Aqib Talib Thought He Was In The Clear
September 16th, 2010
Joe thought it was a curious quote coming from Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib earlier this week when he said he jumped off the couch while he watched his replacement, E.J. Biggers, play so well, during the Bucs’ blacked out game against Cleveland.
Indeed Talib was watching the (blacked out) Bucs on TV from a couch. The couch just happened to be in his luxury box at the CITS. Per St. Petersburg Times’ Bucs beat writer Rick Stroud’s Twittering, this is an NFL violation.
Talib was sitting out the season-opener, per his one-game suspension for his cabbie-slugging incident last summer, and was in his own luxury box at the CITS Sunday, paid for out of his own pocket.
It is not unusual at all for players to have luxury boxes. It’s a safe haven to bring family and friends from out of town to watch them play, and visit with for the weekend.
Doing a bit of research, Joe learned Talib was under the impression it was all good to be in his luxury box.
Per NFL rules, Talib is not allowed to participate in any team activities for the week he is suspended; which he abided by. He was not in the locker room, did not attend any team functions.
Joe has learned Talib had no idea he was not allowed to be in the same stadium as the Bucs, as a paying customer among the 47,211 others attending the game, a win over Cleveland.
What next, a Bucs player, if suspended, should serve time in an Orient Road jail cell during a Bucs game, per the NFL? Sheesh.
Talk about a technicality.
September 16th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Ridiculous…
September 16th, 2010 at 6:13 pm
This is really obsurd. Goodell better not punish him for this $hit.
September 16th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
What the hell is Rick Stroud running his gator for? If wants to help this team , then he needs to shaddup his mouth. Good grief, who is this Rick Stroud? I never read or hear anything about the guy unless Joe brings him up. Does this guy scribble for some fish wrap?
September 16th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
Goodell should banish him from the team for the remainder of the season.
September 16th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
i knew he was there..you know it all was like no he wasnt…Goodfellajay knows
September 16th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Looks like Talib needs to beat up Rick Stroud next.
September 16th, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Dumbest thing I’ve heard all week. I can understand not being allowed on the sidelines but not to be able to be a paying customer? NFL has some real idiotic non football rules. We should look at this from a positive for Talib. I like him wanting to be there and support his brothers.
September 16th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
If Goodell suspends him for this I am going to blackout the away games to
This is nonsense.
September 16th, 2010 at 7:55 pm
Its the Glazers fault for causing the blackouts!
September 16th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
No kidding, MrLucky. If it wasn’t blacked out, he probably would have watched it at home!
September 16th, 2010 at 10:05 pm
lol – guess who is not going to get any exclusives with the team now… Stroud is a dumbazz.
September 16th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
It is stupid, but then he had to go and lie about and say he was in Texas during the game. If he’d told the truth from the get go he’d probably get a stern warning. Now he’ll probably get a harsher punishment.
September 16th, 2010 at 10:46 pm
I wonder if he took a cab?
September 17th, 2010 at 12:12 am
Jdouble Says:
September 16th, 2010 at 10:37 pm
It is stupid, but then he had to go and lie about and say he was in Texas during the game. If he’d told the truth from the get go he’d probably get a stern warning. Now he’ll probably get a harsher punishment.
I may have missed that but all I heard was he said he jumped off the couch, didn’t specify his location.
September 17th, 2010 at 12:31 am
I think that Goodell is a douche. Ever since he has taken over he is trying to be a warden and not a commissioner. If the game wasn’t blacked out this wouldn’t be an issue. At least Tailb was supporting his team unlike other players in the league
September 17th, 2010 at 4:52 am
The guy may be a pr#@k, but let’s be fair about this. I m not sure that this rule even legal as he went to the game not as a player but as a regular citizen (meaning he wasn’t representing the team).
September 17th, 2010 at 6:59 am
@Pruritus
I agree. It seems to me Talib would have grounds for a lawsuit, since he PAID for the Luxury Box out of HIS OWN MONEY. The team has no right to deny him what he pays for.
As far as Rick Stroud…obviously he isn’t a fan of the team. This never would have been noticed if he hadn’t done a story about it. I can’t stand him for this.
September 17th, 2010 at 7:43 am
If it is in his contract it is legal.
September 17th, 2010 at 9:18 am
The bottom line is he wasn’t involved whatsoever with the team.
This really should be a non issue.