Barbecues Won’t Affect Super Bowl Or Bucs
January 31st, 2015
During the Super Bowl Media Day frenzy, Joe talked to Patriots guard Dan Connelly about Logan Mankins’ famous barbecues.
On radio, Joe has talked extensively about the nonsense of the Logan Mankins barbecue chatter but has yet to detail it here.
It was so infuriating that Joe couldn’t write about it without feeling the onset of a seizure.
As the Bucs’ miserable 2014 ended, Mankins told ESPN Boston scribe Jackie MacMullen it was too hard for him to bond properly with the fellow Tampa Bay offensive linemen, in part, because he didn’t have a homey barbecue venue.
First-year Tampa coach Lovie Smith was hoping for similar results from Mankins. The Buccaneers attempted to shore up their offensive line by acquiring him and signing free agents Evan Dietrich-Smith and Anthony Collins.
Mankins spent his first weeks trying to play catch-up with a new team running new schemes, as well as finding a place to live. Without a permanent residence in Tampa, it was hard for him to serve as the ringleader for the line.
“It’s been difficult to do here,” Mankins conceded. “That was the great thing about there [in New England]. I have a good house for hosting, so we had the barbecues, and some of the guys over for Thanksgiving, even Christmas. Dan has taken that part over now.
“We [the Bucs’ line] haven’t quite developed that bond yet. It’s getting closer. Hopefully we’ll get together in the offseason and work on it.”
Joe found that to be complete nonsense. Heck, give Joe or nearly any Bucs fan $6 million a year and a day off every week; Joe will have no problem finding a fantastic barbecue venue and funding spectacular bonding sessions.
In the quote above, the “Dan” referenced is current Patriots guard Dan Connolly. So while Joe was in Phoenix at Super Bowl Media Day this week, Joe talked to Connolly about the impact of these famous barbecues and their impact on the field.
Connolly said it was more of a friendly tradition, one that he’s leading now, versus something that gives any kind of important playing edge.
“You’ll always see us eating lunch together, eating dinner together,” Connolly said. “Whenever we’re around each other away from our families we’re always together. But it’s really important to us to be a close knit group. I don’t know how much of a difference it makes on gameday. But we’re all going to spend all that time together anyway, why not enjoy each other’s company.”
Joe’s concluded that barbecues won’t impact the Super Bowl, nor will they impact the Buccaneers next year, assuming Mankins can buy a grill and invite over the fellas.
January 31st, 2015 at 1:23 pm
No harm in it and a nice way to get to know each other a lot better outside of the game. When your job is this big, its more than football. Bonding builds trust, expression, toleration….”how much can I trust you to tolerate me, expressing myself and crossing your line and vice versa”?
Trenches, man TRENCHES! The DIRTY…..Gotta be able to come together and compromise in order to become a solid unit. Bonding is the key.
January 31st, 2015 at 1:28 pm
Mankins doesnt want to be here. And he played like it.
Plain and simple.
Just another year of the Pats fleecing the Bucs. #bucslife
January 31st, 2015 at 2:12 pm
Btw, in my above comment, Im not talking about going all “Incognito” on a teammate. Of course if that had been me, I wouldve rearranged his face in order to show him Im in line with him crossing THAT line and receiving my expression as such 😉
January 31st, 2015 at 2:28 pm
If I was you Joe – I would have been talking to the babe in the picture interviewing Connelly instead. All work and no play makes Joe a dull boy. LOL
Is she a Seahawks cheerleader (looks like it from the outfit) – or just an incredibly hot news reporter?
Hopefully – if the Bucs keep Mankins around which I assume they will considering the lack of OLine talent – he will feel much more at home as a Buccaneer this season and can take on that leadership role to help the OLine come together and play much better this year than they have the last 2 seasons. We need at least 2 if not 3 upgrades (hopefully major) on the OLine this year. If L&L can accomplish that after they draft Winston – this Offense will be well on its way towards significant improvement.
January 31st, 2015 at 2:30 pm
Hell I was locked into the hottie in the pic, had to zoom in and my notions were right
January 31st, 2015 at 3:24 pm
Joe Wrote:
“Joe found that to be complete nonsense. Heck, give Joe or nearly any Bucs fan $6 million a year and a day off every week; Joe will have no problem finding a fantastic barbecue venue and funding spectacular bonding sessions.”
