No Hines Ward In Tampa Bay
March 1st, 2012
Joe had been waiting to post this as some fans have asked him about this potential transaction.
Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Steelers decided to part ways with arguably their best receiver in franchise history, Hines Ward.
Of course, Joe was asked about the Bucs maybe picking him up. The answer should be, “No.”
Now Ward is one of Joe’s all-time favorite players. Dude had a linebacker’s mentality in a wide receiver’s body. He just loved to lay out linebackers on blocks. Of course, linebackers, not used to getting lit up by a wide receiver, often claimed he was dirty as a result.
Boo, hoo!
Few players loved the game like Ward. Whenever he made any kind of a tough catch over the middle, or blasted a linebacker, he’d get up with that beaming ear-to-ear smile.
In the last few years with Father Time catching up to him, with other, younger wide receivers eating away at his playing time, Ward never said a word. He never took to the Internet on a weekly basis, never resorted to using props to call attention to himself, never did sit ups in his driveway all in an effort to get on the field.
Instead, Ward did what all good teammates do: He helped out the younger guys and supported them up best he could. Ward was more worried about wins then headlines.
Wrap it all up, and that’s Joe’s kind of player. A dude who does everything asked of him all at 110 percent, a guy that dearly loves the game, a person whose only goal was the scoreboard. A class act.
Would Joe love to have Ward’s attitude on the sidelines and in practices? You bet. But Joe has to think with his head when it comes to football, not his heart.
Joe has one simple axiom when it comes to the NFL: If Ted Thompson and/or Kevin Colbert don’t want you, then neither should Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik.
Ward was willing to stay with the Steelers at a much reduced salary. Colbert never attempted to renegotiate Ward’s salary.
That’s all Joe needs to know.
March 1st, 2012 at 1:36 pm
And no Manningham…..hopefully, we don’t need # 2 and # 3 receivers. Got enough of them already. 13 days to go and hoping they put some big smiles on the fans faces again. bet a few big FA signing will start to fill those seats up again.
March 1st, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Every last-chance, over-the-hill, something-left-in-the-tank, current-team-not-willing-to-resign, not- going-to-break-the bank, coming-off-an-injury NFL unrestricted free agent is going to be linked to the Bucs between now and the end of FA, because that’s what the media and the so-called experts think of the Bucs. Perhaps we’ve earned that reputation!
March 1st, 2012 at 2:39 pm
Hey Macabee, agreed 100%. But dont forget the old-has-beens and the young-never-will-be’s.
March 1st, 2012 at 2:39 pm
Pat Yasinskas is linking the Bucs with Eddie Royal.
March 1st, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Way too old for Dominik. Let’s get some real Buc talk . I hear enough Steeler talk from my wife’s side of the family . This is Buc town.
March 1st, 2012 at 3:24 pm
”He never took to the Internet on a weekly basis, never resorted to using props to call attention to himself, never did sit ups in his driveway all in an effort to get on the field.”
How bout a DUI? And lie about it. He had some clean blocks but some dirty ones too. If I was an NFL LBer Hines Ward would of been a target. I would have went across the field to KO him. Great Wr though.
March 1st, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Part of Ward’s greatness was the ability to do whatever necessary to win.
And how about that hit on Keith Rivers. Broke the dude’s jaw.
March 1st, 2012 at 3:50 pm
Call me crazy but I would take Hines. Williams and benn are just like him. They could learn a thing or two. Especially benn
March 1st, 2012 at 3:52 pm
A great player past his time and not a fit here.
Hines Ward is a winner but you tend to get old playing football…..fast.
March 1st, 2012 at 6:15 pm
He would be a great addition to our team. He dug his own grave by helping Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, and the other younger Pitt receivers develop. He COACHED his own competition for the sake of the TEAM!!… Hines would be a great addition to our team. 2 year contract. Help Williams, Benn, Parker, and Briscoe develop(or 2009 quartet)…..But we would still need to add a true number 1 in Free agency…. Hines would just be our solid #5/6 receiver/leader in the lockeroom….But of course we wouldnt do this. I’m just sayin….
March 1st, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Hey Joe what about trading our #1 pick for Mike Wallace and THEN adding Ward to our team for a reduced salary, heck even veteran minimum in the hopes that Ward would be like a player/coach, only playing maybe 10 plays a game in critical situations. Meanwhile Ward helps Wallace learn the new system and works with Williams and Benn to develop?
There IS a lot to be said for veteran leadership and a hard working TEAM MENTALITY – something the Bucs sadly lacked last year!
March 1st, 2012 at 8:25 pm
Mr. Lucky:
Joe’s OK with getting Wallace for the No. 5 pick. But Ward is done. Good guy; great player/teammate. His wheels are shot.
Remember the Steelers are a playoff team and one year removed from the Super Bowl. If Kevin Colbert thought Ward would help them, he wouldn’t be walking the streets right now.