Kwon Calls Out Effort
December 27th, 2016
Relentless and focused
The ultimate warrior of the Bucs defense, 22-year-old Kwon Alexander, didn’t like what he had to say yesterday.
But he said it anyway.
Joe was in the unhappy Superdome locker room Saturday night, when Kwon was distraught over the crushing loss to the Saints and couldn’t/wouldn’t talk to media.
But Kwon was feeling better last night on the Buccaneers Radio Network.
His Bucs-Saints assessment? He didn’t like the effort of his team.
“You got to outwork that team And those guys, I don’t want to say it, but they outworked us,” Kwon said of the Saints. “And I hate to say that for our team. But we just got to get ready for this week and get this win against Carolina.”
Sobering stuff from Kwon right there. “Outworked” with the playoffs on the line against a second-rate team.
Joe sure hopes the Bucs respond with a ferocity the home fans deserve on Sunday.
Joe, as written previously, doesn’t question Kwon’s standout effort. As for his post-loss holiday plans, Kwon said it was all football. “That’s all I did on Christmas was watch film,” he said.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:12 pm
This same 2nd rate team beat us last year when we were in playoff contention.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:14 pm
To revisit Commish’s point earlier this year, this should be addressed this off season. Jameis in one room, Kwon in another. A sheet of paper and a pen ready for each of them. When they leave, Licht will know the names of the players that don’t have the heart and level of play to take this team to the next level. They match those names up against what the coaches are seeing on the game tape.
I know that we’re looking at building and growing from where we are and we’re assuming that there are cornerstone pieces that we’re structuring the team around, but I’m almost hopeful that we have a player cut this off season that nobody saw coming. I’m not going to go in on who it would be, but I hope that they look at who the players are that are actually comporting themselves in the proper way to make this team a winner and purging the team of the jobbers and the weak links.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:16 pm
It’s a pleasure and an honor to watch Kwon play with 100% effort 100% of the time….
NO MORE ICE CREAM
December 27th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
His best friend had tweeted out something like “went by number 58 place and what is he doing for Christmas? watching film”
Not surprising at all…he should sit with Koetter and let him know who are the players just playing but with no effort..
December 27th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
@Patrick- I agree. Maybe those guys just don’t want to be here anymore anyways.
Imagine not giving your best when it REALLY counts?! That’s sad.
I love me some Kwon though! Call ’em forward.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:19 pm
We need more Alexanders on our team.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:26 pm
Maybe work taking a better path to the ball or pass coverage. He said well below average in both categories. Love him watching film. Jameis watches film yet we rip him constantly. Kwon is really not that special if were going off the standards we set for jameis and dirk
December 27th, 2016 at 12:26 pm
Call them out Kwon. That’s leadership. Weed out all those that don’t pack the gear to serve on this beloved team of yours. (modified quote by Gunnery Sgt Hartman from Full Metal Jacket)
December 27th, 2016 at 12:26 pm
He said?
He’s actually*
December 27th, 2016 at 12:38 pm
LOL! I though Koetter making an example out of Doug Martin was supposed to light a fire under the rest of the Bucs. I guess that big stick Koetter alleges to carry doesn’t scare anyone.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:39 pm
It was obvious when the game started. Saints came out flying. Us, not so much.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:41 pm
Last season we had a season ending meltdown because Kwon wasn’t on the field for the final 4 games. This season the same results with Kwon on the field.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:45 pm
This is all really refreshing. I don’t think that it’s going to be the same thing as the San Diego turnaround for the last great Bucs run, but I think that we’ll look back at this 2016 season as a renaissance year for this team. Where we looked at the state of the team and the status quo and the leaders of the team took control and forcibly enacted change. From sitting #22 to calling out a lack of heart to instilling the family mentality within the team. This is the culture change that we’ve needed. Not the platitudes that we’ve been treated to over the past years, where leadership simply meant that someone is the person that stands in front of the media to be the face of all the losing. This is the year that we stopped accepting losing as a viable option.
I know that there are still losses that are happening, but I’m encouraged by the fact that us losing to a team that we could have beaten prompted the players to look inward and see if our effort level is where it needs to be and, if it’s not, speaking up about it. It’s the start of the accountability that Sapp, Brooks, and Lynch had in our glory days where the jumbotron told them if a player wasn’t giving what they needed to the team. I’m hopeful that we’re getting there again.
