No Swaggy
April 20th, 2018
Kwon Alexander talks problem Bucs
Sometimes, it is not what a person says, but what they don’t say.
Yesterday at One Buc Palace, the man known inside the walls of One Buc Palace as “the Jameis of the defense,” Bucs middle linebacker Kwon Alexander, was peppered by prized JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman with questions about how he will hold folks responsible in the locker room if someone begins to slack off like a certain slob of a defensive tackle last season.
Ira even invoked the now famous incident in Charlotte during the final road game of the season. Offsides-jumping, belly shirt-wearing, practice-hating, kicker-heckling, tree-grinding , non-contact-football-loving, chicken-wings-grilling, playing-time-squawking, TV-cooking-star Swaggy Baker ignored the orders of stud defensive tackle Gerald McCoy to focus on Cam Newton.
Instead Baker distracted elsewhere and jumped offsides on a fourth down inside the Bucs-5 that gave the Stinking Panthers new life with just over two minutes left in the game.
Newton scored a game-winning touchdown two plays later for a 22-19 victory.
Many, many Bucs players were furious with Baker, who openly scoffed in the postgame locker room for what he seemed to perceive as a juvenile mentality by his disgusted teammates. Team Glazer checks had cleared for Swaggy so what was the problem?
A near melee broke out with Alexander needing to be restrained from taking out Swaggy.
Ira asked Alexander if needed, would he confront another teammate like that. Alexander didn’t mince words.
“I will do it more if I have to,” Alexander said. “Obviously I don’t think we’re going to need that this year.”
And why wouldn’t Alexander or any other Bucs leader need to resort to that this year? Swaggy’s gone, that’s why. Alexander didn’t need to mention his name. It was obvious.
Alexander then went on to talk about leadership from his perspective.
“Like I said, everyone is being held accountable for what they need to be doing,” Alexander said. “So if they’re not doing it, then I’m going to get on their butt regardless of whoever it is. I’m going to be a leader of this team and I’m going to let people know I’m a leader of this team. I feel like everybody is behind me 100 percent and I’m going to be behind them 100 percent too.
“As long as we’re on the same page and if I have to get on somebody’s butt, I ‘m going to say it in a respectful way, not in a disrespectful way. I don’t want it to be anything else. I’m a man, he’s a man too, so as long as we’re cool, everything will be smooth.”
Joe just loves Alexander’s passion. And thank goodness that piece of human debris Swaggy is gone.
Good luck trying to find a palm tree to grind in Cincinnati, fool.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:04 am
Looks like he has the leadership skills necessary.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:05 am
Swaggy was a cuckold
April 20th, 2018 at 10:16 am
We all know Chris Baker is good at thing: pigging out at the buffet.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:25 am
Well it’s not a palm tree but the aggressor in the pic looks very similar!
https://goo.gl/images/8oJKd4
April 20th, 2018 at 10:27 am
Doosh:
Don’t get the boat reference. What’s Joe missing?
April 20th, 2018 at 10:31 am
I still do not understand the Swaggy signing. Licht is on the record as frequently pointing out that when he’s gauging draft picks he feels most of them bust because of what is above their neck not because of a lack of talent.
Apparently he needs to double up his efforts on FA’s. Draft picks SHOULD be harder to gauge than FA’s. A couple of years in college versus years in the league. How could Swaggy’s mental deficiencies not been obvious.
I write this not to slam Licht who I basically like…but to ask a genuine question.
I just do not know how this happens. It’s not like players are furtive spies from the CIA….there lives are open books for heaven sakes.
Seriously…anybody know how it can happen. Did Licht simply ignore what HAD to be out there?
April 20th, 2018 at 10:35 am
Love Kwon.
Man I can’t wait to just get this draft over with. I know most hate the schedule but personally I’m kind of fired up – mainly because my wife & I were already planning on going to New Orleans that weekend for her 30th birthday so this worked out perfect for us. Living in Denver it’s unlikely I’d have made it for another game but I would have pushed for a Tampa trip. If we’re relevant later in the season I may still try.
We know we can beat the Saints. Drew Brees will be confused when there is an actual pass rush coming from JPP/Spence/draft pick vs the beat up nothingness of a D-line he faced last year.
I like that there is no “easy” win in these first 3 games or even a mediocre matchup. So many of our slow starts have come when the Bucs win an early game and then rest on their laurels. Knowing that the Eagles/Steelers are coming in back to back weeks after opening at the Saints will hopefully force the team to keep a mental edge with the foot on the gas pedal.
