ESPN Report: McCoy’s Work Ethic Questioned
June 23rd, 2016
Oh, boy.
A loud, ugly shot has been fired at Buccaneers captain and four-time Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy.
ESPN, aka BSPN, employs beat reporters for every NFL team. During the summer months, they often join together by NFL division groups and give their takes on key topics.
Today’s subject is, “Was firing Lovie Smith and hiring Dirk Koetter the right move?”
No surprise. Saints, Panthers and Falcons beat reporters believe the Lovie-to-Koetter switch was wrong. The excerpt below is from Falcons reporter Vaughn McClure, who seems to imply Gerald McCoy let down Lovie and his teammates.
Vaughn McClure, Atlanta Falcons reporter: I feel like Lovie Smith deserved more time than two years to fix what has been broken in Tampa for a while. People criticized him for relying too much on the Tampa 2 scheme, but the Buccaneers weren’t strictly a Cover 2 defense under Smith despite what outsiders might think. And I know star defensive tackle Gerald McCoy had some issues with the scheme, but I also heard from reliable sources that McCoy didn’t always work his hardest. …
That is one brutal shot at McCoy. Joe has had various dealings with McClure, and he certainly is aggressive on his beat and has excellent sources.
However, Joe can’t buy in to the accusation here that McCoy was slacking. In addition to battling a serious shoulder injury through 2015 (Joe saw the powerful medication McCoy was taking in his locker stall), McCoy came into the season in A-list condition and this is the first Joe has ever heard of McCoy having an effort issue.
As for McClure stating McCoy was down on Lovie’s defense, well, who wasn’t?
Joe sure hopes McCoy and/or his teammates respond to McClure’s commentary here. Nobody should take that kind of shot quietly if it’s inaccurate.
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:32 am
Im predicting 2 sacks per game against the saints…if this isnt bulletin board material , i dont know what is
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:33 am
Why soooo much hate for GMC? Oh yeah he’s a Falcons writer, wait didn’t we beat them in both games last year? Still kinda sour i see, nevermind!!!
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:38 am
i’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…. Most overrated buc in history. His pro bowls are meaningless. Good player but not great player. And his love of losing is maddening. If he was hurt so bad he should have never went to pro bowl. I would bet a paycheck that GMC lead the charge crying to ownership that Schiano was a big meanie, he got his wish and they got the incompetent mr softee and still did not perform. The excuses for the so called elite DT are tiresome too… He gets doubled, he gets quadrupled, no talent around him, he played hurt yadda yadda yadda.. Elite players make players around them better and make plays. GMC and his band of merry choir boys make excuses.
Laugh all you want but looking at the salary cap I’d bet that GMC will not be a buc after this season between his soft arse play and being hurt all the time I don’t see licht wasting his time with him. They can dump his arse next year for less than 600k cap hit. No need to pay a good DT elite money
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:46 am
@tmax…wow…I agree….and I agree with Vaughn McClure….GO BUCS!!!
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:47 am
Why are people from the outside throwing in their two sense here. They obviously have no clue what transpired the ladt two seasons here. They just see the four win improvement. But Lovie made so many bad personel moves. I can get past the scheme. I can rationalize the blowouts. But the moves made in 2014 with Ghost, Collins, and Josh freaking Mccown, cutting Revis. Benching Verner and Banks for Jenkins and Jennings. This guy Lovie can not handle buying the groceries.
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:48 am
Now that we got Ayers and somewhat some DE depth Mccoy should have a great year
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:52 am
@tmaxcon,
You need a new act. Yours is tired. It has actually become boring reading your same nonsense. Moving on.
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:54 am
Hawaiian Buc
It’s tough being the agent for such an overrated player. I respect the job you do… but your defense of him is also tiresome.
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:54 am
GMC has the help and talent around him to make everyone around him better…will it happen?…time will tell….GO BUCS!!!
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:00 am
813bucboi
no more excuses this year from him. none… I lost all respect for this fool when he said the the 10-6 seasons which is his only winning season with the bucs was the one he hated most… can’t respect that
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:00 am
tmax..that’s what I’ve been saying. Elite money for just a good DT makes no sense. I have no hate for GMC, I just think he’s a waste of the salary cap.
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:01 am
87
I don’t hate the guy either. he has not played to the level of his draft pick or salary simple as that. Hawaiian and the rest want to deflect the facts with all the good in the community BS but he is paid to win football games not Host Movie night…
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:02 am
There’s no way HB will just drop this and move on…
Nooo way!
