Blame it all on the wide receivers.
Joe Horn and Randy Moss both “phoned it in” during Sunday’s games.
If Horn played for a winning team, his effort to snag a cell phone endorsement might have made sense. Instead, he looked like just another Terrell Owens wannabe when he got out a phone he had stashed in the goal-post padding and pretended to dial home. It was after the second of his four touchdown catches Sunday night in a 45-7 New Orleans Saints victory over the New York Giants.
Because the NFL warned players against premeditated celebrations–particularly those involving props–after Owens’ autograph session with a stashed pen, Horn will be disciplined.
“The thing that bothered me more than anything is he put himself before the team,” Saints coach Jim Haslett said Monday. The Saints were penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. “To me,” said Haslett, “that’s selfish.”
Horn defended his action, saying he did it to give his team and fans some excitement, not to call attention to himself.
At Soldier Field, Moss only looked like he was phoning in his game against the Bears.
Although he caught nine passes, one for a TD, and came within one huge ball-stealing play by Charles Tillman of winning the game for the Vikings, Moss still appeared lethargic. He waved at a pass thrown behind him and seemed to cringe whenever contact threatened, as if he were ill.
But if he was under the weather, he didn’t stick around long enough to explain. Even a collect call from his cell phone would have been welcome.
Moss seldom talks after games, apparently refusing to acknowledge that communicating with the public is part of the NFL standard player contract. Instead, the $75 million man hides.
“We were going to go to our horse in that situation. We went to him, and we didn’t get the play,” coach Mike Tice said.
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Edited by Michael Kellams (mkellams@tribune.com)
and Chris Courtney (cdcourtney@tribune.com)
