Anthony Collins Feels Your Pain
September 14th, 2014
Bucs LT Anthony Collins was so enraged about tonight’s loss, he was overcome with emotion in the locker room.
Joe came away impressed with one thing and one thing only tonight after the Bucs suffered a hammer-to-the-nads loss to a never-been third string quarterback and the Lambs.
For as PO’ed as you, you diehard Bucs fans are right now, and rightfully so, so too is left tackle Anthony Collins.
First off, Collins has lived up to high expectations. In two games for the Bucs, he had gone up against Greg Hardy and Robert Quinn, two of the best the NFL has to offer.
A week ago, Hardy was pretty much invisible. Today, Quinn’s name was called once or twice but he was nowhere near the Tasmanian Devil he usually is against opposing offenses.
That’s not all. Joe was on the field as the game wrapped up. Virtually the entire team walked past Joe after the game was halted abruptly when Mike Evans was hurt.
Needless to say, the players were bummed. Some stunned. Many likely upset.
None more so than Collins.
The first-year Bucs tackle was enraged. Joe could hear him cursing from just about midfield and he continued his passionate expletives all the way to the tunnel.
He was one angry mofo.
Later in the locker room, Joe saw Collins sitting by himself on a crate of some sort, not at his locker. You could tell he was agitated, but was saying nothing. It appeared his eyes were tearing up. He was seething.
Joe softly walked over to him and asked if he wanted to talk about the game at all. Words never came. His eyes moistened and Collins mouthed something, but no words came out. He eventually shook his head no. Joe understood.
Later, Joe was told Collins was so enraged and seething and beside himself, and unable to release his outrage vocally or physically, tears began to roll down his cheek as he continued to sit on that crate for damned near a half-hour.
If anyone claims that NFL players don’t care, Joe will point to Collins. He cares as much as Bucs fans do. Probably more.
Not only is Collins playing stand-up football, he is playing with heart, with a passion. That’s Joe’s kind of player.
September 14th, 2014 at 10:15 pm
This is awesome to hear. A bright spot in this loss
September 14th, 2014 at 10:16 pm
I like Collins!! Todays loss has to be on coaching… The players played hard and the coaches let them down!!
September 14th, 2014 at 10:21 pm
I have been really down on this signing and so looks like I was wrong. Great piece Joe. Love being wrong these days!
September 14th, 2014 at 10:21 pm
Wow wish we had more intensity like this. Good report joe.
September 14th, 2014 at 10:21 pm
“Joe could hear him cursing from just about midfield”
Lovie Smith does not allow cursing. See LightningBuc.
September 14th, 2014 at 10:22 pm
@joe, For Collins to have done such a good job against two of the elite pass rushers in the game for his first two regular season starts you have to hand it to him. He has done a good job. Glad to see some heart. This team is either going to explode on another team (Atl-Pitt or NO) or something has got to give. Hopefully we do not get a schiano-revolt.
September 14th, 2014 at 10:23 pm
Thanks for the kind words guys. Can’t remember the last time Joe saw a player so PO’ed he couldn’t even speak a word.
September 14th, 2014 at 10:25 pm
Collins has to be one of the best LTs he shut out Hardy and Quinn just sayin that’s impressive
September 14th, 2014 at 10:25 pm
BucfanBF is right, today’s loss is on the coaching….0 trick plays and not enough play actions since the running game was on point
September 14th, 2014 at 10:27 pm
Collins has been really good, I like his passion.
September 14th, 2014 at 10:31 pm
I felt the same way….im tired of having to wait till next year after just 4 games into the season…if you go 0 and 3 or 0 and 4 you can forget about the post season……there is no way in hell playing the way we did against 2 garbage ass teams that we will win the next few weeks
Playoffs???? You wanna talk about playoffs??? Cant wait for the Draft!!!! It’s the only thing to look forward to
September 14th, 2014 at 10:32 pm
For those of you that have become a Buc fan over the last 15-20 years.
I feel your pain too. Since 1987. Had the Super Bowl though. Oh YES we DID!
They can’t take that SB away from me, or you or any one of us.
Old timers. Do you remember what it felt like when they raised that trophy? Will you ever forget it?
I’m 44 years old. I may never see it happen again in my lifetime, but I did see it happen. Because of that, I will march on and be a loyal slobbering Bucs fan until the end.
