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Stephen Holder of the St. Petersburg Times breaks down all things Bucs OTAs, including an explanation of what exactly the coaches put the players through and what the coaches are trying to accomplish in the NFL version of spring football.
Anyone who has seen former Bucs great Warren Sapp on the NFL Network — or for the women who do not have the NFL Network and thus watch Sapp’s clips that Joe posts from time to time — have noticed how good Sapp is on TV.
So it was a bit curious to read Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News infer that Sapp, who also co-hosts “Inside the NFL” on Showtime, was nearly replaced by former Patriots safety and current NBC talking head Rodney Harrison.
NFL TV moles say Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” was interested in bringing Harrison on board, probably to replace Warren Sapp. Spies say Harrison was all but told he had the gig. It’s worth mentioning Showtime is owned by CBS.
When word was passed to top brass about Harrison being in line for the job, the pending deal was nixed. After all, Harrison is an NBC guy. And the suits at NBC and CBS, especially Jeff Zucker (Prez/CEO NBC Universal) and Leslie Moonves (CBS’ Chairman/CEO) ain’t exactly fishing buddies.
With two CBS guys (James Brown and Phil Simms) on “Inside the NFL,” hiring Harrison would have given NBC cast parity. The Peacock already has one of its voices, Cris Collinsworth, on the show. Guess poor Rodney just got caught in the middle.
Joe has no idea why Sapp would be replaced — unless he unloaded on a producer, and Sapp himself has confessed he’s been short with them at times — unless CBS was prepared to throw Sapp into the street had the charges against Sapp for (allegedly) slapping around his girlfriend in a South Florida hotel last winter stuck.
Today could be a memorable day in Tampa Bay sports radio on WDAE-AM 620 and none other than the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig, will perhaps be a main reason why.
Peter Gammons
Yesterday, while appearing on the Dull Patrick Show, an insipid offering that pollutes the nation’s airwaves worse than what British Petroleum has done to the Gulf of Texaco, assaulting the senses and ambushing the intelligence of decent, right-thinking Americans, noted baseball scribe Peter Gammons went on a slanderous rant about how more people in the Tampa Bay area listen to Yankmes radio broadcasts than the Rays, and implied the same could be said for television broadcasts of the same teams.
Dull Patrick, who cannot fall to his knees quick enough or too many times to service David Stern and his obscene, grotesque if not twisted concept of basketball, simply giggled like the 14-year old girl he is in appreciation of Gammons’ untruths.
Just the simple fact Bobby Fenton was pulled off local airwaves to make room for this mousse-brain Dull Patrick is enough evidence to launch an FCC investigation into the callous practices of CBS.
Local sports electronic media czar J.P. Peterson of WTOG-TV 44’s Tampa Bay Sports Central and “The Big Dog” himself were equally outraged over the near-lies Gammons was spouting. In short, Rays broadcasts on the radio, heard locally on WDAE-AM 620, pull in an 8.2 rating while Yankmes broadcasts on WHBO-AM 1040 register a whopping 0.0 rating.
As “The Big Dog” pointed out, the Rays are No. 1 in the market, the Yankmes have as many listeners as the Emergency Broadcast System.
Mike Florio
To further demonstrate the idiocy of Gammons’ comments, nearly three times as many people watched the Rays-Tribe game on Sun Sports than did that vaunted sports rivalry, the Yankmes-Red Sux on BSPN Monday night.
The fallacy that Gammons tried to serve up so moved “The Big Dog,” that Duemig himself called Gammons at his residence. As a result, Gammons, tentatively, has agreed to go on the air with “The Big Dog” at some point today.
If Gammons does not appear, Mike Florio will. The curator, creator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com will make his weekly appearance this afternoon at a special time at 5 p.m.
Joe quickly cried foul when The Mad Twitterer took to the WDAE-AM 620 airwaves in February to announce that Byron Leftwich wouldn’t go hit the gym with Josh Freeman, therefore Leftwich wasn’t wanted as a Buccaneer.
It was especially curious to Joe since The Mad Twitterer, aka St. Pete Times Bucs beat writer Rick Stroud, didn’t write about this tidbit for his employer.
