Al Qaeda network is now more highly regarded by the American people than Terrell Owens,” said David Strussberg, USA Today editor. “A staggering 82 percent of the nation placed the terror group above Owens in likeability, as opposed to last year, when Owens edged Al Qaeda by a slight margin. Clearly the recent contract problems have hurt his reputation. Say what you want about al-Zarqawi, but he would never try to renegotiate a deal one year after it was signed.”

But the recent controversy isn’t the only reason Owens is so reviled. According to Strossberg, he’s always been unpopular with fans.

“People have a hard time relating to Terrell,” Strossberg said. “He’s extremely arrogant, he complains a lot, and he’s constantly pointing the finger at his teammates. Now his popularity is at an all time low. It’s really amazing how much people hate him. I mean, to be lower than Al Qaeda is pretty bad. They’ve killed thousands of people. Plus, they make all those scary videos. I never though anyone could be less likeable than them, but that’s Terrell Owens for you—always proving the naysayers wrong.”

Owens signed a highly publicized deal with the Eagles last season worth $46 million over 7 years, including millions in bonus money. After playing one year of the contract, Owens fired his longtime agent and friend David Joseph and hired Drew Rosenhaus, who promptly advised his client demand a new deal. The Eagles have refused, and now Owens is prepared for a lengthy holdout. Owens also had some harsh words for teammate Donovan McNabb, who he criticized for “getting tired” during the Super bowl. When told of the poll, McNabb said he wasn’t surprised at all.

“Al Qaeda or Terrell Owens, huh? I think I would probably select Al Qaeda, too,” McNabb said. “I can understand why so many fans despise him. To tell you the truth, I actually sent him some hate mail the other day myself. It was written in crayon and it said how I was going to be coming to his house and chopping him into little pieces. Then just to be mysterious I signed it ‘The Angel of Death.’ It didn’t work, though. He knew immediately it was from me. I guess I shouldn’t have used my Donovan McNabb stationary.”

Owens’ image problem isn’t likely to go away soon, but that doesn’t bother him. He has never been concerned with his public persona in the past, and this time is no different. When asked to comment about the recent poll results, Owens brushed them off and said the media was to blame for his bad reputation.

“I don’t care what people think of me. I really don’t,” Owens said during a telephone interview. “I know that I am just misunderstood. The media likes to villianize me and the public eats it right up. But the thing is, I have to do what’s best for me. And right now I’m not getting my fair market value. According to my agent, I deserve exactly $1.1 million more than I’m getting right now. I intent to sit out until I get it. And if the Eagles don’t oblige, then I’m prepared to sit out the remainder of my contract and throw my entire career down the toilet. That’ll teach them a lesson.”

If Owens refuses to return to work, the Eagles say they are prepared to move on without him. Coach Andy Reid is already preparing the rest of his team for life without T.O.

Copyright 2005, The Brushback - Do not reprint without permission