Players React To Gruden Addressing The Team
August 3rd, 2017
After chewing off Brad Johnson’s ear on the Bucs sidelines yesterday, for at least an hour, Chucky gave a passionate address to the Bucs.
Joe’s got insight into the players’ role in Chucky’s triumphant official return to Buccaneers headquarters after getting fired in January 2009.
Chucky didn’t just hang out on the practice sidelines of and talk to the media at his Buccaneers Ring of Honor induction news conference. He spent 90 minutes in Dirk Koetter’s office “talking ball,” per Koetter, and he addressed the entire roster with a spirited speech.
“He talked like he was the coach of the Bucs and it was great,” Koetter said. “It was a good message and fun to hear.”
So what did the players think?
Joe got reaction:
Mike Evans: “Amazing. It was awesome. Great message. A lot of positives things. (Evans didn’t want to disclose the message but did say Hard Knocks recorded it. “You might see it,” he added.)
Vernon Hargreaves: “He’s a legend. He’s a legend. It was cool. It felt like it was our coach a little bit. That’s just the aura he brings around when he speaks. He was speaking on kind of the 2002 team and some of the models that they used. So that was pretty cool to hear him speak.
Jacquizz Rodgers: “Man, he gave some pointers on when he was here and what it takes to reach the ultimate goal every team is trying to reach at the end of the year.” Chucky had everyone’s attention, Jacquizz said. “It was as short, to-the-point message. No BS. He was probably up there no longer than seven minutes. His pointers were key. One thing he said, ‘Pound the rock.’ What he meant by that is every day, it will take everybody pounding the rock and keep trying to break the rock.”
Rookie LB Kendell Beckwith: Effort. Effort. Just giving 110 percent effort all the time. You know, just coming out and not being limited in what I do. I want to be as versatile of a player as possible. He also talked about chipping away at the rock. Pound the rock. I’ve got all his points written down in my notebook. It made a lot of sense and it was something to think about.
“Could you see how a guy like Chucky took over this team and pushed it over the top to get a ring?” Joe asked.
“Absolutely! Without a doubt,” Beckwith said.
Nick Folk: It’s always great to hear a perspective from a Super Bowl winning coach. He had great words that applied to everyone in the locker room. Hopefully, it’s something motivates guys, helps guys get through the dog days of camp a little bit. Help everyone get ready for Cincinnati, but really the beginning of the regular season. … Everything he said I could apply something to either yesterday’s practice or last year or part of my career. Things I’d like to improve on, or just things I want to keep focusing on for the rest of my career. I really enjoyed it, and I think most of the guys did, too.
Demar Dotson: He was just trying to motivate us and let us know that the time is now. He’s been around a lot of teams and some teams he said might say, ‘We’re one player away. Some might say, ‘We’re a young team and we’re building.’ But he was letting us know this is our time. You know, we don’t have to wait for next year or a year later. This is the time to do it. So he said, “Pound the rock,” which means go out here and do your job and do it do the best of our ability and their ain’t no time for tomorrow. So he was really just making sure we know this is our time.
August 3rd, 2017 at 4:36 pm
Hopefully we will see the Buc’s Legendary Coach doing more of this!!!!!!! What a resource to have in the local area!!!!!! And now the players can see his name in the ring of honor in the stadium!!!!!!!! Living Legend Indeed!!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 3rd, 2017 at 4:48 pm
BRO!!!!!!! WHEN JOHN GRUDEN SHOWS UP TO ONE BUC AND WE HEAR ALL.THIS YOU KNOW ITS BOUT TO GET REAL BABY HE FEELS IT HE SEES IT THE TIME IS NOW GO BUCS!!!
August 3rd, 2017 at 5:07 pm
What a funny picture. Looks like Gruden is saying “Damn, Brad what happened to your gut? Massive hype this off season. The highest expectations I can remember, really ever, when you look at our offense on paper… The late 90s and Superbowl Bucs never dreamed of an offense like this. Now if the Defense can pick up where they left off and remain healthy. Put it all together and execute. The time is now. Underestimate no one and pound the rock.
August 3rd, 2017 at 5:12 pm
Thanks to all the goobers for running the man out of town.
Such great seasons since then……
August 3rd, 2017 at 5:54 pm
Koetter is the best HC the Bucs have ever had. The players can trust what he says. They respond better to honesty and respect. Gruden drove his team. Koetter leads. I appreciate what Gruden did in 2002, but he couldn’t maintain it
August 3rd, 2017 at 5:57 pm
Goobers never learn……….
All part of gooberism.
