Torrie Cox was attempting to make peace

Turns out CB Torrie Cox, the unintended victim of Wednesday's skirmish between Aqib Talib and Donald Penn, was trying to be a peacemaker.

According to this agent, Peter Schaffer, Cox was trying to intervene when he was struck by Talib's helmet. Schaffer echoed Penn's statements to us earlier today, saying Cox's injuries were relatively minor.

On a related note, the Bucs released a statement from general manager Mark Dominik that doesn't say much on the surface but perhaps indicates this isn't over for Talib.

"We are discussing the specifics of this situation and will provide and update as we proceed," the statement reads.

Our translation: Talib will be dealt with once we decide on a course of action. We'll keep you posted if there's anything else to report.

Comments

[Vince]

Stephen, couldn't also mean that Penn will be dealt with?

[TriplePlay]

Course of action is to tell Torrie Cox stay away and let the 2 that started it finish it.

[DR]

This is great news! Keep the fire boys!

[BucFandango]

Teamwork is....One guy screws up, everybody pays. Gassers for everybody. This is how teams police themselves, where everyone is equal and all rewarded for the good and all made to pay for the bad. Dominick should keep his big fat nose out of it. Raheem should tell Dominick to shut up, get his butt back in the office, and get Ruud's deal done. Better yet, maybe Raheem can take a swing at him with a helmet. Raheem's field is not where Dominick belongs.

[Go Long]

DR - again proving you are an idiot. This is how players get hurt unnecessaily AT PRACTICE. This isn't a game. This is teammate against teammate. Some people have NO PERSPECTIVE whatsoever. If this was a game Talib would have been ejected, fined and suspended. But somehow this show his "fire" huh? Stupid. Enjoy your new and undisciplined Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Oh this is going to be quite a season.

[D Block]

Hey fellow fans! This is why some teams don't allow media to practices or camps. This happens every yr on every team the only difference is the coverage of the media. This means that practice was pretty competitive and these are grown men not kids on a high school team they will fight and only worry about a light fine kids loose scholarships time on field so yes they are worried about back lash. All in all this isn't a problem to me and is good for competition besides cox being injured.

[aj]

Fights are commonplace, especially in two-a-days. And most of the time they do help bring teams together. You want to see that competitive fire in practice as it carries over to when it counts.

That said, Talib should be dealt with. Swinging helmets is too much. It's not a big deal because it was only Torrie Cox. It could have easily been Freeman and a swung helmet could have easily broken a nose or orbital bone. Then the entire city would be panicking and it would be a huge deal.

Fire and aggression are what it's all about. But when you can't control yourself then you have a bunch of Truebloods running around out there. Anyone think that's good?

[1979 BucFan]

DR, AJ is correct, although most fights are at training camp because of all the stress of not being at home, away from your family, nasty heat....

Yesterday was cool, and this is voluntary.
However, fights are normal

[OAR]

It's ok they're all soldiers! Seriously, I have to agree with AJ. Aqib "helmet swinging" Talib is lucky it wasn't worse or someone else. Didn't Talib punch some player last year? He should have just stuck to fists.

[ETO]

Steve Smith got a 2 game suspension for punching a teammate and the league and police let it lie.
Talib used a weapon during his assault. I don't expect to see him on the field for the first quarter of the season.

Before, everyone jumps in with "you don't know the circumstances!!", it doesn't matter the reasons. He tried to assault another person with a weapon and he'll be lucky if TPD doesn't get involved. He WILL be seeing Mr Goodell though.

We were already then at DB. What do we do now?

[mm]

Since you're so quick to eject him WITHOUT KNOWING THE CIRCUMSTANCES maybe you can fill in at #1 on the depth chart at CB?

[BucFandango]

Steve Smith? Panthers? Playoffs? Didn't they go on to win the Division? Hmmmm? I just read that K2 is on his way from San Diego. He was seen in Tucson this morning, without a helmet. Apparently Talib stole his to cover his tracks.

[ETO]

mm, I'll take back my prediction, if you can tell me ANY circumstance that makes it okay to swing a helmet at another person.
We ARE already thin at DB, so yes the brain trust will have to address the issue.

Which side were you on, FAU or UM?

[Itch]

Seems Aquib is abundant in physical intelligence and deficient in emotional intelligence.

Raheem should send him to anger management classes along with many fans on this blog. Remember the 5 step plan to controlling anger.

Breath, breath, breath, breath, breath.

[Itch]

I do not think I would call a helmet a weapon, if that was the case then 50% of the hits in the NFL would be assualt with a deadly weapon. If he swung a knife, then I would be in agreement, but a round helmet? This was sheer stupidity, and should result in a game suspension considering the minor injury. Steve Smith broke a nose, so the outcome was more serious.

If some of you had it your way, NFL teams would consist of five players on each team because of high and mighty intolerance would eliminate most players at some point. Its a violent game, expect some violence from the players when they are practicing.

[Rube]

Go long you said it man. So, I guess in pee wee football when my kid goes after another kid with his helmet, I should say, "Look at the fire in my son, he just wants to win, look at that passion." Give me a break. Little shove matches are one thing, going after someone with your helmet is quite another.

