Emotional Spence: “Football Is My Life”
April 29th, 2016
Bucs second-round pick Noah Spence could barely speak he was so choked up during his conference call with Bucs media.
Pash rushing specialist Noah Spence was run out of the Big Ten Convergence for dabbling so much with the “X,” the banned party drug ecstasy.
For a while, his dreams of playing in the NFL were in jeopardy.
In his conference call with the Bucs’ pen and mic club after Tampa Bay selected him in the second round Friday, Spence was clearly emotional if not shaken. It sure sounded as if he was crying, constantly sniffing, with short, choppy answers and his voice sometimes on the verge of breaking.
“Football is my life,” a choked up Spence said when asked how he tried to convince the Bucs he would remain straight.
Is sure sounded to Joe like Spence has been scared straight. Any top shelf college football player dreams of the NFL. That dream was almost taken from Spence by his off-field nonsense.
And Spence seems to realize that.
“I don’t know what to say,” Spence said about being selected eighth in tonight’s second round, fighting for words.
Joe doesn’t profess to knowing Spence, but just listening to how emotional he was, it sure seems as if he knows he is a fortunate young man. Spence seems motivated as hell to prove to the Bucs and the NFL he is not some scumbag and was worthy of selecting. Only time will tell if he is a good actor or completely sincere.
Spence also noted he has been a close friend of America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, since the two played in the high school All American Under Armour game at the Fruitdome in St. Petersburg.
Spence also confessed he expects to be haunted by his dismissal from Ohio State until the games begin this fall.
April 29th, 2016 at 8:26 pm
Isn’t it amazing how many guys there are out there that played with Jameis once, met him once, went to a camp with him once, that years later say how they’re great friends with the guy?
Not to turn this around to be a “praise Jameis” thread, but god that’s cool.
As far as Spence goes….the X stuff is clearly in his past and served as a wake up call. He was drug tested dozens of times and sent the negative results to every team prior to the draft. The kid is clean and is going to be a helluva player.
April 29th, 2016 at 8:31 pm
And Joe still can’t understand why we didn’t pick a DE in round 1.
April 29th, 2016 at 8:31 pm
This is the type of testicular fortitude I like to see in the draft. If it is really a 50-50, grab the guy with the elite ceiling. Well done Cowboys, Jags and well done BUCS!
April 29th, 2016 at 8:32 pm
Great pick. Licht doing a great job building a squad that’s grateful to be here. They may make mistakes but their love, passion and appreciation for the Bucs is undeniable.
April 29th, 2016 at 8:36 pm
I like this pick better than round 1.
April 29th, 2016 at 8:37 pm
General Light, Capt Dirk Coach Smitty…lol I’ve got nothing for a nickname lmao
Anyway
In Licht we trust
April 29th, 2016 at 8:40 pm
Time for a big smelly, hairy defensive lineman.
April 29th, 2016 at 8:40 pm
Dewey Selmon Says:
April 29th, 2016 at 8:36 pm
I like this pick better than round 1.
……………………
Myopia is easily cured.
April 29th, 2016 at 8:43 pm
Wait. You mean Licht did not trade up and use Glennon in the trade to pull this off. This can NOT make Joe happy at all.
April 29th, 2016 at 8:53 pm
What are people going to say if #3 and our revamped D make a great run this year?
What if we reach 7-3 and suddenly #3 goes down for 4 games. What if MG8 comes in and wins 2 of those 4 getting us to 9-5 and setting up #3 to carry us the rest of the way into the playoffs?
I want to read the threads and the posts here if that happens!
April 29th, 2016 at 8:53 pm
All I’ve got to say is big brass balls on Licht. Wanted Spence all along but was willing to hold his mud. I would of traded into the 1st round.Wow! Never been this impressed with a Buc’s GM.
April 29th, 2016 at 8:55 pm
Arguably the top corner and top edge rusher – both with insane passion and love of football -and… Thrilled to be Bucs playing with Jameis!
Where am I?
General Licht – bless you Sir!
April 29th, 2016 at 9:00 pm
How happy do we think Smitty is tonight? Christmas came early for him.
So our D kicks butt next year and Smitty leaves for an HC. No sweat because Jy Hayes has deserved a shot at DC for awhile now.
One thing I love in the Licht regime. Root for your scouts, players, and coaches to get better gigs and move on. That’s the hallmark of a GREAT organization!
No fear about Smitty moving on because Licht/Koetter will always be prepared.
Hey they must have been Boy Scouts.
April 29th, 2016 at 9:01 pm
It was the last 22 drug tests that came back negative and noah himself faxed all the results to every single GM out there..He was an open book since DAY ONE. And remember what Koetter said?? he seperates immaturity from the real person..
