Charles said:
Thanks for making my point!!!.
Vick is to Tech what Chad was to Marshall, what Elway was to Stanford, what Manning was to Tennesse, great player, smart player and great leader.
Randy Moss whilst at Marshall was lacking in 2 out of those 3 areas.
I agree Moss put Marshall on the map Nationally with his highlight catches, but guys like us who live in the area or have many friends or co-workers from the area hear through the grape vine about players. We know about them before they are on the cover of the National magazines.
I made trips to W.Va from DC/MD area to watch Jason Williams and Moss play high school basketball. The same way I watched Leftwich play high school football at HD woodson or the No.1 high school prospect in 2004 Derrick Williams play at Roosevelt High school 3 lights down the street from my apartment.
Those from the area know that even though Moss was the best athlete, Chad and Leftwich meant more to the team and the University.
Moss was a great athlete, but he WAS a distant 2nd to Chad and Leftwich in respect to what Manning, Elway, Chad or Leftwich meant to their respective alumnis.
Actually you are partially right and partially wrong.
Moss was more important to Marshall because he put Marshall on the map and helped them go out and win the Mac title when they first moved to the Mac.
Furthermore Pennington was asked to, and did, redshirt his first year because the team felt they had a better chance with Moss starting with Eric Kresser at QB.
Also Moss put marshall on the map and the big thing that was questioned ,when he decided to leave and go pro, by the media was....Will Pennington be able to do as well without Moss.
Also you said you Watched Moss and Williams play...then you are also aware that even though they played on the same team, and even though Williams went on to the NBA....Moss was the one that won West Virginia's Mr Basketball title instead of Williams....which further goes to show the respect he garned for his skills.
Another thing, Moss rarely if ever stayed out of a game unless the coaches forced him to do so at Marshall...even though he had some injuries that many would have sat out with....he did this and the coaches let him do this because he could handle it and they knew what he meant to the team.
Furthermore it was the production of Moss and the system at marshall was instrumental in getting better recruits to Marshall especially in the WR department.
Moss again was a finalist for the Heisman BEFORE Pennington.
Also your original post that I replied to did not contain anything about leadership itself....my take was that it showed that the player was so talented that it help make the team what it was.
Either way Moss was never and will never (for those who follow marshall) be considered a distant 2nd to Pennington...as once again Moss put marshall on the map.
Moss only went to marshall because his FSU gig fell through because of his troubles so he went to Marshall as they were not in the Div1A which meant he did not have to sit out a year....prior to Moss coming not too many people ever even heard of Marshall.
Once Moss started making plays and putting up huge numbers (even with Eric Kresser starting while Chad Red Shirted) the nation started taking notice.
