“He Made That Decision”
December 23rd, 2021
“Bryan, I know what I’m doing.”
A break from the diet of Bucs panic and medical reports here with a little nugget of Bucs history that might capture the interest of fans during The Lost Decade.
So in 2012, the Bucs hired Greg Schiano to take over what he later called the “laughingstock” regime run by Raheem Morris.
Of course, Schiano’s production proved that he was far more of a laughingstock than Raheem.
When Schiano arrived from Rutgers, it’s widely known that iconic Bucs cornerback Rondé Barber moved to safety — and that was his final season.
The Bucs signed cornerback Eric Wright in free agency, and soon after he was slapped with a drug suspension and then Tweeted about going on a California spa day while suspended because he needed a “change of pace.” That suspension came after fellow corner Aqib Talib was suspended four games for a banned substance.
Joe always assumed Barber was good with playing safety and that’s why he signed a one-year contract that spring, extending his great career and helping a new regime with an inexperienced coach. Barber’s public comments at the time revealed a guy eager to learn a new role and make the switch.
It seems he wasn’t so eager.
Yesterday on CBS Sports Radio on a show out of New York, Barber was talking about his career when his final season was referenced and it was said that he moved to safety because he was getting older and coming off an injury.
That didn’t sit well with Barber, who seemed a little bitter (nine years later!) that he was pulled from his corner position.
“That’s not why,” Barber said. “There’s a guy that lives and works in your current vicinity who decided that I was no longer a corner. … He was my last coach, man. He made that decision.”
Of course, Barber went on to acknowledge he was talking about Schiano, who is back at Rutgers.
Man, imagine Schiano coming in with his chest all puffed out, arriving at One Buc Palace with a bad football team and telling Barber that he couldn’t play corner any longer. At least it wasn’t Raheem’s call when his top veterans were released shortly after he arrived in 2009.
As Bucs fans remember, the 2012 went on to rotate E.J. Biggers, Danny Gorrer, Leonard Johnson and Lequan Lewis at cornerback that season. The result, statistically speaking, was one of the worst defensive backfields in NFL history.
December 23rd, 2021 at 9:50 am
Sad thing is I was one of the many at the time thinking a strict coach would solve everything. Boy was i wrong. LET’S F’N GO BOYS!!!!
December 23rd, 2021 at 9:52 am
That last paragraph took me back to Vietnam…dang Joe!
Ol’ Schiano…a former lieutenant to Sneaky Sandusky who failed to turn him in
( allegedly )…another name in a long list of fake tough guys we’ve seen around here. Dirtstar Dominik reaching for Mark Barron…mostly because he had a highlight of blowing up a QB from Coastal Carolina and/or Hobart College ( no offense to pro bowler Marpet of course ).
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:03 am
The guy had no QB. They tried to get Kelly, and Schiano was the backup plan. He had an imbecile for a GM. They had just made the worst coaching hire in history with Raheem It was doomed from the start for Schiano.
But don’t ever say that Schiano did not care and did not give maximum effort with the crap he was given. He did. A lot of people think if Schiano had been given another year or two, he would have righted the ship.
Who was the next coach? How did that go?
Lay off Schiano. Barber was a stiff at that point, taking the last big money.
A) He didn’t take big money.
B) He wasn’t a stiff, or he was a stiff who found his way to 4 interceptions and 92 tackles.– Joe
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:10 am
One thing Schiano seemed to know was defense. I seem to recall getting a lot out of out defensive players, but I don’t even remember his of. I seem to recall that being a nightmare. Was that the Tedford debacle?
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:10 am
Which then became Marcus arrauyo?
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:16 am
FeatheredHairKen:
More often than not I agree with you…but not about Barber being a stiff at that point. The turning point was the Philly game…Danny The Horror Gorrer dropped an easy would be game clinching INT. A few plays later Philly punched it in and the look on Barber’s face was “I’m good/done”. He still had game and is on the Mt. Rushmore of Buc legends…so easy on that front. He was classy all the way to the end of The Schiano Sinking Ship. Schiano insisted on drafting Mike The Galloping Giraffe ( Seen him play lately? How’d he do? ) Glennon so your QB argument is a bit weak as well.
