Chucky Says “Stupidity” Allowed Rueben Bain To Fall To Bucs; Invokes Warren Sapp And Simeon Rice In Comparison
August 20th, 2026
“Hey Sapp, don’t laugh when I say Rueben Bain can do what you did for the Bucs. Jiminy Christmas!”
In honor of Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Chucky returning to the broadcast booth to call the Chiefs-Bucs worthless preseason game on Saturday, Joe will have a daily story about Chucky in the lead-up to the game.
Chucky used to call the draft for BSPN back in the day. Now, he’s doing the same for Barstool Sports. And in his research for last spring’s draft, one player stood out to Chucky for his relentless effort. That player was Rueben Bain.
Bain somehow fell all the way to No. 15 and the Bucs. And there is nothing to suggest, so far, that Bain can’t be an asskicker for the Bucs’ defense.
Chucky, who was never good at the draft, couldn’t believe how some teams were dumb enough to pass on Bain based on the guy’s measurables and not his production and heart.
“I was doing the draft at Barstool,” Chucky began. “I was shocked [Bain] got drafted where he did. You know, people are all interested and hung up with arm length and stupidity, to be honest with you.”
The film Chucky watched of Bain reminded him of former Steelers star linebacker James Harrison. But it was Bain’s ability to dominate with heart and hustle in the brutal Miami heat that reminded Chucky of a pair of Bucs stars he once coached.
“If you like James Harrison, you like this guy,” Chucky said. “He’s got tremendous effort. That’s the one thing that Simeon Rice and [Warren] Sapp [had]. Those guys that played with their hand down did for us.
“They played every week and they played their butt off in this heat.”
Chucky is convinced that the first three home games the Bucs have this year, Cleveland, Minnesota and Green Bay, all far-northern teams, that with Bain’s relentless effort in the heat, he will personally wilt opponents’ offenses.
“We got three games in a row [starting in Week 2],” Chucky said. “You watch this guy. He will stand out how hard he plays in the fourth quarter.
“He doesn’t wear down. He’s relentless, and that’s what the Buccaneers, I think, saw the most.”
Joe just gets stoked thinking about how Josiah Trotter and Bain are going to bring energy and passion to this defense that was sorely lacking last year. With these two guys early in the season, there’s no reason to believe the Bucs cannot go 3-0 at home in their first three home games.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:15 am
If Trotter plays…so far he’s a second teamer
August 20th, 2026 at 12:19 am
Pump the brakes a little on these youngsters. It’s their first regular season action and not even some of the greats arrive completely switched on.
Sapp became an every game bull-in-a-china-shop wrecking ball at the end of his second season. Derrick Brooks started but didn’t really take off until his second year.
Lynch didn’t kick it into overdrive until his 4th season, Barber in his 2nd/3rd.
Everyone remembers the greats for how they finished, not their starts.
The one exception to them all is Simeon Rice – he immediately took the league by storm and was DROY with the Cardinals. How the HOF ignores his credentials borders on criminal.
Nobody else among the Bucs did that though. And the new kids deserve a little patience while they’re figuring out their own form of excellence.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:25 am
Here is a idea Louisfriend, you hit the Gas on these youngsters! LFG!
August 20th, 2026 at 12:31 am
Mike C Says:
Here is a idea Louisfriend, you hit the Gas on these youngsters! LFG!
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LOL, seems like you’ll be doing that enough for both of us.
If your defense is putting a lot of hope on rookies to fix what’s broken, you’re better off not expecting a miracle to happen by week 5.
August 20th, 2026 at 12:45 am
I agree with LouisFriend
Who knows with Bowles
August 20th, 2026 at 1:10 am
Myles Garrett is a unit. Close to being the perfect NFL defensive end. All the metrics. The drive. Etc. He had seven and a half sacks his first year at Cleveland. Decent season for sure. But not exactly a precursor of what was to come. When you marry talent with effort and drive, you get the superstars. It’s truly the difference Maker. So far so good with Bain. Obviously we need to see how it plays out when the games get real. But certainly looks promising.
August 20th, 2026 at 1:24 am
@Steven007
That’s a career arc the Bucs would be insanely happy to see duplicated. In the history of defensive players being taken first overall, Garrett is one of only 2 in the last 70 years who lived up to his status. Lee Roy Selmon being the other.
What cracks me up is that in hindsight while the Browns drafted the greatest pass rusher in a generation – they still picked the wrong guy. If only they knew what Mahomes could do.
August 20th, 2026 at 1:29 am
LouisFriend Says:
August 20th, 2026 at 12:19 am
Pump the brakes a little on these youngsters. It’s their first regular season action and not even some of the greats arrive completely switched on…….
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True, True. But the planets are aligning! I don’t think we’re just dreaming that we’re going to see a whole different level defensive performance this year from our Bucs!
August 20th, 2026 at 1:34 am
LouisFriend. An Okie would be remiss in not pointing out that Lee Roy Selmon had a pretty good rookie year with the Bucs. If Bain can play defensive end the way Lee Roy Selmon played defensive end the Bucs are going to win alot of games this year.
August 20th, 2026 at 1:48 am
It really does piss me off how much they are disrespecting Simeon Rice. The man is a hall of Famer. One of the best pass rushers of his era hands down
August 20th, 2026 at 2:21 am
That’s an interesting point I haven’t seen talked about yet. Maybe it happened and I missed it Joe!
Bain grinds in this heat and has been for awhile. 4th quarter at home vs these very average OLs early in the season … could be a game changer.
If the team is healthy… I will not be shocked to see a 4-0 start.
It’s the next 8-10 games that worry a guy. Just stay healthy please. Go Bucs.
August 20th, 2026 at 3:05 am
Ex-Browns02 Says:
True, True. But the planets are aligning! I don’t think we’re just dreaming that we’re going to see a whole different level defensive performance this year from our Bucs!
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Hope you’re right.
I’m entering this season thinking the Bucs are going to fire Bowles in January. For me to be wrong the Bucs need to make the playoffs and probably get past the wild card round. None of that is happening unless his defense is top 10 or better. With all respect to Zac Robinson’s idea of a predictable offense, the defense is going to have to drive the car this season if they’re going anywhere.
August 20th, 2026 at 3:24 am
All i want to know is when Bain line-up against wirfs