“I Can’t Wait To See The Good Players Play”
August 17th, 2024
“Mike, Rondé can be cold, bro.”
Rondé Barber might get a finger-wagging text from a high-ranking Bucs official tonight, or perhaps someone will tap him on the shoulder during the team’s trip home from Jacksonville.
Working tonight in his role as the Buccaneers’ preseason game analyst on WFLA-TV, Barber saw an on-screen graphic of Mike Evans promoting the regular season Week 1 game in Tampa against Washington.
There was less than 2 minutes remaining in the third quarter, but Barber sounded like he was ready to go home.
“Can’t wait to see some great looking Bucs players. We haven’t seen a lot of great looking anything for the Bucs tonight,” Barber said. “I know. I know. I know. I’m being bad. But I can’t wait to see the good players play.”
Ouch.
Man, Joe applauds Barber’s candor — while he collects a check to promote the quality and excitement of preseason Bucs football. LOL!
Joe also can’t wait to see the “great looking Bucs.” They are supposed to play at least a couple of series Friday against Miami in Tampa, the preseason finale.
As the Bucs’ 20-7 loss tonight came to a close, Barber praised the three sacks by second-year Bucs edge rusher José Ramirez. He also continued to stay candid. “Nothing really to talk about on offense,” Barber said.
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August 17th, 2024 at 10:53 pm
At least the run game was good.
August 17th, 2024 at 10:55 pm
Ronde calling out Bowles and his Camp Cupcake was the highlight of the game. Didn’t just call out the lack of starters, also called out the lack of hitting in practice, the practice in shorts. Ronde is a HOFer, him and every other HOFer I’ve ever heard talk about this stuff says you need to tackle in practice and play in the preseason.
Andy Reid was playing Mahomes today, but we can’t see Baker?
It’s pretty bad when you’re not playing starters at this point, and it’s even worse when you’re so scared of something going wrong you’re not even holding real practices. I have no idea what Bowles is doing here, and it sounds like Ronde doesn’t either.
August 17th, 2024 at 11:04 pm
Wolford had a woeful game……just miserable.
And who made the decision at the end of the half to throw the ball from the 7 with a minute left?…….was that Coen?..
Had that been a real game, that would have been coaching malpractice.
Giving them the ball with time left and a timeout…….prescription for losing.
August 17th, 2024 at 11:07 pm
Bowles is trying a different approach compared to what he used to do. Based off of last year I think this is a trend of him staying the course.
August 17th, 2024 at 11:20 pm
Look at the Rams offensive production when Cohen was the OC and Mayfield was the QB. They ran the ball great, but had a terrible offense. Everyone blamed WR depth and Coen didn’t come back in 2023.
August 17th, 2024 at 11:24 pm
Wolford was horrible and arguably cost us the game. There were other poor performances but he topped the cake
August 17th, 2024 at 11:31 pm
That comment tells me we’ve been sold a bill of goods about the depth of this team. Jax backups dominated ours
August 18th, 2024 at 12:03 am
Some dreams ended tonight.
Sorry.wish I knew the right words for those guys. Maybe the right guys can bring some happiness soon
August 18th, 2024 at 12:35 am
So weird. According to this site and 90% of its posters, we have the best GM and the best young talent in the league, along with the deepest roster we’ve had in 10 years. Yet now that we’re actually competing against other teams, it looks like 70% of this roster doesn’t belong in the NFL.
August 18th, 2024 at 12:39 am
I only watched a bit and was unimpressed, mostly with the defense. Tucker and Irving are running hard, OL still looks like it’s going to be much improved and I saw some good play calling again, motion, deception, scheming guys open. Diaby, Vea and Kancey better be ready to go though otherwise those CBs gonna need to cover a loooong time.
August 18th, 2024 at 12:48 am
That game was brutal and I couldn’t watch two full quarters. Guys liked completely uninterested in making the roster tonight
August 18th, 2024 at 5:36 am
I won’t be surprised if we start the season sloppy. This is a weird call for Toad to sit the starters till the last game. At least have the starters play a drive to assess where you’re at with a new OC. I mean they had a bad practice against Jax and showed it last night. We’re just going to magically flip the switch for the regular season?
