Barber, Joseph added to Pro Bowl roster
CB Ronde Barber and G Davin Joseph have been added to the NFC squad for the 2009 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl. The all-star game will take place Sunday, February 8 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Barber, the NFC’s first alternate, replaces Green Bay CB Charles Woodson, while Joseph, also the first alternate, will take the place of Dallas G Leonard Davis.
Barber and Joseph were the Bucs only first alternates.
“Throughout my career I have been fortunate to be on some great teams and my selection to the Pro Bowl is further evidence of that," Barber said. "It is a great honor to represent the Buccaneers and the NFC in Hawaii. Another Pro Bowl experience is one I really look forward to enjoying.”
Barber’s appearance will be the fifth of his career following a season in which he ranked fifth on the team with 100 tackles and led the defense with 16 passes defensed. His four interceptions tied for the team lead and he extended his consecutive games streak to 176 contests, including 151 straight starts, most in the NFL among cornerbacks. Barber also was named to the Pro Bowl following the 2001, 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons. His five Pro Bowl selections are tied for the fourth-most in team history by a defensive player along with John Lynch and Hardy Nickerson.
Joseph will make his first appearance in the Pro Bowl after starting 12 games in 2008 and becomes Tampa Bay’s first offensive lineman in the all-star game since C Jeff Christy and G Randall McDaniel were chosen following the 2000 season. He and McDaniel are the only guards in team history to be named to the Pro Bowl. Joseph was part of a Buccaneer offense that set a franchise record with 5,456 total yards and also helped lead the team to 361 points, the second-best single-season total in team history. He has played in 41 games with 40 starts since entering the league as a first-round selection by Tampa Bay in 2006.
“It is heck of a honor and I am thrilled," Joseph said. "Being a player the ultimate goal is to win games, get to the playoffs and win a championship. And certainly a big goal of mine is to win a Super Bowl. But one of the things that I had hoped to accomplish through all my hard work and determination to win a championship was to make it to a Pro Bowl. I wish I could bring my other four offensive linemen with me but I will do my best to represent them and our entire team the best way that I can in Hawaii.”
Barber and Joseph join LB Derrick Brooks and KR Clifton Smith as Tampa Bay’s representatives in this year’s game. Brooks has been named to 11 Pro Bowls (1997-2006, 2008), second most by a linebacker in NFL history, trailing only LB Junior Seau’s 12 selections. Smith is just the second rookie in team history to make the annual all-star game, joining Warrick Dunn in 1997.
- JOE SMITH
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Barber needs to make way for someone else. He does not deserve to be there...
Posted by: thecandidate | January 13, 2009 at 02:39 PM
Barber on the Pro Bowl roster?
LOOOOOOOOL, just shows how truly stupid the Pro Bowl is.
Posted by: Caleb | January 13, 2009 at 02:40 PM
Good job Davin, you deserve it. At least it's not another Saint Dungy article.
Posted by: BucFandango | January 13, 2009 at 03:15 PM
If the goal of the ProBowl is to arm tackle and be brushed off like a bad case of fleas, then Barber is your man!
Posted by: Adam | January 13, 2009 at 03:28 PM
Why are Charles Woodson & Leonard Davis not gonna be there?
Posted by: Sir Pritam the Great of England | January 13, 2009 at 03:31 PM
Anyone who hates on Ronde Barber is clearly not familiar with how bad the rest of the NFL is at the cornerback position. He deserves to be there, and I'm happy for him.
Posted by: Jay | January 13, 2009 at 03:56 PM
Ronde has no business being in the Pro-bowl this year. Other teams QB's were going after him licking their chops like they would a rookie. How he gets left out in 2002, but gets in this year is a joke.
Posted by: Matt H | January 13, 2009 at 04:31 PM
Guys(except Jay) according to nfl.com the other corners stats in the pro-bowl are Finnegan(1 sack, 17 passdef, 58 tacks), Asomugha(0 sack, 1 int, 9 passdef, 40 tacks), Winfield(2 sack, 2 int, 1 passdef, 95 tacks), and Woodson(3 sack, 7 int, 0 passdef, 62 tacks). Wow so in comparison Barber is right up there. Not deserving? GIVE ME A BREAK!
Sir Pritam, Woodson and Davis are probablly hurt or going to have some sort of clean up surgery?
Posted by: OAR | January 13, 2009 at 04:43 PM
This is sure to make DR very angry. Especially, Joseph, part of the Bucs young nucleus. Cannot wait to hear the comments -- "just an alternate" etc.
Posted by: Vince | January 13, 2009 at 04:49 PM
"Joseph was part of a Buccaneer offense that set a franchise record with 5,456 total yards and also helped lead the team to 361 points, the second-best single-season total in team history."
