Earnest Who?
June 12th, 2012
Bucs running backs coach and former NFL great Earnest Byner said his new students might not know much if anything about his background
Count Joe among those that assumed that an accomplished guy like Bucs running backs coach Earnest Byner would make it known to his crew of backs that he played 14 years in the NFL and left the game with two Pro Bowl visits, three 1,000-yard seasons and a Super Bowl ring.
But that’s not how it’s gone down at One Buc Palace.
It’s not that Joe thought Byner would bring his background up regularly, only that it would have at least been a big part of the meet-your-coaches festivities back in April.
JoeBucsFan.com: This is a very young group of running backs. Do you find that these guys know who you are and your background? And did you make any effort to introduce them to your story?
Earnest Byner: No. Not a whole lot. It comes up every now and again. But you know we all teach from our experiences. I’ve been blessed to have a lot of experience in the league and some not so fortunate. I don’t know whether they know me or not. (laughs) I don’t know if they know whether I played in the league or not. But they’re eager to grasp some of the concepts that we’ve been talking about. And some of the drills we’re doing out on the field, they’re using them. And I think they’re really excited about their overall opportunity.
Joe just found this all very interesting and surprising. And it’s no knock on Byner whatsoever. Surely Byner knows best when to play the I’ve-been-there card.
Joe hates to tease, but Joe asked the same question of former NFL great and Bucs new defensive front seven coach Bryan Cox, who delivered an extraordinary take on how current players view ex-players as coaches. Joe expects to type up his exclusive interview with Cox for Wednesday morning.
June 12th, 2012 at 11:25 am
Glad to have Byner aboard, but perhaps the dude fears that they’ll remember him for this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fumble
It must be tough, Bill Buckner and Earnest Byner, to have this be the one thing that pops into one’s memory when their name comes up. Though that, too, can be an object lesson for the Bucs RBs.
June 12th, 2012 at 11:52 am
Not sure how they wouldnt know about him unless they are real students of the game. The Cox interview sounds intriguing.
June 12th, 2012 at 12:27 pm
FUMBLE!!!
June 12th, 2012 at 12:34 pm
Cant wait till the Cox Interview is posted.
You do such a great job Joe, managing to always have something of interest to read, even in the off season!
June 12th, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Buccaneer Palace? No, Joe, say it ain’t so.
June 12th, 2012 at 1:11 pm
“excited about they’re overall opportunity”
=
excited about their overall opportunity
Sorry…it’s a pet peave.
June 12th, 2012 at 1:21 pm
It’s a fumble!…FUMBLAYA!…FUMBLRUSKI!
June 12th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
I had a pet peeve once, but it was so annoying I gave it up for adoption!
June 12th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Pete,
BTW It’s peeve..not peave
Shame on you! And, you’re a writer?
June 12th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Glad to have Earnist as our RB coach, I am excited, to see what he does with the RB we have.
June 12th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Earnest..
June 12th, 2012 at 4:19 pm
GLad I wasted time reading about spelling.
Byner has a load to teach these guys. Hopefully he finds open minds. At the end of the day, all that matters is that they trust him.
June 12th, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Tim
Come now, wasted time? Never to late to learn.
June 12th, 2012 at 7:45 pm
NEVER “TOO” LATE…
DICK DICTIONARY
June 13th, 2012 at 8:44 am
Brock
Thanks for the correction.
See Tim, and it didn’t even hurt.