Tomase on Moss - background story

[bigdgp]

You're really being a homer if you view this story as flattering to Moss despite Tomase's pitiful efforts to make it so.


Stomping on an unconscious person is pretty disgusting. Moss is lucky he only got 30 days in jail. Even if that person had written the racist/threatening statements, which, although Tomase tries to imply that Johnson did, wasn't shown to be the case anywhere in the article, still doesn't make it right or excusable what Moss and his pal did. Then Tomase claims that Moss being rightfully punished for his actions made him mistrustful of the public/strangers This makes absolutely no sense particularly if Moss was supposedly raised in a "strict household" (belied by the stomping incident). It is also contradicted by Moss' public behaviour as someone who has been negatively affected (and "changed") by the media/strangers wouldn't be bluntly honest with the media/strangers (i.e. "straight cash homie").

Tomase's article is informative but it would have been better had he left out the first page and not claimed a ludicrous connection between Moss' punishment for stomping on an unconscious fellow student and his later immature behaviour. Only thing the first page demonstrates is that Moss has been impulsive and immature from an early age (not surprising). It would also have been better if he had not tried to whitewash Moss' immature behaviours.

P.S. Randy cannot be a "finicky" eater if he eats from MacDonalds - I wouldn't give food from MacDonalds to my dog.

Have you ever been to West Virginia or any other part of the south where Racism is so prevalent and still in many parts an acceptable part of life? Have you ever had to deal with racism 1st hand?

I've seen racism 1st hand, my wife is from Louisiana and has shared stories about it from there as well. Yet, I still haven't ever been able to know what it feels like to continually be pressured for my race.

I was picked on when I was growing up after changing schools and I know how miserable I felt every day when I had to wonder about whether my bullies were going to antagonize me. It didn't stop until the day I finally confronted them physically and made them stop.

I didn't have to worry about being sucker-punched or people threatening my life but I can't imagine how much more backlash would have been created if there was that much more pressure on me. Maybe I would have knocked my antagonizers unconscious and pounded on them?

I'm not saying that what Moss has done is execusable, but I am saying I don't know the whole story on this guy, and it certainly hasn't been clarified by the numerous media stories on him or by having the likes of Joe Buck being "revolted" by his mooning gesture.

Your response honestly sounds like someone who has lead a priviledged life and has little understanding of the lives of people less fortunate and smacks of elitism and arrogance.

Of course maybe I'm just getting defensive because when I eat at McDonald's I'm finicky also-I like the grilled chicken sandwich, plain, with cheese, and honey mustard sauce on the side-you should let your dog try it some time...

 

[NYCPatsFan]

I thought this was an excellent informative article that threw a lot of light, without taking any stand, on Moss' school days. It is left to the reader to decide to come to their conclusion. Pretty much what good reporting should be.

Not sure why some categorize it as a 'spin'...

 

[Eugene Chung]

Stomping on an unconscious person is pretty disgusting. Moss is lucky he only got 30 days in jail. Even if that person had written the racist/threatening statements, which, although Tomase tries to imply that Johnson did, wasn't shown to be the case anywhere in the article, still doesn't make it right or excusable what Moss and his pal did.

I don't think anyone is excusing his actions. It's just a different light to the story. If you look at many of these mini-bios (you can see a few on Moss's Wikipedia page), they stated that Moss kicked the student in the head during a fight. None of the racial comments were mentioned by the writers (I'm not saying that makes his actions justifiable). It was a disgusting act but Moss pled guilty and served his time. As for his 30-day sentence, the guilty plea probably helped along with the charge only being a misdemeanor (and I assume that Moss was tried as a juvenile).

 

[Grizzafted]

That was a b*ll**** article, and it definitely didn't do Moss any favors. He comes out looking like he thinks that hard knocks justify crappy behavior, which they don't. And Tomase makes excuse after excuse after excuse for him, even going so far as to say that his offenses were "minor" compared to wife beaters and guys who've been accused of being a part of a murder. "Squirting water on an official." That's unacceptable.

I give Moss the full benefit of the doubt, I hate the way the media has treated the guy. And I'm very excited he's a Patriot. But this article did him dirty, total apologists. The guy should step up and acknowledge that he's acted selfishly and that he wants to change. Until then it's all excuses.

Let me put it this way: you wouldn't want this guy to stay the night at your house. If he wasn't a football player, you'd think he was a douchebag and you'd dislike him. Whereas guys like Deion Branch and Chad Johnson, you'd want to hang out with.

 

[RayClay]

Tomase has always written excellent feature articles.

His problem is lack of access, which he compounds by always asking the dumb question at press conferences, or specifically asking what BB just said he wasn't going to talk about.

I read him and Reiss, and Borges for comedy relief.

I seriously don't even bother with whiny Felger any more, nor curly haired boyfriend and the rest.

 

[patsacolachick]

And Tomase makes excuse after excuse after excuse for him, even going so far as to say that his offenses were "minor" compared to wife beaters and guys who've been accused of being a part of a murder. "Squirting water on an official." That's unacceptable.

