“I Was Probably The First One To Come In And Jump On Larry’s Ass”
January 13th, 2019
It’s a safe bet that Bucs players have no idea what’s going to hit them when April 1 rolls around and new head coach Bucco Bruce Arians greets them to start offseason conditioning and meetings at One Buc Palace.
Joe continues to burn the candles at One Buc Palace headquarters researching all things Arians, including uncovering some gems in an old feature by the York Daily Record in Pennsylvania. Arians spent most of his youth in the area.
It was written when Arians was with the Cardinals.
Arians has few team rules and goes simply by “B.A.” Each player receives his wrath and love in equal doses, rookies to stars.
“I was probably the first one to come in and jump on Larry’s ass,” Arians said of Fitzgerald. “He was stunned, like, ‘Whoa.’
“He’s a perfectionist. He didn’t like being called out in front of people. He’d come to me after (practice), ‘Hey, Coach …’ and I’d say, ‘Just do it right.’ Everybody’s the same out there. If it’s not perfect it needs to be coached.”
Joe loved that last sentence. That kind of mentality hasn’t been at One Buc Palace since the Greg Schiano era.
Yes, Arians is known on all corners of the earth for ripping players’ apart while teaching, only to let it go quickly and embrace them after practice. It’s also roundly accepted that his players are cool with his style and seem to understand he is only trying to make them better.
“He’s got a way about him,” Cardinals GM Steve Keim said. “He’s a white guy from York who’s 62 years old and relates to black southern kids. It’s bizarre how he connects to them. … One second he can ride you into the ground, ‘You MF-ing this. What the eff was that? … That’s terrible!’ And the guy literally wants to go in a shell. But then he has a way, if you’re doing something right, of putting his arm around you and saying, ‘That’s a good job, son.’
“It’s just a special feel, it’s an instinct.”
If anything, this will be a very fun season.
January 13th, 2019 at 12:31 pm
“Larry Fitzgerald > Djax
Hey Gump, hurry up and sign Fitz
Would be a huge mentor to MeMe Evans”
Kobe Faker
January 13th, 2019 at 12:41 pm
Exactly what this org needs.
Getting ARIANS is going to be a huge and organization changing acquisition!
January 13th, 2019 at 12:41 pm
Kobe… 2 #1 WRs? Plenty other areas to blow our FA money on.
I disapprove of your idea
January 13th, 2019 at 12:42 pm
We haven’t had a coach that can run a practice since Gruden.
January 13th, 2019 at 12:42 pm
Thanks Joe!
..Go Bucs!!
January 13th, 2019 at 12:49 pm
“JJ
Fitz can play slot and possession move chains reciever
Hump better give us a hometown discount. 5 mill per or bring Fitz for 3 mill”
Kobe Faker
January 13th, 2019 at 12:52 pm
Sure Kobe if Larry is going to take a massive pay cut. Don’t count on that one.
January 13th, 2019 at 12:53 pm
Me thinks Arians is going to need Alexia help with Jameis…
January 13th, 2019 at 1:02 pm
Can’t wait for him to rip into fat slug Donovan Smith and big fat softie Gerald McCoy
January 13th, 2019 at 1:03 pm
Its going to be a long few months before the draft & football. Can’t wait. I’m sure BA knows what he’s doing but I do not agree with keeping DEJack. But he’s forgotten more football than I’ll ever know. Just my 2 cents worth.
January 13th, 2019 at 1:30 pm
I think DJax needs to go as well. However, we gotta replace him with another speed guy to stretch the defense. As much as I like Evans and Godwin, they are very similar. I don’t think BA really wants DJax back. He’s just trying to increase his trade value.
January 13th, 2019 at 1:31 pm
lets see how the softest player in nfl history reacts when she gets her tinker bell arse chewed
January 13th, 2019 at 1:35 pm
In Bruce I trust
January 13th, 2019 at 1:40 pm
I’m still a bit surprised at all the Gruden love here. Yeah he won the SB and we love him for that…after that SB he was just another losing Bucs coach…his Buc record after the SB was 45-51 six games on the LOSING side of .500.
