VIKINGS TOSS MOSS

Is there better place for Randy Moss to wind up than a city whose contributions include the Hell’s Angels, Black Panthers, Charlie Findlay, Al Davis and his Raiders? Where ornery fans surround “The Black Hole” donning sinisterwear while their Bay Area counterparts sip Napa’s finest vintage outside the gates of Candlestick Park? It’s no surprise to see Randy Moss join an organization that’s drawn castaways and malcontents like a Roach Motel, but the rolling hills of Northern California may not be any greener than the swaths of farmland outside the Twin Cities; at least not right away.

“Randy is thrilled to been joining Oakland,” said Raiders executive Mike Lombardi. “He’s overjoyed. He sees a team with a history of throwing the ball long and a team with a history of going to championship games.”

OK, fine, but if this move was really based on history, Moss should know that his soon to be former team played in four Super Bowls. Evidently Moss didn’t befriend the team archivist (presumably a volunteer with the Vikes thrifty ways) to appreciate the frigid Sundays in that Lego built structure called Metropolitan Stadium. And since 1998, the year Moss entered the league like Mt. Vesuvius, Minnesota has made the post season four times, reaching the NFC Championship twice. True, the Vikings haven’t reached the glory of, say, the Steelers of the 1970s, but nor has Moss endured a career like that of Archie Manning. In those same seven years, Oakland has actually made one less trip to the playoffs than Minnesota, though it did include a 48-21 drubbing by Tampa Bay in Super Bowl XXXVII that spawned their downfall. From Moss’s standpoint, it’s debatable if life with the Raiders will really be much different. Right now Minnesota is in the midst of a possible ownership change with floundering stadium negotiations while Oakland’s internal fiefdoms has them sputtering like rush hour on the 880.

Incredulously, Moss is supposedly enticed by Oakland’s “history for throwing the long ball”. Pardon my snickering, but Daunte Culpepper didn’t lead the NFL last season with 4,717 passing yards, surpassing Oakland’s total team passing by 859 yards, by piloting the dink ‘n dunk express. Granted, Oakland’s re-signing of Jerry Porter will help much to alleviate Moss from getting double-teamed; a luxury he hasn’t enjoyed since Cris Carter left after the 2001 season, however Oakland’s abysmal lack of a running game greatly tightens pass coverage without the play-action threat. Norv Turner’s successful passing schemes while at Dallas, Washington, Miami and San Diego all came with a premier back. Right now, there’s nary a player that even comes close to that in Raider Nation; with Amos Zeroue leading Oakland’s paltry rushing attack with only 425 yards in ‘04. And with the draft pick that Oakland will forgo to acquire Moss, the Raiders will attempt Jim Plunketization on a wholesale priced backfield…and pray that it works.

“He’s (Moss) been frustrated in Minnesota,” Lombardi added, “because the way he’s been used and the mediocrity of the Vikings. He’s looking for a championship team.”

If that’s the case then Moss should keep looking. It’s hard to determine who’s is in greater denial; Moss and his narcissistic belief that he’s been underutilized or Oakland’s faux resurgence going into the 2005 season. With regard to being “used”, I’m sure Red McCombs and Mike Tice may have some reciprocating words. For $75 million, Randy Moss has been as synonymous with petulance as he has production…perhaps even more so. Welcome to Oakland Randy…now Just Win Baby…