Morris Stands By Personnel Comments

November 19, 2009 at 11:07am by Scott   •  8 Comments »

The other day, Raheem Morris explained to a group of reporters, and therefore the world, that he didn’t have the right guys on his defensive line or linebacking corps to “knock people back”. He also said, almost with lamentation, that he has to play who they have now, but that they would be evaluating everyone in the offseason. Morris was given the opportunity to explain those statements on Wednesday, and he said he stuck by them, although in a relatively confusing way.

“We have a group of young guys that are getting better each day,” said Morris. “I know [the media] thinks I tore them down the other day, but I really didn’t. I just speak frank.”

The next person that proudly proclaims that they “speak frankly” or “don’t sugarcoat it” as an excuse for being rude needs to be launched into the sun as an example for everyone else who breaks out this lame-ass pseudo-macho crap when they’re intentionally trying to ruffle feathers. Doesn’t talk radio have an enforceable copyright on this whole no bull, straight shooter, calls ‘em likes I sees ‘em attitude?

Speaking frankly is great and I appreciate it, but it was inappropriate for him to call out his front seven in a public forum the way he did. Can you imagine being in a company meeting where the CEO said on national television that they might just have to replace YOU in the upcoming fiscal year?

“It was a great opportunity for me to let those guys know, ‘Outside influences are going to try to bring us down. We have to stay together, and part of doing that is speaking frank to each other.’ We criticize each other and I criticize myself. We have no problem with that.”

It had nothing to do with outside influences. God, that’s weak. “Everyone’s going to be talking shit about you, so I’m going to do it also.” And he didn’t criticize himself. He blamed himself for his own unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but he took no blame for allowing the Miami offense to drive 78 yards in less than a minute to set up a chip shot field goal to win the game. Someone please show me where he took responsibility for the team’s performance this past Sunday.

“I was suggesting we didn’t have the players that day [in Miami]. We didn’t have the guys to do it that day. We’ve got to get better. We’ve got to find ways to get better and we’ve got to find guys to get better.”

See, he’s not even saying that the players performed badly. He’s saying that they’re not the right players. There’s a difference. Maybe you did have the right guys, but they weren’t given a good game plan. Ever think of that? And what happens when you win your next game? Did you have the right guys then, even though they’re the same guys?

For their part, the players that Pewter Report interviewed for this piece didn’t seem to have a problem with Morris’s comments. Or maybe they just didn’t want to air out their dirty laundry in public.

“That’s one thing Raheem has always been about,” said Bucs defensive tackle Ryan Sims. “He has no problem telling anybody what his problems are. He’s always been a man and tells you face-to-face what’s going on and what he thinks. Of course you don’t [like hearing it], but nobody likes losing. Raheem is just trying to find a way to win.”

Added Bucs linebacker Geno Hayes: “We didn’t take it any way that some people outside of the organization are taking it. He didn’t have to clarify anything with us. We knew exactly what he was saying and what he was talking about. We understood where he was coming from and we didn’t hold anything against him.”

So, at least those two guys seem okay with all of it, and it’s the players’ opinions that matter here, so whatever. But it really seems inappropriate, unprofessional and ultimately destructive to me.