Yahoo Sports - The real reason Moss was let go

[Dan T.]

Moss might be a good football player, but this makes him sound like a first class jerk. Some said this was a factor in why the Vikings let him go:

Michael Silver, Yahoo sports

When Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress told his players Monday afternoon that Randy Moss would be released because “we want good people that are good football players, and this just doesn’t fit,” several of them nodded their approval. Though Childress isn’t especially popular in the locker room, some Vikings were on board with his decision to move on without Moss four weeks after the polarizing wideout was reacquired in a trade with the New England Patriots.

Even before Sunday’s surreal address to the media following the Vikings’ 28-18 defeat to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium – during which he questioned Childress’ leadership while effusively praising his former coach, Bill Belichick, and the Patriots’ organization – Moss had alienated some of his teammates with his brash, entitled behavior, most glaringly in an incident that occurred in the team’s locker room last Friday afternoon, Yahoo! Sports has learned.

As is the team’s custom on Fridays, a local food establishment was invited to the training facility to serve a catered, post-practice meal in the locker room. In this case, a St. Paul restaurant that is a favorite of former Vikings center Matt Birk. As the proprietors helped serve chicken, ribs, pasta and other dishes to Vikings players, Moss paced up and down the serving line and loudly expressed his displeasure with the offerings.

According to one player who witnessed the scene, Moss yelled, “What the [expletive]? Who ordered this crap? I wouldn’t feed this to my dog!” Said the witness: “It was brutal. The truth is, he deserved to be cut after that. It was such an uncomfortable moment. You know that feeling where you just can tell someone feels so small? That’s what it was like being there.

“This wasn’t a chain – it was a mom-and-pop restaurant, and you could tell it was their best stuff. They had a special carving station set up, and there were players and other support staff lining up to eat it. And [Moss] is at his locker saying, ‘You know, I used to have to eat that crap – but now I’ve got money.’ You just felt so sad for them. I had never seen anyone treated like that.

“And by the way, the food was actually really good.”

While Moss had his share of supporters in the locker room, some Vikings had grown disillusioned with his attitude. From the receiver’s uneven effort in practice to his displays of self-centeredness off the field, some veterans believed Moss was becoming a bad influence to young players like second-year wideout Percy Harvin.

Most of all, however, Moss’ treatment of the restauranteurs in the locker room convinced some teammates that he wasn’t worth the trouble. Since becoming the Vikings’ coach in 2006, Childress has consistently preached that he wants “good people who are good football players,” and Moss clearly didn’t seem to be projecting himself as someone who fits in the former category.

When Childress, according to one person in Monday’s meeting, said of Moss, “This just doesn’t fit with how we treat people, how we talk to people and how we act,” it was clear that he was referring to the incident that occurred last Friday. Sunday’s stream-of-consciousness statement to the media only reinforced the internal perception that Moss was going out of his way to disrespect the organization.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_yl...behavior110210

[00Dirty30]

This may belong in ATL

[Dan T.]

This may belong in ATL

Perhaps. But with all the clamoring to bring Moss to the Redskins, I thought folks should see this side of him to factor that into whether they would want him here. An attitude like that sure doesn't fit in Minnesota, whose ownership has made a point in the post-"Love Boat" years to emphasize that Minnesota Vikings players be good citizens.

Maybe it's less of a factor here. But it riles me up when people of power or money treat other people like this. Assuming this account is true, I think much MUCH less of Randy Moss now than I did this morning.

[visionary]

He seems like an *******. But that also seems like a really odd reason to cut someone from an NFL team. lmao.

[MustangSteve]

It sounds like this guy has no business around our team or locker room. Theres a huge difference in helping a team and causing division, and Moss has shown the Vikes the difference.

[Boss_Hogg]

I'm sure Moss' food aggression was not the sole reason for his release.

[FanboyOf91]

It sounds like...Randy Moss.

[terrifNick21]

Having high character guys that aren't distractions haven't seemed to have helped us win much. :2cents:

[elkabong82]

of course if someone tried talking to him and telling Moss why his comments were rude and the perception it left with others, maybe he would have changed his tune a little. You have to have leaders which reign in the divas. Belichek did that and has been a success with getting players to buy-in, Childress may not head coach next season, I feel with everyone buying in to Shanny and our current team leaders that Randy could be held in check here.

[Dan T.]

He seems like an *******. But that also seems like a really odd reason to cut someone from an NFL team. lmao.

It was probably the final straw type of thing. Imagine such a scene, literally in the locker room, with players cringing as one of their teammates acts like a complete and total douchebag in front of these small restaurant owners.

