Rondé Barber Must Be Willing To Campaign
November 24th, 2020
It’s official! Iconic Bucs cornerback Rondé Barber is a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist again this year, making the cut to the final 25 before the vote to the finalists round of 15 in about a month.
Now it’s time for Barber to get smart and aggressive about the process, otherwise he’ll miss the cut yet again.
If a modern-era player doesn’t make the final-15, then he doesn’t get discussed and presented by Hall selectors in the famed day-before-the-Super-Bowl vote, when the 45 or so panelists cast their ballots to enshrine typically a five-man class.
It’s a ridiculously political process. How could it not be with 25 great players essentially vying for five spots? There’s money (future earnings potential) and fame and prestige at stake. The system is ripe for corruption.
Barber has yet to make the finals cut after multiple years making the final-25.
Unfortunately, Barber is not big on self-promotion and the Bucs aren’t big on making Barber’s election a priority.
It’s a bad combination, and Joe hopes Barber puts in legitimate campaigning over the next month.
That means calling Peter King, for example, to chat about anything and making himself available as a source. And the same goes for a handful of other media voters who would be charmed by the same move.
Barber’s gig at FOX ended and he’s all but disappeared from the national NFL stage since the spring. And that’s clearly his choice. Barber hasn’t even chatted on air all football season on his brother’s national radio show. And it’s not like he’s sick; Bucs fans watch him weekly at the team website doing fluffy film breakdowns.
There are many ways Barber can tap his big-name friends to help him in front of the cameras as well as behind the scenes. The big question is whether he’s willing to ask?
Joe strongly suspects Barber wants little part of that, and Joe has heard Barber say that publicly in past years. Joe types this in hopes Barber changes his attitude, otherwise he has zero shot at making the Hall this year.
Zero.
It sucks. It’s political. It’s modern times. Play the game or get rolled, or wait for a senior committee to consider you strongly in another 15 years or so.
November 24th, 2020 at 1:38 pm
Why is he not on Fox anymore he was really good and he 100% deserves to be in the HOF. He is better than those 2 on the MNF crew….
November 24th, 2020 at 1:58 pm
I think you’re barking up the wrong tree.
Barber is thankful for his current blessings and feels no need for more accolades.
IF, however, we made it clear that WE the fans NEED something to feel good about… He might go for that.
November 24th, 2020 at 2:04 pm
He needs to hire Jimmy Hart.
November 24th, 2020 at 2:54 pm
I think that Barber has more integrity than the vast majority of hof voters, but you Joes nailed it. Gotta get your hands dirty if ya want the prize Ronde.
November 24th, 2020 at 3:18 pm
Do what you need to do brutha!!!!
November 24th, 2020 at 5:29 pm
GET. THIS. MAN. IN. THE. HALL!
November 24th, 2020 at 7:29 pm
Joe is right, it’s political, but as in all politics, it starts local.
John Lynch was one of the Best Buccaneers ever But Lynch may never get in the Hall of Fame, he simply doesn’t have the numbers; Pro Bowls, a couple All Pros, and a SB gets you considered, gotta be best at something to win.
John lynch was the lynch-pin of the Bucs defense, but he has never been best at anything, e.g., Defensive player of the Year, leading tackles, Ints, most FF, anything like that. The HoF is for the Best of the Best. John has never been the Best of the Best in any category. He could only make the cut out of sympathy or “The System”, not based on achievement.
Ronde Barber HAS the numbers, and a lot of them.
10 Int – 2001 – 1st
5 Punt Return TDs – 1998 – 1st
Fumble Return TD – 2000, 1st, and 2004 – 1st
Most Safeties – 2011 – 1st
160 Intercept. Ret. Yds – 2012 – 2nd
14 Non-Offensive TDs – 4th ALL TIME in NFL History (2 are already in the Hof, the other is not yet eligible)
John Lynch is one of the Best Buccaneers ever and he deserves to have his name on the side of the Bucs stadium forever. But the HoF if for the Best of the Best in the “NFL”. Lynch does not have a single number to prove that he was the best in the NFL at any time in his career, only one of the Best in All Pro and Pro Bowles. There can be only one BEST, and Ronde has done that many times, Lynch zero.
So, yes it’s political. It starts with the Politics of the Buccaneers making it known that they believe that their best chance at another Gold Jacket before Mike Evans becomes eligible is Ronde Barber.
John Lynch got his shot at the vote before Ronde and therefore in the unwritten rules of the pecking order, must be selected before Ronde. But if Lynch does not have the numbers to get in, he is keeping Ronde out. Since nobody wants to drop John as the Bucs’ frontrunner, it becomes a Catch-22 for Ronde.
I believe that this is solid fact-based analysis, but it likely will not even be considered because they came from me. I’d love to be wrong on that last point.
November 24th, 2020 at 7:57 pm
Lame Process, It is beneath a player to have to beg or promote himself in
November 24th, 2020 at 8:07 pm
Well said KB, well said.
Ronde changed the position. Has a SB ring plus the numbers to back it up.
Numbers that NO ONE ELSE has…
November 24th, 2020 at 8:27 pm
Hahaha Jimmy Hart! Too funny!
November 25th, 2020 at 2:56 am
They’re not competing for 5 places this year. Manning is eligible so they’re competing for 4.