“The one thing I’ll say about Freeman, He’s willing to work,” Rick Stroud said. “And that’s the biggest thing in this league at that position. He’ll come in there at 6 o’clock in the morning. Now they’ve got to find him a veteran quarterback who will go with him. That’s why Leftwich probably won’t be back, because he’s not that guy. What’s funny is, the guy that would do it is [Luke] McCown and they traded him. He’s the kind of guy that will be in the weight room, be in the meeting rooms, take his role. …Bryon was great. He’d could talk to you like Dr. Phil, but you were never going to get him in the weight room.”
The above photo makes it seem pretty obvious that Leftwich has been in the weight room and on the treadmill since allegedly injuring his elbow last year.
Was the Mad Twitterer just hurling BS around? Were the Bucs coaches just unable to motivate Leftwich from Day 1?
Joe’s not sure. And Joe’s not sure it matters. Joe only brings this up to shine some light on the media, which should always be held accountable.
Missing from OTAs due to frustration with his contract, Donald Penn has been nowhere to be found this week at One Buc Palace.
Arguably the Bucs best player, Penn wants more money he feels someone of his talent deserves. Not an outrageous request.
Despite Penn’s absence, it doesn’t seem his teammates are irritated, so writes Joe’s good friend, stylish Rick Brown, aka Backwards Hat, (Hey Rick, Joe and your fans pine for more video). Brown notes that Penn’s brethren on the offensive side of the ball aren’t holding any grudges with Penn not reporting for OTAs.
“Penn is a professional,” said Joseph. “He is going to handle his business the way he has too. This is his job and I believe he will be here.”
The Bucs can’t even threaten to play hardball with Penn. If he doesn’t sign his tender before June 15, the Bucs could reduce their offer to 10 percent higher than last year’s base salary. That would still be around $3.07 million, which Penn would have until the day before the start of the regular season to sign. Tampa Bay could rescind its tender, meaning he would become an unrestricted free agent, which is unlikely because it would receive no compensation. So there is a stalemate.
“Donald is one of my good friends,” said quarterback Josh Freeman. “I talked to him the other day. He wants to be here but he feels he has to work it out and do what’s best for his family.”
Penn’s not exactly out of hand in asking for a fair market salary. Sad thing for Penn is, he’s not going to get another dime unless or until a new CBA is reached. Joe understands that as well.
Joe has to confess: He’s not much of a video game guy.
When video games were first exploding, Joe was just ending his beer-soaked college days. When Joe graduated, he had a decision to make: become addicted to video games or try to continue his education in some respects (Joe also has a history degree) and entertain himself with history books, a passion of Joe’s.
Joe chose reading history books over PlayStation.
Yeah, Joe’s boring.
So the addition of video games and the explosion of PlayStation upon American society whizzed right by Joe as Joe read books from Shelby Foote or Stephen Ambrose or Gordon Prange.
Since, Joe has picked up that there is some sort of curse tied to video games, that if an NFL player is put on the cover of some video game, the player is sure to be injured, or so the wives’ tale goes.
So when Joe came upon the graphic above with Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman on the cover of a video game, a cold chill shot up Joe’s spine (and it had nothing to do with Rachel Watson).
Is Freeman now jinxed? Or was this just someone having fun with Photoshop?
Interesting series of events in recent days for the Bucs.
First, arguably the Bucs best player, offensive tackle Donald Penn, frustrated with not getting the money he feels he deserves (and isn’t exactly out of line in asking) has decided to fish or play golf or play chess or pick his toenails as opposed to participating in OTAs this week.
(Linebacker Barrett Ruud tried a similar stunt last year, which proved futile.)
Hours later, it was learned a guy who, before he ever took a snap with the Bucs, Kellen Winslow, was rewarded with the richest contract for tight ends in the NFL, despite not exactly being the model of health, missed OTAs this week as he is recuperating from knee surgery, his fifth in as many years.
This news moved Ross Tucker to keyboard.
Currently a columnist for SI.com and a host on Sirius NFL Radio, the former NFL offensive lineman and graduate of Princeton University (yeah, that Princeton), Tucker has long been a backer of Ruud and a critic of Bucs general manager Mark Dominik for not showing Ruud the money. Tucker could stay silent no further upon learning of Winslow’s recent surgery and fired off a testy message to the Bucs hierarchy on his Twitter feed.
Good thing they gave [Winslow] a new contract instead of B. Ruud & D. Penn. Unreal.
If Tucker wants to make an argument Penn should be paid, Joe has absolutely no issue with Tucker. If Tucker is suggesting Ruud should get a raise, Joe might want to remind Tucker of the Bucs’ porous defense last year, specifically up the middle. Far too many times Joe saw Ruud chasing ballcarriers, not stopping them.
