Starting Terrell might stop antics

TEMPE, Ariz.--Bears receiver David Terrell has an expression onhis face registering somewhere between disgusted dismay and painfulconstipation. His critics, he's told, will use his performance in theBears' exhibition loss Friday to the Arizona Cardinals as yet anotherexample of his immaturity and unworthiness.

How can anybody trust a guy so consumed with a personal Punt, Passand Kick competition that he misses the fact his touchdown had justbeen nullified by a penalty? Terrell coffin-nailed a punt into theupper rows of the first section of Sun Devil Stadium after hisapparent touchdown, raising one of the great philosophical debates:If a football is punted into the crowd and there is no one there tofair-catch it, does it really make a noise?

Not to referee Ed Hochuli and his crew, who were too busyconferring on an offensive pass-interference penalty against Terrellto see him make like Ray Guy. The 10-yard penalty saved Terrell a 15-yarder for unsportsmanlike conduct.

"That's how I play," Terrell said defiantly. "I play with a lot ofemotion. I play with a lot of aggression. If they don't like it, getme out of here. ... But I would love to play for the Bears."

Terrell vehemently argued the pass-interference call. He also madea scene after being whistled for a holding call that negated a 12-yard run by Rabih Abdullah. After both protests and both penalties,the Bears bailed out their young wide receiver by scoring a touchdownon the next play--their only two touchdowns of the game.

"David's an emotional guy, and we all like the passion he playswith and the fact he brings an energy to the game," wide receiverscoach Todd Haley said. "Now it's up to him to control that. What hecan't do is hurt the team."

Usually mild-mannered coach Dick Jauron agreed, judging from theway he berated Terrell on the sideline after the celebratory punt. Asideline source said Jauron was as angry as anyone had seen himpublicly. How the incident will affect Terrell in his bid to unseatDez White as the starter opposite Marty Booker is anybody's guess.

Terrell is one of the true enigmas on the Bears. You suspect he'sloaded with talent and capable of great things, but you have towonder whether the Bears' coaching staff ever really will trust him.His antics Friday only will serve to weaken his bid for a bigger rolein the offense, and that's too bad.

Maybe there even will be some people saying the Bears should cuthim. The advice here is to go the other way. Promote him to thestarting lineup and hope the extra responsibility will help himmature.

Sure, he's going to get plenty of chances as the third receiverand making him a starter might be only a cosmetic difference. Butmaybe it's more important in Terrell's mind. He views himself as morethan a starting receiver. He sees himself as a future Hall of Famer.He's one of those professional athletes with such mind-numbingflakiness that the Bears must use his immaturity as a weapon.

Make him take responsibility by relying on him despite hisfailings. There are plenty of receivers around the league--Randy Mossand Terrell Owens come to mind--that no sane coach is going to fullytrust. And yet their wackiness brings something extra on the field.

"There is no doubt, when David makes a play in the game, it getsthe team going," Haley said. "There is an energy there which is good.You don't want to change him. But he can't do things that could costus, and potentially [Friday] he did some things that could hurt us."

Rewarding Terrell for goofy behavior might not make sense, but thefact is his upside might be higher than that of any player on theroster without a featured role. Terrell needs to be featured to be athis best. He had two catches for 27 yards against the Cardinals andhas four catches for 50 yards in three preseason games. That ties himwith White and Bobby Wade as the Bears' sixth-leading receiver.

Instead of force-feeding Terrell the ball like they do with EdellShepard and Ahmad Merritt, the Bears engage in a whisper campaignabout Terrell's faulty practice habits and sloppy route-running.Asked about those rumors, Haley defused them.

"There is no doubt on Sunday he turns it to another level," Haleysaid. "But the thing he's done this year is he's been a betterpractice player. He's worked harder than he's ever worked in allthree camps, and he hasn't slowed up at all. He just has to keeppushing."