“Father Of The Locker Room” Has “Six-Pack Abs”
July 28th, 2015
Logan Mankins (r) reported in A-list shape in April. Evan (Dietrich) Smith (l) was quite a bit softer.
Not only are the Bucs confident in Logan Mankins reviving his borderline Hall of Fame career, one that derailed last year with the absence of a barbecue venue, a key Bucs official has called him the “father of the locker room.”
General manager Jason Licht dove into the steel cage of Tampa Bay sports radio this evening — the show hosted by Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620 — and raved about Mankins.
He talked about Mankins texting him shortly after last season claiming he had a raging, burning hunger to kick ass. (Licht wouldn’t say “ass,” just “kick” followed by a pause.) And he said Mankins showed up in April rejuvenated “with six-pack abs.”
Licht went on to say it’s tough to put into words how hard it was for Mankins to adjust after a late-August trade from the Patriots, after a long career there and a full family life.
Look, Joe hopes Mankins can be the Pro Bowler he was for six straight years before coming to Tampa. Joe’s totally cheering for Mankins, but Joe saw a subpar left guard last year, and a guy who made one ugly excuse after the season. Also, Joe’s not sure why a guy needs to revitalize himself when Team Glazer paid him roughly $7 million last year to be a profession and give his all.
On the upside, the Bucs’ offense sure could use Mankins’ leadership ability, and there’s no doubt Mankins understands the Bucs will go as far as Jameis Winston will take them. Mankins’ revived body no doubt shows his teammates that he’s damn serious. Hopefully that will rub off on his linemates.
July 28th, 2015 at 6:36 pm
He does look pretty chiseled.
July 28th, 2015 at 6:42 pm
Look at that one pack ab oll Smitty is sportin! We’re hosting an international kegger here! You know that tattoo on his arm used to be real dark then he got fat and it faded!
July 28th, 2015 at 6:45 pm
Howard has said it before: This team has a huge chip on their
shoulder this year and they seem to be more focused than
they have been in awhile.
That’s a lot of happy homer stuff though. We’ll see if they
answer the bell this year, starting Sept 13th.
July 28th, 2015 at 7:05 pm
Evan Smith should have been jettisoned with Anthony Collins….not sure how he survived the purge. He was horrid.
July 28th, 2015 at 7:41 pm
Evan Smith certainly was not as advertised last year and was a subpar center but Pro Football Focus did give him a positive score for run blocking last year.
That makes sense because he was a backup Guard with Greenbay before pressed into service as a center for them when their starting center went down.
This is why I feel Marpet, who excelled at Center in the Senior Bowl needs to start at Center and let Evan Smith compete to start at RT. Marpet is very smart and would learn the job quickly and be super as a pulling Center since he was the fastest OL in his combine class.
July 28th, 2015 at 7:59 pm
Owlycat
Agree about Marpet. Mankins looks great…Smith…bwaahaahaaa. I do not expect any lineman to have a six pack, that’s just not their genetic makeup. If Mankins has abs he’s exceptional.
But Smith…SHAME…he reminds of a workout I had in a gym about ten years ago.
I felt I was in good shape. I had the outline of a six pack even if it wasn’t chilseled. Next to me were two “brothas” hitting it pretty hard. One was totally ripped, the other looked like Smith! So I worked in with them and at one point the ripped guy was flexing in the mirror, I tried but I was no match for this dude. His “big” friend who looked like Smith pulled up his shirt to survey his abs…his friends says…”Man you need an xray machine if you ever want to see your abs” BOOM. Harsh but true and very funny at the time.
Players like Smith, Daquan Bowers and others disgust me. They get paid millions and ALL they have to do is hit the gym in the off season. I know many of you work out. Imagine if somebody paid you millions to do it. Think you could stay in shape for ten years of your life?
July 28th, 2015 at 8:00 pm
This is good news and I believe Mankins will lead the line to a better showing.
July 28th, 2015 at 8:40 pm
Mankin’s had a LOT on his mind last year, not the least of which was playing on a shitty team all of a sudden. I expect him to play well this year.
Go Bucs.
