The Strange Case Of Arron Sears Gets Stranger
November 17th, 2009
Well, the Bucs dropped a bombshell on Joe and just about every Bucs fan when it was announced this evening that Arron Sears is no longer playing hide and seek and has been reinstated by the Bucs.
Yet the Bucs still are mum as to why Sears was in hiding. Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times once found Sears at his home in Alabama but Sears refused to get out of his car or roll down the window to talk.
Very solid, reliable sources told Joe a few weeks ago that Sears was spotted around Tampa, but he never showed his face at One Buc Palace.
To Joe, this screams that Sears was dealing with a chemical imbalance issue of some sort and the Bucs should at least address this publically for a couple of reasons.
1) Whether Sears likes it or not, he makes very good money working in a very public profession. There are tens of thousands of people spending thousands of dollars on the Bucs in part due to Sears playing. Those paying customers deserve a right to know where their cash is going.
2) If, as Joe guesses, Sears is dealing with a chemical imbalance issue or depression, this is not the 1950s. People with such illnesses are not pariahs or lepers or worse, felons. Think not? Look no further than one of the best guys on the Bucs roster, Sammie Stroughter, who himself dealt with a severe case of depression in college.
Often, depression is caused by a chemical imbalance. Not much different than diabetes or a heart condition. Something’s not wired right in the body. These types of ailments have various effects and an effect of a chemical imbalance can lead to strange things and feelings. There’s no shame in that.
If, as Joe guesses, Sears does have such an affliction, he can help all sorts of people by saying, in short, “Look, I have this issue, I dealt with it, but I’m back to playing in the NFL. If you think you have the same problem, go to the doctor. If I can be helped and still play in the NFL, there’s no telling what you can do if treated.”
This would be a public relations coup and people would embrace Sears.
Granted, the Bucs are likely handcuffed by federal laws dealing with information about medical conditions. But if Sears could be coaxed into taking the podium at One Buc Palace and explaining what is wrong and how he overcame whatever troubled him, it’s a win-win for everybody.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
Trade him in the offseason…for whatever he can fetch
November 17th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Man Joe Damn why he was gone the point is he is back in da pewter and red and this time i hope its for good. We sure could use that stability on da o line wit a young qb. Hope all is well wit ya Sears and damn glad 2 have ya back.
GO BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 17th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
If he plays at the same level as when he left, keep him. 3rd year pro-bowl quality guards are quite valuable to the team. Between Sears, Faine, and Joseph, I was really stoked about our inside rushing attack. I like Zuttah, but he just doesn’t seem to have the same effect that Sears did.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Fans pay money to watch the Bucs play football, not get a peek into Aaron Sears’ medical records. If he wants to come forward and talk about his issues, great. If not, that’s fine too. It’s a personal issue and the public does not have a right to know.
You don’t need to be an MD to know something was wrong with him. I don’t see why anyone needs to know his exact diagnosis. He’s not the President of the United States responsible for keeping America safe. He’s a left guard on a football team. And you’re right, it would be a HIPAA violation if the Bucs said anything about Sears’ condition without his authorization.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Hey Joe I have a question for you
theres Joebucsfan.com and a joeboltsfan.com
ever thought have doing a joeraysfan.com? Ive always wondered that
but either way go bucs!!!
November 17th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Mark:
Yes, Joe very much wants to cover the Rays. Currently, Joe has his hands full with the Bucs and the Bolts, even with Joe’s hockey-crazed sister Amanda’s help.
If local businesses will begin seeing the light, that many more people read Joe each day than listen to, for example, that douchebag in the afternoon that can’t pull a 0.1 rating, Joe would be able to hire some help and begin covering the Rays.
There is no better advertising value in the Tampa Bay area than Joe. None. Maybe Joe is doing a terrible job of letting business people know that?
In short Mark, if you like Joe’s sites, frequent his advertisers and make sure you tell people about them, and of course, about Joe.
Thanks.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Be patient Joe, you will probably get your answer in due time. I have season tickets too and I personally don’t care where he was, what he was doing or what the problem was. I’m just glad he’s back because we can use all the help we can get. If they trade him next year and get another 2’nd for him, that’s fine too, but I’d like to see him try the right tackle position.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
BigMacAttack:
Arron Sears won’t be playing right tackle. If Davin Joseph gets hurt, like last year, Jeremy Zuttah would play right tackle.
November 17th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Thanks Joe for the answer. I’m constantly letting people know all of what you do. Thanks for taking the time to answer me.
Go Bucs!
November 17th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Davin is right guard. ??? I don’t care who plays right tackle. I’d just like to see someone other than Trueblood. Maybe Jeremy can play Tight end on run plays. Davin is the Man.
Did I say that wrong???
November 17th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
My bad BigMacAttack, you are right, Joe was thinking Trueblood.
It’s been a long, awful day for Joe outside of the site.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
We love you joe!!! I hope tommorrow is a better day
November 18th, 2009 at 1:00 am
Thanks Big Nick.
November 18th, 2009 at 1:55 am
First off, Joe, it’s often a difficult step for someone afflicated with a mental health issue to initially face that he has a problem. The next big step is the recognition by the person that he needs to take medication on a regular basis.
If indeed Mr. Sears suffers from some sort of mood disorder related to brain chemistry, calling for him to go public and become an advocate not much more than a year into the process is asking too much, and asking Bucs management to lay it all out for the fans is, quite frankly, irresponsible.
There’s a stigma attached to mental health disorders that, of course, is completely ridiculous, but it’s there nonetheless. I suspect more will be revealed in the fullness of time, but I do hope Mr. Sears is well on his way to resolving his personal issue and help the team regain some semblance of credibility.
It’d be cool if we could bushwack the Saints Sunday.
November 18th, 2009 at 7:17 am
This is nothing more than a move his agent insisted he make. Does anyone else find it strange that, after this two week exemption, Sears will be back just long enough to count this year as a full season? That’s right, he gets his pay day AND this year will count toward his free agency. At least that is my understanding, six weeks for the pay day and a “full season.”
November 18th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Hey George, Larry David called and wants his pen back.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Brown:
Damn brother, does that mean rainbows aren’t magical and there is no such thing as the tooth fairy!?!
You are one cynical mug…
November 18th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Respect that it is a private matter!
It’s all about good publicity, huh? To some, their dignity is worth a little more than a public relations “coup”.. You are gutless…
November 18th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
I think it is great to bring him back. I also like how they are doing it. SLOWLY. He is not going to have any impact this year anyway. Let him get in shape. Then let him learn the playbook. Then let him practice some. This is about another lineman adding depth for next year.
I also have no problem with letting him address the issue on his terms when he feels ready.
I am one of those people who absolutley does not care about any movie star, rock star or sports star private life. I can’t stand that stuff. So I have no problem with him doing this on his own time table, as long as it is all out there by next years camp so there are no distractions.
November 18th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Not hatin man, just laying it out there. It’s really too bad, I hope we draft guys that love the game from now on.
November 18th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Trade him in the offseason…for whatever he can fetch
November 19th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Brown, what’s to say he didn’t love the Game when he got here? My wife loved me when she got here, but she’s hated me ever since, and I know she’s not crazy.