Lurtsema's Reaction-WR Not a Team Player

By: Bob Lurtsema

Date: 2/15/2001

Trade rumors, free-agent rumors and such are a part of NFL life at this time of year, but one trade rumor about Randy Moss has me thinking about my playing days in New York and the importance of being a team player. The rumors out in Denver -- rumors being the operative word -- are that the Denver Broncos want Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss in exchange for defensive tackle Trevor Pryce and two No. 1 draft choices. The Vikings are rumored to want three draft choices.

A new twist in this rumor would be the Broncos picking up John Randle, where the Vikings defensive tackle, who recently asked to be traded, would be reunited with defensive line coach John Teerlinck, who coached the defensive line for the Vikings from 1992-94. There has never been any doubt that Teerlinck is a great coach, as Vikings head coach Dennis Green tried to lure him back to Minnesota years ago and Randle has never hid his feelings on the joy of playing for Teerlinck.

The main reason Moss' name is even surfacing in trade rumors is because of a couple of situations late in the Vikings' 2000 season. Moss openly admitted that he took plays off, and before the NFC Championship game Viking Update's on-field photographer overheard Moss arguing with security trying to get his friends on the field. After the game, Moss was quoted as saying that he could tell before the game that his teammates weren't focused, which confuses me.

Speaking from experience, I'll just relate a quick story that a New York Giants fan brought to my attention last week at one of my restaurants. I was talking with him about Moss and he remembered reading about me getting in a fight in a training room with one of my own teammates (it amazes me what fans remember, especially Giants fans). Former Giants coach Allie Sherman eventually broke up the fight, which started when my teammate told me he didn't feel like playing even while we were in the middle of a game. The fight left both parties bleeding, but the message was sent.

When you are supposed to be a team leader and you take an attitude that you don't feel like playing, you lose the respect of your teammates. You can call it "old school," you can call it sour grapes and say that grown men shouldn't fight, but I'd do the same thing again if it happened -- because competition lies within the heart, not with ability. Randy Moss is one of the top five players in the National Football League, but if he continues with this type of attitude I might be inclined

-- Mark (Karch 222@aol.com), February 16, 2001

Answers

After reading the last 3 media posts, I gotta believe Moss will soon be wearing a different colored jersey. Where there's smoke/fire blah blah blah. Awfully lot of smoke drifting about lately.

Trevor Pryce and two number one draft picks for Moss!? I dunno what it'd take for me to feel comfortable about a Moss trade deal, but I know this ain't it.

-- Clark (cdvike@mindspring.com), February 16, 2001.

If the Vikes trade Moss this will be the biggest blow to the team since the Herschel Debacle! The argument will be made that this team can't afford to pay his soon to be outrageous salary but consider this, to ask a pro athelete of his talent, caliber and ability to play for 4-6 years at less than $100,000,000.00 is a steal in comparison to todays baseball contracts being handed out! I for one want and believe Moss & Daunte should remain Vikings for their lifetimes and lead this team to multiple Super Bowl wins! Without Moss the Vikes just can't do it! IMHO

-- Chris Morales (krondor105@aol.com), February 16, 2001.

-- Chris Morales wrote:

With Moss the Vikes have'nt been able to do it.

-- Kevan (ktthomas@earthlink.net), February 17, 2001.

Chris wrote;

I write;

With Moss the Vikes Have'nt been able to do it.

-- Kevan (ktthomas@earthlink.net), February 17, 2001.

Kevan's thoughts echo my own on Moss.

And at this point, Moss is his own worst enemy, just like Keyshawn Johnson in many ways. And we saw what he did for the Bucs...absolutely nothing, and he was probably a huge factor, if not the biggest factor, in the implosion of their offense this past season. Moss is obviously a better WR, but his attitude is going to bring him down and right now, the Vikes don't need that.

-- Deb Cross (debcross2000@aol.com), February 17, 2001.

Like most, I have mixed feelings. My hunch is that we should trade Moss for some picks and rebuild (how about some D?). The trouble is Denney will waste the picks on offense and it will be an ulitmate waste. No matter what Denny says after a playoff loss, the buck stops in his (rather large) lap. We need a new coach.

If we resign Moss that would be the best way to insure that he'll never see the Super Bowl (as long as Denny is coach) IMHO.

I don't remember, did Rashad make the Super Bowl? Oh yeah, I remember now... never mind.

-- Mike Kennedy (Wurger@aol.com), February 17, 2001.

I don't think we can blame Moss for not winning a Superbowl, I say we have a much better chance with Moss than without! If that's true than we can say that the Ravens won it all because of Trent Dilfer! Without him they didn't make it with him they won it all! after all they had Lewis on the defense the year before! I guess if Baltimore decideds to trade Dilfer they could get a ton of players for him! Right! Bull Sh#*!

-- Ralph (RFELIX7550@aol.com), February 18, 2001.

No one is blaming Moss for not winning the Superbowl. I'm just saying to those who say we cant win it without him that we have'nt won it with him. As far as your Raven analogy goes; Dilfer was not the factor for the Ravens, all he was asked to do was not make mistakes. The Ravens won with a superior defense and a very strong ground attack. They did'nt need awesome recievers.

-- Kevan Thomas (ktthomas@earthlink.net), February 19, 2001.

Kevan most people will agree with you here but if they had such a strong ground attack why did they struggle to score points? What was that 5 scoreless games in a row? Though the defense was superior they still lost games! It wasn't until Dilfer came in that the offense played well enough to start winning on a constant bases. If I remember right most of the highlights showed Dilfer making plays and scoring in the air. Of course I'm not going to research what the offense did before he started and all that stuff most of this is just bullsh*t but my point is that you can say just about anything about a players impact on a team, Take Dishman! How many games did we win with Dishman in there and how many did we lose? I think (lol) the defense went down when Dishman was let go! Seriuosly the # will show we won more games when he played than when he was gone! Sorry but I had say that! Without Robert Smith or a like replacement it might be a mute point to wonder if we can go all the way with or without Moss!

-- Ralph (RFELIX7550@aol.com), February 25, 2001.

Ralph, I believe in the 5 game period your talking about Jamel Lewis was hurt. If my memory serves me right he did not see much playing time then.

KT

-- Kevan Thomas (ktthomas@earthlink.net), February 25, 2001.