Notes From Day 1 Minicamp
June 14th, 2016
Your beloved Buccaneers were back on the practice fields of One Buc Palace today with the first mandatory minicamp session. Joe’s got plenty of nuggets.
* Man, it’s super hot and humid out here. Even during stretches, it’s easy to tell this will be a tough afternoon. Thank your lucky stars the Bucs will hold training camp in the morning this year.
* Vincent Jackson and Louis Murphy, coming off of ACL surgery in November, are standing off to the side during drills performing floppy hat patrol. No reason to rush both back and risk any injury that could linger. It will be exciting to see Murphy back when he’s healthy enough.
* Whoops! Kourtnei Brown bats a pass down from America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, at the line of scrimmage. You’d like to see Jameis put more air under the ball when trying to drop a pass across the middle. Something to watch this fall.
* Jameis is handling the hurry-up offense well. Expect to see more of this during training camp. The more comfort he gains with the fast pace, the better. Dirk Koetter has to be encouraged.
* No sign of a cell phone with Austin Seferian-Jenkins as he works through drills. Dang, Joe hopes ASJ has learned his lesson after that Twitter fiasco last week. Seferian-Jenkins is standing off to the side, enjoying the water being poured on his head by a staff member as others grind away. Must be nice!
*Little bit of a training camp feel with this setup at One Buc. Fans mingle near the building, and reporters can walk behind a sideline on one of the practice fields. That big tent would feel good right about now, though.
* Jameis and Mike Evans have a solid connection all day. Jameis finds Evans near the sideline, and Evans makes a sliding catch. Keep that Stickum handy, Mike.
* Jameis is smiling and fist-bumping others after drills. He looks older than his second-year status.
* Punts! Adam Humphries, misplaced Calgary Stampeder Donteea Dye and the pride of St. Petersburg, Bernard Reedy, all get looks at punt returner. Bryan Anger seems to handle the punting duties well.
* Bucs go topless: To help with the oppressive heat, Koetter orders the Bucs to strip. So off go the helmets but practice continues. True underwear football. Looks weird seeing guys in an 11-on-11 drill without helmets.
* Selfie time! A Bucs staffer follows Jameis with a video camera mounted on a long selfie stick. The staffer stands behind Jameis as he breaks the huddle and approaches the line. Joe assumes this is done to give both coaches and Jameis the view of the defense from a quarterback’s perspective during film work.
*Hello, Kwon Alexander! Nice breakup across the middle after he slides in front of a pass by Jameis intended for Russell Shepard. Alexander is pumped. Good to see the young guy fired up.
*Joe understands NFL coaches are tough guys. But yikes! It must be brutal for Koetter and defensive coordinator Mike Smith to be in long-sleeved T-shirts today. Just crazy. Hope they took IVs of Gatorade before coming out here.
* Reedy shows quality footwork on the right sideline after a catch. He dodges a few defenders and draws hollers from teammates.
* Jackson is lined up at cornerback against Evans as the Bucs walk through a few plays. Joe’s wondering: Who would win in a jump ball between the two receivers? Riddle Joe that!
* More pressure! William Gholston bursts through the line and knocks down a pass after he chases Jameis out of the pocket. Gholston is impressive when his motor hums.
* Born to run: Jameis drops back for a pass and everyone is covered. So as the pocket begins to collapse, Jameis rolls left and runs upfield near the sideline (think Alex Smith scoring a late touchdown for the 49ers against New Orleans a few years ago in the playoffs).
* Who is Wanda?: What “Omaha” is to Peyton Manning, “Wanda” is to Jameis. Just who is this babe? Is she from Omaha? Does she like the Cornhuskers? Did she once have a tryst with former Nebraska offensive lineman and current Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht? Joe wants to know!
* Jameis isn’t done with his mobility. He rolls left and absolutely fires a line drive to Adam Humphries, hitting him right in the numbers. Humphries turns outside but doesn’t get far.
* Joe didn’t see it but he sure heard it. There was a loud slap of flesh signaling a nasty collision (remember, no hitting in underwear football), and it appears Mike James got the raw end of the meeting as he was on the ground. Didn’t appear that anyone was hurt.
*INTERCEPTION! Chris Conte picks off a pass from Jameis near the end zone off a tip. Joe didn’t see who deflected the ball, but that’s good hand-eye coordination from Conte to make the play. Get those takeaways! Simple as that.
*Last year’s Underwear Football MVP Kenny Bell burns Johnthan Banks with a nice over-the-shoulder grab near the sideline. Moments like this make Bell intriguing to Joe. If he stays healthy, Bell could add needed depth at wide receiver. That hair already is Pro Bowl material!
* The Great Roberto Aguayo Watch! He went 6-for-8 on field goals, with both misses from more than 50 yards away going wide right (sorry FSU fans). Joe hopes Aguayo’s kicking foot was rubbed with massage oil afterward.
