Tampa Bay Loses a Champion: 38-year old Ronde Barber Officially Announces Retirement

In Tampa earlier today, 16-year veteran defensive back Ronde Barber officially announced his retirement from the National Football League in a tear-ridden press conference.

The long-time Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback finished his final professional season in 2012 with a very productive 16 games. Barber, 38, made the switch to free safety after playing corner for his entire career and accumulated 91 combined tackles, 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 1.0 sack and a defensive touchdown in his final go 'round.

The five-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion was never quite the shutdown corner that Charles Woodson or Deion Sanders were in the prime of their respective careers, but there's no doubt Barber has been the most consistent piece on the Bucs' defense over the past decade and a half. He hasn't missed a start since the 1999 season. That's dedication.

With over 1,200 combined tackles, 47 interceptions, 28.0 sacks in his 232 starts for the Bucs, Barber turned in a borderline Hall of Fame-caliber career. Ronde is Tampa's franchise leader in games (241), interceptions (47), interception yards (923), defensive TDs (12 INT/FR) and passes defensed (166) as well as top 6 in sacks (28.0), forced fumbles (15), fumbles recovered (12) and combined tackles (1,231).

His production was through the roof, and he made a couple of huge plays in the postseason as well. His 92-yard interception touchdown of a Donovan McNabb pass sealed a 27-10 NFC Championship victory over the Eagles on their way to a record-breaking Super Bowl XXXVII victory in 2002-03. His interception will forever be what the Bucs fan base remembers him for most. A play that put them into the Super Bowl for the first time ever. What made the play even sweeter was the fact that it came against the team that knocked them out of the postseason the previous two seasons, outscoring them 52-12 during those games.

With all of his accomplishments, including the ultimate goal of capturing a Vince Lombardi trophy, the decision seemed simple for Barber to hang up his cleats. He was forced into switching to free safety prior to last season, and with a revamped secondary for 2013 he likely would have seen less of the field. The Bucs clearly want to get younger and bring in youth to build from the bottom up, and Barber realized this. In his press conference (which I've included a link to at the bottom of this article), Barber mentions that he made the decision a month ago and that he believes it's the correct decision.

Barber's done all he can in this game, and he's already cemented his legacy with the franchise. He'll sit among Hall of Fame-bound defensive tackle Warren Sapp as one of the best Bucs players in history: Sapp, Derrick Brooks, Barber, John Lynch. That's how the list looks at this moment in time, all four are defensive players, too. Barber's announcement makes him the final player from the core of the 2002 record-setting Buccaneers defensive unit to retire from the game.

Sapp was selected to be enshrined in to the Hall of Fame this coming August and Lynch was among the 27 semi-finalists for the honor back in November. One day, Barber will join the list of potential Hall of Famers, though there's a chance he may not make it over the hump and into the Hall.

He's had one hell of a career as a lifelong Buccaneer, and was certainly the most consistent defensive back of his time, but I'm not completely sold on his HOF status. He was never a flashy guy, and seemed to fly under the radar at times, especially when playing behind Sapp and Brooks and next to Lynch. His lack of flash and vocal leadership could hurt him when it comes time to vote, but lets set the record straight: he's one hell of a football player and one of the best the Bucs franchise has ever seen.

Here's his retirement press conference.

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Performance of a Lifetime: TBs Doug Martin Puts up Greatest Single-Game Performance by a Rookie

Rookies ruled the NFL in yesterday's action, with two records being broken in fashion.

Indianapolis' Andrew Luck broke the single-game passing yards record with 433 yards in a 23-20 win over Miami's starting rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The previous record was 432, set by Carolina's Cam Newton a season ago.

Luck also posted his rookie record-tying fourth 300-yard game of the season, which tied Indy's Peyton Manning from 1998. With eight games left on the Colts' schedule, there's no doubt Luck will shred Manning's record by season's end.

But it wasn't Luck who stole the show, despite the gaudy numbers he posted and his team's current 5-3 record. No, it was a guy who wasn't expected to make an immediate impact when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected him with the 31st overall pick in last April's draft.

Doug Martin--the 5'9"/223 pound running back out of Boise State--ran for his first 100-yard game last week against the Minnesota Vikings. This week he one-upped himself with a franchise-record 251 yards and 4 TDs. In addition to being TB franchise records, they are also both rookie single-game records.

His astonishing performance has put him on the map, if his 135 yards, 1 TD performance on October 25 didn't already do so. What better way to put yourself on the map than to put up one of the 5 best fantasy performances of the last decade? He topped 50 in most leagues and, in the ESPN.com league I am in this season, he put up 60 points.