July 28th, 2015 at 8:55 pm
Once again if we have an Average OL we win at least 8 games. If it looks like last yr then 4
July 28th, 2015 at 9:10 pm
Mankins will help this line compete this year, and I don’t think we have that bad of an oline. I look at these guys as middle of the pack in terms of the NFL, aided by vet leadership and young talent, hindered by inexperience. Yes, the Oline played awfully last year but only after a complete overhaul of line (and rest of roster), bringing in tons of new faces who had no experience with one another, and then going on to lose their OC- how can an O-Line compete if they don’t even have a playcaller? This year the oline will not be worse than 20th in league, and this is not a very bold prediction imo.
July 28th, 2015 at 9:12 pm
We almost agree Buc-A-New.
If we can cobble together an average OL I say 10-6 brotha!
July 28th, 2015 at 9:44 pm
I’ll stlll trying to find out if the Bucs are switching back to Man blocking. Wasn’t the line purge partly because Tedford switch to zone blocking scheme? The zone blocking seemed too complicated for them especially at the beginning of the season last year. If the Bucs are switching back to Man is this could be why Mankins is so pumped. The Patriots going to zone was one of the reasons they released Mankins from what I’ve read. I’d like to find out more information but nobody seems to be revealing and reporting on this topic.
July 28th, 2015 at 10:30 pm
Jeesh Matt!! You have been here longer than Any of us!! Except maybe Hawiian Buc.
July 28th, 2015 at 10:45 pm
Evening all, so no news of Galette like we thought there would be today. Do yall think that because we re-signed Bowers that means we won’t sign him?
July 28th, 2015 at 10:48 pm
Howdy 85. Sadly I don’t think we did anything more than research his history, then evaluate if he will miss games this season. Magic 8 Ball said “Most Likely” and we moved on. There is Def. Promise there but………….
July 28th, 2015 at 10:50 pm
The only reason Bowers stays is if it’s because of his familiarity with the defense. Don’t get me wrong, I wish him well and hope he shows us.
July 28th, 2015 at 10:52 pm
Too bad for his off the field stuff, the guys a beast.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:01 pm
IMO 85, if you can’t act like an adult when people aren’t “looking”, then you probably aren’t one. Entitlement is a Nasty beast!
July 28th, 2015 at 11:04 pm
This is true BUC. Hopefully our DE’s will come through this season.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:11 pm
Yes while teams like the Cowboys that pick up Hardy will be going to the playoffs and we sit home. Because we don’t need any Icognito’s or Hardy’s or Ray Rices or Peterson’s or Gallette’s. Let those playoff teams have them and will watch them compete for the SB.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:12 pm
Silly ludicrous talk.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:16 pm
Um Hardy is out for how many games? They paid heavily for that one. Hopefully for us he gets even More out of Football shape during his suspension. Hindsight and all. I think Jacqueis Smith may be the diamond in the rough that is being polished. If we can get Any pressure from the other end of the line then we can be very formidable as we shouldn’t be seeing so many 3 and outs with our D being on the field for 40 plus minutes a game.
Here is to hoping anyway
July 28th, 2015 at 11:20 pm
87 dont get me wrong, if i’m Licht, I sign him.former Division rival, and now he wants revenge
July 28th, 2015 at 11:21 pm
Jaques Smith is going to explode this season and hopefully George Johnson as well.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:27 pm
All I’m saying is playoff teams consistently pick up these talented players with off the field troubles and they consistently go to the playoffs with those said players. I’m sure none of their fans whine abut it when they pick them up either. When Hardy is sacking Rodgers in the playoffs next season no one will give a crap what he does off the field. Nor should they.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:29 pm
Lol Buc by 3 and out you mean the ever so famous run,run,pass, punt?
July 28th, 2015 at 11:34 pm
Yes 87, I do believe that the NFL is not the police. Let them handle it. Whatever the judgement is in the court of law should be the players ultimate fate.And yes, when teams that pick up questionable players, and win, nobody cares about that stuff.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:34 pm
Yes, 85. The Up the middle, up the middle, pass, punt. I Loved that play-calling.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:38 pm
You are also talking about the more Stable teams that can make such questionable moves 87. Dallas has the Donald Trump of football running the ship. If it makes a profit he doesn’t care if the dude sleeps with his wife. In NE you have a genius who is also a Really good cheater, allegedly, who has the purse strings of his owner and has several rings as tenure.
