04/25/24
January 29, 2013
Randy Moss: 'I'm the Greatest Receiver Ever': San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Randy Moss declared himself the greatest wide receiver to play the game during Super Bowl Media Day Tuesday. "I don't really live on numbers, I live on impact, what you are able to do out on the field," Moss said. "I really do think that I am the greatest receiver to ever play this game." Moss has 982 receptions, 156 touchdown receptions and 15,292 yards in his 14-season career, compared to Jerry Rice's 1,549 receptions, 197 touchdown receptions and 22,895 yards over 21 seasons.
"I don't really live on numbers, I live on impact, what you are able to do out on the field.
Whatever, Randy. You may have been the most talented receiver ever to play the game, but you ain't the greatest, even by your own metric. If you live on impact, how many championship games have you impacted? Rice's 49ers were 3-0 in Super Bowls, and he won the MVP in the first. How about you?
posted by tahoemoj at 06:00 PM on January 29, 2013
how many championship games have you impacted? Rice's 49ers were 3-0 in Super Bowls, and he won the MVP in the first. How about you?
And if football was 1-on-1, this would matter. Chauncey Billups won a ring and a finals MVP, but are you going to tell me he was a better point guard than John Stockton?
Moss has to at least be in a conversation of greatest WRs, just based on his numbers. If Rice's stats are the baseline, he's right on par with him...
posted by MeatSaber at 07:03 PM on January 29, 2013
Except that Moss won't come close to Rice's numbers. Rice was the best for a long period of time. Not to mention, receivers are usually expected to do some blocking on running plays. That's something the stats don't reflect.
Edit: Moss isn't even the best receiver on his own team now.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 07:50 PM on January 29, 2013
People stick a microphone in Moss' face and expect factual comments? How soon we forget that his mouth used to spew ridiculous crap endlessly back when he was actually a factor on the field.
Things that need doing:
1. Get rid of the Pro Bowl game.
2. Play the Super Bowl on Saturday instead of Sunday.
3. End this ridiculous Media Day debacle.
posted by dyams at 08:05 PM on January 29, 2013
Moss isn't even the best receiver on his own team now.
And you could argue that he only was for a very short period of time on the Vikings after Cris Carter retired.
posted by Bonkers at 08:31 PM on January 29, 2013
Except that Moss won't come close to Rice's numbers.
Rice has 5+ extra seasons (85 games) over Moss, and those last 5 seasons for Rice really weren't all that great.
I don't think Moss is as good as Rice (or Terrell Owens), but it's not as insane as most people want to think.
However, the real interesting story will be in about 10 years when Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald near the end of their careers. With the new high-octane offences being used by teams in the NFL, those two could be putting up some good final totals.
posted by grum@work at 08:41 PM on January 29, 2013
Moss: 70 receptions per season
Rice: 74 receptions per season
Moss: 11 touchdowns per season
Rice: 9 touchdowns per season
Moss: 1,092 receiving yards per season
Rice: 1,090 yards per season
If you don't consider Super Bowl rings, Moss is right up there with Rice.
posted by rcade at 09:57 PM on January 29, 2013
Edit: Moss isn't even the best receiver on his own team now.
In the final years of his career Rice wasn't his team's best receiver either. But that didn't make anyone doubt his claim to career greatness.
posted by rcade at 10:00 PM on January 29, 2013
One of the better peaks ever, but not the best from a career value perspective.
posted by holden at 11:24 PM on January 29, 2013
will be in about 10 years when Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald
One would hope that both of those guys get to play on a team that has a chance to win. And, if they do, there will be other offensive options. Rice was never the only option on any team he played for. He set records within the context of contributing to winning.
I recall watching some 49ers games where Rice was double covered the entire game and his role was adjusted to be primarily a blocker. He always executed to perfection, the 49ers won, and another player was credited with the key offensive plays. On other occasions he could go nuts a rack up 200 yards receiving in the Superbowl.
I believe I've seen Larry block. Can Calvin block?
