Derrick Ward Blasts Buccaneers
October 7th, 2010
After finally fulfilling that guarantee of a great game about six weeks too late, Kardashian-chasing running back Derrick Ward was miffed at the Bucs this week and spouted off to the Star-Ledger in New Jersey.
Ward believes the notion he needed a second chance was fostered by the Buccaneers’ front office, which he blamed for spreading word he was overweight and unfocused. Though Kubiak concurred Ward was out of shape and challenged him to “get down,” Ward claims he was only 2 pounds over the 233-pound goal Houston set for him. He said he weighed 232 with the Giants.
Ward’s bitterness toward the Buccaneers revealed itself when he said the Texans are “a team that actually wants to block for their running backs, actually wants to win and doesn’t set their goals to a (lower) standard.” He even said he’s blocked out his time in Tampa.
“I feel like I went straight from New York to Houston,” he said.
Sour grapes, Mr. Ward.
Saying stupid stuff like “the Bucs didn’t want to block for their running backs” is absurd, as is saying the team didn’t want to win.
However, Joe could understand that Ward, after all that time in New York, might not have comprehended the whole building-a-lasting-contender philosophy. Especially since he likely heard a lot of win-now kind of stuff when the Bucs were courting him as a free agent in 2009.
As for Ward being angry the Bucs spread word before cutting him that he was overweight coming into camp, all Joe can say is the scale don’t lie.
While no beat writers around town wrote about Ward being out of shape before the Bucs brought it up late in training camp, that doesn’t mean Ward didn’t check in with a higher body fat and weight than he was supposed to register.
Joe doesn’t recall Ward issuing some fat denial and offering to step on the Bucs’ team scale for the media.
Ward knows the truth, and just like Kubiak referenced above, he didn’t hit the mark.
October 7th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
“I feel like I went straight from New York to Houston”
And you have the stats to prove it……
October 7th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Come on, how can anyone take Ward seriously! He even got cut by the skanky Kardshian!
October 7th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Credibility = 0
“…Kubiak concurred Ward was out of shape…”
October 7th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Ok, so he finally had a good game. Even Charlie Batch had a good game this season (vs. the Bucs), but one good game does not a season make. I don’t think it will be long before we hear, “Houston . . . we have a problem”!
October 7th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Wow a nice game against the Raiders… Congrats Mr. Ward. What an accomplishment against the worst franchise in the NFL. And with an attitude like that, maybe our line didn’t try their hardest to block for you because you’re an over-paid, pouty, blame-everybody-else-but-me jackass. Who would want to bust their butt trying to block for this bum? Take a look in the mirror, Derrick.
October 7th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
I am shocked to hear NE let Moss go for a 3rd.
October 7th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
McBuc, Isn’t that crazy? Moss back in purple, where it all started for him! You know Farve is salivating. Moss is just the kind of receiver Farve needs.
October 7th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Don’t worry Ward, I’ve have already blocked out your time with the Bucs too!
October 7th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Derrick who?
October 7th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
What a tough guy, taking a shot at the OL after he leaves. That’s about as unprofessional as you can get, I wouldn’t block for his ass either. Good riddance, I feel even better about us releasing him than I already did.
October 7th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Please Ward, just shut up.
I’m sorry to inform you of this, but you sucked while you were here.
October 7th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
OAR, it is crazy. I actually would like to see Moss finish there. He should retire a Vike.
October 7th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
I hope Ward’s words help motivate the Bucs running game this week. let’s show the world that the Bucs running attack in back…without Ward.
October 7th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
He might be bitter at the Bucs, But i bet that Houston has a real Fullback and Tightends that can run block.
October 7th, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Raheem did a great job answering this when he said he doesn’t comment on players that aren’t on his team or that he is playing against and said he wished Ward all the best in Houston. Total Class on the High Road by Raheem, and making Ward look like the spoiled brat he is without saying a word against him. Our Coach is learning quickly in his trial by fire and getting better all the time. Cinci needs to lookout for what’s coming at them this Sunday. Our team is 100% Healthy according to the Coach today.
October 7th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Mr Excuses, its always someone else’s fault. This guy is all talk. Hes now in my upper echelon of hated players.
