ASJ Didn’t Love Football
August 17th, 2017
No passion, ASJ explains.
One thing Joe noticed regularly was that former Bucs tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins sure did talk a good game. But he simply didn’t have game.
And now, at least when he was with the Bucs, we know why. He simply wasn’t into football.
ASJ — Joe refers to him as ASJackwagon because he sure was with the Bucs — is battling alcoholism and, in a piece in the New York Daily News with Manish Mehta, ASJ details his battle to stay sober. Neither the Bucs nor Tampa Bay were referenced in the article, but there telling anecdotes.
Basically, ASJ admits in previous years, football was more a chore than a joy.
I always liked football, but it wasn’t like, “Oh, I’m so excited to get up and prepare.” It was like, “F–k. I got to get up. I got to prepare. I got to go to practice. I got to do this.” I was just going so I could go to the game. …
I’ve always liked football and enjoyed playing, but I’ve never loved it. … Before, I didn’t want to know the technique. I just wanted to go play. … I’ve never really had that intense passion for it.
ASJ now claims he has developed a love for the game and can’t wait to get to the Jets’ facility. Perhaps the reason ASJ has suddenly embraced football is that it gives him structure?
General managers often say the trick to finding a good player is trying to find his heart. Players always say they love the game and the salesmen/con artists can pull a fast one on general managers. Former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik once discussed on SiriusXM NFL Radio how he was hoodwinked by Myron Lewis.
The guys that love the game have a sincere passion for it. They are the ones that often max out their talents or go a bit beyond. Clearly America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, Kwon Alexander and, it appears, O.J. Howard are branches from that same tree (what is it about those Alabama men?), just to name a few.
The Buccaneers organization tried to sell the public that Josh Freeman had that same love of the game. That obviously was inaccurate.
It seemed ASJ got over on lazy Lovie Smith. Joe hopes for ASJ’s sake, this newfound desire is sincere and that he continues on his road to reshaping his life.
August 17th, 2017 at 12:44 pm
Sure would have been nice to know that BEFORE he was drafted. Makes him no better than a thief.
August 17th, 2017 at 12:44 pm
Lesson from ASJ: It’s a character thing…..
August 17th, 2017 at 12:48 pm
@joe…to be honest, I wouldn’t have even wasted my time writing/typing about this loser….your much better than that and so are we….GO BUCS!!!!
August 17th, 2017 at 12:59 pm
Tom Edrington
good character does not always equal DRIVEN WINNER it takes a combination of character and the drive to win consistently in the NFL. All you need to do is look at the failed team captain / choirboy approach that resulted in the bucs being embarrassed and in the basement for the better part of a decade. The key is to be able to manage personalities. ALL TYPES… Not just the smiling soft choirboys.
August 17th, 2017 at 1:00 pm
At least ASJ likes football. I’m sure there are many players in football and other sports that actually *hate* their sport. For example, I remember that Andre Agassi wrote that he hated tennis but he was one of the best all time. You can love the game and not put in the work and you can hate the game but put in the work.
In what way was Lovie Smith lazy? Did Roberto Aguayo get over on Jason Licht?
August 17th, 2017 at 1:02 pm
tmaxcon, you should watch the last episode of Hard Knocks especially the part where all the coaches are stunned and amazed at Gerald McCoy’s get off. It’s really something else!
August 17th, 2017 at 1:06 pm
D-Rome
how many games has the get off helped him take over the last 7 years. He’s a top 5 talent on paper and a top 75 talent on game days. How did he do against Dallas the best measuring stick a dt can have? I know please don’t waste time listing the numerous excuses they are as tired as my rants. Again, all this warm cuddly BS stories on hardknocks is just like all the good in the community rhetoric until it translates into playoff wins it’s all meaningless BS.
August 17th, 2017 at 1:11 pm
d-rome
lovie liked to take naps in film study and give the players blanky time when it rained. lazy enough for you.. I did not even have to mention he did not bother to educate himself in all three phases of the game. Lovie was just as one dimensional and clueless as Dungy was & is.
August 17th, 2017 at 1:14 pm
ASJ is overrated lol
August 17th, 2017 at 1:15 pm
not to mention, he will realize fully when we absolutely pummel the jets this season when hes on the other bench that he messed up bad. I cant wait to see it.
August 17th, 2017 at 1:16 pm
Coaches at Washington said he never gave 100%. And we still drafted this clown.
August 17th, 2017 at 1:34 pm
That’s some Fox Newsesque spin there blaming Lovie for the ASJ pick, not the actual GM of the team that made the selection. Do you blame Lovie for Mike Evans and Jameis Winston too? 😛
August 17th, 2017 at 1:34 pm
The reason ASJ has suddenly embraced football is because it gives him a pay check, structure be damned.
August 17th, 2017 at 1:57 pm
That’s always been his biggest problem best get off of any d lineman , so he relies on it way to much . When he doesn’t beat the play with his get off he fails to exert 110 percent and sometimes ( not as much under Koetter) actually removes himself from the play. If he spent the amount of effort developing his third , fourth and fifth step and showed the fight and energy of a John Randle or Noah Spence he would be the best D Tackle in the game hands down!!!
