Chris Hovan Lashes Out At Aqib Talib, Bucs
April 22nd, 2011
It doesn’t appear Chris Hovan and Aqib Talib will exchange Christmas cards later this year.
Thursday afternoon the former Bucs defensive tackle, a former teammate of Talib who also played under Bucs head coach Raheem Morris, appeared on “Happy Hour with J.P. Peterson” heard on WQYK-AM 1010. Speaking under no uncertain terms, Hovan unleashed a tirade aimed at Talib, Morris and to a lesser degree Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik, inferring that Morris and Dominik are enablers and indirectly responsible for Talib’s string of violent, sometimes criminal acts.
In short, Hovan doesn’t believe Talib belongs on a roster loaded with budding young talent, a team with a bright future.
Namely, Hovan doesn’t believe Talib deserves to be with the Bucs.
Chris Hovan: How many strikes does Aqib get? I mean, really? He beats up a taxi driver. He beats — I saw what he did to Torrie Cox by hitting him in the head with a helmet. I have never seen that before in my 15-20 years of playing football.
J.P. Peterson: He didn’t do it on purpose…
Hovan: Yes he did.
J.P.: You think he did?
Hovan: Yes he did. He took his helmet off and he whacked him over the bridge of the nose. He knew what he was doing. He has been given too much leeway from Raheem Morris because, I guess, Coach Morris [the Bucs former secondary coach] has favoritism towards him because he played defensive back. Again, they are giving this young man way too much leeway. Any other individual would have been cut way before this. But Aqib has so much talent — his talent goes through the ceiling. But you can’t keep having these offseason issues and you can’t keep covering for this kid. They are saying it’s OK for what he is doing and he just pistol whipped somebody in Texas. I mean, how many times does ownership and management let this kid get off? It’s not fair to the other players because you have all these other players following the straight and narrow and you are letting one individual go out and do his own thing? I don’t feel that is acceptable right now. Raheem and Mark Dominik need to address this because they are saying he is bigger than the team right now. I mean, J.P., how many times do you let this guy off the hook now? How many times? I mean, how many people does he have to hurt? How many times is he going to get sued? How many times is he going to go to jail before you get it right? Who is going to step in? Is Raheem going to step in? I have not seen Raheem step in.
J.P.: Well, that was my big problem. After the Ravens incident when he went after the official because the official said something — you can’t go after an official physically like he did. He had to be restrained. And the Bucs answer to that was, “No, he didn’t go after him. Nothing happened there.” And that — I understand they are trying to keep him eligible. They don’t want Roger Goodell to step in. But look: At some point you have to put your foot down. He got injured anyway so he ended up not playing. You’ve got to put a stop to it. Otherwise, he is going to keep doing it.
Hovan: Right now the Bucs are saying it’s OK. By allowing this right now and that is not how you build a football team. If you are going to build your football team on character, discipline and playing tough football then you cannot let all of these off the field and on the field incidents happen. I mean, this is totally out of the realm of what they are trying to do right now for the Bucs organization. Aqib is holding them back right now. When he plays — unbelievable. Did he go to the Pro Bowl?
J.P.: Yeah, yeah.
Hovan: So he went to the Pro Bowl so maybe that is his excuse. “Oh, he went to the Pro Bowl, we’ll let him be.” He is so immature.
J.P.: Let’s be honest: If he were Torrie Cox he’d be gone by now.
Hovan: He’d be gone. And Torrie, I mean he needed 20 stitches on his nose. It was embarrassing. I could see the bone in Torrie’s nose.
J.P.: Eeewww. Well, it’s a freaking helmet, man. You use that as a weapon, you can kill somebody.
Hovan: Exactly. Is that how you are going to fight, really? Is that how you are going to fight? If I am going to fight with you, you are going to bring a helmet? I’m going to bring two fists. And all of a sudden he needs to bring a helmet into it? I really think Aqib is immature. I don’t feel for the way he plays, these off the field incidents are going to get him off. I really feel it is going to get him in the end and it is going to get Bucs management in the end. And in the end if they release him, they are going to say, “Well, it didn’t really pan out.” Well, that’s because, how many times do you have to get arrested and have to hit somebody?