I could've sworn after listening to all of you idiots around here in Tampa Bay that Jon Gruden's offense couldn't do crap. But as always, you clowns were wrong again.
So let's get this straight, Jon Gruden is the franchise's winningest Head Coach, it's one and only Super Bowl winner and now his 2008 offense produced a franchise record in Total Yards and sniffed the Points record?
Man, why is there so much hate for the guy? He's the best f'n Head Coach we've ever had. Plain and Simple.
Idiot on.
Posted by: James | January 13, 2009 at 05:49 PM
Gruden isn't the winningest coach in franchise in history Mr. Idiot On! Who cares how many yards, first downs, 3rd down conversions, or what the quarterback's completion percentage is if you don't make the playoffs. Also, even if you elminate Dungy, McKay was still better than Gruden. He took a team that couldn't win a game to the NFC Championship in 3 years. Please stop talking out your butt like you really know what you are talking about!
Posted by: Valrico Rick | January 13, 2009 at 07:08 PM
Is Ronde there to provide the toast at the team breakfast?
Posted by: Kennedy | January 13, 2009 at 08:28 PM
Finally listened to the Bruce allen press conference and here's my take on the future of this team.
It's true that the Bucs have been rebuilding. What's amazing about the process is how competitive they've been (look at the KC, SF and OAK win records). In my opinion, that's great coaching with a very savy front office.
The nucleus of this team is getting younger at all positions. Players are being groomed by the Old Guard and at some point in time the Guard will change.
Unfortunately, many of you fail to recognize a dynasty, future leaders and players are in the process of being developed.
I take my hat off to the Glazers, Allen and Gruden. Kudo's to all of you and I can't wait for the years of winning to begin.
Thank You...
Posted by: Drew | January 13, 2009 at 09:14 PM
Kudo's! Kudo's! Kudo's!
Added this to antagonize the Haters...
Posted by: Drew | January 13, 2009 at 09:22 PM
I'm sorry Valrico Rick. Gruden ISN'T this franchise's winningest head football coach... YET. He's one single victory behind your lord and savior Tony Dungy.
What's funny is how idiots like yourself give T. Dungy a pass with his anything but stellar 10 games above .500 in 6 years yet Gruden's nearly identical sub-parness (4 games above .500) is viewed as a slight against anything holy that god himself has touched.
McKay? The same guy who lost 26 straight games? He should've stayed in the NCAA ranks. He and his teams blew. How many points did they score in that NFC Title Game? ZERO.
Go get me a juicebox, juicebox.
Posted by: James | January 13, 2009 at 09:33 PM
'NUFF SAID!!!
Posted by: James | January 13, 2009 at 09:37 PM
even though ronde was burned and stiff armed like a rookie CB he did have a few games that he looked like a pro bowler, but then again detroit will make any one look like a pro bowler expect for their own players. and great job by davin getting into the pro bowl after missing the first quarter of the year had he played those games maybe he would have been a true pro bowler not just an alt.
Posted by: shane | January 13, 2009 at 10:03 PM
james please do not get valrico started on that stupid quote again
Posted by: shane | January 13, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Drew, you just made DR's head explode. Thank you.
Posted by: Vince | January 13, 2009 at 11:04 PM
Rhonde Haters!- You are the most sorry excuses for Buc fans. I have nothing but love for this guy and would never say any negative about him. Not only is the the greatest corner in franchise history, but he is an incredible person. You all are crappy human beings! I'm am truly sorry that your lives suck so bad! Enjoy your self in Hawaii Ronde! You do deserve it.
Caleb(what kind of stupid name is that?) and Adam=losers
Posted by: WS | January 14, 2009 at 02:01 AM
Val, one of the talking butts here, Gruden IS the winningest coach in franchise history. Gruden has 57 wins as coach, Dungy had 54 wins when he was coach. Also I remember you were the one bitching about the offense. 23 points a game isn't bad(could have been better without old, no-arm, oft- injured, happy feet in there) too. As for comparing McKay to Gruden, well that's just something the great DR would have said. Let's see McKay's record w/bucs(btw only team in nfl he caoched) 9 yrs 44-88 record had only 2 winning seasons (one was 1 game over .500), 1-1 in one season's playoff appearance, yep he's much better......WHAT??? STEP AWAY FROM THAT PIPE, VAL!
Posted by: OAR | January 14, 2009 at 09:41 AM
DR? Here DR? Come on boy, here DR? Come on boy, here DR, here DR?
Posted by: OAR | January 14, 2009 at 11:13 AM