He Will Always Be The Super Freak
by Ted Glover on Aug 1, 2011 9:23 PM CDT
in News
Email
Print
He will always be the Superfreak to me
When I heard that Randy Moss retired earlier today, I have to be honest--I was so busy at work, I didn't have time to think about it. But now that I'm home, and really reflecting on the matter, I can't help but think that, off the field problems aside, how lucky were we? How lucky were we to watch two hall of fame wide receivers on the field at the same time? Two guys that were so different, yet so effective in their own way?
Cris Carter should already be in the Hall of Fame, and Randy Moss most assuredly will. Let's take a walk down memory lane and reflect on what a Super Freak the Superfreak was.
When Moss was drafted in 1998, I honestly thought the Vikings had wasted a pick. I was stationed in Germany, and this was pretty much the Information Dark Ages, at least for me over there. All I heard about Moss was that he was a malcontent, trouble maker, and he'll smoke his way out of the league in three years.
I PCS'd home in early September 1998, and I saw the highlights of the Tampa Bay game, watched the Rams game on AFN right before I came home, and Moss had a good, but not great game. But Hurricane Moss was building off shore, dark clouds forming, distant thunder on the horizon, and you had a feeling when it hit, it was gonna be awesome. And epic. And epically awesome.
Oct 5, 1998: Hurricane Moss comes ashore in Green Bay, on national TV on Monday night. The Vikings dismantled the defending NFC champions 38-24, and frankly, the score wasn't that close. Moss was a man playing against boys, and he made the Green Bay secondary look absolutely foolish:
Superfreak, superfreak, he's superfreaky...
Moss' performance that night (5 catches, 190 yards, and 2 TD's, homeboy) left Dan Dierdorf speechless and stammering, his performance was so dominating. Moss had exploded on to the national consciousness, and in one game he had set the NFL on it's ear, and would for the next decade.
Moss continued to dominate, and if Green Bay had been his coming out party, his Tour De Force was against Dallas on Thanksgiving Day. Minnesota hadn't been on Thanksgiving in 10 years, but by now they were 10-1 and the best team in the NFL. Randall Cunningham had taken over Brian Billick's offense, and was having a career resurgence just chucking it as far as he could to Moss. No matter how far or how deep he threw the ball, Moss always settled under it, and Thanksgiving was no exception.
Dallas always held a special place in Randy's heart...the dark place deep in a man's soul, where one thinks of revenge, and smiting the enemies before you, and listening to the wailing and lamentations of the women who's men you killed (how's THAT for some Old Testament shit, brosefs?). Jerry Jones promised Moss that Dallas would draft him if he was on the board...and they passed. Moss never forgot, and his first opportunity to exact revenge came that fateful Thanksgiving Day in 1998.
To Dallas' credit, they held Randy to 3 catches...for 51, 56, and 56 yards, all for touchdowns. And I would argue Moss' two most electrifying TD's came against the Cowboys, both on Thanksgiving, but one was in 1998, and the other was in 2000. More on that in a minute. Words just don't do this performance justice:
The screen pass where Moss just outruns the angle of the defender still amazes me to this day. Moss eyed the safety, shrugged his shoulders, went into the gear we like to call in the business ludicrous speed, and he was gone. The Vikings finished the year as the statistically best offense in NFL history, and it wouldn't have been possible without Moss. But to me, his best catch ever, and one of the five best in NFL history, occurred in the 2000 Thanksgiving game. Moss was going full speed two steps from the back of the end zone...well, just watch:
Moss didn't take the WR position to the next level, he re-invented it. His combination of speed, size, hands, and body control made him impossible to defend. You could roll a safety over to his side, press cover him, zone cover, it didn't matter. Roll a safety over and he runs past him. Press cover? Swim move and he's got three steps on the CB and heading to the end zone. Zone? He'd split the seam and outrun pursuit.
The story of Randy Moss couldn't be told without the off the field distractions, though. There was the infamous traffic cop incident, squirting the referee in the playoff loss to the Rams, and the Greatest Finishing Move In NFL History, The Moon Over Lambeau.
The Vikings had struggled and staggered in to the playoffs in 2004, and had to travel to Green Bay to face the Packers in the first ever playoff meeting between the two teams. Moss had been struggling with hamstring and ankle injuries all season, missed the first games of his career due to injury, and posted career lows in yardage and catches.
Moss, playing essentially on one leg, had 4 catches for 70 yards and 2 TD's, and made Al Harris look more foolish than he usually is:
I see a Bad Moon Risin'...I see trouble on the way
However, the mooning incident was the straw that broke the camel's back, and the Vikings traded him to Oakland at the end of the season. Personally, I think it was Red McCombs' last middle finger to Minnesota and Vikings fans for not buidling him a new stadium..which, by the way, would've only cost $400 million back then. Seems like a bargain now, huh?
After stints in Oakland and New England, Randy Moss set Minnesota on it's collective ear once again when the team announced they had traded for him with New England. Some scribe on a certain blog that rhymes with Bailey Forceman thought it was karma, a wrong being made right, and it was anything but. It was disastrous, and Moss was released after barely a month back home. And if there is a Hell, it's Brad Childress being forced to buy a used car from Red McCombs every day, for all of eternity.