Spot On Joe! What a load of Bull Hockey….Having said that, Lovie’s pre-season contention that it doesn’t take any time for an O-Line to come together was also hogwash….We’re all expecting a revitalized “Mankins/O-Line” come 2015, and I do think Mankins will turn out to be worth the trade for Tim Wright.
January 31st, 2015 at 3:25 pm
Must be cold out there…
January 31st, 2015 at 3:35 pm
I think Mankins was speaking about the camraderie that develops between members of the line that helps them develop as a unit with communication.
The offensive line a few years ago did a video on the Bucs website speaking about how their weekly dinner night out did the same thing.
Geeeez Joe. Was Marcus Arroyo so nice to you that now you feel like you can’t lay the problems of a terrible offense at his feet.
I have said it before, it is almost mathematically impossible for 3 to 4 members of the line who used to be solid performers to all go bad at the same time without one common equation.
January 31st, 2015 at 3:57 pm
Think about our own jobs….do you have work happy hours, holiday parties, and other various celebrations? Yes….you do it to help bring the work force closer together. Work production is a whole lot more positive if you feel vested with those you work closest with. So, I totally agree with Joe that it shouldn’t be a huge factor in determining success, I do think that having a few more barbecues over the coming months wouldn’t hurt.
January 31st, 2015 at 4:48 pm
i think everyone can agree that mankins did not play well last year. let us hope it was just because of trade shock and will play to his skill level from now on.
January 31st, 2015 at 4:50 pm
“The Buccaneers attempted to shore up their offensive line by acquiring him and signing free agents Evan Dietrich-Smith and Anthony Collins.”
Replacing Zuttah and Penn was not shoring up!
January 31st, 2015 at 5:29 pm
Gay
January 31st, 2015 at 6:01 pm
I hate my team and its leadership- I wish we got called out more in the Super Bowl coverage for being idiots in the front office- horrendous trades and roster decisions over and over- what have the Bucs done for me lately- like say since 02- mismanagement- trading for revis lol- and now we run the most archaic defense in the nfl that HAS to have multiple hall of famers to work against the true elite- watch Brady dink and dunk down the field vs cover 2. You cannot show an elite an where defensive players will be every snap- must keep them guessing- we will suck for a long long time.
January 31st, 2015 at 6:04 pm
Jeremy zuttah was also basically a pro bowl player that can play 3 positions on the line. Nope, let’s play a 3 game starter 25 mill and send him packing- we wouldn’t give our sack leader Michael Bennett a 4 million dollar a year deal!?!?! I HATE our team- and it starts with nostalgic ownership wanting the Tampa 2 back and lovie smith…. Stuck in the 90s
January 31st, 2015 at 6:06 pm
And pretty soon we will have a QB that sounds like marshawn lynch- not racist, but I would love QB that wouldn’t embarrass me on stage winning the supebowl
January 31st, 2015 at 6:44 pm
What harm can a bit of comradery do?……What the hell….invite Joe & Shaun King and get some positive press….
Better be sure you are stocke with a gross of racks of ribs & several sides of beef if King is invited.
“Shaun King, one of two Buc Quarterbacks that lost a NFC Championship Game when his defense gave up 11 or fewer points.”
January 31st, 2015 at 11:07 pm
Who should we listen to?
Joe?
Or two of the best O-lineman in recent years.
Mankins and Connolly are talking about
Unity and cohesion.
Get it joe?
February 1st, 2015 at 6:20 am
He is spot on, and addressed a big Problem on this team.
Winninning teams dont just work together, they bond off the field also.
Cohesion and co- operation doesnt just form on a 9-5 basis
Its guys knowing each other,and communicating. Guys that know each, and know how each other thinks and and reacts
Considering the franchise he came from- with their history of success- who has the success record to question him?
I think his words should be treated as gospel. And every damn player on this losing pig better be out buying a damn BBQ grill
Mankins knows how to win. Nobody he has any idea.
The mans record speaks for itself
Everyone needs to shut the f#%k up,,and listen to every damn word the Man says
February 1st, 2015 at 8:57 am
And the press wonders why players don’t like speaking to them? What a bunch of crap about nothing. The BBQ is Mankin’s take. At least he didn’t give the same line of bs all these guys seem to spew. “It was a tough year, we’re looking forward to OTAs, I see better things next year.” I’d rather hear an honest quote that gives a little insight than the rehearsed rubbish these guys feel they have to spout so some blog doesn’t lambaste them for an innocent comment that can be twisted into making them seem like the worst teammate in the league. Please.