Excitement
June 27th, 2016
Bucs DE Robert Ayers brings juice, says DT Clinton McDonald.
Some things have scarred Joe’s memory, and short of extensive therapy sessions with a shrink, are likely branded in Joe’s brain for good.
For example, the night the Bucs won the Super Bowl, a dirty-blonde lass who clearly wasn’t fond of gyms or diets decided to jump on the main bar at Ferg’s Sports Bar in St. Petersburg, disrobe and dance in delight at Chucky raising the Vince Lombardi Trophy aloft in victory, as if she was on stage at a clothing-optional establishment.
It’s a scene, despite concerted efforts, Joe cannot purge from his hard drive (and no, not that hard drive, get your minds out of the gutter).
But that scene was better than watching the Bucs skippered by Stewart McClown. It was so ungodly, so boring, so painful to watch, at one point in the loss to Minnesota that year, Joe literally had to get up and walk around the back of the press box to take a mental break. Joe has never, ever had to do that before — or since — in all his years covering sports: take a break from a live game to gain a bit of sanity. That is how awful, how boring that Bucs team was. No wonder Team Glazer had a rough time getting people to cough up hard-earned cash for that tripe. Joe watched for his livelihood and couldn’t tolerate it!
Things improved dramatically with America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston (thank, God). And now it’s time for excitement from the defense, Clinton McDonald told Joe and others during minicamp earlier this month.
And that excitement comes in the form of defensive ends Robert Ayers and Noah Spence.
Ayers is “going to bring excitement,” McDonald said. “All of the teams he’s been a part of so far – the Broncos and New York [Giants] – he brings a type of rush to himself. He doesn’t limit himself to a defensive end position. He comes inside and rushes as well.
“Noah Spence, he brings an excitement, he brings a talent – a rare talent level, that in these days younger guys don’t really possess. But he’s the type of guy – he’s fast, he’s agile, he plays multiple positions, so he brings an ‘X-factor’ to what we have going on.”
This gets Joe worked up. As much as any other red-blooded American, Joe loves bone-crunching defense. But we live in an offensive-minded world, which can be entertaining as well (so long as Stewart McClown is not your quarterback).
Few things are more exciting than your defense taking a quarterback down, and in the immortal words of Al Davis, go down hard.
Hopefully, Ayers and Spence can provide this much-needed excitement to fans.
June 27th, 2016 at 11:12 am
I share Joe’s excitement and I cannot wait to see what these two gentlemen(hopefully not on Sunday) do and what they can do FOR GMC. Not just the pocket collapsing stuff even though that will be wonderful but the attitude and skill level that approaches GMC’s that will hopefully motivate him and take his game to the next level which is a wonderful prospect for the near future. And we’re not even talking the help on the back-end they’ll have the Lavonte and Kwon… Tantalizing.
June 27th, 2016 at 11:29 am
Legit pressure from the edges – what a concept.
Let’s hope it actually happens on a regular basis this year.
Go Bucs!
June 27th, 2016 at 11:33 am
Full sails ahead, Captain and his first mate Jameis and crew ready for action. On McClown, I remember saying how tough he was taking multiple beatings, no wonder he could not think straight, birds tweeting circling his head.
June 27th, 2016 at 11:50 am
Remember how fast the Seahawks and Cardinals went from losers to perennial winners, we make the right moves, we could be king of the mountain sooner than expected
June 27th, 2016 at 12:49 pm
McCowen is a decent back-up quarterback. When you take a the offensive coordinator and put him behind one of the worst o-lines in history…no one is going to look good. He was one leg of a three legged stole with two broken legs for balance…please give the guy a break. He played with a lot of heart, which was better than we can say for those around him.
June 27th, 2016 at 1:09 pm
I’ll save my excitement for WINS and an above 500 season. Put some wins/many wins in the regular season column. Now that would be exciting.
June 27th, 2016 at 1:15 pm
“Joe loves bone-crunching defense.”
Now you’re talkin’ Joe. A mad-dog defense creating fumbles, interceptions, sacks, tackles for loss, chasing the QB all over the field … that’s fun-to-watch football. Has a way of energizing the offense too.
June 27th, 2016 at 2:39 pm
I’m with you on that Vikings game Joe. I clearly remember ASJ fumbling in overtime, it happened 10 yards in front of me, But I swear I was in my car halfway down Dale Mabry by the time the Vikings ran it in for the win.
June 27th, 2016 at 2:45 pm
I agree! A nice bone crushing sack is almost as much fun as a touchdown.
June 27th, 2016 at 3:00 pm
One of the great things about the old stadium was how many chicks would flash people there, it happened all the time. Everyone having a phone with a camera now has completely destroyed that, chicks don’t show off nearly as much as they used to. They’ll be 1000x more sluty now but they won’t just flash to get a crowd reaction – and in the pre-internet 90s chicks would do that all the time, at least once a game some chick was doing it.
June 27th, 2016 at 3:50 pm
Speaking for Pablo
“Pablo wants to add that we have Hay Hayes to help coach up our Dline…….Hell, Hay may even be able to coach up Houseplant Hohnson……and do some wonders with Haquis & Howard Hones”
June 27th, 2016 at 8:49 pm
I just want to see Scam Newton sacked about 10 times and throwing little hissie fits on the sideline sulking by himself under his little diaper. Ot would be nice to see him refuse comments after our games and really need that ice bath after them like in his commercials. Would make my season if we prevent the putty tats from returning to the playoffs because the D stepped up and did its job!
June 28th, 2016 at 1:44 am
This little lady had expressed extreme joy when Robert Ayers signed with us. And Spence was my 2nd round choice for sure..
A bit off topic, but in the same sense of excitement. My youngest son works at a local car wash detail shop and VH3 came in with his new Porsche and the first thing Alex said to me was ” Mom he’s like 5 11 or 6 (very close) but he’s stocky as hell.
AND a good tipper and super nice with the fans crowding around his car.
June 28th, 2016 at 8:06 am
I agree Joe, these 2 guys get me pumped up for the season and might be the 2 guys I’m most excited to see despite my boy VH3 picking off Scam Newton.
I think these guys will make a world of difference for this defense in not only production from themselves but from others around them, specifically GMC. It’s truly sad he had to wait 7 seasons to finally get sum legit edge rushers around him but Im not gonna worry about the past, it’s all about the future here in Tampa Bay. It’s time to bring back a punishing defense to a town that prides itself on defense. When ppl thought of the Bucs, the first thing that came to mind was defense. Time to bring that mentallity back. We all know the offense is in good hands with #3. Now its time for teams to respect the other side of the ball here in the Bay.