J.P.: Well, right now I think they just want to get something for him. They have an asset. He is one of the best corners in the game. If he gets through his legal troubles, at least they will be able to trade him.
Hovan: Well, if you trade him send him up to New England. If you are not going to rectify the situation, if you don’t want to step in, I know Bill Belichick has the cajones to step in and do something about it because it doesn’t seem like Coach Morris is going to do anything. Mark Dominik is going to give you some blanch story. saying, “Oh, it’s OK. We have him under control. We have him in anger management classes. “No, that’s not enough. You need to suspend this individual and take his money and that is how he will start listening.
J.P.: Well, the league is probably going to do that in any case and Roger Goodell is certainly going to come down on him hard on this latest incident. I think. We’ll see.
Now to be fair, it has been widely reported that Talib’s intended target when he wielded his helmet during a Bucs preseason practice was Donald Penn, not Cox. It was just unfortunate Cox’s face got in the way of Talib’s swing during the commotion.
Joe was taken aback with Hovan’s frustration with Talib, bordering on anger. Hovan made it perfectly clear that Talib should be jettisoned from One Buc Palace the moment the new CBA is signed.
The way Hovan sounded, it is as if he was about to wash his hands of anything to do with the Bucs he was so disgusted.
Now Joe is not trying to stir up anything and Joe just wonders if Hovan isn’t partially still upset with Dominik and Morris for not bringing him back for the 2010 season. Hey, for all Joe knows Hovan was speaking purely from his heart — it sure sounded like it.
If Hovan brings the hammer to the table like this in future episodes of J.P.’s show, and rails like this at what he perceives as an injustice, Hovan may very well have a future in radio somewhere. Click the arrow below to listen to the interview for yourself.
[Audio courtesy of WQYK-AM 1010. Hat tip to Bryan Drake.]
[audio: hovantalib.mp3]
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:11 am
Hovan is just mad hes not a Buc anymore.
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:12 am
Everything he said is 100% correct. Especially about Raheem apologizing for Aqib just like the apologists on the net. Its pretty bad. Perhaps thats why Rah didnt get the contract extension that Mark Dom the roskstar genius that everybody loves got.
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:28 am
It would be idiotic to cut him now anyway. we dont know what they have planned. Just wait and see.
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:30 am
Everyone has such strong opinions. I keep saying it, but we need to let the legal process play out. A lot of the facts of the latest incident are pretty murky right now. That in no way excuses previous offenses, but we need to wait and see what exactly happened THIS TIME.
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:37 am
Talib is replaceable. He’s not the best I’ve ever seen. I’d like him to stay a Buc but if he did in fact fire a gun at someone he needs to pay the price.
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:42 am
I agree Chris, *IF* he fired the gun he needs to go.
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:44 am
I miss Hovan’s jersey tank top.
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:46 am
and ‘War paint’, JP.
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:51 am
Hovan looks like Bugs Bunny on steroids.
At this point with Aqib, it doesn’t make sense to just blow him off, and there is no way Belichick is going to want him. He doesn’t need him or the headache of him. It sounds like Aqib may skate out of yet another incident anyway. And if he does, let the Commish deal with him and keep playing him until he kills somebody or worse, smokes weed. He is what he is, and he is a big investment that needs to have every last dime bled out of him. It’s just business, take care of the business, and let the Cops worry about the rest. I’m really just tired of hearing about it. Let’s get on with the Draft and end this stupid Lockout Crap.
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:52 am
But nothing Hovan said was wrong, either.
April 22nd, 2011 at 9:18 am
I say, retain the rights to Talib, enforce a 10 game suspension without pay(on top of the 6 he will get from Rodger Goodell), see if he acts up during that year.Bring him in next training camp and see where he is. If he can compete let him. If not, can him. But act as if he is not even on the team anymore.
April 22nd, 2011 at 9:38 am
Hovan might have a point but when he lets his own personal feeling cause him to alter the truth to make it seem even worse it loses effect and he jst becomes a hater.
