No buts, Moss needs bigger kick in assets

January 16, 2005|by MARK KELLER

The disconnect between professional athletes and fans just keeps getting worse and worse, doesn't it?

The latest example of that widening gap is the comment Minnesota Vikings receiver Randy Moss made after being fined for his touchdown celebration in Green Bay last Sunday.

Moss was fined $10,000 by the NFL for "obscene gestures or other actions construed as being in poor taste."

The celebration included Moss pretending to pull down his pants and moon the Green Bay crowd, then doing the bump with the goal post before his teammates converged on him.

Obscene? Probably.

In poor taste? Definitely.

But even more tasteless was Moss' quote following notification of his fine.

"Ain't nothing but 10 grand. What's 10 grand, to me?" said Moss, who will make $5.75 million this season.

Moss also suggested he might give an even more vulgar display should he score in today's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, which would be sure to draw an even bigger fine.

True, 10 grand isn't much to Moss. In fact, it's less than two-tenths of 1 percent of his yearly salary. That's about $60 to someone making $30,000 a year.

But that 10 grand sure would mean a lot to the person making $30,000 a year.

Or the single mom making minimum wage and having to pay for child care.

Or how about the victims and families affected by the tsunami?

Pro athletes such as Moss and Terrell Owens go out of their way to put as much focus on themselves, all the while insisting that their main focus is to win a championship for their team or their city.

They seek the adulation of fans, then spit on them with their vile words.

They try to pass themselves off as victims, then roll their eyes as they burn $100 bills.

It's no wonder fans get fed up with the antics of the players.

Several weeks back, New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington lambasted sportswriters who dared write negative things about him and informed the writers that it was a privilege - not a right - for them to be covering some of the greatest athletes in the world.

No, the privilege is playing a game for obscene amounts of money.

And it's my right to be disgusted by Moss' flaunting his riches at a time when so many are hurting.

Mark Keller is sports editor of The Herald-Mail. His column appears every Sunday. He can be reached at 301-733-5131, ext. 2332, or by e-mail at keller@herald-mail.com

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