Birk vs. Moss...An Unfair Fight
Talk about polar opposites. Randy Moss and Matt Birk couldn't be more different. Moss is a self-centered superstar who spends so much time in the spotlight his ego has grown as big as Daunte Culpepper's statistics. And who can blame him? He plays when he wants to play, runs over traffic cops and treats people like dirt without facing any sort of ramifications.
Matt Birk on the other hand is a well-educated lineman who doesn't get time in the spotlight but still earns the respect of his teammates as well as players from around the league. He works hard for his money and is a great role model for kids of all ages.
When these two characters meet head-on, as they did after the Vikings latest loss, there can be only one outcome: Birk will walk away frustrated, angry and feeling helpless.
Just like millions of viewers, Birk saw Randy Moss walk off the football field with 2 seconds to go in the game against the Washington Redskins. Just like most of those viewers, Birk was outraged and confused. After the game, he confronted Moss. The incident escalated until the two were yelling at each other. So what happens? Birk leaves flustered because Moss doesn't care what anyone else thinks. And worst of all, he can get away with it. Even fellow wide receiver Marcus Robinson said, "He can pretty much do whatever he wants." Don't worry Marcus, he will.
Meanwhile, Birk realizes there is nothing he can do about the situation. He has no authority over Moss, nor does anyone else in the organization. All anyone can do is sit back, watch and hope Randy doesn't decide he wants to do anything that will embarrass the franchise. Because even if he does, no one can do anything about it.
The big question is, why? The answer is simple. Money and power. The money part involves the millions of dollars that Moss makes. If the Vikings decide they have had enough, they lose a large chunk of change from Moss' signing bonus. In today's NFL atmosphere, Minnesota no longer has the option of trading him for several superstars like back in the Herschel Walker days, because they just couldn't get very much for him. Blockbuster trades like that are a thing of the past in football. So financially, it just makes sense to keep him.
As for power, Moss holds the cards there too. Mark Rosen said it best on KFAN radio when he suggested that some of the fans who are irate over Moss walking off the field early will change their tune if Moss leads the Vikings to a playoff win over Green Bay. The point is that the sports culture has warped from something that people watched for entertainment to something that people live and die over. They no longer care what their heroes do outside the lines as long as they perform when they are inside them. The result is that guys like Randy Moss can literally do whatever the want. On the rare occasion someone like Matt Birk tries to stand up for what's right and call him out on it, the backlash will go against Birk, not Moss.
(See Poll Below)
Matt Birk on the other hand is a well-educated lineman who doesn't get time in the spotlight but still earns the respect of his teammates as well as players from around the league. He works hard for his money and is a great role model for kids of all ages.
When these two characters meet head-on, as they did after the Vikings latest loss, there can be only one outcome: Birk will walk away frustrated, angry and feeling helpless.
Just like millions of viewers, Birk saw Randy Moss walk off the football field with 2 seconds to go in the game against the Washington Redskins. Just like most of those viewers, Birk was outraged and confused. After the game, he confronted Moss. The incident escalated until the two were yelling at each other. So what happens? Birk leaves flustered because Moss doesn't care what anyone else thinks. And worst of all, he can get away with it. Even fellow wide receiver Marcus Robinson said, "He can pretty much do whatever he wants." Don't worry Marcus, he will.
Meanwhile, Birk realizes there is nothing he can do about the situation. He has no authority over Moss, nor does anyone else in the organization. All anyone can do is sit back, watch and hope Randy doesn't decide he wants to do anything that will embarrass the franchise. Because even if he does, no one can do anything about it.
The big question is, why? The answer is simple. Money and power. The money part involves the millions of dollars that Moss makes. If the Vikings decide they have had enough, they lose a large chunk of change from Moss' signing bonus. In today's NFL atmosphere, Minnesota no longer has the option of trading him for several superstars like back in the Herschel Walker days, because they just couldn't get very much for him. Blockbuster trades like that are a thing of the past in football. So financially, it just makes sense to keep him.
As for power, Moss holds the cards there too. Mark Rosen said it best on KFAN radio when he suggested that some of the fans who are irate over Moss walking off the field early will change their tune if Moss leads the Vikings to a playoff win over Green Bay. The point is that the sports culture has warped from something that people watched for entertainment to something that people live and die over. They no longer care what their heroes do outside the lines as long as they perform when they are inside them. The result is that guys like Randy Moss can literally do whatever the want. On the rare occasion someone like Matt Birk tries to stand up for what's right and call him out on it, the backlash will go against Birk, not Moss.
(See Poll Below)
posted by Joe Siple | 1:21 PM
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