What Is Rapoport Trying To Say?
January 22nd, 2016
Why the hate?
This whole Gerald McCoy-is-a-louse narrative really bugs Joe.
You’d think some Bucs fans are talking about Da’Quan Bowers, if you didn’t know any better.
GMC, for reasons Joe honestly cannot fathom, has become a piñata for fans. It’s really puzzling, since he is among the best defensive tackles in the game. Now it seems this nonsense is starting to seep into the national media (but not as bad as Jason Licht is Pontius Pilate and Dirk Koetter is Judas Iscariot nonsense that the Lovie Smith acolytes and apologists are pushing.)
NFL Network uber insider Ian Rapoport recently appeared on WDAE-AM 620 and seemed to hint that GMC is lazy, which is a first for Joe. This jab came when Rapoport was singing the praises of Koetter hiring Bengals defensive line coach Jay Hayes.
“I’m sure Gerald McCoy will not be thrilled,” Rapoport said. “Because he’s gonna have to work really hard but it will make him a better player.”
That is clear implication that GMC doesn’t work hard.
Hell, last year GMC got a day off in training camp, a gift Lovie Smith occasionally gave veterans to keep them fresh. GMC still worked out, hung on the sidelines and went through line drills, firing out of four-point stances on the snap of the ball in shorts. Does that sound like a lazy guy to you, when he otherwise could have been sitting on his rump in a floppy hat sucking water?
To hear more from Rapoport, click on the button below. Audio courtesy of Joe’s friends at WDAE-AM 620.
January 22nd, 2016 at 7:15 am
G McCoy is a good player but being paid like a great player, he’s getting sacks but his tackle numbers are low compared to other tackles. Tackles are important too and he needs to get that number up to be considered dominant
January 22nd, 2016 at 7:22 am
Yesterday on BUCS live Casey Phillips and Scott Smith answered a question I tweeted out to them. I asked if they are seeing any of the players putting in work at one buc and who they see the most of. They both mentioned G Mac coming in quite a bit and even bringing his son in on a stroller with him while he works out. This is complete BS calling him lazy. The video is on buccaneer.com at the 18:00 minute mark if you wanna check it out
January 22nd, 2016 at 7:28 am
GMC is either going to be one motivated MOFO next year, or hes going to pout and quit on the team. He has been challenged by pretty much the entire city and now Rapaport.
I think with Jameis’ leadership and Mike Smith’s schemes, he will be motivated as all get out
January 22nd, 2016 at 7:35 am
“Jason Licht is Pontius Pilate and Dirk Koetter is Judas Iscariot nonsense” you are awesome Joe….. even if you’re the one that swears by well done prime rib.
January 22nd, 2016 at 7:43 am
I honestly just think people judge GMAC the person, friendly and humorous, not his play, maybe if he was a dick like Sapp he would get more LOVE,
Alot of dummies in the world, my guess is even Selmon may get some hate for the same reason in this era of social couch opinionados
January 22nd, 2016 at 7:52 am
I don’t care how nice he is, I think it’s great that he wants to be that way, but I just want hin to take over a game at least once. Never seen him do that. Aaron Donald does, Geno Atkins does…I want my high priced DT to dominate the line. Period.
January 22nd, 2016 at 7:58 am
McCoy will finally become an All-Pro under Hayes.
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:03 am
Rapoport never said GMC was lazy….that was Joe’s take….he said he’ll have to work harder because of the new coach…..what that infers is that there is more effort possible…..maybe from working very hard to working very, very hard…..
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:06 am
That’s just stupid. GMC is realllllllly good. Te hate comes from him being a leader and having the D stink around him. He was unlike Jameis in that regard. Jameis dragged the O up. GMC seems unable to do the same for the D.
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:07 am
I really hope that we draft McCoy a real pass rushing threat, to take some double teams off of him.
I want to see him become truly dominant this year.
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:09 am
I am sure that the first thing Coach Mike Smith has already started to tell players to get back to their playing weight and get their strength back!! All of the very undersized players should be worried!!!
Now that the players won’t be undersized and extremely light maybe they will not be worn out half way thru the third quarter!!!!
Go Bucs!!!
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:14 am
To me this all starts from the first game against Titans when he was mic’d up. He was sooo passive it was disturbing. I’ll never forget him saying “sheesh guys calm down.”
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:21 am
“talented”, heard that one forever…not sure about him being a “gamer” and caring that much about winning…need some nasty on the d-line…not sure he has that in him
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:22 am
should be feelers put out to see what we could get for him…1st rounder and it’s a sale!
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:23 am
Players emulate their HC. Did you ever get the sense that incompetent Lovie Smith was going all out for this team?