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:02 am
When the Bucs were interested in drafting Aaron Donald, GMC kept saying that he won’t move to NT to accommodate no rookie. But the thing is, he’s just as big as Fletcher Cox and Geno Atkins and they play everywhere on the D-Line. And Aaron Donald is smaller than GMC and he plays everywhere along the D-Line. GMC is 6’4 300 lbs, bigger than Warren Sapp ( who played multiple positions on the D-Line). We have a lot of DELUSIONAL Bucs fans, I don’t know what they see in CERTAIN players. GMC is no team player, Keyshawn Johnson is more of a team player than him. He even said that if the Bucs drafted Aaron Donald, he would be his backup before he move to DT. Aaron Donald told the Bucs that he’s willing to play ANYWHERE on the D-Line ( that’s exactly what he’s doing for the Rams). I want to see the expression on GMC face when the Bucs go from a 43 to a 34.
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:05 am
“I want to see the expression on GMC face when the Bucs go from a 43 to a 34.”
LMAO!
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:14 am
U guys are a bunch of Idiots GMC is one of the best 4-3 DTs in football year in and year out. Surprisingly, a DT can’t win games by himself
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:16 am
GMC may be a great player, I don’t personally see it, but he definitely does not visibly inspire his teammates to play better.
That was the difference between Clyde Drexler and Michael Jordan. Both were amazing athletes and excellent shooting guards, but Jordan inspired his teammates to play better and won 6 NBA Championships because of that trait.
GMC needs to be an emotional and inspirational leader if he wants to be revered like Sapp, Brooks, and Lynch.
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:21 am
GMC is great when it does not matter and disappears when it’s time for a star to shine and that is his biggest issue… besides being fragile of course.
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:22 am
Well…I hate to say it (not really) but I TOLD YOU SO. I’m not even stressing let’s see what he does this year. Maybe there’s an opportunity to trade him for Mo Wilkerson.
I was the one who called for Aaron Donald then called GMC selfish. I was called stupid bc I thought Donald would be the better DT. Well the “real fans” sure showed me. Aaron Donald is not even close to the same player as GMC.
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:24 am
TMax.
You nailed it with your 1st post.
Ol’ Softie 93 defenders can suck it.
Go Bucs
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:33 am
National media always has and always will be completely and utterly clueless.
GMC is a good/great player. not HOF no.
as for Lovie. Falcons are just mad that we are not going to be giving them the easiest defense in NFL history to play against.
I say this with absolute 0% exaggeration. Lovie was, by far, like no comparison far, the most incompetent and clueless coach I have ever witnessed.
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:45 am
McCoy’s early season injury , week 2?, was obvious to all but the brainless haters. He battled like a true warrior last season.
I will have to keep up with this McClure guy. And see how much garbage he is spewing.
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:47 am
He may be our best DT, But for what he was expected to be.
HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT ! He’s about 40% of Sapp or Aaron Donald
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:51 am
Wow…..blame GMC for Lovie Smith’s failure…..
All those slant passes should have been batted down by GMC at the line of scrimmage….
This is total BS….
June 23rd, 2016 at 11:53 am
I don’t get the hate for GMC, I just dont.
Is he nasty? No. But he is regarded by his peers as one of the best in the game at his position. I’m pretty sure the opinion of NFL players outweighs that of a bunch of keyboard hard asses on this site (half of whom live with their mothers still).
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:02 pm
almost all of the analysis and “facts” in that piece are misrepresentations of the last 2 years, so it was easy to brush that little nugget to the side as well
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:06 pm
Ok so I’ve heard GMC being defended every year for his play…
If he doesn’t have an awesome year then Bye Bye..
P.S. remember McCoy pouting before the game when Jamies was hyping the team on the sidelines
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Im no McCoy fan but if you dont have any confidence in your Imcompetent HC then you probably arent going to give it all you have. And lets face it, most of the team probably lost all confidence in the Imcompetent One.
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:12 pm
You guys think the HITS are comin now? Wait until the Losing starts again. There is nothing wrong with McCoy. He’s a good player. Problem is our Bucs just have not had enough good TEAM players. As for Lovie, I still say he should have been given another year. But Lovie is gone people. Stop hanging him! I bet the man doesn’t even read the nonsense posted about him. He..just cashes his checks from the Bucs. This new regime had better win. There is a lot of pressure on them. Koetter and Smith have been Hyped to the max. I can’t wait to see if they can deliver on this hype. I hope they can..for their sake.
