Draft “Tea Leaves” Favor Talib
May 1st, 2012
The incomparable and vivacious eye-RAH! Kaufman, NFL writer and Bucs beat writer of The Tampa Tribune, took to the WDAE-AM 620 airwaves yesterday to do what he calls “read the tea leaves” of the NFL Draft as they related to the Buccaneers.
What Kaufman saw in his bag of Earl Grey was a vote of confidence for Aqib Talib.
Kaufman said it’s wise to project that the Bucs waiting until the sixth round to select a cornerback means the organization believes Aqib Talib will walk away from his felony assault with a deadly weapon trial in June with little or no punishment from Roger Goodell and the Texas penal system.
Now while Joe would be somewhat surprised if Talib is found guilty given the apparent flimsy evidence in the case, Joe doesn’t have a clue what’s in Goodell’s head. However, Team Glazer likely does.
The X-factor in all of this is that Talib’s alleged crime took place during the NFL’s asinine lockout. Does Goodell want the inevitable legal and public relations mess associated with suspending Talib for his transgressions when he wasn’t under contract?
May 1st, 2012 at 10:09 am
Jerome Simpson was busted for trafficking POT .. Pounds of it … and got I believe a 3 game suspension.
If found not guilty Talib probably gets 1 or 2 games Max. But you never Know.
May 1st, 2012 at 10:15 am
How do you decide to wait for the court system to work, then punish a guy who is acquitted? (if he is)
I agree the draft was a vote of confidence, especially the first round selection.
They must have some behind the scenes info that Talib will be playing.
May 1st, 2012 at 10:24 am
Where’s Pete?
Told you bro! 🙂
May 1st, 2012 at 10:35 am
Uh-oh, here we go again….
I yield back the balance of my time to the Distinguished Captain Tim….
May 1st, 2012 at 10:42 am
Still need another corner. Eric Wright is limited because of his size and who’s to say Talib wont get in more trouble. Plus, neither one of those guys is anywhere near a shut down corner. Both have shown plenty of inconsistencies in coverage.
May 1st, 2012 at 10:52 am
@jarret Talib is one of the better corners in the league. There aren’t a ton of true shutdown corners. Outside of people like Revis, Nhandi (SP?), Leon Hall, Joe Hadden, and Champ Bailey there aren’t too many and I think Talib is in the second teir of corners. The ones that are very good but are not at that elite level.
May 1st, 2012 at 10:58 am
Secondary is critical, but if we don’t drastically increase the 23 sacks we had last year we are in trouble.
Thats five sacks less than the second worst team in that category.
That wont cut it if we had Deon, Revis, and Night Train Lane.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:04 am
I don’t see how he could suspend Talib if he’s proven INNOCENT! Why the hell should he be allowed to do that?
May 1st, 2012 at 11:17 am
I’m sure he won’t have any other issues. He’s obviously shown the ability to learn from prior mistakes, and keep his nose clean.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:20 am
@ Patrick
I really think it depends on what facts come out in the case. If he’s found innocent, and all accounts show he was trying to be a peace maker, I would agree with you. If he’s found innocent of the gun charges, but the accounts have him encouraging whoever was holding the gun to shoot at the guy, then I think there would reason to suspend him.
I’m not saying he should or shouldn’t be suspended at this time, I am interested to see what facts/stories come out as part of the case, then based off those, see what suspension may come down.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:22 am
That’s what I don’t get. How can u suspend a dude that’s proven innocent? You can’t control if people around you start actin a fool. What was he sposed to do? Leave? Wouldn’t that be abondoning a crime scene? So then he’d get popped for that.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:25 am
It’s off topic but I found an intriguing pic of Doug Martin:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/04/27/2094677/doug-martins-boise-state-career.html
Look familiar????
May 1st, 2012 at 11:27 am
@ pat & eric: nfl has this code; (quote): “Conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the National Football League.” ~
“It is not enough simply to avoid being found guilty of a crime. Instead, as an employee of the NFL or a member club, you are held to a higher standard and expected to conduct yourself in a way that is responsible, promotes the values upon which the League is based, and is lawful. Persons who fail to live up to this standard of conduct are guilty of conduct detrimental and subject to discipline, even where the conduct itself does not result in conviction of a crime.”
