Moss gets a pass, while good isn't good enough for T.O.
By JENNIFER FLOYD ENGEL
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
IRVING -- Did you hear the one about the mercurial NFL receiver who publicly sparred with his coach all of 2006, further adding to his already hefty reputation as a jerk, only to reinvent himself and his image under a new coach?
He has become NFL Man of the Year, by all accounts.
Of course, the player being given credit for this amazing turnaround is first-year Patriot Randy Moss, not T.O.
In fact, while a Boston columnist praised Moss for being "a terrific teammate, a dutiful student, a Bill Belichick disciple", Fox studio analyst Terry Bradshaw unloaded on T.O., and I'm paraphrasing here, basically saying "I'm not buying it. He hasn't changed. And when tough times come, he'll revert back."
Welcome to T.O.'s world.
He finally adds good teammate and happy human to his impressive playmaker résumé only to learn he's no Randy Moss. Talk about ironic twists. So why is this, why is everybody so ready to embrace new-and-improved Randy as church and wary of T.O.'s turnaround?
Quite simply because T.O. talks.
He loves being center stage, sharing his thoughts on himself and his team and his coach and really anything anybody asks. You never know what he is going to say, like Monday, when he playfully engaged reporters about why he's happier this year.
"Well, you are a smart guy," T.O. said when asked specifically if his mood change was a result of a regime change.
"That's not a shot," he added. "If I give credit to Wade [Phillips] for that, people will look at this interview and say it's a knock on Bill [Parcells], that I am taking a shot at Bill."
Do not be surprised if that is exactly how it is spun by any number of talking heads.
Moss provides no such fodder for the spin cycle. How many times he has talked this season barely requires two hands to count. He answered questions upon being traded to New England, at a minicamp, when training camp started and after the Jets, Cowboys and Bills games. And when he does talk, he pretends like what he has done in past locales is irrelevant, wrongs done to him that he has forgotten.
"I'm past all that," Moss told reporters after New England slammed Buffalo on Sunday. "By me showing up at minicamp, I think I put that all behind me. Everything's going good now. It's working out. I don't even want to dwell on any negatives from the past."
Uhm, sorry Randy, you were the negative.
You were the one who said you play when you want to play, who quit on your team by walking off the field before the game was over, who went through the motions the last two seasons in Oakland, who mooned fans, who disrespected officials by squirting them with water, who was such a pain in the butt that Oakland basically had to give you away, who makes T.O. look like a choir boy in comparison.
T.O's biggest problem, in stops in San Fran and Philly, and even a little bit last season in Dallas, always has been his mouth. He had never quite mastered "I'm not going there" or "I'd rather not" until this season. He has been Mr. PC this season.
This is not to rewrite history and pretend T.O. was "MOTY" material in San Fran or Philly. He understands. Why else do you think he apologized to Donovan McNabb. What is the point of changing, though, if you are judged for who you used to be.
I know T.O. says he has not changed. We are just arguing about word choice, though. I like changed. He prefers to say matured.
Whatever word is used to describe what has happened with him, the evidence is obvious, from his stats to his state of mind. He's right when he says "I'm playing out of my mind right now."
And if you find yourself unable to trust T.O., listen to Jason Witten.
"He is just another one of the guys. He is more open," he said. "He wasn't bad last year, but he was guarded. He has let his guard down."
Why is not quite as simple as it looks. Obviously, a good hunk has to do with Coach Wade and Jason Garrett and mostly Ray Sherman for bringing in a system and style and attitude where T.O. felt wanted and respected and valued.
Getting him the ball a lot, downfield, also helps.
Do not leave out the crucial element, though, of T.O.'s role in this. He had to let go of a lot of his anger and hurts and issues (real and imagined). He had to acknowledge his mistakes. He had to be willing to change. And he had to, obviously, take that final step and change.
A few diehard critics remain, arguing: "Well, of course, he changed. His team is good and he's catching a lot of balls. Let's see what happens when they lose and he only catches a pass."
Bradshaw thinks he reverts back to Me O.
"Him saying that he wasn't buying it or what not," T.O. said. "Well, guess what, Terry Bradshaw? It's not for sale."
This is not how Moss would have handled it. Of course, nobody is really going after him. He is the poster child for receivers looking to turn their images around.
I guess I just don't see it.
I have watched a reformed receiver in action and, you, Randy Moss, are no T.O.