With a 10.0 yards/carry average on his 25 attempts against Oakland's defense, Martin is averaging over 5.0 yards/carry on the season and now has 794 yards and 7 TDs in 8 games.

Move over Luck and RGIII, Doug Martin is officially the man to beat in the 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year race.

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Week 7: NFL Divisional Matchups - Part I

There are six division match-ups scheduled for Week 7. A week sure to be full of excitement as some long-standing and bitter rivals meet head-to-head. Part I will feature an analysis of three of these division matchups.

NFC WEST

Seahawks (4-2) at 49ers (4-2)  Thurs. Oct. 18, 8:20pm EST NFL Network

Two power defenses go head-to-head in their first divisional matchup. Though the Seahawks have shown they can upset offensive juggernauts like the Patriots and Packers, facing the #1 overall ranked defense will present a different challenge. Offensively, the 49ers have the statistical edge. In passing yards per game they average 210 to Seattle's 169; rushing yards 176 to 131; and points per game 25.3 to 18.3. The 49ers rely heavily on the run game with backs Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter and they will attempt to establish the run game early. This will be critical but not easy as the Seahawks are only allowing 70 rushing yards per game. It is also critical to establish a run game early because their passing game is mediocre at best with No. 1 receiver Michael Crabtree.

Defensively, they're a closer matchup with each allowing 15 points per game average. And the 49ers have only allowed five rushing touchdowns since 2011, though the Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch was one of them. This matchup will come down to which defense shows up. Both teams will be facing a short week. The Niners are looking to rebound after an embarrassing 26-3 loss to the Giants in Week 6. But the Seahawks have youth and energy, and of course, a stout defense. And under the tutelage of Pete Carroll, they are just young enough to believe they can beat anyone. Expect a low scoring game and possibly more snaps for wide receiver Randy Moss as the 49ers attempt to boost their passing game.

Prediction: 49ers 19 Seahawks 14

NFC SOUTH

Saints (1-4) at Buccaneers (2-3): Sunday October 21, 1:00pm EST Fox

Even without suspended coach Sean Payton, very few people would have predicted that the Saints would be 1-4 and sitting in last place in their division. They are also ranked last in overall defense, allowing 283 passing yards per game and 172 rushing. Look for the Bucs to exploit the Saints defensive weaknesses. Fresh off a 38-10 drubbing of the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bucs receiving tandem of Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams seems to be finally clicking. There is also opportunities for backs Doug Martin and LeGarrette Blount to be very real threats out of the backfield. But the Bucs, whose defense ranks 25^th overall, allowing 312 yards passing per game, will struggle to contain the Saints potent passing offense. The Saints will need wide receiver Marques Colston and tight end Jimmy Graham to continue to play at their 2011 levels. The Saints are coming off a bye week in which they hope to build on the success they had in Week 5 against the Chargers. This will be a battle of offenses and no one puts up big numbers better than Saints quarterback Drew Brees.

Prediction: Saints 31 Bucs 22

NFC EAST

Redskins (3-3) at Giants (4-2): Sunday October 21, 1:00pm EST Fox

With Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora providing some bulletin board material for the Redskins in the offseason, the stage is set for the first meeting between these two division rivals. Umenyiora said that rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III, who is nicknamed RGIII, hasn't yet earned the right to a 'cool' nickname and referred to him as 'Bob Griffin.'  With bulletin board material aside, the Redskins will go into MetLife Stadium to face a team fresh off an impressive 26-3 win over one of the league's best teams, the San Francisco 49ers. In that game, the Giants defense, including LB Mathias Kiwanuka, DE Jason Pierre-Paul, and DT Linval Joseph, continually harassed 49ers QB Alex Smith, particularly in the 4^th quarter, and prevented the 49ers from establishing the run game. The Redskins can expect more of the same.

For the Giants, they will be facing a quarterback in RGIII who has captivated us since his surprising Week 1 win over the Saints right up to his 76-yard run last week against the Vikings. His mobility, accuracy and drive will keep the Redskins in this game. Also rookie running back Alfred Morris has proved an effective every down back that will definitely garner attention. It appears that star receiver Pierre Garcon will continue to be out with a foot injury. Can wide receivers Santana Moss and Leonard Hankerson, along with tight end Fred Davis take up the slack? In the end, the Giants receiving corps, including Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks and Domenic Hixon, will prove too much for the Redskins weak secondary who have allowed the most yards to opposing receivers. Along with running back Ahmad Bradshaw who has 100+ rushing yards in his last two games, the edge goes to the Giants.

