Talib Now Posterperson For Background Checks
April 6th, 2011
The future of troubled Bucs cornerback Aqib Talib is unknown.
Was Talib wrongly accused of pistol whipping a man? Was Talib falsely fingered for trying to gun down another person? Or was he simply a victim of circumstance?
Of course, given the circumstances of the lockout, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik is greatly limited on what he can say on the issue.
The end to this ugly incident in Garland, Tex. will be played out before a court of law. As Peter King also suggested, Eric Edholm of Pro Football Weekly explains in this BSPN podcast that the Talib case is a perfect example of why teams put so much emphasis — and money — into background checks and character examinations.
The way Edholm talked, it is as if Talib is now an example of what happens when a club ignores red flags from players in college, which is what Chucky did when he landed the former Kansas star.
Joe frankly believes little if any good will come from this incident.
April 6th, 2011 at 10:42 am
I am not ready to claim Talib was wasted pick yet. What if he truly is innocent of these charges? And what if this whole incident has given him a preview of what will happen if he messes up again? The way the local (and national) media turned on him should show him what everyone truly thought and his amazing play on the field didn’t change that. That has got to hurt his feelings.
He will no longer receive the benefit of the doubt in this or future incidents. He can look at Tanard for an example of what happens when you piss away your NFL career.
If he is reformed after this incident, and most importantly, his stupid family members realize the best way to progress their lives will be with his NFL paycheck; then maybe he will turn it around.
If all that happens, he will be well worth the pick. I know, I know, alot of if’s there… but I give it a 50/50 shot at happening if he loves money more than being a gangster.
April 6th, 2011 at 10:44 am
Gary:
Talib’s “benefit of the doubt” went out the window when he tried to use a cabbie’s skull as a speedbag while the man was driving down the highway.
April 6th, 2011 at 11:13 am
Exactly Joe. If this was his first time getting into trouble then he would not be getting the attention it has been getting.
He has proven, that while he may not have done anything more than pistol whip some guy poorly, he will do something in the future and his luck will run out and the team will need to look for a new player.
April 6th, 2011 at 11:23 am
Joe you are a 100% Aqib talib hater lol, maybe you get your wish and he gets cut. I will laugh when drew breed,matt Ryan, matt shaub, even a mathew stafford have hay days against our terrible pass defense when aqib
Is gone. Then you will realize what we are missing. There is no corner in the draft that will be able to fill
His shoes besides Patrick Peterson. And the odds of that are slim to none. Aqib will be on the bucs next year and I’m calling it. I’ll
Gladly have my Aqib jersey on cheering him on through this time. I
Support Aqib. The whole cab thing is in the past no one is perfect.
April 6th, 2011 at 11:24 am
I hope the Bucs organization moves forward and away from taking chances/risks on drafting/acquiring players with “baggage” like this.
Yes, Bucs gambled on Sapp but his was a non-violent offense.
Stay away from rapo’s and thugs, please!
Who wants to plunk down hard earned money to see that??
If I want that I’d go to an NBA game. HAHA
April 6th, 2011 at 11:33 am
Dylan….im not sure if your serious or joking?
The whole cab thing being in the past? That just happened last year…the same time Talib threatened and had to be restrained from going after an official. Prior to that, he busted up his own teammate with a helmet…going back further he got into a fight at the rookie orientation.
Im a big fan of Talib’s talent…but the man himself…my kids watch these games with me and I want the guys their rooting for to be decent people, I don’t get the sense that Talib is a good guy just making dumb mistakes.
RichinNC…your comment about all Talib did was pistol whip some guy??? Really….when is the last time that somebody that you know personally pistol whipped somebody…exactly, that does not happen in normal everyday lives.
The comparisons between Tanard and Talib are shaky at best….Tanard is an idiot that likes to smoke weed….Talib has a track record of voilent actions….two very very different things. The only thing they have in common is that they are throwing away their football careers….sadly, at this rate we may be reading a post in the near future that Talib is no longer with us.
April 6th, 2011 at 11:34 am
He was missing during our last game vs Brees. How did that turn out? He was also there for the two Atlanta games. He was also there trying to fight an official.
Trouble follows him and he will be suspended one day since he has proven over and over he cannot or will not change.
April 6th, 2011 at 11:39 am
Steve I said ‘he may not have done anything more than pistol whip some guy poorly.’ Meaning he may not have fired a pistol at someone. He still assaulted some guy with a weapon and that is not a minor thing.
April 6th, 2011 at 11:39 am
Steve from Oregon:
Yes, do the math people and see what the next step is (Joe wrote this last week):
1. Fistfight (with a teammate) at rookie symposium.
2. Trying to smash Donald Penn’s face in with a helmet, only connecting with the wrong guy. Could have ended a guy’s career. Away from a football field, this is known as assault and battery.
3. Rabbit-punching a cabbie’s head going (at least) 55 mph down a highway. Could have killed everyone in the cab not to mention other innocents driving down the highway.
