All D-Roc

Most of the great athletes have a swagger about them. They have this confident persona. Athletes like Muhammad Ali, Wilt Chamberlain, and Jim Brown would have no problem looking you dead in your eyes, and tell you, they we're the best at their profession. None of the forementioned would ever get applauded for their modesty, but most would agree, that they probably we're the best.

In an entirely different sports landscape, today's athletes, not even the Superstars seem to think, they are really all that. Some are good but, not great. The one that comes to mind, in the wake of being deactivated from the Tampa Buccaneers, with 6 games remaining in the season, is Keyshawn Johnson.

"MeShawn", I mean Keyshawn, will forever be remembered for his imfamous quote when he was with the New York Jets, and he didn't feel he was getting the ball enough, "just give me the damn ball". That kind of set the tone for how he would be perceived for the rest of his sports career.

Key is a good ball player, but he is no where as good as he thinks he is. I can name at least 10 Wide Receivers I would choose over him, Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens, Randy Moss, and Torry Holt to name few. Owens, like Johnson is very outspoken, very brash, and equally as controversial, but "T.O." backs it up on the field. Keyshawn often gets shut out ball games where he's virtually a non-factor and still the Buc's have enough fire power to win with out him being a major contributor. If any of the above wide outs get shut out, their teams pretty much have no chance to win.

What Keyshawn doesn't realize is, that he is not a game breaker. He doesn't have the speed to get down the field and catch the bomb, that's why he doesn't catch many touchdowns. He's just a possession receiver, he keeps the chains moving. Michael Irvin was a possession receiver who could get in the end zone and he didn't have world classed speed, but he found a way to get it over the goal line.

I'm not surprized that Jon Gruden hasn't sold out, to get Keyshawn the ball because he is not the type player you can build your team around. He can't put a team on his back and will them to victory. In his mind he seems to think he is, but no time in his 8 year professional career has he shown he can be that type player.

By no means am I saying that Keyshawn is terrible player, because he is not, in another system he could be great. But in no uncertain terms are you going to mistake him for Jerry Rice, Cris Carter or "the Playmaker". He just needs to get over himself and just play ball.

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