Prediction: Redskins 24 Giants 28

Stay tuned for Part II, featuring Sunday's NYJ/NE, CIN/PIT match-ups and Monday night's Lions/Bears showdown.

Note: statistics quoted (exc. pts per game) are rounded off for clarity


Photo credit
Frank Gore: Jason O. Watson/Getty Images

Daughter of Former NFL Running Back Making Headlines

This weekend the Lingerie Football League (LFL) semifinals takes place as the four best teams from each of the six-team conference–Eastern and Western–fought for a spot in the Lingerie Bowl next weekend in Vegas.

I know what you're thinking, and yes, the LFL really does exist. This was the first time I had ever tried watching it, which aired on MTV2 at 4 P.M. and 5:30 P.M. eastern time. And let me just say, these women are for real. And not so nice on their opponents, as they take this game very serious.

I currently stand at about 5'8'' or 5'9'' and 140 pounds. These women? Well, lets just say that it's likely that over half of them are at least that big, if not bigger, and are all muscle. Scary stuff.

But anyways, the Eastern Conference final featured the Tampa Bay Breeze (3-1) and Philadelphia Passion (4-0), as Philadelphia improved to 5-0 and a trip to Vegas next Sunday with a victory.

The reason I bothered posting a short write-up of the LFL semifinals is actually because one of Tampa Bay's players caught my attention. It was OL/LB Courtney Wilder, the daughter of former NFL running back James Wilder. Wilder (father) was a second round (34th overall) pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1981 NFL draft.

Wilder ran for 6,008 yards and 37 touchdowns in 10 pro seasons with the Bucs, Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins. In his playing days he stood at 6'3'' and 225 pounds. Wilder, the daughter, has been a standout on her Tampa Bay team this season and boasts a muscle-filled frame of 5'9''/160 pounds.

In four games this LFL season, Wilder has run the ball just six times for 80 yards on offense, but scored three of those six times. She's been a huge threat on defense as well, making 14 tackles (4 for losses), two sacks and recovered two fumbles for the one-loss Breeze.

But the most important factor in her game, much like her father, is the fear she strikes in her opponents. I know one thing, I would never want to line up against her and I'm a male who used to play. She is one scary female athlete.

Although today's performance was in a losing effort, 44-32, Wilder was a huge factor in the game and while watching the matchup unfold it was brought to my attention that Wilder had been playing on a torn meniscus in her right leg. Doctors cleared her to play, but she was obviously playing through a lot of pain.

Now if that isn't a clear sign that she was built to be a football player, then I don't know what is. She's built strong, and tough; true footballer in my opinion.

Football clearly runs in the Wilder family, because her brother James Wilder Jr. plays the game as well. He just finished his freshman year as a RB at Florida State University. In high school, Wilder Jr. was very versatile as a RB/DE/OLB and a top recruit following graduation.

Good luck to both Wilder kids in their future, I'm sure James Sr. is proud of them both.

Game No. 2, the Western Conference final, kicks off shortly with Los Angeles Temptation and Las Vegas Sin facing off for a chance to play Philadelphia in the Lingerie Bowl next Sunday. Tune in to MTV2 (5:30 PM ET) if you need some entertainment for an hour and a half.

Note: Former NFL quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien's daughter, Angela, is in the LFL as well. She quarterbacked the Seattle Mist to a 2-2 record this season, going 10/32, 110 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT in four games.

Photo credit
Wilder Sr.: found on rockmnation.com
Courtney Wilder: borrowed from Tampa Bay Breeze's team site

Dallas Looking to Make Statement Saturday Night vs. Tampa Bay

On the verge of falling out of the NFC playoff picture, the Atlanta Falcons got back in the thick of things with a convincing 41-14 Thursday night win over the struggling Jaguars, improving to 9-5 on the season.

Tonight, in the season's first Saturday night matchup, the Dallas Cowboys are looking to make a similar statement on the road against the 4-9 Buccaneers.

Tony Romo, as we are all well-aware, has a history of falling apart in the month of December. This year has been no exception as his 'Boys are riding a two-game losing streak with back-to-back defeats to Arizona and NFC East counterpart Giants.

Sitting at 7-6 (2-4 on the road), Dallas is tied atop the East with the Giants–well, not quite, New York owns the tiebreaker. So if Jason Garrett expects to make a playoff push they will need to win out, including a victory over New York (Week 17) to clinch the division.

