Schiano Drove Bowers Mental
August 4th, 2014
Bowers admits Greg Schiano got in his head
Ok, now it’s a official. The leader of the New Schiano Order, Greg Schiano, scrambled Da’Quan Bowers’ brain to the point he didn’t recognize himself.
Bowers explained yesterday after practice.
The man who wrongly proclaimed Bowers would be a double-digit sack buy before the 2013 season somehow crushed the spirit of his then 23-year-old defensive end after Bowers disappointed in training camp last year.
“It was Schiano. He got to me mentally and I just couldn’t bounce back for some reason,” Bowers told Joe and other media.
Rick Brown of the Lakeland Ledger noted Bowers accepts responsibility for not being able to handle his head coach. “I blame myself though. I couldn’t push through it mentally. It taught me something and I’m a better person and a better player because of that,” Bowers said.
Well, Schiano has driven at least a few players to the nut house in his day, most notably Josh Freeman. Joe hopes Bowers can recover. He made a strong run stuff with the first-team defense in practice yesterday, but was handled easily by backup offensive linemen in run stuffing drills.
August 4th, 2014 at 9:45 am
Even though I’m sure he hated last season, I like that he admitted it showed he was a little mentally and hopefully opened his eyes.
August 4th, 2014 at 9:45 am
Screw this guy. If I refused to work because I hated my boss, I would have found myself on the street a long time ago. Right where Bowers belongs.
August 4th, 2014 at 9:52 am
Dominick broke the record for turning mentally weak players into millionaires but maybe that’s why schiano got rid of Michael Bennett instead of Bowers who I’m sure was a really close friend of Freeman
August 4th, 2014 at 9:53 am
buc4lyfe:
Only problem with your analogy is that “mentally weak” — as you suggested — Michael Bennett started for the Super Bowl champs.
August 4th, 2014 at 9:57 am
Bowers is one of my least favorite Bucs players in awhile. Just full of excuses. Schiano got in his head so much that he couldn’t workout in the offseason?
August 4th, 2014 at 10:00 am
Maybe that is why he was gun-totin’ in New York?
August 4th, 2014 at 10:00 am
Before we get into big arguments about whether this is Bower’s or Schiano’s fault, let me just say, they both suck.
August 4th, 2014 at 10:04 am
This guy is the second coming of JFro – mentally weak and fragile!
August 4th, 2014 at 10:05 am
Cheeseburger Bowers is ridiculous. He is full of excuses. I have no doubt Schiano could make you crazy, but that cannot be the reason for being so out of shape in June, just a month before TC. Based on Lovie’s comments, Cheeseburger will make the team (“potential” is so alluring) but he won’t do much this year – Cheeseburger is no more than a backup.
August 4th, 2014 at 10:08 am
If you listen to Lovie, he’s battling for the 7th spot (out of seven) to flex between DE and DT. He may get that role this year, but its a nothing role. If he plays it is because we’re desperate.
August 4th, 2014 at 10:14 am
Michael Bennett was not going to surrender to Napoleon. Good for Bennett. He showed Schiano he was dealing with a young man not a college kid.
Lets see how Bowers rises to the occasion. This time he is being respected. Bowers must show respect back to the coaches and teammates by performing “until his heart explodes.” (according to Marinelli/Sapp) Otherwise, cut him. Either your are in with the plan or you are out. No drama or excuses.
August 4th, 2014 at 10:18 am
As everyone knows I am no fan of Dumb Schiano, but I don’t fault Schiano for criticizing Bowers, because Bowers deserved it by coming to camp out of shape and not putting in the work to develop his talents, especially when the Bucs dumped Bennet to give Bowers an opportunity to start and Bowers wasted it. I think Bowers has figured out that Lovie will be encouraging and tell him what he is capable of and he will help him develop, but if Bowers doesn’t step up this year, Lovie won’t hesitate to cut him and replace him with someone who will give it their all. I have said before if anyone can turn Bowers around it will be Lovie! If Bowers plays like he did in College, we will have a deep, thrilling DL this year, which is the key to the Tampa Two!
August 4th, 2014 at 10:22 am
Didn’t get in GMC’s, VJax or many others heads. A lot of guys were just fine with Schiano – even if the team sucked. A man carries himself like a man regardless of his circumstances. He doesn’t get broken by the drama going on around him. Bowers is basically saying he’s still a child. Based on his off field activities I think that’s right. Next excuse please.
August 4th, 2014 at 10:39 am
Has he done anything to make you think he’s turned the corner? Is he lighting it up in camp or is this just another excuse?
August 4th, 2014 at 10:46 am
Schiano is a classic bully…too bad he didn’t go “mental” on his face
August 4th, 2014 at 10:52 am
“A man carries himself like a man regardless of his circumstances.” Well said Louis! This is what Lovie does. All players will be treated as men.
