Ronde Barber Fires Back At ProFootballTalk.com
December 19th, 2012
Whoa! Ronde Barber has all but accused Mike Florio, the creator, curator and overall guru a ProFootballTalk.com, of fabricating an anonymous source.
For those who missed it, Florio reported Monday that an unnamed Buccaneer voiced frustration following the Bucs-Saints game and said, “Can we send these coaches back to college?”
Well, Tampa Tribune beat writer Roy Cummings asked Barber and other Bucs about it today, and Barber told Cummings, “That’s a (expletive) made up quote. No one said that. I can promise you that.’’
Florio delivered a classic comeback, “If Ronde is aware of every private communication in which his 52 teammates engage, that’s even more impressive than his Hall of Fame playing career.”
For years, Joe has regularly communicated with Florio on a variety of topics, and Joe must side with Florio — if there is a “side” in this squabble. Florio takes his credibility very seriously and has absolutely no incentive to make stuff up.
December 19th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
Florio is a muckraking fool – seems to have some sort of vendetta against Coach Schiano from the get go. Bucs are 6-8 and going nowhere in 2012. Doesn’t Florio have more important stories to make up about other franchises? What’s his beef with Tampa Bay anyway?
December 19th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
My guess is it was Eric Wright. He’s the only slacker vet that might say that. Wright is off sunning and funning and the rest are all working. Cusps to Ronde for standing up for the team. I listened to Ronde last night and I love him just like Brooks. HOF
December 19th, 2012 at 6:32 pm
I guess that narrows it down quite a bit.
If not Ronde, who?
It would have to be someone who has been here a few years no rookies or FA. It would have to be a player of stature, otherwise Florio wouldn’t waste his time.
The list is so limited now that even I wouldn’t even speculate and you know me.
If the NSO finds out, they can’t afford to release or trade that player for a 7th round draft pick.
Don’t you just hate that 1st amendment thingy and they’re now trying to eliminate the 2nd?
December 19th, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Blount has my vote.
December 19th, 2012 at 6:51 pm
I’ll never give up my guns. Never, it just ain’t happening. I pity the fools that try to take our guns and like he said in Rambo, “don’t forget a good supply of body bags”.
December 19th, 2012 at 7:04 pm
Seeing that both Joe and Florio are both lawyers I’m going to have to side with Ronde on this. The truth is all relative and depends on what the meaning of “is” is.
If it is true, I’m putting money it was from Eric Wright.
December 19th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
Winslow on a speaker phone?
December 19th, 2012 at 7:06 pm
Private communication = text message
I seriously doubt anyone that played in that game was rushing to their phone to text Mike Florio. More likely from a player who was sitting on his ass watching the game at home.
December 19th, 2012 at 7:16 pm
My guess is that the quote is true. Ronde was just sticking up for his coach and team. Also, it doesnt necessarily have to be an important figure on the team. It being an anonymous source means he could have just as easily quoted Michael Smith and you would never know.
I really think the collapse of the team of late is just growing pains from the new system. I think through the season they were implementing new plays and packages and it kept catching other teams off guard. Now that most of the playbook has been implemented teams are catching on when plays are not run technically sound because its all on tape now. I think an off-season will fix many of our problems. Most players won’t be learning as much as they are perfecting what they already know.
December 19th, 2012 at 7:31 pm
as much as it pains me to say it, florio is pretty legit.
it sounds to me like everyone at one buc is just coming to the defense of one another. this is totally normal for people who respect eachother when they’re circling the drain.
better than them pointing fingers… “allegedly.”
December 19th, 2012 at 8:17 pm
Who would know the Bucs locker room and its players more? Barber or Florio?
Exactly.
December 19th, 2012 at 9:08 pm
Sorry but until a name comes out to give any credibility to this then I’m gonna tend to believe Ronde. I can make stuff up to and call it an annoymous source and i would have just as much credibility. Hell for all we know it could of been a fan and Florio could just as easily say its a player to stir up controversy where there is none.
