Larry Brown Sports

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman is one of several athletes featured in ESPN The Magazine’s Feb. 18 Music Issue. In the issue, various athletes recreate notably music album covers. The one of Alex Morgan looking like Katy Perry is getting most of the attention (for good reason), but this photo of Freeman dressing like Michael Jackson for the cover of the Thriller album is just incredible:

#MusicIssue @espnmag recreated iconic album covers w athletes. Bucs Josh Freeman (@jf5x) — Michael Jackson’s Thriller twitter.com/slp1313/status…

— Stacey Pressman (@slp1313) February 5, 2013

According to the Tampa Bay Times, the photoshoot was conducted in December on a players’ day off. Freeman, who is a fan of Jackson’s music, says he was stunned to see the resemblance between him and MJ once he put on the wig, makeup, and clothes.

“It all started with the hair,” Freeman says in a behind-the-scenes video. “You know, you’ve got to get the hair right. I’m getting there. Just need a few things. It’s all about getting dressed, getting the outfit right, it’s little subtleties of looking more like him. You’re like, “I don’t look like him.’ Because you look at yourself almost every day. But the pics came out and I was like, ‘Wow, that’s crazy.’”

Below is a look at Jackson’s cover for comparison:

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Vincent Jackson is excited to be playing in Tampa Bay, which is lovely because I’m sure the fans are happy to have him. Jackson signed a five-year contract worth slightly over $55 million over the offseason, so it is hardly surprising that he has only positive things to say as he begins his new journey with the Buccaneers. That being said, there’s a very fine line between being enthusiastic and delusional. V-Jack may have crossed it with his recent comments about Josh Freeman.

“We were a little more flashy as far as the names go (in San Diego), but I think we’re just as talented here all the way across the board,” Jackson said Monday according to the Tampa Bay Times. “We have tight ends, running backs and obviously, Josh Freeman, and he’s a quarterback I think should be mentioned among the top five in the league.”

That would mean Freeman’s name is somewhere in the mix with Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers — wait, why am I even entertaining this argument? Freeman has surprised many people with his ability to manage games in Tampa and lead fourth-quarter comebacks, but he has a very, very long way to go before we even begin mentioning him in that discussion.

If Jackson can find a way to stay healthy, he will certainly give Freeman a credible deep threat and do a great deal to help him improve. But with or without V-Jack, the fourth-year quarterback is nowhere near the top five in the NFL.

Helmet smack to Pro Football Talk
Photo credit: Daniel Shirey-US PRESSWIRE

Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman has endured a rough season, both on the field and off of it. A year after throwing for 25 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions, the third-year player is second in the league with 16 picks. His team already has a worse record (4-7) than it did last year (10-6). Things are so bad for Freeman, he’s even hurting himself when firing guns at a local shooting range.

The Tampa Tribune reported Tuesday that Freeman needed five stitches to repair a cut on his right thumb that occurred when there was an unexpected recoil. The incident happened on Halloween and the stitches were removed a week later.

Freeman already had sustained a serious thumb injury a week earlier in a loss to the Bears. They’ve lost all of their games since Freeman hurt his thumb (five in a row). The injury was termed a thumb sprain, and Freeman was playing with a protective wrap on his thumb for a few games (pictured), though he hasn’t used it the last two games.

For some reason, the Tampa Bay Bucs thought it was a good idea to claim Albert Haynesworth off waivers. Bill Belichick could not get Haynesworth in shape or force him to try, but the Bucs figured they’d take a chance on him anyway. No other team in the NFL wanted Fat Albert, as evidenced by the fact that only one claimed him. Of all the things the Bucs may have had in mind when they signed Haynesworth, we can safely assume mentoring younger players is not one of them, right? Not according to Josh Freeman.

“I had a conversation on Monday about it, and I think it’s great,” Freeman told WDAE 620 on Wednesday. “You’ve got a veteran guy who’s been around the league and played with different teams, and he’s seen it done every which way. For him to see that and relay the message that it’s a long game, and there’s so much that goes on — you can’t let one small thing affect you, whether it’s a play or a penalty.

“Talking to him, he enjoys the locker room and the camaraderie we have from teammate to teammate. He feels like he’s in a good place.”

As Haynesworth already told everyone, he feels as though he belongs in Tampa.  He belonged in New England a couple weeks ago, but now Tampa is the true place where he should be.  The fact that there are young players in the league who look up to him is a frightening thought.  Hopefully, Freeman is just being nice.

Helmet bash to Shutdown Corner for the story.

The team that wins the turnover battle in football tends to win the game more often than not. One of the main reasons the Eagles and Bucs had so much success last season (both were 10-6) is because they had an excellent turnover margin (+0.6 per game, tied for fourth in the NFL). Josh Freeman, in only his second year in the NFL, threw 25 touchdown passes and only six intereptions. Michael Vick posted the best touchdown-to-interception ratio of his career, throwing for 21 touchdowns and six picks. What’s shocking, is that it only took five games for each player to match his interception total from the previous year, and in Vick’s case surpass it.

Vick was intercepted a career-high four times Sunday in Buffalo. The Eagles are so explosive that they nearly won the game despite the picks, but Jason Avant’s fumble in the third quarter took away a needed scoring chance. Vick has now been intercepted seven times in five games, surpassing the six picks he threw in 12 games last year. He’s also lost three fumbles, bringing his turnover total to an unacceptable 10 in five games. It’s not Vick’s accuracy that’s lacking this season, but rather his pocket presence.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman is pretty unique, and it’s not just because of all the success he’s had as a young quarterback. He’s one of the few athletes left that still proudly rocks an exceptional fro. The impressive Josh Freeman fro was on full display Thursday when he joined Jim Rome is Burning on ESPN:

I don’t mind the look at all, but I think it’s getting somewhat out of hand. Not this bad, but it’s getting out there. After Freeman cleared the set, Houston Texans running back Arian Foster stepped up with Rome. When Rome mentioned how big Freeman is, Foster offered up this completely on his own “I dunno about his hairdo though, that’s not my style.” Ouch. I’m guessing Freeman will keep that in mind if the teams meet next season.

So what do you think, should the fashion police arrest Freeman or not?