I’m pretty sure this is their loophole ~ hope this helps. Go Bucs!
May 1st, 2012 at 11:36 am
@patrick & BuccFanInHawkeyeCountry being acquired is not the same as being innocent. OJ was acquitted in criminal court for the murders, but was found guilty in civil court where the phrase “beyond a reasonable doubt” is not applied.
However this should be a moot point as he was not an employee of the league, the member of a club, or even in an official union that is negotiating with the league. If this incident had happened before or after the lockout he would have already been suspended for some time, or he would be facing a substantial suspension upon returning from trial.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:36 am
I have always like Talib and glad things are looking up for him. The guy still has to go to court where anything can happen, but it does look good for him. Talib already met with Goodell and all of his lawyers last year, I am sure the NFL has better lawyers than those who will be in court with Talib, and have seen the evidence and know it is a bunch of BS. Talib will be a Buc next year and all the haters can keep on hating. He finally has some help besides Ronde in Barron, watch out for a 5 plus int year from him.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:40 am
@ st augustine
…yeah, the loophole is that he wasn’t an NFL employee at the time !! Therefore the code of conduct does not apply. That’d be like Goodell suspending Janorice Jenkins for smoking pot before he got drafted !!
May 1st, 2012 at 11:46 am
Music to my ears! Talk all
The crap you want about aqib, but without that guy on our roster next year our secondary would drop off. I really hope he stays buying into coach schianos philosophy and earns a contract extension. Cause this guy is a blue chip corner and if you watch nfl network you know exactly what that is. Having a 6″2 corner in aqib weighing 215 and a 6″1 corner in Barron weighing 220 is just sketchy those guys are huge for there positions. They will be a deadly tandem for years to come if aqib can simply focus on football which I personally believe he will.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:54 am
well we will see how it all plays out; I think Talib still may get a game or 2 due to his checkered past. Goodell seems to be able to hand out anything he wants, however I do think since there was a lockout at the time that may help him. If he is healthy and has his head on straight that should be a pretty good duo. As Eric previosuly stated if he don’t improve our sack totals AND pressure it may not matter.
May 1st, 2012 at 11:56 am
Wasn’t Rapelisburger found innocent and acquited of his charges and still get 8 games suspension appealed down to 6 games a few years ago?
May 1st, 2012 at 12:17 pm
Jerome Simpson was busted for trafficking POT .. Pounds of it … and got I believe a 3 game suspension.
If found not guilty Talib probably gets 1 or 2 games Max. But you never Know.
————————-
@jvato24:
Huh? So selling pot is worse than shooting someone?
Interesting.
Keep in mind, Talib has already been suspended by the league before.
There’s no way he only gets 1 or 2 games.
May 1st, 2012 at 12:30 pm
Sure that makes a lot of sense.
Sign a relatively expensive corner in free agency, resign your 16 year vet starting corner, draft a corner, retain your other 2 backup corners –
yet things look favorable. Favorable would have been not signing Wright or Ronde.
Trying to predict what a Texas jury with Talib on a weapons charge is hardly scientific – if Dom is making decidions about the roster on the basis of an assumption that there will be an acquittal – Dom is a bigger idiot than any of us realize, not to mention the probable league action.
The only prudent thing to do is assume that Talib is unavailable, which is clearly what they did by signing wright and ronde.
Come on Joe and Ira – you are better than this.
Talib is a thug who will be dealt with swiftly.
May 1st, 2012 at 12:46 pm
I understand the personal conduct policy, but in this case the commish specifically delayed punishment while the case progressed.
He has the power to impose sanctions even after an acquittal, but in this case I don’t think he would.
He remains the best hope we have at corner. And were a lot worse without him.
I doubt the case will ever actually go to trial based on the circumstances of the scumbag “victim” in jail facing his own unrelated charges.