He had winning records in 3 of his six remaining seasons. He simply did NOT post a winning record in Tampa and yet he cost 2 first round picks and two second rounders basically gutting our franchise.
We’ve had all the debates that Dungy simply never got us over the hump and we needed Gruden to claim that SB….perhaps in regards to Dungy…but do you all believe there was NO other coach who could have taken one of the top five defenses of all time to the SB.
We’ll never know of course and like everyone I thought that SB year was magical for us and so like most I’ll always give Gruden his props for that. But after that…he simply was not a great coach for us.
January 13th, 2019 at 1:55 pm
love the hire immensely. Wish he was play calling and would get rid of Jackson. Only things I disagree with but I at least trust his faith in Byron. He obviously doesn’t know the Jackson drama
January 13th, 2019 at 2:04 pm
I would hope BA gets in good with the Glazers , because he needs to see that they get rid of the BUM errrr LICHT. One more bad draft and the Buccos are in real serious trouble. Aguayo , Hargreaves, Spence, and ROJO are all on LICHT , LICHT STINKS.
January 13th, 2019 at 2:15 pm
1976 how do we know that Hargreaves, Spence, and ROJO are all bad as they were being coached by bums.
January 13th, 2019 at 2:22 pm
Trade Djax for Fitzgerald
January 13th, 2019 at 2:23 pm
Trade Djax for Fitzgerald
January 13th, 2019 at 2:29 pm
ROJO was unable to learn the playbook for most of if not all season , which was the main reason he did not see the field.. That kind of ineptitude is easily discernible with a simple written football IQ test , which most knowledgeable GM’s demand before draft day.
January 13th, 2019 at 2:36 pm
Hey joes
Remember the other day when you ripped my comment about Humphries getting around 10 mil and gave you 3 examples of guys making 9-10
If we get discount it will be in 5-7 range but prolly close to 7 … We won’t get any kind of significant discount (more than 10%) and Humphries won’t earn $10 million anywhere. –Joe
Check some of your competition writers. I’ve seen recently in most others , they have the same 10 number.
January 13th, 2019 at 2:41 pm
1976, how do you know what kinds of tests they did or did not give Jones before the draft?
January 13th, 2019 at 2:44 pm
His inability to learn the playbook says it all now doesn’t it.
January 13th, 2019 at 2:46 pm
Hump is not only a super reliable WR , but also a extremely sure handed punt returner-pay the man.
January 13th, 2019 at 3:06 pm
See 76 there you go assuming again. So I guess Devonte Freeman of the Falcons couldn’t read a playbook either under Koetter then like magic the next year when Koetter is gone bam Freeman is awesome and in the Probowl. So I guess he learned how to read a playbook in one off season OR maybe the coaching totally sucked.
January 13th, 2019 at 3:06 pm
I hope I never hear a Bucs head coach says he’s “hands off” of any part of this team again. What a “loser”, “not my fault” attitude that was. I’m excited about this hire and what Winston can become and what this team can do.
January 13th, 2019 at 3:07 pm
@ stpetebucsfan
When a team loses ” 2 first round picks and two second rounders” in consecutive years, that is VERY difficult to recover from. That is *four* starters. *Two* of them should be impact players.
Gruden had his faults, but losing four top picks was not on him.
January 13th, 2019 at 3:13 pm
Let’s bet a lunch at Abe’s on it ?
I’ve got 5 on it
January 13th, 2019 at 3:18 pm
I am presuming not assuming , because Occams razor states that when you are dealing with an unknown , if the evidence indicates a particular conclusion , it is almost always the correct one. Btw your comparison to Freeman is invalid as Freeman had way over 90 touches his rookie season , 3 times more than ROJO and Stephen Jackson in the backfield , just in case you want the facts.
January 13th, 2019 at 3:19 pm
Humphries is a 4th string wide receiver at best. By fourth string, I mean he’s great at beating 4th and 5th string corner backs.
