Beckles: No Hate For GMC
September 4th, 2015
Former Bucs guard and local sports radio personality Ian Beckles responds to a Gerald McCoy Twitter and explains his hypercritical stance on the Bucs’ Pro Bowl defensive tackle.
This week, as is his custom, former Bucs guard and current WDAE-AM 620 personality Ian Beckles teed off on Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy for being underwhelming.
Naturally, this created a ruckus, especially online where Beckles came under fire not just from Bucs fans but also, in a way, from GMC himself.
GMC put out a Twitter poking fun at Beckles, who seems to have had an ax to grind with GMC for years. The Twitter from GMC moved Beckles to respond on-air and to ‘splain himself — why he has been hypercritical of GMC.
In part, Beckles believes GMC must play great and play at the level of Reggie White, Dan Hampton and Warren Sapp in order to help turn the Bucs from their current laughing stock, last-place ways into winners.
And Beckles does not believe GMC – to date — has played as well as the aforementioned Hall of Famers.
Some of the highlights (?) from Beckles’ sermon:
* “I would love to sit down with Gerald McCoy [and] if he would have a problem [with any critique], I would like to explain it.”
* “I’m doing my job.”
* “I would hope Gerald McCoy respects the game of football, and I think he does.”
* “Brad Culpepper got nine sacks. And so did Marcus Jones. And Tyoka Jackson, Steve White, and some of them were making barely any money.”
(Note from Joe: Per Pro-Football-Reference.com, Culpepper once had nine sacks — in 1998; Jackson never had more than 5.5 sacks in a season; White’s best year was five; Jones had 13 one season as a defensive end.)
* “Do I know a little bit about [football]? I hope so. When it comes to defensive line play, I think I know a little bit.
But Beckles saved his best rant for when he discussed his football resumé and how he is more than capable of critiquing defensive linemen.
“I played in the league for nine years. I think that’s a pretty good career, considering,” Beckles said. “These are some of the guys I blocked: Reggie White … John Randle I played against 15 times … Howie Long I blocked a couple of times … I blocked Chester McGlockton, Cortez Kennedy … Leon Lett, Dan Hampton … Jerry Ball, Eric Swann … Warren Sapp I practiced against him every day … Dexter Manley, I played with him. William Perry … so, credential-wise, I think I am OK.
“So when I am trying to get somebody fired up to make our team better, don’t be mad at me. I want the Buccaneers to win. I love the Buccaneers. When the Bucs won the Super Bowl, I remember almost crying because we never thought it would happen and [now] we are 2-14. So you want me to watch film and say, ‘That guy is great, that guy is great, that guy is great?’ So if you were great last year than you can sit back and all of you great guys can be 2-14 again.”
“It’s not good enough! That’s what I am trying to say. It’s not good enough.”
Beckles also believes that if he had a private film session with Bucs defensive line coach Joe Cullen, that Cullen would agree with Beckles “100 percent.”
To hear Beckles’ full explanation, click the arrow below. Audio courtesy of Joe’s friends at WDAE-AM 620
September 4th, 2015 at 8:00 am
The problem isn’t GMC….it’s the failure of Bowers, Clayborne, Price and others that were failures…..and…..the NFL is different now with the $$……GMC is worth every penny.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:02 am
I like Beckles points. We all love GMC. Ian is right. Is time to become Great specially with the injuries to our DEs.
The defense seems to be stock with Lovie’s ex-players. This is the year the defense is more aggressive since they don’t have think so much about the fundamentals of Lovie’s Tampa 2. The history gods show that the Tampa 2 defense starts to come together a the end of the 1st year. We saw that improvement last year without Lovie making calls. This year we start to make some damage. GMC needsto excel for the newcomers at DE to excel in this coming month. With Lovie making calls I have a great deal of trust in this defense’s coming season.
Licht keep the fire going bring the best fit for DEs and O-Line.
Go Bucs
September 4th, 2015 at 8:19 am
GMC on the edge? we’re deep at tackle….
