Dear Jerry Rice,I'm sorry to hear about your disappointment over Randy Moss' comments after breaking one of your many records.
"I don't think me breaking Jerry Rice's record is special," Moss said. "I think shutting you guys up is what made it special, all the negativity, all my critics."
Let’s face it, Mr. Rice—you can’t turn a whore into a housewife, and you can’t expect Randy Moss to understand why you're upset.
"It's almost like a little slap in the face, but that's typical of Randy Moss," you said on a recent radio program.
Mr. Rice, you're of the generation that knows to say the right things to the right people at the right times, out of respect. Moss, on the other hand, lives most of his life with blinders on.
I honestly don’t believe he meant to slight you with his comments, but was instead sincere in his opinion that, at the end of the day, his accomplishment was more than about the record he broke, or the legend who held it before him.
Moss has never been mistaken for someone who values good sportsmanship or respect for the game.
But you, Mr. Rice, are a class act, and retired as one of the greatest players in NFL history. Your name is all over the record books, and you have served as in inspiration for players and fans for years.
You didn’t have the physical attributes Moss has, which makes your feats that much more impressive.
Take it from a Patriot fan—your legacy will outlast all of your records. Don’t waste your breath or your energy on Randy Moss.
After all, you're better than that.
Sincerely,
A Patriot Fan
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9 months ago
So he broke a record...so what. Maybe records are not important to Mr. Rice. Maybe Moss just wants to play ball, get paid and play ball. Records are for historians. Moss has proven to be self indulgent at times...but I would rather Moss do what he did than what Ricky Henderson did...."I am the greatest of all time"...WTF is that.
I am sure Moss views Rice and others like Rice as talented ball players...perhaps he is just not as amped up about the record as others. You can't fault a guy for not caring about his stats.
from 9 months ago
Not caring about your stats and failing to show respect for the men that paved the way for your success are two entirely different things.
Frankly tho, I think Michael is right: Jerry Rice shouldn't waste his time on Randy Moss.
from 9 months ago
I think Zander kind of hit the issue right on with his comment above this one. Again...I don't think Moss intentionally meant anything by his comments, but there is a certain expectation among greats of the game that should be honored.
I agree Moss probably doesn't care as much about the record as say Rice does, which is why Rice should just forget the alleged slight.
9 months ago
Maybe records are not important to Mr. Rice. (Insert Moss for Rice in that sentence...Sorry)
9 months ago
In my humble opinion, Jerry should've waited until after the Patriots' season was over to attempt getting Moss for an interview.
Maybe he's a little busy getting ready for the playoffs right now to be playing with the media?
Also, I think what Randy meant by not thinking it was so special, was that it currently isn't of any importance to him. Right now the most important thing on his mind is helping the Patriots get to the Super Bowl.
from 9 months ago
True enough Chris—it's very possible that Rice could be misinterpreting Moss's actions here. Perhaps Moss is such a team player that he cares nothing about the record and doesn't want to distract himself from the playoffs.
Then again, the Pats have a first round bye. It's another week before Moss has to play again. You really don't think he has the time to pay tribute to the greatest to ever play his position—the man who's feat he topped?
Being a team player is something Jerry Rice was VERY good at. It's not as if Rice is trying to encourage Moss to worry about himself rather than his team. But Jerry has every right to be hurt by the fact that Moss didn't acknowledge the importance of his accomplishment, and everything that #80 did for the game to make it all possible.
Perhaps what Moss meant to say was: "it's not the record I care about—I'm worried about the Super Bowl." If this is really the case, Moss chose his words poorly.
But from the actual quote, what I'm guessing Moss really meant by this whole thing is: for all of those who ever doubted me, this is for you.
It's true that Moss has had his doubters. Its also true that the record should be special because it was held by the best to ever play the position. Randy needs to not take things for granted so much and remember that their were great receivers before him.
from 9 months ago
How would you like to be peppered by reporters a half hour after you just got out of the showers . I know myself that it's hard enough to talk with press people at the best of times and some guys just are not ready for it and at times they use your mouth to talk instead of your heart. Then it's all blown out of proprortion and then the press sells more papers and air time on T.V. etc.
I am sure that Randy Moss and Jerry Rice have talked privately about these records and it's no big deal between them at all. I really loved it when Moss actually did shut up the press though as sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.
Tom Brady on the other hand is so at ease with the press now that he is in control of them all of the time. Also,at that last interview in New York did anyone else but me notice that Tom had quite a few close up shots live and I can't remember him even blinking an eye for about 5 minutes it seems.
