My Draft Memories: Nat Moore | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

My Draft Memories: Nat Moore

Fin Fan in Cali

Fin Fan in Cali

Fins Up!
Super Donator
Club Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2004
Messages
58,192
Reaction score
89,211
Age
60
Location
Sunshine state
http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/a...at-Moore/235c47c7-a3ad-49b4-b126-83f1c35fffdf

tempPictureDownload_101_3_216--nfl_mezz_1280_1024.jpg


What was it like to know you were going to be coached by Don Shula?

Moore: "It was a dream come true to know that Don Shula was going to be my coach. I was a big Baltimore Colts fan prior to Coach Shula coming to Miami so I had followed his career. Plus, the Dolphins had won the previous two Super Bowls so that added to my excitement."

What advice would you give to this year’s class of draft choices?

Moore: “The first thing is as soon as you can get that playbook, bury your nose in it. This is what you’ve worked for your whole life, and the only way you can really compete for a job is you’ve got to know what to do. Once you know what to do it allows you to turn loose your athletic ability. If you don’t you’re thinking and if you’re thinking the play’s over.”

One of my favorite Dolphins!

---------- Post added at 09:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:08 PM ----------

tempAP_8501061918--nfl_mezz_1280_1024.jpg


---------- Post added at 09:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:09 PM ----------

tempAP_850106056--nfl_mezz_1280_1024.jpg
 
Oh the memories of Moore, Freddie Solomon and one of my favorite, often forgotten Dolphins, Delvin Williams.
 
Nat Moore was always one of the smartest guys on the field on game day.
 
A dolphin fan since I "discovered" football in 1970...tomorrow I'll be 60....loved me some Nat Moore
 
Nat Moore is one of my top 5 favorite fins of all time. He had incredibly soft hands and high football IQ. He also came to the team as Warfield departed so some pretty big shoes to fill. He adapted over the years from being an electric player to a dependable chain-mover who could still get deep on you if you slept on him during the Marino years. What's amazing is in 1982 he was all but forgotten, catching only like 10 balls in that 9 game season and it looked like his career was over while Duriel Harris and Jimmy Cefalo got more targets. Then Marino comes in the next year and suddenly Moore is having 60+ catch seasons while duper and Clayton are doing damage on the boundaries. I wish Moore had gotten a ring about as badly as I wish Dan the man had gotten one.

For the youngsters - if you haven't seen clips of Moore's heroics see if you can find the '81 home game vs the Jets where he set (at that time) Dolphins records for yards in a game w over 200. More impressive was the manner he did it - he caught 2, or maybe 3 bombs from Don Strock where he laid out full extension, completely parallel to the ground and snagged 'em in on his fingertips. This type of catch is a lost art as guys hardly dive any more and there are so many long ball intentional jump balls or back shoulder types. But the receivers were smaller back then so you had to hit them over the shoulder. Amazing acrobatics if you can find them. Game ended 28-28 tie and would be the deciding factor in winning the division (11-4-1) over the Jets (10-5-1). We'd go on to play the famous hook and lateral game vs SD in the playoffs that year. Nat Moore - a true dolphin great.
 
Moore was the consummate pro. He did everything right, was a solid citizen, and a leader in the locker room. He was the personal mentor to Duper and Clayton and he taught them how to use their athletic ability and become great fast. This was all at the expense of his own play time, but that's the kind of guy Moore was ... a coach's dream and a teammate's best friend. Oh yeah, and one hellova great player.
 
gregorygrant83 said:
Oh the memories of Moore, Freddie Solomon and one of my favorite, often forgotten Dolphins, Delvin Williams.
Click to expand...

And since Solomon was part of the trade that brought Williams to Miami, I felt guilty not mentioning Solomon's replacement and another of my Dolphins favorites Duriel Harris.
 
gregorygrant83 said:
And since Solomon was part of the trade that brought Williams to Miami, I felt guilty not mentioning Solomon's replacement and another of my Dolphins favorites Duriel Harris.
Click to expand...
Harris was an excellent receiver too and he also had a flair for the acrobatic. I have to admit, it was tough watching him at the end of his career in a Cowboys uniform when we played them on a Monday night in '84. Had he stuck around in Miami when Marino came in - like Moore - his career may have extended and re surged.
 
IMO, Nat Moore is one of the best under the radar WRs to ever grace the field. True professional who was consistently productive.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom