Blowing Off Steam
May 12th, 2015
Bucs C Evan Smith found a way for him and his fellow offensive linemen to bond: blowing away targets.
When formerly Evan Dietrich-Smith (he’s now “Evan Smith) spoke to the Tampa Bay pen and mic club yesterday, Joe found three elements mentioned to be cool if not dead-on accurate.
No, Smith claiming America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, must meet the standards of the Bucs leaders on offense before he can be accepted is not one of them. Where were these self-proclaimed devout leaders when the Bucs needed them most on their way to the worst record in the NFL? Or was it the “leaders” who were the ones texting general manager Jason Licht to draft Jameis?
The first cool thing was that Smith had used the “Dietrich” part of his last name to honor his brother, Alex, who was in the Army, specifically the 10th Mountain Division in Iraq. That is way cool and Joe really respects Evans for that. Props to (Dietrich-)Smith for that.
The second cool thing was Smith and his teammates tried to bond in the offseason. From what guard Logan Mankins had said last year, the speedbump preventing the offensive line from bonding was the lack of a quality barbecue grill. Smith stepped up with a better idea.
“We are definitely trying to make this a better group this year – be more cohesive, make sure everyone is showing up,” Smith said. “We had a pretty good time the other day. We all went out. We went over to Shooter’s World and blew off a bunch of ammo. It’s stuff like that. We are trying to get the group together. Obviously last year wasn’t what we wanted, but we are starting to build on that a lot better this year.”
Joe can relate. Getting to a shooting gallery and blowing stuff up is a damned good stress reliever. So too is working out, but these guys do enough of that. There is something about unloading a rifle on a target or destroying a watermelon that soothes one’s soul.
And there was a third element Smith discussed that was a home run. He said film study and talking about getting better on the field for younger players has limits. At the end of the day, you have to prove it physically.
“The biggest thing for offensive linemen is experience,” Smith said. “You need to know what you are supposed to do, but the biggest thing is kind of getting the experience down. You need to get out there, you need to get reps. Pictures don’t move. You know what I mean? You can look at plays all day, but until you see how everything is going to end up once the ball is snapped, that’s, kind of, what it is.”
Amen! At the end of the day, it isn’t about breaking down tape. It isn’t about pumping weights. It’s about getting the job done.
To hear more from Smith, click the black button below. Audio player courtesy of Joe’s friends at WDAE-AM 620.
May 12th, 2015 at 8:10 am
Shooting GUNS > Flipping burgers and ribs
May 12th, 2015 at 8:20 am
Well Mr.Smith…..you have proclaimed that there are plenty of leaders on this team. Implication also is that you are a veteran and leader yourself. You center that oline don’t you? We as your supportive fans are expecting much more from yourself than was given last year as well as help develop the rookies. We are looking towards you to walk the walk this year.
May 12th, 2015 at 8:36 am
Step Up…..shape up…..snap right!!!
May 12th, 2015 at 8:37 am
As long as they walk away without a thumb injury like dumb old #5.
May 12th, 2015 at 8:47 am
The leaders on this team has the number “3” at the e end of their number.
3,13,83,93
May 12th, 2015 at 8:51 am
@TheDon
Kewl post on the “3”s
May 12th, 2015 at 9:02 am
how much time does it take to learn how to snap the ball when your QB instructs you to? or should that question be poised to somebody who has actually mastered that job. Aside from Garret Gilkey, i find it hard to believe that there was anybody in the NFL who botched the simple job of snapping the football any worse than our highly paid free agent.
May 12th, 2015 at 9:47 am
It’s kind of funny because it seems like the most negative posters are the most tuned in to these daily articles. I say this because they seem to be first to post they’re negative opinions every single day.
May 12th, 2015 at 9:48 am
8 is like double 3’s facing each other…
May 12th, 2015 at 10:15 am
I know one thing, Major, I drew down and fired straight at it. Capped off two hundred rounds in the minigun, full pack. Nothing… Nothing on Earth could’ve lived. Not at that range.
May 12th, 2015 at 11:18 am
JoeJoes Fungi Nails Says:
May 12th, 2015 at 9:48 am
8 is like double 3’s facing each other…
Yeah, a 3 looking forward and a 3 looking backwards!
May 12th, 2015 at 11:20 am
Nole on Sat.-Bucc on Sun. Says:
May 12th, 2015 at 9:47 am
It’s kind of funny because it seems like the most negative posters are the most tuned in to these daily articles. I say this because they seem to be first to post they’re negative opinions every single day.
It’s easy to be negative and positive people ignore this crap.
May 12th, 2015 at 11:32 am
Well the O-line has at least 2 new starters coming via the 2nd round of the draft and I just hope that these guys gel enough that they can keep Winston from getting murdered every Sunday like Bortles was on every Sunday he was under center for Jacksonville last season with the exception of when he played the tanking Titans… If the trench hogs can get comradary by exercising their 2nd amendment rights then go for it as long as they don’t go off the reservation like the 1986 Miami Hurricanes if you believe the stories that dan Sileo used to tell his listeners on WDAE….
May 12th, 2015 at 12:28 pm
Your tag is”I get it”,but I don’t get what you’re saying when you imply people ignore this crap. If you’re not positive pertaining to what is going on with this team then in my opinion your opinion is crap and should be ignored. I’ll await your rebuttal.
May 12th, 2015 at 12:45 pm
The last time I checked…Smith or EDS was a solid reason for the bad season in 2014….I clearly recall him getting blown off the ball 4-5 yards deep last year….he was so up and down last year…I think he needs to watch his tape of last year again…it was pathetic…to be preaching to the rookies shows he lacks focus on his own shortcomings…
The best thing EDS can do is shut his pie hole and get to work or he will be a UFA like D Bowers- who needs a chef as others prepare for their roster spot.
May 12th, 2015 at 4:55 pm
Finally watched the presser video that the previous E[D]S article was based on.
I think “Dietrich” was routinely being misspelled as “D-o-u-c-h-e-n-o-z-z-l-e”