McCoy gets the grief he does because people see how goo he can be , how much better he actually can be , that’s why he gets grief !!! Not because he isn’t a good player, because he could be by far the best and most don’t have that talent and Gerald does but he relies on his get off and tends to drop way off after that. That folks is mental weakness, premadonnaism, camera lover, microphone seeker and that sall good and great but the fans want a player to ball out snap to tackle and show up in the fourth quarter !! Gerald is probably one of the nicest guys in the NFL but he is payed to wreak havoc and be the best he can be and maybe just maybe he will ball out and get 6 tackles and two sacks and a big fourth quarter stop !! Poof Gerald your now a leader
August 17th, 2017 at 2:05 pm
Who was the GM that ASJ got over on?
August 17th, 2017 at 2:09 pm
Tom S- that’s the way it works around here. Licht can only be allowed credit for moves in the last 3-4 years that are perceived as good. Any personel moves perceived as bad or just didn’t work out are not the fault of the GM. That’s on Lovie, ownership, statistical averages and Hillary Clinton.
Silly talk. Licht bombed plenty early in free agency, in addition to ASJ, Aguayo and more. But to pretend Lovie didn’t rule with an iron hand in certain personnel areas is just silly.–Joe
August 17th, 2017 at 2:46 pm
You guys know I’m the blog optimist…so how can I turn the ASJ story into a positive?
ASJ set up DK perfectly!!! Remember the practice when DK just went over and without tons of fanfare or yelling simply told ASJ to hit the locker room!!!
ASJ enabled DK to send a real message loud and clear so there’s that. LOL
August 17th, 2017 at 2:51 pm
this to me was a much worse draft pick than Roberto. By most accounts coming out of Washington, this kid was an ass hat. Lot’s of potential but head full of mush and really not into football. NO WAY you take that type of player in the 2nd round. Maybe a flyer in the late rounds but never that early.
At least with Roberto he had strong production throughout college and never heard anyone say a bad word about him.
August 17th, 2017 at 2:52 pm
Good point.
August 17th, 2017 at 2:54 pm
Apples/oranges.
There has never been a hint of a suggestion that Aguayo’s heart was not in his craft. Head? That’s a different story.
August 17th, 2017 at 2:56 pm
If you are trying to suggest that Lovie didn’t have final say on every personnel move with the Bucs, you would then be flat wrong.
August 17th, 2017 at 2:57 pm
@Issic Haggins- Noah Spence has been here long enough for a handshake and a cup of coffee and you’re putting him in the same sentence as John Randle?! Lets wait and see on the youngster. He’s got a ways to go before being mentioned in the same sentence as a HOF’er.
August 17th, 2017 at 3:25 pm
That is why some people with his talent become pro bowlers and some languish with an average career that is done too soon, like his will.
He doesn’t suddenly love the game, that is BS.
You either do or you don’t, it doesn’t develop over time.
That is like hanging out with a girl you are friends with who is OK looking and thinking someday she’ll be the love of your life.
Not going to happen – Move On
August 17th, 2017 at 3:27 pm
Attitudes like ASJ’s explain why the current management are always trying to draft players who love football and are leaders
August 17th, 2017 at 3:34 pm
not the first time he has come off in an interview sounding like a well meaning kid that’s starting to figure it out. But the next time he walks the walk will be the first time. We will see if he can keep his resolve in the dog days of a Jets season that will consist of weekly beatdowns reminiscent of 2014 under Lovie. For his sake I hope he stays sober and fulfills at least some of his potential
August 17th, 2017 at 4:05 pm
I wish him well…but I noticed that he said the right things most of the time that he was in Tampa. Hopefully, its not just talk and he really got himself on track.
August 17th, 2017 at 4:14 pm
D-Rome,
Lovie Lazy Smith is Lazy AF!
Lovie’s laziness:
Not making adjustments
Hiring family and born oooking for good coaches
Falling asleep at the nfl combine
Proclaiming to be “Tennessee ready” and immediately getting your butt pounded
Not making adjustments
Starting Josh McClown, even after Glennon beat the steelers.
Just overall low energy and not leading a group of men on a crusade to victory.
Lazy
Overrated
“Very Dissapointed”
Into hiring family more than winning
Excellent job sucking to get Jameis.
The ONLY positive of Lovie is that he was the worst in the league and it got us Jameis!
August 17th, 2017 at 5:15 pm
LOL, Lovie Smith ruled the Bucs with an Iron Fist, wrapped in a Prayer Cloth.
He demanded, and got, total control of all football decisions.
August 17th, 2017 at 6:18 pm
Wish him the best.
August 17th, 2017 at 7:10 pm
SteveK:
You forgot not wanting to score points in the first half.
August 18th, 2017 at 7:12 am
steve k lovie had the least talented team in football, you still may be one more draft away. i live in Seattle but started watching bus because jw3 as was shocked at how crappy the talent was on that team. that is why pros were shocked he got fired they knew he had a chicken s team