Close, But Not Quite A Grand Slam
March 7th, 2016
In retrospect, rookie MLB Kwon Alexander played at a level expected from a first round pick.
Joe has marveled at the drafting acumen of Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht for weeks. Just look at last spring.
Among the first four picks, the Bucs look to have four starters, cornerstone players for many years: America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, Donovan Smith, Ali Marpet and Kwon Alexander.
That is an historic haul, at least for this franchise. Even Chris Burke of SI.com sort of agrees. In a recent piece crafting a redraft of the first round, he believes Jameis, Smith and Marpet were first-round picks, based on their rookie season. And if the Colts had switched to a 43 defense, Kwon Alexander should have also been a first-rounder.
Joe can’t argue with Licht’s picks from the Grand Slam. And if Alexander hadn’t picked up the wrong energy drink in training camp, he likely would have been a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year. And to think he was a fourth-round pick.
March 7th, 2016 at 9:43 am
I hope that the PED usage really was accidental. The defense took a big step back when he left. I would still like to see the Bucs bring in some insurance in the event that they need to replace Kwon.
March 7th, 2016 at 9:50 am
For 2 straight years the Bucs drafted very little on Defense. And God..did it ever show last season. Lets see what the so called genius Licht does about our porous Defense. I’m tired of seeing holes so big Mac Trucks can drive thru our Defensive line and secondary. Fix it or continue to be bottom feeders!
March 7th, 2016 at 10:05 am
The whole energy drink think ticks me off. I mean, here is a commonly used retail product that nearly everyone else drinks (not me, but…), and hte NFL has it on the ban list.
It’s like if they decided Mountain Dew was banned. In such a case, I would retire for one thing! But Red Bull is on the same isle at Walmart!
March 7th, 2016 at 10:15 am
LMAO, I know Joe is way too smart to believe the energy drink bull $#!%. Are you serious Bonzai? We better hope that the steroid or HGH product he was actually caught using wasn’t aiding his performance last year. Players can claim whatever they want because the NFL doesn’t release that information. They never say “heck yeah I was roided out of my mind.” It is always adderal or an energy drink.
March 7th, 2016 at 10:18 am
Also Bonzai how do you know this was some commonly used energy drink that nearly everyone sells? He never would say what the drink was. That alone was further proof that he was lying.
March 7th, 2016 at 10:20 am
Yes, it’s a dubious claim. That’s what the player/agent says. NFL is not allowed to release information on drug tests. Obviously, a player/agent is going to soft-pedal this as much as possible.
Does anyone really believe Aqib Talib was popped for Adderall?
March 7th, 2016 at 10:54 am
Talib got aderral from Freeman lol.
March 7th, 2016 at 11:03 am
Expect the worse and hope for the best.
We shall see how he plays without the juice (allegedly)
March 7th, 2016 at 11:07 am
I for one do believe the adderall claim. It is very popular with the college kids as a study add. Think cocaine back in our day.
March 7th, 2016 at 12:12 pm
Lol. Jbeach I have some swampland I’d like to sell you!
March 7th, 2016 at 2:47 pm
Both Talib and Wright, coincidentally playing the same position both tested positive for stimulants that season. Adderall is a big-time drug with NFL players, not unlike the uppers baseball players would abuse back in the day. Allows someone to party all night, and be up fresh in the morning for practice/meetings etc.
Of course Mr Toes-on-the-line didn’t exactly feel Talib was a Schiano man, and our “Rockstar” obliged him by tossing the guy for peanuts to the Patriots then giving up the farm for the right to pay 10 million dollars more a year in a mercernary known as Revis months later. But it was a good deal all around, because GM Joe approves of it 😉
March 7th, 2016 at 3:55 pm
If Kwon really failed an NFL drug test because of an over-the-counter energy drink, then he owes it to his fellow NFL brethren to name the brand so that everyone else can learn from his mistake and avoid future violations.
I find it very curious that nobody has been able to identify any over-the-counter energy drinks that contain any ingredients on the NFL’s banned substances list. There would be at least 15 minutes of fame for anyone who could pinpoint one.
It’s more likely that Kwon was on something stronger, possibly anabolic, which would also explain how a 4th round pick played like a 1st round pick for most of the season. It’s called Occam’s Razor; Google it.
March 7th, 2016 at 3:56 pm
To be fair, the minute Kwon does that, he (and the Bucs) get slapped with a multi-million dollar lawsuit by whoever produces said drink. Joe can understand why he hasn’t named the drink.
March 7th, 2016 at 4:34 pm
Why would anyone get sued Joe? All he has to do is state what the banned substance is and the drink that contains it. Companies have to list all ingredients in their products and the NFL has a list of banned substances. Nobody is liable if it is true. All you have to do is pull up the list of ingredients and point out the one that is banned by the NFL. Isn’t Sudafed a banned substance? I have never heard hints of a law suit when a player has claimed a failed test was due to Sudafed.