It makes for a divided locker room if you lose all respect for a teammate as a person.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

The Vikings are goddamn imbeciles.

Let me get this straight. Old Man River at QB can send pictures of his johnson to interns all over North America AND play terribly...and they will do everything short of massaging his prostate to keep him on board.

Moss tells a short order cook to go **** himself and they cut him after four weeks.

[RichmondRedskin88]

yes he is a ass. That said we need a WR. At least for the rest of the season until the draft comes.

[Dan T.]

The Vikings are goddamn imbeciles.

Let me get this straight. Old Man River at QB can send pictures of his johnson to interns all over North America AND play terribly...and they will do everything short of massaging his prostate to keep him on board.

Moss tells a short order cook to go **** himself and they cut him after four weeks.

I'll bet you a week's worth of Minneapolis-style country-fried pork that Brett Favre is a better teammate than Randy Moss. Which isn't saying a whole lot.

[addicted]

Is it really news to some of you that under the wrong leadership Moss is a big baby and a cancer for his team but with the right leadership he shines and does great? Childress is one of the most disfunctional coaches in the game today. No wonder Moss failed there and was signing the praises of Belicheck. Shanny is nothing like Childress and rules over his team. Moss wouldn't pull that kind of crap here unless he wanted out.

[Taylor4Life]

Hey, if anything, this is a good plug for their restaurant.:pfft:

Edit: oh, they didn't give the name.

[Dan T.]

Matt Birk should have walked over and punched Moss in the throat.

[Rocky21]

He seems like an *******.

This is not exactly late breaking news.

[WyomingRedskin]

The Vikings are goddamn imbeciles.

Let me get this straight. Old Man River at QB can send pictures of his johnson to interns all over North America AND play terribly...and they will do everything short of massaging his prostate to keep him on board.

Moss tells a short order cook to go **** himself and they cut him after four weeks.

HAHAHA.....great post. Yes, perhaps there is a little bit of a double standard going on here!

[00Dirty30]

of course if someone tried talking to him and telling Moss why his comments were rude and the perception it left with others, maybe he would have changed his tune a little. You have to have leaders which reign in the divas. Belichek did that and has been a success with getting players to buy-in, Childress may not head coach next season, I feel with everyone buying in to Shanny and our current team leaders that Randy could be held in check here.

This is an excellent point Minnesota Doesn't have the leadership in their locker room / FO to handle Moss. We have Strong Character guys who will put him in his place if he acts out and if that doesn't work he will be out of a job again

The Vikings are goddamn imbeciles.

Let me get this straight. Old Man River at QB can send pictures of his johnson to interns all over North America AND play terribly...and they will do everything short of massaging his prostate to keep him on board.

Moss tells a short order cook to go **** himself and they cut him after four weeks.

:ols: :ols:

Matt Birk should have walked over and punched Moss in the throat.

i believe he now plays in baltimore

[cphil006]

The Vikings are goddamn imbeciles.

Let me get this straight. Old Man River at QB can send pictures of his johnson to interns all over North America AND play terribly...and they will do everything short of massaging his prostate to keep him on board.

Moss tells a short order cook to go **** himself and they cut him after four weeks.

Exactly. Childress knows his career hinged on Favre, but tavares Jackson might be ok

[Skins3000]

of course if someone tried talking to him and telling Moss why his comments were rude and the perception it left with others, maybe he would have changed his tune a little. You have to have leaders which reign in the divas. Belichek did that and has been a success with getting players to buy-in, Childress may not head coach next season, I feel with everyone buying in to Shanny and our current team leaders that Randy could be held in check here.

Agreed. Where were the leaders on that team to tell Randy to show some manners? In NE no one would have allowed that to happen and Shanahan alone would not tolerate that behavior because Moss would have been trying to pass a conditioning test after those comments.

[HA1LV1CT0RY]

I believe it.. Remember when Chris Cooley's brother had that locker room incident with R. Moss?

[RichmondRedskin88]

Agreed. Where were the leaders on that team to tell Randy to show some manners? In NE no one would have allowed that to happen and Shanahan alone would not tolerate that behavior because Moss would have been trying to pass a conditioning test after those comments.

Shanahan would have him running until he was skeleton if he made those comments.

[FanboyOf91]

I believe it.. Remember when Chris Cooley's brother had that locker room incident with R. Moss?

That's a good point...

[authentic]

Having high character guys that aren't distractions haven't seemed to have helped us win much. :2cents:

thats how i feel also. I mean what he did was messed up, but ummmmmm we really don't have the luxury to thumb our nose up to any sort of talent at this point. Esp @ WR.