Is Aqib Talib Risking A Fine?
October 30th, 2010
Though NFL warden commissioner Roger Goodell is enjoying bad food and bad NFL teams in London this weekend, again making noise about an NFL franchise in Europe, Goodell’s deputies assistants continue to bring the hammer down on players back in the colonies.
Case in point, Randy Moss.
The all-world yet oft-gametime vacationing wide receiver with more baggage than Santa Claus got slapped by Goodell for $25,000 for blowing off the fourth estate, an issue that apparently traveled with Moss from New England to Minnesota.
Could Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib be far behind?
Now before anyone freaks, Joe has absolutely nothing against Talib. Nothing. Joe’s had one encounter with the guy and it was professional if not pleasant. But hear Joe out:
Talib was (correctly) outed by Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times for being in a luxury box at the CITS — a luxury box Talib himself paid for out of his own pocket — during the Bucs season-opening win over Cleveland, as Talib was serving his one-game suspension for his cabbie-slugging incident last year.
Talib, innocently, wasn’t aware he couldn’t watch the game from a luxury box that he coughed up hard-earned cash for. Nope. NFL suits don’t allow that.
Stroud came across the information and, as a journalist should do with accurate information, reported Talib’s sighting. Don’t blame the messenger. But of course, reporting a truthful story often comes with repercussions, particularly if a story exposes someone, no matter how accurate said story may be.
Since, per Joe’s sources, Talib has frozen out the local fourth estate.
He has consistently refused any and all media requests to speak on the record, save one with BSPN. After games, Joe is told, Talib races out of the locker room as if an Ebola virus has broken out, thereby avoiding the fourth estate.
Joe has learned that, per NFL media guidelines, if requested by reporters, a player must be made available at least once a week. This could be after a practice or after a game.
Talib has not been available.
Now if Goodell is starting to go after player’s checkbooks for not talking to the press, as in the case of Moss, is Talib walking on thin ice shutting out local reporters?
Again, Joe has absolutely nothing against Talib. He was cooperative with Joe the lone time Joe spoke with him. Joe never asked about his off-field cabbie incident because Joe didn’t think it was relevant as Joe was writing a football story.
Joe can understand why Talib wouldn’t want to give Stroud the time of day. Stroud was hardly wrong in fingering Talib, but Joe can understand why Talib would be upset with Stroud.
But why punish reporters from other organizations, and in the abstract, Bucs fans?
October 30th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
This is more of Talib’s irrational childish anger showing through. Clearly he has not matured from his cabbie punching and helmet swinging days. I fear its only a matter of time until we are hearing about more off the field violence from this guy as he clearly has the maturity level of a 12 year old. I mean even if he didn’t know he was breaking a rule at the time, to hold a grudge against the media for reporting it is insane. Of course the media will report absolutely everything that comes to its attention. Maybe Legarrette Blount can sock him one and put him in his place next time he decides to have a temper tantrum.
October 30th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
gitarlvr:
To be fair, not sure you can make a connection between Talib not wanting to talk to the press and him being a violent guy. That might be a bit of a stretch.
You may be onto something about repressed anger.
October 30th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
If one media jerk asks a question and a player responds then all the “good guys” will pick up the response and run with it just like the jerk will, so if you are mad at the media you don’t want to talk to any of them. I don’t blame Auib for being mad and it may not be fair that he is snubbing all the “good guys”, but if he is forced to talk to the media you know that you are probably going to just get short yes and no answers anyway so my suggestion would be to just leave him alone, let him concentrate on playing football, and wait till he comes around on his own.
October 30th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
On second thought maybe the reason he doesn’t want to talk to the media is because he doesn’t want to answer questions on why he keeps dropping surefire interceptions and blowing coverages on long balls. It’s time for Aqib to grow up on and off the field.
October 30th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
As we learned from the whole Zuttah affair, unnamed sources are never right!!
“Since . . . per Joe’s sources .. . . Talib has frozen out the local fourth estate”
Oh . . .uh . . . nevermind.
Signed,
Joe
JimBuc – This is out of line. Last week, like every game this season, Joe is in the Bucs locker room. So Joe has first hand knowledge. However, that doesn’t allow Joe to speak for every last member of the media or mean that Joe is with Talib 24/7. So Joe referenced, “per Joe’s sources,” as those media members Joe talked to concur. –Joe
October 30th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Rick Stroud is an ass.