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:16 pm
ATrain
P.S. remember McCoy pouting before the game when Jamies was hyping the team on the sidelines
——————–
thanks for reminding me of that childish moment. Team first guys don’t act like that but jealous me first guys do. The same type of me first guys go to meaningless pro bowls and participate instead of getting their severe injury that limited them the entire year treated. can’t miss that tv time though….
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:18 pm
Mike Johnson
fortunately for the new staff Lovie set the bar so low anything will be an improvement
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:23 pm
I have nothing against McCoy but he has been a disappointment. I don’t think he has worked hard since he got here.
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:24 pm
I also don’t get the GMC hate. He lead the team in sacks last year again, went to the probowl again, is currently number 5 in team history for sacks with 35, this year he should surpass David Logan and become #4 behind Leroy, Sapp, and Simeon Rice. Based on his current rate, he will not catch those 3 but still not bad company to be in. So what he is not hall of famer, but he is good at what he does and we need to build other defensive stars around him. He is a good man and a better than average player. People should get off his back and embrace him as a Buc and one of our better players.
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:35 pm
Yea Tmax he’s better than David Logan so just shut your pie face.
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Im sorry, but when people under leadership dont believe in or have and confidence in those leaders, knowing all of theyre effprt is a lost cause your not going to give it your all.in preparation. Playing through injuries this guy put all his effprt in on the field. He will have a career year this season under hayes and as long as he is a buc and hayes is here he will continue to get better. Agree with that or not its how it goes. If you dont know what your doing people will not give theyre best working under you
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:43 pm
Expecting a good year for GMAC – and the rest of our Defense.
Theme Music 4 the D
Tupac- Ambitionz Az a Ridah
June 23rd, 2016 at 12:49 pm
Who cares… But GMC is more mentally weak and doesn’t show up on the stat sheet at the most important times.
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:05 pm
@tmax…im with you on this one…..the excuse of gmc not trusting the leadership of the hc is bs….he was one of if not the main player happy to see schiano get canned….he was very happy when we went 2-14….not once have I heard him say im tired of losing….its the same ole we just need to have fun…I would just want to have fun if I was just cashing those type of checks as well….his true colors were exposed when this team finally got some leadership from rookies that hate to lose….gmc had the long face when players started to follow jameis…
@tmax nailed it with this comment,”GMC is great when it does not matter and disappears when it’s time for a star to shine and that is his biggest issue… besides being fragile of course.”…..gmc is notorious for getting a sack on the second play of the first drive of the game and never heard from again…he does this every other game and at the end of the season people say wow gmc was a beast he dominated but the truth is he’s not on the same level as a.donald, mo Wilkerson, geno atkins, n. suh, marcel darius, or Sheldon Richardson in terms of impacting the game….GO BUCS!!!!
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:15 pm
I’m with you as well Couch.
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Dreambig Says :
“People should get off his back and embrace him as a Buc and one of our better players.”
Perhaps we should stay on his back to light a little more fire in him. Who knows?
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:30 pm
Boring trolls. You can tell there is nothing of substance going on.
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:42 pm
A trip down memory lane with the David Logan mention, but he was an undersized 3-4 nt. I remember a game where he had two strip sacks against the Vikings and Leroy recovered both fumbles. Ordinarily, it would have been Leroy forcing the fumbles and Loga recovering.
I would say that the biggest difference between GMC and Sapp and Leroy was that GMC tends to get his sacks early in the game and the others seem to have gotten theirs when the game was on the line. I remember Sapp getting two sacks in a row against Farve and the Packers late in the forth quarter. I remember GMC getting sacks in a row to start a forgotten game and disappearing the rest of the way.
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:43 pm
87 – You guys may have a point about the elite money he is getting, because so far his play is not elite. We fans expect Jameis level leadership out of him and that clearly is not who he is.
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:44 pm
LOL at the silly season “drama”.
An Atlanta writer with nothing else to write about chooses to take a shot at McCoy. Which Joe is more than happy to pick up on and throw out as yet another red meat offering to the perpetually disgruntled GMC haters.
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:45 pm
Why haven’t we heard about the big softie slacking in previous years?
Easy, because intil last year he was the face of the franchise, the guy supposed to fill seats. The NFL won’t allow the cash to stop flowing with a story about Mr Softie working less in practice than he does in games. If this story came out 3 years ago attendance at home games Would have been in the hundreds. I’m not surprised by this story, you play how you practice and injured or not GMC doesn’t play with a whole lot of effort.
