Sinorice Moss - Giant Hopes for ’09 Season

Everyone knows how heavily I’m involved in both the music and entertainment worlds, but what some of you may not know is way back in the day I also used to work in sports. This is why when I was offered an interview with New York Giants wide receiver Sinorice Moss I jumped at the opportunity. As a third generation Giants fan I had plenty to ask Moss regarding how the team is looking for the upcoming season, but we covered a lot more than just Giants football as we discussed everything from hard hits to Halle Berry… a little something for everyone!

Adam Bernard: Everybody’s talking about how the Giants need a #1 wide receiver with Plaxico Burress gone. As one of the current crop of wideouts already on the team, does this irk you in any way?
Sinorice Moss: It gets under my skin a little bit because we did lose Plax, we did lose Amani (Toomer), but a lot of people look at it as though we don’t have anyone on the team that can contribute and step up and make plays. We have a lot of young guys that are on the team now and a lot of guys that are willing and very eager to step on the field and make some big plays for this team.

Adam Bernard: Burress’ arrest happening in the middle of the season obviously affected the team last year. How do you think the team’s play will change this season knowing going in you’ll be without him?
Sinorice Moss: That’s why we practice every day. That’s why we put in new players while we work on different things because we have a group of young guys that can be utilized in so many different ways so it’s good for our offensive coordinator and for the coaches to sit down with us and go through different things that we can use during the season so we can really shine the light on some of these guys.

Adam Bernard: Now, for the record, when you go clubbin do you do it WITHOUT firearms?
Sinorice Moss: Actually, I really don’t go to clubs much. I only attend clubs when I’m asked to, or I’m getting paid for an appearance, but I’m not a big club guy at all. I’d rather go to the movies.

Adam Bernard: The Giants have made some key acquisitions on defense this off-season, but haven’t really made a splash on offense. Do you think this is a silent vote of confidence in the O?
Sinorice Moss: Yeah, you could say that, that it was kind of a confidence of saying OK, we have guys here that we know can contribute. I guess the big question mark was the wide receivers. That was the big thing and that’s gonna be the big thing this whole year because we lost Plaxico and Amani, so everybody had their opinions of who we should bring in, who should play this role, should we grab this guy from this team. We don’t need that. For the past three years I was learning from the best, from two guys that have been in the NFL for a while, so it’s not that we necessarily need a veteran receiver to be on this team to show us the ropes or to motivate us, we had those guys there and it’s now our time to step up and make some plays.

Adam Bernard: Are you worried about the loss of some of the coaching staff?
Sinorice Moss: Nah, it really hasn’t been a problem from what I’ve seen so far. OTA’s (Organized Team Activities) went well. The defense is flying around, very exciting, making plays. The offense is doing the same thing.

Adam Bernard: And Osi (Umenyiora) is lookin healthy?
Sinorice Moss: Yes he is. He’s flying around competin with guys like always. Osi’s lookin real good.

Adam Bernard: Good, cuz the only time we got to see him last season was in those 5-Hour Energy commercials. It was very disappointing. That stuff’s no joke, though.
Sinorice Moss: {laughs} I’ve never tried it. I’m not a big supplement guy. I don’t really mess with that stuff.

Adam Bernard: Speaking of supplements, there’s a pretty big illegal one going around in sports today – steroids. In football it seems to matter a little less since the suspension for performance enhancing drugs is only four games and, in the case some people, you can still be an All-Pro the same season you’re caught. Why aren’t steroids taken as seriously in football as they are in baseball, or are they?
Sinorice Moss: I have no idea. I’m not really for steroids. I don’t know who does it or why they do it. It’s not a smart choice, but it’s out there, it definitely is.

Adam Bernard: OK, switching gears a bit, as a wide receiver making the big catch is obviously what you hope for, but when you see a guy like Hines Ward totally jack up a defensive player is that another, perhaps hidden, joy for everyone who plays the position?
Sinorice Moss: Yes. It’s good for us as wide receivers to also be aggressive, so watching Hines Ward and seeing how aggressive he is as a receiver and the shots that he takes on some of those guys, that’s pretty much letting them know “I’m not a pushover, you’re not gonna come in this game and just do whatever to me or knock me around, I play wide receiver, but you’re gonna respect me.” It’s more of a respect factor, so I really get excited when I see Hines Ward do things like that.

Adam Bernard: So can we expect to see you jack a few people up in the 2009 season?
Sinorice Moss: I’m not gonna cheap shot anybody, but if I have to go in and make a block I’m gonna do my job.

Adam Bernard: The New York press can be brutal. You would know this just as well as anyone as they’ve thrown the “underachiever” tag on you. How do you deal with the NY press and do you feel that “underachiever” tag is fair?
Sinorice Moss: They can call me whatever they want to call me, but you can’t label somebody as an underachiever just because he hasn’t been given the opportunity to do stuff on the field. Maybe I haven’t got a thousand yards yet and done all the things that people want me to do as a receiver, but that time hasn’t come yet. I’m working towards it. So I can be whatever they want to label me as, but I’m gonna continue to stay positive and continue to keep working hard. I have a big opportunity this year and I’m gonna go out there and make some plays.

Adam Bernard: What are your joys outside of football?
Sinorice Moss: I love movies. I sing a little bit. I love music. I’m an aspiring actor. I’m working on a lot of things outside of football and just really trying to be successful.

Adam Bernard: OK, one acting question – who would you want playing the romantic lead opposite you in a film?
Sinorice Moss: {whistles} There’s a lot of nice young women out there. Everybody’s choice would obviously be Halle Berry. You also have Nia Long, Gabrielle Union… I could sit here and name them forever.

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Editor’s Note – A special shout out to my buddy Q The Question for helping set this interview up. And yes, Q, I specifically chose that pic of Moss beating an Eagle just for you. Ha!