September 4th, 2015 at 8:23 am
I agree with a lot of what Beckles said, but he clearly has an ax to grind with McCoy. First of all, he’s negative towards everyone. We were 2-14, so I can’t say I blame him or that he’s wrong. Second, just because you played in the league doesn’t make you an expert. There are tons and tons of guys who played at the highest level, but can’t judge talent any better than you or I (ahem Matt Millen). Finally, McCoy isn’t JJ Watt. I love McCoy, but he’s just not at that level. No one is right now. JJ Watt is the best defensive player I’ve ever seen, and that includes Reggie White and Lawrence Taylor. Stop comparing McCoy to him. Suh isn’t anywhere near as good as JJ Watt. That doesn’t mean Suh and McCoy aren’t great players. Karl Malone was a great player, but he sure as hell was never in the same ballpark as Michael Jordan. Just because McCoy isn’t Watt doesn’t mean he can’t play. Beckles seems to struggle with that concept.
Bottom line is, until McCoy gets help, he’s not going to put up the stats many people expect. If he doesn’t get help, he won’t be compared to the greatest of all time. It’s on the organization to bring in help. He’s not sitting in the draft room. He wanted us to get Bennett back, and he openly lobbied for Greg Hardy. With all due respect to these guys, he’s got pure trash on the edge (I like Smith, but he’s very much unproven). Until he has someone that can cause pressure on the outside, he’s going to continue to be the sole focus of the offensive line. I love the guy, but he’s not JJ Watt. He needs help.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:23 am
Beckles is too proud to admit he’s not completely right.
GMC isn’t Warren Sapp, but who has ever been? He’s a very, very good player in a league full of great athletes. His stats would be better if he were to have been playing along side better players.
Beckles is butt hurt that he’s getting criticism for being a douche bag.
And I like Beckles.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:26 am
I agree with Ian with all the points he makes
McCoy, while he is a “good player”……he is being talked about and compared to by everyone in the media like he is a “great player”.
Great players are always “seen” in games in and around plays on the field……and there are many games when he is just “average” or he just “disappears” in games.
I wonder how many people actually focus in on “Line” play……and if you’ve been paying attention to McCoy’s play…..you’ll see exactly what Ian Beckles and me are talking about.
JOE………..why didn’t you write down what else he said in his radio show the other day????? Ian also said that he also watches the games with former or current NFL players and he said they are seeing the same exact thing!!!!!
…..cmon JOE…..if you’re only going to paint IAN like it’s only his eyes that are seeing it in this post……then you’re telling the whole truth of his “rant”
I don’t feel he’s “RANTING” either……..I’m going to tell everyone what he said a few times during his radio show…..he said he’s “EVALUATING”
Good Job to IAN BECKLES for not wearing “Bucs” blinders and saying it how it truly is on the radio.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:33 am
I love GMC. But the fact is, 99 took over games. I never remember GMC doing that.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:38 am
@theBucsanthem – First, Joe provided the full audio. So people can listen to the whole thing. Second, this is not the only post published here about Beckles’ rant. Third, Beckles’ credibility is not enhanced by Joe writing something like, “And Beckles said his ex-NFL friends agree.” Beckles credibility stands on its own. … Joe is not “painting” the truth here as you so rudely suggest.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:44 am
Fans hate that Ian is right. We throw around the word great too easily. Look how the Bucs d has performed while GMC has been a “leader”.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:54 am
How many NFL players are great?
NFL players voted GMC the 27th best player. Out of just under 1700 players, he’s 27th.
That’s great to me.
Absolutely great.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:00 am
My Buc Buddy texted me to say that Ian was addressing his critiques. I turned on to listen because I refuse to listen to anyone but the Big Dog (which is by far the best that we have in this area). I’m old enough and have watched the Bucs live and on tv dating back to Doug and Batman Woods. I remember a young #55 showing up at my barbers shop and hanging out with us driving his white explorer. We got to know each other over the years. Caddillac, and many others have graced the shop, and father Dungy still does to this day. 55 taught me a great lesson when barber shop talk turned into bashing Trent Difer. 55 would have non of that talk, but full support for his team mate. I listened to Ian’s show up until the start of last years season. I was fed up with the constant bashing with very little positive to say about the team/players. If o e was simple minded and didn’t devote close to 20 hours weekly (even in the offseason) towards following my team I would be cheering for another. How is this him doing his job? His excuse for playing in the league against greats doesn’t make him an expert on he subject. If a kid got beat up twice a week and got his lunch money taken, should he be an expert on what a good fighter looks like? No, he could be an expert on how to get your lunch money taken, but that’s it. I lost all respect (whatever little was left) when he had a harsh critique on Jameis and he preferenced it by saying he “wouldn’t say it to his face”. Reggie had Jerome Brown for a good part of his career, who does GMC have? Who has GMC had that was at least some kind of threat to get to the QB consistently (just pressure the QB, get close enough to smell his deodorant)? And last, why do players in the league keep ranking him so high if he has such a long way to go? That alone should tell you how OCs prepare for him.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:05 am
I feel like I stumbled into the Onion. Wonderful strategy of blaming our best player for our woes. I’m sure Cleveland lobs hate at Joe Thomas all the time. That bum JJ Watt has missed the playoffs the last two years. I saw Lavonte miss a tackle the other night too. Worthless.