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:50 pm
I’m sure Hayes can straighten this out for us. One way or the other.
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:50 pm
You can try to spin it all you want but this post isnt about how great or how bad GMC is. Its about his work ethic which, just by common sense, would not be very good if you dont believe in the guy in charge. You can try to spin it to suit your GMC bashing agenda all you like but you cant change common sense. Again, Im no GMC fan. I’ve repeatedly said the guy is an underachiever and hardly ever shows up when we need him to. But this isnt about that.
This is coming from the same morons who think they can judge a players entire career off 1 single play. LMAO, that still cracks me up.
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:52 pm
DB55
I don’t know what I was thinking, I never realized our fragile / elite dt was going to surpass the immortal Dave Logan. I’m a changed man…
June 23rd, 2016 at 1:56 pm
Eff this guy. It’s like I can call my sister slut but I’ll kick your arse if you do. We can talk spit about GMC but a falcon beat writer? Get bent
June 23rd, 2016 at 2:05 pm
GMC had the most sacks Haha We had 5 ……
Simple watch the games and watch him play, you will see him take plays off. He is not a leader, Jamies showed him up on that one…He is a Good play at best..
As for Lovie, if he would have turned this team around with one more year then Why is the only Coaching job he could get in a Corn Field..
June 23rd, 2016 at 2:17 pm
Joe, prior to Winston….McCoy was usually the first one to work…..and on the field by himself doing drills/conditioning.
June 23rd, 2016 at 2:31 pm
Tmaxcon..As usual you are..talking loud while saying nothing. A true trademark of yours now and for articles to come!
June 23rd, 2016 at 2:32 pm
I just checked out the pro football magazines out in the grocery store, I just read interesting parts there and not purchasing them. Winston was rated #23 in one top 100 player list. On top 20 lists Martin rated #3 RB, GMC #12 at his position, Evans 7th best WR. Bucs picked last in NFC South in most, about 6-10 expected finish. As if this is last years team.
June 23rd, 2016 at 3:18 pm
Fans mainly are upset with GMC because he doesn’t make a lot of sacks. While it’s great to have a DT who can constantly pressure a QB it’s an unrealistic expectation. He’s not that type of tackle and never will be. He is still strong enough to get his share.
Tackles that get a lot of sacks are rare. You guys will smash Lovie Smith for trying to put a square peg in the hole and then do the same thing, yourselves, with McCoy. GMC consistently shrinks the pocket and gets no credit from his very own fans. Never once have I ever heard anybody praise GMC for his dominance in stopping the run game.
There are just a ton of brutally awful take about McCoy here
June 23rd, 2016 at 3:54 pm
Lovie’s bend and break defense kept defensive players on the field too much.Coupled with the conservative decisions to go for field goals or punt when
there were chances to extend drives,and also score points at halftime.
continually forcing a defense that is already gassed on to the field always baffled me.
Hold onto the ball on offense and you will win more games than you lose.
As for GMC,I’m interested in seeing how he plays in the new scheme.Don’t really believe he is soft.I watched him come out of the game after reinjuring his shoulder,and they sent him back in.His shoulder was useless,so he used his
other shoulder to knock O lineman on his backside and disrupt the play.Of all the positions on the field defensive tackle is the last place you will find a soft player.
June 23rd, 2016 at 4:25 pm
Tmaxx you are right…Although you are told to speak facts but I don’t hear facts defending our thoughts on this guy.
Fact WATCH A GAME and you will see him take plays off period.
He is not a LEADER…
He plays enough to get by…To Be great he has to Play over everyone else
June 23rd, 2016 at 5:07 pm
What was the guy years ago that was so down on GMC? Thomas 2.2 or something. Anyways, I swear tmax is his doppelgänger. Same song and dance.
June 23rd, 2016 at 5:46 pm
I remember watching the draft when McCoy was picked and he started crying. No, he is not the only player to ever cry when drafted nor will he be the last but it just seemed different to me. He was crying with a look on his face like he accomplished his lifelong goal. I thought to myself at the time that he might be a decent player because of his size and natural athletic ability but he would never have the drive and desire to be a great player because he has already made it in life with a big payday. He hasn’t shown anything different in my opinion. He is a decent player and that is it. Some consider him elite purely because he was drafted high but he is definitely not an elite player, just decent. He will be a good compliment player when he has an elite player next to him. All that being said, I hope he has an outstanding year and changes my opinion but I’m certainly not going to hold my breath waiting for it.
