Ronde Barber On New Coach Raheem Morris: ‘I appreciate his candor and his ability to speak the new age vernacular with some of our players. And that’s good for us.’
August 10, 2009 – 6:00 am by Michael Bean
There are some marquee names - mainstays of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this decade - that will no longer be with the organization in 2009 and beyond. Included in the roster casualties are perennial All Pro LB Derrick Brooks, RB Warrick Dunn, veteran WRs Ike Hilliard and Joey Galloway, and LB Cato June. Then of course there’s coach Jon Gruden, who was dismissed after collapsing down the stretch and missing the playoffs in 2008. Not cut was soon to be 34 year old cornerback Ronde Barber, who joined WDAE to talk about training camp thus far in the first year of the Raheem Morris era.
On the departure of so many big-name players and how and who he expects to assume some of the leadership void:
“All those veterans we’re used to seeing, the big names on this football team, are no longer here. So we’re going to have to find out who those new guys are. Somebody’s going to have to step up and assume that role.”
On potential replacements in the leadership department now that so many of the more veteran presences are no longer with the Bucs:
“The good thing is, we don’t have to force that. I think every organization, every team, always wants to define leadership. But really, leadership just kind of assumes itself. The guys that are dominant, either vocally or physically or emotionally, they’re the ones that end up leading teams. And you know, they’ll step up for us eventually.”
On new coach Raheem Morris and his approach to coaching and managing his team as a young coach:
“He’s a realist. Raheem is a coach who has always approached football the way players approach football. There’s no blurry lines or anything like that. It’s either on this side or this side. And if you’re not on the correct side, you’re probably doing something wrong. I appreciate his candor and his ability to speak the new age vernacular with some of our players. And that’s good for us.”
Listen here to Ronde Barber with Steve Duemig on WDAE in Tampa
Tags: Buccaneers training camp, Raheem Morris, Ronde Barber, Tampa Bay Bucccaneers, WDAE
