The Frontal Assault & The Future
January 7th, 2022
BY IRA KAUFMAN
Sage Ira is presented by Bill Currie Ford, home of the nationwide lifetime warranty on new and used vehicles. Tampa’s only Pro Football Hall of Fame voter joined JoeBucsFan.com in 2016. Ira has been typing for a living for nearly 50 years. A renowned french fry connoisseur, Ira is heard weekly on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio and on his heralded podcast.
Here we go again, Buc fans, dealing with the fallout from a world-class diva fiasco.
Two defending NFL champions, 18 years apart, undermined by the selfishness of wide receivers with their gaze firmly on the stat sheet rather than on the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
In both cases, it turned into a blood feud between the head case and the head coach.
In 2003, it was a disgruntled Keyshawn Johnson whose relationship with Jon Gruden frayed beyond the point of repair. The Bucs were 4-6 when Gruden reached the breaking point, essentially telling Johnson “don’t come ’round here no more.”
Antonio Brown has company in Bucs lore, explains Ira Kaufman.
GM Rich McKay reluctantly deactivated Johnson for the final six games, although the Bucs had not been mathematically eliminated from the playoff chase. That tells you all you need to know about how toxic the situation was.
So Johnson got paid handsomely to keep his distance from One Buc Place and he would be dealt to Dallas the following March for Joey Galloway — one of the best trades in franchise history.
“For whatever reason, he didn’t want to be here,” Gruden said in explaining Johnson’s expulsion from the team. “We worked hard to get him the football, we want our players to be happy. But unfortunately, it has festered for a while.”
The Gruden-Johnson blowup had been months in the making. McKay acknowledged that Johnson had been missing team meetings and often appeared disinterested.
“From a player’s perspective, from a coach’s perspective and from an organizational perspective, this situation has become a distraction,” McKay said.
Turn the clock ahead to today and we find another Buc team trying to stay focused through the fog of war. Antonio Brown, who couldn’t find a way to play for Mike Tomlin, Gruden or Bill Belichick, has now taken on Bruce Arians, weaponizing social media.
If Twitter had been around in 2003, you can bet Keyshawn would have ripped Gruden a new one as the Bucs stumbled to a 7-9 finish. Now Brown, with the help of his agent and attorney, has launched a frontal assault on Arians, questioning his truthfulness and overall character.
For Buc fans tired of Brown’s pathetic act, there’s only one relevant question: how will this farce affect Tampa Bay’s chances to repeat.
The answer is simple: we don’t know.
Blessed?
While the Bucs will miss Brown’s undeniable skills on the field, his departure could prove to be a blessing for a locker room which has spent much of the season looking the other way at Brown’s antics.
Brown claims his sore ankle is the point of contention. I’d aim a little higher and look for a bruise. I’d focus on the fragile ego of an elite player who once couldn’t stomach all the attention given to JuJu Smith-Schuster in Pittsburgh.
Now he can’t handle all the footballs sent in the direction of anyone else. This is madness.
On a per game basis, Brown received virtually the same number of opportunities as Chris Godwin this season. He’s been targeted quite a bit more than Mike Evans.
What’s the problem?
The answer has been here all along. It’s the man in the mirror.
Evans tried to defuse the situation on Sunday, but Brown gave him the stiff arm. The Bucs are fortunate to have selfless receivers like Evans and Godwin. Tom Brady didn’t have much to say about Brown and that’s sad because he essentially punched the guy’s ticket to Tampa.
Brady would rather talk about the formidable challenge posed by Carolina’s defense, so it was up to Arians to face the music and all that jazz. Jason Licht? AWOL. The Glazers? Nowhere to be found.
“Stiff-armed.”
The Bucs are heading to the playoffs and Brown is undoubtedly heading to Twitter to further air his grievances. Nothing in his sordid past suggests he has in any way earned the benefit of the doubt.
After Brady made the Bucs an offer they couldn’t refuse, Brown helped a forlorn franchise win a Super Bowl. That is undeniable. This season, he helped the Bucs earn headlines for all the wrong reasons.