The whole “He attacked Torrie” lie shows he has a personal beef. EVERYONE knows Cox was just in the wrong place during the Talib/Penn showdown.
April 22nd, 2011 at 9:52 am
Legal process my ass anybody with money can get out of anything half the time if not all the time. All he has to do is settle with the ex boyfriend out of court and off the record and the charges will get dropped. Hovan is right
April 22nd, 2011 at 9:59 am
“The way Hovan sounded, it is as if he was about to wash his hands of anything to do with the Bucs he was so disgusted.”
Too late, Dom did that for him last offseason. Take your cut-up jersey and face paint and go play dress up somewhere else, Hovan.
Because of the lockout, the BUCS CAN’T cut Talib yet, so let’s at least wait until they have an opportunity to cut him before criticizing the Bucs’ front office. No one in their right mind would’ve cut Talib after the Cox and Cabbie incidents alone.
Oh yeah and saying, “If it were Cox, he’d be cut.” Yeah dipsh*t, his name is Jerramy Stevens and that’s exactly what happened to him. The better you are, the more leeway you have. It’s called leverage…
April 22nd, 2011 at 10:03 am
Joe everyone has everything to say about this situation, and they don’t know what the hell happened. I hear Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan make these stupid comments like “dump him.” Pat Yasankis.. The list goes on.. Nobody knows what happened. It is a case that will be very hard for prosecution to prove. So I say to you Mr. Hovan SHUT UP!! You sound like a bitter old man.. It’s over. Tampa isn’t the only team that thought you were washed up. So just chill out
April 22nd, 2011 at 10:22 am
If Hovan didn’t care about the organization, he wouldn’t have said anything. Sounds to me like he’s still a Bucs fan. And that’s okay with me.
Everything he said is true. Talib doesn’t need to be cut, he needs to be reined in.
Between Talib and the DUI’s, this organization has had one terribly embarrassing offseason. Everyone knows changes must be made. I just hope somebody has the balls to do it.
April 22nd, 2011 at 10:44 am
Apparently I am not the only one who knows that Rah Rah is an enabler of the type of conduct that is a problem with Talib and pervasive through this team.
I said that I have heard this from others, finally, someone within the org will come out and have the balls to tell you sheep the truth. Rah Rah is only the head coach in name, he is buddy first which affects his ability to be firm.
I am glad that you sheep now are getting a first hand account.
Joe, I heard that the original beef was with Penn but that Talib was so “out of control” that he swung his helmet at Cox who was in the middle. I think that is what Hovan is saying. Either way, why does it matter enough Joe to correct Hovan’s impression of what happened? If he was intending to hit a teammate in the head with his helmet does it matter if he hit his intended target? This is what I am talking about: criticizing the people who just tell the truth about the problems at One Buc.
The have owners who prefer pennies to wins; and a head coach who is buddy before boss. Thank goodness for Freeman – that is all I can say. He is able to overcome a plethora of problems.
April 22nd, 2011 at 10:58 am
LOL!!!
April 22nd, 2011 at 11:01 am
Thomas 2.2:
Joe has yet to read an account that Torrie Cox was the intended target of Aqib Talib. If anything, Joe was told Cox was a peacemaker. Hovan never implied at all that Cox was an unintended target. Joe felt responsible to point out the inaccuracy.
And yean, if some idiot is going to start swinging a weapon like that, one would have to be out of control. Lucky Cox wasn’t killed.
April 22nd, 2011 at 11:11 am
“If anything, Joe was told Cox was a peacemaker.”
Okay, if this is the case, then this really makes Talib the moron.
So Talib in the midst of a blinding rage couldn’t distinguish the ‘peacemaker’ trying to ease the situation by stepping in the middle? The guy was trying to break up the altercation and Talib was STILL STUPID enough to swing the f—- g helmet, even with his team mate in the middle.
What an idiot Talib is.
And 20 stitches accross the face is a lot.
