Brate Ascension No Surprise
August 5th, 2016
Growing weary talking about ASJ.
Of course, Joe monitors all coverage of the Bucs and in the past day or two has noticed something obvious, but apparently it is surprising to many.
The fact that tweety Austin Seferian-Jenkins is not the No. 1 tight end is shocking in some circles. Joe is shocked others are shocked.
Shoot, after ASJ came back from his shoulder injury last season (no worse for wear after being hung out to dry week after week by Lovie Smith), he was not the No. 1 tight end.
Over the offseason, Joe was told by trusted contacts within the walls of One Buc Palace that ASJ was either a No. 3 or No. 2 tight end. And Joe relayed this information several times on this very site, and shared on-air with his good friend “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620.
And this was all before Bucs coach Dirk Koetter ran off ASJ — from an underwear football practice, no less! — and ASJ quickly responded by lashing out at Bucs fans on Twitter with lewd and inappropriate comments about their mothers and significant others.
So Joe was taken aback when folks treated the news this week that, yes, ASJ is not (yet) a starting tight end, as if Koetter named Mike Glennon the starting quarterback.
Yesterday, Koetter again tackled the subject of ASJ not starting and was asked if this was a big deal.
“It must be to you guys, because you’re sure talking about it a lot,” Koetter quipped. “I don’t get what the big deal is. Every team I’ve always been on, the best players played. We haven’t played a game yet, so we don’t know who’s going out there against Atlanta. If I had my way, we’d close practice then I wouldn’t have to answer questions like this every day, no one would know, we’d just be getting our team ready to play. But, we have practice open it’s open for the fans, it’s also obviously open to you folks. We want to get the word out, but we’ve got a lot of good football players and our number one mantra is to compete and that’s what we’re doing.
“When you’re competing, you’re going to have guys ahead of other guys at different times. Right now ‘Cam’ [Cameron Brate] is playing better than Austin – end of story as far as I’m concerned. What does Austin have to do? Play better. Wouldn’t you want that at every position, to elevate the whole team? That’s what competition does. Where a guy was picked, how much money a guy makes – I could care less about that. Now, I might get a call from the big bosses and they might care and say ’Hey do this,’ but I haven’t got that call yet. So right now – it’s still a rep chart because we haven’t played a game so until we go out there and play a game and at some point you guys will get a depth chart that we have to turn in by league rules for the Philly games so it’ll have them listed in an order and you make what you want out of it.”
Boy, Joe is sure glad this Koetter is the shy type.
Again, this “news” about ASJ not being the top tight end is like saying it’s news that the Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl in February. Shoot, two months ago, Pat Kirwan of SiriusXM NFL Radio fame, who Joe knows is tight with a member of the Bucs’ coaching staff, said he heard ASJ may lose his job.
In Joe’s eyes, the only “news” from the tight ends in training camp would be if oft-injured ASJ won the starting job.
August 5th, 2016 at 9:08 am
I’m pulling for ASJ… to sh!t or get off the pot. No really, Go ASJ! Naming Glennon the starter would be like all hell breaking loose.
August 5th, 2016 at 9:10 am
well all his supposed talent has never translated to anything but paper. never understood those who defended this fool it was clearly not for what he has done on the football field it’s all about what they hope he would do.
August 5th, 2016 at 9:11 am
Many will be disappointed because Brate is not a classic “playmaker” or game changer. But he is a solid dependable TE with good hands.
No team has “playmakers” or difference makers at every position. Some do it with a play making TE…Olson comes to mind in our division…others do it will a playmaker at WR like Julio and Atlanta.
Brate will be fine. We have a plethora of playmakers at several other positions. I say our RB tandem is now the best in the league when you realize what Sims brings to that position. We have two WR’s who are supposed to be our playmakers..we have a franchise QB…our offense is going to be fine!
I expect some big plays from ME and VJAX and Sims…Martin will also break some runs. I expect DEPENDABLE hands to convert first downs and TD’s from both Brate and Hump. Clearly #3 has a comfort level or trust already with these two.
It’s all good boys! We have a great mix of possession receivers..some game breakers..we have to hope Krause or Bell emerge as the guy we need to stretch the D.
