Anger, Pride, Game Shows, & Other Nonsense

In the opening week of the NFL season, the New England Patriots and the New York Jets met for a show-down at the Jets’ stadium. I really had no preference for either team to win, but I was surprised by the lopsided score – New England 38 to New York’s 14. Randy Moss, number 81 for the Patriots, had an incredible game – 9 catches for 183 yards, including a spectacular touchdown catch between 3 defenders! Unfortunately, Moss’ remarks in the locker room following the game, shows how bitterness and anger can overshadow an otherwise stellar performance.
Moss has had a career filled with moments of brilliance amidst inexplicable acts of behavior. One game he walked off the field before the game was over… He got “hot under the collar” and abandoned his teammates. Needless to say, he didn’t last much longer on that team. He was then traded to another team where he was again let go because he couldn’t control his outbursts. Of course, in Randy Moss’ mind, none of these things were his fault; someone else was always to blame – usually the media.
Yesterday’s post game locker room interview was no exception. Moss was asked if his performance against New York was an opportunity for him to revitalize his career. That set Moss off. He said, “I don’t need to revitalize – everybody knows who I am, so I don’t need to revitalize nothing!” The interviewer then asked, if his performance was “a restatement of [his] ability, and [his] place in this football league as a wide receiver.” To which Moss replied, “Man, I leave that up to you guys! That’s what the talk shows, and… and the game shows are for. You know, just to tell the people the nonsense that y’all believe in!” Brilliant! Now he’s blaming game shows – not to mention the fact that he just made himself look - shall I say - less than wise.
Randy Moss' answers just go to show you what an unbridled tongue can spew out when it is fueled by anger and bitterness. The relationship between Moss and the press has been tenuous at best. There's a lot of history there and I don’t believe very much of that history is good. As a result – although I doubt if he would admit it – Moss allowed the bitterness and anger from the past to interrupt the joy of a great personal performance and a great win over the New York Jets.
A lot of us allow our short tempers and prideful outbursts of anger to interrupt our lives. It has become common place to hear about people getting angry, cutting one another down, and even getting into fist fights as a response to interpersonal confrontation. In fact, it’s so common, there are video takes plastered all over the internet showing such fights and arguments from everywhere around the world. I realize that sometimes it’s hard to let the acidic remarks of others pass without lashing back, but it’s always best to let the situation and the offense to pass without letting our tempers get all worked up into a ‘wad’. Usually if we’ll wait before we react, we’ll be able to see straight into the heart of the nonsense and address it with wisdom instead of with something regrettable… that is, if it needs to be addressed at all.
One thing I learned from a mentor a while back is this: Whenever you sense that someone is getting under your collar, stop, breathe in deeply, count to seven, breathe out slowly, wait, and then respond only if you can address the issue without being angry. That’s good advice. The Bible says that we should be “quick to listen and slow to speak.” Don’t allow others to provoke you and interfere with the victories of your life.
And remember what James writes: “…if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:14,16-18)

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