Catching Some Redemption

By RON STODGHILL II

Even the most desperate football coaches understand that God isn't known to wear cleats, that Super Bowl rings and contract extensions are unlikely priorities in his divine order. Yet earlier this year, during the NFL draft, Minnesota Vikings head coach Dennis Green found himself dialing up his minister and praying that his controversial decision to draft a kid named Randy Moss would not be in vain.

No one doubted that Moss, a wide receiver from Marshall University in Huntington, W.Va., was supremely talented: at 6 ft. 4 in. he was speedy and sure-handed. But 19 NFL teams had passed over Moss in the draft because of a record that included a couple of arrests, a probation violation and a one-month stint in jail.

For Green the small blessings came first. A stunning catch here, a terrific block there. And no off-field antics. Then last week, on Thanksgiving Day, as the Vikings squared off against the Dallas Cowboys (which, having had enough player troubles of their own, snubbed Moss in the draft), the coach stood on the sidelines and witnessed a miracle. There was Moss, the NFL's persona non grata, catching one, two, three touchdown passes to lead the Vikes to a 46-36 victory. Hallelujah!

Of course, these days not much can shock a state that recently elected as its Governor bald-headed former pro wrestler Jesse ("the Body") Ventura, but the Vikings are sure trying. New team owner Red McCombs, coach Green and a squad of bad boys and second-chancers are defying expectations. Start with Moss. Despite his tainted image, he has emerged as perhaps the league's most exciting wide receiver. And Cris Carter, who admitted to abusing cocaine and alcohol early in his career, is bolstering his standing as the all-time best receiver in Viking history.

The Vikings are currently being led by football's happiest reclamation project, Randall Cunningham, who found God--and receivers who can fly like angels. Having been cut by the Philadelphia Eagles, Cunningham was retired, tending to his marble business, when Green signed him last year as a backup to starter Brad Johnson. When Johnson was injured earlier this season, Cunningham stepped in and started throwing--long. The Vikes have now amassed an imposing record of 11 and 1 and seem poised for the Super Bowl.

Still, the Vikings have more to prove than an ability to stomp their opponents. Over the years, they have suffered from a reputation as one of the league's most dysfunctional families. Several Vikings have piled up charges ranging from rape to assault to drunk driving to embezzlement. A provocative new book, Pros and Cons: The Criminals Who Play in the N.F.L. (Warner Books; $24), depicts the Vikings as emblematic of a troubling trend in the league. Authors Jeff Benedict and Don Yaeger estimate that 1 in 5 players has been charged with a serious crime. "NFL teams are recruiting a new breed of criminal players the likes of which should disturb all NFL fans," the authors conclude. "Gone are the good old days of NFL recruits having rap sheets detailing merely drunken brawls and vandalism. In are the days of lethal violence, rape, armed robbery, home invasion, kidnapping and drug dealing."

Athletes in many sports, of course, have long had histories of run-ins with the law, from tennis pro Jennifer Capriati with her marijuana arrest (the charges were later dropped) to baseball legend Pete Rose and his gambling travails. But Benedict and Yaeger describe an entrenched culture of cover-up and tolerance of criminal behavior in the NFL. And they devote nearly a chapter to the Vikings, listing 15 players entangled with police since Green was named the team's head coach in 1992.

The Vikings' recent success has heightened public scrutiny of the character of the team and provoked questions about Green's judgment. In the NFL draft earlier this year, he shocked the league when he picked Moss in the first round. Fans of Green's retort that he has pushed hard this season to reform his bad boys. By recruiting a young and charismatic team chaplain, the Rev. Keith Johnson, and being available as a father figure, Green is promoting faith and self-discipline among his wayward flock. Result: a season thus far without incident. Carter, whose drug problems got him waived from the Eagles, has become a team role model and a born-again Christian. Even Green, who was charged with sexual harassment in 1995 (the charges were later dismissed), says he has taken to cleaner living and spending more time in prayer.

Green, one of three black head coaches in the league, explains, "This is America...and if you want to coach here, you've got to deal with those backgrounds"--referring to the poverty and broken homes in which many players grew up. "These are the players that the colleges bring to us, and anybody in the coaching business has to learn to deal with them."

In that task Green enjoys several advantages. Black players, especially, trust him and feel he understands them. He can correct them without making them feel any disrespect--a skill many white coaches haven't mastered. Team chaplain Johnson says Green is creating a new model for coaching. "Guys like Randy Moss represent the future of pro ball," says Johnson. "Moss is talented, grew up without much male leadership, has a history of social deviance and was merely a commodity in college. How do we handle guys like him? Coach Green has tried to provide an environment where they can succeed." Some, though, aren't so sure whether Green is enjoying a little short-term luck juggling a ticking time bomb. "Randy Moss has shown what everybody thought. He is an extremely talented player," Miami Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson wrote recently in Dolphin Digest. "Whether or not he's going to be playing in this league three years from now, time will tell."

So far, Green's gamble has paid off handsomely. Moss has scored 11 touchdowns, gained 1,014 yds.--and up to this point has avoided penalties off the field. He's a top candidate for Rookie of the Year. Such vindication strikes a personal chord for Green, who grew up in a tough section of Harrisburg, Pa. "I saw a guy who had made some mistakes but was willing to fight it out," Green says of his decision to draft Moss. "Being an inner-city guy myself and having to fight for everything I've ever had, I felt that I understood him." Moss says he's already picked up one valuable lesson from his new boss: "Just stay humble and focus and concentrate on football." If Moss can pull that off, both he and Green may finally enjoy some redemption.

--With reporting by Marc Hequet/Minneapolis

With reporting by Marc Hequet/Minneapolis