August 4th, 2014 at 11:05 am
You guys know if Bowers reads all these comments about his lack of mental fortitude. ……he may just develop an eating disorder.
August 4th, 2014 at 11:12 am
Tired of excuses just play ball bowers is on the bubble
August 4th, 2014 at 11:27 am
Give up on this guy.
August 4th, 2014 at 11:34 am
Joe, you might as well write the story for next year too. How Lovie did not give Bowers a shot, and if he catches on with a new team how he has grown from that experience.
August 4th, 2014 at 11:35 am
🙂
August 4th, 2014 at 11:35 am
This “poor little cry baby” has now lost my respect. Can you imagine what he will say about Lovey when he doesn’t make the team this year? Joe, sham on you for blaming Freeman’s wasted career on Schiano. Freeman and Bowers have no one to blame except themselves.
August 4th, 2014 at 11:43 am
Schiano was brought here to weed out these types of players.
August 4th, 2014 at 11:49 am
To quote the amazing Raheem Morris:
“Mental Midget”
August 4th, 2014 at 11:50 am
@LutzBucsfan
we see what you did there. ” Brought here to (WEED) out these types.”
you sir, get the pun of the day!!!
August 4th, 2014 at 11:57 am
Bucfan77.:
Never wrote Schiano ruined Freeman. In fact, Freeman had his best year under Schiano.
August 4th, 2014 at 12:18 pm
1.) Michael Johnson
2.) Adrian Clayborne
3.) William Gholston
4.) Gerald McCoy
5.) Clinton McDonald
6.) Akeem Spence
7.) Steven Means or Daquan Bowers
Who will it be??????
August 4th, 2014 at 12:20 pm
@teacherman777
you have Ghoston and clayborn backwards.
August 4th, 2014 at 12:29 pm
I like to call him “Dooky Dequan.” I hope he can pull it together real soon though.
August 4th, 2014 at 12:32 pm
Joe, thanks for the blast from the past Cypress Hill song! Reminds me of college.
Bowers you make a lot of money to let someone beat you down to the point of not playing up to your potential. This should have fueled you instead of beat you? You need to figure it out buddy, or you will be like me watching from the couch or bar. These chances are done after this training camp and year, make the most of it. We’re all rooting for you! GO BUCS…
August 4th, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Bowers says “he accepts full responsibility”. How is that an “excuse” as many of you nitwits proclaim.
August 4th, 2014 at 12:37 pm
Schiano saw something in Bowers enough to anoint him the starter before training camp last year. Lovie doesn’t see much in Bowers. Just a rotation guy at best to help spell the starters for a few plays. So I guess Bowers cannot mentally handle the starting role and is at much ease with being a bench guy. That’s okay, but please stop all this talk about this guy having any chance of being a relevant player. I’d rather have mentally tough rotation guys that aspire to be starters and care greatly about winning.
August 4th, 2014 at 12:56 pm
Joe
It doesn’t matter what he accepts, it matters what he does and that is all that counts.
So if he has a head problem, he should bend over, cross his arms and reach up and grab he ears and pull, that should get the head out, if that is the problem.
August 4th, 2014 at 12:58 pm
BKNYfootballhead Says:
August 4th, 2014 at 12:36 pm
Bowers says “he accepts full responsibility”. How is that an “excuse” as many of you nitwits proclaim.
Blaming Schiano in the first place is making excuses. Why didn’t he show up in shape? Did he explain that? Taking responsibility for Schiano getting in his head doesn’t really explain anything about why he didn’t take his approach to the game seriously. Why did Schiano feel the need to go drill sergeant after him? It didn’t just ‘happen’. Schiano saw how unfocused he was and tried to pressure him into delivering more. But by then it was already game over. If Bowers really understood why Schiano went after him – then I’d say he was taking responsibility. He obviously doesn’t.
August 4th, 2014 at 1:00 pm
And BKNYfootballhead – if you think a little before you post – you’ll see that some of us ‘nitwits’ aren’t really nitwits at all. 🙂
August 4th, 2014 at 1:08 pm
And yeah – Schiano was a bad head coach. But he knew talent, and he understood weak character traits. He sorely misjudged the translation to the pro game though. Bowers can be done tomorrow and he’s still fairly wealthy. He knows that, and for weak guys that money in the bank is like a crutch to not pursue greater excellence. GMC and others play like men who are still fighting for their first paycheck, and that is something you can’t judge in college kids til after they cash their signing bonus. Unfortunately.
