Blaming Raheem Is “The Wrong Argument”
December 15th, 2011
Ronde Barber speaks out
Bucs icon Ronde Barber stood tall defending his head coach and friend Raheem Morris on Monday night, offering a firm salute to the Raheem way and the head coach’s leadership.
Speaking on the Buccaneers Radio Network, Barber scoffed at the swirling criticism of the head coach and that players at One Buc Palace aren’t committed to Raheem and his core beliefs.
“That’s completely, that’s an outsider trying to indict somebody on the inside type of mentality,” Barber said. “You know, Raheem’s the kind of guy that players on this team, really, are the kind of guys that will do anything that Raheem asks them to do. And they’ve done it. He’s made subtle changes. He’s done little things and tried to create an air of discipline in our locker room. And guys have been alright with it. They all understand what’s going on.
“There’s no disconnect between the players and our coaches. That’s completely shortsighted and just the wrong argument. There’s other reasons for us losing football games. It has nothing to do with how our head coach coaches this football team. You know, I’d love to sit here and throw them out at you, but it would sound like a bunch of excuses and explanations, and that’s just not what we do. What we do best is exactly what Raheem talks about, ‘Deal with it. Move on. Next opportunity up, which is this week against Dallas, and try to find a way to win that game. I love that attitude. And I think guys in the locker room, you know, respect that attitude.”
Joe admires Barber’s commitment and surely his knowledge and experience can’t be questioned. That written, Joe wanted to bang his head against the wall when Barber said Raheem “tried to create an air of discipline in our locker room.” What the hell does that mean? Tried? Telling choice of verbs to be sure.
As for players doing what Raheem asks them to do, Raheem himself has said his message isn’t getting through and the team hasn’t responded.
Again, Joe admires Barber’s loyalty and respects his observations and experience, but Joe’s not seeing the proof of what he’s talking about. If Joe’s wrong, the Bucs are going to play some inspired football over these last few games.
December 15th, 2011 at 10:14 am
Joe, “Tried” to me means someone undermined him. Who is the reporters job, but it had to be someone with the authority to do it, so I wonder if the Glazers are telling him what to do and not do with the players.
Your thoughts?
December 15th, 2011 at 10:18 am
Well I dont know that you can argue with these guys when Faine comes out and says back off Raheem its not his fault and even Brian Price defended him after being sent home. Winslow said yesterday that Raheem is the ideal coach to play for and now Barber is telling the media and everyone else to cool it. I dont know that you can argue with Barber because of the experience and different perspectives under former coaching staffs. If Barber says that Raheem is ok and we as a fan base need to lay off, then so be it!!
December 15th, 2011 at 10:23 am
Barber wants to be a coach next year.
December 15th, 2011 at 10:25 am
@BKNYfootballhead would Barber being a secondary coach be a bad thing??
December 15th, 2011 at 10:35 am
No player is going to throw any current HC good or bad under a bus, if they did, they wouldn’t be able to get a job anywhere in the NFL. That said, it’s over, lets play it out, play as well as we can and lets have a positive and productive offseason.
December 15th, 2011 at 10:37 am
flmike:
Meshawn (twice)?
TO?
December 15th, 2011 at 10:45 am
@Jow
There are always exceptions. Remember, this is the NFL talent will out over substance of character.
December 15th, 2011 at 10:48 am
Im sure Barber and the rest of the players have Morris’s back. The problem is not necessarily the discipline but the lack of leadership and COACHING EXPERIENCE missing with this staff. Morris is just in over his head, nice enough guy but needs years of tutoring under a seasoned coach. Gruden learned how to be a coach by working under numerous established coaches. David Shula, if Im not mistaken, got the Begals HC job without much experience. That did not work out to well either.
December 15th, 2011 at 10:56 am
While the inclination to blame the owners for everything seems to be popular amongst a certain crowd, I believe it’s more like “Raheem has tried but it’s just not working.”
My theory is that Raheem needs to stand behind his “we will tolerate you until we can replace you” comment and deactivate someone who has discipline issues during games…maybe Trueblood or such, that gets a lot of penalties.
Here’s the thing though…I was watching BSPN the other day and Herm Edwards made some comments…he said that defenses just are not sure what they can do anymore. Even when they tackle the right way, they are getting fined.
They are paid to play aggressively, and then they are suspended for it.
My thought is that the defensive players will band together in protest if something isn’t changed this off season. It is getting out of control.
Certainly, I can understand the suspension of Suh for kicking a players (although it reminds me of Sapp). But Harrison should not have been suspended this time around. The ball was thrown as he hit for the tackle…it was a clean hit and his momentum could not be halted.
We may well see a mini-strike of defensive players if this continues into next year.
December 15th, 2011 at 10:58 am
(btw, I KNOW Trueblood is not defense..I was using another example on the penalty issue)
December 15th, 2011 at 11:03 am
This Clayton interview is gaining steam in the naitonal media. I think Morris will be fired when the Bucs are embarassed Saturday Night. If the Jags but up over 40 points on us, then the Cowboys will definitely put some serious numbers up as well. Season is over, team is done, time to move on.
December 15th, 2011 at 11:04 am
Trueblood has not had the penalties this year that have plagued him most of the year, so bad example there Pete.
December 15th, 2011 at 11:14 am
*most other years. My point is Trueblood has actually played pretty well this year.
December 15th, 2011 at 11:27 am
I bet Raheem is really a nice person. I see mistakes he has made, but can’t help but wonder if it is all his fault.
No one (besides Shaun King) seems to even question Mark Dominick’s role in all of this.
Tampa is stocked with players he picked who are not delivering, and yet he manages to evade criticism, and gets called a “Rockstar”.
He must have an ass made of Teflon, because nothing seems to stick to him.
I guess it is easier to blame Raheem, and make him the scapegoat, then to accept that we are not nearly as talented a team as we thought we were.
December 15th, 2011 at 11:37 am
trueblood has played well this year, especially in the run. Go to pro football reference and you can see that the majority of our runs have been successful up the gut and to the right, which is obvious. however trueblood is doing a decent job in pass pro as well. the thing is these are all RAH’s guys so yes they will stand up for him. The problem is that there all best buds with him so they don’t take hims sereiously or what not. If he stays he needs two coordinators who know what there doing and HAVE DISCIPLINE
December 15th, 2011 at 11:45 am
i have no doubt that the players love raheem. they all stick up for him. motivation will only get you so far in the nfl though. he’s not a great x’s and o’s guy and he is putrid when it comes to situational aspects of the game.
December 15th, 2011 at 11:52 am
Trueblood’s pass blocking is really, really bad. He should be the first upgrade we make on the line. He’d be fine as depth.
December 15th, 2011 at 12:09 pm
Meh – I go to all the home games and I have not really seen Trueblood getting blown up in his pass blocking. He has improved to the point that he is a quality RT in the league, in my opinion. In years past he was not as good technique wise and he was far too emotional and cost us too many personal foul penalties, just not this year. Maturity? Veteran? yes and yes.
December 15th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
@captain tear
No, not at all. I think he’d be an excellent coach, not so much if Morris was still the DC.
December 15th, 2011 at 2:16 pm
Sounds like Ronde doesn’t want them to bring in a new head coach next year (most likely the last year of Ronde’s professional football career). I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t want to have to start from scratch either.
December 15th, 2011 at 7:16 pm
Whatever Ronde says goes double for me. Hell Yeah!!! Who’s gonna beat them Cowboys? Da Bucs!