GO BUCS!
April 20th, 2018 at 10:35 am
Just don’t wait until the last couple of season games to do it.
Get on their a$$ first thing, first practice if they slack off.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:39 am
[On second thought, yeah, this is a bit over the top. No need to go there. Glad folks brought this to Joe’s attention. Don’t care for Swaggy but this not needed. — Joe]
April 20th, 2018 at 10:40 am
LOL!!!!
April 20th, 2018 at 10:41 am
You can’t chew people out respectfully that don’t make any sense.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:45 am
Doosh
You’re calling a black man a gorilla? Come on man! Fr fr?
April 20th, 2018 at 10:49 am
Also had another thought:
Do the schedule makers take into account prime time games with a QB that’s suspended?
Why the f*ck would they schedule the ONLY Bucs prime time game in week 3 if Winston is not playing?
Also I’ll be so mad if he’s not playing week 1 – since it’s the only game I know I can attend. F*ck the NFL if that happens.
And I don’t care about the Zeke / Brady suspensions. Way more foul play in those cases and way more evidence of sketch behavior. They have nothing with this case right now but I guess we’ll see.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:52 am
“I’m going to be a leader of this team and I’m going to let people know I’m a leader of this team.”
Freaking love it.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:54 am
I wish that a certain member of the defense who would LOVE to hump Batman was held up to the same standard.
April 20th, 2018 at 10:56 am
Tell em what’s up Kwon!
Needed more of that last year.
I don’t blame Licht for bringing in Swaggy and Ward last year – both, based on NFL tape from the previous year – appeared to be upgrades worth paying over Akeem Spence and JJ Wilcox. It was pretty universally agreed that they were good additions initially.
But both wound up doing more harm than good for this team.
Chemistry DOES matter. It’s often times the difference between good and GREAT.
Most every player on most every Super Bowl winning team each year – if asked would tell you something like – “Yea – the chemistry of our team this year was really ‘amazing’ or ‘special’…”
April 20th, 2018 at 10:57 am
team was soft af last year…took them 16 weeks to man up to swaggalicious…shoulda happened right there on hbo films…someone shoulda mushed his head into the dam tree, and bitch slapped him for mocking the kickers…hopefully the squad sees these mistakes and takes no shorts this season…just saying…with all due respect to my bucs!
April 20th, 2018 at 11:05 am
adam nailed it.
Where were the so-called self-appointed leaders in August? Why wait until Christmas?
April 20th, 2018 at 11:06 am
we’ve had enough kicking woes the past few years…the last thing needed was a big sloppy lineman picking on them and giving them verbal wedgies in front of teammates and on hbo…
hacksaw jim duggan and king kong bundy would not have let this happen….lol…even stick carriers coulda balled up and come flying out the stands bum rush style…lol
swaggy had to go…
problem is no one checked him early on – so he ran wild – that’s straight up on the so called “team leaders” – hopefully they learned a lesson – check a punk at the building door my dudes, before it get’s outta hand…swaggy woulda been a good soldier in patriot’s camp, i’m sure
April 20th, 2018 at 11:08 am
At least we have one solid leader on defense who isn’t afraid to get in someone’s face and hold them accountable. We haven’t had that at One Buc since Sapp roamed the halls.
April 20th, 2018 at 11:12 am
Marine:
Sapp wouldn’t have tolerated Swaggy’s nonsense for five minutes. Remember how Sapp freaked out about Keyshawn blowing off offseason training in Tampa… and Key hadn’t even worn the Bucs logo yet?
April 20th, 2018 at 11:12 am
That poor defense is a ship of lost souls. Kwon is not all world like he thinks he is. I’d rather him say he’s learning to fill gaps faster, recognize runs faster and shed blocks better…
April 20th, 2018 at 11:17 am
Marine Buc Says:
April 20th, 2018 at 11:08 am
At least we have one solid leader on defense who isn’t afraid to get in someone’s face and hold them accountable. We haven’t had that at One Buc since Sapp roamed the halls.
