Sapp Wants Answers At Middle Linebacker
August 10th, 2011
So where does Bucs icon and NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp stand on the Bucs’ plan to start Mason Foster at middle linebacker?
Sapp wants answers, and he plans to get them today during his visit to One Buc Palace.
Sapp explained this morning on The Ron and Ian Show on WDAE-AM 620.
Co-host Ron Diaz: How much will the Bucs miss Barrett Ruud?
Warrent Sapp: That’s what I’m going to ask Raheem today because it’s always been a complex defense with the middle backer, the way he had to do the checks and get everbody lined up and be on the pace. He had to be so smart and so cerebral about the game. I want to know if the young fella is going to be able to handle it.
I’m sure they’re not going to put too much on his plate or anything. But when you’re talking about the quarterback of a defense, that middle backer? I mean, it’s a calming effect on the front. Whenever you got your guy and you look back and you’ve got that star look on his face [and he’s barking] ‘Close left. Close right. This what we need here. Let’s play.’ It’s a very calming effect and it allows the boys up front to just go and just eat up whatever is in front of them. And whatever’s left he should be able to clean up. He has the speed.
Joe wonders how Raheem will answer Sapp in the private bowels of One Buc Palace.
August 10th, 2011 at 11:43 am
Raheem’s answer will be” beats me? I wanted to keep Ruud. There’s no way on hell a rookie can run the Defense, while learning his job, in the Tampa2. No Chance in hell. This was Dom’s call. He made it because of Ian Beckles pathetic attack on Ruud, just to get publicity. Enough uneducated fans bough in, that Dom though we we had to make a change.
Sorry Warren, but the Defense is gonna struggle. It’s Gonba cost us games. But it wasn’t my decision, and no informed football person would have made that choice. But management is trying to get more butts in the seat.
Guess they didn’t think winning was enough . .”
August 10th, 2011 at 11:51 am
Yeah, that’ll be his answer. Dimwit.
August 10th, 2011 at 11:51 am
Referring to First Mate Timmy…not Raheem.
August 10th, 2011 at 11:52 am
Safe to say Dominik didn’t let Ruud go because Ian Beckles didn’t like him. Sheesh Captain.
August 10th, 2011 at 11:54 am
I wonder if he knows Rah compared him to Talib?
August 10th, 2011 at 7:38 pm
Eric, they are friends so I wouls suppose Sapp could not care less. Capt Tim…Geeze man, you are turning into Thomas.
August 10th, 2011 at 7:42 pm
Was anyone else unable to view the site for the past few hours?
August 10th, 2011 at 7:44 pm
Joe here,
@Mauha Deeb – See the newest post.
August 10th, 2011 at 8:50 pm
You guys didnt hear him say the MLB was there to clean up ,I heard him say when you look back and see those eyes of the MLB.Does that ring a bell to any of you or do you pick and choose what you hear,and did that sound anything like Ruud.You guys are sad trying to make excuses for a player that know one wanted but one team for one year,I guess that makes him number one.
August 10th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
No one swayed my opinion on Ruud one way or the other. My eyes and my receptors were the only thing that factored into my decision about him. I may only have a limited amount of neurons left, but they still communicate with each other. T2.2 has 2 and they are fried. It is bogus argument to say the media or fans played into The Dom’s decision. I think it is foolish to throw Tmac or Foster under the bus before they play their first game. Sapp may be BACK on the bandwagon now, but he picked against the Bucs week in and week out, last year on “Inside the NFL”. He was big time doubter that didn’t come around until the season was 80% over and he was still sketchy. Now he has the Bucs as his top 5 NFC team. WTF, no one has any faith, well few do, and kudos to them.
As for what The Dom said, Size matters, ask your ex-wife.
August 10th, 2011 at 9:10 pm
He should clean up whats left he has the speed that does not sound like Ruud,I really didnt hear him mention Ruud,I heard the interview,I heard Ian ask about it but he seemed too miis talking about Ruud.Its sad the way some of us are still upset about a player that only ONE team saw fit to give him a ONE year deal.Obviously Dom was not the only one that listen to Ian,It seems that no one else thought that he was worth a long term deal,maybe you guys should form some kind of picket line or maybe a sit in,what about forming a march around all the teams that agreed with Dom?But hell,what do I know ,Im just one of the uneducated fans that bough in.
August 10th, 2011 at 9:57 pm
There is great concern about the MLB position and justifiably so. That concern comes from our traditional understanding of the Tampa2 and the role the MLB played in that defense. But what if that role and defense is evolving? I heard something in Morris’ 8/9 presser when he talked about the Will and Sam position when Brooks was known as the Will backer. Suppose Morris eventually wants the Will, Mike, or Sam to be a function or role instead of a specific person. And he wants people (LBs) to be multi-functional ala Adam Hayward. The function may move and the man may move from one function to another depending on the play. Black may play sam on play x and play will on play y. This would create mass confusion for offenses, but would require cerebral, multi-functional LBs with size and speed. I could be wrong, but I sense something is changing by the type of people being drafted and the decisions being made on personnel. We’ll see!!
August 10th, 2011 at 10:25 pm
And the winner of the award for the “Fastest Transformation”….. Capt. Tim!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen somebody switch so quickly from a seemingly educated fan to a mindless repetative cry baby in my life. What the hell happend to you man?