I like how the apologists say the Torrie was in the wrong place at the wrong time. NO, Talib should NOT have swung the helmet at a guy with other guys trying to break it up.
April 22nd, 2011 at 11:24 am
WeNeedDefense:
Trust Joe, he is no Talib apologist. But Cox tried stop Talib and walked right into the swing of his helmet. It is well-documented that Donald Penn was the intended target.
Talib was clearly out of control in this incident.
April 22nd, 2011 at 11:56 am
It’s too bad Hovan couldn’t get this fired up when running backs carrying the football were coming his way!
April 22nd, 2011 at 11:59 am
I wasn’t calling you an apologist Joe.
I was referring to the folks who keep saying Torrie was in the wrong place at the wrong time. BS.
It’s like the guy swinging his fists even when the friend steps in to hold him back.
Talib is just that dumb.
April 22nd, 2011 at 1:02 pm
I’m so mad I could punch a taxi driver!
Wish I had a .10 for everytime I thought that.
April 22nd, 2011 at 1:22 pm
You Talib apologists make me laugh. Pathetic. Say what you will about Hovan but he’s correct.
April 22nd, 2011 at 2:16 pm
Lightning Buc you are funny but right!!!
Hovan another has been who was given a chance by the Bucs.
People no gun residue no case!!!!
Hovan do yourself a favor and retire, I have bad dreams of the Panthers RB carrying you 10yds.
You are so bitter!!!
Joe newsflas homeboy is pissed @ Raheem & Dominic
April 22nd, 2011 at 2:27 pm
The conduct on this team is just downright ridiculous. Hayes, Talib, Stevens (when he was here), etc….the list is always getting bigger!! No one ever stays out of trouble.
And I think it’s true that Raheem doesn’t discipline the players enough. He’s too laid back, he smiles and jokes around too much, cuts them too much slack, and he’s too much of a “friend” to all of his players. He needs to be a little more of a hardass like Gruden was and put a little more fear into his players. His players need to think “oh man, i better be careful about what I do or else coach is gonna kick my ass.” Not “oh raheem is such a cool dude. He won’t do nada to me.” Just nowhere near as extreme as he was.
There’s so much youth on this team. Raheem in a way is part of the youth, as he’s only 34 years old and is the youngest coach in the league. Being that close in age to all of your players gives you a special bond between you and them.
As for being a coach and building this team, I think Raheem has done very good. He just needs to improve as far as this goes. Discipline your players.
April 22nd, 2011 at 2:53 pm
I can’t blame Raheem for any of this crap. He isn’t their mommy or daddy. These kids need to grow up, and quickly. You definitely “have to be tough to be dumb”.
Raheem should tell them that if they are going to act like children that they will be treated like children. Drill their butts in the ground, over and over until they are ready to kill you. One person screws up, everybody pays. That is how to build unity and make them police themselves. It weeds out the bad apples and gets the players behind the decision to rid the team of the vermin. When the team collectively believes that they no longer need Aqib, that is when you let him go. Get with the program or get the hell out.
April 22nd, 2011 at 2:56 pm
fukk Hovan! he’s DONE and BITTER. Talib will mature after this, BOOK IT!!!
April 22nd, 2011 at 3:00 pm
This should be settled by a Hovan vs Talib steel cage match. If Talib survives, lets keep him.
April 22nd, 2011 at 3:18 pm
a steel cage!?! No this should be settled by who gives us a better chance to WIN FOOTBALL GAMES!!!
April 22nd, 2011 at 6:48 pm
Hovan is an idiot. How can he criticize the front office for not releasing Talib WHEN HE HAS NO IDEA IF THEY WILL RELEASE HIM???!!! What a jackass. They may very well release him. And as far as the previous incidents, none of them were of the caliber that ANY NFL team would release a player for them. Talented players don’t get released fighting for teammates or getting misdemeanor battery charges. Period. This all comes across as sour grapes from a guy who was released in favor of the greatness that was Ryan Sims.
