“We Didn’t Come Out Ready To Play.”
October 21st, 2017
Explains what went wrong.
Bucs stud defensive tackle Gerald McCoy wanted no part this week of discussing the seal-clubbing the Bucs suffered at the hands of the Cardinals on Sunday.
But GMC didn’t have an issue talking about the baseball bat-beating to the man who drafted him, former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik.
Yesterday on “The Blitz,” heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Dominik was co-hosting with Bruce Murray. He asked GMC how he is able to regain his focus after the Bucs defense dropped such a huge load on the turf at University of Phoenix Stadium.
In short, GMC confessed, the Bucs were not ready.
Mark Dominik: You have had a little bit of time to get your mind right coming back from the Sunday game against Arizona. What has been the mindset – you guys had a good rally coming back scoring those 27 points in the fourth quarter to make the game close – what has been the mindset or the attitude around One Buc Place this week?
Gerald McCoy: Know what happened in Arizona but forget about it. But at the same time, you have to realize that what we didn’t do in Arizona was we didn’t come out and start fast. We didn’t come out ready to play. And that has been the mindset this week is our focus in practice. Coming out ready to play from the first snap, the first whistle of walk-thtoughs, of regular practice, of regular drills and take that into Sunday. So it has been more of a sense of urgency [for] this weekend, coming out starting fast.
The term “not ready to play” has Joe totally baffled. How could a bunch of men, a bunch of professionals not be ready to play? Hell, after the Cardinals curb-stomped the Bucs last year, you would think every player would have had that game circled on their calendars, highlighted on their phones, taped to their lockers once the schedule was released in April.
How could the Bucs not have been ready to play? This is beyond Joe’s comprehension. Joe can only guess it is a cliche used to cover for something else.
If you read GMC’s words, it almost seems as if the Bucs had a lousy week of practice leading up to the Arizona game. And that sort of makes sense. How often did we hear winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter grumble after training camp practices that the Bucs had a bad day of practice?
If Joe is reading GMC’s words correctly, those bad practices seem to have carried over into the regular season.
October 21st, 2017 at 12:25 am
Welcome to the Kwon Alexander and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense featuring GMC
Background dancers shouldn’t have a say or you will get answers like this.
October 21st, 2017 at 12:26 am
Talk about being a leader by example. Smh
October 21st, 2017 at 12:44 am
“not ready to play”
This is exactly the ammo he gives fans to say he’s no leader and he’s soft as tissue. You mean at this age and all these years in the league, all the fired coaches and of all the things to work on during the well a veteran is taking about how the mindset of the well is coming out ready to play
They’ve purged have of famers from the roster back in our Glory days and yes it was a mistake but they are hiring the teams future by keeping talented losers in charge of this roster. All talent no heart some up more than 80% of this roster
Let’s simply things and Amit why such a talented team can’t win big games and consider get blown out…. No heart
October 21st, 2017 at 12:44 am
Best excuse maker in the league 10 years running. I wonder what this week’s excuse will be.
October 21st, 2017 at 1:08 am
Should not surprise anyone…no one leads a flat team into a slaughter like captain blowout cancer93…
October 21st, 2017 at 1:09 am
Let’s go out there and have some fun this Sunday. Weak effin mentality. I don’t care if he is the sack leader since 2013. Dude needs to take a back seat and just shut up
October 21st, 2017 at 1:11 am
This team is sweeter than a bake sale
October 21st, 2017 at 1:28 am
Given the BS soft PC world we live in, I’m very surprised PETA has not protested bucs over the amount of sheep gmc has led to slaughter during is tenure as captain of the basement years
October 21st, 2017 at 1:42 am
^^^^ lmao
October 21st, 2017 at 1:43 am
Gmc has to take the C off his jersey. Give to mcdonald.
October 21st, 2017 at 3:50 am
@Joe … “The term “not ready to play” has Joe totally baffled.” Looking at the fuller context of what GMC said, it seems pretty clear IMO what he was trying to say Joe. He says it quite well in 2 sentences: “what we didn’t do in Arizona was we didn’t come out and start fast. We didn’t come out ready to play.” To GMC, being ‘ready to play’ equals “starting fast”. So falling behind quickly (not starting fast) is the key indicator to GMC that they didn’t come out “ready to play”.
The bigger question to me is ‘Why have the Bucs been falling behind early in games?’ (And yes, it’s not just the Cardinals game … we’ve got a trend going). Is it that the team isn’t being led & motivated properly? Is it that our opponents are doing a better job of game-planning to exploit the Bucs obvious weaknesses? And then executing their game-plans very very well? Is it that maybe Bucs are just a middle-of-the-pack team (or worse) AT THIS POINT IN THE SEASON despite having a number of supposed super-stars? Is it lack of talent at key positions? Is it mediocre offensive & defensive coaching? Personally I think it’s ‘All of the Above’ … and more.
BTW, good job feeding the crazies around midnight. Of course, tmaxcon never sleeps so it doesn’t matter when you feed him. Or maybe it’s just that when you mention GMC he automatically pops awake. Good job in any event Joe.
October 21st, 2017 at 4:35 am
Joe makes a great point: poor practices, loafing in the desert on Friday/Saturday = Deliverance time for our Bucs. Lamarcus/Tmaxcon: man you really hate McCoy don’t you!!! Every thread on JBT posted and you are there to crack on the dude. White on Rice! Right up there with that Buford T Justice who seems to really love to post digs when the Bucs lose and brag about selling out his tickets to fans of the opponent and other times usually just posts doom and gloom, nothing like hometown trolls. Negativity will not get you anywhere, of course Tom Jones and WDAE have made a living of that for the past few years…..