He can catch a football, so what??? That’s what wide receivers are supposed to do.
How many punt returns has he ran back for a touchdown???? Just because you can catch a punt doesn’t mean you’re valuable.
If anyone is overrated, it’s Adam Humphries
January 13th, 2019 at 3:27 pm
There isn’t a planet in the universe where humphries is worth 10 million lmao.
That’s just stupid to believe that lol
January 13th, 2019 at 3:28 pm
Hawk
Agree completely. Gruden was simply offered the job he accepted it…did his best..and WON a SB. That’s to Gruden’s credit…not fault.
Just saying there were other coaches who could have done it for a lot less than 2 first rounders and 2 2nd rounders. Of course that is purely conjecture on my part…obviously only one guy got the chance and I understand Gruden lovers resenting that opinion.
But that is opinion….it’s a fact that he was a losing coach for the Bucs after that one glorious year…six games under .500. He’s been mythologized here in Tampa beyond what his record has earned…unless of course if you believe a SB covers all the rest. And hey I respect that view…we did at least get a SB.
January 13th, 2019 at 3:31 pm
Hump is short, slow and boring simple as that. No one falls in love with mediocre players like a bucfan. Same people who think mediocrity is greatness call dungy the clowns 2-6 post season record glory years. it proves bucfan unable to let go of mediocrity or raise standards
January 13th, 2019 at 3:33 pm
Humps average separation from defender on pass plays was 3.6 yards , that is 6th in the entire league. His catch rate was over 72% , also one of the best in the league. Hump gets blown up on a crossing route by an illegal shot to the head and gets right back in there. One of the best abilities is availability. Players are worth what the market says they are worth , nothing more or less and Adam Humphries is worth the money.
January 13th, 2019 at 3:35 pm
There’s the Bucs fans I’ve come to know….spewing baseless salt. Go Bucs!
January 13th, 2019 at 3:36 pm
The norm
You mad bro. It’s ok to post your opinion. Google Humphries and see all the articles saying the same thing.
His agent will make comparisons to guys making 9-10 range and his are better. Team like patriots that use a slot receiver
January 13th, 2019 at 3:41 pm
Quincy enunwa = hot garbage.
Donte moncreif = 1 week old garbage
Pierre garçon = just old
All make 9.5 to 10 mil. You think Humphries agent can’t make those comps. Correct. –Joe
January 13th, 2019 at 3:46 pm
You don’t have to believe me , go to SPOTRAC and he is valued at 10 million a year and is the 20th ranked WR in the league. Hump is only 25 , and the long term deals actually bring more value as the deal gets further down the line due to constant salary escalations. Did I mention that Hump has always been a great community guy and never been in trouble. Character guys that just want to win are hard to find.
January 13th, 2019 at 3:47 pm
Humphries last 3 years – 2,000 yards 8 tds
Quincy enunwa last 3 years -1,500 yards 4 tds
Quincy makes almost 10 a year – No he doesn’t–Joe
January 13th, 2019 at 3:53 pm
Bucs fan #7423 … Your criteria of what a WR is “supposed to do” is obviously much more stringent than mine. Adam is an incredibly reliable receiver, plain & simple. In 4 years here (catching mostly IN TRAFFIC BTW), he was targeted 311 times (over 75 times a season average) and caught 219 of those (70.4%). And of those, 127 were for 1st downs (as in 58% of his catches were for 1st downs). His average yards per reception is over 10 (actually 10.6 Y/R). And reliability? 15 games/season plus.
By all means, you can call him ‘overrated’ if you want. IMO though, he’s one tough mudder who personifies RELIABILITY & getting the job done. Is he worth $10 mil? Probably not (not as a #3 receiver at least). Is he worth $5-$7 mil? Again IMO, definitely, and that’s what I’d try to re-sign him for (same range as the $6.5 annual salary that Cam Brate got, and Cam’s 2015-2018 stats are very close to Hump’s, except that he has more TDs). Bucs can’t afford to overpay any longer, but neither can we afford to lose reliable players.