All in all, Buc fans will take that scenario seven days a week and twice on Sunday, as Warren Sapp liked to say. Once a key player, Brown is now a nuisance, a pebble in the organization’s cleats. He’s great fodder for sports talk radio and he even made the national news a few times in recent months, sandwiched between reports on the pandemic and severe weather.
What’s next for No. 81?
Can you imagine a podcast co-hosted by Keyshawn and Antonio? No guests, just a lot of banter as they speak to each other … in the third person.
Click on through to shop at BillCurrieFord.com. Bill Currie Ford GM Sean Sullivan is ready to help you PERSONALLY and give you the Ira Kaufman discount. Just ask!
Yes, that warranty includes USED vehicles!
Ira drives a 2020 Ford Escape (cherry red).
January 7th, 2022 at 11:02 am
Thanks Ira. Actually the Bucs are being way too kind to the nutjob but I guess that’s smart since there is enough evidence on AB orchestrating the nuke job against the team and as Arians said, the players know the truth.
Just beat the Panthies, that’s the best way to deal with Crazy’s departure.
January 7th, 2022 at 11:03 am
It’s clear Brown’s actions after being denied guaranteed bonuses were planned with the intent of sinking the team for the playoffs.
“See, they can’t win without me.”
I hope this lights a white-hot fire under Grayson, Johnson, and Miller. It’s your time, boys, to show the world what you have on the Big Stage. Your personal success will catapult the Bucs’ team success, and earn you all millions.
Now is The Time. Kids grow up dreaming of superstardom on national TV. This opportunity is on the plate before you.
Do It.
January 7th, 2022 at 11:03 am
I’m going to posit that Grayson, Johnson and Miller aren’t sorry to seev him go
January 7th, 2022 at 11:03 am
The funniest thing about this story is the toilet licking Covid positive whore who AB smuggled into his room stated that she was concerned with AB’s mental health because he was mumbling and saying weird things but she decided to have sex with him anyways because… He was AB.
LOL!!!
Now that is a true pro.
January 7th, 2022 at 11:04 am
I had hoped that AB had changed but as we all know Zebra’s never change their stripes.
Good Riddance to the cancer.
LFG!!!
January 7th, 2022 at 11:15 am
Licking a toilet bowl is in bad taste.
January 7th, 2022 at 11:30 am
LMAO@ Marine. I’ll speak for the Army while you represent the Marines, but if it is okay with you, this woman has earned a Meritorious Service Badge
January 7th, 2022 at 11:31 am
Ira
Yah brady deserves to answer your questions about bringing in AB. Its bradys fault. Brady should get the media dagger in his back. Brady wanted to help an individual that clearly needed help. He even let him into his home and around his family. He tried to give the man another chance . What a horrible individual this brady guy is. 😂
But hey. Blame brady. Go after him for not taking a knee to “the fourth estate” and for not apologizing for trying to help out a person who clearly needs help
Especially since brady has time to talk about drama when the playoffs start next week. Brady doesnt owe you jack. And shame shame for thinking otherwise. 😂
January 7th, 2022 at 11:33 am
Looking at non-Bucs forums around the web, 99% of fans are tired of AB’s BS.
At worst, they want him gone forever. At best, he’s a joke.
The random 1% comment AB is, “Standing up to oppression.” They all get an AB history lesson.
No one is buying AB’s antics.
January 7th, 2022 at 11:34 am
I don’t get it.. why a toilet seat? Why not a door knob if you’re trying to get germs.. something people touch regularly, but not with their arse.. hands more likely to have those kinds of germs (covid doesn’t actually transfer that well through touch). Was she trying to get ecology instead? Is it just that she wanted people to see how much it a dirty degenerate she was willing to do anything?
January 7th, 2022 at 11:35 am
Brown and his Hoe should start a rap group…”The Wide Outs”.
January 7th, 2022 at 11:49 am
Why a toilet seat? Because nothing says “tank” like a toilet.
January 7th, 2022 at 11:58 am
Loved the whole article Ira. Thanks.
Especially loved:
“Can you imagine a podcast co-hosted by Keyshawn and Antonio? No guests, just a lot of banter as they speak to each other … in the third person.”
January 7th, 2022 at 12:07 pm
@Antonio Brown, don’t go away mad girl, just go away.