Randy Moss will forever be one of the most controversial athletes to ever don a Vikings uniform, and he will always evoke extreme, almost visceral reactions in people. How will I remember Moss?
I choose to remember him simply for what he was--the best receiver to ever play the game.
Enjoy your retirement, homie.
135 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Looking back
I’d rather throw up than pretend I feel lucky to have watched that idiot with more talent than any other receiver I’ve ever seen.
That's fine.
Because you’ll never get to see a guy that entertaning ever again.
"I wanted to do it because it's fun, it's fun to do bad things and drive into a car."
by PurplePeopleEaters on Aug 1, 2011 9:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Entertaining for sure...
in the same way the Kardashians are entertaining.
Give me a Kevin Garnett, an Adrian Peterson, a Kirby Puckett, a John Randle, you can have your entertainment.
by Wu on Aug 1, 2011 9:42 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Not so fast
“you’ll never get to see a guy that entertaining ever again”
What about when he suckers you all into paying attention to him when he attempts to un-retire???
by Wu on Aug 1, 2011 9:47 PM CDT up reply actions
By your own admission, Moss had "more talent than any other receiver [you've] ever seen"
Therefore, whatever his personality issues, Randy Moss cannot be compared to the any of the twenty-eight Khardashians currently infesting the pop-culture landscape.
The only talents any Khardashians have shown were the sire’s skill at getting a double murderer off scot-free, and one of his his daughter’s ability to receive RayJay’s urine.
by Midnight Rambler on Aug 2, 2011 12:32 PM CDT up reply actions
...sometimes better just to not say anything.
Wu, sometimes it is better to not say anything and be thought a fool, than to speak up and remove all doubt.
by jimuellenbach on Aug 1, 2011 9:55 PM CDT up reply actions
I understand I am in the minority
but to call me a fool?
So are you one of the guys who boos A.J.?
…one of the guys who thinks Childress is responsible for everything that went wrong last year?
…one of the guys who thinks Gardenhire is manager of the year?
…one of the guys who thinks Kahn is the Timberwolves’ problem?
…one of the guys who really, really likes Span?
…one of the guys who thinks Joe Webb is “too athletic” to not play wide receiver?
…one of the guys who adores the 9 to Noon show on KFAN?
Have fun being part of the duckies and bunnies!
You have definitely removed any doubt I had that you are a part of the herd.
by Wu on Aug 1, 2011 10:24 PM CDT up reply actions
Shit Cali
That made my day. One thing though it’s not the worst idea ever to give Webb a shot as a receiver IMO. With Percy in the slot and Webb on one side, damn we got some fastness going on. I’d be curious to ask Webb if he were even willing to give it a shot.
I do feel lucky to have seen him
Did he make bad choices along the way? Undoubtedly.
The great thing about being a fan though is WE do not have to live with those choices. Randy does, but we do not. We simply get to be on the outside, looking in, admiring what we see, sometimes wishing it was us, making judgement calls using hindsight (cause we all do), and living our lives a little better because we get to see something truly amazing, like watching Barry Sanders break defensive players ankles, Michael Jordan sinking game winning shot after game winning shot, Tiger Woods sinking putts that ridiculous in nature and watching Randy Moss make DBs, FS and SS look like lost children.
Don’t take his antics personally. Could the Vikings have been even greater and maybe won a Superbowl if Moss had been a stand up guy as well a Superfreak? Possibly but we will never know and it doesn’t benefit us at all. Just watch the highlights, smile and enjoy because that, my friend, is what Football is all about for us as the fans!
by AlldayFurore on Aug 1, 2011 11:05 PM CDT up reply actions
youre not alone
But theres no point trying to argue with people that have put him on a pedestal and like him there. Everyone has a right to their opinion, just know if youre in the minority, your opinion has no right to alot of “fans”
Only thing ill say about it.
**Rupert for ProBowl 2012!**
Well
Guys like Randy Moss make ME appreciate Randy Moss! Oh wait there is only 1.
L. A. Player
by L. A. Player on Aug 1, 2011 9:59 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
there are two randy moss
the other does the triple crown broadcasts. heyah
I agree.
Moss can take that incorrigible diva attitude of his and ride on into the sunset. I was excited when he came back, hoping lightning could strike twice, but it soon became apparent that he was just going through the motions. He’d rather quit football altogether than play for less (but still a lot of) money and try to rebuild his reputation with one of the ‘lesser’ teams that might not be playoff-bound.
He was a lot of fun to watch, but he plays when he wants to play, and he obviously don’t want to play anymore unless it’s on his terms. If he’d had a work ethic as freakish as his ability, than he could have challenged Jerry Rice or Cris Carter as the best WR ever.
What we do is what we do.
by WilkesViking on Aug 1, 2011 10:50 PM CDT up reply actions
Lots of wrong there
Moss’ rep doesn’t need to be rebuilt. Judging from what he’s done in the past, he doesn’t care what people think
Of course he’d rather quit football than play for less. His personal accolades surpass most every WR ever, so what does he have to prove by coming back.
There is a difference between work ethic and off field issues. Randy had a terrific work ethic that’s why he was so good at his craft. He worked his ass off to become one of the greatest ever.
