Why You Should Appreciate the NFL's Ultimate Supervillan

He's the only player to score a touchdown against all 32 NFL teams, reaching the end zone at least twice against 31 of them. Of the thousands of athletes who have stepped onto a professional football field, he's among the all-time greatest playmakers and is arguably the most entertaining. And I'm guessing you probably hate him.

I'm talking about you-know-who, Mr. Sharpie, The Popcorn Man, The Pharmacist, The Situation - Mr. Terrell Eldorado Owens. Yes, his middle name really is Eldorado. The man everyone loves to root against is once again in search of a new babysitter... ahem, I mean team.

The Buffalo Bills announced over the weekend that they have no intentions of offering Owens a contract for next season because he is no longer part of the franchise's long-term plans. Nor should he be, with the Bills set to begin yet another roster overhaul in their agonizing, never-ending rebuilding process. When you're looking to reboot your roster in the National Football League, 36-year-old receivers usually don't make the cut. Change is needed for Owens as well. T.O. had by far his worst statistical season since his rookie campaign in 1996, hauling in just 55 catches for 829 yards, while scoring six times.

But let's be fair here - for the first time since he had Tim Rattay throwing him the ball, it REALLY was the quarterback's fault. The Bills were banking on a breakout season from QB Trent Edwards, the team's third-round draft choice in 2007. The offensive game plan and Owens' productivity relied heavily on the young quarterback developing into a legitimate NFL starter. Edwards failed to progress and was benched in favor of backup Ryan Fitzpatrick by season's end. The Bills slumped their way to 6-10 and head coach Dick Jauron was canned at the end of the season. Yes, T.O.'s brief stay in upstate New York was a failure, but Owens was just a passerby on a seemingly cursed team.

So now the receiver will take his show (literally) elsewhere and play for his fifth franchise, the fourth since 2005. Don't expect Owens' free agency to be nearly as publicized as in years past because, whether he likes it or not, T.O. simply isn't the celebrity he once was. Maybe it was his awkward exit from Dallas or simply his year of exile in Buffalo, which nearly half of NFL fans think is a province in Canada. Whatever the matter is, Owens' star has rapidly dimmed.

Owens has always demanded constant media coverage. He's been ratings gold because, no matter what comes out of his mouth, sports fans across the country will be talking about it at work, school or the bar. But recently, his sound bytes began to fall upon deaf ears. We've grown tired of listening to what No. 81 had to say. He's become football's equivalent of "Manny being Manny". We no longer dissect T.O.'s musings or take delight in his frequently annoying mannerisms. Instead we greet Owens' antics with a shoulder shrug and a roll of the eyes, because a joke is only funny the first few times you hear it.

Since he burst onto the NFL scene, Owens has always had a flair for the dramatic. He sobbed after snagging a game-winning touchdown pass from Steve Young in the final moments of the 49ers' classic wild card win over the Packers in the 1998 playoffs. He entered the national consciousness with that catch and gave San Francisco a glimpse of what life after Jerry Rice looked like. During a 2000 matchup at Dallas, Owens followed up a touchdown by sprinting to midfield and posing on the star logo of the Cowboys - twice. The second time he was cracked by Dallas' George Teague but T.O.'s message was sent and he became a household name.

Sharpie got free advertising when Owens pulled a marker out of his sock after a touchdown and autographed the football during a 2002 Monday night game in Seattle. He then handed it to a man sitting in an end zone luxury suite rented by Shawn Springs, the cornerback he'd just burnt for the score. Owens has also grabbed and used a cheerleader's pom-poms, mocked the "Ray Lewis dance", and worked on his abs with sit-ups in various touchdown celebrations over the years.

When Owens was shipped across the country to Philadelphia in 2004, the balance of power in the NFL shifted. Philly finally had a legitimate No. 1 receiver for Pro Bowler Donovan McNabb to target. The Eagles didn't just substantially improve their receiving corp, which featured "legends" like James Thrash and Todd Pinkston, they added one of the league's dominators. Owens could change the dynamics of a game at any moment and immediately added attitude to Philly's offense. For one season, the Eagles-Owens marriage was a triumph. Philadelphia cruised to the best record in the NFC and Owens set a single-season franchise record for 100-yard games (seven) and scored more touchdowns (14) than any Eagles player since 1945.