^^BINGO^^
where was the leadership from grimes, GMC, LVD, gholston?…….they want to be friends and buddy buddy and not hurt anyone’s feelings…..
glad kwon is stepping up….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
April 20th, 2018 at 11:17 am
I know my comment doesn’t fall in line with this article, but I thought I would bring up this possibility… How would you guys feel about the Bucs trading down with Arizona (from 7 to 15) and acquiring Arizona’s 2nd and earliest 3rd round pick? With those picks selecting:
Rd.1: Pick 15 – Marcus Davenport (DE)
Rd. 2: Pick 38 – Sony Michel (RB)
Rd. 2: Pick 47 (from Ari)- Donte Jackson (CB)
Rd. 3: Pick 79 (from Ari) – Nick Chubb (RB)
I think it would be great to find a way to get both Michel and N. Chubb while still managing to address DE and CB. I think keeping those two together as a running back tandem would give us what we need on offense. Plus, you reduce the risk of the bust factor by drafting two running backs. I have a hard time thinking neither of them would pan out and if they both do, watch out!
April 20th, 2018 at 11:20 am
@nate
Sounds good to me. Easterling did a new mock draft we should all masturbate to:
12-Derwin James S
32-Joshua Jackson CB (trade back up)
2nd from Buffalo – Nick CHubb RB
3rd – Austin Corbert OG
4th – Nyhein Hines RB
I’d go with a DT or DE in R4 in this scenario and get a scat back later but other than that I like it a lot. The Miami DE is available in R4 in this mock or BJ Hill from NC State. I’d go with either of those at 4 and another D-lineman at 5. Then scat back at 6.
April 20th, 2018 at 11:23 am
@Joe – Sapp didnt give two craps about feelings and if he was liked or not. He was respected and enforced a high standard.
This article just highlights to need for the Bucs to “show Kwon the money!!!”
We need his leadership on defense.
April 20th, 2018 at 11:31 am
“We need his leadership on defense”
And THIS is a big reason why if the Bucs have no good trade down offers at #7 and the “big 3” are off the board – Derwin James will be wearing a Pewter and Red – Burger King/digital clock resembling – uniform next season…
April 20th, 2018 at 11:37 am
I like the talk, but that is all it is right now!!!!!! Until I see KA58 wearing the “C” and not McCoy then that is all I will think of this is TALK!!!!!!!! I do think that KA58 early injury stepped his leadership back!!!! But I want this man to have the “C”!!!!!!! the roster has to say he is the “Leader”!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 20th, 2018 at 11:37 am
I’ll preface this by saying Kwon is one of my favorite players on the team. He is exactly the type of player this team needs, and we are lucky to have him.
That being said, it’s always amazing to me who fans cling to, and who they dislike. Kwon has been on this team for 3 years now, and we haven’t won yet. I’m not blaming him at all (because it’s not his fault), but it’s funny that the same people that love Kwon dislike other players give Kwon a pass, as if he hasn’t been on a losing team as well. He even got a pass last year when he was hurt, and when he came back and wasn’t good at all. People completely look past him getting suspended his rookie year as well. Again, not bashing him, but I just don’t get it. We are lucky to have him, but it’s just funny to me how our notoriously critical fan base gives him a pass. I’ll never understand it.
Fact of the matter is, we haven’t been winning because we aren’t talented enough. We have some really good players, but our role players are mostly garbage. It’s not because we don’t have good leaders. Leadership can take a team over the top, but you can have the best leadership in the world and it won’t matter if you aren’t talented enough. We haven’t been talented enough, and that is the reason we have been so bad for so long. When we acquire more talent, we will start winning. It’s not that complicated, even though so many fans want it to be.
April 20th, 2018 at 11:37 am
@ Lord Corn…
I not too bad… I may be in the minority, but I am not a big fan of Derwin James. I think he is extremely overrated and I’m starting to see him on mocked to us on almost every site. I’d like someone else with our first pick, but I like the rest of what Easterling did.
April 20th, 2018 at 11:38 am
WOW!!! I’m stunned……Stunned that Swaggy isn’t getting a ton of love for our loss to the Panthers…..G0D forbid we went 6-10 instead of 5-11…….how many draft slots would that be……all the whining, crying, griping & complaining about winning our last game….but no praise for Swaggy…
STUNNED!!!
April 20th, 2018 at 11:41 am
Yawn.
Just make the tackle and keep your mouth shut.
April 20th, 2018 at 11:42 am
GEAUX TIGERS
April 20th, 2018 at 12:01 pm
The only problem I have with McCoy is him allowing Baker to loaf for so long. Alexander is now in his third season, if he allows others to load, he is as inept a leader as McCoy.
Leaders hold others accountable from Day One. They don’t wait.
