Not Above Helping Rookies
August 9th, 2017
Big on team unity.
For years, Joe has seen Bucs stud defensive tackle Gerald McCoy carry pads of players off the field, often times, rookies.
This is backwards in the NFL, and among many college or high school teams. Usually, it is the rookies or freshmen who carry the pads. Once, GMC remarked to Joe he doesn’t look at rookies as lesser people. He told Joe, paraphrasing here, that any player who wears the same uniform he does is a full-fledged teammate and, if he can play, the team is better off.
“Hard Knocks” caught GMC carrying rookie pads and he explained why he volunteers each practice to choose three or four younger teammates who he believes deserve having their pads carried off.
“You have to serve before you can lead,” GMC said. “That’s what I was always taught and that’s what I believe in.”
But why?
“If you give everything you have, some days you just don’t have [anything left to give],” GMC said. “Anything I can do to help the man next to me to propel themselves to being better, I will do.”
That, Bucs fans, is a teammate.
August 9th, 2017 at 12:14 am
That was my favourite part of the show tonight. Love his love for his kids, his respect for the rookies..GMac is the man!
August 9th, 2017 at 12:20 am
I love GMC and always have and I’ve always defended him on this message board against some of the biggest dolts around. But I’m not a fan of helping the little guy when they’ve done nothing to deserve it, I get that it can get you respect, but these are teammates and I’d never want a teammate of mine doing anything for me as everyone should carry their own load and their own fair share. It’s a nice gesture but it creates a situation to where now you’re expected to do stuff for others. I have no interest in doing anything for anyone that I wouldn’t do for someone, and I wouldn’t put another man’s helmet in my hands, no matter how many times we showered together.
August 9th, 2017 at 12:23 am
But he also said he forgot his own helmet. He needs to stop pandering to cameras and media then forgetting his own responsibilities and be a real leader. He’s a great football player with an unlikeable passive personality and he isn’t a leader on the field. He also proclaimed this was Winston’s team so assertively that the leaders on the defense should be aggravated. Hopefully Kwon takes over this year and McCoy just fades into the background and is the great player we don’t hear from unless he is making plays. Like David….
August 9th, 2017 at 12:43 am
I laughed when he was back at his locker and said “Man, did I forget my own helmet?” Love GMac.
August 9th, 2017 at 12:50 am
That son of his has already got muscles. Gonna be like dad! Lol.
August 9th, 2017 at 1:33 am
i feel like being drafted in the raheem morris gave alot of guys the wrong idea of what it takes to earn your place on a football team. far too many guys in that era who felt like once you got the uniform it was all good times…and we saw alot of guys fall way short of their potential. GMC is one of just 2 remaining raheem era players (i think) and while i appreciate the gesture he need to pay attention to his head coach’s training camp slogan: EARN IT
not saying a young man needs to carry pads and get hazed to become a good football player, just that rookies and fringe players should get a sense that being employed by an NFL team is not the same as being an NFL-worthy player, particularly when their entire career thus far consists of a training camp invite
August 9th, 2017 at 1:43 am
i’m not a GMC hater\detractor\whatever. i happen to think he gets too little credit for being one of the best 3 or 4 guys at his position since putting those biceps injuries behind him. however, i think it is good for the bucs that he doesn’t appear to be considered a tone-setter for the team anymore. he is an elite player with a big personality, but so were Simeon Rice, Chad Johnson, Jared Allen and many other guys who would have been out of place as “carry the franchise to glory” types. That was always unfair to GMC, he got stuck with that expectation because happened to be on a team with not much else in the way of talent or personality for several years. oh, and that team had warren sapp – definitely a “carry the franchise to glory” tone-setter – as a franchise legend at the same position
August 9th, 2017 at 6:45 am
Pick6, great point on McCoy. I think it’s great McCoy does not have to be “the man” on this team. He is clearly not cut for that. But yes, in my opinion he is a great player.
I have a question for you Bucs fans.
Can McCoy actually have a breakout season? I mean think about it. This is probably the best team he has ever been around. Growing up he was likely the best player on every team he played on.
August 9th, 2017 at 7:37 am
GMC as a Christian lives by the words of his Savior “I come to serve not to be served” we are to treat others as being better than ourselves not thinking to highly of ourselves. It doesn’t mean we are less than others but we know who we are and don’t need to be thought of as someone special. I applaud him for living according to his values. Being nice does not mean being a wimp but having a greater inner strength than those who think they need to be mean to hide their real inner fear. Go Bucs.
August 9th, 2017 at 8:26 am
Well said ^^^
August 9th, 2017 at 8:29 am
I really liked this segment and became more of a GMac fan. I was told a long time ago that a truly great leader/boss/manager will never ask anyone to do what you aren’t willing to do yourself.
August 9th, 2017 at 9:08 am
@gracelivin WORD!
August 9th, 2017 at 9:53 am
GMC is a good man and a great football player, and he strives to be better.
