The Beast That Is Gerald McCoy
August 13th, 2014
An annual Bucs training camp highlight for Joe is when Warren Sapp comes bouncing in, like he did a couple of weeks ago. You don’t have to see the Hall of Fame defensive tackle to know he’s there: you hear him.
Sapp is hardly a vague person. Ask him a direct question, you get a direct answer. Loudly. Confidently. Sometimes, spiced with colorful profanities.
If one is to ask Sapp about Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, Sapp will simply gush over GMC as if GMC was his own son. And Sapp will tell you straight to your face that GMC, he believes, is better than he was.
This year, Joe asked Sapp again whether he was better than GMC.
“Nope,” Sapp said shaking his head back and forth. “He’s quicker than me.” To punctuate his believe that GMC is a better player than he was, Sapp howled, “He mastered [Greg] Schiano’s defense! I could never have done that!”
There is deep respect among the two. GMC often calls Sapp and asks for his advice, picking Sapp’s brain about the next opponent weekly. This impresses and, Joe dares suggest, humbles Sapp, who is willing to talk deep into the night if it could help GMC.
Slowly but surely, it isn’t just Sapp who believes GMC is the best defensive tackle in the game. Bucs players are daily amazed by his play in practice and in games. And students of the NFL are beginning to come around as well.
Consider Matt Bowen, a seven-year NFL veteran who serves as an analyst for several media outlets including “The Score,” WSCR-AM in Chicago and the Chicago Tribune. He has watched tape of GMC and has come away astonished.
Watching the #Bucs D…McCoy’s burst/power on the 1st snap of the game is ridiculous.
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) August 13, 2014
It’s cool to see how many NFL types are coming around on GMC. Let’s face it: few outside the Tampa Bay area get to study GMC outside of the hardest of the hardcore. The Bucs have been terrible, thus haven’t warranted many if any nationally televised games and attention.
Without visibility, a player, no matter how good he is, is virtually invisible. Case in point: Lavonte David missing out on another Pro Bowl.
Joe hopes the Bucs start to win. It would be a gross injustice to waste the best years of GMC and David on struggling squads.
August 13th, 2014 at 4:14 pm
McCoy is a future Hall of Fame member if he keeps this going. If Selmon can make it playing on those god awful early Bucs teams, so can McCoy. Here’s hoping he gets noticed more because they’re winning!
August 13th, 2014 at 4:38 pm
People keep saying that they’re holding back money to re-sign McCoy. Truth is that the best at his position signed for $3 million less than Dini makes now. McCoy is #3 on the list.
If he redoes his contract now, it will free up enough money to sign Boone from SF.
August 13th, 2014 at 4:47 pm
Even if the Bucs go 4-12 again, the defense is going to get the attention of the national media. Jot that down as my prognostication for 2014.
August 13th, 2014 at 5:22 pm
I used to really detest the person Sapp was (not the player), but I have to give him mad props for his brutal honesty, and for someone who knew he was the best of his generation to admit another player, playing for HIS former team, is actually BETTER than he….I doubt many great players would admit that.
Which brings me to McCoy, a gentle giant in the mold of the immortal Lee Roy Selmon, who has really come into his own as the game’s best at his position, when it wasn’t long ago you had former players like Ian Beckles who would’ve bet his mortgage on McCoy never living up to his billing and even went as far as calling him a terrible football player when in fairness to McCoy, he was just breaking into the league and fought consecutive season ending injuries.
But here we are today, and as Buc fan, I am so proud of Gerald, the football player AND the man off the field, perhaps Sapp in his own way admires McCoy’s off the field demeanor as a very lovable guy as well, a road map he probably should have taken himself when playing. Gerald, the sky is the limit my good man!
August 13th, 2014 at 5:23 pm
Good things come to those who persevere and wait. Like the Super Bowl Bucs whose defense should have won multiple championships, this edition with McCoy, David and the rest of the improved D, should in a reasonable time get the Bucs to the big game. I look for Lovie and the offense to lead the charge, out of character, but in the realm of possibility.
August 13th, 2014 at 5:24 pm
Well, even Schiano was telling us about McCoy’s “get-off” referring to that first burst at the snap of the football.
This season, there will be this greeting for GMC:
“Gerald McCoy, welcome to the wonderful world of double and sometimes triplel-teams”
August 13th, 2014 at 5:28 pm
it makes me sad to know that McCoy has never played in a playoff game. nfl career can be so short. I hope that the bucs get their act together around McCoy!
August 13th, 2014 at 5:45 pm
@ Bucfever40
Very well said.
August 13th, 2014 at 6:39 pm
If Warren Sapp is willing to openly admit that GMC is better….who is to argue with Saoo who usually has a very high opinion of himself. They are certainly different players from different times & teams…..
Here’s to you GMC…..you truly are a great player and an even greater person!!!
August 13th, 2014 at 7:06 pm
If McCoy gets double and/or triple teamed, we have other guys now who are going eat up plays & QB’s… Kinda like our offensive talent, it’s gonna be pick your poison. Oh, u wanna take this guy out of the play? Bam! What about that guy
P.S. we still gotta figure out our OLine situation, though. Damn it. I’m getting more and more pissed by the day about letting Zuttah go
August 13th, 2014 at 7:31 pm
McCoy is coming into his own, and he has grown into that huge body. He seems to get bigger and wider every year. What a scary sight if you are a QB.
I hope he gets loose on Cam Newton, and slams his arrogant arse to the turf.
August 13th, 2014 at 8:07 pm
GMC! The Beast !!!!
Go Bucs!
August 13th, 2014 at 10:16 pm
“Joe hopes the Bucs start to win. It would be a gross injustice to waste the best years of GMC and David on struggling squads.” EXACTLY Joe!!! only now we know just how much of an injustice it was for our decade of top 10 defenses to have only been able to earn one SB ring…and it would be even more tragic to go into this season repeating that same old trend of an offensive offense that can’t help a top 10 defense close out or even compete in games. BRING IN A PROVEN STARTER AT GUARD AND QUIT B#LLSH!TTING!!!
August 13th, 2014 at 11:44 pm
I’d like to see GMC have a few double digit sack years like Sapp did.
August 14th, 2014 at 12:04 am
Love GMC he has the best burst off the line I’ve ever seen and I’ve watched Alota football it’s like he knows the snap count lol
August 14th, 2014 at 12:42 am
BUC4LIFE79:
Thanks for the compliments. Problem is, there is no “proven starter at guard” available.
August 14th, 2014 at 2:32 am
Does anyone realise that McCoy is in the top 10 highest payed players in the NFL for 2014????????????????? HE IS GOING TO MAKE 15-16 MILLION THIS YEAR!!! WHY DO YOU THINK HE HAS NOT BEEN EXTENDED, POINT LESS RIGHTS NOW.
August 17th, 2014 at 2:30 pm
I wonder where are all the people who shouted out busts when he was drafted and later after his 2 injuries?