Joe’s not anti-Ruud and thinks Ruud is a way cool guy. But if Tucker is looking for an example of some Bucs player who is being jobbed by Team Glazer and being underpaid, Ruud isn’t exactly the guy to hoist up as some sort of martyr.
At least, not based on last year’s (lack of) production.
Heeee’s baaaaack.
Welcome back, Derrick Ward, who stopped talking to the media midway through last season, after seemingly pouting through the tough times of the 3-13 Buccaneers.
When the going gets tough ….
Ward made his way to One Buc Palace today for his personal opening day on Day 2 of the first voluntary OTA sessions of the 2010 season.
Ironically, Ward was talking about being a leader, so chronicled The Tampa Tribune.
“I need to be more of a team leader,” Ward said. “I kind of took a step back and looked at it from an outside perspective. I need to be more vocal in the locker room, more vocal on the field, and hopefully the guys will see how hard I work and just follow my lead.”
Joe’s not holding his breath on Ward becoming a leader. Frankly, he’s not going to be a leader on the 2010 Bucs.
Joe would be very satisfied if Ward just didn’t pout and brought his A game, which is quite good and is what he had going through training camp and early in the 2009 campaign before seemingly not caring quite as much. (Joe did NOT say quit.)
From where Joe sits, the pressure is on Greg Olson to figure out how to get the best out of three talented running backs.
Welcome back, Mr. Ward. The Bucs need you.
Meanwhile, the St. Petersburg Times caught Ward’s full session with the pen and mic club on video.
Former Bucs DE Steve White
By STEVE WHITE
JoeBucsFan.com analyst
Former Bucs defensive end Steve White, a JoeBucsFan.com analyst, author and blogger, talked shop recently with current Bucs defensive end Stylez White (no relation). The result is a two-part feature that no Bucs fan will want to miss — much like all of Steve White’s Bull Rush columns.
Today in Part II, the feature shines light on defensive line coach Todd Wash, and Stylez White touches on how Warren Sapp’s and Simeon Rice’s words to him back in 2002 are still fresh in his mind, among other topics.
You can read the excellent Part I right here.
Enjoy.
The conversation moved to defensive line coach Todd Wash, and Stylez White gave him a strong endorsement, albeit in his signature tongue in cheek fashion:
“I don’t like working with him cuz he makes me work hard (laughing). I’ll tell you that in a heartbeat,” White said. “I can not stand working for Wash. Wash makes you work so hard like we’re the only guys that be out there. …He’ll be like, ‘if we’re going to win it’s going to be because of us up front and I’m going to make y’all work harder than anybody on our defense so y’all can be that type of defense.’ And I’ll be real with you, the only thing he wants is the best out of me. But he be killing me. Like coach, take it easy man, I’m 30 years old laughing).”
“He also wants us to know what kind of plays are being run so when were on the sidelines we can communicate better. Like if you have a run block. Instead of saying you had 2 guys on you, well, what kind of block was it? Was it a straight double team was it a rub block did they scoop you? He needs those terms so we can communicate with him. He makes us a better more well rounded football player so when we’re talking we can communicate better. ….He makes us work hard and we need it. we definitely need it.”
Considering there hasn’t been much about Wash from the mainstream media outlets here in the Tampa Bay area, it was definitely reassuring, to me at least, to hear such a high opinion of him from one of his best charges.
Rookies Need To Ask Questions
Our talk then turned to the two defensive linemen the Bucs spent their first two draft picks on: Gerald McCoy and Brian Price. I wanted to know how he felt he could help those guys. His reply was very interesting because he used himself as an example, and I thought he made a good point.
For those who don’t know or had forgotten, Stylez had a very circuitous route to the NFL. He was initially drafted by the Houston Texans but after that he spent time on at least five teams’ practice squad, including Tampa Bay’s.
He spent time in NFL Europe and two years playing Arena Football, one of which he was the defensive player of the year and broke the league sack record with 15. But for him it wasn’t about guys taking him under their wing. For him it was about watching some of the great ones he was fortunate to be around and then asking them a bunch of questions to help himself get better.
“When I came in in 2002. I saw how Simeon (Rice) worked and I would ask him questions. I saw how (Warren) Sapp worked and I asked him questions And they were all really good about helping out. I remember Sapp telling me that when you’re pass rushing you only want to deal with half of a body. He told me all you want to deal with is half a body because I know for sure my whole body will beat your half body. He told me that and that’s what I learned from him.”