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Aug 1, 2011 11:01 PM CDT up reply actions
what
he played when he wanted to he admitted that just think what he would have been if he had heart for the game as much as a ditka or AP or cris carter just think about it
most do
Everyone crucified Moss for saying that we played when he wanted to, but have you noticed that most of these guys play when they want, they just won’t admit it. Watch every week & you’ll see guys tear it up in one game then be almost invisible the next week. Hyped for a rival or nationally televised game then come out against a lesser opponent & stink up the joint. Moss just admitted to it so HE was the bad guy. Yes, there are some guys that are ALWAYS on, but overall there are more who don’t. Are you going to tell me that every time you go to work that you give 100% every second of every day you’re there? Or are there days that you just do enough to get through so the boss isn’t on your a$$? We all do it, but we stupidly hold these guys to a higher standard because they play a game! We expect more of them because we are fans & they can’t have a day like that because its on our dime. PLEASE!
L. A. Player
by L. A. Player on Aug 2, 2011 7:02 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Not to mention, the media latched on to his ass after he said that
Watch WRs every week take plays off. A running play to the opposite side of the field and he just got done running 2x 9-routes in a row? Yeah, he’s going to catch his breathe on that play. What people don’t realize is that was part of his strategy throughout a game too. Moss was a home-run hitter. He was never a possession receiver so he would runs his routes at about 70% speed, then a possession or two later, he would would bust it at 100% and make the secondary look stupid. Just like an MLB pitcher, if you throw 100+MPH all game long, the batters will figure it out. I’m surprised more WRs don’t take this advice. He got a bad-boy image so he was under the microscope and heavily scrutinized for it. I would say about 30% of those slack plays were due to “taking plays off”, the rest being gamesmanship, but ALL were under the ever watchful eye of the media.
Skol!
Lots of right here.
rep·u·ta·tion
noun \ˌre-pyə-ˈtā-shən\
1a : overall quality or character as seen or judged by people in general
1b : recognition by other people of some characteristic or ability
Of course Moss doesn’t care what people think, but what others (rightly or wrongly) think of him constitutes his reputation. His words/actions have apparently eroded his badly enough (at least among GMs and/or coaches) that no team is willing to offer him a contract worth anything near his expectations if they can’t be sure they will get 100% effort from him.
“Of course he’d rather quit football than play for less.”
Then he is a quitter. It’s not like he have to play for $19.99, or even $199,999.
“There is a difference between work ethic and off field issues.”
Moss could have used more of the former and less of the latter.
What we do is what we do.
by WilkesViking on Aug 1, 2011 11:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Hard to say someones a quitter when his career lasted longer than most in the NFL
Childress gone, TJack gone, new stadium on the way: it's like that Christmas when Santa brought prostitutes!
Yeah, that was a little out of left field
I don’t think retiring a few years after his prime is considered quitting. Also, I’ve never once heard that moss had a bad work ethic. In fact, I’m pretty sure CC has said many times how hard of a worker moss is. If you’re saying he was a selfish baby that if he wasn’t getting the ball or being the star of the game he would pack it up and go home, then yeah, he was that, but to my knowledge he’s always worked hard.
Skol!
I would not be shocked if Moss pulled a "Favre" in October
I am not guaranteeing it, but I suspect Randy would answer the phone if a contender needs a WR this fall.
However much Moss doesn’t care about the public’s perception of his behavior, I suspect he wants an SB Ring very badly.
by Midnight Rambler on Aug 2, 2011 12:38 PM CDT up reply actions
The Mooning Incident
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t that a response to Green Bay fans’ tradition of actually mooning the Vikings’ bus?
Yep
Although nobody in the entire state of Wisconsin will ever actually admit to that. In their world, Moss just did it because he’s a big mean stupidface poopyhead.
Or something.
SBNation Minnesota - For the greatest sports fans in the world.
The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!
"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be—or to be indistinguishable from—self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time." - Neal Stephenson, Cryptonomicon
by Christopher Gates on Aug 1, 2011 9:50 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't remember the Packers fans crying about the moon over Lamblow
That was the media.
They were too busy crying about the rest of the game, to worry about a fake moon.
"We can't get pushed around," Haley said. "What commentators say about us, that's their job. My job is to try and limit as many people who want to take liberties with our guys as possible."
by BobbyNystromOwnsYou on Aug 2, 2011 8:52 AM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
Yes
According to Tony Dungey, the packer fans would moon the opposing team as they leave the stadium.
L. A. Player
by L. A. Player on Aug 1, 2011 9:53 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Seems like an over-reaction.
I never really thought the mooning thing was so bad. He had a sense of humor and it wasn’t all that offensive. I have seen other players get away with worse antics, but Randy had a target on his back after some of his off-the field shenanigans. He brought that scrutiny on himself.
I blame Joe Buck
Even if Green Bay fans didn’t have a tradition of mooning the Vikings’ bus, what Moss did was tacky and juvenile at worst, but Joe Bucks’ pearl-clutching swoon on the fainting couch shaped people’s perception of the incident.
...Joe Buck is a moon.
I never did understand the problem. I didn’t think there WAS a problem. His “simulated” moon didn’t hurt anybody. I thought it was funny. From a parent’s standpoint, there should be more concern over some of the cheerleaders. The problem is trying to be “political correct”. Are we suppose to lose our sense of humor?
by jimuellenbach on Aug 2, 2011 10:36 AM CDT up reply actions
I have no issue with it
If the NFL wants to find him or whatever for it then so be it. It’s not like he actually pulled his pants down. It’s not like he flipped the double-bird or punched a fan or spit into the crowd. People have done far worse and he was obviously doing it because it was our biggest rival and we stomped their asses on the holy tundra. I still say suck it, Green Bay how’d those sour grapes taste?
