The Buccaneers aren't ungrateful for their two Pro Bowl selections - linebacker Derrick Brooks and rookie return specialist Clifton Smith -- since the team did not have a player voted to the NFL's all-star game in 2007.

However, each year Pro Bowl-caliber players are not invited to Honolulu, Hawaii, and some believe Bucs middle linebacker Barrett Ruud falls into the category of snubbed.

Ruud has notched a team-leading 154 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and seven passes defensed for Tampa Bay's defense, which ranks ninth overall in the NFL.

San Francisco's Patrick Willis and Carolina's Jon Beason will play middle linebacker for the NFC on Feb. 8. Ruud also disclosed to the media on Thursday that he wasn't voted a Pro Bowl alternate.

"The old saying is you usually go a couple of years after you're supposed to and you stay a couple of years longer," said Ruud. "I'm not going to throw a tantrum or anything. I would have liked to have gone. Everybody wants to have that tag as a Pro Bowler. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. All I can do is keep getting better and try to get in the playoffs."

A playoff berth for the 9-5 Bucs certainly would help get Ruud the television and media exposure typically needed to help influence voting. While a post-season appearance by Tampa Bay this season would mark the third time the Bucs go to the playoffs since Ruud joined the team in '05, the Bucs have flown under the radar for the better part of the former Nebraska standout's four-year career.

Tampa Bay's upcoming game vs. San Diego was originally slated for prime time with an 8:15 p.m. kickoff, but NBC flexed the contest to 1:00 p.m., electing instead to have the Panthers and Giants game in prime time.

Ruud has played in just two Monday Night Football games and one Sunday Night Football contest during his four-year tenure with the Buccaneers. Ruud acknowledged his chances of making the Pro Bowl likely would increase if the Bucs received more media and television exposure.

"It definitely helps," said Ruud. "If you play on Sunday night or Monday night every week you're going to get a lot more exposure. There's a reason why the Cowboys had 13 Pro Bowlers last year. They were on TV each week. I think the national games definitely help you out."

One of the things that might have hurt Ruud's Pro Bowl stock was the fact that Tampa Bay's defense has struggled against the run in recent weeks. The Bucs allowed the Panthers to rush for 299 yards two weeks ago, and the Falcons rushed for 175 yards in Atlanta's 13-10 overtime win over Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Those rushing totals have caused the Bucs run defense to drop to 20th in the NFL in that category.

"It's been about us, not really what other teams have done," said Ruud. "Carolina played a great game against us. They executed really well, but it really was us missing tackles and missing assignments than it was them killing us. Atlanta was that way, too. Michael [Turner] had about [152] yards, but probably 80 or 90 of those came by us blowing assignments. It was four plays and the same play, and we missed the assignment on every one of them. It's been more about what we haven't been doing than what other teams have been able to do."

Ruud isn't considered a flashy player, just a blue-collar worker. He doesn't dance out of the tunnel in pre-game introductions like Baltimore MLB Ray Lewis, and he doesn't have a signature celebration move that gets him on ESPN's highlights each week. He simply makes plays, many of which go unnoticed by the casual fan.

"A lot of times on television you don't see a tackle inside the box. It's not like when a cornerback makes a play on the ball," said Ruud. "When you don't get up and have a big-time celebration sometimes people don't even know you did anything. I can definitely see why I get ignored or not recognized."

But not being voted to the Pro Bowl doesn't mean Ruud isn't being recognized by his peers. In fact, some of Tampa Bay's opposing players have gone out of their way to let Ruud know how they feel about his play, which is feedback he'll consider a consolation prize until the Pro Bowl finally comes calling.

"I've had players say stuff to me, and that means a lot," said Ruud. "I would be lying if I said I didn't care about being a Pro Bowler, but it does mean the most when players come up and tell you they really like what you're doing from the film they watch each week. That means a lot, but the Pro Bowl tag is always nice, too."

Comments