Bucs Soured On Sabby Quickly
December 1st, 2010
Yesterday when Joe learned of the news that the Bucs washed their hands of Sabby, Joe literally had to call a second source for confirmation, and then received an e-mail from a third, trusted source that Joe then knew confirmed the news.
Yes, that’s standard operating procedure for a good reporter. But the news was so startling to Joe he couldn’t believe it.
Now Joe doesn’t have to connect the dots to figure out who blew the coverage on the Todd Heap touchdown last week. Some thought it was Sabby. The Bucs wouldn’t say… until yesterday that is.
Well, the Bucs didn’t actually say it. But actions often speak louder than words.
The move didn’t surprise Tampa Tribune columnist Joe Henderson at all. In fact, he is of the mind the Bucs had their fill of Sabby’s unfulfilled promise.
It’s worth remembering that Raheem Morris coached the defensive backs before taking over as head coach. You figure he’s going to know who has the goods back there and who is just a lost cause.
It sends a terrific message to the locker room. Production counts, no matter who you are or how long you’ve been there.
Even with the secondary thinned by injuries and quarterback Matt Ryan coming to town Sunday, the Bucs decided they’d take their chances with a guy who didn’t know the playbook instead of the guy who knew it (maybe) but couldn’t execute.
Well, here’s what piques Joe’s interest: A guy with a white cane could see that Sabby simply was not learning how to play in the NFL. He was doing the same stupid crap over and over whether it be blown coverages, late hits or his myriad of mistackles which he led the NFL in last year with 19.
So Morris and/or Mark Dominik came to the conclusion Sabby couldn’t play from the Baltimore game? Why not keep him on special teams and find someone else to start?
Mind you Joe’s not arguing against the move. Joe just finds it strange the Bucs wouldn’t keep Sabby as special teams fodder, unless the Bucs thought Sabby would pout and be a distraction for getting usurped by a guy off the street?
Sabby had already been walked over by a free agent pick-up and a rookie seventh-round draft pick, just in the first month of the season. Maybe a lowly practice squad player stepping over Sabby for a starting gig might have been a bit too much for even Sabby to handle?
December 1st, 2010 at 8:06 am
Morris never forgot Sabby’s comments in the preseason about how the open competition was ‘fixed’.
Sabby would have been let go in the off-season. This was a kind move for him but mostly done, I would expect, as a punishment for the blown coverage Sunday.
Expect Cory Lynch to start but what happens if Sean Jones or Lynch get injured?
December 1st, 2010 at 8:34 am
He’s gone already. Can you stop writing stories about the guy? Its as bad as when you write stories about Derrick Ward or Jim Bates.
Time to move on, leave the guy alone.
Time to find a new scapegoat Joe.
December 1st, 2010 at 8:43 am
Joe, I’m right on board with you. I can’t stand Sabby and couldn’t wait for yesterday to come for a long time! A bit late but at least it happened. Send that message to the locker room!
GO BUCS!
December 1st, 2010 at 8:45 am
Its possible that Dominik had to cut Sabby because the Locker room was furious with him. Sabby is a good special team player and the Bucs have already paid him.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:08 am
I vote for Buc You as the new scapegoat.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:13 am
I wonder if there was some kind of confrontation with Sabby and Raheem over the blown assignment in. Its a pretty tight locker room so i’d bet if there was we will never know.
It just seems kind of strange that he would be released when we just lost another starting safety.
As bad as he sucks you would think they would wait until they saw what they had in the other guys before they let him go.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:28 am
I’d guess this is 100% related to locker room unity / harmony.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:31 am
Joe, it would be interesting if you could get an ‘inside’ source to get the scoop on WHY Sabby was let go WHEN he was let go.
I’m not against the decision it’s just with the injuries the timing is questionable – IMHO
December 1st, 2010 at 9:33 am
Hey Buc U maybe you could suggest stories for Joe(s) to write?
How about how bad the Bucs are?
or maybe
How badly will the Bucs lose to Atlanta this week?
or how about
Tampa fans aren’t buying tickets for this Sunday’s game because they hate Raheem?
I’ll bet you’d LOVE to see stories like that. Am I right?
December 1st, 2010 at 9:38 am
They turned to him when they needed him most, and he immediatley gave up a huge TD that cost us the game. I think they’d just had enough and had probably been wanting to steal Larry Asante form the Browns PS for awhile now.
I also think Vince Anderson must be impressing them in practice. He’s been here for over 3 months now and should be very comfortable with the playbook. I’m not saying the guy will be some sort of play maker, but I don’t think they promote him and cut Sabby unless he has shown he has the instincts and fundementals to be a dependable safety. Something Sabby could never be.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:41 am
I said it yesterday, Sabby is a dumb jock. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do, the mental side was too confusing. Lynch will do fine.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:42 am
I expect an honest competition between Anderson and Lynch. Asante won’t be ready for 3 weeks at the very earliest. I don’t think we see Asante at all this year unless Lynch and Anderson both stink it up or get injured.
Asante is quality depth at SS for next year though. With Asante and Grimm we should have the SS spot locked down. Just need to drfat a good FS…unless this Anderson guy ends up being really good.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:28 am
I remember #37 Vince Anderson being pretty impressive in the pre-season and around the ball .. Quickly getting to where he needs to be .. Some potential I think ..
I believe Sabby being released now is basically setting up for next year by replacing him with Larry Asante .. Sabby would be gone next year and Asante would have been sealed with the Browns after week 16.