August 9th, 2017 at 10:53 am
Pick6….THX for a rational balanced comment.
gracelivin…Amen brother! I haven’t been a Christian for decades…several reasons…my heart just doesn’t believe it…and I’ve grown soooo tired of all the hypocrisy.
But you have nailed it! I have TOTAL RESPECT for the Christians who follow the teachings of Jesus and let their lives show that witness.
There are a few posters here who have earned that respect from me and certainly GMC as well.
August 9th, 2017 at 12:19 pm
Gracelivin
Very well said. McCoy is a better DT than Warren Sapp ever was. Sapp hsd the luxury of Playing with Derrick Brooks- who ran that defense like a well oiled machine!. Sapp was surrounded by talent. He was a great player- but a greater jerk.
McCoy has had no talent around him onthe line, and very little on the defense. Yet he has warriored on every year! He is a tremendous talent, and just as critical to our success as Jameis. Our DL has no stand out talent except McCoy. And no, at 6’2″ and 250- Noah is a very talented Lb. Thats too small to be a DE on a full time basis.
McCoy goes down- no playoffs
He sometimes doesnt get the respect he deserves- because clueless morons think you have to a jerk to be forcefull.
I have a few Christian friends, that are in Special forces, who would beg to differ.
August 9th, 2017 at 1:23 pm
Capt tim
You have lost your d@mn mind. Mccoy is no where near better than sapp. You have truly lost your mind. If you like more as a person, fine but to say he is a far better player than sapp is just idiotic. That type of comment is why many laugh at tampa fans. Please stop.
August 9th, 2017 at 2:30 pm
Webster
Idiot. Even Sapp has said that McCoy is a better player. You are just another simpleton, laboring under the delision that because Sapp talked more crap- he was a better player.
Derrick Brooks ran that Defense! And he was as quiet and Humble as it gets.
Listen to the coaches that coached against both players.
You had to scheme against both, But McCoy is the more disruptive.
If he had Simone Rice and crew lined up with him- McCoy would be unstoppable.
For reasons unknown to me- the Bucs still refuse to get a DE that can rush the QB. Im hoping Adding DT(finally) Chris Baker will give McCoy some help.
Better yet- they Play lots of 3-4, with McCoy as a De, and Noah Spence as a Inside LB. then McCoy would get away from some of the double teams- and terrorize QBs.
August 9th, 2017 at 2:45 pm
@Tim, Sapp says McCoy has more natural ability than he ever did. Great players make the same observation about far less successful athletes every year and with every draft class. Heck, Drew Brees could say the same about many lesser QBs at this moment. I’d never heard (and can’t imagine him) declare McCoy to be the better player flat out, whether talking about stats, affecting the offense, or team success. Especially before his career is in the books
August 9th, 2017 at 2:49 pm
Capt tim
Sapp never said mccoy was better than him. Sapp said mccoy is like i am if not bigger and better. That is in no way sapp conceiding mccoy is better. Only fools who hate on sapp would think that way. As I said, you have lost your d@mn mind and it obvious you dont know where you left it. My guess is it was sometime before 1995 because you clearly missed sapp’s career. Dpoy!!! Mccoy has never even been in the conversation. Fyi…..sapp praises all things bucs regardless how ridiculous it sounds. He had josh freeman winning mvp too. Look in the toilet, i believe you may find your mind there. If not, when you find it, flush it anyway because you are obviously not using it.
August 9th, 2017 at 3:34 pm
Capt.Tim – HAhahahahahahaaaaaaaaahahahaha hahahahahahaahhhaaa
I have defended McCoy in this place for as long as I’ve been here and he is one of the best, ONE OF the best DT’s in football. To say he’s better than Sapp can only mean you’re either on the very very low end of the shoe size = IQ table, or were a Sapp fanboy who interrupted the man while he was eating dinner and you’re still crying about it 20 years later.
Wow, a dolt.
Next thing you’ll be saying how Trent Dilfer was a better QB than Winston will ever be. Hahahaha…
Seriously, thanks for the laugh.
August 9th, 2017 at 4:25 pm
McCoy helping his rookie teammates is the exact type of attitude that some players hate about him. To be honest I would not like to have a whole defense filled with McCoys but it is the dumbest reason ever to hate on a player.
McCoy is not the type of player to get players fired up with intensity. That does not mean he can’t still lead in his own way. I could see McCoy having the same type of affect on players as Dungy did. I remember all the time hearing defensive players saying that if they missed a play and had to then see dungeon on
August 9th, 2017 at 4:27 pm
*****…………then see Dungy on the sidelines they would feel horrible for letting him down. McCoy could do the same….if he already doesn’t.****”*”””mb on typo
August 9th, 2017 at 5:26 pm
OMG haven’t laughed this hard in a while. Where the hell do you find these people joe? Rotflmao
August 9th, 2017 at 5:32 pm
GMC,
If you’re reading this can you please blow a big kiss to all of your fans through the cameras? After, could you please give a lil wink and then blow a big ole double handed kiss, aspecial just for all your haters?
It would absolutely make my day!!!
August 9th, 2017 at 5:45 pm
Well said gracelin