Is Raheem Morris Enabling Aqib Talib?
November 30th, 2010
There is a line of thought by some that a team takes on the personality of its coach.
There is also a line of thought that Raheem Morris’s penchant for “violent” play may not exactly be the best for someone who has a tendency for violence off the football field.
Those premises seem to be in the forefront of Tom Balog’s latest. The longtime Bucs beat writer for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune seems to believe the Bucs, or at least Morris, are enabling Aqib Talib’s sometimes non-conformist behavior.
Balog took Morris to task for defending Talib’s outburst at an NFL official after Sunday’s game. Talib’s tongue-lashing of the official nearly ignited a physical confrontation between Talib and the official after the official went totally overboard calling Talib a vulgar street term used for female genitalia.
Instead of chastising his loose cannon cornerback Aqib Talib for being out of line and embarrassing the Buccaneers’ organization for using language depicting slang of the female anatomy at a game official Sunday, Tampa Bay head coach Raheem Morris put on his lawyer cap Monday to once again enable his famously volatile player.
Listen to this spin, which Morris delivered with all the fake downplay demeanor perfected by everybody’s favorite most recent president, George W. Bush.
”I’m not going to sit here and act like Aqib did anything wrong,” Morris said. “That’s between those two men and whatever happened, happened.”
Look, Joe is simply outraged at what the NFL official said to Talib and he should be thrown out of the NFL as a result. But Joe is not condoning Talib’s actions either. Screaming at a referee about a call made 90 minutes prior isn’t going to change the score of the game.
Balog seems to imply that Morris’ outburst at the officials in the first half over the same call, and Morris’ debate with the officials as the first half ended, may have indirectly egged on Talib.
Joe will have a little more on this later but it’s unfortunate this incident happened shortly after Talib passed anger management counseling.
November 30th, 2010 at 8:22 am
So much mileage out of Talib. You guys should buy him a gift!
November 30th, 2010 at 8:47 am
Doesn’t the story have the facts backwards? The official used the word, and Talib threatened to hit him, which I would imagine would be a rather common reaction in the real world. In any case, the hypocritical sanctimony in football is second only to politics, and it’s a close second at that. Bad language! Driving while sober! If we’re not careful, this could lead to … gasp … dancing!
As for Morris, Shelton had the exact opposite take in his column yesterday, “That’s why it was a good thing to see Morris at the half, still fighting for his team, still jawing, still combative.” Shelton’s take makes a lot more sense to me.
November 30th, 2010 at 9:04 am
I said it last week, and I’ll say it again. Tom Balog’s blog needs a “signature win.”
Balog and other media mouth-breathers are trying to find things to nitpick on, because they choose to deny that this team is doing something good. The team manned up against one of the most physical teams on their schedule, and yet they choose to talk about aspects after the game that we’re witnessed by other media mouth-breathers. All of this is just a way to create “news” at a point in the year where there is no news-worthy story. Why doesn’t Balog blog about how our most crucial game of the season is still looking like it’s going to be blacked out? That’s more news-worthy IMO.
November 30th, 2010 at 9:37 am
I’ve read about this on many sites. Talib told the ref that the PI call was a pu–y call. The ref answered Talib by saying he played like a pu–y. Talib answered that by sayinh he’ll punch him in his b—h A$$ mouth. End of story. Nobody else is reporting that Talib had to be restrained. Even if he was held back, nothing happened. Players talk too much all the time. It’s not a story. The only story is that the Ref, who is suppose to remain level headed and impartial lost his cool.
I’m curious what you think Rah should have said or done about this?
November 30th, 2010 at 9:48 am
Balog is such a b***h
November 30th, 2010 at 9:53 am
I think Rah handled it the way it should’ve been. Nothing more than trash talk, and easily dismissed. A case can be made that the official was acting in an un-official like way. But nobody knows how officials talk before and after the games besides the coaches and players who interact with them. It’s not like the media is conducting press conferences with officials, so we don’t know how they should behave (before and after a game) or their opinions of a game.
If Andre Johnson can get a game ball from Kubiak for punching Finnegan, then Raheem doesn’t need to say anything to Talib but to be more careful of who’s within earshot.
November 30th, 2010 at 9:56 am
I’m a failry laid back guy but I’m not sure my reaction would have been much different if a REF told me I played like a pu$$y.
November 30th, 2010 at 9:56 am
Furthermore, when Gruden was coach, everybody knew he would curse up a storm to an official just by reading his lips on the sidelines. So to say that Talib is out of control for saying what he said AFTER the game was over AND cameras turned off, is blowing things out of proportion.
November 30th, 2010 at 10:02 am
JDouble:
That’s simply not accurate.
November 30th, 2010 at 10:07 am
I will add to FA last post. To say it is Raheem’s interation with the refs after the play and at half time that is enablong Talib after knowing how Gruden talked to officials is nuts…I am not even talking about the high school refs either.
November 30th, 2010 at 10:12 am
McBuc:
Interesting point. To be fair, not sure if Joe remembers Chucky chasing down officials as they exited the field after the first half. Not saying it never happened but Joe can’t remember it.
November 30th, 2010 at 10:42 am
Now he chased the ref down? C’mon Joe.
November 30th, 2010 at 10:51 am
on the issue of aquib talib I dont blame him for gettig in the refs face that was a horrible call. its bs like that , that cost us games . and his attitude is awesome . raven wr mason was playing with a chip and was running his mouth i say bravo. Coach Raheem should applaude hom then tell him to bring the extra coricular activity down a notch. as far as the offense i feel like a game like that is an excellent oppurtunity for this YOUNG team & QB to draw strength from . They didnt play their best game but were in it til the end , on the road and in a tough environment. Now my prediction for the throwback game is a win against the ” MIGHTY ” falcons. Punch them in the mouth & Josh make good decissions take care of the BALL.
November 30th, 2010 at 11:07 am
I am shocked that kind of language would be used on a football field.
November 30th, 2010 at 11:07 am
Fire Greg Olson,
Dang – one bad game and the “H” got changed back to an “F”?
November 30th, 2010 at 11:16 am
lightningbuc,
I expected nothing less from Fire or Hire, although he does go to every game so maybe I should?
November 30th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Some of you guys act like Gruden is the only head coach to cuss out the refs? Have you watched football? Dungy and Vermil are probably the only two that don’t.
November 30th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
I am sorry if this has already been said because I lazily did not read all the comments above. This is aggrivating me because folks are wondering out loud if Raheem is enabling Aqib or as Martin Fennely said allowing it to go on. If you havent noticed Raheem is a leader of men, he has no need to blast his players in public and unless you have been in team only meetings you cant say for sure that Raheem or one of the captains didnt jump into Aqibs butt with both feet. I am willing to bet something has been said to the hot headed one but isnt he justified for being called a whispering eye.