ScottyRo

Owens told the Miami Herald, "At the end of the day, I don't have to worry about what people think of me, whether they hate me or not. People hated on Jesus. They threw stones at him and tried to kill him, so how can I complain or worry about what people think?"

Never one to shy away from controversy, Owens continued, "How can you justify hating me after I worked so hard rehabilitating from a broken leg to get back to the Super Bowl to help our team try to win? Really, you've got to look at who the villain really is in this thing."

Owens seeming to compare himself to Jesus is just the latest in a long line of quotes to get the receiver into hot water.

In April, Owens said, "(I) wasn't the guy who got tired in the Super Bowl," in an obvious reference to quarterback Donovan McNabb, whose late-game management in Super Bowl XXXIX drew criticism.

In an interview with Playboy magazine, Owens took a shot at former teammate Jeff Garcia, saying, "Like my boy tells me: If it looks like a rat and smells like a rat, by golly, it is a rat," when asked if he thought that the quarterback was gay.

Later, Owens furiously backed off his "smell like a rat" comment by saying, "I didn't say that he was gay. The conversation and the interview were loose. To my knowledge, I'm not sure if Jeff is gay or not. I've seen him out — he had a girlfriend when we were in San Fran. There's been a recent report that he has a girlfriend now. That was the extent of it. Everybody's going to make a big deal out of it. It wasn't like I came out and said 'Jeff was gay.' People asked me similar questions about Steve Young. Everybody is going to have their rumors."

Owens is Exhibit A in Rosenhaus' contention that players often perform beyond the means of their current salary. While teams can void contracts on a whim, players aren't allowed to re-adjust earnings based on performance.

"What we're saying," Rosenhaus said, "is that same logic that allows a team to cut a player or reduce his salary should apply the other way in this type of situation."

Owens isn't the only player threatening to hold out until his respective team gives into his and Rosenhaus' demands. Packers receiver Javon Walker and defensive tackle Grady Jackson, Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan and Colts running back Edgerrin James are other notable players represented by Rosenhaus who are not satisfied with their current contracts.

The Eagles and Packers have stated that they will not give into the demands of Rosenhaus and the players, and Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie has the support of Falcons owner Arthur Blank.

"I think it's a mistake if Philadelphia gives in," Blank said in an interview with Sporting News Radio. "I don't know T.O. I know the folks at Philadelphia well. I know Jeff Lurie. I know (Eagles president) Joe Banner."

"In my judgment, if (Owens) had played at that level for two or three years and quietly had gone into management and said, 'Listen, guys, this isn't right. I'm playing at an extraordinary high level. Instead of being the No. 1, No. 2 paid receiver in the league, I'm No. 15 or 18 or 20. Is there something we can do about this?' I don't know what they would have done, but certainly their response may have been different."

Rosenhaus, on the HBO show Real Sports, said that Walker will not report to Packers training camp when veterans are scheduled to report on July 27.

"The news on Javon Walker is that we are, right now, we have already decided he is not going to go to training camp," Rosenhaus said on Real Sports. "We've made the decision that we're not going to report to training camp. And I can't say when we will report, or if, or when, but he will not be at camp."

Walker, who has two years remaining on the five-year deal he signed as a rookie in 2001, is scheduled to make a base salary of $515,000 this season. Last year, the Packers receiver made the Pro Bowl and led the team with 89 receptions for 1,328 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Owens suffered a leg fracture and severe ankle sprain in a Week 15 game against the Cowboys, missed the final two regular season games and two playoff games before returning in time for the Super Bowl. Owens performing heroically in Super Bowl XXXIX, catching nine passes for 122 yards in a 24-21 loss to the Patriots.

Owens is set to receive $12.4 million over the first two years of a seven-year, $49 million deal that Owens signed before last season while working with agent David Joseph. Rosenhaus contends that contract ranks behind the deals of at least nine other NFL receivers.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/3775220

Whatever gets attention, I guess.