These guys are so tuned into getting to the Super Bowl that they don't let anything stand in their way for very long,,but,,i'm sure if and when they win it or lose along the way that they will take some time to celebrate what they have done this season,,that's for sure.
Also,,,I believe that all these guys who break these records are "" Real Clssy Guys ""!
******************************** GO PATS GO *************************************
9 months ago
Maybe Randy realized he had to do it in 16 games where Jerry did it in 12 games. I doubt it....
9 months ago
If you're Tom Brady's main receiver, you might as well expect a great season, with alot of touchdowns. Mind you, alot of the touchdown grabs were flukes in my opinion, a jump ball that could also have been an interception. But the guy has great hands and made the catches. Jerry rice was the best in his day, and Randy holds that title right NOW. With reporters pelting him with questions about this new record, things can slip. He probably meant that he doesn't care right now. He probably acknowledges it but right now he has more important things to worry about.
from 9 months ago
Good point on him probably not caring "right now", but I think he was more intent on proving his skeptics wrong above everything else.
9 months ago
So what if he did it in 16 games compared to 12....New England's weather is also a little bit harsher at this time of year than San Fransisco's, but records are meant to be broken, and it was. Moss is right not to be concerned with it because it was set on the way to trying to accomplish a goal which each team has at the beginning of the season;that being to win. The fact that the season isn't even over yet and there are still games to be played means that he's concerned with bigger things. I also think that Moss isn't as selfish as he's played out to be, it's a motivation factor. He's motivated to win on good teams, and when talent isn't around then he's not motivated. It's defensible to an extent (however there are cases where athletes don't let it slide: Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas). Those touchdowns weren't flukes, it was Brady exploiting the abilty Moss has to dominate a passing attack, if you have a receiver who is head and shoulders (literally) above your average corner back, who demands a double team every time he steps on the field, why wouldn't you utilize that?
9 months ago
22 TDs in 12 games is filthy.
And Montana threw almost 200 less passes that year than Brady did this year (398 vs. 578). I imagine if Montana threw the ball as many times as Brady did, Rice would have had 673 TDs that year.
from 9 months ago
None of this really matters, for two reasons:
1) The best season ever had by a reciever is still Jerry Rice's incredible performance in 1995.
Need I remind you: 122 catches, 1848 yards, 15 touchdowns. Moss's numbers this year: 98 catches, 1493 yards, 23 touchdowns.
Receiving touchdowns are flashy, but not all that telling in the end.
2) Jerry Rice's career numbers are untouched by Moss at this point.
Rice: 1549 catches, 22895 yards, 197 touchdowns. Led league in catches twice, yards and touchdowns six times.
Moss: 774 catches, 12193 yards, 124 touchdowns. Led league in catches and yards zero times, touchdowns twice.
Thus, in the end, Jerry Rice is still the best receiver ever both in terms of peak and career value. Nothing Moss can do—short of playing another 10 seasons, becoming a workaholic like Jerry who lives at the track, becoming a student of the game and studying film constantly, and establishing himself as the best route runner the league has ever seen—will change that.
9 months ago
Rice did it with less opportunities AND games. Can't wait for your Pats to lose, Bryan.
9 months ago
Rice also did it playing against scabs, as many NFL starters were on strike. Nobody ever seems to bring that up, though. They're both great receivers, who cares which one is better.
from 9 months ago
Please see above. There should be no argument as to who is better.
Randy Moss is more talented than Jerry Rice. But Rice worked harder than any other player to ever step on the field, which allowed him to become the best the game has ever seen.
Come on here, let's get real: Jerry Rice won both a regular season and Super Bowl MVP as a receiver. He was an all pro 12 times. His records are untouched. He had over 1000 yards receiving at age 39, and then again at age 40—after the Niners had already deemed him washed up and on his way out.
When Randy Moss has five more seasons like the one he had this year, the two can perhaps be compared. Until then, let's keep our pants on when giving credit to Moss (though without a doubt, the guy is a very special player...)
9 months ago
Rice did it against defenses that had scab defensive backs because of the strike... Not saying he wasn't great, not saying he wasn't arguably the greatest wr of all-time, but given the topic I think its worth noting.
9 months ago
Rice did it against replacement players. Thats like Moss being able to play against only the AFC East for 12 Games.