October 30th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Don’t blame Talib for not wanting to talk to stroud, who should have kept his mouth shut. Or the local Media in general. But it’s his job to learn how to deal with those “people”. So he’ll have to deal with it. He’d probably be more friendly if the local Media quit playing Class snitch with him, which seems to be happening again with these articles ! Meybe Talib and Blount should discuss not snitching out your own local players to the NFL front Office, with a few local media guys, who don’t get that
October 30th, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Come on joe. How would Talib not talking punish Buc fans? I couldn’t care less about anything he has to say. I just want him to play football.
Him not talking only punishes smarmy reporters. So basically you want a story. You want to bombard a player with questions who is going to be defensive and combative because he perceives the media has it out for him. That should end well.
I also want to congratulate you on becoming the new Rick Stroud. Calling a player out and subjecting him to league fines isn’t going to help your cause. Did you even ask the Bucs for a comment on this? Or did you just want to get a man fined thousands of dollars because he won’t answer your stupid questions?
Joe’s unsure why you think he was trying to ask Talib a question, let alone stupid questions. Joe has no “cause” to chat with Talib, as you say.
October 30th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Joe, what? Now wait just a minute . . . .
“After games, Joe is told, Talib races out of the locker room as if an Ebola virus has broken out, thereby avoiding the fourth estate.”
“Joe is told” — You are reporting that someone told you, without identifying the source, which is IDENTICAL to the Zuttah situation. Right? You are not saying that you are in the locker room observing, right?
Does not matter to me either way. I am just noting the obvious double standard.
October 30th, 2010 at 4:36 pm
The No Fun League lays the hammer again. I don’t blame Talib. I would talk to one press member a week of my choosing that requests me. Start playing by their vague rules.
October 30th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Jim Buc:
“This Joe” isn’t the nice one. All you seem to want to do is pick fights with people.
Drop it or move on. Your call.
October 30th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
I agree with Jimmy, you can’t bash other outlets for using anonymous sources and then do the same thing. Of course, “Joe” is all about anonymity.
October 30th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
LOL
October 30th, 2010 at 8:03 pm
And while im on this particular subject I got one more axe to grind with Mr. Talib. Considering how he continues to show his poor judgement and immaturity, I am worried that it may only be a matter of time until his marijiuana issues surface again. I mean it can’t help that he had teammates like Cheech Jackson and Jerramy Chong to influence him. I mean he tested positive 3 times at Kansas for the sticky. Maybe he’s been using a better detox product than Tanard since he got to the NFL. I mean considering the lack of self control this guy has shown and the fact that we know he likes to get drunk and make bad choices are we to believe he has had the willpower to put down the reefer? I sincerely hope I am wrong on this one and he puts the childish stupidities behind him and becomes a big time pro-bowler. I am enjoying watching Biggers progress and hope that the Bucs keep Elbert Mack on the bench once he’s healthy to let Myron Lewis develop. I won’t be at all surprised if E.J Biggers and Myron Lewis are the Bucs starting corners 2-3 years from now and Talib has long since self destructed. I can only hope I have to eat my words on that one.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
“This Joe” isn’t the nice one.” LOL
2 words: “No comment”
October 30th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
“Joe Says:
October 30th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Jim Buc:
Drop it or move on. Your call.”
Nice. Bad form “not nice” Joe. No respect for a Joe that can dish it out (numerous articles bashing two other outlets for an anonymous source piece on Zuttah) but then not take it (“Joe’s sources” “Joe was told”)
“Not nice” Joe, in both instances a person’s character was attacked using an unnamed source. In the case of Zuttah, no one on the Bucs wanted to go on the record to discuss the shortcomings of a Buc player. Here, none of your media buddies want to go on the record (because they don’t want to lose the access). Think there is some distinction? Who are Zuttah’s accusers? Who are Talib’s? See, absolutely, 100% NO DIFFERENCE.
No more proof needed than the “drop it or move on.” Sad day at JBF. Scrutiny sucks, doesn’t it “not nice” Joe??
