C.J.: Full story of Randy Moss' NFL retirement is still to be told

Randy Moss had moments of reflection Tuesday on ESPN's "Pardon the Interruption" when he copped to behaving immaturely during his NFL career.

"There were some immature things that I've done over the course of my career," said Moss, emphatically adding, "But y'all didn't pay for them. I had to pay for them."

"PTI" hosts Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon chuckled at this confession from the Fox Sports 1 football analyst, who said, "I've lived, I've learned, I've matured in a lot of ways."

Kornheiser asked the former wide receiver if he was serious when he said on a recent podcast that he'd consider coming out of retirement to play for Peyton Manning.

"The one thing that people don't understand, guys, is: One day I will hopefully get to tell my story of why I retired from the game of football. Had nothing to do with the money [or] physical ability. There were some things going on in my family life with my children that I had to walk away from the game and be there for them as their father and as their protector. I'm loving what I'm doing here at Fox, don't get it wrong. But for me to be able to come back to the game for a guy like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, guys, I might consider something like that."

Ah, Moss had two-three non-Super Bowl-winning seasons with Brady's Patriots. I assume he thinks Manning could be the best ticket to a championship ring.

We'd all enjoy reading a book about what was going on in Moss' head at various times. Take his second tour with the Vikings. It ended after Moss reportedly had an out-of-body experience in which he said then-coach Brad Childress should be fired. The capper that sent Moss packing to the Titans came when he had a meltdown at Winter Park over food provided by Tinucci's Restaurant and Catering.

Moss could devote a chapter to all the people he owes apologies. "He did [owe me an apology] but we never got one from him," Gus Tinucci said Wednesday. "We got one from the Vikings. He's been in town a few times, he's never stopped by to say 'Hi.' "

A quick return for AP?

My "PTI" guys suspect Adrian Peterson will be back on the field soon for the Vikings after pleading down felony child abuse charges to a no-contest misdemeanor Tuesday.

"I don't think that the NFL should want to get into the business of social engineering when it comes to relationships between parents and children," said Kornheiser. "I may think, you may think, that Adrian Peterson went way too far, but there are probably a bunch of people, maybe from certain geographic areas, maybe from a certain upbringing, [who] say, That's what I went through, he didn't go too far. What I would do if I was the NFL is say, there's time served here, eight games already. I might fine him but I would not give him additional games."

Wilbon is wary. Because of how NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell fumbled both Ray Rice's domestic abuse case and Peterson's spanking case, "I fear he's going to overreact" now.

When I interviewed Peterson's Texas attorney Rusty Hardin for Sunday's Q&A, he told me Peterson would play again for the Vikings.

Now that Peterson is learning other means of discipline in parenting classes, part of his community service could be an anti-corporal punishment campaign: "Think Before You Spank." Just a thought.

Speaking of parenting …

Happi Olson described "The Happi House," a new TV show for moms, as "a cross between 'Wayne's World' and Martha Stewart."

She's not making fun. "I'm not laughing about the concept of the show," said Olson. "Moms are doing the best we can, so we'll tell you how to hold the perfect play date, find the perfect wine, make a quick Halloween costume; whatever it is you need to do."

The show, sponsored by Creative Kidstuff, airs Sundays on the CW at 9 a.m., is already airing in Sioux Falls, S.D., and will soon air on other stations across the Midwest.

Her full name is Happi April Olson. The name reflected her mom's happiness about her baby's April due date, which Happi undershot by arriving in March.

C.J. can be reached at cj@startribune.com and seen on Fox 9's "Buzz."