9 months ago
F you Rice. I'm a Seahawks fan, and you know what was special to me, Steve Largent? But when you came to the team, a sad shell of your former self, you chose to wear his number. That was a slap in my face. I know he let you do it, but that doesn't mean you had to. You could've shown some respect yourself. When Karl Malone joined the Lakers, Magic offered to left him wear his traditional number that he wore with the Jazz, even though it was retired by the Lakers. And you know what, he didn't do it because he knew how special Magic was to Laker fans. Guess what, us Seahawk fans don't have much (thanks a lot Jeremy Stevens and Super Bowl XL refs), but we do have Largent. And you sullied his number. So, again, F you Rice. F you.
9 months ago
Rice didn't do it against scabs. The players didn't strike for the entire season, jackasses.
9 months ago
You are kidding, right? He did do it against (mostly) replacements.
9 months ago
I don't think Rice scored any TDs versus scabs. That he only played 12 games would seem to infer that he did not participate in the three "replacement player" games.
9 months ago
Well put. Cheers to Rice! Caissie to Rice! Montana to Rice! Young to Rice! Bono to Rice! 'Jack' to Moss!
9 months ago
Its funny how Moss has been in the league for several years, yet its only this year that his name shows up anywhere other than a "stupid remarks" category. Jerry Rice on the other hand was a star reciever making big plays at all times and winning games. Moss has always been looked at as a "could've been" where as Rice was once described by John Madden as "the all-time everything." You're all right whether you said records do matter or don't matter because regardless of that, there is no disputing the best wide reciever ever, Jerry Rice.
from 9 months ago
No Buddy,,,,,,WAS !! and Rice did play against Scabs because I was a Sports Photographer then and at those games oddly enough. none of those scabs could beat him in those 3 games ,,,so,,,???
Randy Moss is the very best jump ball catcher ever as far as I'm concerned even in triple coverage he still pulls it in.!
9 months ago
As a 49er fan who grew up watching Jerry Rice, it doesn't matter to me what Randy Moss did. No one is going to argue Moss is even close to the caliber of player Rice was, and he got his record in 12 games.
9 months ago
So what if he did it in 16 games compared to 12....New England's weather is also a little bit harsher at this time of year than San Fransisco's, but records are meant to be broken, and it was. Moss is right not to be concerned with it because it was set on the way to trying to accomplish a goal which each team has at the beginning of the season;that being to win. The fact that the season isn't even over yet and there are still games to be played means that he's concerned with bigger things. I also think that Moss isn't as selfish as he's played out to be, it's a motivation factor. He's motivated to win on good teams, and when talent isn't around then he's not motivated. It's defensible to an extent (however there are cases where athletes don't let it slide: Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas). Those touchdowns weren't flukes, it was Brady exploiting the abilty Moss has to dominate a passing attack, if you have a receiver who is head and shoulders (literally) above your average corner back, who demands a double team every time he steps on the field, why wouldn't you utilize that?
9 months ago
Moss wears great sunglasses, I'll give him that.
9 months ago
Nice Dr. Dre reference Michael. Oh yeah, good article too. Maybe Moss didn't want to break the record just to pass a living legend. He wanted to break the record to prove to himself - and everyone else - that he's still an excellent receiver. Does that make him better than Rice? No - and he doesn't care, because he's pretty self-involved. You're right though, Rice shouldn't waste his energy on this. Records are meant to be broken, but you don't get to choose who breaks them.
9 months ago
the record the moss set is nothing compared to rice... rice had to do it in only 12 games while moss had a few more games to set it
9 months ago
people think about it .if rice wants to talk to moss he really should wait till there season is over because not only would belichick and Brady ,and for that matter the rest of the team get mad about bringing up personal records before they are done. in the end what the patriot's and moss are saying the record means nothing if the don't win it all so rice stop crying and let them finish the season and then he will talk to you
9 months ago
seriously? no reciever has ever won the mvp I heard it the other day someone wrote that earlier. Second, 5 more years of the season moss just had would put him way past rice in td's(the untouchable record). I grew up a jerry rice fan and there is no doubt moss is better not even questionable! He has never had a good qb, til this year, like rice did his entire career. Does moss say or do the right things always? No! But athletes are NOT role models I dont see why people continue to act as if they are. You can't take away from what a player has accomplished in his career just because you don't like him.