May 1st, 2012 at 12:53 pm
IMO, Kool-aid
May 1st, 2012 at 12:54 pm
& Thug
May 1st, 2012 at 12:55 pm
Some things are getting old fast.
May 1st, 2012 at 1:50 pm
Eric:
If the case doesnt get tried, what happens to it? There isn’t a deal to be made that won’t impact Talib from a league standpoint. A guilty or no contest plea to a lesser could cost Talib half a season or more.
I think both sides understand that a jury will make the decision. Only an acquittal gives Talib an argument at little or no league action.
As far as the victim being a scumbag, that would mean more if the Defendant wasn’t also one.
May 1st, 2012 at 2:18 pm
It will never come to a trial. When given the choice of trying to spend $100,000+ to prosecute a well defended, well dressed, professional football player and local hero against a prisoner (child molester) dressed in an orange jumpsuit complete with leg irons and handcuffs. A man who was only there to support his mother and sister against this monster, I believe that the prosecution would take the less expensive option.
It has cost the District Attorney very little to prolong the case up to this point and they have received much positive publicity. It can quickly turn into a Casey Anthony type nightmare and possibly cost the prosecutor, district attorney and mayor their jobs.
The jury holds all of the cards and with professional legal help and jury consultants, a conviction of Talib is just about impossible.
May 1st, 2012 at 2:49 pm
“Casey Anthony type nightmare” lol … That was too much.
Talib ain’t pretty enough for that. He’ll get off as long as his mama doesn’t testify against him.
May 1st, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Ever since Talib and his lawyer visited Dom the Bucs seemed like they wernt too worried about the case.But alot of people just seem to want to get rid of him before any TRUE evidence comes out from the case in court.I think he will be found innocent and will and up getting a new contract.We will see soon.
May 1st, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Whats with all the hype for having a shutdown corner? Neither team in the super bowl had a “shutdown corner”. Talib, Wright, Barber and whoever else sets up like Ej Biggers(who shutdown steve smith for an entire game). I would much rather have a guy like Barron who can set the tempo for an entire team.
May 1st, 2012 at 4:44 pm
“Huh? So selling pot is worse than shooting someone?”
No-one was shot. The man in question was ‘shot at’, subtle distinction, there.
” There isn’t a deal to be made that won’t impact Talib from a league standpoint.”
Well, prosecutors dropping the case, for lack of evidence, comes to mind. Not any sort of prediction, mind you, just a scenario that won’t affect Talib, legally speaking. Really, only time will tell, for sure if we’ll still have him, or not.
May 1st, 2012 at 5:21 pm
“Stand your Bong”
May 1st, 2012 at 8:49 pm
SensibleBuc Says: May 1st, 2012 at 10:24 am
Where’s Pete?
Told you bro!
.
Dude…I went to the eye doctor today and he blinded me for most of the day. I can only see this now because the brightness on my tablet is turned almost all the way down, lol. I NEVER want to be blind again!
Now…on topic…
…this post in theory, nothing more. It is speculation, just like what I say will happen.
And what I said is that sometime after the draft Talib will be cut and that he won’t make the final roster. I still believe that. I also said he’ll get 10-16 game suspensio. I still believe that.
Just because the Bucs didn’t draft a suitable replacement doesn’t mean he’s safe. It could mean:
A) Schiano believes in someone else on the roster
B) Dominick expects a free agent to become available, or
C) Dominick is negotiating a trade
As fas as Wright…he’s better than Biggers so he will get to start…plus he got a starting contract.
May 1st, 2012 at 10:29 pm
I think Simpson getting a 3 game suspension for pot sounds about right. Doing pot shouldn’t be compared to assault with a deadly weapon.
I don’t smoke pot…….but they need to just legalize it already. If Tobacco (which is MUCH worse for you), alcohol (which thousands of people abuse) are legal, then why can’t pot? Both cause thousands of deaths each year. The same hasn’t been found for pot. It seems like more and more people are smoking it everyday in my opinion. I just get tired of hearing about people getting busted for it all the time.
I’m probably the youngest person on this board, so ya’ll probably know more about this stuff then I do. lol.