August 3rd, 2017 at 6:02 pm
I love chucky!!
August 3rd, 2017 at 6:05 pm
Eric your clueless! Very happy with the coach we have now, definitely an upgrade to the guy who said Mark Alstott? Yes he was a great short term coach but long term not so much..
August 3rd, 2017 at 6:09 pm
1sparkybuc
Gruden led the Buccaneers to victory. Over the team “He Built.”
• Super Bowl XXXVII: Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21
Nuff Said
August 3rd, 2017 at 6:15 pm
Note: Almost Player for Player this was the same Oakland team.
That put a whooping on that 1999 Buccaneer defense (45-0).
Arguably our best defensive off All-Time.
August 3rd, 2017 at 6:16 pm
Cheers 2 the Best Damn Coach In Buccaneer History
We Appreciate the Rang Coach!
August 3rd, 2017 at 6:17 pm
Arguably our best defensive *unit All-Time.
August 3rd, 2017 at 6:31 pm
“he was really just making sure we know this is our time”
Hell yea this is our time. The Bucs probably won’t win the Super Bowl this year – but they could. They are capable and talented enough on paper to win a Super Bowl in 2017. So there is hope and anticipation of good things happening this year! As long suffering fans, that alone makes all the difference.
August 3rd, 2017 at 7:09 pm
I love Gruden. I hope Koetter makes me forget him not really forget, but stop longing for him.
August 3rd, 2017 at 7:38 pm
In 2007 it was highly fashionable to hate Gruden and blame him for the Glazers cheapness (at the time, they’re not cheap anymore).
Of course Howard saw the truth and never gave into the mob mentality. Howard was labelled a “Grudenite homer” by the 2007 haters.
Man, tough times for Gruden haters and radio stations.
August 3rd, 2017 at 7:42 pm
Lest everyone forget, Chucky was an offense-minded coach AND he was very good at relating to the players. Defense … not so much. But he had a secret weapon, aka Monte Kiffin, and he knew how to use it. As in ‘Monte, you know the Bucs’ defense? Handle it, handle it.’ And Monte did, which allowed Chucky to focus on dealing with the offense. The result: a Super Bowl victory.
Is anyone seeing a ‘Deja vu’ in here yet?
August 3rd, 2017 at 7:49 pm
Man, Brad Johnson got fat!
And Chucky ? More like Chunky.
August 3rd, 2017 at 8:06 pm
Just like 2002 Super Bowl Bucs, all this talented team needs to hear is “POUND THE ROCK!!” Especially coming from a guy like Gruden.
August 3rd, 2017 at 8:33 pm
Koetter has done well. But better than Chucky?
Very much remains to be seen.
Call me when he holds up the Lombardi.
August 3rd, 2017 at 9:06 pm
Gruden says he wants to come back to coaching. HOW FREAKIN SWEET would it be for at least this year he came in and became some kind of offensive coach.
August 3rd, 2017 at 10:21 pm
Wouldn’t it be great to get Gruden back here one more time?
August 3rd, 2017 at 10:39 pm
Props to Koetter for being confident enough to show Gruden some proper respect, and leverage him and his love for the Bucs to benefit his team. And props to Gruden for his continuing love of our Bucs.
Oh to be a fly in Dirks office when they spoke.
August 3rd, 2017 at 11:10 pm
Maybe they discussed the proper room temperature in the visitors locker room.
August 3rd, 2017 at 11:47 pm
No true Buc fan could ever hate Jon Gruden. Tony Dungy most likely would have lost to the fleagles in Philly if he even got that far. Without Gruden there is no Lombardi trophy in Tampa. He got them over the hump and it was all downhill from there.
August 4th, 2017 at 1:07 am
SOEbuc, I was thinking the same thing. Something along the lines of Offensive Quality Control/Assistant Head Coach. Don’t think Chucky would ever do it though(I know he would never do it). I love Koetter but someone who lights a fire in the belly of his players would be a real asset. Hell, pay him what Dirk makes for him to shadow Koetter and be a tick in his ear, help with breaking down film, assist in pregame and half time speeches….. Maybe tell Licht when signing a certain player he’s eyeballing is a bad idea(Josh Huff), never when signing a guy would be a good idea though(any Raider he wanted in the doors). That might work for him. Gets paid, gets to share in the glory and doesn’t have to worry too much about taking any of the blame when something goes sour. …… Wait nevermind, maybe a bad idea(Phil Jackson)
August 4th, 2017 at 12:25 pm
i agree with eric says, but (lol) bruce allen and jon wernt the best talent evaluaters