“So I ask and go from there. What should I do? Can I do it this way? What about that way? So if I have any advice for the young guys I guess its to ask questions.”
I know that many of us, myself included, tend to overuse the notion of older players “mentoring” the younger guys, but as White pointed out, many times those guys have to be willing to ask for help. A closed mouth doesn’t get fed.
An Eye On Strahan
Even to this day Stylez continues to try to improve his own game by studying the moves of other great pass rushers past and present. He singled out Michael Strahan as a guy he really pays attention to because Strahan was a technician rather than a guy who relied heavily on just athletic ability or brute strength.
The point he made was that you can teach a guy how to use great technique and be a successful pass rusher, but you can’t necessarily teach a guy to run as fast as a guy like Dwight Freeney and then spin all over the place.
On a side note ,I asked him about using a spin move more this year, something that I really endorse for him, and after a little hesitance initially and a little prodding from me he gave me this classic quote: “If it’s going to help me get sacks, I’m on it. If I gotta breakdance to get sacks or more pressures, I’ll do it.”
One of Coach Morris’ tweaks to the defense after he took over was adding some 3-4 schemes to help get pressure in definite passing situations.
Stylez is that rare defensive end who is perhaps just as good rushing the passer on one side as he is the other, and he really seemed to take to rushing the passer from a stand up position, so I asked him about whether or not he was looking forward to doing more of that kind of thing this year.
“You know what, it was fun. It was fun. I like my hand in the ground though,” he said. “I’ll tell you that much, but it was fun. I’m looking forward to it this year. Its a different aspect of the game.”
Of course, if Stylez can show the versatility to stand up and rush the passer as well as playing a traditional 4-3 defensive end spot that will likely make him a more attractive target for other teams in free agency next year.
With the Bucs opting not to resign him at this point, I asked him about the pressure of playing for a new contract and if Tampa was going to be his first choice if he ends up hitting free agency at the end of the season. His answers were, in my opinion, exactly what most fans would want to hear from one of their favorite players.
“At this point I think I have a lot of pressure on myself but this is what I’m doing,” he said. “All I’m going to try to do is control what I can control. Being in shape, like I said I think I’m pretty good skillfully. Being quicker, honing my skills more.
“It’s pressure but its football. I’d rather have it. I’d rather have it where the game is on the line it be on me.”
Pursuing A Teammate Legacy
As for re-signing with Tampa being a priority Stylez told me, “There’s no question about that. This is where I want to be. Is this where I want my career to end? Yes. No question about that. Definitely. But again I can’t worry about things I can’t control. I’ll just try to put myself in the best situation I can. And if it’s not here it will be unfortunate but it won’t be here. I understand that it’s a business.”
Considering all the current hoopla about Lebron James and where he may land as a free agent it’s refreshing to my ears to hear a guy express that strong a sentiment about staying with a team that first provided him an opportunity.
Selfishly, I hope that if he goes out and has the type of season he has predicted, and which I think he has the potential to have, the Buccaneers will step up and do the right thing.
At the end of our discussion the conversation turned to legacy and what he wanted his legacy to be both on and off the field here in Tampa. Both answers give a glimpse into the strong character of the man as much as the player.
I referenced an interview up on Buccaneers.com where Stylez said he wanted to make the Pro Bowl and win Defensive Player Of The Year when asking him about his legacy on the field.
Instead of pointing to an award he said what he really wanted is to be remembered as a great teammate. Whether making a lot of plays or even if he gets passed up on the depth chart due to injury, or another guy just being better than him, he wants everyone to remember that he first and foremost he wanted to help all his teammates and he wanted to see his team do well regardless of his own personal achievements.
Off the field, White has his own foundation, Better Us Foundation, which has a Shining Stars Program designed to “keep youth off the streets and provide for a safe, healthy social life.”
Stylez is a partner with the Boys and Girls Club and sits on their Board of Directors. You can hear in his voice just how important to him this venture is to him and how committed he is to making a difference in the lives of these young men and women.
He wants to learn all that he can from the Boys and Girls Club, which has been a remarkable institution for decades, and apply those lessons to his own foundation and try to leave that same kind of mark in the world.
As impressed as I already was with Stylez White as a player before the interview, my respect only grew for him as the conversation went on. He says the kinds of things that would make any serious football fan want to pull for him and see him do well.
