* The Barber of Civil–and class: To nobody’s surprise, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Ronde Barber has called it a career. And to nobody’s surprise, he did so while he was still an effective, NFL-worthy talent. He went out on his terms–with utter class–after having finished a 16-year, Hall of Fame-worthy career. No police blotter material, no boorish on-field behavior. A well-spoken gentleman who was also a superb football player–as smart as he was tough.
Barber didn’t linger on for another contract–or put the Bucs in a position where they might have to make the call for him–as they ham-handedly did with Derrick Brooks. That’s not the Barber MO. Ronde Barber was that prominent, pro-athlete rarity: a role model on and off the field. An invaluable asset to his team and his town.
* Tampa Bay Rays’ attendance continues to be a challenge. The Rays drew less than 16,000 for a New York Yankees game last month, 9,900 for Toronto last week and only 18,500 for the first post-game concert night last Saturday. The Rays currently rank 29th (out of 30) in Major League Baseball average (18,300) attendance. Cleveland is 30th–and Miami 28th. For those looking for historical perspective, in the Rays initial season (1998), the team averaged 31,000. The figure dropped precipitously to 21,600 the following year and 18,000 in 2000. Best year was 2009, the year after the World Series appearance, with an average attendance of 23,150.