April 20th, 2018 at 12:04 pm
Kwon is a undesicpline overrated player… We took a davastaing blow with bechwith s injury
All this BS talk means is 1 thing from the rehead matadour….ME and JW got a contract, wheres mine?
“The bucsheep keep on drinking the BS koolaid”
Kobe Faker
April 20th, 2018 at 12:09 pm
Eric/ DB55
Right on!!!! Kwon can lead by example and learn how to tackle.
It’s great to have leaders, and it should start with the HC. The head coach should be the tone setter, and his players should fall in line from there.
DK is the ultimate contradiction. He wants a bad as football team, but wants to be players’ best friend at the same time…that just doesn’t work.
Time to walk the walk..enough talk. Oh, and btw if you want some culture change, start with those hideous clown costumes. They are embarrassing and soft..kind of like our team right now.
April 20th, 2018 at 12:21 pm
“The only problem I have with McCoy is him allowing Baker to loaf for so long. Alexander is now in his third season, if he allows others to load, he is as inept a leader as McCoy.
Leaders hold others accountable from Day One. They don’t wait.”
————
This is the thing that most fans simply don’t understand. Most of us played at least high school sports. None of us probably played beyond college. Both are a far cry from professional sports. These are grown men. This is their jobs. You have to understand that. If you go into your job and yell at a co-worker, do you think that will work? Rarely. They have to be self-motivated. That’s the fault of the organization if they aren’t.
When they did lash out on Swaggy, did it make a difference? No amount of leadership from any day would have made a difference. The organization knew before they signed him that he wasn’t a hard worker, yet they still signed him. How could that possibly be the fault of McCoy, Kwon, or any other player?
April 20th, 2018 at 12:24 pm
For THOSE that think they like(d) Mike Hughes, the CB at UCF….see below
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/04/20/mike-hughes-telling-teams-about-sexual-assault-accusation-at-north-carolina/
Not only the sexual assault allegation that made him transfer, but ANOTHER separate second assault charge in 2015 that he was suspended for.
Punk fools……..
Go Bucs!
April 20th, 2018 at 12:31 pm
I LOVE Kwon!!!
I think D James has that fire.
Jason please draft more guys with this mindset.
April 20th, 2018 at 12:40 pm
Kobe
For every big missed tackle by Kwon he’s typically at least made a big play to make up for it.
Kwon averages a forced fumble or interception every 1 in 4 games (10 total out of 40 games played). Has 20 passes defended and 24 tackles for a loss in those 40 games as well.
He does wiff big and gets lost in coverage sometimes; but on a team with loser attitude he is a guy that at least f*cking hates losing; which is why most the fans gravitate toward him.
April 20th, 2018 at 12:46 pm
Talk is cheap
I don’t ever recall DBrooks or Lynch or Sapp telling reporters ” I’m gonna lead”. You don’t lead by talking.
#walkthewalk. #noexcuses #wearclowncostumesplaylikeclowns
April 20th, 2018 at 1:05 pm
@Realist … “But I want this man (Kwon) to have the “C”!!!!!!! the roster has to say he is the “Leader”!!!!!!!!!!” You’ve totally confused me Realist (not that hard to do BTW). In one place you say it’s all TALK. Then you ‘imply’ that he should be wearing the ‘C’ instead of McCoy. Are you saying that Kwon’s talk should be enough to have his teammates elect him as a Captain on the Bucs? If so, we have a different perspective of leadership. I’m looking for Captains whose performance on the field sets the example for the rest … players like Brooks, Lynch & yes, Sapp. Words don’t mean diddly; performance is what counts.
Kwon’s performance as a MLB doesn’t warrant a ‘C’ at this point IMO, but he’s got promising leadership skills. GMC’s performance does, BUT … I’m not enthused about his leadership skills. That’s a BIG part of why the Bucs have been mediocre for so long IMO … lack on high-performing, on-the-field leaders to hold others accountable.
April 20th, 2018 at 1:05 pm
Doosh gtfo with that racist sh!t. And shame on joe for condoning it smh
April 20th, 2018 at 1:09 pm
Lord C … “He does wiff big and gets lost in coverage sometimes; but on a team with loser attitude he is a guy that at least f*cking hates losing; which is why most the fans gravitate toward him.” Agree 100% Lord C. BUT … It’s the ‘wiff big’ and ‘gets lost in coverage’ that too often contributes to losing late in the 4th qtr with the game on the line. I’ll take the Hardy Nickerson type who in those situations basically says ‘Come through my area and I’ll rip your face off.’ Then does it when the other team has the audacity to test him.