January 7th, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Good read. New respect for ME these days. 🙂
January 7th, 2022 at 12:15 pm
We have a tough road ahead of us with or without brown. We have the weapons to win it, we just just have to put it together. Our losses this year came down to playing more physical teams and being fundamentally unsound in all three phases. We haven’t played a full game all year and Brady, the o-line will be the determining factor on how far we make it. I expect the defense to raise its level of play once again. I would put money on Brady addressing the team and members of the organization privately instead of just coming straight out to the public about Brown. Facts are Brady cares about the guy and also used Browns talent for his/teams benefit. He will walk a fine line speaking about Brown like he does others throughout his career. We have enough leadership to push through this. The Raiders did, why can’t we come closer as a team and make a run?
January 7th, 2022 at 12:24 pm
@ cmurda
LOL!!!
Agreed.
January 7th, 2022 at 12:29 pm
Ira why are you calling for Tom Brady to be responsible for another grown man’s actions?
January 7th, 2022 at 12:32 pm
Marine Buc and you other fans — ROTFLMAO — beautiful stuff. I wonder when she’ll publish the sex tape — according to her per AB’s wishes!!!!!
But, yeah, he’s the victim. And now he’s saying he needs surgery on the “ankle” so this eliminates him from being a candidate for any contender to pick him up. Or if he does, he torpedoes his own narrative.
What a genius.
January 7th, 2022 at 12:36 pm
aren’t players contract and money protected by injury? hmmmm
January 7th, 2022 at 12:37 pm
I supported AB because I felt people who really want to change deserve another chance. He lost me with this crap.
January 7th, 2022 at 12:44 pm
if she licks toilets, you know she ate his filthy azz the night before the game…
maybe he freaked out during the game because he never woke to shower her fluids off before meeting tom at 7 am – and had to play in all that dirty hoe juice and grime – eventually getting all hot and bothered down below – and freaked out…
#ItchyItchyAB #CoachImJustSoDangItchy
🙂
January 7th, 2022 at 12:46 pm
maybe AB was basking in love juices at game time…
and by halftime he was…
#SoDangItchy
#CoachHelpMe
#AllThatScratchingIsMakingMeItch
January 7th, 2022 at 12:46 pm
I am loving this. I think the Bucs are going to use this energy and decimate any team unfortunate enough to be on the other side of the field.
January 7th, 2022 at 12:52 pm
looks like AB pretty much sank his own ship…
yeah it’s not over for the bucs legal dept, but the organization can probably relax and take a deep breath…
and more importantly, get back to playing football…
AB should be a hard pick up for any team moving forward after all these latest moves…
he is a really wild minded dude…
jake paul is his next logical option…
but is his ego too big to let jake paul put him to sleep on the canvas for 5-10 mil ?
January 7th, 2022 at 12:57 pm
hopefully this becomes old news after sunday’s game and the playoffs become a talking point and the main focus…
#RefocusAndRecalibrate
#LetsGoBucs #LFG
January 7th, 2022 at 2:29 pm
I’m sure Giselle is probably giving Brady a ration of crap for just being friends with this low life. Good grief
January 7th, 2022 at 2:35 pm
Two geniuses on NFL network are already penciling in AB as a member of the Packers or Cowboys. Can’t make this stuff up.
January 7th, 2022 at 2:49 pm
If the Bucs are (Arians) are being straight with what happened and I think they are. Basically everything Arians said to the media can either be confirmed or denied by the other players and coaches. But, with A.B. Now going on the offensive and obviously trying to damage the reputations of not only the coach and organization but also the guy who tried to help him the most, Tom Brady. It would be nice if the Glazers would come out and say they have looked into the situation and completely stand behind the General Manager, the coach and coaching staff in what occurred with Antonio Brown in what has now become a world wide issue.
January 7th, 2022 at 3:56 pm
Actually, the players need to stand behind their coach more than the ‘corporate suits” in the executive suite. AB has set the bridge on fire, there is no use in TB12 or ME or anyone trying to pretend to be kind to this nutjob loser. Condemn him as the cancer he is, period. Take the bridge down, don’t wait for CrazyAB to finish it.
