Thursday, June 10, 2010

Good for Muhsin Muhammad

Good for Muhsin Muhammad.

Good for the “Moose” for exiting the NFL gracefully Thursday, as he retired as the Carolina Panthers’ all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.

It could have ended in a different, nastier way – with Muhammad, 37, catching on with another NFL team as a backup receiver and trying to squeeze another year out of his body.

Instead, Muhammad realized it was time for him to go. The Panthers didn’t re-sign him this offseason, and no other teams were jumping through hoops to grab him, either. So Muhammad decided, in his own words: “I would walk away from the game on my own terms, while I still could, instead of crawling away later.”

Moose called his time with the Panthers "a great ride."

The Panthers were obviously grateful that the relationship ended amicably, and in return they staged one of the more elaborate retirement ceremonies in their history.

Team owner Jerry Richardson, head coach John Fox and former Panther quarterback Steve Beuerlein all spoke. A “greatest hits” Muhammad video was played, with his 85-yard, Super Bowl-record touchdown catch front and center.

And then Muhammad himself talked for 26 minutes, thanking everybody from God to his Pop Warner coach, from the guy who taped his ankles every day to Greg “Catman” Good, the Panther superfan who wore Muhammad’s No.87 jersey to games.

“For me, today is not a day of mourning,” Muhammad said. “It’s a day of celebration.”

And it mostly seemed that way. Muhammad was frequently funny during his retirement speech. Tears welled in his eyes only twice -- when he looked at his wife, Christa (with whom he has six kids) and when he looked at longtime teammate Steve Smith.

Muhammad said his post-football plans include working closely with a private equity firm he has founded and trying to do some sports broadcasting.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

A Class Act. I hope he stays in Charlotte.

randomusings said...

Thanks for your time in Charlotte Moose, I enjoyed watching you play!

Anonymous said...

stay away from the marijuana and you will be alright!!

J said...

Class personified! Thank you Moose for giving us all of those great games and plays. And thanks also for coming back to the Panthers and finishing your great career with us. You will be missed. Love you much!

JH

Anonymous said...

Has as alvays been good for to have Moose und Squirrel (Smith). Vill be missiled much by cats, peeples, NFL, and CIA.

Anonymous said...

Great player with a great attitude and who gave his all to every game. Moose thanks a lot!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed watching him play on Sunday....He is a class act......I hated when the Panthers traded him the first time....I hope they bring him back as a WR coach

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed watching him play on Sunday....He is a class act......I hated when the Panthers traded him the first time....I hope they bring him back as a WR coach

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed watching him play on Sunday....He is a class act......I hated when the Panthers traded him the first time....I hope they bring him back as a WR coach

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed watching him play on Sunday....He is a class act......I hated when the Panthers traded him the first time....I hope they bring him back as a WR coach

Anonymous said...

Thanks for you time in Charlotte. I enjoyed watching you play. Mostly proud that you could end
your career in football with the
panthers. May God bless you and your family

Anonymous said...

Good luck to you, Moose! You are a well-respected, well-liked player and I enjoyed watching you play as a fan. One of only a handful of players that I have followed through his career. You seem a good man and we'd be really lucky if Charlotte became your home.

Anonymous said...

Mediocrity. This one is not even close.

Muhammed was never anything but average and for the half of his career or more he sucked and dropped half his passes. Granted he did learn to catch a pass and improve but he lost a ton of games for the Panthers until then. Even mediocre Chicago only kept him a couple yrs and released him.

His nickname was "butterfingers" Moose. In 2001 he lost half the 15 games at the wire dropping passes in the red or end zone when Heisman winner FSU Weinke was a rookie with a 1-15 season on a sorry team.

In spite of "butterfingers" Weinke still had 3000 yards passing and 30TDs plus ran for 10 more and still rated the 2nd best rookie in NFL history behind Peyton Manning in 2000.

Good riddence to this aged wornout tired senior citizen. New blood needed.

Anonymous said...

So MM publically went on tv and actually proclaimed "dont be afraid to be great"? Huh?

That is incredible. Is he referring to himself? What a joke.

He had one half decent yr at Michigan State where he was a walk-on never recruited in high school as an outside weak side linebacker and even then nothing to brag about. This guy has never been anything close to great except in his own mind apparently.

Anonymous said...

Bye! cya!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was average at best as a player.

Anonymous said...

Moose did have his PR game play to smooth out the wrinkles and missed passes and was a much better blocker and prob should have been on the OL.
He missed his calling but was never a good WR by any stretch. That moronic loud MOOOOO... from the fans always sounded like some cattle call.
He wont be missed.

Anonymous said...

ha...someone made a song about how much this guy sucks...

http://www.myspace.com/milkmilklemonadeband

Unknown said...

The guy holds the longest TD reception in Super Bowl history. I think as long as he's got that in his pocket, he could probably care less what the jabronis on this site think.

Anonymous said...

wuuuuuuuuuuuuu

one lucky catch

btw who won?

Anonymous said...

best blocking split end i have ever seen.

Anonymous said...

Ah yea ... Never fails ...
THE QC CELEBRATION OF MEDIOCRITY !!!

So typical of this pc pandering ignorant suckup joint and media to trump a mediocre WR who yapped his piehole for yrs to cover up his sorry play.

Why do they treat these no-goods with kids gloves?

NO other NFL city would have kept this guy for more than 1 year much less drafted him. Nobody else wanted him. He went to the Bears and was run off in short order.

Meanwhile back at the ranch we see the local fishwraps annual smiley face rehab of the little sawed off 4ft thug WR Smith.

Lets see, if he isnt cold cocking other players he is sucking out the azz as a player. Take your pick.

Wonder what the kids thought about those nasty looking thug TATOOZ covering him? Yikezzz

Smith will suck worse in 2010. Its over. He is tired worn out and useless and the most overrated 4ft WR in the history of the league.

Sir, you are no Mugsey Bogues of the NFL as you think you are. YOU SUCK !!

Anonymous said...

So who will carry the Panthers in 2010? With the team leader snuffed to Cleveland there is little hope here. The only real deal capable of consistance performance is RB DW who is the best scatback lowrider in the league. Jarrett needs to be the go to guy at WR with a 6'4" height advantage over DBs. Put SS on special teams taking kickoffs. He would have made a good CB on def. where you can do real damage plus intercep passes and run angles to tackle.