Randy Moss: 982 catches, 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns in 14 seasons. Jerry Rice: 1,549 catches, 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns in 20 seasons. I contacted Michael Smith, the host of Numbers Never Lie, and he explained it would take Randy Moss until the year 2020 to catch Jerry Rice and become the number one receiver of all time statistically — and that is if Moss ascended to his career average outputs. Case closed. Jerry’s the GOAT.
But…an all time great calls himself the GOAT and the sports world is in an uproar? Seems like par for the course. Why wouldn’t Randy Moss think he’s the greatest? The man literally ran multiple wind sprints during every game and Moss’d so many defenders he became his own verb. He came out the box and scored 17 touchdowns as a rookie with a resurgent Randall Cunningham at quarterback in 1998. He scored 52 touchdowns in 53 games in New England with legendary Tom Brady. Both QB’s took home postseason awards those respective years. It’s not a coincidence that the 1998 Vikings and the 2007 Patriots are the highest scoring squads in the history of the NFL. Those records happened, in large part, because of Randy Moss. He was unstoppable at times and his combination of tremendous athleticism — 4.25 speed and superior hands — made him the prototype. How many times did you see end zone referees nodding yes with hands straight in the air like it was a touchdown stickup and everybody cared?
Question: Do you consider someone — anyone — doing something you do very well as superior? Are you willing to admit that publicly? No? So why would Mawse? He was just responding to one of the 73 questions asked on Super Bowl Media Day. He gave the media what it wanted in true-to-the-game fashion.
I have no problem with Randy’s assertion because he’s still playing the game. He has to think he’s the best, especially on the eve of the Super Bowl. I understand why Jerry Rice disagrees. Most don’t recall Jerry fighting for his own respect during his playing days. He was just as much a reason why his ‘Niners squads won titles as Joe Montana and Steve Young, but wasn’t viewed in the same light as those quarterbacks…or so he thought.
Randy Moss was born on February 13th. Could the brotha be seeking his own type of historical love as San Francisco once again goes for their version of Valentine’s Day? Of course he’ll tell you he doesn’t care, but to think he doesn’t want to be mentioned in the same conversation as Rice is as crazy as you not getting your significant other a February 14th gift…when you know her hands are open and waiting for her own version of your touchdown.