If you a zero-in on a player looking for them to mess up, you will find it every single game. JJ Watt has missed tackles. Joe Thomas has given up sacks. Donkey Kong Suh takes some plays off.
But seriously.. Some of you are in here whining because McCoy isn’t Sapp or Reggie White? McCoy is not the problem. When we start winning again McCoy will be part of that solution. We have not inflated his greatness based on our home-town rooting interests. Ask any national analyst and McCoy will either be there 1st, 2nd or 3rd rated DT.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:06 am
Joe, I have to agree with theBucsanthem. You do seem to want to make Ian out to be some McCoy hater. I don’t think he’s a hater. IMO Ian played with and against guys who never called themselves leaders. They’ve never stood up in front of anyone and said “I’m a leader” They’ve never blamed lack of players around them as to why the team is performing badly. But McCoy constantly is saying how he’s the leader of this team and I think Ian is sick of hearing about it and waiting for him to actually play like one.
Great players make plays no matter what or who is around them. They DO NOT disappear in the 4th quarter. We’ve gone entire games without hearing McCoy’s name.
Great players refuse to go a game without making one play. McCoy is good. But not great and you media need to stop calling him great.
Great players don’t get manhandled by rookies in camp.
Joe I’d love to see a post here after you’ve sat down with Ian and let him explain the things he sees and explain why he says what he says. I think you’d stop saying how great McCoy is once you see the film from a guys prospective who’s spent his whole career studying D-line play to learn weaknesses and tendencies to exploit them on the field.
Do it joe Watch film with him and get back to us. I’d love to read that article.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:06 am
Beckles is the expert textpert, “you see what I’m saying” and “back in the day”. Shove a potato in his mouth, he sounds like he is on speed.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:09 am
What I cannot understand is why anyone has to stand up for McCoy. He has broad shoulders….he is a man. If he cannot take some media type criticizing his play…he should really seek counseling. He plays in the NFL and this sure is a lot of drama over a little bit of drama. I agree…they were 2-14…stop celebrating..stop the non-sense…win some games and then tell me how you are above anyones analysis.
Frankly….I would be better off the silenced most of the media types….have heard nothing but blah, blah, blah regarding footballs that were underinflated by 2 pounds on one (1) guage and oh. by the way…they were confiscated at half time before the QB1 in question scored 34 unanswered points to win the game.
Too much blah, blah, blah and not enough football. How about someone doing a very critical job of evaluating Lovie Smith…his 2-14 season….his QB1 that trips over his own feet….throwing the last game of the season just to improve your draft status. What would this team do if they did not get high draft picks every season. Just win baby!! Stop with the drama and play some football. When GMC is the dominant defenseive player in the NFL…then start telling the media who can talk about him and who can’t.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:12 am
And for all the fans that post here about how horrible Ian is. Love him or hate him. You should at least respect that he knows what the lines are supposed to look like. HE did it not just for 9 years at the highest level but pretty much his entire football life. He’s had plenty of coaches in his life and has coached himself. At least understand the guy has seen it more than you and stop bashing him for understanding the game better than you.
I’m a bucs fan, Have been since I was born. Ian has literally left blood, sweat and tears on the field for this team. So yeah wouldn’t you be passionate if you’ve put that much into something you saw turning to crap?
September 4th, 2015 at 9:16 am
So to sum up:
Beckles says GMC is a bum.
Ronde, Lynch, Sapp, Brooks, pretty much every other player with a pulse says GMC is great.
Thus GMC is a bum.