That year, the Eagles finally broke through their NFC title game barrier and reached the Super Bowl for the first time since 1980. Though Owens missed the final two games of the regular season and first two contests of the playoffs with a severely sprained ankle and fractured fibula, he shocked many by returning for the Super Bowl. He caught nine balls for 144 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles' 24-21 loss to New England. Owens had a noticeable limp throughout the game but refused to be denied his shot at winning a championship on the world's biggest stage.

We all now how ugly things turned for T.O. in Philly. Names were called, punches were thrown (courtesy of former Eagles defensive end Hugh Douglas) and eventually Owens was released by Philadelphia after just his second season into a seven-year, $49 million contact. At the height of his stint with the Eagles, Owens was one of Philadelphia's most beloved sports figures of the past few decades. Fans were ready to erect his statue after year one of his stint in the City of Brotherly Love. A year later, he was practically run out of town by an angry mob. McNabb never seemed to recover from the negative attention and controversy that Owens brought to the Eagles' locker room in 2005. Neither has T.O.

Owens wound up with Dallas and enjoyed three successful, but tumultuous, seasons. He again shattered team chemistry and brewed up trouble, this time with teammates Tony Romo and Jason Witten. Jerry Jones pulled the plug on the T.O. experiment last spring. He now finds himself in similar circumstances, just another year older.

His situation is an interesting one. Despite his drop in numbers last season, Owens is still capable of being the go-to receiver on many teams. He has tallied at least 1,000 receiving yards in eight of the past 10 seasons, while averaging over 11 touchdowns per year in that span. Wide receivers rarely hit the wall overnight like running backs do. They typically make a gradual decline toward the end of their careers or succumb to injuries. Considering Owens has missed only one contest since 2005, it's safe to say that he has maintained his health and has more in the tank.

Now we come to the question at hand. Which team will invest in the future Hall of Fame wide receiver? It will likely take only a one-year deal to acquire Owens' services and sideshow act. Odds are, a contending franchise that is one playmaker short will take a shot. The Ravens are rumored to be interested, though it's hard for me to see the proud franchise welcoming a guy who once spurned a trade to Baltimore. Each of the three Florida teams could make a play for Owens. Jacksonville is desperate for star power, while Miami and Tampa Bay both have young quarterbacks devoid of a No. 1 target. Believe it or not, don't count out a reunion tour in San Francisco. Stranger things have happened - like Owens celebrating on the Cowboys' star in a Dallas uniform.

From my perspective, he's got to go to a team with an established quarterback who can hold his own in a relationship with Owens. Pair T.O. with a young, unsure passer like Josh Freeman or Chad Henne and you could have trouble on your hands. My guess is Owens returns to the West Coast and unites with veteran QB Matt Hasslebeck in Seattle. New head coach Pete Carroll will attempt to make a one-year run at a championship with the team he's inherited before blowing the whole thing up, which means Owens could be worth the gamble.

No matter where he winds up, one thing is for certain - we will pay more attention to whichever team signs him than we did beforehand - because we can't take our eyes off T.O. Whether he's on or off the field, Owens always puts on a performance.

He's one of the greatest football players we've seen, currently ranking fifth in NFL history in touchdowns (147), sixth in receptions (1,006) and third in receiving yards (14,951).

I implore you to end the hate fest. Don't waste your time despising a living legend who's never been arrested, written a children's book ("Little T Learns to Share") and made you laugh at least once. Deep down you have to admit that you kind of like that Owens isn't one of the many NFL players in the cookie-cutter mold that commissioner Roger Goodell's new policies have created.

T.O. has always been an individual in the most team-oriented sport on the planet. He's always been recognizable in a game that hides its players behind face masks. Yes, he can be self-absorbed and arrogant enough to give you a stomach ache, but do yourself a favor and watch Owens' highlights with mute on. No cocky comments, no controversial crunches, no popcorn necessary. Just one of the most dominant athletes to play his sport - burning safeties, bowling over cornerbacks and scoring lots and lots of touchdowns.

Everything else is just Terrell being Terrell.