Over-The-Top Support For Talib
June 5th, 2011
For a guy some Bucs fans point to as an incredibly unreliable teammate that’s never learned a lesson, Aqib Talib is piling up an astounding number of glowing endorsements from his fellow Buccaneers.
Joe was thinking about the sum total of the Talib love, and it goes far beyond the typical one-off comment in support of him.
Just this week:
1) E.J. Biggers, the guy who likely would take over for Talib, said on WDAE-AM 620 that the renowned cabbie-slugger is a great teammate who has helped him from Day 1. Biggers went on to say he can’t wait to see Talib and that he and Ronde Barber may be the best tandem in the NFL.
2) Barber himself told the online Pewter outfit that Talib is the best lockdown corner in Bucs history and “you don’t ever want to play a season or even a game without that guy.” Barber blathered on and on about how the Bucs shouldn’t cut Talib and the guy is family.
3) Kellen Winslow told NFL Network that Talib is the Bucs’ second most important player, among other superlatives.
4) Stylez White, on his 1010 AM radio show, said he really likes Talib and is pulling for him. White also characterized Talib as a guy whose hard work as a teammate stands out.
Then there’s Josh Freeman welcoming Talib to the Bucs offseason workouts, which alone is a major blessing from the big man on campus. Looking back, before Talib’s alleged gun play in Texas, Jeff Faine explained why Talib was priceless to the offense, yes offense. Then, which has always amazed Joe, there’s Torrie Cox, the guy Talib slugged and bloodied at practice with a helmet, who clearly had forgiven Talib and was hanging out with him during the violent cab ride in St. Pete.
Joe’s just seeing a pattern of Buccaneers going over the top in their support for Talib.
It’s interesting. Maybe the players are influenced, in part, by the unsourced, hard-to-believe report by the St. Pete Times that the Bucs have already decided to cut Talib when the lockout is lifted. Maybe they just genuinely love the guy.
June 5th, 2011 at 11:28 am
isn’t redemption what the nfl is all about? pending what happens with his trial the man should still be on this team! He clearly has the support of teammates. Let the man play and hopefully nothing like this comes up agian. I really believe talib has had a huge dose of reality. Hope he has learned from his mistakes.
June 5th, 2011 at 11:47 am
Ive supported talib 100% and argued with many people on why he should return. The players coming out and supporting him just makes my point loud and clear. We need him if we have super bowl plans like kellen winslow said. You can not get better in any way by releasing him. Like I said before all these players come out and support him. The locker room loves him and will vouch for him and I could only guess how strong him and rah’s relationship is. Being he was a DB coach and trains aqib alot im assuming.
June 5th, 2011 at 12:21 pm
When Talib’s lawyer and the DA met Friday they both delayed setting a trial date. Some legal minds think this might be a sign that a plea is being worked out. No doubt, Talib has his teammates pulling for him and he may get one more chance to redeem himself.
June 5th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
And Winslow also commented on how Raheem and Talib are super close. This only proves how close this team really is.. Raheem should get credit for this.
June 5th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
tuff luv~~~see ya azz clown~~~
June 5th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
Check out the big brain on Brad! You’re a smart mofo. This team is close, very close. I have not seen a Buccaneer team this close since 1979 era. This is why they won 10 games last year despite all the injuries and rookies in the line up. This is the team that when one gets injured they all walk on the field to show their unified caring support.
June 5th, 2011 at 2:28 pm
I don’t want another Lombardi if Aqib Talib is associated with it……it would be tainted with azzclown…..we simply DO NOT NEED him……
June 5th, 2011 at 3:03 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmaB5-Ab1yg&feature=related
June 5th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Of all these supporting teammates I hold Ronde (there is no h after the R, Capt Tim) Barber’s in the highest regard. He has played with a few outstanding cover corners (Donnie Abraham, Brian Kelly, that dude that went to the Packers) and to make a public comment like this about Talib must be a huge honor.
June 5th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
I don’t know if I’m more upset with RastaMon for posting that link or myself for watching it. It was a pretty cool mask though.
June 5th, 2011 at 5:05 pm
This is funny because I’ve been saying this the whole time. And all of you people on here keep bashing him. Teammates wouldn’t stick up for this guy if they 1. didn’t like him 2. wanted him gone 3. he wouldn’t be allowed at workouts…he has had some issues with teammates in the past but they still want him there. That must mean those isolated incidents are resolved in the locker room and only the fans and Joe keep bashing him.
If some dude was beating my sister, I wouldn’t have to think twice about what I would do. Granted I would be facing 20 years like Talib and unlike Talib would have to serve that sentence. But you don’t mess with family and that is all that matters to me. He stood up for his fam and now his teammates are standing up for him!!
June 5th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
And R.I.P. Tom McEwen. Thank you for bringing sports to Tampa and writing all those awesome articles good and bad about the Bucs and everyone else. Enjoy whats next on your journey!!!!
June 5th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Yeah keep Talib as trade bait – a 6th round pick is all the Bucs are likely to get for this punk.
June 5th, 2011 at 5:16 pm
To all you Talib apologists remember when former Prez Willy Clinton looked at the camera and LIED to the American public about Monica? Look at everyone who stuck up for slick Willy.
