Raheem Shares Reason For Calling Bucs The Best
October 26th, 2010
"Oatmeal-slurping, two-win predicting Peter King won't even put us in his top-15."
As Bucs fans have read and heard, Raheem Morris ripped the spotlight from his young team Sunday and stuck it on himself after uttering the now famous “best in the NFC comment” during his postgame news conference
He defended it abruptly yesterday with strong bravado during his Monday news conference. But Monday evening, Morris gave listeners to his radio show on WDAE-AM 620 a more thorough explanation of his thoughts and feelings behind the comment.
“I told everybody that, you know, ‘you guys are the best. You know, you’re the best in the NFC. You have the least amount of losses in the NFC right now.’ And I mean it. You know, it starts with a belief, for me anyway. Somebody’s gotta go out and be the best. Why not us,” Morris said. “I want our fans to believe that way. I want our team to believe that way. I’m not really interested in whether other people or outside entities believe it or not. I think it starts with us believing in ourselves first. No different than what we’ve done since we’ve been young. No different than what we’ve all done when our parents first told us we can be whatever we want to be.”
Joe found this comment interesting and a good glimpse inside Raheem, as many parents do NOT tell their kids they can be whatever they want to be.
The head coach continued and explained that he got a personal endorsement from Derrick Brooks.
“I want to show that I believe in those guys. Let everybody else deal with pressure. You know Derrick Brooks called me [Monday]. He said, ‘I like that. You know, you make everbody else deal with pressure and you keep it light and right around there.’ And that’s what I’m going to do,” Morris said.
Joe finds Raheem’s decision to put the “best in the NFC” line out there fascinating. It could backfire in a huge way. And surely it’s some juicy bulletin board material for all but one opponent left on the Bucs’ schedule.
Will Bucs players start repeating that this week?
It does throw gasoline on the us-against-the-world fire that Raheem, Ronde Barber and seem to be thriving on. Maybe that’s a good enough reason.
October 26th, 2010 at 8:59 am
He said it cause Tanard is his boy and J.stevens is his boy and they all are up in smoke. He need to fix the run defense and stop being so full of himself
October 26th, 2010 at 9:02 am
We aren’t the best, but we are in the top half of the NFC. It’s not that we are betteer than I expected this young team to be, it’s that the NFC is just really awful this year. Giants, Falcons, Saints, Eagles and Redskins are the only teams that jump out to me as better.
Greenbay has fallen due to a ridiculous amount of injuries, the Cowboys were underachieving before they lost romo for the year, and the Vikings are bad with Favre, imagine how they’ll be once his fractured ankle gives out?
That leaves the Bears, Cardinals, Seahwaks, Rams, 49ers, Panthers, and Lions.
VERY weak conference this year. Most of the AFC is better than us, but in the NFC we are near the top. Kinda sad really.
October 26th, 2010 at 9:15 am
Wow, what a bunch of BS hype this is.
October 26th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Raheem has just went all in with this statement.
October 26th, 2010 at 9:37 am
I think “bulletin board material” is overrated and a bit silly. Shouldn’t a player and/or a team play as well and as hard as they can because they get paid a lot of money to do so, not because of a quote on a bulletin board. I’m sure when we do lose to a NFC team the other team will reference it, but Raheem’s quote will not be why that team beats the Bucs on that particular day.
October 26th, 2010 at 9:38 am
Like the move from a motivational standpoint but the timing kinda sucks. We’re still unproven. However, did anybody see that Coughlin essentially said the same thing last night?
October 26th, 2010 at 9:41 am
I now think Raheems job is closing in of safedom… so long as he doesn’t lose every game from here on out. This doesn’t mean I like him as a head coach, at all. I will never see him as a coach that can contend, unless he starts making better decisions with his defense… and start showing better results.
He
October 26th, 2010 at 10:08 am
I too agree, from a motivational/encouraging team aspect. But, can we atleast beat the 5-2 team in the division, before we say we’re the best? Shoot lets wait til we beat them twice and the other 4 win team once, then we can honestly say we’re the best.
October 26th, 2010 at 10:38 am
I posted parts of this comment in another post, but see it as relevant here.
