Randy Moss sounds like he's found the Fountain of Youth in Santa Clara.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since he was signed in March, Moss struck a decidedly optimistic and content tone, saying that while his birth certificate says he's 35 years old, he doesn't feel like it.
"I love being around the guys," he said. "These guys are young and very enthusiastic. I don't really feel my age being around these guys. They love to have fun. Coach Harbaugh - he's a player's coach. I watched coach Harbaugh growing up. When I first came into the league, he was on his way out. Coach Harbaugh, he came in fired up from Day 1 yesterday. We like to have fun around here. I don't feel my age. I love to have fun and I feel good."
The question, of course, is whether Moss can recapture his glory days on the football field, especially after a year off and especially in an offense that last year had more running plays than pass plays. Moss made several dazzling catches during the spring - "Coach Harbaugh put our team through a hell of an offseason," he said -- and seemed plenty fast on the "go" routes he made famous in Minnesota.
But he refused to make any predictions on how he'd look in a game situation. "I'll let you judge that," he said. "Right now I'll try to get better day to day. I don't worry about that. The coaching staff, equipment managers, trainers and guys in the locker room, we love to have fun. Being 35 years of age, I don't really feel 35. If you're asking me if my level of play is going to be up or down, I don't really know. I look forward to seeing what's going to happen, though."
Moss and the 49ers currently are going through their first practice. As expected, all of the non-injured players are on the practice field. Rookie Darius Fleming (ACL) is wearing a sleeve on his knee but is no longer on crutches. Fellow rookie Joe Looney (foot) is working on his own with trainers, firing out of a three-point stance and sprinting down field.
-- Matt Barrows
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