Owens doesn’t understand why he, not Lewis for one, is labeled a villain

Terrell Owens has never had any problems off the field. His antics on the field cause him enough trouble.

Owens’ brash-talking, showboating image hasn’t made him a popular guy around the NFL. But the perennial Pro Bowl wide receiver, an MVP contender in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles, can’t understand why he’s become such a villain.

He said Wednesday he received several “hate” e-mails through his Web site from players asking how he can embarrass Ray Lewis by imitating Lewis’ dance after Owens scored a touchdown in Sunday’s 15-10 victory over Baltimore.

“It’s discouraging at times that I get labeled and put in that same mold and that I’m the worst guy that ever put on a uniform,” Owens said. “It’s funny. I listen to all the comments and it baffles me.

“You have a guy like Ray Lewis, who I thought he was pretty much my friend. This is a guy, double murder case, and he could have been in jail, but it seems like the league embraces a guy like that. But I’m going out scoring touchdowns and having fun, but I’m the bad guy.”

Owens has feuded with Lewis, Baltimore’s All-Pro linebacker, since he spurned the Ravens and forced a trade to the Eagles in March. After Owens mocked Lewis by imitating his dance, Lewis, several Ravens and other players around the league heavily criticized the innovative Owens for his latest self-expression.

“For whatever reason, they just don’t like me. I think just the fact that I have a lot of confidence for what I can do on the field, and I still go out there and I do it and I still have fun with it, so I don’t know why they have a problem with me.”

Lewis was arrested following a double murder outside an after-hours nightclub in Atlanta in January 2000. The murder charges later were dropped in exchange for a guilty plea to a charge of obstruction of justice — a misdemeanor.

A two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl MVP in 2001, Lewis’ image was tarnished by his arrest and he initially was snubbed by advertisers. He since has become an overwhelming commercial success, marketing video games, NFL garb and high-performance apparel.