June 23rd, 2016 at 5:55 pm
Bob in Valrico … Excellent post. GMC’s peers on other teams appear to think he’s an excellent DT. His playing hurt last year showed me a lot about where his heart is … GMC put it all on the line all season long. I don’t question his motivation to win. I do question the way he was used and the mediocre performances of some of the players surrounding him. Is he worth what he’s being paid? Not my call, but the Bucs management seem to think that he is.
June 23rd, 2016 at 6:13 pm
Wow. A reporter who covers a DIVISION RIVAL says something bad about a Bucs player.
What a surprise!
June 23rd, 2016 at 6:14 pm
@RTG Bucs
Not to troll, but that is about as stupid a take on GMC as I have ever heard…aside from Buc Realist!
June 23rd, 2016 at 6:15 pm
GMC is one of the hardest working players on the team. He played through TWO simultaneous injuries last year, so of course he would not have played at his best!!!!!!
June 23rd, 2016 at 8:29 pm
GMC is a fake leader and cares about cashing checks laughing after losing and helping opponents up… aaron donald eats his lunch 7 days a week
June 23rd, 2016 at 8:44 pm
Go ahead and run him off, he might just take another team to the Super Bowl, but that’s the way we do it around here!
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:31 pm
Joe,
Please offer something more than burying your head in the sand and denying what appears to be obvious.
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:38 pm
I seriously don’t understand some of you “fans”. This guy is easily – easily – easily top 5 on the team. Arguably top 3. Who cares what his draft status was. GMC is a beast. We have been bottom feeders in the league as far as sacks go and GMC has close to double digits on a yearly basis. People…. Please stop complaining for the sake of complaining; especially with one of our elite players. And all this nonsense towards Gerald for helping players up.. What some people fail to remember is that a lot of NFL players also played against each other in college and even played on the same team in college as well. Maybe it’s just me but if I have a mutual respect for an opponent and I know him I would help him up too. GMC has done a lot for this community and has been a great teammate from everything i hear. I seriously don’t get all the hate towards him. Give the guy a break he can’t do it all on his own. I haven’t lost faith in him. There’s a reason his peers in the NFL vote him into the top 100 on a yearly basis. I seemed to have went off on a tangent. Sorry fellas
June 23rd, 2016 at 10:54 pm
Just admit it y’all….GMC is your scapegoat. He’s a easy target because he is a nice guy……when he plays he’s not nice.
Is he a great leader? Well that doesn’t show……Somebody tell me how though exact ally why he has to be a big vocal leader to get your respect? Again, lambaste others for trying to fit squares into holes and you do the same expecting Gerald to be a vocal leader and a nasty angry person/player.
June 24th, 2016 at 12:43 am
“You can’t live soft and play hard.”
-Sapp speaking on 93
June 24th, 2016 at 7:02 am
joe Cullen sounds off on Espn arcticle:
http://www.bucsnation.com/2016/6/24/12022932/gerald-mccoy-and-joe-cullen-aren-t-happy-about-laziness-report
June 24th, 2016 at 7:39 am
@ Bonzai.
I hope what I wrote does prove to be a stupid take, it would make me happy to watch him excel. But it is what I thought when he was drafted and he certainly hasn’t changed my mind so I stand by it. I’m not against him, I will root for him and all Buccaneer players, just haven’t seen anything great from him on a consistent basis. If he was drafted in the 3rd or 4th round I believe he would still be on the team, just without expectations.
June 24th, 2016 at 9:18 am
In my mind, saying Gerald McCoy is lazy is unwarranted hyperbole. At the same time, Joe’s and many of this blogs’ commenters longstanding “bromance” with McCoy is equally misplaced.
Undoubtedly, McCoy is hardworking, highly talented and to use the word most often heard about his game, a highly disruptive defensive tackle. What he is not and likely never will be is a game changer.
When have we seen McCoy rise up late in a tight game to make the crucial sack on third and eight or the critical solo run stop on third and two when it’s most needed? The answer to that vital question that separates the greats from the very good is rarely if ever.
Yes, McCoy is good enough that opposing offensive coordinators have to account for him on every play, but they can account for him and generally win a draw, particularly in critical moments.
Undoubtedly, McCoy is an outstanding defensive tackle, but he is no Aaron Donald, Warren Sapp, Joe Greene or Bob Lily.
June 24th, 2016 at 9:32 am
A good player, not great. Kind of like Ian B. used to always say, “underwhelming”.
June 26th, 2016 at 6:00 am
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June 27th, 2016 at 7:05 am
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