August 4th, 2014 at 1:09 pm
“I’m at a point in my career where it’s time to make plays,” said the 6-foot-4, 288-pound former second-round pick from Clemson in 2011. “It’s time to shine. I’ve been mediocre my whole life here. It’s time for me to take that spotlight and just play to the best of my ability and stop selling myself short and this organization short.” — Bowers
“It’s not all about the injuries,” he said. “I let other reasons get to me mentally. It was Schiano. He got to me mentally, and I couldn’t bounce back for some reason. I blame myself though. I couldn’t push through it mentally. It taught me something and I’m a better person and a better player because of that.” — Bowers”
“He apologized for whatever he did in the past or for not playing well. He was really being accountable and you can see him now playing hard. I know I’m watching him out there. I’m watching him play the way he knows how to play. He’s playing like a beast.” — Gholston
Those are words of revelation, of admittance, accountability. NOT an excuse, nitwit
August 4th, 2014 at 1:09 pm
I’m going with Means beating out Bowers. Kudos to Bowers for (kind of) manning up and accepting responsibility, but as another poster already pointed out there were plenty of other Bucs who performed just fine under Schiano’s disciplinary ways. Talent is a great thing to have, but at any professional level activity the special ‘stars’ seem to usually be mentally focused, driven to be the best, and certainly not a shrinking violet if someone rides their ass to live up to their potential.
August 4th, 2014 at 1:12 pm
This dude sucks couldn’t even beat out garbage dtn for a starting spot last year. Schiano was terrible as well at almost all aspects of coaching nfl players and gameplans etc. But this is an excuse from daquan.
August 4th, 2014 at 1:18 pm
@ Louis Friend
Give the guy credit for his frank words, he’s being honest and accepting personal responsibility for his suckiness, even going so far as to saying he’s mediocre.
A recovering alcoholics first step is admitting they’re an alcoholic, I’d say that’s essentially what Bowers is doing here. Yet, he gets panned for being earnest.
August 4th, 2014 at 1:38 pm
I do give him credit. For working hard in this camp and possibly recognizing he’s at the end of the rope. It take some self awareness to know that. At the same time, even if it was bad under Schiano – throwing the Ex-HC under the bus is NOT a smart thing to do – even in a minor way. Best thing of all for him to do is shut up, hunker down and keep working. Prove it, don’t talk about it.
As of this moment he’s apparently competing for the last DL position. If he really is smart, he’ll be completely focused on that and nothing else. In less than 5 weeks we will know if he’s finished in the NFL.
August 4th, 2014 at 1:46 pm
Hey Joe, great UK English term for going mental: Going chicken oriental
August 4th, 2014 at 1:51 pm
Again, “I blame myself though” — Bowers
“Throwing under the bus” ? He’s just saying Schiano was tough. Hell, everyone that played for Schiano admits to him being mentally tough on his players.
He then goes on to say “It taught me something and I’m a better person and a better player because of that.” What’s that? Thanksfullness, maybe? I’m guessing that’s what defines “Throwing under the bus” these days.
I guess an “excuse” has a new definition, too.
August 4th, 2014 at 2:44 pm
BKNY – you don’t get it, and that’s okay. Stick with your insults and rationalizing. And all of us will see if Bowers is good enough to make an NFL roster over the next month.
August 4th, 2014 at 2:55 pm
@ Louis
I guess some nitwits do know the meaning of an excuse.
August 4th, 2014 at 2:57 pm
If Bowers wants to change fans opinions of him, I suggest he shows it on the field and not throwing his ex-coach under the bus even though he deserves it. It just doesn’t look good to blame your problems on someone else. Show us on the field and that is the quickest way to take care of the problem…
August 4th, 2014 at 3:11 pm
That was the point joe…. Michael Bennett is gone because he was head strong. We didn’t give him the big contact
August 4th, 2014 at 3:12 pm
Good to see you interacting with your fan base to Joe
August 4th, 2014 at 3:22 pm
I was raised that “excuses are like a!@#oles, EVERYBODY’s got one” (and yet there are some with one on top and bottom) bottomline: Dude came into training camp last year on one knee, and just this past June was still down on that same knee sucking air. Guess Schiano is to blame for this too right Bowers?? LAME. I don’t think he makes the final 53. Why pass on a motivated talented young guy for… well..(fill in ur own blank here)
August 4th, 2014 at 3:25 pm
So, we learned that Da’Quan wouldn’t be able to hack it in the Big East, specifically at Rutgers.
Cut this guy!
Glenn Davis called, he said “Bowers is the ‘Big-Baby”.
August 4th, 2014 at 3:26 pm
What a weak thing to say… And then follow it up with being a “better person and better player” as a result.
Yuckedy yuck
If they cut him today I’d be fine with it.
August 4th, 2014 at 4:58 pm
When players blame others, it sends up red flags.
August 4th, 2014 at 6:52 pm
Some players have to be coached differently especially those that are immature. Thats not a knock on Bowers but the truth. Bowers is still learning how to be a pro. I think he’s learned that he cant just depend on his talent alone and the importance of off season wrk. I think being put in an unfavorable position is best for him. I believe he will rise to the challenge.
August 4th, 2014 at 11:50 pm
History suggests that he’s too soft to play in nfl.