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
IRVING -- Did you hear the one about the mercurial NFL receiver who publicly sparred with his coach all of 2006, further adding to his already hefty reputation as a jerk, only to reinvent himself and his image under a new coach?
He has become NFL Man of the Year, by all accounts.
Of course, the player being given credit for this amazing turnaround is first-year Patriot Randy Moss, not T.O.
In fact, while a Boston columnist praised Moss for being "a terrific teammate, a dutiful student, a Bill Belichick disciple", Fox studio analyst Terry Bradshaw unloaded on T.O., and I'm paraphrasing here, basically saying "I'm not buying it. He hasn't changed. And when tough times come, he'll revert back."
Welcome to T.O.'s world.
He finally adds good teammate and happy human to his impressive playmaker résumé only to learn he's no Randy Moss. Talk about ironic twists. So why is this, why is everybody so ready to embrace new-and-improved Randy as church and wary of T.O.'s turnaround?
Quite simply because T.O. talks.
He loves being center stage, sharing his thoughts on himself and his team and his coach and really anything anybody asks. You never know what he is going to say, like Monday, when he playfully engaged reporters about why he's happier this year.
"Well, you are a smart guy," T.O. said when asked specifically if his mood change was a result of a regime change.
"That's not a shot," he added. "If I give credit to Wade [Phillips] for that, people will look at this interview and say it's a knock on Bill [Parcells], that I am taking a shot at Bill."
Do not be surprised if that is exactly how it is spun by any number of talking heads.
Moss provides no such fodder for the spin cycle. How many times he has talked this season barely requires two hands to count. He answered questions upon being traded to New England, at a minicamp, when training camp started and after the Jets, Cowboys and Bills games. And when he does talk, he pretends like what he has done in past locales is irrelevant, wrongs done to him that he has forgotten.
"I'm past all that," Moss told reporters after New England slammed Buffalo on Sunday. "By me showing up at minicamp, I think I put that all behind me. Everything's going good now. It's working out. I don't even want to dwell on any negatives from the past."
Uhm, sorry Randy, you were the negative.
You were the one who said you play when you want to play, who quit on your team by walking off the field before the game was over, who went through the motions the last two seasons in Oakland, who mooned fans, who disrespected officials by squirting them with water, who was such a pain in the butt that Oakland basically had to give you away, who makes T.O. look like a choir boy in comparison.
T.O's biggest problem, in stops in San Fran and Philly, and even a little bit last season in Dallas, always has been his mouth. He had never quite mastered "I'm not going there" or "I'd rather not" until this season. He has been Mr. PC this season.
This is not to rewrite history and pretend T.O. was "MOTY" material in San Fran or Philly. He understands. Why else do you think he apologized to Donovan McNabb. What is the point of changing, though, if you are judged for who you used to be.
I know T.O. says he has not changed. We are just arguing about word choice, though. I like changed. He prefers to say matured.
Whatever word is used to describe what has happened with him, the evidence is obvious, from his stats to his state of mind. He's right when he says "I'm playing out of my mind right now."
And if you find yourself unable to trust T.O., listen to Jason Witten.
"He is just another one of the guys. He is more open," he said. "He wasn't bad last year, but he was guarded. He has let his guard down."
Why is not quite as simple as it looks. Obviously, a good hunk has to do with Coach Wade and Jason Garrett and mostly Ray Sherman for bringing in a system and style and attitude where T.O. felt wanted and respected and valued.
Getting him the ball a lot, downfield, also helps.
Do not leave out the crucial element, though, of T.O.'s role in this. He had to let go of a lot of his anger and hurts and issues (real and imagined). He had to acknowledge his mistakes. He had to be willing to change. And he had to, obviously, take that final step and change.
A few diehard critics remain, arguing: "Well, of course, he changed. His team is good and he's catching a lot of balls. Let's see what happens when they lose and he only catches a pass."
Bradshaw thinks he reverts back to Me O.
"Him saying that he wasn't buying it or what not," T.O. said. "Well, guess what, Terry Bradshaw? It's not for sale."
This is not how Moss would have handled it. Of course, nobody is really going after him. He is the poster child for receivers looking to turn their images around.
I guess I just don't see it.
I have watched a reformed receiver in action and, you, Randy Moss, are no T.O.
posted by The Gryphon at 8:22 PM
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