Of course, talk is cheap in the NFL, so it remains to be seen just how well he and his team will do this year. But while I may remain skeptical about a deep run into the playoffs, I have to admit talking to the guy made me at least consider it, which is more than I had previously done.
And that’s saying something.
It’s not quite the story of Peyton Manning regularly driving three hours to tutor Pierre Garcon when the newly drafted Colts receiver couldn’t attend OTAs because of league rules.
But the St. Pete Times report of Josh Freeman driving from his million-dollar South Tampa home to work with Bucs rookie receivers at their hotel last night is still pretty cool.
It seems Freeman wants more precision during OTAs.
And he has influenced his teammates to take on a similar work ethic, urging them to come to conditioning workouts and to work independently of coaches on passing drills during the past two months.
Freeman planned to visit offensive rookies at their hotel Monday night to go over the script of today’s practice, helping the young players grasp the scheme.
Kudos to Freeman for setting the bar very high — in May.
Joe hopes Freeman stopped at Greg Olson’s house on the way home and reminded him the Bucs need to run the damn ball.
The gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands that Kardashian-chasing running back Derrick Ward has blown off OTAs this week can now come to a halt.
Ward is at One Buc Palace, so Joe has learned from (Scott Smith?) the Bucs official Twitter feed. Taking a break from posting scorching, skin-baring cheerleader beach photos, the person responsible for the Bucs Twitter feed (Scott Smith?) has Twittered that Ward is now practicing.
One more player has arrived today to join the Bucs for OTAs:) Derrick Ward. He’s running full-speed in drills right now.
Don’t expect Donald Penn to arrive, however, and unless he’s on crutches, Kellen Winslow likely won’t be there, either.
Third round draft pick Roy Miller outperformed defensive tackles drafted ahead of him.
Joe has made no secret of the fact he thinks Bucs general manager Mark Dominik hit a home run in last month’s draft.
Of course, it’s very easy to say that since the rookies have only gone through one OTA session with the vets and are still wearing shorts. It might be another four years before the 2010 draft can be fairly and completely judged.
The Bucs are putting a lot of pressure on their rookies this season, all but handing starting gigs to four of them: defensive tackles Gerald McCoy and Brian Price specifically.
Joe is concerned that this season is almost a wash because — let’s be honest — how can anyone expect a pair of rookie defensive tackles to shine? Pat Kirwan doesn’t.
In a recent NFL.com missive, Kirwan details just how often rookie defensive tackles struggle.
Last year’s defensive tackle class is a perfect example of what rookies are up against. The five defensive tackles taken in the first two rounds only managed six starts. Peria Jerry, B.J. Raji, Ron Brace, Fili Moala, and Sen’Derrick Marks only generated 2 sacks, 37 tackles and no forced fumbles combined.
In sort of a backhanded compliment compliment to Dominik, Kirwan pointed out that Bucs third round draft pick Roy Miller outperformed each defensive tackle drafted in the first two rounds. Miller racked up two sacks and 33 tackles last year.
Joe hopes this year’s top defensive tackles (GMC and Price) don’t come close to roughing it like last year’s defensive tackles.
Tip o’ the hat to Bucstats.com.
How nervous was Bucs rookie defensive tackle Gerald McCoy that he was getting his first shot at the Bucs first team offense?
He couldn’t sleep the previous evening.
That’s the word from the Mad Twitterer of the St. Petersburg Times who documented the restless evening McCoy had prior to the heralded first round draft pick’s first practice against the Bucs veterans.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m not going to make it up and say that I wasn’t (nervous),” McCoy said. “I’ve been thinking about it this whole past week. “Man, I go back Sunday. This Monday, it’s on.’ All last night I was in my bed, I can’t sleep. I was nervous. But I’ve got one (practice) under my belt and it’s not as bad as I thought it was going to be. That’s just the rookie jitters.’
Joe finds this to be refreshing. If McCoy didn’t care, if he thought he s(p)it didn’t stink, he would have slept soundly.
This demonstrates to Joe that McCoy cares about his craft and is concerned he does well.
The fifth knee surgery for a guy who is 26 is concerning to Joe about Kellen Winslow’s longterm durability.
Joe isn’t exactly the only one.
Last year, Joe wondered if Winslow would be able to outlast future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, now with the Falcons, despite the fact Gonzalez is in his 30s.