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:41 am
I think the problem with GMC this year was what I think happened to Winston. …when you’re busting your a.. out there and other players are loafing around and your head coach doesn’t light a fire under these loafers a.. I think it sort of demotivated players and also make them try and make plays when there is nothing there which is what I think happened to Winston at the end of the season. As
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:54 am
He played with a bum shoulder and broken hand. If he wanted to mail it in or push to placed on IR he could have.
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:58 am
Here is the truth. GMC has a great get off. But running backs blow past him. He misses tackles and on the goal line it pretty much a sure thing the other team will win. I saw an offensive lineman push his mask one time like a punk and mccoy did nothing. Super nice guy great in the community but all around good player. Not great.
January 22nd, 2016 at 9:34 am
GMC is a good player, but what we miss is the 2 or 3 splash plays that make him stand out as one of the best. I can’t believe he can’t beat his opponants several times and really make a difference in these games.
January 22nd, 2016 at 9:38 am
I coach little league football (facebook page NORTH TAMPA BUCS) and by no means am i comparing the two. A lot of times talent can be held back because of teaching and schemes. I have watched players in my program have the it factor but cant show all of it because of the scheme. You must take your best player and put them in position to win every single play they are on the field. That is whats holding GMC back. If you watch Donald,WATT,Atkins they move up and down the line thats is why its hard to get a game day read on them . thats why out of 50 plays they look completely dominate in 20 to 25 . I really believe we will see this this year . So as much as i am on GMC I understand his issues cause 1 thing for sure HE IS ALWAYS PUTTING THE WORK IN
January 22nd, 2016 at 9:44 am
Exactly! Nobody should question GMC’s performance or toughness. He may help other players up with a smile, but that’s after he’s knocked them down. It’s his leadership and ability to elevate the performance of the players around him that separates him from the great players in the game.
January 22nd, 2016 at 9:46 am
GMC just needs to win. He’s had one winning year under Rah. G was pretty banged up this year playing in a stupid system that didn’t work. Lovie will become know. As the worst Head Coach in Bucs’ history. Most of these players have only known losing for the Bucs. Every player on the team needs to win. Winning will make them all elevate their game for an entire season.
January 22nd, 2016 at 9:47 am
Has he had rotator cuff surgery yet? That’s a painful recovery process.
January 22nd, 2016 at 9:53 am
Gerald is not a bad player, but we need him to play better and be a leader. It’s ok to play angry sometimes. As long as he is here McCoy has my full support. With that being said, he will likely have 2 new players on the d-line. We need to pressure the QB. after watching 4-3 teams like Carolina and Seattle last week it is clear we need more from the guys upfront.
January 22nd, 2016 at 9:55 am
Geraldine McCoy. He never struck me as a hardworking individual. He’s eating up a ton of cap room though.
January 22nd, 2016 at 9:58 am
GMC is a tweener. He’s stuck between being very good and great. Because of his draft position and salary everybody expects him to be great.
Perhaps the expectations are simply unrealistic. Perhaps Hayes can help GMC get over the hump from very good to great.
It’s not impossible when you consider the handicaps GMC has had to overcome.
There’s coaching…a lack of a great edge rusher since he’s been here…laboring for a franchise that has been chaotic, disorganized and sports a loser mentality.
But one of the the things that has held him back and is always a concern is his health. I respect he plays through injuries when he can but he has been banged up for a significant % of his career and of course he’s missed most of one season and has played in all 16 only twice in the six years he’s been here.
I do not have concerns because he’s a decent human being and not a Burfict or Hardy…I believe he hustles…works hard..and does the very best he can.
I DO worry about his dependability next year due to his somewhat fragile body. That’s not his fault.
January 22nd, 2016 at 9:58 am
8.5 sacks, only 2 came in the second half of games. The 2 sacks happened in 1 game against Jacksonville in the 4th w 2 mins left in the game. We won the game.
Forget Sapp I’d be happy if he played like Aaron Donald at this point. But to his credit he is a really nice guy, vary vary sweet guy.
January 22nd, 2016 at 10:00 am
Johnny “America’s Commenter” Dejay…I’ve also seen him get run over by players and then he helps them up after they get tackled by one of our LBs.
January 22nd, 2016 at 10:03 am
Vary vary sweet of him to do that, pick guys up. Then he asks “YOU LIKE THAT?!” and they’re like Yes I do thank you that was vary vary sweet of you.
January 22nd, 2016 at 10:06 am
softastissueMcCoy93….with so much losing. A fan like me EXPECTS him to get angry after awhile. Is that TOO much to ask?