WE………..Have nothing even remotely resembling stability or even a good rational decision making history
July 28th, 2015 at 11:40 pm
Arroyo’s finest. Poor guy, never had a chance from the start. I would love to see more play diversity this season and Koetter will bring it. Looking forward to more TE production as well.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:41 pm
That’s because we are too good to take chances on players. I get it now.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:50 pm
No 87, you must not get it. We don’t have owners willing to do whatever it takes to win. Is that easier for you to understand?
July 28th, 2015 at 11:56 pm
Cmon guys play nice. There isnt many more people on here who i’d like to be posting with. We can agree to disagree.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:57 pm
I should have added “unless it is in England”
We have no stability at top positions in the organization to be able to get together and make hard choices like that. Nobody wants to play for an organization with cheapskate owners and Coaching turnovers every 2 yrs.
July 28th, 2015 at 11:59 pm
Lol No 85. Me and 87 are all good. We disagree from time to time but we are always all good. Even though he is a dirty Nole 🙂
July 29th, 2015 at 12:02 am
LOL
July 29th, 2015 at 12:03 am
How much cap money do we still have I heard we have about 20 million still left for this year?
July 29th, 2015 at 12:05 am
Hardy is out 4 games…take a flier on rice vet minimum and if gallette can pass some easy tests sign him for vet minimum
July 29th, 2015 at 12:06 am
How come we’re not signing Gallette. I heard he got paid a pretty hefty sum of money to just go away. He probably could be had for cheap if they play their cards right.
How does the team expect us fans to invest in the team if they aren’t willing to do the same?
July 29th, 2015 at 12:07 am
Lol guys. Good. I think $20 Mil. is right, wish we would sign LVD already.
July 29th, 2015 at 12:08 am
I’m sorry I just got out of those political blogs for the past hour and 1/2 and I’m feeling a little cranky again.
July 29th, 2015 at 12:12 am
dusthty…that’s what I say.
I’m just wondering whether or not I’m just wasting my time blogging about a team that doesn’t care enough to improve itself.
July 29th, 2015 at 12:14 am
Agree with signing Galette. Maybe he has a couple game suspension.Doesn’t matter that he plays OLB in a 3-4, pass rusher is pash rusher. He is a beast wanting revenge. Just hope he doesn’t go to Carolina.
July 29th, 2015 at 12:18 am
85…well he’s going somewhere that’s for sure.
July 29th, 2015 at 12:20 am
Enough to sign LVD to a 6 Yr Deal and hopefully
July 29th, 2015 at 12:20 am
Alright I’m out. See you guys tomorrow.
Go Bucs!
July 29th, 2015 at 12:21 am
Peace!
July 29th, 2015 at 12:25 am
I would think he would sign with a division rival. maybe not though. It’s all about the money.
July 29th, 2015 at 12:26 am
Gdnight yall.
July 29th, 2015 at 6:16 am
Since these boards are for crazy speculation here are my thoughts:
Winston will throw for 6,287 yards, 46 TDS, 0 Interceptions, win ROY
VJax will have 2,500+ yds
Mike will have 2,700+ yds
Running backs by committee will rush for 5,000+ yds
O-line will come to life and pass protect and be a bunch of crazed road graters
The D-line will have 78 sacks
D-backs will have 98 interceptions
Bucs win Super Bowl by 14 touchdowns
There, my predictions fit most here. Ahh, now I can get back to reality.
July 29th, 2015 at 10:25 am
Rich…those type of predictions can be found at Buc Nation.
July 29th, 2015 at 11:17 pm
Our O line is still suspect until they prove otherwise but Dirk Koetter is the best O Lineman we have. He instantly brings us up towards the middle of the pack thanks to his ability to play to a team’s strength. I’m still smiling over that hire.