Is No. 55 Off Limits?
March 13th, 2010
The Bucs newest linebacker wears No. 55
Joe doesn’t get excited by most small roster-filling moves. Yawn.
On Friday, the Bucs signed free-agent linebacker Jon Alston, who was let go by the Raiders. What caught Joe’s eye in the story on the Bucs official Web site was the Raiders jersey worn by Alston.
In Oakland, Alston wore No. 55 during the last two seasons.
Joe wonders whether Mark Dominik will tell him that jersey is off limits in Tampa Bay.
March 13th, 2010 at 9:15 am
Yeah, a back up linebacker…We’re rolling now.
March 13th, 2010 at 9:22 am
Jon ALston and Reggie Brown.
I smell Superbowl…
March 13th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Hey! watch what you say. Joe thinks its about Glazerhouse making money as much as it is signing good players. We wouldn’t want to sign a big name free agent that didn’t work out, right Joe? It would be better for Mr. Glazerhouse to keep his money and for us to watch a terrible team.
March 13th, 2010 at 9:34 am
Man, what the hell dominik was thinking?
March 13th, 2010 at 9:39 am
when the bucs look at free agents they say lets go after guys from practice squads or who are in the doghouse or bust on other teams or who are coming off a injury or concussion and lets let them try to re-amp their careers in tampa if the bucs see a healthy guy who people have heard of before they will not sign him because he would cost 2 much money
March 13th, 2010 at 9:56 am
WELL ALEAST THEY SAID IT WASNT LIKE SHOPPING AT MY SAMS CLUB BUT IT SEEMS WE KEEP SHOPPING AT GOODWILL FOR SOME REASON. OH WELL, ANOTHER GREAT JOB BUCS..
March 13th, 2010 at 10:18 am
Jevon Walker has to be next.
March 13th, 2010 at 10:25 am
If I was Alston, I wouldn’t wear 55 out of respect for Brooks. We’ll see what actually happens.
March 13th, 2010 at 10:59 am
I was wondering about this the other day. When they retire a number, does it stay retired forever? or is it just a symbolic gesture that only lasts a few years? Just seems like teams would run out of numbers if they retired a number everytime a great player retired.
Anyways, they should sign Brooks back for a day so he can retire a Buc and then retire his #55 as well.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:03 am
Radio Mushmouth, good call. LOL
If the Rams & Lions take the two big DT’s, leaving Bradford to Tampa, I could see Denver trading up from 11 to draft Bradford. In exchange the Bucs get pick 11, Brandon Marshall, and a 3’rd rounder. At #11 the Bucs pick Rolando McClain, best LB in the Draft. Haha, never going to happen.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:03 am
This guy is an upgrade over Matt McCoy or Adam Heyward. We are signing back ups thru this weak free agency pool, and looking to the draft for our starters. We will not rebuild in one year and will not be a playoff team this year. When are you guys gonna get that thru your head and quit sounding surprised everytime we sign another back up?
Quit making comments that suggest these signings are expected to start. You just sound ignorant. You act like we shouldn’t upgrade our depth because we need better starters. We NEED both.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:03 am
If the Bucs have ANY class left as an organization, they will tell everyone connected to the team that #55 is off-limits. One hopes in fact that this has already been done internally.
The moment Mr. Brooks makes it official that he’s retiring, the Glazers need to hold a press conference announcing his immediate induction into the Ring of Honor and a ‘Derrick Brooks Day’ @ the CITS this upcoming season.
Anything less would be absolutely classless and would be a slap in the face to Mr. Brooks and the Buccaneer Nation.
What a great opportunity for the Glazers to redeem some ‘street cred’ with Bucs fans everywhere. Let’s hope the Brothers Glazer get this right.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:05 am
Rolando McClain…nah. I’d take Brandon Graham at 11…then Price or Alualu with 2a.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:12 am
would take mcclain over graham any day
March 13th, 2010 at 11:17 am
We have a solid MLB, a great pass rushing DE makes more sense to me. If we want a great LB, Weatherspoon is our guy at 2a.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Perhaps we should wait till a guy plays at least one down in the NFL, before calling them “great”?
March 13th, 2010 at 11:53 am
55 should never be worn again by a Tampa player
March 13th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Arent we assuming that the Bucs can add?
March 13th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
“bigrattler73 Says:
March 13th, 2010 at 9:56 am
WELL ALEAST THEY SAID IT WASNT LIKE SHOPPING AT MY SAMS CLUB BUT IT SEEMS WE KEEP SHOPPING AT GOODWILL FOR SOME REASON. OH WELL, ANOTHER GREAT JOB BUCS..
”
Bwahahahahahahahahahaha. Goodwill. That was funny.
March 13th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
He is going to be a special teams player that will back up Geno Hayes. No One Will Ever wear # 55 again same for #99 or # 63 and eventually #20 Since big #99’s departure to the Oakland faders no one was issued #99 This year is the beginning of the future just like 1995 10 draft picks 5 of the 1st 100 picks. All this Radio Raheem bashing will become praise in a few years. Gruden got the Buccaneers to where they rest today countless mistakes arrogant behavior sloppy draft picks with the exception of Geno Hayes, Caddi, and T Jackson. A majority of the 2002 Defence was gone by 2005 with no productive replacements. Lynch, Sapp, Rice, D. Jackson, D .Smith Booger Mc Farland. We got left with Ryan Sims Styles B gone back to arena football White. Jimmy I’ve fallen and can’t get up Wilkerson Sabby the G.Q.model Aqib the Heavy Left hand cab slugger. Hey five quality draft picks can change this team in a year. I see this year being another long season possibly six wins Playing 8 non playoff teams with help we got cleveland, Detroit, St Louis, Seattle, Pittsburg for home games. The scedule makers are getting a little generous compared to what we faced in the past. The draft will reveal the truth about the future and what the glazers have planned for Tampa.Mr Dominik and Mr Morris can only play the hand that they get dealt.
