Show Me The Money | Indie Sport

What are we to make of the lack of interest in Randy Moss, a gifted athlete who hasn't received so much as a nibble in the three days that he's been available to the highest bidder on the free agent market? One popular theory is that the market is "chilled" because everyone knows that Moss, who set an NFL record with 23 touchdowns last season, really wants to stay in New England and is simply using free agency as a way to leverage a better deal out of the Patriots.

That could very well be. Then again there are these possibilities:

1) His disappearance in the playoffs: 3 games, 7 catches, 94 yards, 1 TD. Yes, he was double-teamed. So was Jerry Rice who, in 28 playoff games, hauled in 151 catches for 2,245 yards and 22 TDs.

2) The ability of the Patriots, and every other team in the history of the NFL, to win the Super Bowl without Moss and his contract demands.

3) The New York Giants, who showed, as have others, that you can win the big one without an expensive home run hitter who has a lengthy history of behavior and attitude problems. Perhaps there is simply better bang for the buck to be had by many (or most) NFL teams by dividing a Moss-sized contract among multiple contributing players.

As for Moss' behavior, it's been remarkably prosocial in New England, unless there's any merit to the January allegations that he assaulted a female friend in her Florida home. Regardless of the veracity of her claim, the fact of the matter is that Randy Moss staying out of trouble is an anomaly, not the norm. One hopes that his current period of apparent stability in New England is a sign that he has truly matured, but will any other team be willing to take the risk on having him revert to poor form once he's outside the uniquely "therapeutic" culture of Bill Belichick? We'll see.

It's hard to imagine Randy Moss having it any richer than getting millions to play with Tom Brady on a perennial championship contender that is committed to winning year in and year out. Then again, when greed comes into play, anything is imaginable.

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March 4, 2008 09:54 AM ET

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Addendum to this blog: By now, we all know Randy Moss re-signed with New England. His agent claims he took less money to remain with the club. Congratulations to Moss for recognizing that there is more than money when it comes to attaining true wealth.