Moss insists he wasn't looking for trouble

<br>EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) _ Randy Moss insisted he wasn't looking for trouble when he pushed a traffic officer with his car. <br><br>``I don't know if trouble is out to find me, but I'm

Friday, September 27th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) _ Randy Moss insisted he wasn't looking for trouble when he pushed a traffic officer with his car.

``I don't know if trouble is out to find me, but I'm certainly not out to find trouble,'' the Minnesota wide receiver said Thursday.

Police charged Moss with two misdemeanors for pushing the traffic officer with his car Tuesday after she stepped in front of it to stop him from making an illegal turn. The officer was slightly injured when she fell off the car.

While making no direct mention of the traffic officer, Moss apologized Thursday to teammates, family and friends and ``everyone who really cares and feels a part of me or this team.''

``I am human. I am a man. I do take care of my responsibilities, and I stand up for my actions,'' he said.

The 25-year-old player faces a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and $1,000 on each charge. He'll be arraigned Oct. 2.

Police also said they found a marijuana cigarette in Moss' car, an amount that would qualify as a petty misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $200. But no drug charge has been filed, and Moss said the marijuana did not belong to him. Other people have had use of the car, he said.

Moss will start Sunday night against Seattle, and his agent said the team will fine him, although the amount hasn't yet been determined.

Moss took no questions at a news conference, but later, in an interview with ESPN, insisted he had done no wrong.

``By the time the woman told me to turn back into the lane that I turned in, it was too late,'' Moss said. ``The woman had me confused as to what I was supposed to do. There was no conversation. ... All I know is the cuffs are slammed on me, and I'm in the back of the cruiser.''

Moss has piled up as much criticism, fines, legal troubles and controversial comments in the last seven years as he has receiving records, but coach Mike Tice challenged him to be a team leader this season.

Moss responded by working out with new players almost every day in the offseason at the team practice facility. ``My approach was going in the right direction. I'm doing everything on time, I'm being cooperative,'' he said.

To ESPN, Moss added, ``Like I said, it's how I'm labeled. I'm labeled as a bad guy at first and I'm try to make changes for the best. I try to do what's right.''