By Mardeio Cannon | OBSERVER SPORTS COLUMNIST

The announcement recently that Jerry Porter — the embattled wide receiver of the Oakland Raiders — was suspended for four games for conduct unbecoming to the team, shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who knows his recent history with the Raiders.

Even though Porter’s suspension is being appealed by the NFL Player’s Union, he was already serving an involuntary suspension by head coach Art Shell, who has kept Porter on the sidelines through the team’s first five games.

It seems that Porter plays a position in the NFL that seems to occupy a lot of head cases: wide receiver. What is it about wide receivers in the NFL that calls a lot a negative attention and energy to a lot of problem child players in the NFL?

Maybe it’s the way that they play their position. Most wide receivers usually line up 10 to 17 yards away from the rest of the offense before the play starts.

My theory is that wide receivers are lining up so far from the team that they think that they are either better than their teammates or that they are on an island. Either thought process will drive a wedge between the wide receiver and the rest of his teammates.

So you think that I’m making this up? Read on about some of your favorite wide receivers and see if you still feel that way:

Keyshawn Johnson: A short three years ago when he was playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Johnson caused so much dissension on the team that the head coach deactivated him from the team with about four games to go in the season. He was told to go home and not come back.

It took playing with head coach Bill Parcells again in Dallas for Johnson to get his head on straight again.

Randy Moss: It’s no secret that Moss possesses a world of talent. He set all kinds of receiving records while playing for the Minnesota Vikings.

But Moss showed his immaturity while in Minnesota when the team was playing in the NFC Championship game and he went ballistic before the game because security wouldn’t let his posse on the sidelines during the game.

The Vikings lost that game. Moss is now on the Oakland Raiders as the so-called team captain is causing havoc again. He has said publicly that he takes off on plays and he has been criticized for a lack of effort on the field. His team is winless so far this season.

Terrell Owens: ‘That guy’ from the Dallas Cowboys — all of you know who I’m talking about. He has caused so much ruckus on the Dallas Cowboys starting in pre-season that Coach Parcells started calling him “that guy.”

Everyone knows that Owens started his tired act with the San Francisco 49ers and they couldn’t wait to get rid of him. As you know, he went to play for the Philadelphia Eagles, where he was fired in the middle of the season for disrespecting the organization and the team’s All-Pro African American quarterback, Donovan McNabb.

When Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stepped up and signed Owens to a lucrative contract that had no moral/character clauses, everyone knew he was asking for trouble.

No one questions Owens’ dedication on the field — he doesn’t take off on plays and he is a devastating blocker.

The problem is that these guys do not take any lessons on how to have a strong work ethic both on and off the field. And if they want to learn anything about character, they can learn from the best — the best wide receiver to ever play the game, Jerry Rice.

I just hope that wide receivers like Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers and Marvin Harrison of the Indianapolis Colts continue to show the NFL and fans across the U.S.A. that being a star NFL wide receiver is not a precursor for being a head case.