September 14th, 2014 at 10:41 pm
Glad to see he cares. Still don’t change the fact we are 0-2 and we have to play on national tv with a short week and everybody banged up. I live in VA and the national media doesn’t cover my bucs at all. I’m going to get destroyed Thursday night as much trash as I be talking bout other teams Smh.
September 14th, 2014 at 10:42 pm
Buc1987 Says:
September 14th, 2014 at 10:21 pm
“Joe could hear him cursing from just about midfield”
Lovie Smith does not allow cursing. See LightningBuc.
_____________
Buc87,
LOL! Well, that’s what we were told anyway. But we’ve been told a lot of things that Lovie said that aren’t exactly panning out!
September 14th, 2014 at 10:46 pm
LOL lightningbuc…I had to beat you to it.
September 14th, 2014 at 10:48 pm
I was at the game with a rather good view this time. Instead of drinking and partying like i normally do at these event. I real
1. Josh McCown’s vision is off. There was a lot of times receivers would break free and McCown just wouldn’t see them and go for the check down instead of the big play. For a supposed savvy veteran he has tunnel vision at times.
2 Josh McCown is way to much of a gambler, instead of taking a sack on a first down in the red zone he throws a pick. Needs to calm down and be a game manager not a miracle maker.
3. Bobby Rainey is legit and needs to be given more rep even when Martin is healthy. The man just runs well consistently.
4. O-Line is looking like the real deal. Didn’t see a lot of mistakes or miscues along the offensive line through out this game.
5. Luke Stoker is completely at fault for the blocked FG. Had 2 people run at him and blocked NO BODY. Overall Special Teams still needs a lot of work.
6. Don’t know exactly if it’s scheme or the players but the Defense is just not working as is. I can’t believe it’s the players with that much talent on the field. No pressure and no coverage is making it easy for anyone to slice us up and down the field. Although we are keeping them out of the end zone. It’s sad we are losing because of FG’s.
7. Don’t get me started on that illegal hit to Evans to finish the game. So much was wrong with the call. A. whistle blew at 11 sec for the injury time out call. So technically with the 10 second run off there would have been a 1 sec desperation play. Secondly if Dashon Goldson would have laid a hit like that he would be getting a 50k fine in the mail this week and a penalty for illegal contact on a defenseless player. Dude hit Evans high between the shoulder blades with his shoulder drilling him while he was in mid air.
September 14th, 2014 at 10:54 pm
Excellent article. Simply the only thing that couldve cheered me up would be to hear how pissed off the players were. That builds character. Ask the 49ers who were already there when harbaugh came in the door and yet they still lost a heartbreaker to dallas. Watched my best friend cry cuz he couldn’t take anymore(which is total overkill but still). Just good to hear that I’m on the same page with the players. This fanbase is right a lot today with their posts. Especially about coaching and the defense. (McCown was fine other than that mistake. Which will be his last)
September 14th, 2014 at 10:55 pm
“1. Josh McCown’s vision is off. There was a lot of times receivers would break free and McCown just wouldn’t see them and go for the check down instead of the big play. For a supposed savvy veteran he has tunnel vision at times.”
BucIt941…..I picked that up in the last game as well as this one too.
September 14th, 2014 at 10:59 pm
Lovie Smith and his conservative ass can go join Rick Scott in the unemployment line. Our defense sucks!!!! #firelovie
September 14th, 2014 at 11:38 pm
Bucit1941 u should be a scout my friend. No sarcasm. Sincerely
September 14th, 2014 at 11:47 pm
We need Jeff Tedford back calling plays…. He is the Offensive mind!!!! Did you see that shot of him in the press box with his hand over his face in frustration….. We need him calling the plays…. This is why Lovie HIRED Him —-> TO CALL PLAYS/RUN THE OFFENSE not Marcus Arroyo!!!
September 15th, 2014 at 1:50 am
Your best post to date Joe!
September 15th, 2014 at 5:42 am
Thanks for sharing this one joe.
These are the kind of stories that i love.
The real heart of these guys.
Awesome story.
Thanks again.
September 15th, 2014 at 7:27 am
Collins played his arse off. And was jumping up and down on the bench getting fans into it in the fourth. He was totally livid when the ref made the run down call…. I thought he was going to throw his helmet at the Zebra. Props to Collins for his fire and top notch play.
