Have you seen the Lance Armstrong ad that reads, “Tired of Being Tired?”

When it comes to listening to Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receiver Chad Johnson — or any other similar player hungry for media attention, i.e. Terrell Owens — one doesn’t get tired. It’s more like exhausted.

The “I want traded,” and then, “I won’t play,” that ends up, “Well, I’m going to play” is a broken record. When a player says they aren’t going to play, they’re going to play. Like all of us, they have bills to pay and, in most cases, larger bills to pay.

I’m also tired of, “I want them to show me some respect. They don’t respect me.” You see, respect is a feeling or attitude of admiration and politely putting someone else’s interest first.

Obviously, you’re not real clear on what the word “respect” means because after you were given a huge contract, you realized someone else got more the next year when the going rate changed.

So what you’re really saying is, “I want more money. I realized when I signed my last contract and said this is great, it was at the time but someone else has signed for more money than me and I want that much — or more — too.”

That’s when we get the ultimatums that the player will sit out. It’s the adult version of holding their breath or lying on the floor and stomping their feet as they cry and scream.

Understand that you signed a contract. Unless you put in an incentive clause to raise your pay based on your performance, then you should honor your word. That will earn you respect.

If you want to renegotiate, ask to speak with management. Maybe they’ll listen, but if they give in to your demands at every whim then they will have an entire team standing in line waiting for their appointment to renegotiate.

I’ve yet to hear a player having a sub-par year scream, “Unless I start playing better, I want management to dock me a week’s pay.”

Now there’s something I wouldn’t get tired of hearing.