WTF??? Sorry, but wife beaters and murderers are way worse than water squirting football players. Are you kidding me that you can't see that, for the most part, his offenses WERE minor in comparison to, like, real criminals????

 

[maverick4]

This article is AMAZING. Much respect to Tomase for this one. This part was very telling:
-------
Raised by a single mother in a strict household, Moss was outgoing and friendly, the biggest celebrity the area had seen since Jerry West came out of nearby Chelyan. By 1995, Moss was a hero - two-time West Virginia Mr. Basketball, Parade All-America wide receiver - with a scholarship to Notre Dame. He carried himself like a superstar. He also had a baby with his white girlfriend, a fact that did not sit well on Redneck Alley.

Even now, more than a decade later, friends, teachers and administrators choose their words carefully when discussing one of the ugliest incidents in the region’s history. But what they universally agree upon is that it changed Randy Moss forever. The belief is that a student, Ernest Johnson, scrawled the words “all (n-word) must die,” on the desk of Moss’ girlfriend, along with the name of one of Moss’ friends, Rayeshawn Smith. The two confronted Johnson. Smith knocked him out. Moss stomped on him.

Johnson spent a week in the hospital with injuries to his head, kidney and spleen. Moss pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, losing his scholarship in the process. “That kid (Johnson) had it coming,” noted one of Moss’ former teachers, who asked not to be identified because the case still resonates in the area. “Randy got kicked out of school for beating up an (expletive).” Moss would never be the same. To this day, the newest member of the New England Patriots [team stats] remains leery and guarded. He assumes the worst about people he doesn’t know. While generally popular with teammates, he keeps the rest of the world at arm’s length.

“That was the single event that changed Randy’s entire perception of the public,” said Whitestone, a family friend. “Up until that point, Randy was like a big kid. He liked to joke and play around, but he was very respectful.

http://patriots.bostonherald.com/patriots/view.bg?articleid=198503&format=&page=1

 

[JoeSixPat]

You're really being a homer if you view this story as flattering to Moss despite Tomase's pitiful efforts to make it so.


Stomping on an unconscious person is pretty disgusting. Moss is lucky he only got 30 days in jail. Even if that person had written the racist/threatening statements, which, although Tomase tries to imply that Johnson did, wasn't shown to be the case anywhere in the article, still doesn't make it right or excusable what Moss and his pal did. Then Tomase claims that Moss being rightfully punished for his actions made him mistrustful of the public/strangers This makes absolutely no sense particularly if Moss was supposedly raised in a "strict household" (belied by the stomping incident). It is also contradicted by Moss' public behaviour as someone who has been negatively affected (and "changed") by the media/strangers wouldn't be bluntly honest with the media/strangers (i.e. "straight cash homie").

Tomase's article is informative but it would have been better had he left out the first page and not claimed a ludicrous connection between Moss' punishment for stomping on an unconscious fellow student and his later immature behaviour. Only thing the first page demonstrates is that Moss has been impulsive and immature from an early age (not surprising). It would also have been better if he had not tried to whitewash Moss' immature behaviours.

P.S. Randy cannot be a "finicky" eater if he eats from MacDonalds - I wouldn't give food from MacDonalds to my dog.

You seem to know more about this incident than I do - but my gut feeling is that, living in "redneck alley" and knowing that you are a "target" for a number of reasons, both for your athletic skills, budding stardom, having a white girlfriend and a white baby, it's a very combustible situation.

Someone lit a match in a big way - and they did so by targeting Moss's girlfriend... the mother of his child.

So I'm with the teacher who said they guy had it coming. Now how much did he "have coming?" Did he deserve to be stomped on when unconcious (again Tomase's story doesn't say that so I'll assume you're correct.)

No - he didn't - sounds like he might be lucky he didn't kill the guy. But you're asking Moss - a kid at the time in a rage over a racially motivated incident that targeted his wife and hence his entire family - to be thinking clearly in such a very heated moment.

The biggest thing I take out of that incident is that Moss is intensely protective of his family - let's hope that extends to the Patriots family now.

 

[Hoodie]

But the real question is what were the teachers and administrators doing to breakup the red neck alley. Seems to me that they should have all been fired for not taking action to break up this crap.

Good point.

 

[Hoodie]

WTF??? Sorry, but wife beaters and murderers are way worse than water squirting football players. Are you kidding me that you can't see that, for the most part, his offenses WERE minor in comparison to, like, real criminals????

I'm not sure I'd be so forgiving if he was squirting water on me but yeah, I agree.

 

[Bobs My Uncle]

I've said this before and I'll say again

So Moss kicked the crap out of a racist bully!

So Moss smokes pot!

So Moss takes plays off and doesn't like to block!

So Moss left a game early!

So Moss was vocal about leaving the h ell hole know as Oakland!

BFD. Lock him up in San Quentin!

If these are the only skeletons in Moss' closet than he's far better off than the vast majority of people that are living. I often times wonder of the skeletons that those Moss haters are hiding and how trhey compare to Moss'

 

[Grizzafted]

WTF??? Sorry, but wife beaters and murderers are way worse than water squirting football players. Are you kidding me that you can't see that, for the most part, his offenses WERE minor in comparison to, like, real criminals????