JimBuc – There is no connection between the two. Talib is not being accused of anything that takes a shot at his character, work ethic or playing ability. For goodness sakes, this post cast’s no opinion on Talib not wanting to chat. It was brought up in light of the Randy Moss situation. Surely, not talking doesn’t make Talib a good or bad guy. It’s baffling how you could state anything in this post goes after Talib’s character. …Joe can’t take the time to school you on the finer points of journalism, or how the Bucs leave the locker room. Sorry. … But there is no connection here with past Zuttah stories from other outlets using anonymous sources and this one. Joe explained that one could not accurately make a blanket statement about Talib avoiding the media because it would not be possible to talk to every media person. That’s the reason Joe used “sources” in this instance. It’s laughable to think that other media wouldn’t want to be on the record saying Talib isn’t talking. Heck, the media wrote last year about Derrick Ward not talking. This is hardly a big deal. ….Joe’s taking the last word on this, JimBuc. …YOu can fire back and be banned or take the cork in your mouth and move on. Joe’s not going to continue the fight. …You made your point and the readers can decide.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:34 pm
Banning little jimmy would be the best thing you could do Joe. He is always calling you out just because he is starving for attention.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
Yeah “Not Nice” Joe, you should ban me because what your site needs is more guys like Zero Expectations (currenlty known as “Buc You”). LMAO.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
I like how Talib plays the game. I don’t know him personally, so I’m not going to judge.
Does Buccaneer Total Access (on 620) count as the local media. If so, there is one week he not only talked to the media,but also the fans. He actually did quite well.
Why can’t he only talk to certain media members?
I dunno, just let the man play football.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
And one more thing- I am not hating on Aqib Talib. I really want to be wrong about him and the way that I percieve that his life is trending. Its just that with Talib’s proven pothead history, the way that he has handled life in the NFL so far, and the lesson that the Bucs braintrust *should* have learned from Tanard Jackson I don’t see how the front office can afford not to spend at least a mid round to high pick in next years draft on a corner. Unless they believe both Biggers and Lewis will develop into starters. It would just be a shame to down the road, when contending for a super bowl, to get caught in another situation like the Bucs had at safety but this time at a more critical position.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
I see no connection between not wanting to do interviews and being violent. None whatsoever. Ed Reed is notorious for not speaking to the media, but he hasn’t been violent (at least off the field). Some players just don’t like having to constantly answer to the media, and perhaps this is just an excuse for him to avoid them altogether, especially with him having a rough last couple weeks. I don’t judge his character one way or the other by him not speaking to the media. That’s his prerogative, I could care less. As long as he stays out of trouble and makes big plays, he’s okay with me.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:41 pm
Everyone who post his opinion here, has someone who wants to voice a different opinion, and argue it about! I’ve had people here change my opinion on some issues! Stating different opinions and discussing Them is ALL WE DO HERE! RIGHT?? Then “not nice” Joe needs to relax. Your opinion is your opinion. It’s your post, if you don’t want to argue, that’s fine. But this threating to ban everyone who disagrees with you opinion is Petty as hell! Tyrants usually end up pretty lonely. All of us respect “joebucsfan”, but lately, it seems like it’s in spite of one of the Joes! Hope this recent change in attitude doesn’t end up ruining a good thing!everyone post here to voice sn opinion. Don’t think any of us believe we are ALWAYS right!
Capt. Tim. — This is not accurate. Nobody is threatening to ban those with different opinions. Here’s what you’re missing. You are anonymous. Joe is not. So when a commenter blasts Joe’s credibility or spreads BS about Joe, then Joe must respond. When said commenter won’t let it go, then Joe has to take a hard line. Again, Joe is not anonymous, although he is to most readers. But many people important to Joe personally and professionally read these comments, so Joe won’t stand for being misrepresented. I know you get that. …Joe doesn’t have to be right. And you know Joe does not care about differences of opinion on 99 percent of posts. …Joe just won’t stand for being falsely and repeatedly ripped in this forum.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
“Joe just won’t stand for being falsely and repeatedly ripped in this forum.”
And that is EXACTLY what jimmy is and has been doing for months now.
He is the only dude weird enough to go after Joe, after all he does for us.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:38 pm
“What we have here is failure to communicate”
🙂
October 30th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
The guy just spent a whole hour on the radio answering any and all questions the week before last and you are ripping on him for not being accessible to the media?
October 30th, 2010 at 10:46 pm
Hard to call the Buccaneers Radio network the media. Isn’t this about Randy Moss getting fined??
October 30th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
Way to stay professional, Joe. Probably why your former columnist Steve White called you out on his blog. You can set whatever rules you want on your own playground, but there’s nothing more pathetic than the kid who threatens to take away his ball when things aren’t going his way.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:38 pm
Look, you guys can disagree with Joe all you want, that’s fine. That’s great. But Jim Buc the past few months, not counting this thread or subject, seems to want nothing more to do than pick fights with others and call people names who he doesn’t agree with. If you don’t agree with Jim Buc, you’re a knuckledragger, among other slurs.
