Posted Wednesday/October 6, 1999; 3:49 p.m. PDT

BIG Head

Joey Galloway played four seasons in the NFL. He’s put up good, but not great numbers. Galloway was good enough to be the 13th best receiver in the AFC last year. Good enough to be the 27th best receiver in the NFL in '98. Galloway was 17th in 1997, 41st in 1996, and 24th in 1995. During the next four years, Joey Galloway has the POTENTIAL of becoming one of the top receivers in league, but what in the hell makes him “believe” that he should be compensated as THE highest paid NFL receiver THIS season? One short, BIG, word...EGO!

EGO is the “bull” that drives the sports market. EGO is pushing up the price of tickets, concessions, and merchandise. EGO is pulling the trigger on trades. EGO is influencing rosters and affecting team chemistry. EGO is the “drug of choice” of Superstar athletes. EGO is the opiate of the “elite masses.” The only problem is that EGO isn’t “performance enhancing.” EGO is a “performance killer.” EGO is ruining individual and team effort.

BIG Mouth

Scottie Pippen’s EGO made him refused to go into a game because he wasn’t taking the last shot and recently got him traded to the Trailblazers. Stephon Marbury’s demanded that he be traded since he was “only making $71 million” compared to Kevin Garnett’s 120. Shawn Kemp's made him refused to play for the Sonics ever again since Jim McIlvain rode the bench while making more money. Ryan Leaf's has got him ALL messed up; he can’t even keep his mind on football anymore. Keyshawn Johnson’s had him hold out as a Jet rookie; then couldn’t catch a cold most of the season. The Seahawks’ Shawn Springs couldn’t stop anyone from catching the plague after his EGO made him a rookie hold out. The list goes on and on, and on, and on, but let’s get back to Joey Galloway’s.

Before the Seahawks’ 1999 “Now Time” season could even take flight, Galloway exhibited EGO of “nightmare proportion” by holding out with a year left on his contact. That was the EGO part. The nightmare came when he turned down $12 million to play this season since it would only make him the 2nd highest paid receiver in the NFL! Four years ago, Galloway was just happy to be IN the NFL! How can a guy’s head swell up THAT fast? But even more mysterious is, how can a guy play on teams all his life and then SUDDENLY become a “lone wolf?” Isn’t there a treatment center of some kind, somewhere in the State of Washington that Joey can check himself into to kick his addiction to himself?

BIG Hitter

Isn’t it enough to be ALWAYS reminded, “You’re the Man” by everyone from his agent to the Fans? What makes Joey Galloway and other psuedo-Superstars crave being THE Man? Better yet, what makes them think that being THE Man equals how much money they take and not how much effort they make? They have gotta realize the Fans keep score too and that we measure heart over signing bonuses. Somebody tell Joey Galloway that in sports, greatness can only be measured between the lines, NOT at the bottom line. As NFL great, Ronnie Lott recently said on Sports Radio KJR, greatness is separated by, “Players who play for the love of the game, and those who play for the money.” As much as Joey Galloway wants to be THE Man, he never will be since he’s lost his love for the game.

If Galloway loved the game, he would be excited about being healthy and able to play. If Galloway loved the game, he would have been in training camp and appreciative that he was getting paid to be there. If Galloway loved the game, he would have been delighted to jump into Mike Holmgren’s success-proven system with two feet. If Galloway loved the game, he would have been focused on working with his teammates to make up for last year’s disastrous “Alive & Kickin'” season with a “Now Time” attitude. But Joey loves the money and thinks it can prove he’s THE Man. And because of that, Joey Galloway isn’t THE Man and never will be. Ironically, his EGO has made sure of that.

Is there a worse case of “I-Gotta-Be-The-Man-Itis” than Joey Galloway's? Submit your candidates here.

Who's The Man?