Someone In The Tampa Media Did Real Work

July 02, 2009 at 09:36am by Scott   •  2 Comments »

Looking over my many, many tirades toward the various Tampa media outlets, I understand why some people have the impression that I hate them all and think they should have their assholes filled with sharpened pencils. But there are a couple good ones out there, and in the case of responding to the Jason La Canfora reports from last week, Tribune writer Anwar Richardson is, again, the voice of reason. Richardson took the radical approach of actually talking to Mark Dominik about the report and actually, you know, learning things.

“I’ve always lived in the mind-set that every player has a certain amount of value,” Dominik said. “You have to determine that and you have to stick to it or it means nothing.”

As is the case with anything from restaurants to hookers, pricier does not always mean better. And anyone who saw Antonio Bryant play for the veteran minimum last year knows that. Dominik gives another example.

“Just because you don’t bring home the most popular names doesn’t mean you’re not adding pieces to the puzzle, like a Jimmy Wilkerson last year,” Dominik said. “No one knew who Jimmy Wilkerson was coming out of Kansas City and he came on and played well for us. Even though he wasn’t the big contract everyone wanted to see the Buccaneers spend, he was an important piece of the puzzle and now has a chance to be our starting left end.”

There are other examples, but I think we all get the point. It’s a smart way to do business as long as they have people who know what they’re doing in the scouting and player personnel positions. I’m not going to doubt the Glazers‘ commitment to the team. Not after promising to have a better offense and then making two offensive players (Jeff Faine and Kellen Winslow) the highest paid players at their positions in the NFL. Not after spending $30-million on a new headquarters and practice facility. I think a lot of people forget what it used to be like.

This guy was cheap. Even his son says so.

“Dad always wanted to be a winner,” said Culverhouse Jr. “But he couldn’t get over this fatal personality flaw. He was cheap.”

Of course, it’s hard scrape together money for a football team when you’ve got a secret other family to feed. But the Glazers have no such problems and are a good middle ground between Culverhouse and, say, Dan Snyder, who still hasn’t found a way to buy a Super Bowl. Thanks to Richardson for pointing this out.