June 14th, 2016 at 4:56 pm
“Seferian-Jenkins is standing off to the side, enjoying the water being poured on his head by a staff as others grind away. Must be nice!”
Thanks for the highlight on ASJ, Joe….with friends like this, who needs enemies?
Are we to presume that he didn’t catch a pass, run a route and was the only one who got water poured on him? Makes it seem like he was loafing….
June 14th, 2016 at 4:57 pm
I was thinking the same thing tampabaybucfan….
June 14th, 2016 at 5:04 pm
If anyone thinks that, they are a headcase themselves. These are clearly snippets of practice. By that logic, Jameis only threw a half-dozen passes all day. Mike James and Chris Conte just practiced one play, etc.
Some people read what they want to read. smh
June 14th, 2016 at 5:11 pm
Hey Joe, pro tip: long sleeves actually help insulate your body and keeps the hot sun from warming your skin, making your internal temperature hotter.
Not to mention the unwanted farmers tan you get with short sleeves.
June 14th, 2016 at 5:11 pm
Just an observation! I have not heard/seen one highlight/player to watch or any other mention of TE Dan Vitale all offseason. Lots of hype coming out of draft. Maybe I missed it?
June 14th, 2016 at 5:14 pm
Joe i know it is only a snippet as you say, but when you say others are geindin away, and he is just standing off to the side, it does make people wonder how involved ASJ is after his past transgressions.
We all know how you like to pull stories out of nowhere from reading between lines and connecting random dots. You don’t expect us to do the same thing?
June 14th, 2016 at 5:17 pm
And some just want to see what they want to see, Joseph.
Way to call a couple of your readers ‘headcases.’
You’re welcome for the views.
Was he the only one to have water today? What a deviant!
June 14th, 2016 at 5:18 pm
@TampaBayBucfan
Settle down!! As a MG8 fan for years, we have had to read between the lines of the opinion of what is going on at practice, Even though we heard from others or witnessed MG8 out preforming Old man Mccown and Jfro-6pak!!!!
Just be happy that Joe is sweating and cooking like a sausage and not us!!!!!
Thankyou for the notes Joe!!!!!!!!!
June 14th, 2016 at 5:18 pm
Thanks for the notes as always Joe(s).
June 14th, 2016 at 5:19 pm
“This Joe” actually wears long-sleeved T-shirts in the Florida sun. #BetterThanSunscreen
June 14th, 2016 at 5:22 pm
Well, this type of an issue always comes up each year for practice notes. There are dozens of guys and can’t watch them all every play. Joe normally writes about something that catches his eye or he finds interesting. Nothing more, nothing less. Nothing malicious or any sinister agenda beneath the surface.
June 14th, 2016 at 5:26 pm
Not all players on offense during a seven-on-seven or an 11-on-11 drill can practice at the same time. Every player has a few plays off including Jameis. Football is played with 11 players on each side of the ball. People don’t know this?
Sure smells like folks are looking under rocks here hoping they find what they want to find.
June 14th, 2016 at 5:30 pm
If people come to the conclusion that ASJ is some loafer because other(s) were working at tight end or — shock! — the Bucs may have been running a four-receiver set and ASJ had the gall to take a breather and have a glass of cold water on a broiling day, then, yeah, those folks are looking for something that doesn’t exist.
And yes, that is a headcase, sorry.
June 14th, 2016 at 5:34 pm
I took it as Joe was jealous of ice water being poured out on someone else!!!!
June 14th, 2016 at 5:37 pm
Shoot, if anything Joe was envious of ASJ getting ice water poured on him (which is what stood out to Joe). Not sure how anyone can read into that Joe was suggested he was loafing in any way.
June 14th, 2016 at 5:38 pm
Joe,
Not referring to your practice notes. I think your notes are fine. Read my post again. I’m referring to any website/paper/youtube/et al. Haven’t seen or heard one word about Vitale. Not saying anything is wrong. Just nothing all offseason!
June 14th, 2016 at 5:39 pm
TBBF…you’ve been a bad boy.
Now go sit in the corner pumpkin…
June 14th, 2016 at 5:39 pm
OK….so, I’m a headcase for pointing out that “must be nice” for ASJ to get water poured on him off to the side…..after 3 days of negative articles (however well deserved)…..this is the highlight for ASJ……so, yes, I’m a headcase….
I appreciate the highlights and realize they are necessarily incomplete….but it’s not foolish to notice something as obvious as this.
June 14th, 2016 at 5:39 pm
macabee :
“This Joe” agrees that “Superback” may be getting too much run. Let’s see the guy do something in a preseason game before we give him a cape, right?
June 14th, 2016 at 5:41 pm
Shoot, when Joe used to have season tickets, he also poured bottles of water over his head to cool off during those September 1 p.m games (worked like a charm, too). It was hot like that today.
