No “Fire” In Running Back Derrick Ward
June 9th, 2010
Bucs fans began to wonder last year if, in fact, the Bucs made a mistake in signing Kardashian-chasing running back Derrick Ward, as his numbers did not come close to meeting expectations.
Joe does know a high-placed executive at One Buc Palace was livid Ward wasn’t getting enough touches.
So after missing the first Bucs offseason OTA, then talking a good game when returned, but then disappearing last week with dental issues, suspicious fans again began to raise an eyebrow toward Ward and his desire.
Consider eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune amid that group. Kaufman, for what ever reason, doesn’t see a motivated player while watching Ward take part in OTAs, so Kaufman wrote on the TBO.com Bucs Twitter feed.
I’m looking for the fire in Derrick Ward’s eyes, and I don’t see it yet. If he expects to unseat Caddy, he’ll need more intensity.
Joe has to keep telling himself this is June and not August, and that the Bucs are practicing in shorts and hitting tackling dummies, not wearing pads and hitting fellow teammates. Joe can sort of understand how it’s hard for a guy with money in the bank to get worked up over OTAs.
Now if Ward is still going through the motions come training camp? Far different story.
June 9th, 2010 at 10:06 am
I’d guess that the “…executive…” was Doug Williams
June 9th, 2010 at 10:55 am
Come on Ward, suck that sh*t up and show some heart…
Stopping saying “I’m just here to be a leader”…that sounds condescending and full of sh*t…
June 9th, 2010 at 11:03 am
So, EYE-Rah is willing to stick up for the Glazerhouse’s without any proof (unless you count that the Commissioner didn’t throw them under the bus), but is more than willing to say crap about Ward.
It’s not like I’m a big Ward fan, but I’m willing to cut him (and the rest of the players — except the Blocking Icon) some slack for that abortion of a 2009 season.
June 9th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Louie, too funny. Why is it that the Glazers need to prove themselves but Ward does not? Don’t you see the contradiction? Isn’t even a little comical to you that you require no proof from Ward — who is sitting on a big free agent contract — but you want “proof” from the Glazers who gave Ward that big free agent contract that you say they should be unable to pay?? Wow . . .
June 9th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Me thinks Mr. Ward understands the present futility, and merely can’t get all fired up to participate in a disaster……….
Can hardly blame the man, especially coming from a contender and good organization.
June 9th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Listen JimBuc, I don’t know if you have a reading disabilty or what, but I never said ANYTHING about the Glazerhouse’s proving ANYTHING. If you could read, you’d see my beef is with EYE-Rah. He’s the one who yesterday stuck up for the Glazers, but today has something negative to say about Ward who has missed a few OPTIONAL workouts. As Joe said, if he loafs in training camp, then go after him then.
I love you apologists! You guys say we are asking to see the Glazerhouse’s financial records (again, a reading disability, I guess). Everybody is just speculating on why the Glazerhouses have not spend enough money to field a “lasting contender” since 2004. The apologists have their opinions and the “haters”, as you call us, have ours. QUIT PUTTING WORDS IN MY MOUTH!!!
June 9th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Louie said:
“So, EYE-Rah is willing to stick up for the Glazerhouse’s without any proof”
Hmmm . . . . “any PROOF”
June 9th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
@JimBuc: You’re getting warm! The sentence says EYE-Rah doesn’t have proof, not the Glazers. Maybe you should take an English class because anyone with an 3rd grade education would understand what I wrote.
There was a time when journalist didn’t talk out of their ass. Instead, they had sources and did research before writing something. In the case of writers, they use footnotes and bibliographies to back up their work. Today’s journalism is just a bunch of opinions. They’re like assholes — everybody’s got one.
June 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Oh, for the reading impared… In my last sentence, “they’re” refers to opinions, not the jounalist (and not the Glazers if you’re JimBuc).
June 9th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Louie, right, so you think EYE-Rah is “talking out his ass” because he doesn’t have any proof that the Glazers are not broke, right? That’s my point, why do the Glazers have to PROVE anything to anyone? I think that was actually EYE-Rah’s point too. Didn’t he also say something about no missed payments? How about this one. Name a rostered player the Bucs have lost due to money?
My point is: why do you and all the “haters” just accept “broke” as being the truth until the Glazers prove otherwise? Especially when there are other reasonable expplanations. You don’t even allow for the other explanations. Heck , you don’t even allow for the fact that both explanations could be partially true. In your mind, the Glazers are broke until they prove otherwise, right?
June 9th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Louie,
You hit the nail on the head! No one on here ever declared the Glazers were broke. No one on here ever said the Glazers should open up their books to us fans to prove their financial stability. Some on here merely speculated the Glazers MAY be experiencing finanial difficulties. And that speculation has been going on long before the BBC article from a few days ago, so those who say we are taking the article as gospel are not accurate. I felt that way a long time ago, and it’s my own personal observation. I have realized that you can’t be a “concerned fan”. You are either a Buc goober smoocher, thus making you a true fan, or a hater, which prevents you from being a fan. There can be no middle ground with these types. Their mantra is “If you don’t have anything nice to say about the Bucs, then don’t say anything at all”. If I were you Louie, I wouldn’t waste any more of your energy with your adversary. As I and others on here have found out, eventually you will hurt his feelings, and then he takes his ball and runs home crying to mommy, vowing to others on here like Joe that he has a “policy” against responding to certain posters.
June 9th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Thanks for the advise lightningbuc! I’m sure you’re right.
June 9th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Louie and Lighningbug — I am one of the more active posters on this issue. Judging by your comments above, which I understand are generalizations, it looks to me like you misunderstand something, at least to the extent you group me in with the “goober smoochers.”
The reason I often post of the issue of the Glazers finances is precisely because, as you note, there seem to be no middle gound. From my vantage point, most negative posters on here seem to think that everything about the Bucs is driven by the Glazers finances. By comparison, most positive posters, on the finances issue, are just suggesting that the near-hysteria is unwarranted or premature. That is why you see the repeated comments to 2011.
I am not sure what an example of a “goober smoocher” would be but I am pretty sure I do not fit the mold of blind support BECAUSE:
1. I think the Glazers made a mistake in firing Gruden
2. I think ManU has a significant imapct on the Bucs finances (I just don’t think it is a permanent impact)
3. I think the Glazers are struggling financially (but so are most big businesses and I don’t think the empire is on the verge of collapse)
4. I think the Glazers a CURRENTLY cheap (but not permanently cheap)
Believe me, there are many more people that adopt the negative view than my point of view and most who do are very dismissive of anyone that suggests, as I do, that the debt issue is overblown or that there are league-wide explanation for some of the stuff going on. So don’t be so quick to group everyone together. Just as the term “hater” is probably inappropriate for most, so is the term “goober smoocher” (even if it is funny)
Lightningbug — not sure why you feel the need to always go with the juvenille stuff (i.e. run home to mommy), but so be it.
June 9th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
Ward doesn’t want to be trapped on this shitty team any more , with coaches who won’t even give him a chance to tote the ball.
I’d be going through the motions also.
June 9th, 2010 at 4:31 pm
Good article joe better comments you guys crack me up everytime I read the comments section… but joe why continue using pic of rashad mccants and not ward with that kardashian chick