For some reason, Jim Buc has been on some Jeremy Zuttah crusade for months. No idea why but he continually brings this up. The fact he brought up Zuttah as a wedge to go after Joe in this thread, well, Joe reached his limit. This post absolutely has nothing to do with Zuttah in any way, shape or form. To dredge up this month’s old garbage, Joe has no idea why.
Joe has bounced people for spamming for less (GoodfellaJay for example).
October 30th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
@Lucas Jackson
LOL opening lyrics to the song “Civil War” by Guns ‘N’ Roses. Great song!
October 31st, 2010 at 12:24 am
Actually, G&R borrowed the line Patrick.
Joe, that explanation is something else.
October 31st, 2010 at 12:41 am
It takes a whole hell of a lot to get banned on this site. It pretty much ranks you as a Colossal Dumbass. It’s one thing to have an opinion but another to be an Dick just for the sake of being an Dick. Just don’t take it out on your wife and kids, or your dog.
October 31st, 2010 at 12:43 am
The line comes from the movie “Cool Hand Luke”.
October 31st, 2010 at 12:44 am
How many eggs did Paul Newman eat? Anybody know?
October 31st, 2010 at 3:38 am
“Probably why your former columnist Steve White called you out on his blog.”
I read the comments from the brown blog. 🙂
Joe, joe, joe. Did Steve reference JBF in his blog, then take it out after you commented? Or did he never mention JBF? That can be considered borderline sensitive while I see why you are protecting yourself.
Jimbuc goes after you all the time and I am surprised that you even argue with the dude. What kind of guy without an agenda argues with the admin/author? He has some kind of an agenda. (What you should have done was just ban the guy and never let the dirty laundry air). But yeah, the dude likes to argue and change his position over and over so he can rationalize himself right.
But the trump card to Steve, Jimmy and some of your other critics, is YOU get access to the locker room. And that is pretty darn cool. I wonder if anyone still remembers who steve white is over at one buc? That’s right, his name his Stylez.
October 31st, 2010 at 3:45 am
I hope jimbuc starts posting his commentary at potg … that would be hilarious to see him continue his cries for attention via a less visited and less active blogspot. steve ruined a good thing he had here at JBF. He had a LOT of visibility here. Now he writes stuff that hardly anyone talks about. Such a waste for his great work to fly under the radar just because he didn’t agree with your staright up reporting. Steve, you need to start posting on jbf again, because potg is like being in the basement with the crickets chirping.
October 31st, 2010 at 3:48 am
Buc You:
Steve and Joe get along fine. Yeah, Steve referenced Joe because someone who frequents this site commented on Steve’s site and was unfair to Raheem and Steve said that his blog isn’t JoeBucsFan and that Steve doesn’t let all comments fly.
BamBam Buc argues and disagrees with Joe all the time but he’s cool. BamBam Buc argues with Joe about the Bucs and it’s not personal. Jim Buc has been on some crusade about Zuttah for months and Saturday, and in this thread in particular, Joe finally had his fill.
Jim Buc’s personal attacks on commentors and his constant harping on Zuttah, even in posts that had nothing to do with Zuttah in any way, had been wearing on Joe for some time. Saturday just reached critical mass.
October 31st, 2010 at 6:48 am
Joe, you are right about the “anonymous post” , where you don’t have that same luxury. Point taken. I have respect for Jimbuc, but Jim Buddy , you might wanna relax jus a bit on this one also. Not important enough to screw up our fun here at the Best Buc site !
October 31st, 2010 at 7:42 am
Jimbuc, for what its worth, I’m with you on this. I believe you bring a certain level of intelligence to these here threads, unlike this ass-kissing idiot “buc you”.
October 31st, 2010 at 8:12 am
Joe here,
@BucYou The other Joe wasn’t aware of what you were referring to regarding Steve White’s blog. To answer your question, No. Steve didn’t take out JoeBucsFan.com from that post. …Actually, Steve’s commentary there was very intelligent and the kind of journalistic debate Joe enjoys very much. Joe chose to comment back and forth in the comments with Steve rather than offline, just to let readers in on the discussion.
Second, there’s no reason to take personal shots at Steve White here. He’s well known at One Buc, btw. And Joe’s media access is no accomplishment. After all, Joe is a member of the media.
October 31st, 2010 at 8:21 am
Joe here,
@JesseJ — Joe often enjoys JimBuc’s intelligent perspective as well. When JimBuc said he was leaving two months ago, it was Joe who asked him not to. …It’s OK to disagree with Joe and fire a shot at him. Notice, JimBuc’s comments are still here. They won’t get deleted, but they will be responded to if they misrepresent Joe. Beyond that, the anonymous posters here can not continue to misrepresent Joe if they are asked to stop. Joe does not have that kind of time or energy to police his credibility in this forum all day. JimBuc said his piece but wouldn’t let it go.