Of course! My point is that even comparing him to them doesn't speak well of his decision making abilities, at least in what he's shown in the past. It's like saying, "yeah, I got drunk and wrecked my car, but at least I didn't beat someone with a bat." Who wants to use that as a bar for their behavior?

I'm honestly much more worried about the off-the-field stuff with Moss than with him quitting on the Pats during games. I think he'll be great in New England, but that article didn't exactly make him look good personally.

 

[Grizzafted]

From a football perspective, it also bears remembering that this is a guy who's major coaching figures as of late has been Art Shell, Norv Turner, and that fat guy with the pencil from Minnesota. Can't remember his name right now. Belicheck will bring everything out of him that is there, hopefully it's enough.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Re: Thomasse on Moss - background story

That's a very good article. A lot of us don't know what it's like to be in that spotlight, under that kind of pressure. I've been to West Virginia, and there really ARE a lot of rednecks in some parts. Racism is a hard thing to deal with. Especially at that young of an age. I can also see how that incident could have affected Moss and his public image.

The pot thing doesn't really affect my opinion of him so much. Most kids try it at one point or another. As long as he's not choosing it over his career and continually failing drug tests, ala Rickey Williams, now that would worry me.

Hopefully Moss can find himself again in New England. But he better be on his guard against the Boston media because there are a lot of pricks out there, Borges, is only one of the worst of them. And Boston can be as racist as West Virginia, though in a different way (more snobbish than redneckish). And yes, I've been to Boston too, so I would know.

Thomase wrote - "He passed the SAT on his first try"

Maybe I'm getting along in years here, but since when did the SAT become a pass/fail test?

I think he meant Moss got a high enough SAT score to be accepted into Notre Dame. I know for student athletes the threshold likely isn't that high, but fact is he still put in the work to get the job done. I think that shows some level of commitment/work ethic.

 

[mtbykr]

Nice read, thanks!

 

[FirstAndGoal]

Re: Thomasse on Moss - background story

Thomase wrote - "He passed the SAT on his first try"

Maybe I'm getting along in years here, but since when did the SAT become a pass/fail test?

There is a minimum score for 1A athletes in order to gain a scholorship.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

I thought the most insightful part of the story was from the former basketball coach -- Fout. He said that they noticed Moss wasn't stretching as hard as the other players and uses it as a good example of the microscope that Moss is under.

It's nearly impossible to take your eyes off the guy. And the result is that everything gets magnified. There may be thousands of guys who don't stretch very hard, but nobody knows it, because nobody is watching their every move. I think this is the life that Moss has led.

I'm not saying that Moss hasn't done his share of stupid things. Clearly he has. But I think there's a bad cause and effect thing going on here -- he's under a crazy microscope and he doesn't seem to have the capacity to handle that so well given some of the things noted in this article, and it just feeds on itself.

The only criticism of Moss that has ever bothered me is the suggestion that he doesn't care about his team or teammates. While I agree there are some things that might suggest that in his past, I don't believe it for a second. Maybe he has "quit" at times, but it's not because he doesn't care. It's because he really does care too much and that's his way of dealing with it. Is that good? No. Probably not that mentally healthy either. But he's on a winner now, and with a lot of guys who feel the exact same way he does, including his coach and QB, but just handle it in a much more healthy way. (Actually, to tell the truth, I'm not so sure our coach is all that mentally healthy about it either and so these two are almost peas in a pod -- they just have very different life experiences and backgrounds and so it doesn't come out in exactly the same way. But in truth I think these guys are a whole lot more similar in makeup than anyone might imagine.)

As for the West Virginia incident, seems like a no brainer to me. Someone goes after the mother of your child and threatens your life because of the color of your skin, they have a stomping coming and can't complain when they get one. Could Moss have taken the high road and not done that? Yes. Should he have? Maybe. Should he have been punished by not doing that? Yes. Was what he did human nature and nothing that many many others would have done, or something you would have done it if was your friends and family? Of course.

 

[BradyManny]

I've said this before and I'll say again

So Moss kicked the crap out of a racist bully!

So Moss smokes pot!

So Moss takes plays off and doesn't like to block!

So Moss left a game early!

So Moss was vocal about leaving the h ell hole know as Oakland!

BFD. Lock him up in San Quentin!

If these are the only skeletons in Moss' closet than he's far better off than the vast majority of people that are living. I often times wonder of the skeletons that those Moss haters are hiding and how trhey compare to Moss'

No doubt, I was just about to say this. I consider myself a decent person, but I'm sure if I was a pro-athlete and the media decided they didn't like me, they could dig up a list of bad things I'd done.

The article is def worth reading.

 

[Pats726]

Re: Thomasse on Moss - background story

Edit: In my mind, Tomase is on the same level as Reiss. They have different strengths, though.

Sorry...I have to laugh at that notion. Tomase while he writes great stories now and then has not at all shown the consistency that Reiss has nor has he not at times fallen into totally dumb statements at times..showing a real lack of knowledge of things. At times he seems more like a baseball buffon who has all of a sudden discovered there is another game in town beisdies the Sox. Give him time and improvement and I will agree with you, but not now.