December 19th, 2012 at 9:49 pm
Tell Mike Florio that Terry Bradshaw called and he said that he isn’t dead yet. Unless we are to believe Florio’s source, in which case, Bradshaw is either the savior or the walking dead (I’d lean toward the latter).
December 19th, 2012 at 10:16 pm
It is made up. It’s the perfect lie. You can’t question all “52 teammates” so he will never get busted on it. His incentive is stirring the pot just like the fabricated Tebow quote from the infamous “unnamed player”.
December 19th, 2012 at 10:21 pm
The “unnamed player” and “adderall”. Both running a tight race for most ridiculous item of the year.
December 19th, 2012 at 10:39 pm
Id say its Talib, makes perfect sense. Now that he’s with a new team.
December 19th, 2012 at 10:53 pm
If you quote an ‘anonymous source’ to stir up crap then you are capable of making it up. No legit sports writer should ever quote an anonymous source when the quote is controversial. If it’s true then put a name to it. If not then we should assume it’s total B.S. This isn’t Watergate and ‘Deep Throat’. If the player is telling you something off the record then you keep it off the record. You don’t go public with the quote and then just quote the source as ‘anonymous’. That kind of journalism is just chicken @#!%.
December 19th, 2012 at 11:04 pm
Ronde has always had his coaches backs, no matter who it was. So much so that Keyshawn called him an Uncle Tom for sticking up for Gruden. Florio now is not like he was at the beginning of his website, he’s got more cache now and doesn’t just post stuff to start rumors himself. We needed Schiano to clean up Raheem’s mess, but he’s learning on the job himself how to push the pedal to the metal and when to let up on the gas a little bit. It will make him a better coach in the long run.
December 19th, 2012 at 11:08 pm
One troll site takes the side of another troll site? Color me shocked.
December 19th, 2012 at 11:19 pm
I’m almost sure somebody said something
like this when McKay was coach.
Anybody remember?
December 20th, 2012 at 12:20 am
Florio hates Tampa Bay. That is well documented. But it’s ok because we hate him too. I’ll side with anyone before I side with that bastard!
December 20th, 2012 at 1:44 am
Same site in the article about Doug said Bucs went after Eli on a kneel-down in a lop-sided 43-27 game. Consider the source, who’s the liar?
December 20th, 2012 at 5:17 am
i thought the joes dislike people using “unnamed” sources…
December 20th, 2012 at 7:26 am
@ Eric. I remember Garo Yepremian calling the organization “bush league” —does that count?
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1873&dat=19810921&id=h1IfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ItIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1860,4117733
December 20th, 2012 at 7:49 am
Its easy for journalists to make up quotes!!
I have been suspicious of it for quite some time!
Anonymous quotes shouod not be allowed to be printed. Its that simple.
An anonymous source in sports is just the same as an imaginary one.
I agree with Ronde. Its a frickin made up quote!
December 20th, 2012 at 9:18 am
An unnamed source, quoting an unnamed source from an unnamed location, told me that I was the one that made that comment…….now if I could only remember my name…….
December 20th, 2012 at 9:18 am
Yeah Florio and Fox News…..they never make anything up to make their point.
😉
December 20th, 2012 at 9:25 am
@lurker – Joe does frown on unnamed sources. That’s why you don’t find Joe using them more than once a year at most. However, that doesn’t mean Joe thinks they’re all lies.
@kh – Joe is not a lawyer, nor ever implied that he was.
*To those speculating who the source is, consider that Florio works at NBC Sports alongside Tony Dungy and Peter King on Sunday nights. Those two talk to players routinely and perhaps Florio got in on a conversation.
December 20th, 2012 at 10:00 am
Simple solution, SAY WHO IT WAS! Anonymous quotes are such bull spit it makes me sick. Real journalism, which is a foreign idea anymore. Is based on facts and sources that can be confirmed.
This is nothing more than Florio needing a story that will grab other media outlets attention. This site along with the little pup discussing only propel this nonsense. I believe Ronde knows his fellow teammates better than Florio.
December 20th, 2012 at 10:11 am
My best friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this girl who’s going with this guy who over heard a Buc’s player mumbling at a urinal. He had a jersey on, so he had to be a player.