[OAR]

Hey Itch let me swing a helmet at your head and you can let me know if it's a weapon or not as serious as a broken nose. And please tell me you were joking or drinking when you wrote this: "I do not think I would call a helmet a weapon, if that was the case then 50% of the hits in the NFL would be assualt with a deadly weapon." Helmets are not worn for a weapon, but I can guarantee the rule about keeping your helmet on your head during a game is one directly in reflection to using it as a weapon.

[Itch]

OAR, you would more likely hit me in the knee caps, not the head.

Keeping your helmet on in a game is for safety and professional conduct reasons (i.e. no throwing helmets), I have never in my life heard a rule that a helmet is a weapon. I guess a shoe, plastic cup, or heck maybe even an insult could be a weapon from your definition. Burn him at the stake!

In fact I was drinking when I said that, I do my best writing when I am two sheets to the wind by noon and drooling on myself. LOL.

[OAR]

Itch, never said there was a rule that said a helmet was a weapon, but did say that might have come up when they made the rule to keep the helmet on during games. You really think that rule was made just so they wouldn't throw their helmets around(which in itself could be projectile weapon). Anything that can cause bodily harm can be used as weapon, you idiot!
This is from NFL.com site Rulebook page
http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/penaltysummaries
15 Yards and Automatic Disqualification
Using a helmet (not worn) as a weapon.
Striking or purposely shoving a game official

[ETO]

Nice one OAR. Right out of the rule book!

Now Itchy has heard of one rule in his life that refers to a football helmet as a weapon.

[Itch]

OAR - I do not know everything, just ask my wife. But I do know, that you have helped educate me on the NFL personal conduct rules and that weapons are all around us. Thank you.

It still does not change my view that players will fight and we should not be overly judgmental about it. I played four years of college basketball and I only liked about half the guys on the team, and ended up fighting with some. I did not have a helmet to throw, and I did not know (at the time) that there were weapons all around me, otherwise I might have used a water bottle or something.

When (btw I see nothing wrong with this) you try and bring 80 big honkin athletes close together in a "family" and many do not like each other; and you incite competition at every position; motivate player performance with money; drive your players to practice hard and be emotional enough to win; you have all the makings of a fight. We all want close team chemistry, competition at each position and the drive to win, so I see nothing wrong with this. I just think that if you want this and you do not expect fights, or render judgment against players who do fight, then you want to have your cake and eat it too.

[Itch]

ETO - That is Mr. Itch to you.

What are you aiming at me for when I argued almost the same point as you?

"GoBucs you are sooo wrong here.

Fights happen all the time. Personally, I like to see that Buc teammates are getting fired up with each other."

Do you just like taking all sides of an argument?

[OAR]

Itch, Funny my better half thinks the samething. She's rarely ever wrong, which sometimes sucks. As far as the fights, I understand where you're coming from but, fist fights and using a helmet are totally different. It could be very dangerous especially in the hands of angry/pumped up player. Heck, I suggest they put a boxing ring in at One Buc and let'em go at.

[DR]

You can tell who has played football and who have been spectators all their lives on these blogs. I do think that a helmet swing is over the top, but at the end of the day, both players apologized and don't make a big deal about it. Fights happen at practice very frequently. It is surprising to hear a fight reported but when a helmet is swung and causes a significant injury, I can see why it is reported. But its nothing to worry about with the team. It's great news to hear these guys are fired up already! These coaches won't play it off as acceptable to the media but inside their coaches room, they're excited to see their players with this intensity.
It's obvious a helmet can be used as a weapon and is completely wrong to ever use as a weapon and I don't think anyone is arguing that. It's always been a rule as well as if a punch has been thrown, the player is ejected. These guys got too fired up and Talib isn't making a good statement about himself early in his career. He's an Antonio Bryant type of hot head. But as Steve Smith has shown, even in worse situations, the best things can be made out of it.

[ETO]

Itch we are not making the same arguement at all. I don't care about 2 players fighting in the heat of battle. I concede that it isn't a big deal. But you are making the arguement that its okay to use whatever object is available to hit someone with just because you are mad at them.

Picking up a helmet, baseball bat, front row chair, or yes, even a water bottle for the purpose of aiding someone in a fight is cowardly, stupid , and criminal.

He should receive a suspension for the nature of the act. It doesn't matter if it was a miss, a couple of stitches, or a fractured skull. He's lucky that it wasn't worse. Had the incident killed Cox or ended his career, Talib would be facing criminal charges and a civil law suit from the victim.

[DR]

ETO, come on, criminal charges? Get real! Although I would agree that charges would be worthy, but let's not forget about our wide eyed lady justice. There wouldn't be a Major League Baseball league right now if they charged players with criminal posession, use, and intent to distribute charges for steroid and HGH offenses. God forbid a military member uses steroids and gets caught, he would be dishonorably discharged after serving time, minor time, but still time. Yet, we support these criminals by going to games. To go even further, we throw minor offenders, marijuana users in jail, but we support steroid users who have benefited by inflated stats and have made millions upon millions of dollars at the fans expense. Criminal charges just don't happen in sports. I didn't even touch on hockey.

[Itch]

ETO - The water bottle part was humor, sorry you missed that.

I am not saying it is OK to hit people with things. I am saying if you put a bunch of athletes in a high stress, closed environment you end up with fights.

I assume you think the game of hockey should be banned since the refs sit around and watch as players fight several times a game?

Yes - punish him. Yes - suspend him. Yes - make him realize what he did was wrong. But get over it and move on. The team has. Or have you already called the Tampa PD on him?