4. Pistol whipping a guy followed by trying to gun down a fleeing man (all alleged of course).
5. Next step up??? (Fill in the blank, scary to think about).
April 6th, 2011 at 11:42 am
I think I’ve been pretty clear on where I stand on this matter, but I while considering this mess a thought came to me. In most cases, whenever Talib got into trouble, it was a result of someone else causing issues first.
For example, the Cab driver behaved in a racist way.
Talib was confronted by a fellow rookie at the rookie sympos.
A ref made obvious bad calls, and when confronted he called Talib a Pu$$y.
Billings was beating Talibs sister.
In all but the language outburst overseas, there was reason behind his actions. Maybe even there too.
Don’t get me wrong, if he’s guilty of all the claims against him in this case, he should be punished. It’s just an aspect I had not considered previously.
But I actually have a question…
If Talib is convicted or whatever, and the Bucs have to cut him, do they still have to pay him his contract?
I’m not referring to salary cap ramifications, but rather money owed.
April 6th, 2011 at 11:43 am
this is a perfect example as to how much better raheem morris and mark dominick are than the members of the old regime. the bucs arent afraid to pick up players with question marks, but as we saw with mike williams and legarrette blount this year, they will do their homework before signing these guys, making sure there character matches their talent. Although talib is probably one of the most talented corners in the nfl, the new regime would have labeled him as a character liability, and passed on him for a better fit. That being said, I dont think the bucs are afraid of correcting talibs ways, they know he has the talent, and will do their best to make him a better person
April 6th, 2011 at 11:43 am
5. Governor of Florida?
April 6th, 2011 at 11:45 am
@Joe
You’re the expert here, Joe, but I thought it happened while the cabbie was insisting they prepay and the cab was not in motion?
April 6th, 2011 at 11:45 am
Pete Dutcher:
Where’s your evidence of that?
Have you been hitting the bourbon this early? So why didn’t the entire Bucs team go after the ref??? Can’t believe you would condone this.
What did Donald Penn or Torrie Cox do to warrant Talib to go wilding with a helmet?
What did Cory Boyd do to provoke a fistfight at an NFL sanctioned event?
So everyone is to blame because Talib can’t control himself, seriously, really? Come on now.
April 6th, 2011 at 11:47 am
Pete Dutcher:
There are no guarenteed contracts in the NFL. If you are cut you are unemployed.
April 6th, 2011 at 11:49 am
Pete Dutcher:
Guess what? If you think the cabbie is trying to job you, call for another cab. What a novel concept. How come Talib’s fellow passengers didn’t react like Talib?
It’s blowing Joe’s mind the levels to which people reach to condone Talib’s actions when anyone one of us on this very site pulled the same stunts we’d be doing time.
And yes, the cabbie was driving the car down the highway when he was drilled by Talib.
April 6th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Yes Talib is an idiot, but he was dealing with a slimeball that just rubs me the wrong way,I think Billings is trying to find away to get those charges off of him and make a few dollars in the mean time.Guys like Talib have a problem with people so called trying him and dont mind saying what he did and why he did it .The truth will come out.
April 6th, 2011 at 12:37 pm
whatever all you aqib haters people can change and he looks to be innocent. This is 100% his fault. This is about his family and a rapist beating his sister. and not to add on that the boyfriend had a restraining order. and joe next step up???? your one of the people who probably said michael vick will never be in the NFL again. look at his next step. coming out of prison and being in talk for NFL MVP award. people can change there lifes they just cant do it over night. you guys need to be more understanding. and yeah the whole cab thing was last year but last I checked it was off his record and he completed anger management classes? He wont get charged and he will be playing with the bucs next year give it up. You write all this stuff about him and not one thing is optimistic and you dont even know the guy you read on the internet about only his bad events not his good. Im sure if raheem actually talked to the media he wouldnt bash him half as hard as all you guys are. I will be shocked if the bucs indeed actually cut him for something so stupid where he can actually be innocent and not have even shot the gun. its at his house.
April 6th, 2011 at 12:44 pm
5. He kills tha competition
April 6th, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Dylan:
Best as Joe can tell, Michael Vick only ran afoul of the law once. He paid his debt to society and moved on. Props to him.
Aqib Talib has a well-documented pattern of incidents where violence was involved. In fact, since Talib was drafted by the Bucs, he hasn’t gone through a span of eight months without an incident. So why is any reasoned person to believe this clash in Texas — whether he is proven innocent or guilty — will be the last time police ever speak his name?
Comparing Talib and Vick is not fair to Vick and, frankly, apples-to-oranges.
April 6th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
@Joe: “Have you been hitting the bourbon this early? So why didn’t the entire Bucs team go after the ref??? Can’t believe you would condone this.”
I’m confused what you mean here. He’s not condoning it. He’s just commented that it was after someone else did something they shouldn’t have.
BTW, I would guess a large percentage of NFL players would physically confront any player or ref that called them that.
April 6th, 2011 at 12:48 pm
Vick -weed at airport,bong somthing like that
April 6th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
AQIB TO THE PRO BOWL NEXT YEAR!!!!