I think that was the hint that they wanted Spence…
The top CB and the top edge rusher..and we still have some more guys coming on board..
Wow..and did you guys see Kwon’s twitter? He’s one happy man!!
April 29th, 2016 at 9:05 pm
LifeofaBuc
I do not tweet so I haven’t seen Kwon’s twitter feeds. Fill we neanderthals in.
April 29th, 2016 at 9:11 pm
I can’t wait for Akeem and Noah to be in the game at the same time just to efff with Gene Deckerhoff.
April 29th, 2016 at 9:14 pm
from Kwon:
Man I am happy tonight!
It’s going to be a movie this year!
Alexander the Great @Showtime17Kwon · 1h1 hour ago
2 great picks !! @TBBuccaneers
April 29th, 2016 at 9:18 pm
Yungry again
April 29th, 2016 at 9:20 pm
Bucs back in, Robery Aguayo
April 29th, 2016 at 9:47 pm
Getting VH and Spence… Awesome!
April 29th, 2016 at 10:13 pm
Spence will be fine. He..like a lot of us..made some mistakes in college. jameis will help keep him in line. As for me? I never inhaled!!
April 30th, 2016 at 2:33 am
LOL…salish just won’t let Joe off the hook. Gonna hold onto that like a pit bull. I actually agree, though. Glad Joe is a blogger not a GM or we’d be in some seriously deep doo-doo as a franchise right about now.
April 30th, 2016 at 2:43 am
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it! I would have thought the Bucs learned the important lesson of not signing players with character concerns based on Williams, Talib, and the CB who kept getting suspended for drug use until he was no good to us. Given that Spense is no run stopper and just a speed rusher, we should have followed the example of all the other NFL teams that didn’t take that risk. I just hope he will follow Winston’s efforts to make our fans forget his past troubles and becomes a double digit sacker for us that we badly need.
April 30th, 2016 at 4:37 am
I understand some peoples concerns regarding certain players and drug use, but for those people I have two words-Warren Sapp. Remember how he got busted for pot a couple times and how that made him slide down to us? Remember what he said? “I’m gonna make everyone else wish they’d drafted me.” I have feeling Noah Spence feels the same way. Quit acting like you all never did anything dumb when you were younger, and allow for the possibility that people can actually mature and straighten up. He’s thankful to have been given this chance, and he’s Carolina’s, N.O.’s, and Atlanta’s problem to deal with now. This’ll be fun to watch.
April 30th, 2016 at 6:24 am
What’s with these kids in the NFL? Take it from an old timer like me. Go old school and just have a shot of Jameson & a Guinness. AND THAT STUFF IS LEGAL!!!
April 30th, 2016 at 6:33 am
While this kid may not have the prototypical DE size of a guy like Bosa or Dodd, I think this is a great pickup for the Bucs. Spence has got a high motor and plays the game with a chip on his shoulder. He will help Mike Smith get pressure in opposing QB’s and get Jameis back the ball more frequently.
Well done Mr. Licht.
April 30th, 2016 at 8:53 am
Last year Licht traded back into the 2nd round for Ali Marpet, which even though it worked out was a big reach. Spence is a risk just like Brian Price, Arelious Benn and DaQuan Bowers, all 2nd round busts. Also if the kicker misses a few kicks Koetter won’t be able to cut the kicker because of his draft position
April 30th, 2016 at 9:25 am
I think that all that partying is behind him, all of us did it, especially if your in college. You can say the same thing for Bosa. He was doing the same stuff as spence, but spence get nailed and Bosa didnt. A little unfair but that’s life sometimes. I think he was humbled by the experience and it made him realize how much football is a gift and not a given.
I also think he will play with a chip on his shoulder to try and show the other 31 teams they made a mistake in passing on the best edge rusher in the draft.
This team is really starting to,come together. It’s been a long time since the bucs have put together a squad like this. Finally we found the right regime to get us back to the promise lands. Well, we def. Have the right GM, that’s for sure. time will well if we have the right HC. so far so good.
April 30th, 2016 at 10:30 pm
Love this pick. Been calling for this kid ever since the senior bowl. This awesome DE will be a starter by game one & wellwe’ll make everyone who passed on him in first round regret taking him. I’m extremely happy no one took him so we could. Was afraid when Cleveland look Ogbah that there’d be a run on DEs, but leave it to DE STARVED Dallas to take a broken LB, after that knew he’d make it to Tampa, wasn’t sure we’d pull the trigger, but GREAT JOB JASON, AWESOME DRAFT