Randy MossThank goodness for Randy Moss.
The West Virginia native and San Francisco 49ers football player threw the blogosphere and sports talk radio into a frenzy this week with his proclamation—unsolicited—that when it comes to NFL receivers, he’s “the greatest to ever play the game.”
Almost before Moss got the words out of his month, football fans and sportswriters were Tweeting the superior career numbers of legendary 49er’s receiver Jerry Rice.
It was enough to cause dueling opinions in the traditional media and trigger beer guzzling fans to raise voices and shake fists in yet another endless (and tiresome) debate over “who’s the best (fill in the blank)?”
As a casual fan, I look at Moss’s bluster differently. Quite simply, he’s entertaining, and what are professional sports other than entertainment? Pro athletes may choose to be role models; good for them, but consistently looking to them for life’s lessons about grace, humility, morality and career choices usually leads to disappointment.
Worse yet, a fawning sports media often create false impressions of a highly regarded athlete’s character or life story. Anyone sucked in by the Manti Te’o story should know that by now.
No, it’s a show, and Moss’s declaration livened up an otherwise mundane Super Bowl week.
The Ray Lewis retirement angle has been tired for weeks. True, the allegation that Lewis used performance enhancing drugs spiced things up a bit since somehow, even in today’s sports world, it’s regarded as breaking news that a pro athlete may have juiced.
Who could have imagined?
A more interesting story might be how the particular PED in question can come from deer antlers, and what do deer everywhere have to say about being drawn into the controversy?
And then there’s 49er’s coach Jim Harbaugh’s heart-felt confession: “I’m not a Tweeter.” Not exactly Oprah-worthy.
Beyond that, most of the Super Bowl media day quotes are of players reciting practiced and clichéd platitudes about the opponent or giving bewildered answers to inane questions.
According to a report in the San Francisco Examiner, 49er’s kicker David Akers was asked whether, during this economic downturn, a team could get by with just one player for both punting and kicking.
Carrying out that economic argument to its fullest, could a quarterback snap the ball to himself?
No, give me Randy Moss. He’s the only pro athlete I know of who, at one point in his career, announced at a press conference that he would ask, as well as answer, the questions.
“If there’s going to be an interview, I’m going to conduct it,” Moss told a gaggle of press wags after a game in 2010. “So, I’ll ask myself the questions and then give you all the answers.”
Priceless.
The Super Bowl is the largest media spectacle in the United States. And, like any extravaganza, it needs sideshows–something that sets up the main event. People still talk about Joe Namath’s “guarantee” of a Jet victory over the Colts in the 1969 Super Bowl.
Now we have an interesting secondary story line for Sunday. How will the self-proclaimed “greatest receiver ever” perform? Or perhaps more interestingly, what will he say in the post-game interviews?
Knowing Moss’s history, he may ask himself some good questions.
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Comments
Medman
Randy's I's are too close together.
January 31, 2013 at 6:37 am | Report comment
ShinnstonGuy
On a different note, I see there is a story in which the Republican Party is asking for help with their "Growth and Opportunity Project." I don't understand why they can't figure this out: return to the party that favors small government, lower taxes, and strong defense. That is all. People have fled the party because of their endless assault on gays, women, Latinos. I think the GOP should tell the social conservatives to form their own party. Otherwise, I don't see them getting many folks back nationwide.
January 31, 2013 at 6:39 am | Report comment
Red Dwarf
ShinnstonGuy, instead of posting off-topic trying to start an argument, start a blog.
That being said... Randy Moss is just trying to stir up the press and spice up the atmosphere. He knows where he stands in the scheme of things. Just like the kid that put tape on the cat's feet - he knew it probably wasn't right, he just wants to see what happens.
January 31, 2013 at 12:37 pm | Report comment
Oh Did Ya?
Hoppy - I contend that Randy did this intentionally to distract the conversation from his young QB or Michael Crabtree's legal issues, etc. He wants those guys focused and out of the spotlight so he can get a ring....pretty brilliant in my opinion.
January 31, 2013 at 8:03 am | Report comment
CaptainQ
Hoppy, like Chad (Ocho Cjnco) Johnson and Terrell Owens, Randy Moss is just another aging egostisical prima dona wide receiver. Unlike the first two people that I mentioned, Mr. Moss is fortunate enough to still have a JOB in the NFL let alone the fact that he (by vitrue of his TEAM'S performance) has a shot at a Super Bowl ring. Instead of complaining and whining about his playing time, Randy should be thanking God for being in the position he's in at the moment!
As for his claim to be the 'greatest wide receiver of all time,' that is SO laughable! Greatest pain in the backside? He's in the running for THAT, but by no means is he the greatest pass catcher in NFL history. Perhaps he'll be voted into the Hall of Fame someday, but for now, his MOUTH has more productivity than his body does on the field. I seriously doubt if he'll even be in the league next year.
January 31, 2013 at 8:30 am | Report comment
DWM
Captain,
Usually you get your facts close, this time you are way off. Listen to Moss' teamates and coaches, he has been a a great leader for their young receiving corp and been an important player on the field. He has never complained about his playing time or passes thrown to him while a member of the 49'ers. Your dislike for the man has clouded your judgement.