October 21st, 2017 at 4:36 am
If we lose this week….start unloading guys like McCoy for picks or younger talent. He deserves to win somewhere and we need to fill holes. The team isn’t making any noise in the division with this roster. The dude is expensive and injury prone in the sunset yrs of his career.
October 21st, 2017 at 6:09 am
We got 99 problems but GMC93 is not one of them! Scheme might be one …no that can’t be it, we a morphing defense…..no one is blaming the All Star Coaching Staff or the BACK STABBER, the losing will continue until we get a competent GM and pick up some more talented players! We need more from the Offense at the start of the game! Bring home a win on Sunday or I will begin my countdown to a losing season!! I guess the LOVIE is still in them!!!
October 21st, 2017 at 7:14 am
We have been hearing this fast start message from the the defense,but we need
to score TD’s early and often. Post up our big players like Evans and OJ if we have to get Jameis in rhythm early.If we are going to try deep passes wait until we have built a cushion.
October 21st, 2017 at 7:16 am
Divided locker room never wins
October 21st, 2017 at 8:02 am
McCoy is like trying to win the Tour De France with a flat tire. You can have the athlete who has the best stamina is well trained and has a superior bike in every way but if he has a flat back tire he isn’t winning crap. McCoy has a flat tire….maybe even two.
October 21st, 2017 at 8:24 am
Thanks for keeping the GMC monikers fresh, exciting and oh so appropriate tmax!
Keep preachin’ the troot my man.
October 21st, 2017 at 8:28 am
After you get back off your knee #93…that that quick “get off” and git out of town….
27th Surgical hospital Chu Lai
95the Evacuation Hospital DaNang
October 21st, 2017 at 9:07 am
Not ready to play = Find a new occupation! A player may get beat by a better player but not being ready to play means you need to find a new job regardless of talent level.
October 21st, 2017 at 9:11 am
Three guys at the Pro Bowl told GMC his leadership was lacking.
Without Kwon this defense has no identity.
Love Gerald, our team would be worse without him, but it’s hard not to think that losing all those years got to him.
There’s no reason a professional football player with a $90 million contract that come out flat.
October 21st, 2017 at 9:55 am
@BigHog- SMH, yes! Smitty got an extension for 8 games worth of coaching. To me, it’s pretty clear that this coaching staff has no idea how to use their personnel.
Who cares who has the ‘C’ on their jersey?! It doesn’t make a bit of difference if the WHOLE team stinks it up. There are 11 players on defense, 4 of which are on the d-line. Don’t just call out GMC. That’s too easy! Where’s “Beasting”? Where’s the greatest run-stuffer in the NFL Gholston? Where’s Baker? Where’s McDonald or Spence? Because they have done sooo much more! Right.
October 21st, 2017 at 10:24 am
The reaction is still wrong. “Aw shucks. Guess we didn’t play hard enough?”
No Gerald. No Hargreaves. No David. You didn’t. And the correct response is embarrassment and fury.
For instance: “we are pissed off. We are going to take it out on the Bills. Poor Buffalo…they are going to get ripped apart. Cause we need to show the world we aren’t a bunch of chumps. Sorry in advance Buffalo.”
THAT is the correct answer. Not “umm guess we Should start faster..might help.”
October 21st, 2017 at 10:28 am
GMC aka “Mr Softie” was too busy in his batcave playing with his batman dolls instead of making plays out there on the field and firing up his defense and holding them accountable.
GMC is just an empty uniform and just plays to collect a check.
October 21st, 2017 at 10:47 am
Gmc is garbage
This HAS to be project management number 1. Enough already. Gmc needs to go
October 21st, 2017 at 10:50 am
This team is overall weak-minded.
October 21st, 2017 at 11:17 am
Play well from the beginning of the game?
What a concept. Surprised nobody has ever thought of it before.
October 21st, 2017 at 12:05 pm
Grown Men Playing a Man’s game getting paid very very well to play it and they “come out flat” time and time again. As fans, we look at it as the coaches are not coaching them enough/correctly/bad coaching/GM decisions.
Do the players not have any responsibility for their actions during the game from the Kickoff to the final seconds of the game. I want to call it like it is in my neighborhood. “If you do not put your arse into it, heart and soul, every moment, why do you not go on home and find another vocation to feed you and your family. If you can not find it deep inside to be early and stay late to get better and to produce a better product then go home. We do not need you here.”
I understand that it takes a team to climb together to reach the mountaintop. If the players are not into playing here motivationally, mentally, or physically for the Buccaneers then here is the door let me get it for you on your way out. See Ya! The rate at which we signed X player to come in an perform at a level they have played at on other NFL teams and not to produce similar results here is scary. We keep hearing how this player and that player is this or that and one is beasting and one is loafing. When will we have a whole roster of players willing and able to run thru the wall to get to the playoffs? I watch other teams do it but not ours, WHY?
GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!YAHHHHHHAHAHHAHAAHAH!!!!!!!!UGGH…
Go Bucs!
October 21st, 2017 at 12:19 pm
It also kinda sounds like he’s throwing the offense under the bus by saying we didn’t start fast.
Please trade him while he still has value and build a badass DL.
Pretty please Mr. Licht.
October 21st, 2017 at 2:36 pm
Bring in the morons.
October 21st, 2017 at 3:10 pm
Someone needs to feed Gerald McCoy gun powder to make him mean…….
October 21st, 2017 at 3:42 pm
If #93 is so highly regarded….put him on the trading block…the market will deliver the answer….time to cut the franchises loses and move on…NOW !
October 21st, 2017 at 10:26 pm
Jon gruden would be 2 inches away from McCoy face cursing at him in practice…. he’d show up ready to play then