It seems as if Terrell Owens never ceases to amaze the sporting world as much off the field as on. The latest controversy concerning the Philadelphia Eagles holdout wide receiver? Comparing himself to Jesus Christ.

Owens, who wants a renegotiation of his seven-year, $49 million deal, which he signed last year, was asked about his contract conflict with the Eagles and told the Miami Herald, "I don't have to worry about what people think of me, whether they hate me or not. People hated on Jesus. They threw stones at him and tried to kill him, so how can I complain or worry about what people think?

"How can you justify hating me after I worked so hard rehabilitating from a broken leg to get back to the Super Bowl to help our team try to win? Really, you've got to look at who the villain really is in this thing."

Owens hasn’t decided whether he will report to training camp on time because of a contract dispute with the Eagles, his agent said Wednesday.

“The odds are 50-50,” Drew Rosenhaus told The Associated Press. “We probably won’t make any determination until the start of camp.”

Owens, who helped the Eagles reach the Super Bowl in his first season in Philadelphia after eight years with San Francisco, fired longtime agent David Joseph in April, hired Rosenhaus and started asking for a new contract just one year into a seven-year deal worth almost $49 million.

The Eagles have said they won’t redo the contract.

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“Where we stand is there’s no change in their position,” Rosenhaus said. “In my discussions with them, they’ve maintained their stance. We’re weighing our options.”

Rosenhaus also told the AP on Wednesday that Green Bay receiver Javon Walker, another one of his clients, will be a no-show at training camp next week unless the Packers agree to give the Pro Bowl receiver a big pay raise or trade him.

Rosenhaus said it was unfair to compare the two star receivers’ money disputes.

“Every situation is different and you can never correlate the two scenarios,” he said.

Veteran players are scheduled to report to Eagles camp on Aug. 1, and will participate in their first practice in full pads on Aug. 3 at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa.

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Owens set team records with 14 touchdown receptions and seven 100-yard games, and finished with 77 catches for 1,200 yards. He broke his leg and severely sprained his right ankle in Week 15 against Dallas, an injury that sidelined him until the Super Bowl.

Owens defied his doctor’s advice by returning to the starting lineup against New England just 6 1/2 weeks after ankle surgery, and was Philadelphia’s best player on offense. He caught nine passes for 122 yards in the Eagles’ 24-21 loss to the Patriots.

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