“This was Dom’s call. He made it because of Ian Beckles pathetic attack on Ruud”
If you really belive this then you have completely fallen off the deep end.
Either that, or 30 other Head Coaches and NFL GM’s are huge Ian Beckles fans.
August 10th, 2011 at 10:52 pm
Macabee,,,,
I agree he’s teaching Foster mostly MLB right now (no OTA’s, less training camp, being a rookie) but eventually he will be crossed trained like Black, Hayward, the other Flaaada Sate LB. Geno is the only one that’s not a big, strong (he is fast) LB that may not play all 3 LB positions. Rah likes to have multi-dimensional players so he can call many different pre-snap formations and help disguise the different post-snap formations.
August 11th, 2011 at 2:09 am
I suggest you brain surgeons read the newer post by Ronde Barber, where he discusses how Ruud was a “great, great MLb” and discusses how Foster and McKensie aren’t close to having a clue.
FlBOyin whereecer- ya, that pretty much was his answer, dumbass
Nothing has changed about me. I still am the educated fan. I didn’t joinsome of you in following Ian” the lied pier” Beckles in his publicity seeking crusade against Ruud. That’s because I, like EVERY SINGLE NFL PROFFESIONAL interviewed, agreed that Ruid was a good fit for our defense, and losing him would cost us games this year.
Now that he’s gone, all opinions weighing in say that it’s a major lose to our defense.those of you who cluelessly persecuted him are now starting to realize it was a mistake also. So naturally, you bitch at me for reminding you you were dumbasses for listening to Ian.
Tough! Wait til we lose some games because of this. You’re likely to hear a lot more! I was never a Ruud Fan. He did exactly what Jr was supposed to. Never did much more- shoulda had some splash plays – seldom did.
But he was great at QBing the defense, and also was a great open field tackler- saved a lot of TDs
Every expert/ player/ coach is saying the same thing. We Sony replace Ruud this year, and it’s gonna Hurt the Defense.
We are supposed to be getting better, not worse. If everyone wanted a new MLB- fine! But work him in
gradually,As he learns the D. Not throwing him and the defense to the wolves
We’ve all disagreed on dozens of topics. Thee only reason this different, is you all attacked Barrett so badly, that it really sucks that you are FINALLY starting to realize you may have been wrong
It’s how I’ll feel of Talib suddenly becomes becomes a choirboy and all pro. But I’m still hoping that happens.
Bitch and deny all you want, but reality is that losing Ruud sit the defense back this year. And Meybe longer if Foster proves more Sam than Mike( as I suspect he will)
August 11th, 2011 at 7:47 am
Never thought I would say this, but Kudos to Capt Tim. Ruud will be missed for sure. And all he was guilty of is doing what waas asked of him by Morris. The kool-aid crowd bitched about Ruuds tackling 5 yards behind the line, yet forget that the runner had blown by the d-line to get those 5 yards in 3 seconds. And as for a radio jock not having sway over decisions, I remember when Dumuig (however you spell it) ranted & raved on the radio until USF’s coach was fired. Radio personalities can certainly sway public opinion, and even those in charge of the hiring or firing of a player or coach. There are 16 games coming. And we will all see if Ruud is missed or not. My bet is on him being missed “a lot”.
August 11th, 2011 at 8:03 am
Look at it this way. Any defensive that has spoken up (Barber, Sapp) realize the importance of Ruud to the defense. I’m sure Foster will do fine in the future, but the Bucs need Ruud NOW! Beckles is a blowhard from the other side of the ball, who’s lost touch with the game. Next he’ll be calling for Foster’s head, because he’s too stupid to pick up the system (which isn’t the case). Ruud will be missed! Foster, I’m pulling for you, Beckles, YOU SUCK!
August 11th, 2011 at 9:07 am
Ian won’t be calling for Foster’s head because Foster’s style of play is smash mouth old school just like Ian preaches. It wasn’t a personal attack on Ruud; it was the fact that Ruud is a finesse player. Some finesse players do well; like Deon Sanders comes to mind. The fact is though that finesse doesn’t do well in the trenches when you’re trying to take down a 250 lb. running back. Name me one finesse LB who’s had huge success in the NFL. I can name you 20 physical smash mouth LB’s right off the top of my head. I’ve always agreed that Ruud is a smart player and know’s how to get people into position. The problem was; when Ruud was in position to make a big play; he very seldom did. Great middle linebackers take away the middle of the field. The middle of the Bucs defense was their glaring weak spot.
August 11th, 2011 at 10:39 am
Bucnjim- ok, let’s say you’re right! Ruud was a big soft Marshmallow in the middle. So you dump him- with no replacement??? Foster never called the Defense in college. Now, he’s going to learn his job- everyone else’s job on the defense- and call split second adjustments to offenses he’s never seen before in his life. Really??? We don’t sign a vet. We let our guy walk, and that’s our plan??
Sounds like Dominick should have listened to Raheem on this one. Hope you are all ready for another” rebuilding year”, instead of getting Josh some playoff experience. Hope I’m wrong, bet I’m not!
August 11th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
Morris already said that Foster will not be calling the D plays. Has he come out publicly and said he changed his mind?