Be as angry as I am or you are or most Bucs fans.
That’s the problem that some of us have with him. I don’t want him to be nice anymore. I don’t want him to help players up. I want him to kick them in the teeth while they are down.
I don’t care what Reggie White and Lee Roy Selmon did either. McCoy needs to show me that he gives a sh!t. That he’s sick of losing and losing and losing.
January 22nd, 2016 at 10:08 am
It’s possible that GMC might seem disenchanted since he’s had a new D-line coach just about ever other year since he was drafted. Not to mention the revolving door of bums and scrubs playing on the line with him.
I’m not saying that’s the case or that it’s an excuse but it wouldn’t be a stretch to think that a player could start to tune coaching out after that many changes in philosophy and a revolving door of players.
Warren Sapp played under the same coordinator and d-line coach nearly his entire time in Tampa Bay. Other than a few back ups here and there he played with basically the same core guys on the line as well. Hell, at one point that line had 4 first round draft picks on it. They had a hall of fame LB behind them, and possible HOF safety and CB behind that.
The team set Sapp up for Success from just about day 1. They done nothing even close to that to set GMC up for success and yet he’s still been consistently one of the top DT in the league the last few years.
Even though I don’t think he’s been slacking, I almost hope he has been a little. He’s been one of the best DTs in the league so just imagine what he’ll do if/when he gets some consistency and is coached by one of the best DL coaches in the league.
January 22nd, 2016 at 10:17 am
he’s not a HOF player. let’s all get over it. he’s still top 5, possibly top 2 at what he does right now. he makes a ton of money, possibly too much. let’s all get over that too. the bucs are literally required to spend money on players and he has been among the best on a bad roster for 5 years. we could sign 3 more players to that kind of superstar money and still pull together $25 million in cap room. in 2 years, he will either be worth the money or be gone providing a huge cap recovery, no harm done. let’s just let the guy shift into a support role in the locker room and worry about putting a little more skill next to him on the D line
January 22nd, 2016 at 10:19 am
HE may not be lazy in the workout room or at practice, but I remember talking with Chidi and he was telling me you could never be lazy on the field. Players and Coach Rod would call you out. I have seen many many times where GMC would take plays off. SAPP and Brooks would have called him out. Don’t you wonder why Sapp just stopped talking with GMC during the season? Besides Sapp’s Ego and law troubles. Watch the games and many times he could have stopped a running back in the backfield and it was like he was waiting for someone else to make the play. I watched him just give up on a sack twice in big games when we needed a stop. Maybe it was the way that Cullen and Lovie were asking him to get turnovers or maybe that way the he was all alone to be blocked. But he quit many times during one on one plays that he should have dominated. Hopefully Hayes will get that fire back in GMC.
January 22nd, 2016 at 10:20 am
You can bet your ass Jameis Winston plays angry and he’s our QB.
January 22nd, 2016 at 10:32 am
@buc1987
looks like our “friend” from yesterday got banned for playing “the card” to much! Banned and post deleted!!!! I wish Joe would post names in the forums of the banned!!!
I remember when the fans got made at the coaching staff about tell GMC to not help up the other team and to be “meaner”!!!
January 22nd, 2016 at 10:38 am
@Buc1987
Is that the truth, its all about attitude and want to. McCoy has said some dumb things last year, but the quote that bothered me the most. Was that he told his teammates not to be angry in practice after the loss the Washington. As a man, how can you not be angry after a loss like that?
January 22nd, 2016 at 11:10 am
Well the second he steps out of that tunnel, the nice needs to be turned off. It appears to me that he has no problem with the losing. It shows up in his personality on numerous occasions.
Warren Sapp is my favorite Buc of all time and I know many fans don’t like him to this day. Perhaps those same fans are the ones that defend McCoy to the end.
I don’t expect McCoy to be another Sapp. That would be silly. God created Sapp and then he broke the mold. I don’t even hold him up to Sapp and make my judgement.
All I’m asking is for him to BE just a little bit angry at the losing and I think I’ve got a valid point. Sapp, Lynch and Brooks got together and said the losing stops now. Apparently there is no one on defense that can pull these guys together and make that same proclamation. Perhaps McCoy has become too complacent and has just mentally checked out. If that’s so then I’m going to be in the trade GMC crowd very shortly.
I don’t care if he plays hurt. If you’re playing hurt and you are not that effective when your healthy then ask to be placed on IR. YES I have grown tired of McCoy’s cheap talk on Thursdays only to not show up on Sundays.
Perhaps Kwon is that leader I’ve been looking for.