April 22nd, 2011 at 6:56 pm
Its funny but I don’t recall Ray Lewis being released by the Ravens when he was on trial for MURDER!!!!!!!!! Anyone claiming that the Bucs should release Talib before the legal system plays things out is an idiot and does not understand how the NFL works. Talib is not Jerramy Stevens. Stevens was on his way out anyway and thats why he was released immediately following his arrest. Get over it folks. The Bucs aren’t parting with a first round pick with the pro bowl possibly in his future until they have some PROOF he did something to warrant his release. The past incidents are IRRELEVANT right now. He wasn’t released for those incidents when they happened and he won’t be released for them now. When and if he is convicted of something THEN Hovan and others can complain if the Bucs don’t release him. I know I will expect them to do so. To expect them to do so beforehand is ignorant.
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:20 pm
I saw Aqib Talib in the melée up in Cleveland, Ohio at the McJob fair. Yeah, and Talib started it too!!!
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:20 pm
Dimebag Darrell rules!!!
April 22nd, 2011 at 8:36 pm
@gitarlvr
Hovan was released last offseason
April 22nd, 2011 at 10:42 pm
patrick- i know he was. he was released and sims was kept. im sure that hurt his ego.
April 23rd, 2011 at 4:09 am
Hovan just may be 100% right, but he has been gone for over a year, so although his opinion may be spot on, it also may not be. As anyone who has played sports before (psst Thomas, not you), this is pretty common practice for coaches to support certain players over others. Unfortunately, in my playing days, I was never one of those guys, since it is typically the best players. It’s not fair, but it is reality. If you think about it, the same rule applies to just about every profession – the better guys have a longer leash.
Just like how many fans don’t want to suspend a player when he gets in trouble for fear of it hurting the team on the field, imagine how a coach feels. Their job relies on them winning games, so of course they are going to want their best players on the field. You can b!tch and moan about how it hurts the team yada yada yada, but nothing, absolutely nothing, substitutes for talent. That is a fact. We are not a better team without Talib. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool (psst Thomas, I’m talking to you). So you can call him an enabler, and he may very well be, but he is going to try to win games. That’s how he keeps his job. Don’t think for one second that Gruden wouldn’t do the exact same thing.
April 23rd, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Hoban is right. Taliban is a scumbag, who shoulda been cut before this . He is just more ‘hood trash that a contending team should be embarrassed to have on the roster. Swinging a helmet at our pro bowl left tackle?? That shoulda got the Lil ape cut right then.
Quit making excuses for this thug people. He won’t help this team, or this community. It’s ridiculous how people are jumping to this idiots defense.
April 23rd, 2011 at 7:07 pm
“Taliban” LOL!!!
The Skipper’s on a roll.
April 24th, 2011 at 5:30 am
Capt. Tim,
I don’t think too many people are jumping to his defense. There’s a big difference between jumping to his defense and not being quite ready to cut him loose. I personally am not a big fan of letting go of a player and watching another team pick him up, and then watching him become a perennial pro-bowler. I guess it’s just bad memories from Buccaneers past. I am totally aware that it is not fair that he gets away with more than a regular player, but life is not always fair. Guys with more talent simply get a longer leash. I mean, Thomas could do whatever he wanted at band camp, since he was the best clarinet player. As they say, “it is what it is”.
Truth is, none of us know how much of a distraction Talib is to the team. Different teams deal with situations like this in different ways. However, if the coaching staff “owns” the locker room, the distraction should be at a minimum. If we start having CURRENT PLAYERS complaining, then that’s a different story. Even an “unnamed current player” complaining about Talib would be more worrisome to me than what Chris Hovan thinks (nothing against Hovan, I liked him very much as a player). So far, that just hasn’t happened.
More importantly, the details of the event are hazy at best. Although I wouldn’t bet $1 that he is completely innocent, we simply don’t know until all the facts come out. He has the right to that, as everyone does. If it is determined he is as guilty as some people are convinced he is, then getting rid of him has to be a possibility. But until then, it’s ridiculous to just get rid of a pro bowl player because of the testimony of a sweetheart like Billings. Just let it play out before you judge Talib (I mean, Taliban).