Union-first Jeff Faine Coming Back
March 13th, 2011
The man stockpiling Saltines and anchovies in a backroom bunker of his Orlando haberdashery, Bucs center Jeff Faine, will return to the Bucs the next time the team has an organized workout at One Buc Palace, whenever that may be (2012?).
That’s the word from Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. He buttonholed Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik while Dominik took a break at the Great American Track Practice NFL Combine recently in-between Dominik watching guys run around in shorts and T-shirts but not playing football.
Dominik told Cummings that, in short, Faine will return to the Bucs whenever there is a season.
Many Bucs fans continue to speculate about the future of C Jeff Faine, who struggled to stay on the field yet again last season and is scheduled to make $4.75 million in 2011. The speculation stems from a belief the Bucs may not want to pay that kind of money to a center who has missed 12 games the past two seasons. But general manager Mark Dominik recently indicated strongly that Faine is safe.
“Jeff Faine is the captain of the football team for a lot of right reasons and he’s a productive player for us,” Dominik said during a sit-down chat at the scouting combine two weeks ago.
First, let Joe be clear: aside from his non-team, union-first scoffing at Josh Freeman for wanting to organize workouts and his outrageous crying about how players will be rendered homeless and forced to panhandle for crumbs due to the lockout, Joe has absolutely nothing against Faine. Nada. Nothing.
But seeing how Faine pulls in a pretty penny from Team Glazer and is getting up in years for an NFL player and is beginning to miss a lot of games due to injury, Joe was under the impression Faine might not be on the Bucs whenever this labor mess is resolved. That’s just the business of the NFL: If you are paid well, you better be able to answer the bell and perform well.
Joe’s not saying Faine didn’t perform well, but when the Bucs saw Jeremy Zuttah fill in admirably for Faine when he was out — and Zuttah’s salary is far less than Faine’s — if you did the math, the sum did not do much for Faine’s job stability in Tampa Bay.
It’s nothing personal at all. It’s just the harsh realities of life in the NFL.
March 13th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
Questioning the veracity of statements by management are we? Its about time. I am to the point where i dont believe anything the org puts out b/c i know it is glazer-filtered.
Btw- has there ever been a worse fitting nickname than “rock star” for dom. He has a boring, boyish, conservative manner and he signed mike clayton to a 25 mill contract, wasted 10 mil on mccown, leftwich, nugent and crowell, drafted 2 players at the same position in round 1 and 2 last year, drafted kyle moore. . . He has done okay bc of free, but everything about him is not rock-starish.
March 13th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
With Faine coming back, I hope they don’t let Joseph go and put Zuttah in at guard… That would be a huge mistake. Zuttah is much better at center, and we can’t afford to lose Davin Joseph.
March 13th, 2011 at 2:57 pm
IMO, Dominik pretty much just gave away that the Bucs aren’t going to draft Pouncey…
March 13th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Not sure how you got that out of what Joe wrote. Trying to twist Joe’s words is a REAL easy way to get bounced from this place.
As for Dominik, feel free to stack up what he has done compared to your hero Bruce Almighty.
March 13th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Hunter:
Zuttah is a very, very good right guard. He can’t play the left side of the ball at all.
March 13th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
Joe, I sure hope you let the Faine bashing go once and for all. From all of your accusations about him, I see it as you being waaaaay off base on this one. It’s as if you want your conviction of him to become true.
Nothing he said should warrant any concern. He was representing his union of players, trying to go to bat for them. He was being frank about players not showing up at player organized practices, not questioning Josh Freeman.
It’s time you lets this crap go.
Talk about the CBA and how DeMaurice led the players off the cliff or something newsworthy.
March 13th, 2011 at 3:35 pm
I see Faine as a low contributor to the organization’s profit margin because he is aging, he costs too much for the production that he offer the team, and he is not exceptional at one thing. In the business world, which he is accustomed to, this is called variances and he should be considered an unfavorable cost to the Bucs.
Try that for business Faine (you are expendable)…I am a fan but you are in my world now when you enter finances and business. Stick to football and follow the leader. Freeman is trying to get the offense together and you should be his enforcer right now making sure the O-line is present.