March 13th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
See, I told you guys last week not to worry, Dumbass would just pick and choose off the Raiders to fix the Bucs, and here he goes again picking up a guy with a history of concussions AND a team as bad as the Raiders not really wanting him back–nice job Dumbass!!
March 13th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Everyone on the planet knows that Alston won’t wear 55 here. No one will. It is just a matter of time before it is retired.
Alston will be a backup and special teams guy. I do think the Bucs believe Brown will challenge for a starting spot. It would have better if the Bucs targeted 2-3 players in free agency for starting slots. But that isn’t going to happen. So they have to rely solely on this draft. Just imagine if they miss on some of the high draft picks. Exactly. We’re screwed and another year behind. Something to ponder.
March 13th, 2010 at 2:15 pm
Someone else will wear 55 for the Bucs at some point. This isn’t the NBA and how many H.O.F. have their numbers retired. I’m having trouble thinking of any. There is 53 players with only 99 numbers. You can’t retire numbers in this sport no matter how great the player was. I might be wrong, but did Jim Brown get his number retired? What about all the great QB’s?? They have their numbers reused all the time. Numbers are different in this sport. I love Brooks but who cares if someone wears that number. It is just a number people let it go.
March 13th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
It will blaspheme against all things holy if he wears #55. I dont mind the signining at all…I agree with JDouble for once, we need backups as well as starters. Plus 20 tackles on special teams is nothing to scoff at. He will at least be a head hunter on kickoffs and punts.
I’m starting to come to terms with “the plan”. Not saying I agree with it, but they seem hell bent on following it so fans must accept it and move on. As long as they make Freeman and this defense better than last year I won’t complain.
March 13th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
There is no way someone wears 55 again Funky. Brooks is probably the best Bucs player of all time and a great person off the field. The Bucs would be wise to honor him by retiring the number.
Yes, Jim Brown’s number is retired. Some of the great QBs who have had their numbers retired include Bob Griese, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Joe Namath, Otto Graham, Johnny Unitas, Warren Moon, John Elway, Len Dawson, Dan Fouts, Y. A. Tittle, Sid Luckman, Bobby Layne, Bart Starr, Fran Tarkenton, Steve Bartkowski, Archie Manning, Steve Young, Joe Montana, John Brodie (49ers have retired 3 numbers of QBs from their team!) and Bob Waterfield.
Some teams don’t retire numbers, but have a ring of honor instead of doing that. The Cowboys for instance.
March 13th, 2010 at 2:46 pm
#55 is off limits, without a doubt, I have been a Bucs fan all my life, but I can honestly say that I want no part of an organization that could be so taste less if they were to allow some one to wear #55. I also hold think #99, #47, #20 are off limits.
March 13th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
If we’re going to start talking about retiring”numbers”, the discussion begins with #63, our first and still only HOFer. I say have a ceremony retiring the “jersey” and then move the “number” to the other side of the ball, (to offense). That way there won’t be a Buc lb wearing #55.
March 13th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
No BucWonder. No one should wear #55 period. I don’t want a center or a guard wearing that number. And why does everyone forget Steve Young as a Hall of Famer for the Bucs?? I don’t get it. He was a frickin team MVP before he got traded. Jeez. And if the Bucs got Bo Jackson to play for the team, who knows what would have happened with Steve Young. They probably would have won a few more games and taken the Bucs out of the Vinny sweepstakes. I always wonder about that.
March 13th, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Who cares ? It’s just a freakin number…
Give me a another superbowl caliber team and you can march the entire squad out in 55’s for all I care.
March 13th, 2010 at 9:13 pm
Yes, the number 55 is off limits, along with 63, 99, 40, 47, and eventually 20.
March 13th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Gee, #19 isn’t considered off limits? *Snicker*
March 14th, 2010 at 1:47 am
Eric thinks for all of the names…I wasn’t sure but I still believe you shouldn’t retire numbers. If you were good enough to have your name mentioned in that convo then you are already a legend and it doesn’t matter if someone else wears it. Because, everytime you see it you will be reminded of that player. I am not talking bad or dissrespecting Brooks. It is just a number. I know it means a lot to the player, but every true buc fan will know when you hear 55 you will think of Brooks. If I was Alston I wouldn’t even ask for the number just because of this issue. To much drama over something so simple!! IMO
March 14th, 2010 at 1:48 am
# 19 is the greatest player of all time!!!! atleast maybe in his head!!!
March 14th, 2010 at 1:49 am
And Eric we traded Steve Young so he doesn’t get mentioned as our h.o.f. because he wasn’t. He was SF h.o.f.!
March 14th, 2010 at 10:05 am
I’m Okay with certain numbers of great players being worn again…but not by scrubs. They have to be earned through key plays for the team and palys that win games. If you want wear 55, 99, 63 or 40, earn it. Make the Probowl, MVP and make opponent fear your position on the field.