Skol!
what i love is when
you score an awesome td in madden playing as vikes of course u can see a moss moon by the player sometimes . its subtle but its a nice ode to moss
A little bit like Pete Rose...
… When I reflect on Randy Moss as an athlete, it reminds me of how I feel about Pete Rose. Between the lines, these two men were amazingly focused, competitive, gifted and relentless. Off the field, they did things that made you scratch your head. I could do without the extracurricular stupidity, but Randy Moss was the most incredibly talented and determined Wide Receiver in the history of the sport. Jerry Rice is right up there with him, but Randy seemed just more other-worldly. And when he had something to prove, he seemed to be able to will it to happen. If only he had Rice’s self-control and mental approach to the game. Someday, another receiver may come along to make me forget the on-field wizard that was Randy Moss…. but I won’t hold my breath waiting.
Oh my god
you are comparing Randy Moss to Pete Rose?!?!
that is sick!
by Wu on Aug 1, 2011 10:25 PM CDT up reply actions
There's no comparison, really
Moss never bet on football games like Rose did on baseball, and Moss never got a lifetime ban from his sport.
The first round, a 5.56-mm. bullet, struck bin Laden in the chest. As he fell backward, the SEAL fired a second round into his head, just above his left eye. On his radio, he reported, "For God and country—Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo."
I can't think of a worse comparision....
Pete Rose had very little physical talent and was nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” for his ability to turn his lack of talent into stardom. Randy Moss had more physical tools than any WR ever seen in the NFL, hence the “SuperFreak” moniker. Pete Rose played until his mid-40’s, long past his prime. Randy Moss just retired as someone who could be useful to a team if he felt like showing up.
He will always be my favorite Viking from youth, but I’ve been turned off by Randy in recent years.
ask the Cryboys
My favorite memories of Moss (beside whipping the Pack) was the total dismantling of Dallas in Dallas on Thanksgiving!
L. A. Player
by L. A. Player on Aug 1, 2011 10:05 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Wikipedia sums up my thoughts on Him vs Dallas
“The Cowboys wanted Moss, but because of many off-field incidents of their own, team owner and GM Jerry Jones did not feel the team could draft Moss. Moss felt that the Cowboys lied to him, because they told him they would draft him. Since that draft, Moss has made a history out of beating the Cowboys.” This article is also rather nice http://cowboys.beloblog.com/archives/2007/10/the_other_81s_history_of_cowboy_killing.html
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Aug 1, 2011 10:33 PM CDT up reply actions
Whenever the
“Greatest Receiver of All Time” is brought up, it’s hard for me to say but I have to give it to Rice. Rice did everything and never bothered his team. If you say “Who’s the most dynamic or talented receiver of all time?” then it’s hands down Moss. Some of my fondest memories are As a child watching him tear up opposing D’s. My god that man was ridicules. I did cry when we traded him for Napolean Harris and Troy Dropson.
Ponder to Harvin for 6!
by Percy Harvin My Fav! on Aug 1, 2011 10:09 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Randy Moss is simply the Superfreak
as in “The Superfreak” of the NFL. And always will be as far as I am concerned.
No one is getting Rubio's rights unless they pry them from our cold dead fingers.
by TheEvilProfessor on Aug 2, 2011 7:04 AM CDT up reply actions
CC was the greatest WR ever
In my book Rice isn’t really even that close to CC. What do you think CC’s numbers would look like if he played 15 years with 2 of the BEST QB’s TO EVER PLAY THE GAME.
Or if he was in a revolutionary offense that was tearing up the league years before defenses figured out how to stop it.
Stat don’t tell the whole story. Who were CC’s QB’s again? And he still had all those TD’s with washed up bums throwing him the ball.
Rice was great don’t get me wrong, but CC was so much better its almost sad that he doesn’t get the recognition.
Go watch Rice’s highlights, then watch CC’s and tell me Rice was better. Rice caught a million 10 yd slants that were all pretty much perfect throws. CC had to make a lot of crazy catches just because his QB’s sucked so bad. Give CC Montana and Young for 15 years and he would have had 200 TD’s. I truly believe that.
by Thomas629 on Aug 2, 2011 5:05 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Great Memories
But the writing was on the wall and thedecision obvious. After last years rantings and idiocy I told you that there is no way he will enter free agency with the stats and reputation he made for himself at the end.
The retirement statement reads “After all the offerS” which tells me he sent his own stock plumiting and retired rather than takiing a mere million. This is not a man admitting he srewed himself. He is too prideful to admit I Fed it up and need to earn my worth back. But that would involve an effort short of manygreat WR who played well into their 30’s cause hard work was the key to longevity and success. Something Moss has NEVER learned. If Carter has to wait for HOF Moss should have to wait far longer.
Sorry. I loved the guy but he has totally disappointed me. He insulted the fans with his tirade at the restauraunt buffet.
