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OldBucsFan
Buc Waterboy
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Joined: 07 Nov 2007
Posts: 158
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| Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 12:18 pm Post subject: What did Rhonde do with his record-breaker? |
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TAMPA --In his locker was the football he grabbed for the 32nd interception of his career, the one that helped save the game, and the one that gave Ronde Barber the most interceptions in team history, and Barber had a special place reserved for the trophy.
The hands of Colin Goldstein.
Goldstein is Barber's new friend.
They met Thanksgiving Day. Goldstein had lunch with Barber at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers facility Friday. He was Barber's guest Sunday at Raymond James Stadium and watched the game with his family from a luxury suite.
Goldstein is 11 and lives in Clearwater .
He has a rare intestinal disease.
"He's a great kid, full of life," Barber said. "He's got a tough life ahead of him."
This record means a lot to the 11-year veteran, just as much as his four trips to the Pro Bowl and his Super Bowl championship ring. The record says "I can" to all those who said "he wouldn't" when the Bucs used a third-round pick on Barber in the 1997 draft.
"He beat me to it," joked linebacker Derrick Brooks of the record. "I'm very proud of him."
Barber made one of the three huge defensive stops that halted the Washington Redskins' second-half comeback in the Bucs' 19-13 win.
Just when you think the kids are ready to run Tampa Bay defense, up steps someone like Barber to prove the old guys still have a little kick left.
"We know that sense of urgency," Barber said.
Barber's interception came with 3:40 to play in the fourth quarter and the Bucs up by six.
Defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin said Barber did a great job reading the play and reacting to the ball when it was thrown toward Santana Moss.
"I don't think the quarterback was expecting that," Kiffin said.
Jason Campbell agreed. Moss ran a route that was open all game. Why would Campbell expect Barber to have the perfect coverage now? Except that's what Barber does. How else do you intercept 32 passes in your career?
"In the history of football, I don't think there's a guy who plays nickel corner, slot corner, better than Ronde," Kiffin said.
Win or lose, Barber can be found at his locker after every game. He is the standup guy who holds himself and his team accountable.
He was in front of his locker Sunday as wave after wave of reporters and cameramen rolled in.
Yes, Barber said, he's happy to get the record.
"It was not something I thought about regularly," he said. "But at the end of every Sunday, it was like, 'That's another one.' I'm glad it's off my back."
Yes, he said, it's been a long time since he picked off a pass.
Yes, he had a special place for the ball.
Colin Goldstein.
Barber promised to give the ball to Goldstein if the record came Sunday.
"He and his family have a whole lot of spirit, so it's great that I got this for him," Barber said. "He was saying, 'You better get it.' I was like, 'I will.' "
You want someone to root for these days in what is often a troubled world of sports? Someone who wears the white hat? Someone who won't let you down on the field or off?
Someone who waited 18 games to reach a milestone he really cherished then handed the prize to a boy with a rare illness whom he met just three days earlier because the prize would mean everything to the boy and maybe give him a reason to smile on some of those really tough days that await him?
You can look up to Ronde Barber, all 5 feet, 10 inches of him. |
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fan4ever
Buccaroo
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Joined: 28 Sep 2007
Posts: 611
Location: Central Florida
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| Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 1:54 pm Post subject: |
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What a classy, compassionate guy!
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PWTRPWR
Buccaroo
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Joined: 27 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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Nice move by Ronde
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OldBucsFan
Buc Waterboy
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Joined: 07 Nov 2007
Posts: 158
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| Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2007 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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I talked with him on the radio show not long after 9/11. He showed a great deal of empathy towards me when he found out I live in the Northeast. (Even tho I am an hour from Manhattan.) We talked about several world issues, and he struck me then as a compassionate guy who is deeply concerned with everyone's welfare along with the state of the world. It was an honor to speak with him. A totally cool dude. 
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Fan since '76.....not OLD. |
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revtbj
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Joined: 21 Oct 2007
Posts: 15
Location: The Finger Lakes, upstate NY
66
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:13 am Post subject: |
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We should have more stories like this put in the newspapers and not always the bad side of the players. There are a ton of class acts like Ronde in the NFL, but all we seem to ever read about are the drugs, the wife beatings, the DUI's etc...etc.
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"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading!" |
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