October 7th, 2010 at 4:13 pm
Lol, don’t worry, Mr.Ward, we’ll see you again real soon! I’m sure some of the players would love to discuss this with you. Once he puts the Pads on, I’m sure the Lil fatty will be talking to Buc Players on every play! Lol. Talk is cheap. Cast cost a fortune! Lol
October 7th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Classless..
October 7th, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Ward says, “Now I’m sitting here seven years later giving another guy advice about my career, what’s happened, about the NFL and about being a professional.
“Kind of strange that I’m like the mentor now, but I guess it happens to everybody.”
HAHAHAHAHAHA… Ward being a mentor? Arian Foster, DON’T LISTEN TO HIM!!! What are you telling him, Ward? Blame the O-line when you leave the team, that way they won’t kick your butt in the locker room after games. Take the money and run, but not on the field. You can blame the field though, while you’re still on the team. You don’t need to work out in the offseason, just wait and go on a diet when training camp starts.
Sheesh, I’d rather have Caddy gaining 2.5 yards per carry than that loser around any day.
October 7th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
He got his oppurtunities here and he didn’t take advantage of them. Blaming his short comings on someone else just shows poor character. I’m sure he is trying to pretend his time here didn’t happen, because his attitude and effort put forth was embarrasing. I’d want to forget it too.
October 7th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
That’s funny, i don’t recall a Derrick Ward playing for us..
We got Legarrette “Lights Out” Blount though, so that might be why I can’t remember!
October 7th, 2010 at 5:46 pm
No way he said that. Everyone who ever played for Raheem absolutely loves him.
October 7th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
But I thought all players love Raheem, believe in his plan, and want to play for him?
How can this possibly be?
October 7th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
I will bet the Giants D line hands Mr Wards ass to him this weekend. Ward will probably fake an injury in the 2’nd quarter because he doesn’t like to block and they will be coming for Schaub. I think the Texans will win this game but it won’t be Ward. They’ll be looking for him, Justin, Osi and the sack masters. 9 sacks in one half, that’s just crazy. That is the film that McCoy needs to be watching.
October 7th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Ward cleaver what a lillte sack sniffer he is. That is primo sissy talk blaming the O line for being fat and slow. The preseason rain game in Miami showed his true character he’s a pillow biter he’s on the same levell as a child molester
October 7th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
Funk Derrick Ward, and the horse he rode in on. He had holes I could have ran through.
The minute we took him out, Huggins started gaining yards, even against an 8 man front.
Tampa is way better off w/o him. All he ever did was nad mouth Tampa, even after Mark made him rich enough to chase Kim. This is not the first shot he has taken at Tampa, but to blame his O Line for him being a slow, blind Fat Boy is classless.
What a piece of work.
October 7th, 2010 at 8:53 pm
Shocking, Eric sees Ward’s comments as an opportunity to spread his “I miss Gru” gospel.
Could there be anyone with less credibility than Ward? Well, besdies Thomas and Tampa2 . . .
October 7th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Ward is a complete jackass. This just makes the Bucs look even worse to the national media because they’ll immediately agree with what Ward has to say and not even consider having the Bucs input. Also, everybody outside of the Tampa area remembers Ward from his time in New York, not Tampa.
Though, it is true that he does have a much better team around him in Houston. Still, unacceptable behavior on his part.
October 7th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Jimbuc,
I didn’t even mention Gru!
🙂
October 7th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
Eric, for you love of Gru= hate Morris
October 7th, 2010 at 11:21 pm
Feeling Gru-vie….
The best thing the Bucs can do is feed off the negativity like they have been. If Huggy and Blount can turn the run game around and they beat Cinci, it will lead to bigger and better things. Ward is not an elite RB and that is apparent with every run. He got lucky last week and think of what Adrian Peterson would have done with the same blocking or holes. I agree that our O line doesn’t always create the holes where they are designed to be. That is a big problem for Ward and Caddy. Me get ball, me run here, me got no hole, me fall down, me lose ball, where me Mastodon tusk, ugh. This is where a scat-back like Huggy should be able to find the hole and make the cut back to explode though it. We have all seen plays where our O-line creates holes large enough to drive a truck through but our backs run into the back of their linemen. Adapt and overcome, if not, hit the road Jack. Blount may just power through the situation regardless. I’m pretty excited to see what this week brings us. It is always cool to have that unknown factor you get with talented rooks that you haven’t seen much of. It could be special, but hey, no HOLDING please.