We’ve been operating for a long time under the assumption that our team was losing due to a severe dearth in talent. This year has shown us that we have the talent to stand toe to toe with the league’s best, even when riddled with injuries, so that’s no longer an excuse. Now, it’s all about us coming to play every play of every game. If we have players that don’t have that mentality, then they needed to be outed.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:50 pm
Don’t worry Kwon. We’re used to seeing you guys get outworked! In fact, we expect it.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:50 pm
This organization needs to stop coddling someone. If coach K can call out ME then call out that other muthaf@$! Sometomes.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:52 pm
@Patrick
Excellent post. Great idea and food for thought. I agree completely. Bring Kwon and #3 into a meeting with Licht and DK. Licht and DK simply lay it on the line.
There are some things on video and out on the field that have disturbed them with some players.
The Bucs are committed to winning and not political correctness or handholding. There will be some moves this off season that may surprise but the Bucs are focused on one thing…winning!
So they plan to build around Kwon on D and #3 on O and they inform these guys of the increased expectatations that come with this responsibiity.
Then they do as Patrick suggested…very quietly and confidentially just between Licht DK #3 and Kwon they fill out their list of players that haven’t been able to break out of the “losing culture”. It’s done very quietly…NO LEAKS to the media…no mention of it happening…just a tightening up of the ship from the inside out.
December 27th, 2016 at 12:53 pm
The defensive unit not playing with 100% effort 100% of the time has been a trademark of GMC era… You can argue the talent around him but there is no excuse for lack of effort EVER…. If GMC is half the man you fanboys think he is no way in hell he allows his fellow defenders to loaf time after time.
December 27th, 2016 at 1:03 pm
I agree with Kwon except for having to go out and beat Carolina. That is the irrelevance bowl. Unfortunately my wife meaning well bought me a ticket for that event therefore I will waste 3 hours of my life and suffer through it while pretending it was fun. So, we lose we get to be 9-7 and avoid a losing record which in all honestly nobody picked us to be a playoff team before the season, so they were right on the mark, but since they did have a chance it is now more viewed as a disappointment. Lose and finish 8-8 and get a slightly better draft order.
December 27th, 2016 at 1:06 pm
not sure if this would happen, but I would be okay with and LVD trade.
He has played with very little effort the past few games and really is a part of the culture problem. We could use a better run stuffing LB anyways. We still have speed with Kwon as well.
Despite his lack of effort and production lately his immense natural talents could net us a sizeable haul
December 27th, 2016 at 1:09 pm
I hope we invite
NICO MARLEY to training camp.
He was a a crazy linebacker for Tulane.
I have never seen a guy so small play with so much heart.
December 27th, 2016 at 1:41 pm
Draft players and aquire free agents at DT, OLB, OL and other positions where players are real comfortable. Then we’ll be able to have real competition and play the players that have a true desire to be great and be a champion.
December 27th, 2016 at 1:52 pm
Will JPP really be available this offseason???
December 27th, 2016 at 2:00 pm
We need a new WR now that V-Jax will retire. That will take the pressure off ME13, Brate and Hump+ #3. Hump needs to be put on offense and off punt returners. He’s turned into a viable 3rd down/over-the-muddle receiver. WE need help at OL/GL and secondary. WE need to make sure we have a decent backup QB to FJ. Glennon will walk and I wish him the very best. Still have one more game, let’s go get them Bucs!!!!
December 27th, 2016 at 2:01 pm
@NoSBoS – It’s the same every off season, there’s the potential FA list that people speculate on at the beginning of the off season and then the FAs that actually hit the market. No sense on speculating on any of them until we see that they’ve legitimately been cut, tagged or allowed to walk.
December 27th, 2016 at 2:02 pm
Wrong player Jolly.
December 27th, 2016 at 2:04 pm
Fair point Pat.
December 27th, 2016 at 2:27 pm
Love Kwon as a team leader, as a player, and as a film-watcher, but not-so-much as a MLB. He’s getting blocked-out far too often I think, and too many of his tackles are after the RB has gained 5 or 6 yds (or more). He’s too light for the type of defense that Mike Smith calls for in my opinion. Some guys can pull that off at MLB; most can’t. Lovie moved him to MLB instead of using him at his natural position (and the one he was drafted for). Would much rather see us draft a true MLB and let Kwon move back outside on obvious running downs then stay on for obvious passing downs.
December 27th, 2016 at 2:52 pm
It was pretty obvious with the lack of effort plays. Just seemed like the Daimts wanted it more. It really should never happen when you need to win last two games to get in and the other team is already out. Inexcusable, I would be furious if I were on the team
December 27th, 2016 at 3:02 pm
Why did that guy have to botch the second half kick off?
Totally killed us.
I did not detect a lack of effort, just got carved up by Brees. That guy has done that many times.