April 6th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
Matt:
Most players might yell something and walk away, fully knowing nothing good would come out of a confrontation with an official. Of course, most players are able to use their heads, even in a heated situation.
About the only time Joe can even remotely condone a player going after an official is when — can’t remember his name — an offensive lineman for the Browns was struck in the eye by a referee’s flag — who threw the flag right at the player’s head — and the player received permanent damage to his eye.
The Browns lineman in question threw the official to the ground. Didn’t punch him, didn’t take a swing, just shoved him to the ground. Can’t say Joe blames him. Couldn’t condone it, but can’t blame the guy. He’s walking around with one good eye now thanks to a referee.
If Talib doesn’t know it now, with his track record, he has to act like an absolute angel no matter what until he retires. Joe’s not sure he’s capable of that.
Is it fair? Not really, but it’s the bed Talib has made for himself.
April 6th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
admin
“Mike Vick only ran afoul once”???
Don’t you mean, Mike Vick ran a foul dogfighting ring and MURDERED DOGS? Which, the latter, he never spent a day in prison for! A foul Scumbag, indeed!!
April 6th, 2011 at 12:58 pm
m.wesley:
That’s right. Tried to sneak a makeshift smoke device onto an airplane. Something like a bong disguised as a can of shaving cream?
April 6th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
Joe
Vick also had some watch/jewelry he stole or a friend stole. Also, I think it was a water bottle thing w/mary jane residue? Had one of his trucks used in a drug buy/bust. Then there was the sexual transmitted disease thing. McKay did his best to keep his constant crap underwraps!
April 6th, 2011 at 1:08 pm
Don’t forget the middle finger salute at that one home game.
Plus he’s missed a few scheduled events for charities, since his reinstatement.
BTW did I say he’s a foul SCUMBAG!!!!!!!
April 6th, 2011 at 4:17 pm
Vick also failed a drug test just before going to prision. Nobody cared because they knew he was going to prison.
Anyway, Joe is right and Peter is wrong on this one, for those of you keeping score at home 🙂
Pete et al, the EASIEST way to determine if Talib is a menance to society or not is this:
Why do Cabs put protective cages and bullet proof glass in their cars to separate them from the passengers? To keep sickos like Aqib Talib from assulting them.
That was easy wasn’t it?
April 6th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Joe what michael vick did is worse than all of aqibs combined. I really do not think it is close. lets think about this starving and abusing dogs so that they will fight to their death, and if one doesnt fight as well as it should you just electrocute or strangle them. Which he did personally. Joe really you wrote “not fair to vick” When comparing he and talib. Whoa . Talib is a moron, but not a convicted dog fighter and murderer. As i wrote before lets wait on this, I doubt he serves any jail time. He is probably not a good guy, but we need him nonetheless.
April 6th, 2011 at 5:08 pm
Funny thing, I was in a cab on my way to TPA last week. The cab driver and I were talking about this subject. I brought up how stupid it is to punch a guy driving the car you are in, and the cab driver said “I know the guy he hit, and pretty much everyone who meets him would like to hit him”, he did agree that it may have made more sense to hit him once the car stopped. I think Joe has a good point. The best thing for talib is to distance himself from his past, at least until he learns how to control himself. I am sure whether or not he fired the gun, mom will take the fall for him. Who knows, maybe he is telling the truth and she did fire the gun.
April 6th, 2011 at 6:50 pm
“I brought up how stupid it is to punch a guy driving the car you are in, and the cab driver said “I know the guy he hit, and pretty much everyone who meets him would like to hit him””
WELL THEN, JUSTIFIED…………………………………………………… NOT!!!
April 6th, 2011 at 8:22 pm
Even if Talib gets convicted of ONLY pistol whipping the guy he’ll still be facing at least a four game suspension at the very least. He got suspended one game for punching a cab driver, I wouldn’t imagine the Comish is going to slap him on the wrist like that for this one.
I guess it’s up to Dominik if he thinks it’s worth it to hang onto him or not. I would put Talib’s odds at about 10 % that he’ll still be on the roster on openning day.
I love what Talib brings to the table from a strictly football stand point, but the risks far outway the reward in this case.
April 6th, 2011 at 8:28 pm
^outweigh^
April 6th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
WHOEVER SAYS TALIB ISNT WORTH THE BUCCANEER’S TIME IS WRONG!
-Fact: If Talib has a good year next year, the bucs make the playoffs, and wont have any trouble making the superbowl. (disagree if you want but this is the year)
Fact: If we start E.J. Biggers and Ronde Barber rather than Talib with Biggers and Barber rotating, we will get lit up every single time we play a team with a decent quarterback.
The cornerback position isnt a position of need for the bucs, but if Talib is gone, it is. The only glaring needs right now are outside linebackers, and defenseve ends. Two positions we can upgrade through the draft(think last year with DT and WR). we cannot have our pass defense be an issue next year if we want to be contenders.
April 7th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
weneeddefense…was not jsutifying it, just relaying a story from one of the cab guys coworkers.