January 13th, 2019 at 3:54 pm
People keep talking about Licht bad drafting are so football ignorant. Most the people in the actual NFL business say one of his positives is he’s a solid drafter. We’re trying to start a winning era with a winning coach that only Licht could’ve brought in so go talk your BS about Licht to yourself in a corner.
January 13th, 2019 at 3:55 pm
1976-
Glazers do like giving a lot of money to soft players that are below average
$10 million dollars for humphries
January 13th, 2019 at 3:59 pm
Defense Rules
“Adam is an incredibly reliable receiver, plain & simple.”
People would want to argue cus ME13 is making $55 million and an amazing player, but Hump has the best hands on the team.
January 13th, 2019 at 4:00 pm
Defense rules-
He’s simply paying his dues. Just like Desean Jackson did, you have no idea how many concussions djax has suffered laying his life on the line for his team.
Now he has a family and is getting paid the big bucks, so let guys like humphries do the grunt work.
Difference is humphries is just lucky not to be on the practice squad because Nobody game plans to stop humphries.
Humphries is expendable
January 13th, 2019 at 4:01 pm
I guess we will have to wait and see what the market says Hump is worth , but don’t think for a second that Aaron Rodgers and Bill Belichick have not noticed how good Adam Humphries is. Licht should tatoo AGUAYO on his freaking forehead.
January 13th, 2019 at 4:05 pm
’76
Might I add the guy loves playing ball. He doesn’t put in the hard work because he wants to be a $10 million #3 WR. He puts in the hard work cus he likes it. Guy is Cooper Kupp 2.0 in a pass happy league and he will likely have a long career of playing very well.
January 13th, 2019 at 4:07 pm
Joes
Cmon. Why in my in moderation 24/7. I’ll be good
January 13th, 2019 at 4:11 pm
If we could lock up Hump and get cool new jerseys, I’m at that Bucs store in a hot minute.
January 13th, 2019 at 4:52 pm
please name me ONE SINGLE DAMN GAME A UNIFORM COLOR HAS WON!!!!!! who gives a rats arse what the uniforms look like they have NO bearing on the outcome… talking about uniforms and salary cap on a perennial basement dweller is so laughable yet so buc
January 13th, 2019 at 4:59 pm
The thonger. ^^^
January 13th, 2019 at 5:45 pm
.. Licht is nothing more then below to average gm .. def nothing special but hopefully with a winning coach he can become average or above.
January 13th, 2019 at 8:35 pm
Bird & 1976. You’ve nailed it! When your QB is in trouble and the doomster is calling. Who are you going to call? The HUMP. The QB’s greatest friend ! Worth his money; twice over.
January 13th, 2019 at 8:47 pm
AlteredEgo Says:
“Me thinks Arians is going to need Alexia help with Jameis…”
——————–
“Alexa, find coaching tips for a quarterback with problems throwing deep; and where is the closest store which sells Maalox.”
January 13th, 2019 at 9:56 pm
He is not from York, he is from Paterson, NJ. I get it. He comes from the same place as many of these players. After that….it is on them to be accountable for their actions. Love this hire.
January 13th, 2019 at 9:57 pm
Hey that sounds good there about Fitzgerald. I feel we should grab him to put next to Djax if he srays. At least all the vets will be gon3 in two years time wth a playoff appearance. Its worth seriously considering. Plus we got Godwin. We dont need to draft anymore OL. Get better weapons for Winston and draft all defense LB,DE,DT are al needs.
January 14th, 2019 at 4:50 pm
Mikey Says:
January 13th, 2019 at 12:41 pm
Exactly what this org needs.
Getting ARIANS is going to be a huge and organization changing acquisition!
^^^The org had it with Shiano but the players ran him, those players are still here wink wink hint hint…
January 14th, 2019 at 4:54 pm
The Second Coming of Greg Shiano? Perfect.
January 14th, 2019 at 10:26 pm
I love Humphries, but if he is making $10 mil, it should be for another team. Next up, Justin Watson.