Mike Alstott Doesn’t Agree With Jeff Faine
February 21st, 2011
Last week noted team captain Jeff Faine whined to Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times that no matter how well-intentioned Josh Freeman may be, the Bucs’ unquestioned team leader and starting quarterback won’t be able to rally enough players to have a practice “at the University of Tampa soccer field,” so Faine claimed.
Former Bucs stud Mike Alstott thinks Faine is full of it, in so many words.
While Faine’s name never came up when Alstott appeared live with Joe’s good friend “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig on WDAE-AM 620 last week, Faine’s premise did come up and Duemig asked Alstott point-blank if Freeman would have difficulty rallying teammates to work out together.
Alstott scoffed at the notion that Freeman couldn’t.
“I think so, with the guys who are serious [about playing for the Bucs], yeah,” Alstott said. “We had 95 percent of the team work out at One Buc on our own during the offseason when I was here.
“Josh is their leader. He is the backbone of the team. With him coming out [to organize workouts], that is great. I think he will have a lot of guys jumping on the bandwagon. He has something special going on.
“He’s a leader. It’s his team. That’s great that he is really confident about workouts.”
Joe was fortunate enough to get to chat with many of the Bucs rookies over the past season and to a man, they all pointed to Freeman as their leader, and often would say things such as, “This is Josh’s team. If Josh wants you to do something, you do it,” when talking about how Freeman gathered rookies together to work out prior to the start of training camp.
Just about every Bucs fan has heard Bucs coach Raheem Morris and rock star general manager Mark Dominik say the Bucs are “all about No. 5.”
Curiously, Joe has yet to hear any Bucs executive say it’s “all about No. 52.”
Look, Joe has no personal agenda with Faine. Joe just thinks at best it was wreckless for Faine to come out and mock Freeman for trying to get the team together during the pending lockout. Joe appreciates candor — craves it in fact. But Joe also knows about being guarded in one’s statements and Faine sure wasn’t thinking for being such a smart guy.
February 21st, 2011 at 9:16 am
from the St Pete times: “Bucs C Jeff Faine reportedly “has assurances” that he’ll be back with the Bucs next season.”
Even though he has verbal diarrhea looks like his hasn’t drove himself out of town just yet.
February 21st, 2011 at 9:48 am
I have not had the chance to read the SPT article. So , the one follow-up question I would have would be “If Josh Freeman calls you up and asks you to come out and participate in the practices that he is organizing, would you show up?” If the answer is no, I would be looking for a team willing to give up a 5-7 round pick and ship his overpriced A@# out of Tampa.
February 21st, 2011 at 9:49 am
Talking about Faine and not Alstott.
February 21st, 2011 at 9:49 am
i’d take that with a grain of salt travis. that was faine proclaiming that, not dominik.
February 21st, 2011 at 10:20 am
Mike and Mike was talking this morning about the Leaders of the team stepping up and organizing practices with team mates if CBA is not reached in time.That leaves Faine out of the leaders group.He needs to go, maybe Al Davis will want him,anywhere but here.
February 21st, 2011 at 10:59 am
Faine may have been a bit out of line, but I don’t think he was “mocking” anyone.
And, Ill bet as a Player Rep he got some marching orders from the association to downplay the “get together” workouts.
I would hope the Glazer boys wouldn’t hold such remarks against him and I doubt they will.
Perhaps the super secret mediation is going to lead to an agreement.
February 21st, 2011 at 11:05 am
eric:
Joe heard the Buffalo Bills player rep George Wilson on Sirius NFL Radio over the weekend basically saying, in so many words, that if players don’t get together to work out they’re setting themselves up for injury whenever the NFL season begins.
Either he missed the memo or Faine misread his.
February 21st, 2011 at 12:36 pm
If Freeman is building a better relationship with Zutta, you can bet you arse Faine will be gone. This alone makes this a bad decision to publically proclaim. A QB has to trust his Center on and off the field. Why do people think Jeff is so smart, it seems it is self-proclaimed. Most centers have to have the ability to think on their feet, what makes him special?
February 21st, 2011 at 1:57 pm
Good question, Dale…I hope Joe asks Faine about it if given the opportunity.
February 21st, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Isn’t that the great Tim Rattay in the background?