Coach Morris is clearly all about the Buccaneers. No excuses. Everyone else does not matter.
and the Bottom line (IMO)
If you don’t believe in what you do, you will eventually fail.
Pretty simple overall. Coach Morris believes in his team and it’s pretty obvious they believe in him too. Fans will eventually come around with wins and a better economic situation.
This team plays hard, united and deserve some praise for standing up late in the game on Sunday. Coach Morris gave them that, but also upped the ante.
That comment was directed specifically at the players, not for us fans.
and a plus is…most talking heads are already all over the comment… and will continue to discuss …
(Frankly, I’m tired of the ‘under-the-radar’ routine. I want the Bucs to become that team that no matter what you do, they are going to play their game and smash you in the mouth…)
Now the question is … will the team respond and play to their talent (albeit young) level more consistently? We’re going to find out…
it’s almost a genius comment… almost, and I would not be surprised if it were premeditated (cleared through Grella, etc.)
Regardless, I’m really looking forward to each and every game this year. Probably a little more now because of the comment @ ARZ.
All indicators are pointing upward.
Go Bucs.
October 26th, 2010 at 10:40 am
I don’t see what all the fuss is about. If it’s true then say it, get motivated from it and see if it continues to stick. We only have two losses, it’s Raheems job to be proud and make his team proud about it, so bravo coach.
And I don’t have kids.. but when I do, I’ll tell them to aspire to be their best selves, whatever they may want that to be. I mean what the heck Joe, you tell your kids to aim low so they don’t get depressed when they fail?
October 26th, 2010 at 10:47 am
You go Rah. Since he started this the national media followed. Bucs have had more airtime on NFL network and ESPN since Sunday than in the last 3 years combined.
October 26th, 2010 at 11:00 am
What’s wrong with a coach telling his team that they are the best? It doesn’t matter if it’s true, morris has this group of seventh round ers and undrafted free agents in young kids playing hard and believing they can win. That is all that matters.
October 26th, 2010 at 11:43 am
If the bucs win next weekend and roll into Atlanta with a 5-2 record, then pull out a win, The 6-2 bucs will then get the national respect it deserves. Long way to go butthen were talking playoffs. Go get’em Rah!
October 26th, 2010 at 11:44 am
You know whats funny? At half time of the game last week I was finished with Raheem. They were awful. The penalties and mistakes were inexcusable and that has to fall on the head coach.
Then something happened at half time and a different team came out and won that game. There were still too many penalties but they came out fired up and took control of the game and that also has to fall on the head coach.
Now i’m an even bigger Rah fan than i was before. If he says they’re the best team then who am i to doubt him?
Hes been proving doubters wrong all season.
October 26th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Raheem adjusted at 1/2 time, and put in Blount. Tampa won, we are 4 and 2. Raheem can talk as much smack as he wants, he has earned it.
October 26th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
All Coach is doing is getting his guys to continue to believe in what they are doing. I do not think he gives a damn about what the media makes of this or what we as fans think. He needs to keep these young guys on task and believing in the system, structure and culture they have in place.
Keep it up Rah…..
October 26th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
The halftime adjustments this team has been making most weeks are amazing. That is ALL Rah. Now if we could just show up in the FIRST half, we might consider our team the best in the NFC.
October 26th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Peter King can go to Hell
October 26th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Great move by coach! Believe in your players, motivate, keep moving forward. One of these days they are going to put 4 quarters together and finally get a real idea of what talent they have and where they can take it. By the way . . . The Bucs are the BEST road team in the whole NFL . . . UNDEFEATED!!!! LOL
October 26th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Diehard,
I think you meant best road team in the NFC. Steelers, Titans, Jets, Texans, and Dolphins are all undeated on the road in the AFC.
October 26th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
Moot point…I will add that I do not know any parent that does not tell their kid they can be anything they want to be. This saying means they can accomplish a great deal with hard work, and not to give up on your dreams.
October 26th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
OAR…We are tied for the best road ream…LOL
October 26th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
TJ said “He said it cause Tanard is his boy and J.stevens is his boy and they all are up in smoke. He need to fix the run defense and stop being so full of himself”
This comment makes no sense at all. What are you talking about? Not to mention JS has been cut. Still, your comment does not even come close to the comment was about.