Color Adam Schefter concerned. The BSPN NFL insider isn’t exactly swallowing whole the explanation that Winslow’s recent scope is not a concern, per Schefter’s Twitter feed.
TE Kellen Winslow’s knee surgery is being called “a cleanup” and “minor”. Not buying. There’s no minor surgery on a knee that troubled.
The only way Joe can feel comfortable about this procedure is that Winslow got this over with so he shouldn’t be hobbled when training camp begins in two months, or worse: when the season opens.
Last month, Joe transcribed the chilling words of offensive coordinator Greg Olson when he talked to Buccaneers.com about what fans can expect from Kellen Winslow in 2010.
Olson raved about Winslow’s talents, although he said Winslow needed to improve his run blocking. However, Olson clearly went out of his way to dampen fans’ hopes that Winslow might put the Bucs on his back and pull in 100+ catches and another new Bucs receiving record for tight ends.
“You gotta be careful with him at this point in his career,” Olson said of Winslow “There is an issue there where you gotta be careful about how much you play Kellen because you want him to be durable throughout the season. …We expect the same kind of season [as in ’09].”
Back then, Joe thought that was a bizarre comment about the Bucs’ top offensive weapon, who was coming off a healthy and big-time productive season. Winslow is still just 26 years old.
Now, it seems rather obvious why Olson hesitated to expect bigger and better things from Winslow in 2010. The colorful PewterReport.com fellows, who once peddled a popular hand-held magazine, are now on the record saying Winslow had his fifth knee surgery recently and that caused him to miss yesterday’s first OTA practice.
There’s no question that Winslow is damaged goods. Mark Dominik knew that when he made him the league’s highest paid tight end. And Winslow often limited his action in practice last year.
Joe’s not sure that really matters.
If Winslow has knee problems, but doesn’t miss games and catches nearly 80 balls a season like he did last year, Joe will take that any day. And then Joe will be left to wonder how good this guy could have been if he had stayed healthy and didn’t play with motorcycles.
Congratulations to Bucs wide receiver Mario Urrutia for seemingly making a very wise move after being arrested late Saturday night in Hillsborough County for “violation of a non-resident driver’s license.”
Per his arrest report, Urrutia told authorities he was “self employed” in the occupation of “sports.”
It’s standard for police to ask an arrested party the name of his or her employer and occupation. Joe’s never understood why a Buccaneers player or anyone else trying to stay under the radar would actually give that information to authorities, but most do.
Once word gets out around the jail that a Buccaneer is in the slammer, it’s inevitable that the media will find out.
Urrutia didn’t.
Unfortunately for Urrutia, he likely was outed by some voyeur on the St. Pete Times’ Mug Shots Web site, where the capitalist journalists over there cash in on those who have been arrested. And the Times’ Stephen Holder broke the news very late Monday night.
Joe suspects the Bucs won’t care about this goofy screwup by Urrutia. It’s not like he ripped off his helmet and swung it at Donald Penn, or belted a cab driver, or anything punishable like that.
The video professionals at the St. Petersburg Times decided to splice together various clips of the Bucs first OTA session of the calendar year.
After OTA practices were finished today at a soggy One Buc Palace, the player who many Bucs fans are bewildered as to why he is even on the roster vowed 2010 will be different.
Per Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune, blocking icon Michael Clayton, after acknowledging his numbers suffered last year, boldly predicted he “will” start when the 2010 debuts in September.
Clayton, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2004, caught just 16 passes for 230 yards and one touchdown last year. The low production came after Clayton signed a five-year, $24 million contract to remain with the Bucs.
Clayton attributed those low numbers, in part, to the constant changes the Bucs went through on offense, where they changed coordinators at the start of the season and quarterbacks three times during the season.
“There were a lot of things going on last year, and I’d just like to let last year be last year,” Clayton said. “We had a young quarterback (Josh Freeman) come in (halfway through) the season (who) didn’t get any reps (in training camp). We had an offensive coordinator get fired. We were going week by week.”
The Bucs blocking icon noted this very well could be his last year with the Bucs. But Clayton confidently told Cummings he will be in an NFL uniform next season somewhere.
That is, if there is a season next year.
Vacation Man, aka Pat Yasinskias of BSPN.com is among the soggy media types at One Buc Place today for the one short OTA practice open to the media this week.
Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s practices are closed, as of now.
Vacation Man reports on some Bucs who didn’t practice.