March 13th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Who else in Tampa or St. Pete is reporting anything negative about Faine? Who?
This is completely fabricated Joe. And you are influencing a following based on complete and utter BS. Your characterization of Faine is delusional at BEST.
Faine said this:
“You’re not going to see Josh Freeman and our receiving corps down at the University of Tampa soccer field,” Faine said. “They might go out there and run some routes and throw. But you’re talking about getting an entire receiving corps together being able to work against an entire defensive backs corps. It’s just not going to happen.”
And you find that as the reason to accuse him of going against Freeman? He was giving his insight based on his experience in the league, not scoffing at Freeman, but telling people that based on his experience with the million dollar cry baby players, he didn’t see that happening at all. No where did he say ‘Josh Freeman isn’t man enough to get these guys out there voluntarily’.
Get a grip dude.
March 13th, 2011 at 3:53 pm
WeNeedDefense:
First, you may want to re-read the article. Second, Joe doesn’t bash. Third, if Faine doesn’t say something stupid or try to undermine his team, then Joe won’t go after him (or any other player). It’s a very simple concept. Joe’s sorry you don’t understand.
Right. Just like other union reps Joe has heard on Sirius NFL Radio who are trying to rally their teammates to work out as a unit. Glad Faine is looking out so well for his teammates. Pppffftt.
Joe believes it was just the opposite.
Again, real simple: If Faine doesn’t say anything stupid or try to Pearl Harbor his team, Joe won’t write about it. Joe hopes at some point you can grasp this.
So you don’t think news that Faine will return is newsworthy? Got it. (rolling eyes).
Joe is frankly sick of CBA chatter. You can get your fill at countless sites and radio shows of this boring pap. Joe attempts to be a haven for those who want to discuss football
March 13th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
WeNeedDefense:
Mr.Faine:
Joe’s humbled you visit this site. Please keep doing your best to create division among your team, spout nonsense how the players won’t be able to buy food and do you best to see that the team is as out of shape and ill-prepared as it can be when this labor mess is over.
In the meantime, Solidarność!
March 13th, 2011 at 4:05 pm
“Please keep doing your best to create division among your team…”
See, that is the BS you keep writing about.
He is not dividing the team. You THINK he is. And you will keep on proclaiming it until you garner enough of a following to support your slant.
You are the ONLY news outlet that is TRYING to turn Faine into a bad guy. I don’t see anyone else going after him.
March 13th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
WeNeedDefense:
No s(p)it Sherlock, you really believe Joe writes what he doesn’t believe??? Faine surely isn’t the model of team unity but carry on.
Is your reading comprehension that miserable?
March 13th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Idk, I like Faine but Pouncey seemed like a real interesting prospect at center.
March 13th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
You said this:
“First, let Joe be clear: aside from his non-team, union-first scoffing at Josh Freeman for wanting to organize workouts and his outrageous crying about how players will be rendered homeless and forced to panhandle for crumbs due to the lockout, Joe has absolutely nothing against Faine. Nada. Nothing.”
Come on Joe. Nothing against him huh?
March 13th, 2011 at 4:13 pm
If anyone has an agenda WeNeedDefense, it is you and you proved it with your last comment.
March 13th, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Boy joe a little sensitive today? You included a quote from dom that you summarized to mean that faine is in no trouble. You continued to argue that faine is highly paid, injury prone and you mention zuttah as on his heels ( i like zuttah but i have never understood your fascination with him), all points questioning faine’s true value to this team. Then you wrote: “if you do thd math the sum did not do much for faine’s job stability in tampa bay.” your circumstantial conclusion challenges the logic or veracity of what dom said. Are u telling me that you have never published that you thought a gm was smokescreening or strstegically misleading the public.
As for bruce and dom, their careers are not over but 13-19, third and fourth in the division, no playoffs, serial blackouts, from season tix waiting lists to discounted tickets – i think bruce would gladly compare achievements at this point.
You
March 13th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
Thomas:
OK, thought you were suggesting Joe was going after Dominik. We’re good.
This isn’t the first time Joe has wondered if Faine would be back given the issues Joe has cited (age, salary, getting dinged up, competent replacement).
