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There will be “No Moss” in 2005 for Minnesota Vikings fans.
Whether it was Red McCombs or Reggie Fowler or Mike Tice or Rob Brzezinski doesn’t really matter. Take your pick.....Whoever was running the asylum that was Winter Park before Zygi Wilf arrived got fleeced by Al Davis and the Silver and Black.
Trading Moss for Napoleon Harris, the number seven pick (Troy Williamson) and another late round choice (Adrian Ward) will never go down as one of the franchise’s worst trades.
I mean, this is the organization that laid the foundation for the Jerry Jones-Jimmy Johnson Dallas Cowboys’ dynasty by trading half the free world for the most overrated running back of all-time in Herschel Walker.
Armed with that knowledge, perhaps the Vikings’ brain trust felt confident that trading away one of the best players in franchise history for an underachieving linebacker and an unproven commodity would fly, especially considering Moss’ reputation.
And it likely will, until the 2005 Vikings take the field.
On the surface, trading Moss may not even be a bad idea. Everyone from the fans to his teammates to the NFL’s very own moral compass, Joe Buck, was tired of the petulant Moss’s act. And let’s face it, with Moss the Vikings never won the big one anyway.
That’s because football is the ultimate team sport. It’s not like the NBA where one player can put you over the top. If it were, the Vikings would have stock in Jostens or Balfour.....Moss is that good.
That said, trading him and getting three of four very good players back would have made sense. With this deal, the Vikings hope for two.
Harris is an impressive physical talent who has been considered something of a disappointment in his three seasons with the Raiders. The book on him? He’s a big, fast, aggressive linebacker who struggles with the mental aspects and makes too many mistakes. Sound familiar? It should, the Vikings already have two Harris-type linebackers in E.J.. Henderson and Dontarrious Thomas.
You already saw what a wonderful job Ted Cottrell did with those two in 2004.
With two first round picks at seven and 18, the Vikings got two more starting caliber players and may have snapped up Moss’ replacement with Williamson, the former South Carolina star.
But, as we approach opening day, the Vikings have conceded that Williamson is not ready for an every down role leaving the Vikings counting on Travis Taylor and the inconsistent Marcus Robinson to take the heat off Nate Burleson.
Trading Moss for hope was just not good enough.
“No Moss” will have Vikings fans grumbling “No Mas” in 2005.
-You can reach John McMullen at jmcmullen1@comcast.net
