DeSean Jackson was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, the seventh wide receiver taken in the draft, and in July of that year he agreed to terms on a four-year contract with the team. Two Pro Bowl selections later, Jackson is one of the best young wide-outs in the game and still working through a contract that only guarantees him $600,000 for the season. That’s about 600,000 times what I make in a year, but less (a lot less) than market value for a player of his ability. He’ll play his first game of the season on Sunday.

But, as I’m sure you’re asking yourself, what would Terrell Owens do?

T.O. talked to 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia and gave one of the history’s most predictable answers when asked if he’d show up and play on Sunday were in DeSean Jackson’s situation. From Shutdown Corner, by way of Philadelphia Sports Daily:

“Absolutely not,” Owens replied. “I would have to better myself and my family and my situation. That’s ridiculous.”

Owens said that Jackson has obviously received advice “to go in there, be a man about it and play under the existing contract that he has,” adding, “but I guarantee you — if he goes out and gets hurt, God forbid, he’s not going to get the contract that he probably would have gotten if he held out.”

“These greedy athletes make too much money!” is a really terrible blogger talking point, much like “I have to provide for my family” is a terrible pro athlete talking point, so the truth falls somewhere in the middle — yes, DeSean Jackson is comparably worth more than what he’s being paid, but he signed a contract for x amount of years wherein he agreed upon his worth and no amount of crossing your arms and holding your breath should negate that. Otherwise, what’s the point of a contract? It’s not unique for me to say that holding out is an absolutely ass thing to do to your team, or that a player shouldn’t be able to say “I’m okay with you paying me this much to play well, oh hey look I played well, give me more money”, or that “functional, workable adult” would be a great way to socially support your family, but I will include all of them in this sentence anyway.

I think professional football players should look at T.O. as their game’s Donny Don’t. If the guy with great natural talent and lots of money who will live out the rest of his life as the “locker room poison guy who isn’t worth it” says you should do something, do the opposite. So, in this case, be a reliable, valued member of a pro sports organization, and the second that contract is up start demanding every dollar in history.

LaToya is the one on the right... I think.

LaToya Jackson needs more money again is making the rounds to promote her new autobiography, “Starting Over”, which chronicles her abusive marriage to Jack Gordon, who passed away in 2005. Jackson appeared on the lazily-named CBS show, The Talk, earlier this week to disclose some of the terrible stories that she tells in her book, and we would have talked about this a few days ago if anyone on Earth watched The Talk.

Jackson makes the standard, non-shocking claims about being attacked by her husband multiple times, but she also wanders along the path of *cough*bullsh-t*cough* by accusing her dead ex-husband of forcing her to pose for Playboy. Twice. She also says that he forced her to claim she did it on her own because she was afraid of the consequences. But the real juicy nugget of interest is this claim:

Jackson, 55, said her ex-husband, Jack Gordon, once offered former boxing champ Mike Tyson the chance to sleep with her — for a hefty price.

Gordon, who passed away in 2005, allegedly told Tyson that sleeping with Jackson would cost him $100,000.

Jackson, the older sister of late pop icon Michael Jackson, also claimed her manager ex forced her to take part in group sex against her will.

“I was in brothels and everything,” she said. (Via NY Daily News)

Jackson and Gordon married in 1989 and of course she now also claims that he forced her into marriage and to cut off her family. It makes sense, because if Gordon was so desperate to cash in on Jackson’s fame, he’d tell her to quit talking to that loser brother of hers and focus on the big picture – Step 1: Ditch family; Step 2: ???; Step 3: PROFIT!