They should have made him sit and suspend, not release. In the words of that movie Tropic Thunder. " You spanks that A—!" Not reward him with arelease. Chilly screwed up rather than exercise discipline.He just knew Moss was undisciplined and therein was the issue. Stupid trade for an ignorant player
AKA : Revenge4Webb
Would have been the Greatest Ever statistically
Had Moss approached the game the same way Rice, honing his craft, running every route, treating his ungodly talent with the respect it deserved, everyone would be saying Jerry who?
Rice was by far the hardest worker to ever grace the gridiron as a WR.
Moss, however, was the greatest single talent to ever set foot on the gridiron at WR.
I remember watching his 2007 campaign with NE and thinking “This is how every year should have been for Randy.” I can recall two TDs he caught against Miami.
One the safety was in perfect position for Brady’s underthrown pass, ready to end the drive in the endzone with a touchback interception when Big Bad Moss stamps his veto on the idea. He leaps up, reaching over the safety and plucks the ball out of the air for a TD, leaving the safety looking back at the sideline in pure astonishment as if to say “Coach, I had it. I was here and then it was gone!”
The second was another deep throw down the middle, the safety rolling over to help yet again and with one defending hanging on his arm, Moss catches the 40+ yard TD pass in his elbow. Not one handed but with his FRICKIN’ elbow. SUPERFREAK!
Moss’ bag of amazing catches was so long I’m still not sure he got an opportunity to show them all to us. He epitomized the old playground mentality of “Go Deep” and he would always be there.
He pissed me off so many times as a Viking fan with his half-assed routes and me-first mentality but I will forever miss seeing those plays happen in live action. I suppose NFL Videos and Youtube shall sate my desire for now.
If you come back Moss, to any team, I shall watch with great gusto!
by AlldayFurore on Aug 1, 2011 10:36 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Well said
The first round, a 5.56-mm. bullet, struck bin Laden in the chest. As he fell backward, the SEAL fired a second round into his head, just above his left eye. On his radio, he reported, "For God and country—Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo."
It is always the same refrain
If only Moss would have played as hard as Rice.
To say he should have had a year like he did with Brady every year is ridiculous. Who did Moss have as his QBs his entire career? If he did play with a QB like Brady then sure you can say that. But he did not. But you know what did happen? Every QB he ever played with (until last year and with Kerry Collins in Oakland) had their career year passing the ball.
Look at Jerry Rice’s QBs his entire career? Yeah. Not exactly Daunte, George, Cunningham, Frerotte, Johnson, and then in Oakland it was really horrible with Aaron Brooks, Kerry Collins, Marques Tuiasosopo, Andrew Walter, and I do not know who esle.
Yet all fans and media experts want to point to Moss like it was his fault that the Oakland team was lousy and dysfunctional. He led them in receiving his first year there catching 10 TDs when they had at least the serviceable Collins. The second year that team was a clusterfudge and nobody did well. He was second on the team that year in receiving while playing with those horrible QBs and for an offensive coordinator who had been running a bed and breakfast for the prior 10 years.
Then all of a sudden you put him with a HOF QB and he breaks the receiving record in his 10th season. Are you kidding me?
It really shows how much posters know about the game of football when they claim he did not try hard. He mainly was asked to run streaks. Sometimes he would break off his pattern when he had a guy beat and go deep. But he probably ran go routes on 50% of the plays. That is a lot of running and he would get tired. Sometimes when it was 3rd and short or the play was not going to him he would take it easy. Sometimes he would do that and then all of a sudden take off when he sees the DBs relaxing. It is called subterfuge. And notice I used the plural for DBs because he always had a safety over the top. Probably 99% of the time. Even when he was doing nothing he was doing it with 2 defenders.
I remember when the whole “I play when I want to play” statement got blown out of proportion and people started to focus in on him when he did nothing on some plays. Of course they fail to mention that he probably just got through running 3 straight 40 yard sprints. But they asked the late Gene Upshaw about it and he said “you do not catch83 passes for 1400 yards and 14 TDs in the NFL taking plays off”.
Most people quote the I play when I want to play statement and use it in conjunction with taking plays off and they do not know the context of that statement. Sid Hartman was interviewing Moss and asked him to Denny Green or Cris Carter motivate him to play (i.e get him fired up). And Moss made the famous statement. But he was meaning that he motivates himself. Of course the media took the one little snippet and ran with it and Moss did nothing to try and squash it because he could care less. This is one of his traits I admire the most.
The man is simply the Greatest Wide Receiver in the history of the game from a physical standpoint. Rice played with not just one but two HOF QBs his entire career. Moss only played with one for 3 years and caught 47 TDs in that time. Imagine if he would have played with a HOF QB his whole career like Rice? And on a team like the 49ers like Rice. They were pretty good and he was not the only player.
The problem with a lot of people is that they want him to be who they want him to be. They do not want to let him be himself. They place their own expectations on him for how he should play the game. Because he is so gifted they think he should blow all the records out the water and lead his team to a Super Bowl win. Well that is hard to do from the WR position and Rice never did it. It was Montana and Young.
It is sad that so many fans love to hate on Moss and that they feel that they have the right to judge this young man on how much effort he gave playing in the NFL.
The man caught 153 TDs. You do not do that without trying. He will never get the credit he deserves because he does not kiss anyone’s behind in the media. One day they will recognize how truly great he really was.