March 13th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
I also find it hilarious that you have the ability to filter comments but threaten to ban for twisting words. Joe, anything we write is subject to interpretation. Why write the editorial part of the article if not to provoke comments on both sides of the coin re whether the bucs Truly will retain faine. Very strange response joe. You must be close to dom.
March 13th, 2011 at 4:42 pm
@Thomas, Dom is doing good considering all the young guys we have look very promising. Clayton, Ward, the punter, the WR trade from the Eagles, sure, they were misses, but I think he is doing pretty good at getting young players. And if it isn’t him, then the Bucs scouting department is doing very well with plucking players post draft.
My big question mark is Raheem and his defensive schemes all while Ruud and the rest of the defense has to take the heat.
But I think getting rid of Faine is downright stupid. Why get rid of a starter and at the very least depth at the oline position? Makes no sense at all. And why create a NEED that isn’t a NEED today? We have enough REAL needs on defense.
March 13th, 2011 at 5:22 pm
Thomas 2.2…Joe is a Republican..sooo…yea if you say some thing he dont like he try to block you…guess he thinks he haves power that way…idk,,
March 13th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
Good points we need defense. I dont agree that joe or all repubs block opposing comments. I do believe that the glazers are rarely honest with this community.
I am convinced that the team slashed the payroll intentionally bc of factors mostly unrelated to winning on the field then hired a politician/grilla to repackage the message to the public. Why hire a non-football guy for that position?
Great points about rah. Rah is the great scapegoat-er. Team plays poorly, fire an assistant to buy time. The defense is bad, rah gets a pass. The offense is good, the sheep try to give rah the credit for it when he is d coordinator. Makes no sense. I think rah is a good d backs coach and no more. If freeman gets hurt, they will be lucky to win one game.
March 13th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
No Thomas, just something trying to claim Joe is writing “X” when the thought nor the focus of the article was about “X,” that’s begging to get run.
Not only did Joe not go after Bucs management in this article, Joe never even implied the Bucs are wrong. Your insinuation came so far out of left field and interesting mirrors your long-standing narrative, well, Joe doesn’t care for people mincing his words to say something Joe never intended nor implied.
If there is any gray area, feel free to ask Joe.
March 13th, 2011 at 6:17 pm
LowDownBucFan:
LOL. Joe welcomes differences of opinion so long as they don’t try to lie about Joe or claim he is unethical.
There are a couple of long-time frequent posters Joe rarely ever agrees with. But that’s their right. That’s what this place is for… within reason of course.
March 13th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
I honestly have not seen more stupidity on a thread since I’ve been coming to this site, and I am not referring to Joe. This must be Bonehead Sunday.
March 13th, 2011 at 6:26 pm
I think what Joe’s saying here is that Faine won’t be back with the Bucs because his super-mastermind business sense forced Faine to sabbotage all CBA talks. His intent is to shut down the NFL, buy his own team, start a new league and make his own billions. It’s a very sinister plan that’s working perfectly so far. Faine, of course, would never return to the Bucs since he’d be his own billionaire owner and probably pay himself an extra 10M to play as well. What greed, what horror? Yes, Faine has made a deal with the devil and his next step would be to become President of the United States of America. Oh, but he won’t stop there… no… a New World Order is just around the corner with Faine leading the way. Yes, he has MUCH bigger plans than undermining Josh Freeman’s meager practices…
Isn’t that what you meant, Joe? I didn’t put any words in your mouth, did I? I didn’t read anything into that article that I shouldn’t have, did I?
BwaaHaaHaaHaa!!!! lol
March 13th, 2011 at 6:28 pm
🙂
March 13th, 2011 at 7:02 pm
Faine isn’t going anywhere. The Bucs are gonna NEED Faine’s salary if/when a new CBA is reached. They’re going to have to probably double their payroll to meet the salary floor.
March 13th, 2011 at 7:37 pm
the bottom line is faine hasnt lived up to his massive free agent contract. imagine that. one of the highest paid centers in league history should at least be in the pro bowl conversation, wouldnt you think?
March 13th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
See now, I have called Joe out on his hating on Faine in the past, but I honestly did not think this article was anything of the sort. I actually thought it was a decent article.
