Antics and All...

Randy Moss, the guy who started my career, has retired.

I slowly typed this sentence on the day that one of the greatest, most electrifying players in NFL history called it quits. It took me a while to realize it. I had gone all day just thinking about the career Moss had, the things he said; the things he did (almost more off the field than on it). But I never really remembered that it was Moss who helped pique my interest in sports journalism oh so many years ago.

I've never been bashful about telling the story. I was around 12 years old when I got my hands on an old copy of Sports Illustrated (a rare commodity in my house). For some reason, I couldn't put it down. I was never one to read much, but this was different- this was reading about sports. One article especially caught my attention.

"How Good Can Randy Moss Be?" was a multiple-page article in that issue by Michael Silver. It was about the controversially good player that was Randy Moss. One thing that really intrigued me was that the article, in essence, was about Silver writing the article. It delved into the interview process, how Moss spoke, what he said, and what he wanted to take back. Best of all, it gave fantastic insight into the type of person Moss was.

While I never was a big fan of his, I've always had respect for Randy Moss. For no other reason than if Michael Silver hadn't written that article about him, I might not have written every day afterward. I might not have gotten a job at my town's newspaper. I might not have worked for my college's newspaper as a freshman. I might not be the person I am today.

I'm not nearly as saddened by Moss' retirement as I am by the trading of Chad Ochocinco, but it was a nice reminder of how I got my humble start as a boy with a magazine, a pencil, and a spiral bound notebook. So today, I honor the career of Randy Moss, and I thank him for everything he's done. For the highlights, the antics, the fines, the catches, the celebrations, the trash talking, and everything that came with being one of the best the NFL has ever seen, and one of the most unique personalities as well.

If he hadn't have done those things then, I wouldn't be doing this right now.