Sorry for sleeping on the following — transcribing Chris Russo’s daily observations about film, family and fun is pretty time consuming. But if the following quotes, attributed to Raiders WR Randy Moss by the Oakland Tribune’s Steve Corkan are accurate, I think I have a new favorite player in the NFL. Even if he never catches a pass again.
On Monday, wide receiver Randy Moss lashed out at former Raiders defensive lineman and Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long for comments Long made about Moss’ passion for the game.”He had his turn when he played,” Moss said of Long on his weekly radio spot on Fox Sports. “Of course, I know he’s an (Fox-TV) analyst, and it’s his job to stir up controversy, but for him to take a shot at me and say that I don’t have a passion for the game, I love the passion for the game. If I don’t have that much passion, you tell his (butt) to come out here and put on some pads and go at me.”
“For Howie Long to say something like that is kind of bad because he knows, as a former NFL player, what it takes to get up for a game every Sunday,” Moss said. “You got to practice week in and week out. Back in them days, he was probably popping pills and tablets and all that to get them up and going.“But nowadays with the drug-testing policies and the performance-enhancing policy, then it’s hard for a player to just go out there with just himself and go out there week in and week out.”
Long said he laughed when one of his sons informed him of Moss’ comments. His amusement turned into puzzlement when he learned Moss implied that players from Long’s generation needed help getting up for games.
“If Randy wants to know what I was about in my 13 years as a Raider, and I’m a proud Raider, all he has to do is walk upstairs to the coach’s office because I had the privilege of playing with and for Art Shell,” Long said. “I’m pulling for him, and I’m pulling for the football team.”
The Steelers have addressed the impending absence of Joey Porter (hamstring) by inking LB Chad Brown, 36, to a one year deal. This is what happens when Mean Joe Greene doesn’t pick up the phone.