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:21 am
I thought Schiano would have pullled the team out of losing with more time, but I don’t know how long his control freak demeanor could keep the locker room under control if they didn’t start winning. I thought Glennon had potential under Schiano, but that was lost with the next regime.
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:28 am
I thought schiano came in with a strong personality and got better and adjusted towards the end of year 2. He was still the scape goat of josh Freeman basically not being the leader or teammate everyone thought he was ans didn’t work hard.
The move to safety worked though. Barber had the knack for safety and made some plays. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Woodson made the move. Sometimes guys like Barber have such egos in the nfl – they can’t see they can’t play corner in the nfl. Prime example – Barber had a long INT that was over 70 yards and he couldn’t complete the pick 6.
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:47 am
Man, what is it with coaches that coach here thinking practice squad fodder DBs can play DB?
December 23rd, 2021 at 10:57 am
Looking back, the Schiano regime was more comical than anything else.
December 23rd, 2021 at 11:02 am
Funny you call it the lost decade. I moved away and stopped following the nfl after being a die hard bucs fan since 76. 10 years later after the bucs signed Brady I came back… though living out of the country I have to watch the games on a stream. Thanks for the history lesson. Great website so glad I don’t pay tampa bay.com for a subscription
December 23rd, 2021 at 12:04 pm
E.J. Biggers, Danny Gorrer, Leonard Johnson and Lequan Lewis
(insert pic of fans experiencing the worst horror they’d every seen)
December 23rd, 2021 at 12:29 pm
Everyone close to the Bucs news media didn’t care for Schiano, and I guess I trust that over if it was player speak or his perceived demeanor on the football field. He was detailed oriented and there’s something to be said for that. Raheem benefited from some carry over from the Gruden’s administration, because in year 3 they took 10 steps back and were just embarrassing to watch. As I recall Schiano was a disciple of Bill Belichick, I think he modeled his discipline after him. I see the similarities.
Probably the more embarrassing aspects to point at with Schiano was pushing the other teams pile during victory formation. That didn’t go over well in the NFL level.
I think context is important. Overall, I don’t remember Schiano’s team being an embarrassment. We had a couple of blowouts against the Saints, but there were lots of 1 score games we lost. Does anyone recall, in what would be his last season how we lost in overtime to the eventual SuperBowl Champions Seahawks in Seattle? We went toe to toe with a juggernaut on their home field and they barely escaped. A lot was working against him, whether it was a castaway coaching staff that was recruited late, QB controversies, MRSA, free agents we paid a lot of for that didn’t do dick. As I recall we were one of the best run defensive teams in the NFL during his tenure, albeit we had no pass rush, tons of stunts to try to generate some pressure. I also recall our Special Teams played really well, we had at least 2 blocked punts on his watch, I can’t recall the last time that happened in recent history. But I guess it says a lot that he’s barely sniffed the NFL since leaving Tampa.
December 23rd, 2021 at 3:36 pm
At least schiano didn’t draft rod ‘toast’ Jones.
We can’t hang that on him😬
Ole’toast’ was so bad he’d get burned multiple times on Sunday it was guaranteed.
December 23rd, 2021 at 5:24 pm
Zoocomics Says:
“I don’t remember Schiano’s team being an embarrassment”
An 0-8 start to 2013 doesn’t qualify?? C’mon man…..
December 23rd, 2021 at 6:49 pm
Joe I believe that Myron Lewis, not Lequan…. part of the #FearsomeFoursomeLOL
December 23rd, 2021 at 8:49 pm
Essentially Schiano chased off Michael Bennett and Ronde. lol
December 24th, 2021 at 4:58 am
Lay off Schiano? He’s the guy who thought Mike Glennon was the future for the Bucs at QB, when Glennon was already wildly inaccurate yet quite milquetoast at the Senior Bowl.
December 24th, 2021 at 6:33 am
and they put Mark Barron at FS!
and had Ronde in the box.
Schiano was a dictator.