January 22nd, 2016 at 11:17 am
@buc1987
You mean you want to see something like this from GMC!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2G4JkfQ-Tgo
This was the last DT Coach Mike Smith had as DC!!!!!
January 22nd, 2016 at 11:38 am
Exactly Realist and that guy’s team loses all the time.
Maybe Joe will leave this up, maybe he won’t, but this is what I’m talking about.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoWCMJFjzkM
Some of you youngins don’t know who bad it actually was back then.
January 22nd, 2016 at 11:49 am
These criticisms of GMC are so stupid! The guy shows up for work every game, hurt or not, surrounded by third tier talent and still produces.
For those still willing to criticize, go do what he does and see if you fare better. Better yet, stay where you are, behind the keyboard because you CAN’T do what he does!
Typical freakin’ “Buc fans”!!!
January 22nd, 2016 at 11:57 am
Bucsfanman …that’s great, you just stay complacent like McCoy. Embrace the losing like McCoy does.
This guy posted McCoy in a nutshell and you don’t have problem with it, but I do.
BucGator Says:
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:14 am
To me this all starts from the first game against Titans when he was mic’d up. He was sooo passive it was disturbing. I’ll never forget him saying “sheesh guys calm down.”
January 22nd, 2016 at 12:23 pm
@Buc1987
Give me a break, man! Gerald McCoy is the best player on this team! Not even Winston is better (yet; next year he probably will be).
His sack total is only a part of his game, but even they would have been better if he were not alone on that line. What do you expect???
The Bucs have only drafted ONE DEFENSIVE PLAYER in two years! They filled the holes with washed up, overrated, injury prone free agents!
The entire league views McCoy as one of the best. Rapoport wasn’t saying McCoy is lazy. That wasn’t his intent. He pulled Geralds name out of the air in the process of making a joke!
Sheesh, man. Wake up.
(I still would not be opposed to trading McCoy for two first rounders or better)
January 22nd, 2016 at 12:24 pm
@BucGator
He told them to calm down because the Titans were getting in their heads. That’s what leaders do.
January 22nd, 2016 at 12:32 pm
’87 You ever think that maybe it was BECAUSE he was mic’d up?! You don’t know! All you know is that GMC is on a losing football team and makes a lot of money so he’s the easy target. Did anyone else on the defense live up to their paycheck? Seems to me like being statistically one of the top ten at your position and being selected to the Pro Bowl makes your argument moot. So what if he doesn’t swear. So what if he helps up other players. What do you care?! The Bucs wins and losses do not run through GMC. Football is a TEAM game, guy.
If your definition of complacent is being one of the best at your position while playing through injuries surrounded by below-average talent, sure sign me up.
Yeah, GMC is sooo soft!!! Give me a break!
It’s all destined to change anyway and you and everybody else will be back on the wagon once we start winning games.
January 22nd, 2016 at 12:39 pm
87
But #99 had pro bowlers on the Dline. It’s wasn’t like he got 12.5 sacks on his own by pure will and determination. Are you blind? Can’t you see all the talent that surrounded Sapp on the Dline in 1999? You so stupit.
January 22nd, 2016 at 1:13 pm
Bucsfanman…you just rambled off a bunch of nonsense.
GMC…where’s the fight? Where’s the anger?
I just saw the movie Bridge of Spies the other day. Perhaps McCoy is like the Russian spy in that movie that Hanks defended. Hanks pretty much asked him: “Are you worried?” The spies response : “Would it help?”
When McCoy’s career is over I seriously doubt anyone in NFL circles will ever look back at his playing days and say remember how good Gerald McCoy was. It won’t happen and he will easily be forgotten. That’s how good McCoy is.
January 22nd, 2016 at 1:14 pm
DB55…love the sarcasm. You know that right. I appreciate strong sarcasm and that was strong. lol
January 22nd, 2016 at 1:23 pm
BuccaneerBonzai Says:
January 22nd, 2016 at 12:23 pm
“@Buc1987
Give me a break, man! Gerald McCoy is the best player on this team!”
Oh and that’s really saying a lot. It’s not too hard to be the best player on this team. That’s also a very debatable opinion.
Aw shucks guys calm down and we gonna go have fun, let’s go have fun, we gonna go have fun. The guy just needs to clam up then and just play. Don’t put a mic on this fool anymore he only embarrasses himself and our team.
That’s what leaders do??? This coming from one of Lovie Smith’s biggest fans. So your opinion carries no weight with me on the subject of GMC. I thought you were going to go write another novel or something. I bet you’re the master at writing fiction.
January 22nd, 2016 at 1:44 pm
How many coaches and s-line coaches
January 22nd, 2016 at 1:46 pm
You’re funny ’87!