9 months ago
Moss has 124 td's and he is just 30 years old. Isnt it intersting that rices's 22 td's came in his 3rd year and he never again sniffed this mark? Kinda makes you wonder what moss's numbers would look like if he were on a great team his whole career like rice was doesn't it? Remember Brady never one season threw more thatn 10 td's to any reciever before moss got there, coincidence na I doubt it. OOOO, and by the way moss as a rookie 17 tds for the 98 vikings second highest scoring team of all time behind.... the patriots yeah thats right moss was on this team as well. Numbers don't lie and sorry people you are blind if you think rice is better than moss
9 months ago
Actually, Rice set the Record in 14 games, Moss had to use the 16 they play today.
Essentially, Moss didn't break the record for most TDs in a 14 game season.
9 months ago
Wow there are more factual errors in here than I can possibly parse out.
9 months ago
When Moss is willing to take a five yard slant over the middle then I'll mention him in the same breath as Rice. Moss is a great downfield receiver. Just chuck it up there and he'll find it. That's a little different than a crossing route when Ricky Jackson (Hey, pay up on that child support), Vaughn Johnson, Sam Mills or Pat Swilling are waiting to take your head off. He did it against Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson. I mean, nobody made a five yard pass look better!
9 months ago
Moss is a great reciever none the less. Personally i think he was just sick of people saying he was old and out dated, and didnt care about the record really he just wanted to score as much and as often as he could to prove everyone wrong. And 22 touchdown grabs are special anyways. look at it this way there are 11 guys on the field, and all of them want to hit pay dirt. The pats had a slew of good recievers this year and Brady could pick apart defenses with his recieving corps. The fact that moss did it 22 times is simply outstanding especially when he has to share the ball with lawerence maroney, Donte Stallworth, Welker, Kevin Faulk, Tom Brady, Mike Vrabile. So dont get things messed up Moss had a hell of a season and can say whatever he wants untill the pats are done in the playoffs
9 months ago
Kudos!! Randy Moss & the Patriots are just sick and tired with everyone including the media, players, & NFL fans antagonizing them that they are not that good, or NO they're not going to win the Superbowl. GIVE IT UP EVERYONE!!!!!!!! Let them play ball!!! They're 16-0 !!! Is that not worth something? They are a great team. And with everyone saying, "Indy's gonna beat them out!" think twice Indy has only gotten past the Patriots ONCE!! How many times has NE shut down Indy? The Patriots deserve a little more respect!
P.S. And for that NYJ situation, what teams don't review plays? I'm sure ALL that was on Belichick's mind was 'I better record there signals so we can beat them!" YEAH RIGHT!!!
9 months ago
True, but 14 game seasons don't exist!
9 months ago
Jerry Rice-12 game strike shortened season-22 touchdowns
Randy Moss-16 game season-23 touchdowns
Which looks better?
Rice came to play week in and week out regardless if his team was doing bad or doing good. He didn't continually cry and whine about it the way Moss does. I loved when Moss was in Oakland. He wanted a payday, and the only team that was willing to pay him that kind of money was a bad team looking for a spark. I hope he goes back to the old whiny Moss after the end of this year to tear apart that Patriots locker room. He'll get his Super Bowl ring, then we'll see which Moss shows up next year.
And besides, the whole season is media based or a conspiracy....where was the Colts "Path to Perfection", 3 years ago? It wasn't there. Nobody cared if the Colts went undefeated, but lo-and-behold, the mighty Patriots could go undefeated, lets make a BIG deal about it. It's who the media percieves and sees the biggest ratings coming in from. Its all about stories.
I strongly believe that Belicheat sent out his camera man to get caught by the Jets. Before this year, the offense didn't have the kind of firepower it does now. He didn't need to videotape anymore. He could beat them with Brady heaving the ball to Moss all the time. It's no art to throw the ball up to a reciever who will almost always come down with it.
9 months ago
wow---- that was one LONG convo!
9 months ago
wow---- that was one LONG convo!
9 months ago
I would say in the grand scheme of things that Moss id the better receiver. He is not as fast or as sleek as Rice, but he can catch ball through double coverage. Rice had to be moving in space for Montana and Young to hit him. They are both great and both benefited by having great QBs throwing to them.
9 months ago
Well in 1990 Montana threw it 520 times and Rice had 13 touchdowns.
Anyway the fact is Rice is hands down the greatest ever. He was bitter about losing his record and no way did Moss mean to slight him. He was trying to insult the media who consistently insults him.
Before Moss even got the record Rice was complaining to the NFL that it should be noted in the books that Rice did it in 12 games. Rice had plenty of other 16 games seasons to establish a better record and didn't do it.