I like Faine, and I don’t believe he’s a problem in the locker room.
That said, I don’t see where Cummings got that Faine was safe out of those comments. Dominick said positive things of him, but that was it. Even if he did say so, it’s pre-draft. If he were planning on a change at center, he certainly would not say so before the draft.
My opinion is that Faine is up there in years and is very injury prone. I would hate to see him gone, especially after the experieces we had with Mahan (no desire to see something like that again!), but I would understand it. It’s too bad they can’t just make him a backup to keep him healthy, and start Zuttah.
I don’t think they actually will let him go though…the team is low on leaders, and the young guys that might step into that role need another year before they are fully ready to do so.
Freeman is close…very close. Caddy and Barber will be out next year. Styles White will be lucky to make the team this year, especially if we draft his replacement.
March 13th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Faine was in the Pro Bowl while here, and since then he wasn’t considered due to injury.
And I don’t know how you figure Faine hasn’t lived up to his contract, unless you mean because of his injuries. Skill-wise he is an awesome center. If you don’t believe that, look at the tape. When the guys next to him do their jobs, he can focus on his own and does well.
It’s when he has to compensate for otehrs lack of experience that things have gone downhill. And that, unfortunately, has happened a lot the last few years. Think about hte centers that have filled in for him and how they did. Zuttah is the only one who did decent…but not nearly as good as Faine.
March 13th, 2011 at 8:46 pm
Faine is a pretty awesome center when he isn’t getting bulled over by takles on every other play. The one thing Faine does do well is snap the ball. K2 doesn’t block so I guess it’s okay for Faine not to either. No, I’m messing around, he really isn’t that bad, but he’s about like Ruud, serviceable but not great. Why did the Saints let him go in the first place? I know Goodwin beat him out but what does that say? At that time the Bucs disparately needed a center. Again I have to ask “Is this as good as it gets?” I sure hope not. I believe next years Bucs will be super young too. I can see Stylez and Ruud both getting the boot. Stovall, I like but is expendable. Cadi could be gone, but I hope not, and the former Starting O line with True, Joseph, & Faine making up the right side always under performed and that is being kind. The rookies last year blew them all away. If the Bucs lost all 3 of those over paid linemen it would not be a great loss. Dom is a sharp guy and I can see a lot of fat getting trimmed off the roster and replaced with more lean and mean hungry kids. Their model has been working well, so why go back to the same worn out crap? IMHO, haha. For that matter, why not just rehire Chuckles?
March 13th, 2011 at 8:52 pm
The stupidity of not re-signing Davin and Ruud all while cutting Faine.
You guys just don’t get it do you? WHY CREATE MORE NEEDS???
March 13th, 2011 at 9:00 pm
Like Rah says “I’ll tolerate you until I can replace you”. It’s time for a few replacements. Few recent Buc expendables ever last on other teams. The Bucs need 2 DE’s, 2 LBS, 2 Safety, 2 CB, 1 OG, 1 OT, 1 RB & 1 TE. That would mean bye bye to Styles, Crowder, Jones, Asante, Mack, Barber(last year), Joseph, Faine, Truebld, Huggins, Purvis & Kyle Moore. I guess we need more than I thought.
March 13th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
Why not just cut everybody.
March 13th, 2011 at 9:41 pm
Pete Dutcher, Faine was in the Pro Bowl? How did I miss that one, maybe cause it didn’t happen? When Faine signed with Tampa Bay he was the highest paid Center in league history. Sorry, I guess I expected to get something more than a run of the mill starter out of that deal.
I doubt if they’ll cut him this year, but he’s a prime candidate to be gone next year if he has another injury filled season. Zuttah stepped up and made Faine look expendable, which is what you want your young backups to do. James Lee did the same thing to Trueblood.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:20 pm
I’m not looking for CUTs, just better replacements, upgrades if you will. I think it’s about 85% doable. The one thing I like about Trueblood is the one thing I hate about him. He will strap it on with anybody, anytime. If he could just block better, because he is mean enough for sure, but he is always the one who gets flagged. He’s still a good backup for Lee. I wonder if Dotson will stick around and if he’ll play blocking TE.
