A Leader Identified
August 19th, 2010
The leadership question has permeated Raheem The Dream news conferences and the Bucs organization since Derrick Brooks was shown the door along with other veterans.
Who was going to rise up and fill the void?
Sure, guys like Jeff Faine and Ronde Barber were said to have a lot of those leadership qualities, but neither was identified by the head coach as “the guy.”
Today, in his session with the Tampa Bay press corps, Raheem The Dream shined a spotlight on Earnest Graham as a team leader. “Earnest, the ultimate fighter, the guy that came from nowhere from this football team and really [became] one of those leaders that you keep asking about,” Raheem The Dream said.
Joe is a huge fan of Graham, who is a refreshingly unselfish player and a candid speaker.
Joe does know, though, that the best leaders are guys on the field. And Joe is concerned about how Graham will hold up taking a season’s worth of punishment at fullback.
August 19th, 2010 at 10:52 pm
If Earnest truly is the leader like Raheem and Joe claim/speculate to be, he must be one of the finest Bucs ever. NOT ONCE have I heard EG whine about being “demoted” to the FB position, and now you are telling me he is a leader on the team. Every team needs an Earnest Graham.
August 19th, 2010 at 11:13 pm
A leader who will never get the ball
August 19th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Give him the ball already…. and where the hell is JimBuc? Did he get deported????
August 19th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
Say what you will about Chucky, but he liked giving the ball to Graham once he figured out what he had. Some major freakin horsepower son.
August 19th, 2010 at 11:35 pm
Joe here,
BigMac – JimBuc got mad at Joe for closing comments on a thread so Joe could have the last word on a never ending discussion. So JimBuc said goodbye. …Now Joe did not censor anything, just ended the game.
We miss you, JimBuc.
August 19th, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Having Earnest at FB has been a dumb idea. Is he absolutely the best we can do at fullback?? Move him back to HB and let him move the chains for us and get someone else to block for him! Our offense would be much improved if he got the damn ball again!!! But no, playing fullback will shorten his career and he’ll be done before we know it.
As for Earnest Graham being a great leader, I agree. I really respect his unselfishness. Especially when he’s putting up with a bunch of bull****.
There’s plenty of reasons why we were 3-13 last year.
Move Michael Clayton to fullback! After all, he’s the blocking icon. Have him put on about 35 or 40 pounds and maybe we can get something out of that crazy investment. He can call up Penn and ask him if he still has the number to ihop.
August 19th, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Joe here,
Patrick – Excellent ihop reference. You are warming Joe’s heart.
August 20th, 2010 at 7:58 am
Faine could be a leader. Barber has never been a leader. But when you think about the good years and the guys that have been here, Graham’s name jumps out more than Faine’s because Graham has been here through good and bad. Good call Joe!
August 20th, 2010 at 11:04 am
BigMacAttack Says:
August 19th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
Say what you will about Chucky, but he liked giving the ball to Graham once he figured out what he had. Some major freakin horsepower son.
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“Gruden figuring out what he had” = Cadillac and Pittman going down in back-to-back games.
LOL, it really cracks me up with all the revisionist’s history lessons that get taught on this site. Yeah, Gruden really FIGURED it out.
August 20th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
I love the idea. Earnest could be the next “coach in training” if he chose to go that route. If you cant utilize Earnest on the field…utilize his mind and heart. Earnest Graham should wear a C this season!!