Put up and shut up.(My Turn)(national football league)

Can I see a show of hands of those who think the 49ers, Buccaneers, Vikings and Giants are living up to expectations this year? Anyone? Didn't think so.

What do these teams have in common? They have (or had) a very talented, but very loud and self-absorbed, player on their rosters. These guys--Terrell Owens, Keyshawn Johnson, Randy Moss and Jeremy Shockey--don't understand that there is no "I" in "team." Although a couple of them have been quieted this season for different reasons, I still believe players of their ilk are hurtful to their teams, in spite of their supreme talent.

I was driving in my car the other day with my 12-year-old son, listening to sports radio. The discussion was about one of the many NFL players who whines about not getting the ball enough to suit his ample ego.

That caused me to wonder, What kind of messages are these guys sending to 12-year-old athletes?

Recently, Tampa Bay management sent a message to Johnson and any player who emulates him when the team deactivated him.

If a player can make $5 million or $10 million dollars a year to run, throw or catch a ball, more power to him. But with those millions comes responsibility. The other 10 athletes on the field wearing the same color jerseys deserve a teammate who understands the concept of team. Johnson, Moss, Owens, Shockey and a few others don't get it.

I refer to guys like them as "Pronouns," because their favorite words are "I" and "me."