Gotcha. Wish my opinion was worth more than 6 dozen combined opinions.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:52 am
Like GMC, here are some other supposedly “great” things that need to step it up:
The Beach. Too sandy.
Christmas. Why all the fruitcakes?
Free lunches. There are no free lunches.
The Grand Canyon. Big hole in the ground. Big whup.
Sex. I spend 99.99999999% of my life not having it.
Disney World. $100 to get heat stroke. No thx.
The Great Wall. Undone by the Great ladder.
Wayne Gretzky. Canadian.
September 4th, 2015 at 9:59 am
Great take Nick, even Pro Bowlers on NFL Network love McCoy, but I guess that the “many” who praise him, even 99 that all are comparing him to are dead wrong. I guess Ian has more experience than 99 on the position. And those that say “watch” the line play. I say watch the line play of all the comparisons, not just the highlights but the full game. Even JJ has a beast like Cushing who will come hot at any time and demolish your QB. and 3/4 defenses are a SOB to block for as you could tell from the Browns game. And also I guess that you don’t see teams running away from 93, double and a few times triple teaming him. Very rarely do they block him with one. But I guess that’s not taken into account. He should be Super Man!
September 4th, 2015 at 10:08 am
Evo:
Joe is “painting” Beckles to be a “hater?”
Did you read the headline?
September 4th, 2015 at 10:12 am
Even though Sapp was an elite player, the DL wasn’t elite until Simeon Rice got here. Other than McCoy, the line play has been terrible since he got here (with the exception of Bennett one year.) They are seriously triple teaming GMC every game and still no other linemen can make a play.
Glad Beckles is being critical and not throwing blank praise at everything like most of the Tampa media, but GMC isn’t where he should be focusing his attention. How about the overall line coaching and the other lineman?
September 4th, 2015 at 11:26 am
AMEN! Thank you Ian! Finally, the voice of reason.
September 4th, 2015 at 11:37 am
I think Beckles is just making the point a few of us made awhile back. GMC is not playing up to his pay scale. Some of us said it before he got paid and some fans in here lost their minds over it.
He’s not worth Sapp-like money and that’s what he got. I think that’s Beckles man point. Start playing up to the level the Bucs are paying you. Preseason or not.
September 4th, 2015 at 11:39 am
@Hawaiian..i agree with most of what you always post and I agree with most of what you said in the above post…my only thing is that sapp didn’t play with a player equal to his talent along the dline just as McCoy is doing now…culpepper,mcfarland,styles g white were all good players but not as good as sapp…s.rice was on the same level with sapp imo but that was it…I think what beckles is trying to state is that sapp would have an impact throughout the entire game..all 60mins where McCoy would blow up the first 2 plays of the opening drive and then go missing…even though sapp was double teamed jus as much or maybe even a little more, sapp would consistently effect every series…I think McCoy has a tendency to rely too much on his fellow dlinemen once he starts getting double teamed…some of that is the coaches fault for not moving him around but most of it is McCoy being mr. nice guy imo…I have yet to see McCoy challenge his fellow dlinemen during the game and holding them accountable for their performance and I’ve gone to every home game since ’13…back in the day I would always see sapp challenging his teammates along with brooks and lynch…I know football is a team sport and 1 man cant win a game by himself but I think beckles is basically saying McCoy is great when it doesn’t count and when we really need him in crunch time he’s just a little above average..i think everyone can agree that we see greatness in McCoy and that’s why people like ian are so hard on him…if he had the killer mind set of sapp,suh or jj watt McCoy would have no naysayers…without that killer mind set he will be stuck in that second tier of dlinemen and second tier players are very good but not great…but I always enjoy your comments Hawaiian, we’ll see 9/13…GO BUCS!!!
September 4th, 2015 at 11:41 am
Another thing…if I have to read double and triple teams one more time I’m going to scream!
September 4th, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Ian is right.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:09 pm
Some of you are clearly missing Ian’s point. Ian did not say McCoy is a bum. He simply said GMC is a little overrated for the type of film he puts out at times. Gruden pointed out how GMC was pushed too far away from the football at times and that should not happen. Yes GMC has some good games in spurts, but we as buc fans knows he disappears as well for stretches. And the argument that he has no one to play with him is ludicrous. As Ian said, great players make those around him better.