Over the last two weeks, Romo has played great according to the box score. He hasn't turned the ball over and threw for a combined 620 yards and five touchdowns, but did not receive much help from the rest of his team.

Against Arizona, Dallas averaged under four yards per carry (75 yards on 20 carries) and allowed five sacks of Romo. Against New York, the offense did its job in putting up 34 points on the board, but the defense struggled to put pressure on Eli Manning up front and allowed 400 yards through the air as well as 37 points. New York scored 15 points in the final three minutes of the game to complete a late 12-point comeback.

I've heard numerous arguments against Romo over this two-game stretch and I don't quite understand how you can solely put the blame on him. Yes, I would agree to a certain extent that he doesn't always show the strongest leadership abilities on the field, but he orchestrated two quick scoring drives late in the game–one from 80 yards, and one from 49. Dan Bailey missed what would have been a game-tying 51 yard field goal with under a minute to play to end the game for Dallas' offense.

How can this possibly mean Romo is to blame for Dallas' two-game skid? He has played near-perfect football, protecting the ball and getting his offense in the end zone time after time while his defense gives up 56 points over that span.

Even just "looking at the box score" would do Romo justice. You can avoid actually watching the game and instead checking the numbers and you can basically get the whole story. Now, I'm not saying that's what I did, because I did actually watch him play. I'm just saying the box score explains everything and it's tough to argue against his four-touchdown, 321 yard, 141.3 QBR game against New York.

As for tonight against Tampa Bay, I don't think he'd have any trouble continuing his recent success through the air. Tampa Bay is ranked 27th against the pass in terms of yardage, in the bottom five in rushing yards allowed and has allowed the most (19) touchdowns on the ground as well. So even without rookie DeMarco Murray the 'Boys are expected to have great success on the ground tonight. Felix Jones racked up 106 yards against NY last week, and I would expect a heavy dosage again tonight.

This means it will be tough for Tampa to make Dallas' offense one-dimensional. Big day offensively for the Cowboys, I can feel it.

My Prediction: Dallas 31, Tampa Bay 10

Photo credit

Tony Romo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

LeGarrette Blount: Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Q&A Session with Baltimore's Assistant O-Line Coach Todd Washington

Earlier today I got the chance to talk with former professional lineman Todd Washington. Washington was a four-year starter at Virginia Tech before being selected in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 1998 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The First Team All-Big East standout played eight NFL seasons with the Bucs (98-02) and Houston Texans (03-05) before he was forced to retire early due to injury.

The 35-year old is now the Assistant Offensive Line coach with the Baltimore Ravens after OL and Offensive coordinator stints with the University of San Diego and the UFL's Hartford Colonials.

Washington was nice of enough to answer a few of my questions on SOTL (a new interactive website featuring current and former NFL players and fans), his playing career, coaching career and even former teammates.

 

 

Ben Heck, A-OB: First off, the creation of schoolofthelegends.com has added a whole new way of players interacting with current and former teammates, opponents and even fans of the National Football League. Has it had a huge impact on your personal life and how you go about your daily life? And if so, how much?

Todd Washington, BAL Asst. OL Coach: In my world, the schoolofthelegends.com has definitely impacted both my personal and professional life in a great way. This actually gives fans a way to communicate with their favorite players, active or retired. They get to have an understanding of what we actually go through just to get to game day. They can ask us questions and they will get answers from the ACTUAL person. Not their assistant. This platform is the beginning of something wonderful and I'm glad that I am a part of it.


BH: You had great success in college as a four-year starter at center and guard for the Virginia Tech Hokies. What would you say your most memorable moment/accomplishment was at the college level?

TW: There has been a great deal of memorable moments for me at Virginia Tech. I came from a very small high school. (Nandua High School. Onley, VA) Being recruited by Virginia Tech and other big schools was a big deal for my hometown. One moment I think about the most is my sophomore year, we started the season 0 and 2. We ran the table and went 9 and 2. We met Texas in the 1995 Sugar Bowl and won 28 to 10. The ultimate moment was when I walked across the podium and was handed my degree in education. That is something no one can take away from me.


BH: It had to of been tough waiting four rounds in the NFL draft for your name to be called. What was that feeling like once you did hear your name announced in the 1998 draft?

TW: I pretty much knew that I was going to be a second day draft choice. A lot of offensive linemen before me were drafted earlier than projected so I knew it was a matter of time. I was watching the draft and saw that Carolina was on the clock. At that time, the phone rang and it was Tony Dungy (then the coach of the Buccaneers). We talked for some time, and he told me that they traded up and drafted me. I was overcome with so much emotion, that time stood still for a minute. You think about all the work you put in just to get to this point. A franchise saw enough me in to bring me in and play for them. Its a honor and a privilege that I'm very blessed and thankful to have had.