December 27th, 2016 at 3:31 pm
I heard TJ Kwon radio show for the first time
Im sure it went like this
TJ asked a question
TJ answered that question
and Kwon said- yeah man
kwon speaks like i post
December 27th, 2016 at 3:53 pm
^ Wrong. Kwon would be a man of his word and go away after losing a bet.
December 27th, 2016 at 3:54 pm
lol Kobe that made me laugh
Keon def went to college to play football
Not to play no school
December 27th, 2016 at 3:55 pm
unbelievable Says:
December 27th, 2016 at 3:53 pm
^ Wrong. Kwon would be a man of his word and go away after losing a bet.
you got to give kobe credit for at least not changing his name after losing bet
December 27th, 2016 at 4:02 pm
Amen tmax
December 27th, 2016 at 4:02 pm
Expect everyplayer on the team to focus on job 1,do everything possible
to be the best player they can be .Wasting time worrying about other players
does not help team chemistry.Now if you are worried about somebody’s elses performance,help them get better,ie as LVD did for Kwon when he first came into the league.
Its the coaching staff job to weed out the bad players.
also Gholston being out affected how we getting beat on the run so much.
December 27th, 2016 at 4:12 pm
edit: we were getting beat
December 27th, 2016 at 4:17 pm
Our D tackles often line up with wide space between them,so if you can kick them out with blocks it opens up nice running lane.agree with defense that a bigger burlier LB like Keukely might be a better run stopper.
December 27th, 2016 at 5:34 pm
This has been talked about with this team starting with the gm Jason licht. There needs to be a change because he basically said it wasn’t avenge it was effort. I’m tired of that excuse
December 27th, 2016 at 5:46 pm
Time to trade GMC, if he is supposed to be your leader and he is not calling out lack of effort and needs a second-year player to do that he is one sorry excuse for a leader.
KA is the future of the team, and with Hargraves and Spence we should be trending in the right direction.
December 27th, 2016 at 6:40 pm
He’s not calling out effort bc they talking about HIM. Not sure how your supposed to stop the run when you always got your back to the los. But I’m just an ignorant fool, what do I know?!?
December 27th, 2016 at 7:47 pm
It’s not that complicated. Trade guys who show they don’t play hard in crunch time. GMC and LVD have already proven they can’t win and won’t give the effort so trade them for draft pick and guys like Kwon. He’s proven he plays hard no matter what coach or what scheme. Him and Ayers are the only guys that care on defense.
December 27th, 2016 at 7:50 pm
that’s true tmax. Although he’d be easy to spot w/ his trademark fragmented bursts of stupidity, so probably better off that he didn’t try to change it.
December 27th, 2016 at 8:00 pm
doesnt matter now, might as well lose on Sunday and move up a pick in the draft. Rams, Raiders are the two that got away, there is where we lost the playoffs.
December 27th, 2016 at 8:45 pm
I’ve been saying this since that curb stomp 56 to 14 to falcons on primeyime when McCoy didn’t even play in that game that we need to move on from McCoy. I was a fan of him untilhe broke my heart that he watch that game and did NOTHING. That’s been the story w mccoy in his era. And what’s bother me that most of his era that I witness some of the worst defense ever. We need more winners and motivationAL players not a guy w 5 pro bowls and never sniff a relevant defense.
December 27th, 2016 at 8:55 pm
Supersam,
We need more Alexanders in LIFE.
December 27th, 2016 at 9:45 pm
tmax
ive tried but my safelink obama phone wont let me change accounts
December 27th, 2016 at 10:13 pm
You guys give all this crap to GMC but in my opinion he is a great leader. Someone that doesn’t care does not try to motivate teamates before the game starts. He plays with heart and just because Kwon called out the defense(which i agree with) doesn’t mean he isn’t a leader. He has proven he can exceed at this level and is one of the leaders of this football team believe it or not.
Kwon is legit and will be one of of not the best defensive player in the league in a few years and is
December 27th, 2016 at 10:47 pm
DB you’re not alone I’ve been noticing that for awhile now.
December 28th, 2016 at 9:57 am
Outworked,Outworked…. there were a few winnable games in which we were Outworked, (i.e.) The Dallas game…Showed less heart (i.e.) The Rams game …or just didn’t do our job by whiffing on tackles(i.e.) The Raiders game… Hell I’d take 53 Kwon Alexanders groom them at each position and then and only then would I truly have a team CONSISTENTLY,PASSIONATELY, and UNTIRINGLY taking the field with chips on their shoulders not playing for a paycheck but because it’s what they love to do!!!!!