Moss’ Missing Piece

You’re thinking Shel Silverstein. Hey, you can read him on your own. I’m talking about Randy Moss, the future Hall of Fame Wide Receiver currently of the New England Patriots. Last week Moss’ “Case of the Mondays” lasted all week culminating with perhaps his worst performance as a Patriot.

He and four other players were sent home from practice last week for arriving late to a team meeting. Then on Sunday, Moss was accused of quitting by opposing players. Moss was limited to one reception despite playing in all but four offensive plays throughout the entire game. He also had a fumble and those who saw the game said he failed to run routes full speed.

Like everyone else on the west coast who’s exposure to Moss was a brief lack luster tenure with the hapless Oakland Raiders, I’ve always wondered what makes Randy Moss so good at times and invisible at others. I thought he lacked work ethic but his teammates say that couldn’t be further from the truth. So what’s the chink in his armor that led him to Sunday’s dismal performance? With all due respect to his athleticism, I think Moss is one of many elite athletes who have been partially developed.

Randy Moss, Vince Young (Tennessee Titans) and Glen “Big Baby” Davis (Boston Celtics) have played at levels that reveal an extremely high I.Q. for their respective professions. Nevertheless, they have had mental/emotional breakdowns in front of booing fans. They are a meager sampling but could be indicators of an incomplete training philosophy that has become the ineffective rule for how athletes are prepared to compete at the highest level. The “rule” is a method of training which is extremely strenuous complete with 100+ degree temperatures, 90 percent humidity and a NO EXCUSES environment. But the rule is invariably trumped as seasons progress and non-physical strains rear their ulgly heads.

How come the Sand Sprints, the burning muscles from resistance circuits and the daily off-season bouts with dehydration seem to sell many pros short? Professional athletes have one job – PERFORM. But despite having access to the most current research and technology for preparation, these super humans still sputter at the rebuke of a coach who says, “Go Home. You’re late and we don’t tolerate late.” The toughest, fastest and gifted of men are showing signs of sensitivity to criticism that derail the very thing they’re paid and supposedly equipped to do. What’s missing?