April 20th, 2018 at 1:24 pm
I love Kwon like everybody here but he certainly messed up at least one season for us with his drug suspension. You can’t be a leader and get suspended for lack of discipline doing drugs. This is why he had to wait this year before he could finally take over.
For those who ask why wasn’t someone getting on Swaggy in August instead of waiting. Great question of course. Our rookies did their best with that hilarious takedown of Swaggy’s “work ethic”. The entire team laughed that he got busted by a bunch of rookies but in hindsight of course it wasn’t funny. Everybody on the team…all the coaches…janitors in the building..all should have been on Swaggy’s large butt from August on.
You can blame Koetter…GMC…Jameis…Kwon…LVD….EVERYBODY had a role in enabling Swaggy…starting with Licht.
April 20th, 2018 at 2:15 pm
Swaggy should of just thrown the Bucs under the Bucs like Freeman did, then Joe would simply wish him the best of luck every chance he gets instead of name calling.
April 20th, 2018 at 3:00 pm
Swaggy humpin that tree like he means it!! LMAO!
April 20th, 2018 at 3:22 pm
Marvin Lewis is a well respected defensive coach, and guess who will be playing for him this year ? Chris Baker
I find that to be interesting, very interesting.
April 20th, 2018 at 3:34 pm
The only thing that swagged around on Swaggy was his fat gut.
April 20th, 2018 at 4:10 pm
Hawaiian, you should know better than to use logic on this website…
April 20th, 2018 at 4:38 pm
Joe,
So being called a dog is good?
But being likened to a gorilla is bad?
Gorillas have a higher IQ.
Go figure.
April 20th, 2018 at 5:37 pm
Man let him lead. First thing people on this site complain about some one taking lead. Now when some one do y’all say shut your mouth and make tackles. Then y’all say gmc is to nice or y’all say he’s to quite. So let kwon take lead n hold players acountble. Winston tried to lead that was a problem to. So what do some you so call fans want?
April 20th, 2018 at 8:18 pm
@Doosh
I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and suspect you’ve simply been culturally deprived.
Gorillas, Chimpanzees, monkeys in general have long been used to denigrate black people.
Dogs have not. And in fact “dog” is a term of endearment and in this case toughness.
April 20th, 2018 at 8:34 pm
Question???
If GMC has been the Great Defensive Player, Face of the Bucs,and leader of team
How does he Let Kwon step up and take his place
WEAK
April 20th, 2018 at 9:26 pm
@Atrain,
Who said he’s taking McCoy’s place? You know, it’s quite possible to have multiple leaders on a team. Wasn’t Brooks, Sapp, Lynch, and Ronde all leaders? They were, and all different types of leaders. They also had better players to lead. No matter how much you want the losing to be the fault of McCoy, it’s just not. But you can continue to look like an idiot if you want. I won’t stop you.
April 21st, 2018 at 8:31 am
Marine Buc Says:
April 20th, 2018 at 11:23 am
@Joe – Sapp didnt give two craps about feelings and if he was liked or not. He was respected and enforced a high standard.
Warren Sapp was alot like Robert Ayers. He says all the cliches , to get media air time. Sapp was a great player. A great leader? He was way to self promoting.
That defense was Derrick Brooks. Watch the films. Brooks set the defense- he was the one talking to a player if he missed an assignment.
When asked, all the Buc players acknowledged Brooks as the leader on defense.
Was Sapp respected- absolutely. Did he talk to the defense. Yes
But it was always Derrick Brooks’ Defense. We may never see his like again.
Best days of my life, as a Buc fan, was watching that Defensive line working as a unit- blowing things up
And Brooks running down any escapees.
Just makes it harder to listen to guys “trying” to be the defensive leader.
Love Kwon- but he didnt have a good year last year. Lavonte had a good year- after two down years
Brooks was like a Swiss watch. Always dependable.
He didnt “try” to be a leader.
He “Was” the leader. He never had to tell us he was.
We knew. Even sitting in the stands. We knew
April 21st, 2018 at 10:25 am
Hawaiian
I understand you must attack as you LOVE GMC blindly
So Ok I’m an idiot
That is smart enough to see a DT get ridden like a trail horse
Watch A Game without blinders
Have an opinion But try to leave grade school behind