If the league is going soft, we don’t have to follow that trend.
August 18th, 2024 at 5:57 am
Loved seeing Mike Evans and also Baker’s interview with Rondé. Nice to see all the veterans on the sidelines cheering the rookies on. That is what preseason is. Learning and choosing who will be on the 53-man roster.
Also, the Jags had a first round QB in, Mac Jones. He is actually a veteran now too. He was drafted by the Pats in 2021 from Alabama. They mutually parted ways. Rumor was he didn’t get along with the coaches. We have barely seen our backup quarterbacks over the years. Big difference on the momentum of the game too.
The Miami preseason game will have some of our starters. We also have some injuries too. Not worried. Go Bucs!
August 18th, 2024 at 6:40 am
Our beloved Bucs are doomed if you read a lot of you alls comments. No disrespect to the guys out on the field the last 2 games on defense more than a few of them probably won’t make our final roster. This is not indicative of the Bucs and how the starters will play this season. I am not the biggest fan of coach Bowles. I can guarantee that every damn one of you guys would be wanting him fired if Baker,Evans or Godwin were in their tonight and ended up getting hurt. It’s preseason for Goodness sakes this crap doesn’t matter. Even with that said let’s hope merryweather isn’t hurt bad, that guys is going to be a real good player long term for the Bucs. Looking forward to the regular season for sure. There will be some rush we all know that but let’s get behind our team and be positive. Love the Bucs let’s go men. God bless them and keep them safe on and off the field.
August 18th, 2024 at 6:55 am
What Stan said. But we love our Bucs and hate to see them lose even in worthless preseason games!
August 18th, 2024 at 7:42 am
Wait, now we are complaining about people who won’t be on the team in two weeks, and the plays being called before halftime of a preseason game?
We do realize the game plan of a preseason game is “Let’s try this play in this situation”, right?
Also, I will see your Andy Reid does this and raise you a Sean McVay does that. Not saying Reid obviously has the hardware and rep, but damn they sure love to call McVay a genius.
August 18th, 2024 at 7:44 am
Where is the game thread? Joe took it down?
News on Wolford’s injury?
August 18th, 2024 at 7:46 am
Ole rod muncher knows everything just ask her
August 18th, 2024 at 7:46 am
Trask had a good night statistically … and also because the haters aren’t hatin’.
August 18th, 2024 at 7:54 am
Heyjude said it best. The rest of you fools can go commiserate in the corner of the room sitting Indian style with the lights off while you log your notes in your hello kitty diary
August 18th, 2024 at 7:58 am
And after reading all my Bucs stuff, I just read the Browns lost three tackles to injury in a preseason game last night. I’m good with breaking out the bubble wrap after reading that.
August 18th, 2024 at 8:00 am
Our backups played like backouts cause they were primarily backed out of every play in the pass game. Other than Ramirez n #75, I saw no sense of urgency. Vi Jones #53 should be cut today. He missed an easy sack n got away with an obvious late hit on the qb. Logan Hall is still Logan Hall, he gave up on a play. He’s garbage n needs to be gone.
August 18th, 2024 at 9:07 am
Ronde made several references to how the game is played today and in particular preseason. I can’t help but to watch and then afterwards wonder if I really learned anything about the players. It has really become a post game individual player study on film by the coaches.
August 18th, 2024 at 9:56 am
I agree it’s preseason but I still have Ryan Jensen nightmares but I also agree we should be playing our starters more. Last year we kind of got a quick start and then fizzled and I think that was because we were not used to hitting and how to regroup and catch our rhythm
August 18th, 2024 at 12:09 pm
I’m looking forward to seeing the good coaches coach.
Maybe in 2025.
August 18th, 2024 at 12:41 pm
I agree 100% with RB!!