We’ll be getting some interviews with the players after practice, but we know we won’t be hearing from Donald Penn, Derrick Ward, Kellen Winslow and Davin Joseph. They’re among the list of guys not on the practice field.
Although the workouts are voluntary, Joe’s always curious why guys can’t or won’t go.
Joe hopes Winslow isn’t busy again packing dishes and linens at his California home, like he was when the Bucs opened OTAs last year.
Tune in to hear “The Big Dog,” broadcast weekdays from 3-7 p.m.
Former Bucs DE Steve White
Former Bucs defensive end Steve White, a JoeBucsFan.com analyst, author and blogger, talked shop recently with current Bucs defensive end Stylez White (no relation). The result is a two-part feature that no Bucs fan will want to miss — much like all of Steve White’s Bull Rush columns.
The feature takes readers inside the Bucs locker room, shines light on defensive line coach Todd Wash, and goes in many other directions, as well.
Grab a fresh cup of coffee and enjoy. Part II pubishes on Tuesday.
Over the course of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 3-13 season last year, there were only a few bright spots. Without a doubt, one was the play of defensive end Stylez G. White. In a season that most would want to totally forget, his ability to get after the quarterback was one of the few reasons fans had to get up and cheer, especially on defense.
Of course, Tampa Bay fans know the story of how the former No. 4 in the draft, Gaines Adams, may he rest in peace, was traded away. And that finally afforded White an opportunity to start after having racked up 13 sacks as a reserve the previous two seasons. But there are two things about that change you probably didn’t know. For one, the move came as much to a shock to White as it did to anyone.
“I was out, man, and when I heard about it I had no idea. I would not think Gaines, may he rest in peace, was gonna be traded,” White said. “And when I heard about it, I was kind of floored like, ‘What?’ Know what I mean? It was like, ‘ok. So now what are we doing?’ You know, I’m like, ‘Did we trade him for anybody? Did we get somebody else in?’ A whole bunch of things just ran through my mind. I was just really confused and afterwards I just have to wait and see what they’re gonna do. Bring in a new guy? Am I gonna be the guy they go to? So it was a whole bunch of emotions that night.”
But the second thing you probably didn’t know was more shocking. It turns out nobody actually sat down and talked to Stylez about what his role would be after the trade. When I asked him how the Bucs broke the news to him, White said said, “First they never told me anything. They never told me anything. …I didn’t really believe that I was going to start until the the day of. Like that Sunday.”
Initially, I was shocked to hear that it was handled this way because I would have thought the coaching staff would have wanted to make the transition go as smoothly as possible, especially after such a disastrous, winless, start to the season. But in many ways this approach made sense.
Avoiding telling White he had the starting job nailed down perhaps would keep the fire in his belly. And if it affected White, he certainly didn’t show it. He made the analogy that “it was like the first day I made the team. No one was like ‘Hey Stylez, you made the team!’ It was one of those things like, know what I mean, like alright, we’ll keep it moving. It was just one of those things, you know.”
Pain Of Losing Ran Deep; Raheem Kept Team Together
Talking to White, it was obvious he was affected by the disappointing way the 2009 season went. Having experienced the 6-10 season that first year under Coach Dungy, I found myself nodding my head as he talked about his personal low point of last year. When he said, “The lowest point I had, I think it was when we were 0-7 or something like that. It was just….it was bad. It was bad, and I was like, man, you don’t even wanna go out. You don’t even wanna go grocery shopping.”
That almost gave me a flashback myself. I can still vividly remember going out only when necessary and even then keeping my head down just in case a miracle might happen and somebody would recognize me as a Buccaneer. Losing always sucks, but especially when its in such a spectacular fashion.
So many fans don’t really get just how much the game means to most players. For fans, NFL football is something to watch on Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings. For players, it’s their life and what they eat sleep and breath. As disappointed as we are as fans after a loss, just about all the players are more disappointed by a factor of a million.
They are the ones who put in the work all week, every day in the hot sun and with the pressure of the world it seems upon them. And then you go through all that and you feel like that day will be the day when you get the losing monkey off your back, and when it doesn’t happen, it’s terribly demoralizing.
As Stylez himself put it “You know it was embarrassing. It was just embarrassing, man. We couldn’t generate a win. We couldn’t stop anybody and people came in and I don’t care how bad they were the week before, they came in and you know pretty much like wiping their feet on us. It was pretty bad. It was very embarrassing. I’m sure the rest of the guys agree.”