January 7th, 2022 at 4:19 pm
What is there for him to say about Brown? He’s addressed his team about it, he doesn’t have to address you.
January 7th, 2022 at 5:21 pm
ABNORMAL
January 7th, 2022 at 6:00 pm
Just give them the damn balls!
January 7th, 2022 at 6:41 pm
Good stuff Ira.
January 7th, 2022 at 7:07 pm
Despite the loss of “American hero” Antonio Brown, I think we’ll be okay. Not nearly as explosive, but Brady can do a lot with middling talent at WR.
Honestly, I was just waiting for someone like this to happen with AB. But I’m grateful for his help in getting us to the promised land last year.
January 7th, 2022 at 7:19 pm
If I see one more write-up mentioning that Cancer of a player, I will know this season is already over.
January 7th, 2022 at 7:21 pm
@Bird
Totally agree. Ira wants Tom to come out and publicly condemn a guy who is in the middle of melting down already. Why, so he can push him just a little further over the edge? More sensational headlines?
January 7th, 2022 at 8:37 pm
AB took shots at everybody today wow
January 7th, 2022 at 9:17 pm
Not sure if anyone wrote this but I just seen a article where AB was saying Tom Brady’s not his boy he just let him stay in his house for the publicity and make himself feel good piece of crap this guy is,, article is on Google if anyone is interested,,
January 7th, 2022 at 9:24 pm
Nobody knows how it will affect things overall, but as a Pats fan who’s watched Brady for years, he’s the least likely to be affected by it. Dude has focus and nerves of steel like nobody else.
January 7th, 2022 at 9:40 pm
Ab is a pathetic human being away from football as a person. Smart, bite the hand that fed you and gave you a chance, throw away millions because you are a jerk.
January 7th, 2022 at 9:58 pm
I like out chances as well as any other team. The pros in Vegas have us ranked 3rd behind GB and KC…excuse me weren’t those the very SAME two teams we beat last year. Have either team changed QB’s? Have we?
It’s a crap shoot from here for sure but the odds against us are not that long..at least any longer that they ever are for a Super Bowl run.
AB will not be in the news next week much less the week after when playoffs start. He’ll be a quick mention along with Chris Godwin as pregame analysis kicks in but neither the Bucs, the NFL…or even the NFLPA wants this embarrasment to get any oxygen during the NFL’s prime time…THE PLAYOFFS!
January 7th, 2022 at 10:50 pm
Tom should flash a picture of AB wearing that TB12 hat and say caption this! Dude was grateful to get another chance at earning money in the nfl then here comes next year it’s not enough money as if he forgot he is the one that sabotaged he own career earnings
January 7th, 2022 at 11:32 pm
I think the other receivers will step up knowing there is no brown. They will be fine if the media let’s them play football. So nows the time for Licht to come out and tell the media we wil answer all football questions but everything about a past player will no longer be addressed till the seasons over
January 8th, 2022 at 12:33 am
Brady has won Super Bowls in New England with less talented receivers. This challenge will elevate Brady’s competitiveness. Bucs will prevail.
January 8th, 2022 at 7:20 am
What a GD Shame, because Brown was a great receiver.
Who can forget how he helped us win a Super Bowl, and literally spun the Honey Badger around in the end zone ?
Now, it seems AB is going into the Music Business ?
Yes, and his new hit song is called “I smuggled you into my Hotel Room” LOL
January 8th, 2022 at 2:32 pm
Year 1 with the Bucs for AB was an act. Minimum salary, zero tolerance, but he helped get the Bucs over the top, but we all know he was hardly the MVP.
Year 2 the entitlement and ego begin to come out again, why am I making so much less than WRs who I am better than? He thanks the Bucs for their trust in him by faking a COVD vaccine card.
The Bucs had to know something like this was inevitable with AB. He has no where near the humility and grace to ever face his problems and change. Bad luck for us that Godwin went down.
January 8th, 2022 at 7:44 pm
AB =D#$^ head case .. get help
January 9th, 2022 at 3:24 pm
AB is just plain evil. When he saw Godwin was down and the team would need him more than ever, he exploited that to try and get more money. When he didn’t get it, he decided to try and destroy everyone at the worst possible moment. Take it to the bank.