I think he will still play some this year.
by MarkSP18 on Aug 2, 2011 2:38 AM CDT up reply actions 6 recs
So TRUE!!!
Covered the same things I said in an above post. (most do) Moss is 1 of a kind & I seriously doubt there will be anyone like him again. He is what every team is looking for when thy draft a wr 6’4 & over. Tall, fast, great hands, jump out of the building. We thought we had that with Sydney Rice but he didn’t have the speed to match.
L. A. Player
by L. A. Player on Aug 2, 2011 9:17 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
No not really!
( The problem with a lot of people is that they want him to be who they want him to be. They do not want to let him be himself. They place their own expectations on him for how he should play the game )
I disagree with this, whatever Moss did on his own time was no ones business, however! When he was representing his team and was on the playing field, all fans and those that paid to see him that generated his salary had every right to expect a level of professionalism from him, as far as a player, if he didn’t meet the fans expectations, then that’s their problem and perhaps should have not set those expectations to high, fans have no right also to expect that a player should play the way they want him to play, but when he is paid millions of dollars that comes out of the fans pockets, they should at least get there monies worth and have the right to expect a level of play from him.
I say the fans got most out of him and sure did get their monies worth, his playing ability? us fans had nothing to complain about, he was spectacular in every sense of the word, I loved Moss in one breath and hated him in that same breath.
Can Moss still play? You bet your life he can, if he wants to! Small example, Favre and Moss, Favre tells Moss, wouldn’t it be great if you caught my 500th TD pass? Moss replies, just put the bread in the basket, BOOM! Just like that, Moss catches Favres 500th TD pass, 37 yard TD pass, that’s what the man can do when he wants to.
by Jeffbleedspurple on Aug 2, 2011 11:29 AM CDT up reply actions
Not hating
I’m not hating on the guy Mark. I loved what he did to the sport. He was the complete package on the field. Yet Moss still did have decent QB for most of the his years, guy who could do the same thing Brady did in a lot of Moss’ TD catches and that is throw the ball as far as you can and let him go get it or throw it high and let him come down with it.
I can give him a pass in Oakland. That place was dreadful and I hated to see him play there, to watch his talent wasted on a team and owner who didn’t know how to build around his best players.
But the rest of his years, he had decent QBs. Perhaps I should have clarified too when I was referring to the 2007 year. I meant the quality of his play, his desire on the field and willingness to do whatever was asked of him. That was something lacking in his other years and if that had been there all the time, he would have rewritten the books.
by AlldayFurore on Aug 2, 2011 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions
OK
but the other QBs were NOT Tom Brady. They were good but not HOF QBs. That is the HUGE difference between Moss and Rice. Rice had the luxury of playing with Montana and Young.
So you cannot discount this awesome fact. Moss caught 47 TDs in New England playing with Brady during his 10th thru 12th seasons. Let me repeat that. DURING HIS 10TH THRU 12TH SEASONS!
That is freakin incredible! Like I said, put him with Brady from day 1 and Rice’s records would be broken already.
So you're saying trade for Brady
and re-sign Moss? Yeah, I can get on board with that. :)
The first round, a 5.56-mm. bullet, struck bin Laden in the chest. As he fell backward, the SEAL fired a second round into his head, just above his left eye. On his radio, he reported, "For God and country—Geronimo, Geronimo, Geronimo."
by Ted Glover on Aug 2, 2011 1:21 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
No you can't
You can’t discount that fact.
The purpose of my post though wasn’t to dwell on the what ifs but to admire to opportunity to watch what he was capable of and to realize there has never been a receiver with the natural talents he was blessed with. Where most guys had to work twice as hard to be able to do just one thing even reasonably close to what he did, Moss could do on an average day.
He was without a doubt the most gifted WR to ever play the game.
I think he's giving moss a lot of credit there but...
but he’s actually discounting some of Rice’s stats. Rice had a perfect situation: QB, RB, overall team, coach, motivation, mental composure. The stars aligned for him and his stats back that up. With all that said, he’s saying that if Moss had even just the QB/coach(Brady/Bill) look at what he did in a short time.
Skol!
They would be shattered.
Childress gone, TJack gone, new stadium on the way: it's like that Christmas when Santa brought prostitutes!
Well Said
I loved him, easily my all time favorite player. But I still remember the game against Washington when he walked off the field when we had a chance to win it.
If memory serves me right, we were down by like 14, and we scored. Moss then walked off the field, and had we got the onside kick, we woulda had a chance for a bomb down the field.
For some reason that really rubbed me the wrong way. That’s what I mean if I ever refer to him giving up. I could care less if he took plays off, hell everyone does. 70 plays a game is a lot for a body to handle. The thing that always got me about him, was his body language. If the game wasn’t going well, it was always the shoulder shrugs and half assed routes when you needed him most.
One play in particular, is last year, when we were in Lambeau. Favre had a chance to win the game, and threw it to Moss in the back of the endzone, where he could have easily jumped up and grabbed the ball for the GWTD, but he lazily threw one arm and flailed at it. Look, I love Moss, but he was a guy where unless everything was going great, he wasn’t going to give his full effort. Just understand how truely great he could have been, had he been the MAN that you go to in clutch situations. I never saw him step up and put the team on his back when we needed him too, which was so frustrating.
