While Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss “mooned” millions of viewers after a touchdown during Minnesota’s victory over the Green Bay Packers, I sat watching in disbelief. NFL veteran commentator Joe Buck shouted, “That’s disgusting, that’s disgusting!” after the explicit celebration.
The only thing that was disgusting about Moss’ latest performance was the media’s reaction the next morning. Journalists all over the nation bashed Moss for his inappropriate gesture and even went as far as recommending that the Vikings trade him after the season.
I was completely shocked to hear these so-called sports experts explain how a team should trade its most explosive player a day after he led them to a huge upset victory because he pretended to moon Packer fans. If Moss had actually ripped off his pants and mooned the Lambeau fans, these sports experts would definitely have a good argument.
However, Moss only pretended to pull down his trousers toward the thousands of fans wearing cheese heads. Moss should have been applauded for his humorous and creative celebration.
Instead, Fox refused to show a replay of the incident because the station felt that it was “inappropriate.” It is pretty hard to believe that any of the fans sitting behind the goalposts at Lambeau were offended or felt that the mooning was “inappropriate.”
Besides, Green Bay fans are just getting a taste of their own medicine. Ever since the NFL outlawed the famous “Lambeau Leap,” Packer fans have participated in a new tradition. After Green Bay victories at home, Packer fans wait in the parking lot for the visiting team to depart and wish the opposing players a safe ride home with hundreds of full moons.
“I was just having a little fun with the boys,” Moss said when asked about the incident.
Moss was only copying a tradition that he had witnessed many times during his career. He was not disrespecting the fans or trying to encourage a repeat of Indiana Pacers small forward Ron Artest’s confrontation with fans, but, just like Artest, he was fined and punished for his actions.
The NFL decided to fine Moss $10,000. The fine is twice as much as is typical for players participating in “inappropriate” celebrations.
Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer was only fined $5,000 after flipping off fans during a game.
There have been many other explicit touchdown celebrations conducted by players in the NFL this season that have gone unpunished. Players have used the football as a gun, pretending to shoot their teammates and, as a grand finale, themselves. These incidents went overlooked because the players have not had a past disciplinary history with the league.
The NFL has created an image of Moss as a thug even though he has avoided run-ins with the law during his football career, unless you count one occasion when he was found guilty of bumping a traffic officer with his car.
The NFL is an entertainment industry and should support its employees for providing excitement to the fans. By not allowing them to celebrate, the NFL is taking away the players’ right to free speech. Many fans are most interested in the shocking postgame comments or the drama that happens between players and fans on and off the field. The NFL needs to realize that its fines and overly strict rules are not accomplishing anything.
“Ain’t nothing but 10 grand,” Moss said of the severity of his punishment in an interview later. “What’s 10 grand to me? Ain’t shit. Maybe next time I’ll turn around and shake my cock at ’em.”
It is true, 10 grand is nothing to him. It will not stop him from stripping in the end zone next time. The NFL needs incidents like these to keep its ratings up.
I cannot wait until the next Vikings game because I want to see Moss’ next clever celebration and hear his entertaining comments during postgame interviews. I found Moss highly entertaining and his actions hilarious, and I was not the only person who felt that way.
The results of an ESPN poll taken of 67,000 people showed that 60 percent of viewers found the mooning funny while only 15 percent found it disgraceful.
Even Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy said, “I thought it was kind of humorous.”
I must admit that I did not regurgitate my cheddar cheese Ruffles while watching the Packers-Vikings game, and I did not even feel the least bit sick. I was glad that I was able to see Randy Moss pretend to moon America. It was exciting, and for the first time this season, I did not feel like I just wasted three hours of my time watching a bland football game. If the NFL finds that my satisfaction for this “disgusting” behavior is bad for the league, they can fine me. I really do not care, because, “What’s 10 grand to me?”