August 5th, 2016 at 9:23 am
I find it humorous that over the past seven years I’ve been visiting JBF that almost every time Joe gives a person a nickname that person doesn’t end up being here very long. Some of my favorites are Sabby the Goat, Blocking Icon, Ghost, Loaf, Rockstar, Sackless, and Tweety.
August 5th, 2016 at 9:36 am
I’m know it’s been said ad nauseum, but, the guys candor is so refreshing. Even acknowledging the possibility that the front office or ownership could tell him to play someone is refreshing.
Love it. Obviously, winning is all that matters, but, it’s still enjoyable to read his thoughts. I even like that he admits he would like to close practice. It’s like he’s saying what Belichick is actually thinking but refuses to give the media.
August 5th, 2016 at 9:40 am
I really don’t care who wins the starting job, but I do care about wins, if Brate starts and ASJ gets touchdowns, that’s what’s up, if ASJ starts and Brates gets touchdowns, that’s what’s up, they both will play and both will pay dividends in the end (hopefully)
August 5th, 2016 at 9:49 am
I agree with this. After all, Doug Martin was the starter yet Charles Sims led the team in receiving touchdowns. I would be more concerned as to whether or not ASJ makes the team. I’m pretty sure he will but if he ends up having a bad pre-season you never know what will end up happening.
August 5th, 2016 at 10:20 am
ASJ getting the starting job would be like McClown starting over Glennon… Wait, that happened
August 5th, 2016 at 11:02 am
Wasn’t this like 3 days ago?
August 5th, 2016 at 11:34 am
I agree. Anybody who watched last year can tell Brate is the superior TE. I don’t care about physical “ability”. Performance is all that matters.
August 5th, 2016 at 11:35 am
Never thought of that before! Interesting observation. 🙂
August 5th, 2016 at 11:37 am
And also, I love that he mentions the chiefs upstairs. Most coaches pretend they don’t have an impact on player decisions when we know they do. Less coach speak so far from DK. Very cool.
August 5th, 2016 at 11:41 am
@Joe
“Never thought of that before! Interesting observation. :)”
Not True!!!!! The “rockstar” had a nickname and that fool felt like he was here Forever while ruining the franchise!!!!!
August 5th, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Charles Sims led the team in receiving touchdowns.
——-
More like he tied for the lead with ASJ, lol, oh the irony. Oh btw, Charles sims has 1 rushing TD in 2 years maybe he should be switched to slot but what do I know?
August 5th, 2016 at 12:11 pm
I’m only 20 so this might not be saying much… But in my time as a Bucs fan I can’t ever recall one of our coaches making this much sense in a statement of such length lmao.
August 5th, 2016 at 12:12 pm
Yup, nicknames are the death knell on JBF. I hope that doesn’t happen to Americas’ QB! Lol!
August 5th, 2016 at 12:31 pm
Well I’m suRe there are exceptions…Better be Joe. No casting spells here!!
August 5th, 2016 at 12:51 pm
Houseplant was and still is my favorite nickname!
August 5th, 2016 at 12:51 pm
At this point, even though I had rooted for ASJ..I just don’t care anymore..I want WINS..too bad if he can’t or doesn’t want to play..I just want WINS..
Like an old boss of mine use to say..If they ain’t got the fire in the belly, they can’t be helped..
He has no fire in the belly…I have finally resigned to that fact..
Didn’t someone mention that Brate put on some weight this past off season?
August 5th, 2016 at 12:52 pm
^^
And I mean weight as in muscle weight to help the blocking game..
August 5th, 2016 at 2:26 pm
Plus he became the General of the MGM and now has nicknamed Jameis “Americas Quarterback”. Guess we shall see how his record holds up.
August 5th, 2016 at 5:09 pm
D-Rome Says:
August 5th, 2016 at 9:23 am
“almost every time Joe gives a person a nickname that person doesn’t end up being here very long.”
Thank God the “V-Drops” nickname was short lived. And hopefully. “America’s Quarterback” is immune to such nonsense.
August 5th, 2016 at 8:14 pm
Joe has one mission if he chooses to accept it. Convince Ira to refer to Jameis as Americas QB in all national interviews. Gotta get this world wide!
August 5th, 2016 at 8:22 pm
🙂