September 15th, 2014 at 8:09 am
I hate to be the only one to call this out… but where was Mike Evans heart? Very nice catch buddy, but football players at this level know about the 10s runoff rule. You just can’t drop to the field like that. Offensive players know to get their broken asses off the damn field. Limp, hobble, drag yourself to the sideline and let your team spike the ball and win the game.
I want to see some toughness out of this team. Let’s see McCoy out there on Thursday with a big tape ball club on his broken hand leading his defense.
I put this loss down to:
1. Special teams blocking
2. Josh interception in RZ
3. Lack of killer instinct. Notice how throwing it up to Jackson in 1 on 1 coverage worked!?!
4. Evans wuss factor
September 15th, 2014 at 9:41 am
Stupid post @BuLucid
Wuss factor Huh? Would love to have seen YOU try to make it to the sideline by yourself after a hit like that. An illegal hit on a defenseless receiver at that. Should have been a 15 yard penalty and thus an easy FG to win the game.
And besides not calling the penalty – the refs also blew it by declaring “the game is over”. Evans caught the ball and was down with 15 seconds left – he tried to get up and fell back down and put his hand up for help with 12 seconds left. The whistle blew for the “injury time out” at 11 seconds – but the clock kept running – finally stopping with 6 seconds left. Should have been 1 second left after the 10 second time run-off and a 50 yard FG attempt. But the Refs blew it and didn’t go to replay to check the times before declaring the game over.
So many are quick to criticize and jump off the bandwagon because of the 2nd loss which would have likely been a last second win had the Refs done their job right.
The most important thing I saw was the Bucs playing as hard as they could and with heart as this excellent JBF article illustrates perfectly. Mistakes were made – but some great plays were made as well. The players who were on that field played as hard as they could. What more can you ask? The Rams played hard too and won the game.
Back to practice and get ready for the Falcons in just a few days. I was greatly encouraged by what I saw on the field by the Bucs today. Pissed about the loss of course and especially the way it happened at the end – but encouraged by how the team played and fought hard.
And to those of you freaking out and saying the HC and GM suck or whatever – What was your prediction as to how this team would wind up this year? Because unless you EXPECTED the Bucs to make the playoffs this year, then why get so upset about a couple early losses and start looking for scapegoats?? As long as the players are playing hard – and they get better and improve as a team throughout the season – then expecting more is unrealistic. And saying at this point that we made a mistake in hiring Lovie is ridiculous. The only difference between winding up 6-10 or 8-8 is a better drafting position next year. How about some perspective people?
Thanks for the great article Joe. Nice work.
September 15th, 2014 at 10:18 am
Heartbreaking loss but I’ve seen improvement in our team even with a bunch of injuries we fought hard till the end. We on the right path.
September 15th, 2014 at 11:08 am
Pickgrin:
“As long as the players are playing hard – and they get better and improve as a team throughout the season – then expecting more is unrealistic.”
Would agree except I haven’t seen improvement save in the running game, and the coach/GM opened the door for criticism by telling fans they wouldn’t have to wait for a winner. Coach speak or not it is on them to cash the check their mouths wrote.
“And saying at this point that we made a mistake in hiring Lovie is ridiculous. The only difference between winding up 6-10 or 8-8 is a better drafting position next year. How about some perspective people?”
Again I agree that two games is too early to throw in the towel and (seriously) start putting up Fire Lovie signs. However this is an experienced NFL HC, not some guy getting acclimated to the NFL or being promoted from DB coach to HC in a couple weeks. Just like a 35 year old vet QB should be expected to not make foolish rookie mistakes so to should a veteran HC be expected to not get out coached twice as well as getting roasted by backup QB’s. To this point Lovie has shown most of us nothing to make is believe he was an upgrade to Rah or Schiano other than he did get a couple of Bears teams to the playoffs and SB many moons ago. It’s a what have you done lately league
September 15th, 2014 at 12:07 pm
He’s probably upset he has to be around Floridians all the time.
September 15th, 2014 at 4:57 pm
Good Story Joe! Thanks for sharing this, as others above have so eloquently (and some not so eloquently) said, Collins is a bright spot on this team…..