Thread: Volatile Moss rips Vikings, Shell

[size=14pt]Volatile Moss rips Vikings, Shell[/size]
BOB SANSEVERE - Pioneer Press
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/columnists/15275676.htm



Randy Moss didn't torch the Vikings during the game. He did it afterward.

"To hell with them," he said.

He piped up with that right after saying he "wanted to come in and see the fans and give them something to really scream about because I've had my fun here in this Metrodome, and they've had theirs, too."

The only screaming for Moss came during Monday night's pregame introductions. He got what he often got during his tenure with the Vikings. A big cheer.

"It makes me feel good to know that I'm still loved here (despite) the bad blood that kind of spilled when I left," Moss said.

This will be his second season with the Oakland Raiders, but you can tell it still gnaws at his innards that the Vikings traded him.

"From an organization standpoint, I had no care, no feelings, nothing for the Vikings organization. What they did is what they did," he said after his first game against the Vikings since being traded. "When the trade went down, there was a lot of smoke and air that couldn't be cleared up right away. There were a lot of people shying away from questions and answers. One thing I didn't have was an answer of why it happened. I kept asking why it happened, but I never got an answer."

Moss was in search for other answers Monday night after the Raiders' 16-13 victory over the Vikings.

He was perturbed that Raiders coach Art Shell took him out of the game for good after his first and only catch of the game, a 16-yard reception that came three plays into Oakland's fourth possession.

"I was just more (ticked) off. I've never in my career been taken out of a (preseason) game during a drive," Moss said. "Really, I'm going to keep that in-house because it kind of (ticked) me off for me to be taken out during a series."

If that's his idea of keeping it in-house, what would he have said if he felt like unloading on Shell?

It was vintage Moss.

"I wasn't even in the flow of the game. Just by them throwing me a couple of balls doesn't mean I'm in the flow of the game," Moss said. "He made a decision. He's the head coach. I've got to live with it."

It was that type of insubordination that frayed his relationship with former Vikings coach Mike Tice and brought about the trade to Oakland.

Say this about Moss, though. He sounded sincere when he talked about how much he appreciated Vikings fans.

"All offseason and once we start counting down for me coming back to the Metrodome, there was a little nervousness, but excitement at the same time," Moss said. "It was an overwhelming welcome I received, but it felt good."

During the game, Moss offered a couple of snapshots of what it used to be like at the Metrodome, only this time, he was wearing No. 18 for the Raiders. Not No. 84 for the Vikings.

He went deep down the right sideline and out-leaped a defensive back to catch a 40-yard pass. The only thing is, he landed out of bounds.

"I knew the ball was going out," Moss said. "I wanted to try to get my feet down and make that catch."

Two plays later, he caught that 16-yard pass for a first down. That was early in the second quarter. And that's what set off his impromptu scolding of his coach.

"There were some times there we were stopped or we stopped ourselves," Moss said. "There were just some things that we did wrong from a football standpoint and from a coaching standpoint."

Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall that first time Shell talks to Moss after Shell sees some of these comments?

Moss has a history of giving headaches to coaches, opposing as well as his own.

Zygi Wilf didn't own the Vikings when Moss was traded. I ran into Wilf before the game, so I had to ask:

"Would Moss be with the Vikings today if it was up to you?"

I didn't really expect a tantalizing response, and Wilf didn't disappoint.

"I'm happy where we are right now," he said.

Despite his shots at Shell, Moss claims to be happy where he is, too. He also claims to be happy with some of the memories he accumulated while with the Vikings.

"What I did here is something that I'll take to my grave," he said.

It's not a surprise that he would complain.

His failure to understand the reason he was traded says alot about him. He was a magnificent talent that had more potential than maybe any receiver in the history of the NFL, but he makes bad decisions from a personal standpoint and he has never developed his game to allow himself to run new routs so he isn't as one-dimensional. Maybe alot of that is due to the coaching and if it is, that is a shame because he was without a doubt the most entertaining receiver I have ever seen and I wish him well.

Moss was just a little frustrated.
I'm sure it was an emotional trip for him and he wanted to put closure to a chapter in his life.
It just didn't quite happen the way he envisioned.

he, just like every other #1 WR just wants the season to start.

"From an organization standpoint, I had no care, no feelings, nothing for the Vikings organization. What they did is what they did," he said after his first game against the Vikings since being traded. "When the trade went down, there was a lot of smoke and air that couldn't be cleared up right away. There were a lot of people shying away from questions and answers. One thing I didn't have was an answer of why it happened. I kept asking why it happened, but I never got an answer."

And that ladies and gentlemen is the #1 reason why he DESERVED to be traded and why he shouldn't ever come back. He didn't care about the team, the fans, the city or the organization. He cared about HIMSELF.

Well when i watched espn tuesday they had a quote from moss saying he was excited to go back to minnesota to entertain the fans or something of that nature. And also that he liked the vikings fans but said to hell with the vikings organization.

"Warp" wrote:

Well when i watched espn tuesday they had a quote from moss saying he was excited to go back to minnesota to entertain the fans or something of that nature. And also that he liked the vikings fans but said to hell with the vikings organization.

Umm, yeah, that's the quote in the posted article that started this thread in the first place...
;D

He may have been excited to entertain the fans, but a few years ago in an exhibition game in San Antonio he said the fans down there were real fans!

Pretty much told me what he thought about the fans in Minnesota!

"Ltrey33" wrote:

"From an organization standpoint, I had no care, no feelings, nothing for the Vikings organization. What they did is what they did," he said after his first game against the Vikings since being traded. "When the trade went down, there was a lot of smoke and air that couldn't be cleared up right away. There were a lot of people shying away from questions and answers. One thing I didn't have was an answer of why it happened. I kept asking why it happened, but I never got an answer."

And that ladies and gentlemen is the #1 reason why he DESERVED to be traded and why he shouldn't ever come back. He didn't care about the team, the fans, the city or the organization. He cared about HIMSELF.

wait a second, he was traded to save money, red said either moss or tice...which one cost more?
He always wanted to win and was frustrated when they did not.
I for one would rather have someone with passion than a passive attitude.
Moss should have never been traded for many reasons, one will show up real soon if the team doesnt win...Blackouts! :'(