I’m not hating on Moss, because frankly I’ve never seen a more talented player, it’s more critiquing his illustrious career, and pointing out had he been the player he could have been without the attitude he would have been Jordanesque.
Ponder to Harvin for 6!
by Percy Harvin My Fav! on Aug 2, 2011 12:38 PM CDT up reply actions
Thanks
but the Washington game was blown out of proportion too.
First, the Vikings were getting their butts kicked and Daunte was playing like a guy trying to protect his stats. Case in point.
During the mid to late 3rd quarter, the Vikings were almost to mid field, were trailing by 9 or 11, and had a 3rd and 17. Daunte drops back and is pressured and rolls out to his right. Meanwhile Moss gets by the CB and then throws his hand up as he is heading deep. Culpepper throws the ball out of bounds on purpose. Moss was freakin pissed and so was I do be honest.
Why not throw it up there? It would be just like a punt? And you had Moss who stood a very good chance of coming down with it. He had already caught TWO TDs earlier in the game on plays like that although one TD was called back on a very suspect holding call against Matt Birk. Another pass attempt like that was picked off by the late Sean Taylor.
Culpepper just cheesed up and really was not playing the game to win. So at the end Moss walked off with a few seconds left. The Vikings had backed into the playoffs already anyway since Carolina has lost. Yeah it was wrong but I can understand his frustration.
And what did he do the following week. He personally crushed Green Bay in Green Bay for the only playoff victory by the Vikings over the Packers.
As for that pass last year, it was high and Nick Barnett was coming over to jack him up. He short armed that one for sure. Cannot say I blame him either. Going all out and getting hurt wins you some respect from fans but if you get really hurt then you get no more pay checks. But we are talking about some isolated incidents.
The man still caught 153 TDs in the NFL. That ain’t easy.
Randy was the freak, and more importantly, he was our freak
the guy changed football and he will always be one of my hero’s.
Love u randy
Straight cash homey
A-rod's salary? 30 Million, Evan Longoria's? 1M, god i love life as a rays fan
by RaysOfHope on Aug 1, 2011 10:47 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
A "SpaceBalls" and "Tropic Thunder" reference?
I’ve seen all the DN has to offer now.
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Aug 1, 2011 10:46 PM CDT reply actions
I'll believe he is retired when I see it...
Just like Barry Sanders once he has his HOF induction speech I’ll really believe he is retired…
Straight cash homey
by Jake45614 on Aug 1, 2011 10:48 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
*sigh* believe it or not...
Good or bad…I miss Randy right about now. One of the last few players that I really remember “worshipping” as a happy-go-lucky kid when I lived in Minnesota.
I still love this game, and I always will…but boy how things have changed…
I'm still a Minnesotan at heart...
From Cris Carters mouth
http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/30420/carter-hints-that-pats-made-moss-an-offer
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Aug 1, 2011 11:03 PM CDT reply actions
I trust Carter's POV on that
And to be honest? Kinda makes me wish we could bring him back :)
I’d be all for it. I don’t care about distraction shmistractions. What are out goals this year? I believe we’re still looking for a big-time WR. We still got AP. Assuming McNabb isn’t completely washed up, we could still have a pretty damn good offense. I would be completely on board with bringing him back. Have Allen or KSauce or whoever go talk to Moss and tell him to come home. Moss wouldn’t play for Klink. Guess what? No one else did either! Bring him back and let’s see if he truly is in better shape than last year. Maybe last year was his “rock bottom”? A Moss that has something to prove is a dangerous man.
Skol!
Off topic
but pft is reporter bb reworked his contract, well now I hate him a little less, perhaps we can sign kruetz now
A-rod's salary? 30 Million, Evan Longoria's? 1M, god i love life as a rays fan
by RaysOfHope on Aug 1, 2011 11:26 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
i think this was a well timed p.r. stunt to get attention on moss' accolades.
i won’t be surprised to see him in some nfl team’s camp in a week or so.
he is still more dangerous than any of the free agent receivers this year.
@warcraft, you are my guitar hero !!!
Ya I remember favre retiring twice around this time of year before coming to mn
Hope moss does the same ;)
A-rod's salary? 30 Million, Evan Longoria's? 1M, god i love life as a rays fan
by RaysOfHope on Aug 1, 2011 11:52 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
remember when
players could celebrate for 25 mins in the endzone and the refs would just chuckle and wag their fingers? Now if you sneeze without sending a memo around and notifying the press you get an unsportsmanlike conduct call… Damn kids and their rock and roll music
by jkunce507 on Aug 2, 2011 7:30 AM CDT reply actions 2 recs
My memories hinge around the '98 season
Which is really the first season I started getting into football. Everything about that season up until the last game was magical so I feel like I really owe Randy Moss for getting me hooked on this sport.
Also, one of my favorite highlights is one where he DIDN’T score a touchdown: the Moe Williams lateral.
by Purpledork on Aug 2, 2011 7:48 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I miss my THREE DEEP poster
Carter, Moss & Reed. Strait Cash Homie!
That moon over lamebo will never get old.
Vikings Valhalla .com
still have
I still have & wear the IV Norsemen shirt. Moss, carter, Reed, Smith
L. A. Player
by L. A. Player on Aug 2, 2011 2:50 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
For Randy...
