“Todd Bowles Still Puts His Team Through The Paces”
May 23rd, 2024
So retired offensive lineman Brian Baldinger of NFL Network makes the rounds during NFL training camp and not only actively observes, but he also talks to a lot of players.
Who could forget his beach time last year with then-Bucs rookie DT Calijah Kancey.
Baldinger had been to Bucs camp in recent years and Joe remembers talking with him there off the record in 2021 when Baldinger gave an ugly review of a Tampa Bay offensive lineman.
Anyway, Baldinger was talking recently on Green Light with Chris Long and the subject of Antoine Winfield’s new contract came up.
That led to Baldinger dropping an intriguging nugget about Todd Bowles and the Bucs as Baldinger gushed about Winfield’s work ethic in the Tampa heat.
“Todd Bowles still puts his team through the paces unlike a lot of these teams,” Baldinger said. “And there’s Winfield for 30 minutes [after practice] on the JUGS machine.”
So Baldinger, who is one of the more candid analysts, thinks the Bucs under Bowles work harder than a lot of teams. That intrigues Joe because so many old school players believe all practices are soft these days.
Joe trusts Baldinger and is glad to hear the Bucs are grinders under Bowles. And from what Joe hears about some members of Liam Coen’s staff, there will be a little more hard work on the offensive side of the ball this season.
May 23rd, 2024 at 6:23 pm
Love this! Great insight, Bucs are on a MISSION!
May 23rd, 2024 at 6:37 pm
And, in news that surprises no one, AB has filed for bankruptcy. Maybe Netflix could stage a roast for him to help pay off his creditors. Definitely no shortage of material.
May 23rd, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Todd is a really good guy who works hard. No surprise he makes his players work hard too. That and his life counseling are what make him a head coz h.
May 23rd, 2024 at 7:40 pm
Encouraging
May 23rd, 2024 at 8:41 pm
Work hard, play hard. Play hard, party hard on a boat parade.
May 23rd, 2024 at 10:11 pm
They have tremendous discipline. Winfield is a generational talent and when that guy is working harder than everyone else that sets the tone. And it lets other players know that their money is going to be there. Tampa takes care of their own. There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But the standard has been set for the kind of hard work that it’s going to require
May 23rd, 2024 at 11:03 pm
Ole Baldinger always has good insight on the things he reports. A lot of people out there just put out reaction pieces where he does his research. Craziest thing about Baldinger is the finger of his. When Coen was telling Godwin he’s seen worse hands he must have been talking about Baldingers! 😂 Winfield and Wirfs will make good leaders for years to come and if our GM has really found the formula to drafting great players with just as good character, the Bucs will be in the playoffs for years to come.
AB is walking train wreck Irishmist. Could have won back to back SB if he could keep it together for another couple of months.
May 24th, 2024 at 3:38 am
Baldy is THE MAN; my favorite analyst by far. I’ve been led to believe over these recent years that the Bucs’ practices were too soft, but if Baldy says that Todd works ’em hard, I believe him.
Nice tidbit too Joe about Coen working the offensive side harder. They need ‘more nasty’. I still remember when Tony Dungy hired Les Steckel back in 2000. Apparently his old Marine drill sergeant approach to discipline didn’t sit too well with our offense because he only lasted 1 season despite putting up far more points (388) than any Bucs’ team had ever put up (and considerably more than Chucky put up in any 1 season in his 8 years here). And Steckel did it by (dare I say it?) … running the ball (490 rushes for 18 TDs & 2066 yards vs 433 passes by Shaun King netting 18 TDs & 2583 yards).
Of course, that offense was probably helped by the 41 turnovers generated by our Top-10 defense, and oh ya, the 25 INTs that we snared.
May 24th, 2024 at 3:55 am
It’s always about the work. Do the work and success will follow. All these guys have talent; some more than others but they’re all pretty close. The ones that work harder will win more.
May 24th, 2024 at 7:36 am
I wish he wouldn’t shake the camera so much
May 24th, 2024 at 7:47 pm
Jack Burton Mercer, that is 100% truth and it’s not only football that is the key to life.
May 24th, 2024 at 9:08 pm
“ Of course, that offense was probably helped by the 41 turnovers generated by our Top-10 defense, and oh ya, the 25 INTs that we snared.”
-Defense Rules
Man that defense was something!
May 25th, 2024 at 10:28 am
There are only few of these guys that I pay any attention to, and Baldinger is one for sure. He isn’t wrong on this one. However I do wonder what he thinks of the poor tackling on the Bucs defense. Particularly the back end. Except LVD, AWJ, and Whitehead the rest left alot to be desired.
Go Bucs!