Since we are talking about Sapp, everyone wants to point out that he had Rice which is true, but Sapp was a beast for 5 years before Rice arrived. Who remembers the 6th round draft pick of chidi ahanatou? Yea, he had a 10 sack season playing along Sapp before Rice arrived. Joe mentioned Culpepper. Culpepper never had more than 4 sacks before lining up next to Sapp. Culpepper had a 8.5, 9, and a 6 sack season at DT before Rice playing along Sapp. Does anyone remember Marcus Jones? Marcus jones enjoyed a 7 sack season and a 13 sack season in 2000. Oh yea, Rice was not here yet. What was Sapp numbers during this time before Rice arrived? He had a 9, 10.5, 7, 12.5 and 16.5 (defensive player of the year) sack seasons. No Sapp did not need Rice to be great. He was great at the U and it carried over into the league. There are no excuses for McCoy not making players around him better. If he wants to be in the league of Sapp, White, Taylor, Watt etc., then he needs to step up and bring the other “nobodies” with him just like Sapp did.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:33 pm
If I recall, Sapp was dominant before Rice came. He knocked out Rice and Young on the same play. ….at that point , that’s when people knew the Bucs were no longer Creamsicle pushovers. I want someone to take leadership like Sapp, Brooks and Lynch did when they said….we’re tired of losing, let’s turn this around.
September 4th, 2015 at 1:00 pm
Chris…well said…
Losing makes everyone irritable…this includes the fans and posters on JBF….including myself. Are we to blame for wanting a winning/competitive team? I think not. As you/Joe have stated many times, winning is the cure all but 2007 was a long ass time ago. I think sometimes you are overly sensitive to what fans say on this blog for a media guy, who should be objective and disregard what most of us ever say….. I think that is fair criticism. We love our bucs just as much as u and sometimes say silly things just like u….>>”America’s QB” <<silliness.
September 4th, 2015 at 1:41 pm
@Hawaiian. I’ve become a big fan! Your posts are always well thought out, points backed by facts or at least observations..and well written. Kudos to you.
I see both sides of this and so I agree with virtually all of you.
Yes losing has made us all irritable. Yes Ian can be negative and I sometimes wonder if he’s just not trying to prove he’s “independent” and not a “company man”. Perhaps he overdoes it but I respect any commentator with an apparent conflict of interest trying to go out of his way to prove it’s not really a conflict.
See Johnny Miller’s golf analysis..brutal but very honest and entertaining.
As for me I have just two observations. One GMC has had a very good career already but not GREAT! If great players are supposed to make them around them better why does everybody keep reversing his and claim that GMC’s problem is that he hasn’t had any good players along side of him. McDonald and Melton are good players..there have been other “decent” players, I know no spectacular DE’s.
2nd. Is it just me or do we not see a lack of consistency in GMC’s game. Sometimes he’s amazing, sometimes he’s average. A “great” player has to be consistently good at minimum. They can’t disappear.
GMC is hitting the prime of his career. Now is when he’s going to really determine…great or just good? One of the questions 2015 will help answer.
Same for Lovie…great coach or simply mediocre…Let’s all have this conversation again after 2015.
September 4th, 2015 at 4:56 pm
Sapp didn’t always have great DE help. He ALWAYS had better than what McCoy has had. The only possible exception was the one year where Bennett had 9 sacks. If I’m not mistaken, McCoy was first team all pro that year. Coincidence?
September 4th, 2015 at 5:13 pm
Hawaiian Buc Says:
September 4th, 2015 at 4:56 pm
Sapp didn’t always have great DE help. He ALWAYS had better than what McCoy has had. The only possible exception was the one year where Bennett had 9 sacks. If I’m not mistaken, McCoy was first team all pro that year. Coincidence?
————————–
You are missing the point. Those guys who played with Sapp did nothing for other teams or when they were not playing with Sapp ie Brad culpepper which means Sapp made them better. Ahanatou was a 6th round pick. What round was Gholston drafted? Marcus Jones, was at one point an underachieving high draft pick ala Larry English yet Jones put together at least two good years. There is no excuse for McCoy. Part of being great is holding your teammates accountable for poor play which Sapp did. Its easy to say Sapp had better players, but the truth is he demanded more from his teammates and he too performed at a high level. Until McCoy does that, he will just be a good player with a bloated paycheck.