If you've been following my selection of my all-time NFL team, you'll notice I have an affinity for players with "certain" reputations. I'm sorry, but football is a mean and nasty game and to a certain extent, you need players with surly dispositions. My receiving corp is filled with these kinds of individuals. After, defensive line (my former stomping grounds), I think receiver is my favorite position. I love watching the athleticism on display from high level receivers. I'd argue that there is nothing more beautiful that a perfectly executed bomb in all of sports. Nothing!
Year after year, one player consistently makes the list for most dirty player. That player is Hines Ward. The fact that he plays receiver in amazing. The other players on the list are always defensive players with an occasional offensive lineman. Ward plays a position know for diva activity with a reckless abandon. He plays so recklessly that the league has changed rules because of him. He also is remarkably consistent. Being that my other receivers are tempermental, I need at least one who maintains a consistent level of play and can always be counted on. Ward is just that guy. Be it a run play or a pass play, you will get 100% out of him. Plus he will occasionally lay a defensive player out. He also can save a roster spot by being the emergency QB. All in all, this is a great group. I've got speed, hands and attitude. Hell this may be the most surly position on the team. Wonder who I'd have to get to coach them?
I love three receiver sets. As such, my line-up will start three. I only need a full back for short yardage and goal-line so the fullback on the squad will be a back-up/ specialist. Here are my starting three.
Randy Moss
Moss may not only be my favorite wideout, he might be my favorite player overall. I know he got criticized for not giving 100% on every play. To that I counter that no one else in history has had to run more go routes than Moss. Moss has world class speed. You ever watch Olympic sprinters after the race? They can't talk, they can barely stand and they surely couldn't run another sprint 30 seconds there after. I admit I'm turning a blind eye to Moss and his many faults but the Dallas game his rookie year is branded in my brain. Three catches, 3 touchdowns. All spectacular. So I'm a Moss apologist to the end. If I were to revisit this list 20 years from now, I'm certain that three positions will remain exactly the same. Deion Sanders will still be one corner, Randy Moss will still be one wide out and Bruce Smith will be rushing off the right corner.
Andre Rison
If its true that Randy Moss has retired, he ends his career second in nearly every category to Jerry Rice. My second receiver is also very controversial. An also like Moss, you got the feeling that Andre Rison
could have gotten more out of his career. From his tumultuous relationship with Lisa Lopes to his fight with Prime Time to Left Eye burning his mansion down, there were always things going on with Bad Moon Rison. He was a big time play-maker and was a Super Bowl winner with Green Bay. I loved watching him play.
Year after year, one player consistently makes the list for most dirty player. That player is Hines Ward. The fact that he plays receiver in amazing. The other players on the list are always defensive players with an occasional offensive lineman. Ward plays a position know for diva activity with a reckless abandon. He plays so recklessly that the league has changed rules because of him. He also is remarkably consistent. Being that my other receivers are tempermental, I need at least one who maintains a consistent level of play and can always be counted on. Ward is just that guy. Be it a run play or a pass play, you will get 100% out of him. Plus he will occasionally lay a defensive player out. He also can save a roster spot by being the emergency QB. All in all, this is a great group. I've got speed, hands and attitude. Hell this may be the most surly position on the team. Wonder who I'd have to get to coach them?
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