Ian Gold?

Where did Ian Gold go? Did he retire?

[MarleyMon81]

Retire? Naw, the guy's only like 25. He went back to Denver after the Bucs released him in Feb.

Gotchya, I think his "plague" for injuries made me think he was old.

[4te]

I wish he was still here. Good ball player.

[Bucfan219]

He returned to Denver, where he now plays the position that corresponds to the position Derrick Brooks has on the Bucs' D.
Gold wanted a bit more of the limelight than he was getting in TB.

They had Gold miked up for the game against the Chargers last week and they showed plenty of it on Inside the NFL (HBO). It looked like Gold played a great game. They showed maybe three times where he blitzed, and he looked for all the world like Freeney the way he zipped around the corner of the Oline.

Gold's an excellent LB, but he just didn't quite fit in with the Bucs.
Maybe if Brooks had retired, letting Gold take his place this year then Gold could have fit in while making it look like he was all about the team ...
I dunno.

I don't know why he was released??? Good OLB.

[MarleyMon81]

Originally Posted by Unsung Hero #94

I don't know why he was released??? Good OLB.

His contract was one issue. The other was the fact that he wasn't happy playing the SAM spot and was wanting to play the WILL spot if he were to stay. Well the WILL spot is kind of locked up at the moment.

[Bucfan219]

Originally Posted by Unsung Hero #94

I don't know why he was released??? Good OLB.

Gold wanted to be released, since he wanted a spot in the LB core with a bit of glamor attached (uh, I mean Will, not Sam).
Plus his salary cap numbers weren't very friendly.

If Gold had wanted to stay, I think that Allen would have found a way to get it done. He does have the type of talent you would like to replace a Brooks.

The only thing is that Brooks doesn't need to be replaced this quickly.

[england]

Nice player but nothing special. No real loss.

[MarleyMon81]

Originally Posted by Bucfan219

Maybe if Brooks had retired, letting Gold take his place this year then Gold could have fit in while making it look like he was all about the team ...
I dunno.

I think that's maybe what the Bucs were hoping to do. Brooks will either retire or be a cap cut in the coming years. I think they were hoping to keep Gold around, as he's still a very young player, and have him play the SAM until Brooks departs. When that happened Gold would become the starting WILL like he wanted. He didn't want to wait and his contract was just too large in 2005 for a 50% snap player.

[Bucfan219]

Originally Posted by england

Nice player but nothing special. No real loss.

I think that he is a special player, but the Bucs will be fine without him.

If we don't find a suitable replacement for Brooks over the next few years, then maybe we'll be missing Gold.

The next draft will address the situation.

[england]

Originally Posted by Bucfan219

I think that he is a special player, but the Bucs will be fine without him.

Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, L.T, Tom Brady are special players. An player "we'll be fine without" can't be that good. Look at it this way: he spent one year here and we were 5-11.

Originally Posted by MarleyMon81

His contract was one issue. The other was the fact that he wasn't happy playing the SAM spot and was wanting to play the WILL spot if he were to stay. Well the WILL spot is kind of locked up at the moment.

By who, pray tell?

















Whose your favorite player? Mistah Derrick Brooks

[Bucfan219]

Originally Posted by england

Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, L.T, Tom Brady are special players.

Agreed.

An player "we'll be fine without" can't be that good.

The Bucs will be fine without Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, L.T., and Tom Brady.
I guess that they can't be that good.

Seriously, Gold was underutilized here.
He came out in nickel situations. He had the talent to replace Brooks--perhaps not to exactly the same level, but pretty close. That's pretty special.

Look at it this way: he spent one year here and we were 5-11.

While he was here, he put up insane numbers for a guy who was on the field only part-time on our defense. No Sam 'backer for the Bucs put up as many tackles.

Possibly he wasn't the type of player who would put the team first. I'm not prepared to judge him according to rumour, but supposedly he jawed a bit about his role in TB.
We can do without him because the Sam position doesn't need to be held down by a sensational talent and because Brooks has plenty left in the tank--not because Gold isn't extremely talented.

[BFT]

Originally Posted by Bucfan219

I think that he is a special player, but the Bucs will be fine without him.

If we don't find a suitable replacement for Brooks over the next few years, then maybe we'll be missing Gold.

Exactly.

Gold can ball.

He'd have been a good replacement for Brooks one day... but his ego wouldn't allow that... I can't blame the guy, but I won't flame him either.

[Corsair]

Gold is a good player. But not good enough to send DB packing. Even at this stage in his career.

He is a good player, too bad we couldnt keep him around. He is gonna be good for years to come.

[BFT]

Originally Posted by Corsair

Gold is a good player. But not good enough to send DB packing. Even at this stage in his career.

Not even close... I was referring to when DB retires in a few seasons... It'd be nice to have Gold there to plug in. There's only ONE Mr. Derrick Brooks.