October 31st, 2010 at 9:30 am
Joe, can you name one of the sources that said something about Talib? I think that was the point form what I can read. Isn’t your story about Talib based on “anonymous” sources? If Talib was angry about your story, who would he respond to (other than Joe)? Who are the accusers?
October 31st, 2010 at 9:41 am
With jimmybuc gone, or in timeout 🙂 , I think this will be the last of the embarrassing flame wars on what he said (Joe) and she said (jimbuc)… thank God.
As far as Buc You defending jbf, well that is hardly the case. All Buc You was doing was communicating that in fact little jim did in fact have a strange penchant for directly going after Joe Bucs Fan… regardless of which Joe wrote the article. He was going after jbf on principle and continued to bring his nonsense up EVEN when he was 100% wrong. There were no intelligent exchanges because the dude was never even honest with himself. In fact jbf the blog site had to continue to point out his incorrections all the while jimbuc would run away with an invented feeling of ‘I showed you Joe.’ But that never was reality. He either is delusional to think he was engaged in an intelligent exchange with jbf or he had an agenda to undermine jbf as a whole or both. I would bet its just the former! 🙂
October 31st, 2010 at 9:59 am
Not sure what the big deal is? Pretty simple point as I read it: can anyone here name a source for Joe’s story other than Joe? If not, doesn’t that make Joe’s story based on anonymous sources? I don’t see any of the locker room media identified. Isn’t that the issue? What am I mssing?
October 31st, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Lucas Jackson:
Joe’s not going to out anyone but it was more than one person telling Joe this. Trust Joe, the Bucs know how to reach him.
In fact, Joe just finished reading an email this morning from one of the Bucs press corps in Glendale to give more background on the issue, which Joe will write about Monday.
October 31st, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Capt.Tim:
Jim Buc (appears) to be a smart guy who too often crosses the line and gets personal for some reason to try to make himself appear superior to others. Joe loves the majority of his commentary.
This constant Zuttah nonsense finally got to Joe yesterday.
October 31st, 2010 at 12:17 pm
jesse j:
Joe doesn’t need “ass-kissing” from his readers. Joe welcomes and encourages debate. Just the last two days Joe and FIRE GREG OLSON! have been going round and round on a topic. BamBam Buc and Joe vehemently disagree on the offensive line.
Yet these two guys are fantastic posters. Joe has zero issue with them. Neither get personal, which Jim Buc does all too often with others, and (for example) BamBam Buc and FIRE GREG OLSON! dredge up months old nonsense that have nothing to do with a specific post or subject to go after Joe.
October 31st, 2010 at 12:24 pm
If I was a Buc player I would get fined every wee because I wouldn’t give any of these local Buccaneer hating media hacks the time of day.
October 31st, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Wow… 47 comments and about 1/5 of them pertain to Aqib Talib. Can this be the last thread completely ruined by either the negative vs. positive poster or Joe vs. his haters flamewars? As far as going after Joe. I argued with him about discussing the internet streams and he told me to shut up or get banned. It’s his website he can do what he wants. Thats not unprofessional. Anyone who repeatedly attacks another poster, including Joe, for any reason is a total troll. Why can’t people limit themselves to civilized intelligent takes about the topic at hand? Why do so many posters here think that puerile name calling and swearing are a legitimate substitute for having something worthwhile to say? If you disagree with someone you respond in a well thought out and non offensive manner. Maybe they respond back in kind. You have a little back and forth about it without anyone getting insulting and at some point you agree to disagree and move on. Why is this so hard to comprehend for some people?
October 31st, 2010 at 2:39 pm
joe,
look, you obviously have a great site here, youre an excellent writer and you clearly know what your doing. Im personally on this site several times a day, alot of times just to read the posts by some of my favorites such as Capt Tim, Eric, FGO and Jimbuc. I would hate to see a loyal reader such as JimBuc leave your site becuase he got under your skin a little. I respect the fact that you lay your opinions and thoughts alot of times “free of filter” out there for everyone to critique, debate and form their own opinion on. I dont think JimBuc was doing anything other than that, just my take though. Have a great Sunday Joe, go BUCS!!!!!!!
the ass kissing comment was directed at the dude who changes his name every week, he would rather see us lose in hopes of some sort of personal validation on all the ridiculous crap he talked all offseason about our coach and GM. That dude gets under my skin.