It’s a game…it’s for PR…IT’S WRONG.
SACK THE GANG BANGER. MOVE ON BUCS YOU’RE BETTER WITHOUT TALIB THEN WITH HIM.
Remember the Bucs were 4-1 playing WITHOUT TALIB in 2010.
June 5th, 2011 at 5:18 pm
Espo- ?? No post by me here. With Rhonde OR Ronde
June 5th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Funkywhatever, yo’re version of the story doesn’t match the published testimonies. You make Talib sound like a hero. That isn’t the version your going to here soon
As Joe said in his article. The Players may also have heard Talib is already done here. If so, they are just lip syncing support, safe in the knowledge that the team has already addressed the problem. Joe mentioned that possibility for a reason.
June 5th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
RastaMon- as sad as that video was, at least it’s good to see Aqib has started his career outside Football. Maybe it’ll make the transition a little easier when they fire him here.
June 5th, 2011 at 5:40 pm
……. Re!…..Spect!….. What!….
Whataya Say!….
……. Re!…..Spect!….. What!….
Are You Talkin to me!….. Are you Talkin to me!
I want what the Team wants. If the players want Talib, I want Talib. It’s their call and they have to live with him, good and bad, but I think Raheem is going to be all over his @$$, big time. And for Talib, most likely, the last time.
June 5th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
A deal will be cut, Talib will plead to a lesser charge, and he will stay in Tampa.
June 5th, 2011 at 5:54 pm
Capt. Tim,
Ronde would not put his 2 cents into this story unless he believed in what he was saying. This guy just doesn’t go out there talking about other players very often. I think he has earned the right to be taken at his word instead of people like you Capt. Tim calling this lip syncing support. That is not his style.
And I’m not making him out to be a hero. Maybe you were raised to let people mess with your family and its ok. I wasn’t and obviously Talib wasn’t either. I’ve said it before. We never should’ve drafted this guy. But we did, and because of that, we need to stick with him. He is an amazing athlete and a questionable person. Last time I checked, you don’t win football games with character or personality. You win with talent and proper coaching. I personally think we are well on our way with both of those categories. And Talib is our best DB hands down!!! So…common sense says keep the guy. Wait until he reaches his plea deal and is suspended for 4 games. Then make your decision on whether to play or trade him. Its way to early to make any moves until you know how the legal process and what Stalin, I mean Goddell, has to say about the issue.
June 5th, 2011 at 7:18 pm
First off, you want players that can play, not be good role models. Who cares what happens so long as he can hit the field on Sundays. If he is in jail or suspended, then we move on without him.
All football players are thugs anyway. I mean just look at em!
June 5th, 2011 at 10:49 pm
Funkeywhatever- mess with his family? The guy is his family. He is his sister’s long term significant other, and a convicted felon for child molestation. The article said he was a frequent resident at Aqib’s mother’s house- who by the way is also a convicted felon. You trying to put a white hat on anybody in that mess, you be my guest! I’m not seeing anything heroic about Aqibs actions. Best I can manage is a Lil sympathy for the guy, growing up in that kinda crap. But I can feel that
I had read all team’s support. Whatever their reasons, I said I was done with the Topic. I know management has made the right decision for the team. No need to keep beating the guy up. But I keep seeing my name mentioned by the usually un-noticed posters around here. Which again drags me into a dead issue. Cry for Talib all you want. He screwed up, and will continue to do so. The team is doing the right thing. In three years, no one will remember Talib.
June 6th, 2011 at 12:04 am
And how would you know what A pro football player would, or would not do?? Watching them on TV doesn’t give you psychic insight into what Multimillion dollar Atheletes/ Celebrities do, or don’t do. I’m pretty sure you aren’t selling jerseys with your name on them- are you? So the speech about hat these guys do is kinda hollow from you, don’t you think?
June 6th, 2011 at 11:27 am
@Mr. Lucky
Your obsessive hate for Talib has dropped your IQ into negative numbers.
A sixth round pick?
June 6th, 2011 at 11:36 am
PMA_Krav:
A sixth round pick is just about right if the Bucs were to trade Talib.
Look, no one — no one! — is disputing Talib is a good (not great) cornerback. But look at Santonio Holmes, a former Super Bowl MVP and an elite wide receiver who doesn’t have as much baggage as Talib. The Steelers could only get a sixth round pick for him.
June 7th, 2011 at 8:17 pm
Capt. Tim,
You are a funny guy. Look at all of your post on just this page. And I’ve been chatting on this site for atleast 3 maybe 4 years. So I’m not some random person. And I have the same insight to the players as you do. I just have this magical thing called common sense. Dude is too good to cut or trade for a 6th round pick. And I agree with Joe. A 6th maybe 5th at best would be all we could get. If he pleas out and isn’t suspended for the whole season. We have to keep him! Period.
July 16th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
In the Texas case, police say Talib tried to pistol whip his sister’s boyfriend during a domestic dispute. When Talib’s mother, Okolo, arrived, she fired several shots at Billings before Talib got the weapon and shot at Billings. Okolo Talib, 58, also was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon as well as being a felon in possession of a handgun.
James, your insults were deleted. –Joe