June 14th, 2016 at 5:44 pm
@Joe
As long as you did not start singing “I am a maniac, maniac, oh no no..!!” while doing the flash dance!!!!!
June 14th, 2016 at 5:49 pm
“enjoying himself while others grind away”………is it just me or does that sound like a dig?
June 14th, 2016 at 5:55 pm
Tampabaybucfan:
Should Joe have lied and wrote ASJ was throwing bottles of water at coaches because he wasn’t on the practice field and coaches had the nerve to give other tight ends reps? Would that have made you happy? Would that have made you feel better, even though it would have been a lie?
Let Joe know anyone who has been busting their tail in a heat index over 100 who wouldn’t enjoy cold water. So Joe is not allowed to write that? What else is Joe not permitted to write?
Why make things up and look for something that doesn’t exist?
June 14th, 2016 at 6:01 pm
I am not doing anything but pointing out the obvious…..
You don’t need to lie….
How about this…..”It’s ASJ’s turn to take a much deserved break to have some cold water poured over his head. The heat is staggering”
June 14th, 2016 at 6:01 pm
Thank you brother for the notes on today’s practice. If you need someone to follow you around and pour water on you, I can be on a plane tonight. Thanks again from a out of state fan.
June 14th, 2016 at 6:03 pm
Joe there’s an outstanding article on Jameis on the website “The Undefeated” (link is at http://theundefeated.com/features/the-continued-maturation-of-jameis-winston). Very very well done and is about Jameis’ work in the community, a side that some folks don’t get to see very often.
June 14th, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Don’t get me wrong….I appreciate the notes and all the work that goes into them…..
On this particular subject….we have a player that has been in a heap of trouble that seems to be oversensitive about what others say about him and is tuned in to social media and perhaps other media.
The way this was written it could be taken with a negative slant….I certainly thought it could be a dig…..I’m quite sure I’m not the only one who read it that way.
June 14th, 2016 at 6:15 pm
Tbbf
Joe does not take shots at ASJ, he made that quite clear 3 days ago.
June 14th, 2016 at 6:20 pm
Its hard to believe that after all the years of miscues, mismanagement, atrocities, and overall bad play, that this is what has riled up Tampabaybucfan the most!!!!!!!
June 14th, 2016 at 6:22 pm
DB55
Joe has a talent for not taking shots….or making it seem that way….
June 14th, 2016 at 6:28 pm
At least on JBF we weren’t subjected to the brand of water poured with the accompanying payola….
“enjoying the Zephyrhills water being poured on his head”
@Realist
Riled up the dormant journalist in me…..
June 14th, 2016 at 6:30 pm
Like ASJ……>TBBF is “movin’ on”
June 14th, 2016 at 6:30 pm
Speaking for Pablo
“Pablo knows a lot about taking shots! Pablo takes many shots of tequila and passes out on Tampabaybucfan’s couch! Lucky for Pablo, Pablo is a small man and easy to carry out to Tampabaybucfan’s garage where Pablo wakes up everymorning!!! Ay Caramba!!!”
June 14th, 2016 at 6:59 pm
Joe, were you insinuating that ASJ was loafing? That’s what it looks like to me. …
Kidding, kidding.
June 14th, 2016 at 8:31 pm
Donteea Dye an Adam Humphries man. Or very own TY Hilton and Welker in the making
June 14th, 2016 at 9:50 pm
I was out driving today in my no ac car. The traffic was thick and in a hurry, maddening. It felt like 110+ degrees, like I’ve felt in southern Nevada in the summertime. Also I’ve read that sunscreen is cancerous.
June 14th, 2016 at 9:53 pm
i gotta side with tbbf on this one. I thought the same thing lol.
June 15th, 2016 at 12:03 am
* No sign of a cell phone with Austin Seferian-Jenkins as he works through drills. Dang, Joe hopes ASJ has learned his lesson after that Twitter fiasco last week. Seferian-Jenkins is standing off to the side, enjoying the water being poured on his head by a staff member as others grind away. Must be nice!*
Heck i can see 3 possible digs at ASJ in this post.
“No sign of a cell phone” (obviously a twitter dig)
“Jenkins is standing off to the side” (off to the side? Like away from his teammates? Or just standing on the sideline with the rest of the players not in that particular play. Maybe you can see how that wording could be taken the wrong way)
“As others grind away” (pretty clear this a dig. Insinuating that ASJ has not been grinding away, and therefore loafing. Once again the wording here can be interpreted a few different ways. But you can’t blame us Buc fans for being cynical. We are Bucs fans afterall, we’ve been through some shpit the last few years.)
Like i said in an earlier post, you may not have meant it this way, but when you leave thing open for interpretation and force us to read between the lines, things get misrepresented. No need to call people names over it though Joe.
June 15th, 2016 at 9:05 am
I miss Pablo! But over the past year or two, his grammar has VASTLY IMPROVED! lol