moss in the house

As a New England Patriots fan, I suppose I'm required to have some sort of opinion about the Patriots' trade of a fourth-round draft pick to the Oakland Raiders for troubled wide receiver Randy Moss.

Moss has openly admitted that he only plays hard when he feels like it. He once pretended to moon the fans in Green Bay after scoring a touchdown for the Minnesota Vikings and then wiped his ass on the goal post. And while playing for the Raiders, he walked off the field while the team was lining up for a crucial two-point conversion. He's clearly a selfish and immature player.

There's also no doubt that Moss is one of the league's most talented players. In 2003, while playing for the Vikings, he caught 111 passes for 1,632 yards and 17 touchdowns, which ranks as one of the greatest seasons ever for a receiver. He's played in five Pro Bowls. He's one of the league's fastest players, and he has spectacular leaping ability. Most people agree that Moss instantly makes the Patriots favorites to win the Super Bowl.

Although some have criticized the Patriots for breaking with their team philosophy of acquiring only players with great character, and although I agree that the trade for Moss is indeed a break from this philosophy, I can't fault them for doing it. Trading for Moss involved virtually no risk to the team. They only gave up a fourth-round draft pick for him, and if he turns out to be an asshole, they can cut him. They have eight other receivers on the roster (nine if you include Troy Brown, who may be brought back this season if he's healthy enough to play). They don't need Moss. Really, it's an ideal situation. If Moss wants to win as badly as he says he does, he'll behave. If not, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, and Bob Kraft will send him packing. I have a feeling he'll find a way to fit in.