Chucky, Meshawn At War Again
October 26th, 2011
Joe has made his thoughts perfectly clear about BSPN. Outside of live games, Joe just doesn’t watch it.
But even before Joe went BSPN dark, Joe gave up on NFL pregame shows as a whole (and BSPN in particular). Outside of the NFL Network, which takes time to go in-depth in breaking down games, pregame shows are pretty much useless to Joe.
Ever since this little fad called the Internet came around, Joe can get all the information he needs during the week prior to a game, a lot more than any of the chuckleheads can give on Sunday morning.
(Joe has been known to nurse his Sunday morning hangovers vegging on his leather couch watching reruns of “The Sopranos.”)
So it was a total surprise to Joe to learn how Meshawn Johnson resurrected his old war with his former Bucs coach Chucky when Meshawn said how Chucky messed with his head (insert your own punchline for that).
“I didn’t want to be there,” Johnson said. “I didn’t want to be in the environment. No matter we had just won a championship, and I was playing fine the year that I got deactivated, I was doing great. In fact, we had a chance to go to the playoffs. But it was just something about the way I was being coached, talked to, dealt with. Just didn’t want to be there. So for me, I was happy when I got the phone call that said, ‘Hey, we’re going to deactivate you for the rest of the year.’ I was excited. I was like, ‘Oh, cool, no problem. I don’t have to be around this because my health is more important.’ Going into a building and not wanting to be there, it was just a blessing to me to be able to go to Dallas. Heck, even before I went to Dallas I was talking to the Arizona Cardinals. Now think about that. I just wanted to get out of Tampa.”
As Meshawn pointed out, the Bucs kicked Meshawn off the team. Just off the top of Joe’s head, the Bucs had little chance at the playoffs after a strong start. The miserable choke to Indianapolis before the whole world on Monday Night Football, the Bucs never recovered from it (especially when Joe Jurevicius and Mike Alstott got hurt on the very same play when they collided).
Again, off the top of Joe’s head, the Bucs later went to San Francisco and were alley-beaten (sound familiar), so Joe’s not so sure the Bucs had a shot at the playoffs.
But Chucky being Chucky, he responded this morning, and claimed he has thick skin.
It’s been what, eight years since these two shared a sideline and they are still going at it? Wow.
“I had a guy on SportsCenter say he couldn’t get along with me the other day on TV,” Gruden said. “So I know how it feels. You’ve got to have some thick skin, and you’ve got to know when things get tough there are going to be some negative things said.”
As Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com pointed out, if Chucky really did have thick skin, he wouldn’t have brought Meshawn up.
October 26th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
Oh please. I could not disagree more. Just because Chucky acknowledged something was said doesn’t mean he hasn’t got thick skin.
October 26th, 2011 at 1:26 pm
Meshawn was not a Buccaneer. He was a mercenary. He did his job, but he was never a Buccaneer. Always hated his mouth, but loved how he caught everything in sight. I will give him that. But ugh…the guy needs to go have his own reality show with TO. They’re perfect for each other. Call it ME FIRST. : )
October 26th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
Just because Gruden acknowledged the comments made about him doesn’t mean he has thin skin. Why can’t he just point out something that was said that directly involved him?
Keyshawn Johnson is the most self centered athlete I’ve ever seen. It was never about his team, it was always about him. Guys like Sapp (who is known for being somewhat of a jackass in his own right, but was the complete opposite of Meshawn from a team standpoint) and Ronde don’t like him for a reason. Just another athlete off in their own world where they’re the greatest thing on the planet. He wasn’t even the best receiver here during the Super Bowl era, McCardell was.
October 26th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Both can difficult to get along with, however, Keyshawn saying “I would do anything to get out of Tampa”…does that include acting like a selfish prima-donna? Granted, he did that everywhere and despite his clamoring to be one of Parcells “guys”, Bill was still w/ the Jets when they traded him to the Bucs, and he made an ass of himself and the organization w/ the whole Chrebet incident. Then he threw Dungy to the curb also after the 2001 playoff loss saying “If does stay, he better get some guys who’ll play for him, not just run their mouths…”. Uh, pot meet the kettle? It’s like Sapp said about Keyshawn, he never once said “my bad”. The funniest thing in all of this though was when Gruden was still HC here and Key signed on w/ ESPN in 2007, he asked Gruden to do an interview w/him and Key stated “I understand his turning me down this time but, if he does again I’m gonna take it personally”. Poor Keyshawn, everyone always pickin on him.
October 26th, 2011 at 2:18 pm
I agree with all the other posts here! I still remember the game Meshawn got all up in Gruden’s face yelling at him on the sidelines, on national tv no less. Try that with any boss and see how far that gets you in your employment!
And, exactly, it’s been eight years and guess whose still reeling and whinning from what went down here? This, if anything, should show you exactly who/how Meshawn is/acts.
October 26th, 2011 at 3:18 pm
Meyshawn doesn’t like Chucky.
Makes me respect Jon even more.
October 26th, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Wayne “the flashlight” Cherbet show Meshawnna what was up.
He was an ok player, but nothing spectacular. His mouth was the only thing running.
October 26th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
I think Keyshawn is extremely jealous of Jon Gruden.
October 26th, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Yawn….
October 26th, 2011 at 8:39 pm
The problem here is they are both wrong. MEshawn is who he is , a selfish WR who always thought he was better than he was (kind of like Chad Johnson/Ochoncinco). Gruden is who he is, a very good offensive coach according to many but a coach with HORRIBLE personal relationship skills as proven time and time again by the DOZENS of athletes who have left Oakland and Tampa with an issue with him and the way they were handled.
October 26th, 2011 at 8:40 pm
Meshawn gets paid handsomely to do what he loves and cant get along with his boss? Hes a spoiled little bitch. What a Fuc*tard. Say what you will about Gruden but he won us a Superbowl. I was shocked when they fired him and still think it was a bad call. Ask Detroit, Philly, etc about winning Super bowls. Oh yeah you can’t because they HAVEN’T. Ask there fan base what its like to never have won The Lombardi Trophy. History does not remember the individual soldiers in war: they remember the generals that win battle. Again, what a Fuc*tard. Out
October 26th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
@AK
Gruden probably turned down the interview because he thought Keyshawn would try to put him on the spot. Plus he knows that he hates him.
October 26th, 2011 at 10:25 pm
“personal relationship skills”
Thanks Oprah!
October 27th, 2011 at 7:20 am
“During an appearance on ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike in the Morning, Gruden was asked about players publicly criticizing coaches”
“As Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com pointed out, if Chucky really did have thick skin, he wouldn’t have brought Meshawn up.”
Mike & Mike asked him that because Gruden’s spat with Keyshawn added to their topic. ESPN has a lot of shows that they need content for. I’m sure Gruden wasn’t itching to get on air and talk about his quarrel with Keyshawn, but he just signed a new contract. I’d say that Mike and Mike are the ones that brought it up.