Monday, April 30, 2007

Formerly PMSing Moss now with New England...um...right...

So, for what appears to be a bargain (potentially just one year $3+ million and a fourth round draft pick) the Patriots landed Raiders' trouble child Randy Moss. There's just something about this deal that feels...well...icky. This guy is about a half step up from Terrell Owens. It's like George Steinbrenner owning the Red Sox. There's just something wrong about this deal.

Does it make the Patriots team better? Probably, but at what cost? Moss is a highly talented and likely motivated player, with a desire to show the league that he is the same player he was before his two years in Oakland. However, he is also a notoriously selfish player. Despite his protests to the contrary this past weekend, his selfishness is well documented, as he often publicly complained that he did not get the ball enough, did nothing to sell routes when he knew running plays were going away from him, and seldom blocks.

How long, in the Patriots team first system, will this guy last before becoming a problem?

It will be difficult for me to root for this guy - too often he has been in the news for the wrong reasons, and that is something that is important.

Generally I'm willing to give the Patriots brain-trust the benefit of the doubt...this move has just left me wondering.

4 comments:

sugarshane024 said...

I must admit that I am extremely about the move to pickup Moss. That said, I can understand your reservations. But look at it this way. Moss was happy - or at least he was complaining - when the Vikings were winning and Culpepper was hurling touchdown after touchdown to Moss. Brady is a better quarterback than Culpepper and the Patriots will win more than those Vikings did.

Look at the way the Corey Dillon situation panned out. He was disgruntled in Cincinnati when they were horrible. Some called him selfish. He came to New England, became a winner, and was a model citizen.

I think the chances of Moss blending in, so to speak, are good. And I anticipate he'll return to the playmaker he was in Minnesota. I certainly hope he does.

At least he's not Terrell Owens.

Anonymous said...

If he cant clean up his act with the Patriots then he cant clean up his act. I can't see him getting away with complaining about how Tom Brady plays, or not getting him the ball enough. No more "my team sucks" excuses as far as i'm concerned. Hopefully he is smart enough to realize that if he can't be happy and stay out of trouble with the Pats, then he can't do it with anyone.

Kevin Smith said...

Yeah, but Dillon never took plays off or could be accused of quitting on his team. That sort of thing worries me, and as a former coach I can say I'd rather have the less talented guy who I know will bust his ass on every play than the guy that I don't know when he'll decide he needs a rest.

Also, gotta be concerned about a player that one of the best things that can be said about him is "At least he's not TO."

sugarshane024 said...

I need to proofread my stuff a little more. I meant to say "that I am extremely [excited] about the move..." and that "or at least he was[n't] complaining..."