March 13th, 2011 at 11:25 pm
I don’t believe anything that Mark Dominick says before the draft. I think Mark may be the best poker player in Tampa, and may have said what he said to intentionally throw other teams off regarding our intentions in the draft.
We can speculate all we want, all fine and good, but we will never really know, until we know.
March 14th, 2011 at 1:09 am
hahahah NOW joe doesn’t have anything against Faine smh did you delete your bashing articles?
March 14th, 2011 at 2:26 am
I agree with Joe’s opinion of Faine. I also think Mark Dominick is playing Poker right now. I won’t be surprised to see Faine released.
March 14th, 2011 at 2:43 am
BigMacAttack- lOl- wow, it was like an idiot convention at the start of this thread! Like all the total idiots decided to pile on Joe at once. Now we have the dumb ones traveling in packs!
March 14th, 2011 at 3:26 am
Haha, right. Mr. Faine said he *doubted* that Freeman could assemble a full receiver core to go against a full defensive back core, & you took that as he was “scoffing” at the idea to begin with(never was the case, if you read the quotes accurately & without sensation). Now, Dominik is saying “we’re SO, so much under the cap, Faine is one of the captains, & is still a good player”, so OF COURSE he’s a candidate to be back.
Writing headlines is easy…reality takes a little more nuance…
March 14th, 2011 at 8:18 am
Even hinting at releasing Faine smells of a Joe Dirt trailer park mentality.
March 14th, 2011 at 11:30 am
Joe here,
Funny how some of you don’t even leave open the possibility that banged up, aging Faine might be completely outplayed in training camp, coming off a season where his absense wasn’t really felt (unlike the Sean Mahan disaster). Doesn’t matter that it’s Faine, any potentially dispensable vet with a high salary on a youth-movement team is in the same boat. No security.
March 14th, 2011 at 11:39 am
What’s funny is your onslaught against Jeff Faine.
March 14th, 2011 at 11:46 am
WeNeedDefense:
Feel free to use the (free) archives search to see if you can find one negative word Joe has written about Jeff Faine prior to him Pearl Harboring Josh Freeman’s offseason plans in the 7,000+ posts Joe has written about the Bucs in nearly three years.
If taking Faine to task when he deserves it — Joe has had Bucs beat writers e-mail him saying, of late, for a smart guy Faine sure is talking stupid — if that is an “onslaught” Joe has no idea what an “onslaught” is then.
And if you think Faine’s comments about the lockout are helping foster and build team unity, you are frankly delusional (or you are Jeff Faine’s wife).
In Joe’s eyes, his constant beating of the drum on women who don’t have the NFL Network and BSPN, those are “onslaughts” and Joe will never let up on those.
March 14th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
“Feel free to use the (free) archives search to see if you can find one negative word Joe has written about Jeff Faine…”
Promise not to delete them?
Then you finished the statement with Faine ‘Pearl Harboring Freeman’ … that’s the issue Joe. You are absolutely making a mountain out of a mole hill on this one. Faine didn’t undermine Freeman at all. It’s ridiculous that you keep harping about this for no other reason but to defame Faine.
March 14th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Faine absolutely stabbed Freeman in the back and if you can’t see that, you need a new optometrist. It’s beyond ridiculous you can’t see that.
March 14th, 2011 at 12:35 pm
Why are you begging to get run? Joe doesn’t delete posts and he surely has better things to do — like work — then take hours to delete posts that dont even exist.
Best way to get bounced is to accuse Joe of being unethical.
March 14th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
You are claiming that Faine ‘stabbed Freeman in the back’?
How do you not find that being overly sensational?
Unless you have inside information that Josh Freeman got his feelings hurt then you are manufacturing this alleged ‘divide’ as you termed it.
Now if Freeman got his feelings hurt and someone is asking you to promote this point of view that turns Faine into Dr. EVIL then it all makes sense.
March 14th, 2011 at 12:52 pm
Weneeddefense:
Come out and admit it, you are Mrs. Faine.
No more about this subject! Joe’s beaten this to a pulp and you are the only one who has buried his/her head in the sand in undying loyalty to a guy who is more loyal to his union than his teammates.
Comments on this thread are now closed.