I see your schtick and you won’t be taking me down that road with you.
We’ll agree to disagree.
You’ll be back on the bandwagon when we start winning games, you’ll see!
DB55- no pro-bowlers, you are correct. Ask Sapp about the importance of Brad Culpepper or Ronde Barber or Derrick Brooks or John Lynch or Donnie Abraham or Hardy. Sapp was a monster, no question. Know this though the DBs and LBs are just as important to the DL as the DL is to them. Does GMC have the same behind him? Uh, no.
Sarcasm aside, one does not beget the other.
January 22nd, 2016 at 2:08 pm
Fan man
Neither do Geno Atkins or Aaron Donald (heck Donald got Barron behind him, a convert safety) but they dominate games regularly. Donald might have single handedly beat us this year. BTW Donald and Atkins were voted pro-bowl captains but I’m sure neither hurt their hand this year, so there’s that.
I think gmc has given up on trying to win in TB, I can’t say I blame him but if his heart ain’t in it he won’t produce. IMHO.
January 22nd, 2016 at 2:20 pm
Bucsfanman…lol I am funny aren’t I. I’m actually the funniest person I know. Don’t take me seriously as I am a homer at heart. I just dissect different aspects of this team all the time. If I see something wrong, I don’t look for excuses to prove my points. So of course I’ll be on the bandwagon, seeing how I never got off of it to begin with.
My schtick is to argue with other fans opinions. If someone rattles my cage or pokes a stick at me, they better know what their getting into. Most fans on here know this by now. I’m a very opinionated S.O.B. with a passion for a team that sucks year in and year out. Nothing will change my affinity for this team. So if I bash and bash and bash, that doesn’t mean that I’m less of a fan.
January 22nd, 2016 at 2:28 pm
the people calling McCoy lazy don’t watch him practice, train…he’s one of the hardest workers and first one in type of guys on the team. He was also playing hurt…and hence the drop in production.
January 22nd, 2016 at 2:31 pm
GMC is not the best player on this team. He is very comparable to Lovie as in he is very popular because he’s a “nice guy”. LVD is the best player on this team. Soon to be Jameis.
As for the article, it makes sense. Would explain why he constantly disappears in games and even against lower level competition like rookies.
January 22nd, 2016 at 4:05 pm
McCoys biggest flaw is he’s hell bent on going around offensive linemen rather than through them. If his first step doesn’t beat them he gets stonewalled and there is no second or third move to get free again. His hands are not violent enough and he doesn’t play with leverage. He plays like a guy that got by too many times on speed alone and never refined his pass rush pre snap plan and moves.
I don’t think he’s a bad player, but I wouldn’t be sad to see him go either. He’s one tradeable asset we have on a team with quite a few holes.
January 22nd, 2016 at 6:47 pm
GMC is not a game changer.
GMC is not feared by any team like Sapp was.
GMC has tied up a chunk of franchise money.
The last person respected/feared on this team was D. Revis…
GMC is a good player that flashes now and again, but don’t count on him taking over a game like a JJ Watt type or Sapp or Rice.
Fans just miss having those types of players 🙁
January 22nd, 2016 at 8:19 pm
Not sure he was trying to dig on McCoy. Just tried to emphasize the type of coach Hayes is. Like, Whatever you thought was hard work, was really some weak amateur shizz. Hayes is going to work you boys like you’ve never been worked before, better come to camp in mid season form because you will die once hayes gets his hands on you.
January 22nd, 2016 at 10:00 pm
Can’t be lazy. It takes a lot of energy to pick up a 220 lb. RB after he just ran you over. Especially if you are doing it as consistently as Aunt Geraldine does. Can’t wait to see Gholston, Big Clint, and Spence ball next season. KILLA KWON will be wearing Aunt Geraldine’s “C” patch next season.
January 23rd, 2016 at 10:15 am
We need to get GMC some stud, nasty players to play next to him. There are three really talented DT in the first round and several DE who will be available in the second. First step lets get the front four as good as possible. McDonald, Spence and Melton are not the answer. George Johnson needs to be released and Jaquies Smith should be rotational only. Other than the big three at CB, the others are projects who will take time to develop. Round one DT – Andrew Billings Baylor is a beast that ragdolls one-on-one blockers and splits double teams using power and technique, with room to grow. Andrew Billings is the best NT in the draft and would be an instant starter. Robert Nkemdiche, A’Shawn Robinson and Kenny Clark are also going to be great. DE’s in the second round are Shawn Oakman, Kevin Dodd and Carl Nassib. If OT Ronnie Stanley drops to nine we need to draft him.