October 31st, 2010 at 2:49 pm
“Joe’s not going to out anyone but it was more than one person telling Joe this. Trust Joe, the Bucs know how to reach him.”
You really see a distinction between what you’re doing with this article and the Zuttah story? Both are clearly based entirely on anonymous sources. It doesn’t matter that you think your sources are credible, and that you think PR’s sources weren’t – the criticism you brought was that the Zuttah story was based on anonymous sources, which as Lucas notes, are exactly what you’re basing on here.
As a reader, I assume that you’re only going to report from anonymous sources if you find them credible. But you can’t very well bash another outlet for doing precisely what you’re doing – presumably they thought their anonymous sources were credible too. The fact that you continue to create a false distinction when none exists tends to color the rest of your reporting.
And hey, if that’s calling you out, I guess I’m calling you out.
October 31st, 2010 at 2:55 pm
I guess that is a “yes” Joe. Looks like they guy was right, even if he did not make his point in a way you agree with Joe
October 31st, 2010 at 3:13 pm
Who gives a $h!t? This is all BS, brought on by idiots. I just want the Bucs to win. It doesn’t matter how they do it, just do it.
JimBuc was the first person to infect this site with vitriol. There were a couple haters but they hated on the team mgmnt on not the posters. JimBuc came in with his God Complex and treated everyone like they’re stupid. It drives people away. He started on me at that time and I verbally abused him over and over until he said “Uncle”. We ALL need to be put in our place from time to time and that egomaniac is no different. All you idiots that keep jumping to his defense would be wise to enjoy a good thing and STFU.
October 31st, 2010 at 3:14 pm
JimBuc, you punk, want some more? Bring it!!!
October 31st, 2010 at 3:21 pm
I remember when I had my first beer.
October 31st, 2010 at 3:25 pm
“I remember when i had my first beer.” hahahahahha priceless…..Well played sir
October 31st, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Joe here,
@Tino and @LucasJackson
Here’s the distinction you need to understand. Joe had a problem with the anonymous source story from Pewter Report blasting Zuttah’s work ethic, attitude performance, etc., because it was a very serious charge to lean on anonymous sources. Combined with the fact that it came after a season that Zuttah, in just his second year, was learning a new position opposite his natural right side (per Zuttah’s words) and he was clearly a guy who had worked very hard to learn every position on the offensive line. Also, there was no peep of a problem with Zuttah during the 2009 season or immediately after.
So the hit job story was suspect considering nobody was on the record from the Bucs staff, or Zuttah (even with a no comment), and Zuttah’s past experiences were all good. Joe had a problem with that journalistically because of the seriousness of the charges. Joe thought it was not a place to use anonymous sources. …That’s where this started.
Joe arugued the point for a long time, along with the football point that it made no sense to start Keydrick Vincent, because he didn’t fit “the plan,” and JimBuc turned it into a whole drawn out mess misrepresenting Joe, etc.. After much dragging on, Joe ended the comments in that thread back in September. And JimBuc had a fit and came back a week or two later.
Now, the big difference is that this post right here is not a hatchet job on Talib. It’s not an assault of his character, work ethic or team status. If fact, many don’t even view this as negative at all. …So Talib doesn’t want to talk to all the media, so what? Joe used “sources” here because it was not realistic to name all the media Joe contacted and painfully detail Joe’s personal locker room view. Also, there is plenty of local media out there, and there’s the possibility that Talib has chatted with somebody.
From Joe’s view, using unnamed sources here with this Talib post is very benign and appropriate, whereas using them to blast Zuttah’s work ethic, character and performance is another animal that Joe didn’t think was remotely kosher.
It is not a comparable situation. …Get your comments in soon, because Joe is going to close the comments here out by the end of the day.
October 31st, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Joe, first thanks for the clarification. Second, what you are really saying though is that the two are the same — i.e. both stories using anonymous sources — but that your use was justified while the other reporter’s (on the Zuttah story) was not. At least that is how I take your comments.
October 31st, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Sort of remember JimBuc freaking out because Joe wrote in a comment that he questioned the accuracy of the PR report. So silly. I agree Joe that if you’re going to hammer a guy you should have somebody on the record or more juice. Thanks for the clarification too. Obviously, it turned out that Vincent was a bust, Zuttah is playing well and the guy is extraordinarily versatile for a youngster. He’ll be in The League a long time. SOunds like someone from the Bucs was just floating sh*T out there to justify Vincent
October 31st, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Flavio — the comment came out before Vincent, sorry.