The thing that I really love with Randy and that most “tree huggers” dont get. Is its ok to be yourself and that is waht pisses most off about him. The hardest thing we can do in life is simply be who you are. Randy simply held no apoligies for who he is right or wrong and that I can respect rather some pr back peddle “I didnt mean what I said crap”.
Randy rocked and hopefully the Vikes will talk to him and bring him in. ROCK ON RANDY!
@}-----You've been Touched-----{@
I'll miss the man he was a gift to us and we traded him away
The man was amazing and honestly the best testament to it was all the pass interference calls he got. I remember Culpepper would just throw the ball up if he was in trouble you’d look down field to some guy hanging off og Moss’s arm trying to slow him down enough that he could keep up. For a while there it seemed every time he got the ball was either a PI or a TD.
Personally, I didn’t like the lackadaisical play that much, but I did enjoy his antics it keeps the game a game instead of a business.
Childress gone, TJack gone, new stadium on the way: it's like that Christmas when Santa brought prostitutes!
lol because we had a tremendous O Line
and every DB played about 20 yards back :D
Childress gone, TJack gone, new stadium on the way: it's like that Christmas when Santa brought prostitutes!
Wish you all the best Superfreak!
And hope you find good food after retirement.
We will miss you…(if you don’t come back and play for us)
:)
Food that he would feed to his dog. : o
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Aug 2, 2011 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions
Man watching that moon vid it was a bit weird seeing Favre in the green and gold.
Also, I have to admit he threw a crap load of interceptions that game…
Childress gone, TJack gone, new stadium on the way: it's like that Christmas when Santa brought prostitutes!
brutal
Vikes absolutely murdered Favre in that game. Our boys were just plucking picks out of the air.
by Odin'sDrunkenSon on Aug 2, 2011 12:48 PM CDT up reply actions
last laugh
yeah but Favre had the last laugh against the vikings didn’t he. What better way to stab your opponent in the heart than to get them within 1 play of the Super Bowl and just toss it away. Favre is a mastermind.
heech ur still here I know u get off bashing favre BUT this is about Moss dude favre is gone I know ur in love with the guy but let it go man let it go lol!!!!!
The most telling moment in those highlights I think is the 2000 Dallas one, where Moss hauls in the Culppeper TD after sprinting fifty yards, battling with the defensive backs, catching the rainbow pass over his shoulder, stops on a dime right on the line and falls over. Afterwards, not one Dallas defender even bothers to make an obligatory plea to the officials over whether he got his feet down or not. They just walk away, as in “of course he did that.”
I wasn’t really on board the decision to bring him back last year (I was just grateful given the Chargers just saved them from themselves by refusing to rent out VJax for a second round pick), and I really think it’d be a bad idea to think about bringing him in this year. But he was something else from 98-04. It’s rather stunning that Moss almost single-handedly made not one but two historic offenses (Vikings in 98 and Pats in 07).
It's not coincidence that the 2 greatest offenses in NFL history had Randy Moss on them.
No coincidence at all. What the most difficult part of scoring and scoring quickly on NFL defenses? Team SPEED. The Ds are so fast, it’s hard to work the ball down the field. How do you counter that? Someone that blows the ROOF off the Def. Stretches the field and there’s never been a player that did that better than Moss. He created days of green between him and the line of scrimmage allowing lots of fun things to happen underneath when he wasn’t taking advantage of weaklings DEEP!
Skol!
by DM_Purp on Aug 2, 2011 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
i know its been covered
but he was a douche, i loved him when he played, i despised him when he didnt. If he could have curbed his attitude and played with heart, he very well could have been the nfls gretzsky, jorban, or ruth
but he was a douche instead
It was still pretty entertaining
you have to admit that. But yes, if he would have shown a little more professionalism, he might be considered one of the greatest athletes of all time in any sport.
I do recall the website going crazy that day!
idiot Chilly screwed that one up (or more likely it was a bad clash of egos).
oh the potential
then we watched him play, even when we let him go i wanted chillys head, i thought for sure he’d play hard…
I believe Moss explained himself regarding this
Remember the interview after the game? Moss said it all. He respected Bill. He had no respect for Brad. Tough to play for someone you don’t respect. Oh, and he wasn’t the only one to stop playing for Chilly. I can think of 52 others that did the same.
Skol!
he also reportedly stoped playing for bill
he was running through the motions, brady called him out, bill said too bad, brady apparently said he can stay on the team, he just wont get anymore passes his way. he was traded in three days
According to tom pelissero
Bryant Mckinnie has been cut!
by vikesfan4lyf on Aug 2, 2011 2:42 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
YESSSSSSSSSSSS
now go get a WR!! Floyd!! screw edwards..he is to much of a headache. One day the dude will grow up….go get floyd!
was due
4.9 mil for this season with 750k in bonuses
by valhallas_own28 on Aug 2, 2011 2:49 PM CDT up reply actions
actually, just came out
we save 5.4 mill
by valhallas_own28 on Aug 2, 2011 2:49 PM CDT up reply actions
kfan
just said he declined to take a pay cut….brother gotta pay that $100,000 bar bill…he cant afford a pay cut!
Hey Marksp
Or whoever would be gracious enough to respond – if this McKinnie report is true, what does that mean for the line?
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Daily Norseman
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