I watched Asante play when I was watching Suh play at Nebraska .. He was impressive .. He was just developing better Pass Defense as a Senior and was a Big Hitter against the Run
He needed better discipline and thats what Raheem will try and coach .. and also Raheem tried to recruit him @ K-State when he was there.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:40 am
As a leader, not getting rid of a problem is a failure. I think Sabby’s play on sunday was the final straw; he was given every chance to prove himself. Rah gave him some rope and he hung himself.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:41 am
From what little I have found on Anderson he seem’s very intriguing. Small school prospect but has size at 6’2″ 205 pounds, has been timed in 40 at 4.48. Played CB in college, tied his high school record in high jump. He seems to have the athletic ability…hopefully the tangibles are there. Not saying he is the next super star but hopefully will pan out into someone who can contribute.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:19 am
Buc You- Buc Off !!
December 1st, 2010 at 12:21 pm
It just goes to show, you can’t teach instincts.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Buc You- When will you get that the who its to move on for….is you. Everyone is on to you. All you do is give the exact opposite opinion of everyone else on every thread just to get a rise out of people. You are pathetic.
December 1st, 2010 at 1:21 pm
buc you, in order for someone to be considered a scapegoat they would have had to do nothing wrong but to be blamed for something. sabby did plenty wrong to deserve the blame and that claim is not baseless, theres plenty of video to prove it.
December 1st, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Buc You just likes to say the word “scapegoat”. He has no clue what it means, just like he has no clue about football.
December 1st, 2010 at 7:20 pm
derf Says:
December 1st, 2010 at 9:33 am
Hey Buc U maybe you could suggest stories for Joe(s) to write?
How about how bad the Bucs are?
or maybe
How badly will the Bucs lose to Atlanta this week?
or how about
Tampa fans aren’t buying tickets for this Sunday’s game because they hate Raheem?
I’ll bet you’d LOVE to see stories like that. Am I right?
Hey Derfie, Not too far off! I don’t know about the “hate”, but apathy towards him for sure! Most real fans want a professional coach. Not an amateur that coddles thugs. Whatever the reason, it seems that you kool-aid drinkers aren’t buying the tickets up! wanna explain that? Or are you going to use that lame excuse about the economy? Face facts, dorfie, real fans want a professional team run by professionals. Not a team of thugs run by an amateur with an agenda! If the Bucs were to win out, which they will not, the fans will not show next year either. I just hope that Matt Bryant comes in here sunday and kicks numerous field goals for the coach that fired him for being hurt!
December 1st, 2010 at 7:43 pm
@Tampa2,
What right do you have to call players on this team “thugs”. You don’t know one player on this team, yet you are willing to judge them. That’s sick. When I came to Tampa to the Browns game this year, I got lucky and ran into the team and was able to meet them, along with my wife and 6 year old daughter. Let me tell you, every single one of them was polite, generous with their time, and friendly. Coach Morris was even so nice as to send me a personal letter thanking us for our support. Most of them are incredibly generous with the community. What exactly do you do for your community? So that comment really pisses me off. Yeah, there have been a couple guys that made mistakes, but that gives you no right to condone the entire team. You’ve never made a mistake or had a friend or family member make a mistake? If your brother committed a crime, would you have his back? Teams are family, and they are supposed to have each others back. You are a sick person, and if I ever met you in person, I’d love to go Aqib Talib on your “bit*h a%s mouth”!
Why do you call him an amateur, when he has as good a shot as anyone to win coach of the year? I guess everyone else is wrong, but you, oh judge of all that is worthy, is right. Give me a break, you are a supreme douche! And what exactly is his agenda? Winning? But you are going to judge by ticket sales? I’m sure my dad as well as many of my friends who can’t afford their mortgage in Florida right now would love to hear that assessment from you.
December 1st, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Hawaiian Buc,
You have your belief, I have mine. And if you want to believe that the amateur is COY, thats okay with me. He is still an amateur and his defense still sucks, as do his decisions and schemes. I’d like to see that, Hawaiian. You might get a surprise! So, to be polite, Bite me!
December 1st, 2010 at 8:26 pm
That amateur is coaching the team while you’re sitting in your mom’s basement hating on any and everything Buccaneers (as revealed by you hoping Bryant comes in and kicks a bunch of field goals). That defense that sucks is now #9 in points allowed, and getting better every week. You can give any stat you want, but that’s the most important one. How about 5 games where we have shut the other team out in the second half. It’s funny, you say the defense sucks because of him, but I bet you want us to draft defense this year. So that says you don’t think the talent is there, yet we are still getting better each week. You are a clown, and the only surprise I would ever get from you would be to find out that your sister and girlfriend are 2 different people.
December 1st, 2010 at 8:54 pm
The thing about people like Tampa2 is that hey don’t realize no one really wants to hear their opinion since its based on nothing but irrational hate. Instead of telling people to bite him Tampa2 should just go post somewhere that someone might actually want to hear his opinion. Of course there is no such website in existence right now where people are bashing Raheem like these idiots(Tampa2, Buc You, Thomas) do. So there really is no where for them to go and post. Why don’t these jackasses just start their own little we hate Raheem website and they can enjoy being the only three posters the site ever sees.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:09 pm
@gitarlvr,
That’s true. I even have a name for them: “The 3 Douches”.
December 2nd, 2010 at 12:20 am
Tampa 2…You love Gruden, I beleive he had plenty of players that were in question…in fact, he brought it Stevens.
We have been over this before, but I will let you know one more time. A professional coach is a person payed by a pro team to coach. Like it or not, Morris is the PRO head coach of the Tampa Bay Bucs. Please tell us the real reason you hate Morris so much? Man up and let it all hang out.
December 2nd, 2010 at 1:55 am
he will be on dancing with the stars, next.