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Trueblood: No Winning With Refs

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By ANWAR RICHARDSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 23, 2008

TAMPA - Everyone has lost keys, money or their cell phone at some point, but Detroit has made losing a lifestyle. The Lions are 0-10, six losses away from finishing the season winless. Detroit already has lost fans, respect, and possibly its auto industry, but can start to shed its losing persona today when Tampa Bay travels to the Motor City.

Tampa Bay offensive lineman Jeremy Trueblood spoke about "losing" for this week's Wide Right column, and one thing is for sure, he will not put up any missing posters for any unlikable pets he might lose.

Anwar: What is the worst loss you've ever been a part of?

Jeremy: Probably that Giants game last year. The one that probably hurt the worst was my senior year in high school when we lost in the playoffs and I really didn't realize I wouldn't see those guys again. That was not too much fun.

Anwar: Have you ever been part of a team that never won a game?

Jeremy: No. My rookie year was the first year I ever had a losing record. That wasn't too much fun.

Anwar: What is it like to lose battles against referees every week?

Jeremy: That is a kick right in the gut. There's no winning with those guys and I understand that, but those guys have attitude problems. I don't, but they do.

Anwar: What's worse, losing 15 yards for an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty or money after one of your fines?

Jeremy: The yards, especially if it's a drive killer.

Anwar: But you have lost a lot of money. You might have lost as much money as you've lost yards.

Jeremy: I would think so, but it's situational as far as losing yards. The money, and this is probably not the most correct way to look at it, I never see it because it's taken out of my check. I basically don't see it, so I don't pay too much attention to it. Believe me, I'm not making enough money to do that, but it makes me feel better in the back of my head.

Anwar: So it's almost like child support?

Jeremy: In some way. It's my contribution to the NFL's charities, or whatever they put it toward.

Anwar: Do you shave your head bald because you're losing your hair?

Jeremy: No. Anytime I've ever had hair, I've gotten injured. I just shave my hair off. I tried to grow my hair out my junior year in college and I got injured, so I decided no hair.

Anwar: How do you think Davin Joseph would look without hair?

Jeremy: I saw how he looked on his driver's license when he was 16. Not pretty. I think I know why he grows out his hair. He has a misshaped head.

Anwar: Have you ever lost a pet and had to post missing signs?

Jeremy: I lost a pet, but never put up signs. I never cared enough.

Anwar: What the heck? What kind of pet did you have?

Jeremy: I lost a dog one time, but it really wasn't my favorite dog, so I didn't care.

Anwar: Wow. OK, so who would lose a fight between Suge Knight and Mike Tyson?

Jeremy: Mike Tyson has been knocked out, but Suge Knight did get his butt beat. It just depends. Mike might catch him, but I'll go with Suge on this one.

Anwar: If you and your offensive lineman were in the movie "Saw," who would be the first to lose the game?

Jeremy: It would be Donald Penn for one reason and one reason only. I feel like he would try to talk his way out of it and just annoy the guy so much that he would pull the trigger early.

Anwar: Who would you rather not lose a fashion contest to - Jeff Faine or Michael Clayton?

Jeremy: I think Faine because offensive linemen are notoriously not known as good dressers.

Anwar: But Faine owns a fashion store and Clayton talks a lot of trash?

Jeremy: It's still Faine because you shouldn't get outdressed by an offensive lineman at any point.

Anwar: Do you feel like you lost out by being an only child?

Jeremy: Probably. I'm definitely going to have more than one kid when I have kids, so they have siblings. I was pretty bored. All these guys make fun of me because I entertain myself, but when you're an only child, you have to figure out someway to entertain yourself.

Anwar: But Christmas had to be great.

Jeremy: Christmas was the best time of the year. I got every gift. Birthday and Christmas, I got everything. It was gifts galore. That was the best part of being an only child. That and when your parents gave you a surprise, you got the whole surprise. You didn't have to split it.

Anwar: Who would lose a singing competition between Axl Rose and T-Pain?

Jeremy: I'll have to go with T-Pain because Axl Rose is from Indiana. I might be a little biased, but they're both bad.

Anwar: How essential is it not to lose against Detroit?

Jeremy: It's very essential because they are 0-10 and we're 7-3. We're fighting for a playoff spot. Half of those guys are from here and they know what they expect. It's not their Super Bowl, but they need to get a win on their record and I'm sure they would love to get it against us.

Reporter Anwar S. Richardson can be reached at (813) 259-8425.

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