A minor post-Christmas miracle.

I’ve never really been a big Randy Moss fan, given his personal ownage of my favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys, and the way that he’s presented himself at times over the years.

But, for once, and maybe this is the only time that I’ll ever do it - I’m actually siding with resurgent Randy, the real MVP of the New England Patriots and the NFL (something I'll comment on in an upcoming post).

After touchdown catches #22 and #23 in the Patriots’ regular-season finale to breka Jerry Rice’s record of 22, set in 1987, the always brutally (and many times at his own expense), Moss put out this little conversation starter.

"I don't think me breaking Jerry Rice's record is special," Moss said. "I think shutting you guys up is what made it special, all the negativity, all my critics."

Rice, the rarely disputed greatest receiver of all time, responded by saying, “It’s almost like a little slap in the face, but it’s typical of Randy Moss.”

The only thing that’s typical Randy Moss about it is him not saying what many people want to hear. He’s never been one to do that, and he likely never will be.

But, after a lot of people had left this guy for dead after a couple of so-so seasons in Oakland with the Raiders, he does a seemingly un-Randy Moss-like thing and takes a huge pay cut to join the Patriots.

Finally on a serious championship contender again, he goes back to being Randy, not randy Randy, but DB-dominator Randy, catching pass, scoring touchdowns, making things look as easy as they used to for him. 30-year old Randy looking as good as 21-year old Randy did when he was a rookie with the Vikings in ‘98.

And now, people are trying to find another reason to hate on the guy again, and for what?

After he’d become a forgotten man, a has-been, for him to turn around and do this just like that, he can be afforded some personal gratification, even though he has brought some of the past criticisms and controversies upon himself - which even he could admit - though some of them weren’t as malicious as they were made to seem. But, instead of literally bending over like he did to the Packers fans, he’s done it on the field.

And he’s right. Personal records aren’t everything. If there’s something of Rice’s that Moss is after, it’s the three championship rings Rice has.

That’s what Moss is after, not personal records. That’s why he wasn’t happy in Oakland. That’s why he walked off of the field in Minnesota. If he wasn’t winning, he wasn’t happy. That’s what any athlete wants, amateur or professional.

In the past Moss has expressed it a little more than others, which got him in some trouble, along with undoubtedly being a little immature, to say the least, and that little problem with tactlessness.

Now, he’s winning, and he’s got one of the NFL’s greatest all-time quarterbacks throwing to him. Once he gets that ring, he’ll have nothing to prove to anyone, detractors or himself.

I can understand where Rice might be offended. But for him to counter what he thought was a cheap shot with another one wasn’t the right thing to do. I’ve got a lot of love for Jerry, considering that I was born and raised no more than a stone’s throw from where he grew up. But, I can’t join the hate parade this time.

You know what they say about mountains and molehills. So pat it down, and let it go, because if he hasn’t said what you want to hear, he never will. Holy hell, an athlete told the truth! Run for your lives!

Seriously though, as allergic as some athletes seem to be to honesty, here's one guy who isn't, even if it gets him in trouble, and as laughable as it is sometimes, it's also mildly refreshing.

Now, excuse me while I go pull out my anti-Randy Moss signs and remind myself that I don’t like him.