“You’re A Hater Right Now, Barrett”
August 3rd, 2010
Woody Cummings and Anwar Richardson, of The Tampa Tribune, sat down for a lively video blog session on TBO.com. to talk about Barrett Ruud and his non-existent long term contract.
Of course, the media types around Bucs camp are buzzing about Ruud being a bit unhappy that Team Glazer opened its wallet for Donald Penn but not him.
Richardson has some harsh words for Ruud, saying “You’re a hater right now, Barrett.”
Cummings isn’t so hateful, except when he calls Richardson an “angry young man.”
Joe suggests you check out the video.
On a more serious note, Joe will roll out a very fresh take on why Ruud does not have a deal tomorrow.
August 3rd, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Wow … does Richardson not realize how much of an idiot he comes off as in this video.
August 3rd, 2010 at 8:45 pm
How is Richardson the idiot, when he clearly pointed out Cummings’ hypocrisy??
It appears that support for players getting new contracts fall along racial lines…
August 3rd, 2010 at 9:22 pm
I don’t have a problem with Ruud being upset. Unfortunately, he made his mistake when he signed his tender. Now, if he holds out he will get fined, I think like $16,000/day. Personally, I think he is better off just not talking at all because he is now in a “no win” situation. He could leave camp and get fined in hopes of a new deal, I just feel the Bucs think they could live without him. Unfortunately, Barrett is a victim of the CBA, which some blame has to laid upon his own union for negotiating the parameters of the uncapped year. The union really screwed themselves by agreeing to the deal.
August 3rd, 2010 at 10:41 pm
Well if Ruud didn’t get dragged five yards before he took down the ball carrier, then maybe he wouldn’t be having these contract issues right now!
August 3rd, 2010 at 11:35 pm
@troxell8t8
He tried not talking and the media claimed he was having a temper tantrum.
Ruud is in a no-win right now.
The CBA is a great excuse, but Penn got his deal.
I suspect the truth is Raheem plans to replace him.
@FIRE GREG OLSON!
As to racial lines, consider this…out of all the new guys Raheem Morris has brought in here, how many are not black? I know of only three, and all of those were taken in the last two rounds of this years draft.
Morris has developed a habit of only drafting African-American guys high in the draft, and going after them in free agency.
I’m not saying he is wrong for doing it, but it’s an interesting thing to notice. He is, afterall an African-American, and if he wants to provide opportunities, he is more than welcome to.
It doesn’t seem to be resulting in bad players this far…meaning he’s picking quality players…and team leaders I hope.
But I find it ironic that the first white guy he’s brought in is the Punter…the guy everyone picks on 😉 Ironic and kind of funny, lol.
August 3rd, 2010 at 11:41 pm
Pete,
I think your misunderstading my thoughts on the CBA. The CBA made a player like Ruud a RFA two years in a row. It didn’t allow him to become an UFA with the uncapped year, that is why the union really underestimated how the uncapped year would screw its members. If I’m Ruud, I would be say what the f#$k also. My teammate who is in exactly the same RFA qunadry gets a new deal, but I don’t.
August 3rd, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Morris doesn’t make the draft selections on his own, nor does he make free agent signings on his own. Mark Dominik is the one that signs the players and he also has a huge say in who they draft. To say that Raheem Morris is only drafting African-American players is ludicrous. If you want to say the organization or the front office, then ok, but it’s more than the coach involved so I find it hard to believe there’s racism involved.
August 3rd, 2010 at 11:53 pm
troxell
I would agree that Ruud is in a no win situation. After playing out his contract and becoming a restricted free agent last year, he held out of voluntary workouts to get a new deal. The team denied him that and he signed the tender and came to camp. This year, the team says they aren’t negotiating with ANY RFA players about extensions, he signs early (maybe hoping they’ll trade him before or during the draft and they didn’t) and shows up to every practice. When camp starts, Penn (who did exactly what didn’t work for Ruud last year) comes in with a new deal. Ruud should be pissed. I wouldn’t blame him for doing what he feels is right for him, even if that means walking out now. It’d be a huge risk, because he is under contract which means the team could franchise him next year. Also, if he sits out the year, he takes the risk of there not being a 2011 season. And, if he sits out, he won’t accrue the game time necessary to become an unrestricted free agent.
August 4th, 2010 at 12:10 am
@Pete Dutcher
I was referring to the support shown by people outside of the organization. In no way was I saying that Raheem and Co. are being unfair to white players, like you’re proposing.
I’ve been a Bucs season ticket holder since ’93 and I’ve worked for the Rays. Tampa fans love their white athletes. D. Brooks, R. Barber, and W. Sapp all lived in the shadows of John Lynch and Mike Alstott.
Look at the Rays. Crawford has been their making great plays and leading the majors in stolen bases and triples and now Longoria is the fan favorite.
We’re all human and there’s a innate human response to athletes who some how represent who we are, whether it’s ethnicity, home town, or personality.
I just think it’s inaccurate for Cummings’ to say Ruud deserves a new contract, while before he was criticizing Penn for holding out. Penn has done just as much, if not more, for this team than Ruud.
Full Disclosure: I’m white…
August 4th, 2010 at 2:08 am
I smell Klan.
August 4th, 2010 at 6:20 am
How did this become about race. Move on, folks.
August 4th, 2010 at 6:42 am
Raheem Morris had to call to get permission to put Freeman in the game last year (while getting beat by 4 TD’s), what makes you think he is the one drafting the players? And to say that we have “gone after” anyone in free agency is a joke in itself. He’s trying to keep his job, he’ll draft an orange player if he can help the team. Besides, two years is not exactly a huge body of work to judge the ethnicity of the players he’s brought in.
Ruud is not getting an extension right now for one reason and one reason only, because he is not considered as valuable as Donald Penn. I like Ruud and I hope he does get a deal (I don’t blame him for being upset either), but by no means do I think he is or ever will be “elite”. Even if a lot of people don’t think Penn is elite either, he is certainly much closer to being elite than Ruud. Ruud is one of those guys that you barely notice in the game, but then ends up with 15 tackles in the stat sheet. The reason you don’t notice him is because he rarely makes any “splash” plays, and he’s just doesn’t have much of a physical presence to him.
August 4th, 2010 at 8:03 am
I think Hawaiian Buc makes some good points. I’ll add to that by saying Ruud is a product of the Cover 2 system and would really struggle in some of the 3-4 defenses. If he chose to move on and test free agency he would find that few teams would be in need of his services. The same could be said of Barber, but this is most likely his last year and he’ll retire a Buc. Besides Barber has really thrived in this system and it’s been fun watching this guy play all these years.
There are superstar NFL players who can come in and play any style of defense that you ask them to play. Others have been drafted to fit in a certain system and have a very hard time when asked to play in more physical style D’s.
August 4th, 2010 at 8:53 am
This will all be resolved by midseason. Ruud will come out and play well in this years D and earn a modest extension.
August 4th, 2010 at 8:54 am
contract
August 4th, 2010 at 9:48 am
This is rich! Anwar must be one of the commenters on this blog who has been calling everyone a “HATER”. Welcome to the club, Barrett!!!!
Ruud shouldn’t be mad at the Bucs, he should be looking for a new agent. He should think about hiring Penn’s agent, who successfully obtained a new contract for his client. Ruud should have followed through his holdout last season and he’d probably already have a big deal. By signing his tender, Ruud gave up all leverage. So, he just needs to suck it, play the season and get his big payday after this season.