Tiki: Ronde Wants To Play
March 8th, 2013
One of the great mysteries of the Bucs’ offseason has been solved. Whether Ronde Barber wanted to keep playing was unknown to Bucs fans and media, but twin brother Tiki Barber says Ronde wants to play.
Ronde and Tiki Barber are close. Anyone who’s listened to Ronde interviewed over the years has heard him talk about how he and Tiki are always communicating and supporting each other. Joe even remembers Ronde saying recently how he never would have considered attending a different college than his brother.
So Joe considers Tiki Barber the best source on Ronde outside of Ronde himself.
Yesterday, Tiki took to the 98.7 FM airwaves to chat with hosts Booger McFarland and Rich Herrera, and Tiki revaled Ronde’s desire to suit up in September for his 17th NFL season.
Booger McFarland: What’s your gut feeling on, No. 1, if Tampa is going to want him back, and No. 2, does he really want to continue playing?
Tiki Barber: You know, he does. And there’s been some rhetoric around his motivation. “He’s too beat up; he can’t do it anymore.” But I’ve talked to him multiple times over the last month and a half and it’s been the same. He’s told me this is the best he’s felt after a season in many years. Obviously, [last year] he broke his forearm at the end of the year and there was some question on whether he would come back or Mark Dominik would want him back with the new coaching staff. But his veteran presence has been so valuable to that secondary. And we know, Booger, you know, and your fans know, there’s a bunch of knuckleheads, mainly because of youth on that secondary. They need a veteran presence, so I think there is a desire to have Ronde back.
Joe’s ecstatic that Barber wants to return. Now the big question is whether the Bucs will pay Barber what he might be seeking, and is the New Schaino Order willing to give Barber a role on the Bucs that suits him. Many believe Mark Barron is more suited for free safety, Barber’s position.
Tiki went on to say he believes Ronde adjusted well to safety and the “field general role suited him.” Tiki also said Ronde has been exploring opportunities outside football and the Bucs planned to meet with Ronde yesterday to discuss his future with the team.
On a personal level, Tiki said he’s been encouraging Ronde to retire.
First, Joe finds the “knuckleheads” line from Tiki telling. Joe wonders whether that covers only the Adderrall Twins, Eric Wright and Aqib Talib, or others.
March 8th, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Bring him back, Dom.
March 8th, 2013 at 12:31 pm
Ronde = Fine Slot CB + fill-in @ FS or CB in emergency situations.
March 8th, 2013 at 12:34 pm
Bring Him Back!
March 8th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Come
On back Ronde
March 8th, 2013 at 12:55 pm
If the Bucs were to draft Kenny Vaccaro as some people have predicted,
move Ronde back to corner and add a free agent corner plus one or two more in the draft. THEN we can throw the “F-U Eric Wright” party
March 8th, 2013 at 1:18 pm
Jarret: I already have the kazoos for the party. LMK time and place.
March 8th, 2013 at 2:15 pm
It’s great and all to have a DB room filled with a bunch of 20-somethings that should hopefully get better with more playing time, but there’s a lot to be said for having a couple 30-somethings in there as well to show them what it means to be a pro. Whether it’s Ronde, Gamble, Jammer, etc., that veteran presence can go a long way.
March 8th, 2013 at 2:48 pm
Mark barron is a strong safety, last year he played alot of free safety, with ronde in the box, make no mistake though he is a strong safety. That is where he should be.
March 8th, 2013 at 3:38 pm
Hopefully, he’s thought this out and has the clubs best interest at heart. If he still believes he can contribute without being a liability, then I’m all for it.
March 8th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Would be curious to know what the clubs evaluation of Barber showed from the film review from last season. Assume that would go a long way in deciding what role, if any, he’d have with the team for 2013.
March 8th, 2013 at 7:41 pm
Being the only member of our secondary who didn’t suck, I sure hope he returns. We got nothing if he doesn’t.
All of the rest were horrible
March 8th, 2013 at 7:58 pm
Ronde is still playing well and our young D can learn from his experience. I would like to see Ronde return. I suspect this past season was very frustrating for him with how poorly the secondary did this year. That might be weighing on his decision.
My fear is playing past his prime. No one wants to see their favorite player trying to capture the old glory by playing beyond their prime like Marino, Farve, Moss, for example. All we are going to hear about is how old Ronde is.
March 8th, 2013 at 11:35 pm
@4ever & flboy: are you sure you are Buc fans? Ronde was our best in the d back core. All Dom has to do to empty more seats at RayJ is to treat Ronde like he did Brooks. Wonder if he’s ever apologized? Brooks to much of a gentleman to bad mouth Dom. Play and pay the man the “Buccaneer Man”.
March 9th, 2013 at 7:12 am
Just like a brother being unable to keep a secret. Didn’t “wanting to play” get Tiki in a little trouble? I wonder if Tiki confided in Ronde about his little fling only to have Ronde announce it to the world.