But in the midst of it all, there was a calming force that kept the team together, White said. It wasn’t because players were holding hands and singing kumbaya, and it wasn’t because a lot of guys were playing for contracts. No, the calming force was head coach Raheem Morris, a fact that should give Bucs fans some confidence going into this year.
“I can tell you this from the inside, it was a little chatter here and there. And when it was getting to a point where it was like ok blah blah blah, you know, that’s when Raheem stepped in. He was like, ‘Well if y’all got problems why don’t y’all talk about it. Don’t go tell, don’t go whisper in somebody else’s ear, you come talk to’em like a man.’ And he was like ‘if you have a problem with me or anybody else on the team, come talk to me about it. Don’t be bitching about stuff. And whispering. If you got something to say say it. Period.’ And I think everybody took, you know, took to that and everybody was like alright well maybe we need to help him out. You know maybe we need to relax. He said all of y’all who thinks that y’all might be pointing fingers I’m sure that y’all didn’t have a great season, either.”
For me it was gratifying as a former Bucs player and as a fan to hear it from somebody actually inside the locker room just how instrumental Coach Morris was in keeping the team together and keeping them playing hard and for each other in the face of what had to be a very miserable season for all.
How miserable did it get on defense? Well, at some point, even the littlest things were morale builders. White told me, “Just to have a three and out. The first time we had a three and out was huge for us.” That, ladies and gentlemen, tells the whole story because in the past getting a three and out was a given for our defense. Last year, it was a relief.
Of course, eventually my conversation with Stylez turned to Jim Bates and his scheme. Stylez said he initially was excited about the scheme because for the defensive ends there wasn’t any talk about having to two-gap or anything like that. For them, the focus was going to be pass rushing which is, of course, right up his alley. But when I asked him what, in his opinion, was the problem with Bates’ scheme, he had a pretty simple answer: It was too predictable. “So predictable that it was easier for people to gash us. That’s how I felt about the situation.” he said.
Stylez also was somewhat supportive of Bates, as well, and he again made the point that perhaps the Bucs just didn’t have the personnel to run his system, a fair point I would agree.
Confidence, Consistency and Discipline Are Keys
I asked him what he felt like we needed to do going into this season to improve our defense and more specifically our run defense which ranked dead last in the NFL. Stylez responded by referencing the team’s draft picks in Gerald McCoy, Brian Price, and Myron Lewis, along with the confidence everybody now has in Coach Morris and his scheme.
But he also made reference to some old school tenants of football. He said, “We gotta be more consistent. We got to play more together ball. And we just have to be unselfish. I think mainly as coach would say we gotta be disciplined. Once we do that everything will take care of itself.”
I think if most teams on any level followed that advice, they would almost have to see some improvement.
And White also has taken a hard look in the mirror and even though he played at a high level last year he identified for me some areas he wants to improve this year. “Being quicker. Being quicker off the ball. Being more creative with my pass rush. That’s just gonna help us win. Getting sacks and fumbles, making them turn the ball over. I wanted to become quicker so I got a little slimmer lost a little weight worked on my footwork. Being 30 about to be 31 this year, I want to be more in shape and in better condition. And I think the rest will take care of itself because I believe I’m pretty good skillfully and just being in better condition allowing me to stay out there longer, go a little harder it will pay off.”
White has taken up boxing in the offseason to help him improve in many of these areas and he believes his production will go up tremendously this year. His response to my question about his personal goals this year was anything but bashful. “I want to have more fumbles whether it be from running backs (or quarterbacks). Definitely want double digit sacks. Anywhere from ten to a thousand, I’ll take it. I’m looking for double digit sacks I’m looking for us to win a lot more games than three. I’m looking for us to even go deep into the playoffs. And you know what, that’s attainable. Its a pretty big goal but its attainable.”
Stylez White knows that most people, from fans to pundits, would be skeptical of the Bucs making a playoff run this year. He himself admitted that its still not apparent what this team will be because of their youth, their roster turnover and the fact that they will have to rely on so many rookies, highly drafted or not.
But as we spoke it was apparent he would not be setting his sights lower just because others are. He is committed to helping to turn the team’s fortunes around, and you get the definite impression that he won’t accept anything less.
Part II of Steve White’s feature on Stylez White will run on Tuesday. The two delve into Todd Wash, Stylez’s learning experiences with Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp when he was on the Bucs practice squad in 2002, and more.