August 18th, 2024 at 1:28 pm
You and me both also tired of mediocre kyle trask drives 😒
August 18th, 2024 at 1:42 pm
I guess, Stoops-Cohen and Bowles-Cohen… Just Whatever. Same. Dang. Thang. It looked the same and it all felt the same. Like a real BAD dream… More like living in the Twilight Zone. SO BORING and hard to watch. Just Ugly. If it doesn’t look DRASTICALLY different when the “good players” are in there, I won’t make it through the season. My anxiety cannot take it. Drives me absolutely NUTS. I’m NOT watching another team all season long not being able to move the ball downfield, pick up first-downs, sustain drives, & unable to put points on the board (and pro red zone offense)… AND, running the ball up the fricking middle on 2ND & 1 for a 2-6 yard LOSS. A carbon copy of Kentucky. Short pass, short pass, no rhythm, no pace, penalty, screen pass/run/another short pass & ALWAYS walk back to the huddle, KILL 15 seconds, THEN huddle, break, lineup, step back/stand up, look to the sideline, 6-seconds left, tick, tick, tick, SNAPPP. Rinse & Repeat. BETTER figure out a way to be getting Baker into a ‘rhythm’ and EARLYYYYY!!!!
August 18th, 2024 at 2:16 pm
@Booger, the game was unbelievably boring IMO. But no coach with an IQ over 60 is going to put anything on film to help their opponents prepare to face them if they can avoid it.
Close to 40 players on the current roster, many who played last night, are about to be cut or moved to the practice squad.
The primary purpose of preseason games is not to win the games. It’s to evaluate the players who are not already locked in as starters.
Given all those factors above, it’s pointless attempting to judge a team in the 2nd preseason game.
August 18th, 2024 at 3:01 pm
Maybe Ronde can find away into the masturmind genius’s office and ask him if he ever thought about actually teaching his pass defenders when to break out of covering a space with no players in it, and lock onto a player. Radical concept, I know. Space can’t catch a pass but a player sometimes does.
August 18th, 2024 at 6:06 pm
We have never developed a QB. Trask may possibly win a HOF spot playing for Carolina or some other team someday, but he is a lousy backup for us. Wolford doesn’t cut it either. I also had a
returning bout of kicker-PTSD, Geeze!
August 18th, 2024 at 6:11 pm
Complain complain complain cant til season starts to listen to u chronic complainers baker sucks midget man told u not to get rid of Devin white blah blah blah u guys r the worst this preseason is for rookie knowledge & experience after many years in the NFL I don’t think there is a starter that needs to suit up for exhibition game if they did need to I wud b worried these guys r seasoned pros shut u r damn pie holes enjoy the game u r watching these young guys progress
August 18th, 2024 at 6:17 pm
1 good thing is baker has freedom this year with play audibles & change play at the line let’s c his 6 years experience. In the NFL takeover man am I glad we got him as the starter his life is in a good direction he will do good things this year
August 18th, 2024 at 6:30 pm
Barber was right, there was nothing you could say about last nights game without coming across as disingenuous. Like trying to put lipstick on a pig. It’s still a pig.
August 18th, 2024 at 8:19 pm
Yeah, you can say that BucsFan and I am completely aware of that, BUT I witnessed it for an entire season’s worth last season at Kentucky, so you have to understand MY concerns.
August 18th, 2024 at 9:06 pm
#83 Cody Thompson 2 rushes, 12 yards. 5 receptions, 66yds. 1 touchdown. No mention of him whatsoever.
August 18th, 2024 at 9:09 pm
Don’t know what people pay to see these preseason games but whatever it is, it is too much. Sort of like when NFL players went on strike years ago and the owners fielded strike teams.
August 18th, 2024 at 9:10 pm
Cody Thompson #83. 2 rushes, 12 yds. 5 receptions, 66 yds., 1 touchdown, and drew a pass interference penalty. Nothing to talk about on offense?
August 18th, 2024 at 9:33 pm
Joe tries to focus on guys that either are expected to make the final-53 or have an impact with the team.
August 18th, 2024 at 9:41 pm
@Booger, I understand your concerns, and if this was a regular season game I would share them.
August 18th, 2024 at 10:58 pm
I like pigs.
August 19th, 2024 at 5:38 am
I don’t think Ronde gets any grief. Honesty from a HOF Buc who is now a media guy is refreshing to say the least. He has more class in his little pinky finger than the giant bafoon Warren Sapp will ever have. If you ever sat in a public place with Sapp I think you would most likely agree.
Go Bucs!