BH: Do you still keep in touch with some of your old teammates from Tampa Bay or Houston?

TW: I do. I am really great friends with Ronde Barber and his family. He's like a brother to me. We knew each other before we played against each other in college. My father taught his mom. I went to Randall McDaniel's Hall of Fame induction ceremony. We email from time to time. Me and Raheem Morris will exchange texts as well. I stay in touch with Mark Bruener. He is now a scout for the Steelers. As for coaches, I stay in touch with Mike Tomlin, Kirby Wilson (Steelers), Joe Marciano (Texans) , and many others. I try to keep my network big and very active.


BH: You've worked a couple of different gigs in college (Univ. of SD offensive line/OC) and the UFL (Hartford Colonials OL coach) before landing your current professional coaching job. What's the biggest difference between working in the NFL and working at a lower level such as college or the UFL?

TW: Yes, I've worked different gigs and been all over. I realized that no matter where you are, coaching is coaching. Football is football. The players you work with all love this game. The caliber of they player may change but that's the joy of it for me. Working at USD was great for me. The players were very eager to learn and worked very hard. Working there made me a better teacher of the game. I firmly believe that coaching is one thing, be being able to teach football to players, you will see them grow and mature faster in front of your eyes.

The UFL was a lot of fun. I coached players that have played in the NFL that wanted to get back in, or players that didn't get drafted and need playing experience. Again, being able to teach the game is important. At that time, we had the #1 Offense and Rushing attack. The UFL has been ridiculed, but the level of play is better that what people my believe. They get after it. Its a very competitive league. I hope that it finds a way to keep going.


BH: As Baltimore's offensive line coach this season, what would you say your No. 1 priority is: protecting Joe Flacco and giving him time in the pocket, or opening up running lanes for running back Ray Rice?

TW: Wow, putting me on the spot (haha). Well, me being a former offensive lineman, my philosophy is pretty straight forward. You throw the ball to score. You run the ball to win. You have to have balance in these two areas to be successful. The teams that win in this league does both really well.

BH: Guard Ben Grubbs has been out of action since Week 1, do you have any idea when he will be back to full health?

TW: Unfortunately, I am not allowed to discuss any injuries that our players have. Ben has been working his tail off. He wants to get back out there, he's a true competitor.

BH: Who is the current offensive lineman in the league that you most admire, whether it be for his on-field ability or his work ethic, or something else about the way he approaches the game (doesn't have to be a Raven)?

TW: There are a couple of linemen that I admire and really enjoy watching them play. And yes, they happen to be Ravens. The first one is Bryant McKinnie, our left tackle. "B Mac" came to us late into training camp after the Vikings released him. SInce he's been here, he has lost a ton of weight and is playing with great confidence. He wants to be the best and he is starting to show the level of play that got him into the Pro Bowl.

The next one is Michael Oher. Mike has been the left tackle for the Ravens. We all know about the movie so I don't need to talk about it. However, Mike was just getting comfortable with the position when we signed McKinnie. Without hesitation, Mike made the switch to right tackle. You really don't see that anymore. It is very rare. When you have players like Mike that makes decisions like that, the sky's the limit for the team.

Also, Andre Gurode. He's a center that was released by the Cowboys. He has come in and played left guard, replacing the injured Ben Grubbs.

I could go on and on, but these three guys have showed what it takes to be a true team player. We wouldn't be where we are right now without them.

BH: Do you have any other last comments for any kids/athletes aspiring to make it to the professional level as either a player and/or coach?

TW: If you have the dream to make it in the NFL as a player or a coach, then do all you can to achieve it. The path to the league is not an easy one. It is designed like that for a reason. Keep working on your craft. Make sure you stay in close contact with people that are in position to help further your career. You will have times of heartbreak and disappointment. You may have to take a step back to go forward. You may even have people that you rely on turn you down. Don't let that stop you. The league needs new faces. New blood that are hungry and are willing to do what it takes to win. It took me a while, but I made it.


I look back at my journey from the internships at East Texas Baptist to being the Offensive Line Asst with the Ravens and I am truly thankful for everyone that has helped me along the way. This is just the beginning for me.


BH: Thank you very much for your time, Mr. Washington.


Look out for more interviews of former or current players coming in the near future..


Note: Image found on/borrowed from the Baltimore Ravens' website. I do not own it, nor am I attempting to take credit for the photo.