Does Randy Moss even get off the line of scrimmage when he's not a primary or secondary option? (no need to re-post the video evidence here)
I hope Randy does what is necessary on Sunday to help the Niners win. I'm pretty certain Harbaugh won't be expecting the same contribution from Randy that was expected every single game from Rice.
posted by cixelsyd at 12:19 AM on January 30, 2013
If you've got to say you're the greatest (fill in the blank), you're probably not the greatest.
posted by outonleave at 06:15 AM on January 30, 2013
posted by rcade at 08:45 AM on January 30, 2013
Haha, thanks rcade, that made my day!
posted by Hugh Janus at 09:41 AM on January 30, 2013
And you could argue that he only was for a very short period of time on the Vikings after Cris Carter retired
Perhaps you could. I could not.
posted by yerfatma at 09:44 AM on January 30, 2013
"2. Play the Super Bowl on Saturday instead of Sunday."
Forget Randy Moss - this is the best comment I've seen in this thread. It's something my friends and I always talk about. It seems like a no-brainer. What's the NFL waiting for?
posted by 67nickel at 10:06 AM on January 30, 2013
Yeah, I'm fully behind dyams' platform and would vote for him.
posted by yerfatma at 10:55 AM on January 30, 2013
I agree dyams, especially the "get rid of the Pro Bowl."
posted by steelergirl at 11:17 AM on January 30, 2013
Chauncey Billups won a ring and a finals MVP, but are you going to tell me he was a better point guard than John Stockton?
Sure. But I should preface that by admitting that I have never in my life willingly watched a professional basketball game.
posted by tahoemoj at 12:57 PM on January 30, 2013
Moss: 70 receptions per season
Moss: 11 touchdowns per season
Moss: 1,092 receiving yards per season
Rice: 74 receptions per season
Rice: 9 touchdowns per season
Rice: 1,090 yards per season
Right, but Rice also played 5 extra years. If Randy plays 5 more years, his averages are going to dip significantly - they already have.
If you take the first 14 years (to match up with Randy's totals), Rice averaged 81 receptions, 12 touchdowns and 1258 yards and that's including the fact that in one of those seasons he played 1 1/4 games.
Also, Jerry added another 10 touchdowns during that time rushing, nearly a touchdown more a season. Randy doesn't have one of those.
Compare averages over the same length of time or the cumulative amount and Moss hasn't come close to Jerry's totals. It's not even close.
posted by dfleming at 06:04 PM on January 30, 2013
2. Play the Super Bowl on Saturday instead of Sunday.
Why?
posted by Etrigan at 06:38 PM on January 30, 2013
Hang overs. Alternatively, to avoid the stupid stories about the billion dollar cost in productivity on the Monday after.
posted by yerfatma at 06:58 PM on January 30, 2013
I don't mind Randy Moss being in the conversation for greatest receiver ever, provided the conversation is "Randy Moss is not the greatest received ever."
posted by Joey Michaels at 07:39 PM on January 30, 2013
Hang overs. Alternatively, to avoid the stupid stories about the billion dollar cost in productivity on the Monday after.
And then there's the reluctance of the NFL top brass to go up against the juggernaut that is Sabado Gigante.
posted by beaverboard at 07:49 PM on January 30, 2013
Very valid argument, rcade (I couldn't open it, but I'm pretty sure I know what he was sayin') . . . but the conversation here seems to be fixated on statistics; if Moss was so valuable, why was he dumped or traded so many times?
posted by outonleave at 07:56 PM on January 30, 2013
Yeah, Sunday Super Bowls are just a lazy, non-imaginative, on-going charade the NFL chooses to continue. We now have football every week on Monday, Thursday and, during the playoffs, Saturday. But after two long, ridiculous weeks off they still have to have the Super Bowl on Sunday? It sucks. You have a party, but by the time the game gets going at 6:30 (ET), the partying generally starts winding down because a large number of attendees begin to realize they need to be up early the next morning for work. By halftime, people watch the game but the fun is even more tempered because you know many will have to head for the door once the game ends. People have to work in a few hours; kids have to be in bed to be ready for school. A simple move to Saturday would allow the fun for fans to continue, with all Sunday to rest up and still experience a productive Monday.
It really sucks for me, because Monday is my 7:30 a.m. To 7:30 p.m. workday. I'll have a good time with people over to watch the Sabres at 3, the Super Bowl after, but it could be SO much better! Not a tragedy by any stretch, but the NFL should realize why this change makes sense.
posted by dyams at 10:51 PM on January 30, 2013
... if Moss was so valuable, why was he dumped or traded so many times?
To keep his coach or general manager from being imprisoned for murder, I'd imagine.
posted by rcade at 10:42 AM on January 31, 2013
Had the talent to be the greatest ever but lacked the drive and desire that Rice had.