As far as his place in the game, the only receiver ahead of him is Jerry Rice. Jerry Rice had Joe Montana and Steve Young throwing him passes. The only year that Moss had a talented quarterback like that throwing him passes he set the record for most touchdowns in a season.
Debating whether Moss or Rice were the best ever is not laughable. Look at the numbers, compare the teams they were on, look at the quarterbacks thorwing the passes.
January 31, 2013 at 11:32 am | Report comment
CaptainQ
I'll meet you halfway on this point but ONLY concerning THIS YEAR. Up until the shots he took at the 49ers during the Super Bowl media day, Moss HAS been a 'model' citizen. How soon have you forgotten the other places Randy's been in his career. Remember his days in Minnesota? That run ended with his 'fake mooning' the fans as he was quickly traded away due to him being TOXIC in the locker room. He wore out his welcome in Oakland AND with the Patroits. Same pattern, first few years, great player/model citizen. Later on, ran mouth in the media and was so disruptive, he was traded away.
If you look at his OVERALL record on and off the field, Randy Moss is, at the very least, 'high maintenence' and at the most, 'locker room poison.' Look for him to be released by the 49ers soon after the Super Bowl.
January 31, 2013 at 1:31 pm | Report comment
scott strode
prima dona? aren't we past that point? hasn't he delivered on the field?
January 31, 2013 at 12:18 pm | Report comment
CaptainQ
No, he hasn't. How many catches and touchdowns does he have THIS YEAR?
I rest my case.
January 31, 2013 at 1:25 pm | Report comment
scott strode
i think youre trying to hard to find fault here. i don't know the stats for this year, but i think the whole point is his career stats. if a fake moon is too harsh compared to what some of these other guys are doing, then you need to watch something else other than NFL.
January 31, 2013 at 2:00 pm | Report comment
jethro
nfl is sports entertainment , just like the
wwe
January 31, 2013 at 8:52 am | Report comment
jayzoom
randy moss wouldn' make a pimple on jerry rices backside look at the stats actually he needs to look in the mirror and be thankful he is even in the NFL look at how many teams the clown been on versus rice and other great wide receivers. go 49ers
January 31, 2013 at 10:22 am | Report comment
DWM
Hop,
I love that Randy Moss is so honest about his opinions to the point that people don't know how to take him. Ask him a question, at your own peril, you are going to get the unvarnished truth, just like.... most West Virginians do. We are an honest group, we have very little guile, especially in the southern part of the state.
The question that brought the response you mention was about his place in the history of the game. He was just telling the truth as he saw it. Love Randy, and as a West Virginian, I am proud of the career he has had. He has had bumps along the road, who hasn't?
I'm hoping he gets a ring this weekend and I'll be there in Canton when he walks into the Hall in a few years.
We should embrace his honesty and lack of guile, he is just like one of us.
January 31, 2013 at 11:14 am | Report comment
scott strode
i understand Randy has said some off the wall stuff, but I don't understand the category of 'trouble maker' that most fans want to put him in? what am i missing?
January 31, 2013 at 12:22 pm | Report comment
CaptainQ
His past history with the Vikings, Raiders, Patroits and Titans. Perhaps if you did a little bit of research instead of 'Randy Moss hero worship' you'd see the truth.
January 31, 2013 at 1:33 pm | Report comment
scott strode
not a hero. trust me, know the history, and i don't know what youre talking about other than listing the teams he's been with. so what did he do that upsets you when he was with the Vikings, Raiders, Pats and Titans? i must've missed something other than a FAKE moon to the crowd.
January 31, 2013 at 2:10 pm | Report comment
Uncle Fester
I don't think you know the history.
Moss beat up a retarded student in high school. He lost a football scholarship to Notre Dame. He lost a football scholarship to Florida State. He flunked a drug test while on probation and went to jail for 30 days. He smokes pot like Snoop Dog does. He's been accused of domestic violence by his babies' mother. He has thrown water bottles at the Refs in the NFL and been fined. Of course, the harmless fake moon. Now that was funny. He pouted and quit playing with the Vikings so they got rid of him. He pouted and quit on the Raiders. He pouted and shot off at the mouth with the Patriots and they quickly got rid of him. Belechik didn't stand for his whining for one second. He had it good in New England, but didn't realize that until it was too late. He pouted and quit on the Titans until they got rid of him. He had to sit out one year in the NFL because no team wanted to risk signing him.
Now on the other side of the coin. Moss has kept his mouth shut this year until now. He is mentoring the younger receivers. Moss has almost yearly given back to kids in the Kanawha Valley with autograph signings and trips to amusement parks. Moss has given back to his community more than most athletes have. With Moss, he has a history of bad decisions, but mostly in his youthful indicretions. Just like the rest of us.
January 31, 2013 at 3:16 pm | Report comment
scott strode
retarded kid? not the way i remember it. what i remember is a kid that wrote a racial slur on his desk....as far as pot, youre speculating, domestic violence, key word accused.......ive never said a saint, but the original subject here was his work on the field, and only thing you and Q have come up with is off-field perception/accusations..etc.....
January 31, 2013 at 4:29 pm |