Plus if he was that worried about his place in the record books maybe he shouldn't have went on strike.
Rice better be careful or he's going to start looking like just another diva wide receiver.
9 months ago
Moss caught a lot of his passes earlier in his career on downfield crossing patterns as did Rice. The highlights for Moss were just always the bombs away stuff.
And this year he did make those 5 yard slants. The Patriots used all of his talents unlike past teams.
9 months ago
dear patriot fan,
did you stop and consider the fact that randy moss says what he means and means what he says?! i don't understand why people are so egocentric. it is not about jerry rice or anyone else for that matter. records are made to be broken, and no one owes anyone any certain "respect". he was simply stating how he felt after being constantly doubted by the media. it is just that simple. also, not everyone ascribes to the american philosophy of "manners" in telling people what they want to hear instead of being honest. i appreciate randy moss for not being like every other puppet in the nfl and saying what he truly feels rather than rattling off some insincere crap just for the sake of showing what you people call "respect".
a fan of sincerity
from 9 months ago
I agree with you 100 % and like I said before ,,stick a camera in anyones face and see what comes out of their mouths. He said what he wanted and was to the point . Has anyone heard any of the Patriots bash any players from any other teams,,??? I haven't and they have all been taught that from Bill Belichick from day one to keep your mouth shut if you haven't got anything good to say and they do. That's respect !
9 months ago
Jerry Rice needs to shut up. He isn't the innocent, quiet guy people seem to think of him as.
9 months ago
After reading all of the above responses, I have not changed my mind.
Jerry Rice is a much better dancer than Randy Moss.
8 months ago
Here is something no one says. JERRY RICE DIDN'T GET 23 TOUCHDOWNS IN 16 GAMES. He had 20 years to do it. Why won't anyone say JERRY RICE COULDN'T GET 23 IN 16 GAMES. Plus, no one says RANDY MOSS HAS 17+ TD'S 3 TIMES NOW IN HIS CAREER. Rice only has 2 seasons of 17+ td's. Now that to me, says Moss is the most dominant receiver ever. Just Moss on the field the last two playoffs games, won it for them. It's comparable to DEION SANDERS in his prime, in there at cornerback. I grew up a Rice fan in bay area & i'll tell you what, Moss can do things Jerry could not. But every thing Jerry could do, Randy Can do. Don't listen to the media. If Jerry Rice was in today's media, he'd be a jerk, a cry-baby, a complainer, pre-madonna, womanizer, strip club guy...etc. I'm sick of the media bashing Moss. Notice they never show Moss just "toss" the ball to the ref after every TD this year.(minus the record setting td's against giants, he did dance.) Anyway, I think the 3 seasons with 17+ TD's should be brought up. & who is to think RANDY MOSS won't get more of those seasons, if he does, that will be remembered one day looking back at the stat sheets. NOW TO LEAVE YOU WITH SOMETHING TO THINK OF, Barry Sanders doesn't have any records, & most say he's the best ever. peace
8 months ago
Wow. Nicely put. I didn't think of that. Jerry Rice never got 23 in 16 games. I kind of look at it like Jerry Rice is hanging on to that 12 games, woulda coulda season during a strike year. Wonder if he played against scrubs. I agree about the media. Only time will tell about these two receivers. What I do know is we should just celebrate Moss and watch him play. He will get old and be gone and we will never see another like him again. Jerry Rice is still the best ever however. Although, Randy Moss is more dominant, I see your point.
8 months ago
Jerry Rice DID have 23 TD's in 12 games- he had a rushing TD in that season as well. And the scabs only played during the last 3 games of the season. Hence the record books showing 12 games played for Rice, and not 15 (1 game was canceled). So contrary to previous posts, those TD's were all done against legit starting competition.
As a diehard Niners/JR fan it pains me to see any of his records get broken. Regardless, nothing can be taken away from the season Moss had. It'll without a doubt go down as one of the greatest seasons for a WR in NFL history. We should spend more time enjoying and celebrating his great accomplishment, rather than picking it apart and force feeding comparisons.
Congrats, Randy, on your phenomenal season and a new place in the record books.
And here's to hoping that Rice can keep the rest of those records!
8 months ago
Your still missing the point. Jerry Rice DIDN'T get receive 23 touchdowns in 16 games, get over it. I grew up in bay area a Rice fan. Let the past go. Randy Moss is the ONLY player in history to receive 23 TD's in 16 games. No argument. No woulda coulda shoulda's. Rice never did it. He had 20 years to do it.
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