Crazy Hand-To-Eye Coordination
May 6th, 2025
Bucs rookie first-round pick receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Watching clips of Bucs rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka jumped out at Joe. Deflected passes don’t bother him.
The clips reminded Joe of… Bobby Knight. Let Joe explain.
A long, long time ago Bob Costas had a weeknight late show on NBC. It was a half-hour interview show. One-on-one. No monologues, no schtick. Just interviews.
Knight was there and talking about Larry Bird. For those who don’t know, Bird initially committed to play for Knight at Indiana University and actually attended classes there. But the “Hick from French Lick” couldn’t handle at age 18 the metropolis of Bloomington, Ind.
Bird left after just a few weeks. He never wore an Indiana uniform.
Knight said of Bird, “When I first saw him as a junior in high school he had the hand-to-eye coordination that you would equate with someone like Brooks Robinson.”
Robinson was a defensive wizard of a third baseman. He was the defensive gold standard for his position, largely because of his hands.
Back to the Bucs.
Last week AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht appeared on Pat McAfee’s show. While talking about Egbuka, McAfee’s producers showed highlights of Egbuka at Ohio State.
Three highlights showed Egbuka catching tipped or deflected passes. These were not balls tipped by a lineman or a linebacker. No, the pass was tipped by the defensive back guarding Egbuka.
It didn’t matter. Egbuka hauled the passes in.
For someone to have hands that quick and not lose focus on the ball, that’s the kind of hands you expect an elite baseball infielder to have. And then Joe remembered Knight’s quote on Bird.
Joe has seen Egbuka play several times. But those highlights on McAfee’s show of him catching those tipped passes impressed Joe even more.
(The highlights start at the 33:40 mark here.)
May 6th, 2025 at 4:55 am
Every fan who booed him needs to apologize!
And admit they are wrong!
(Will their egos allow them to admit their error)
And I hope we find a 6-5 WR in the 1st round next year!
May 6th, 2025 at 6:03 am
Nobody was booing Egbuka. They were booing the choice to pick O, seen as a luxury, instead of the much needed D. I haven’t heard anyone say EE wasn’t worth a 1st round pick or was overrated.
May 6th, 2025 at 6:07 am
I understand JL’s plan and I believe EE will be a great WR for the Bucs. I just don’t agree with JL’s plan in this situation. I hope I’m wrong and the Bucs win another SB.
May 6th, 2025 at 7:21 am
The Bucs have a WR that’s gonna hit that ageless wall soon and a WR coming off a devastating injury. I completely understand this first round pick. How could you not? Bully to licht!
May 6th, 2025 at 7:27 am
LOL I remember Bird swatting balls for the Celtics that made me think that he was super human. Bird got steals and did passes that maybe only Bob Cousy could have pulled off. I can hardly wait to see Emeka’s magic.
Go Bucs!
May 6th, 2025 at 7:28 am
I am not sure that I believe Jason Licht’s spin all the way.
But what I do tend to believe is:
1. There were no elite players available at all when the Bucs picked.
2. That all the edge guys available at 19 were very one dimensional which Bowles does not value much.
3. That Kenneth Grant was likely an interior lineman that Licht was looking at but went at 19 but he was obviously gone.
4. That the Bucs felt like guys like Parish and Morrison were just as strong as players in the defensive backfield that were available at 19 they did not take.
But mostly what I tend to believe:
Is that the draft fell in a way that they got more of their targets this year than most years — so good on Licht — and stop worrying fans on what he should have taken.
For all the fans that say we picked the wrong position.
State every time the guy you would have picked at number 19. My guess is the guy Licht picked is going to be better at year 1, year 3, year 5, and year 7.
May 6th, 2025 at 7:48 am
I like how his name just rolls off the so nicely… ha ha.
EE seems like a reasonable nickname.
May 6th, 2025 at 8:12 am
So Egbuka, a football player, reminds you of Bobby Knight talking about Larry Bird, a basketball player, reminding him of Brooks Robinson, a baseball player. Got it.
May 6th, 2025 at 8:24 am
Joe, Thanks for the Brooks Robinson reference. Growing in the Baltimore suburbs, I met Brooks at a local gas station where he was signing FREE autographed photos. I still have it. Great memories of a special era in Orioles baseball.
May 6th, 2025 at 8:38 am
Jason Licht knows more than we do.
May 6th, 2025 at 8:53 am
Good job Joe! Thanks!
LFG!!!
May 6th, 2025 at 8:58 am
I remember having an old Brooks Robinson baseball card. That, Hank Aaron and Bob Euker were my favorite cards.
May 6th, 2025 at 9:16 am
That first sentence makes no sense at all…
May 6th, 2025 at 9:20 am
Cool story.
May 6th, 2025 at 10:06 am
Nobody believes in JL‘s plans, because most people didn’t play football or have no knowledge of what needs to be done for the team he builds for the future and now most of you guys believed that Zion McCollum was not going to be that guy last year and was complaining about another corner then what happened? We needed somebody for Dean instead of McCollum. If the coaches and JL says someone is gonna shock ya. Most likely they will notice they didn’t say Jts was gonna shock ya but they said Luke was they said jmac was Cade otten etc so if you don’t believe our ILB room is solid enough to not need to take one in the draft then you don’t read enough into the team