Donovan Smith: Bring The Hate
February 15th, 2019
Feeds off negativity.
Donovan Smith sees you.
He sees you, you PFF tribesmen.
He sees you, the folks who blindly parrot the PFF tribe.
He sees you, the folks who think he should be a right tackle.
He sees you, the folks who think he should be a guard.
He sees you, the folks who believe he shouldn’t even be on the Bucs’ roster.
More importantly, Smith reads your comments on websites, the Twitters, the Instagram messages, the Facebook posts.
Oh, he reads all the people who cannot stand him. And Smith has a simple message for all of these folks: You better pick up your game and bring it!
Smith, who is likely less than a month away from becoming a very rich young man, is nearing free agency as the starting left tackle for your Buccaneers, baby..
Earlier this week while appearing on “Good Morning, Football,” seen weekday mornings on NFL Network, Smith was asked about his critics, a loud gaggle of mostly Bucs fans but also stat nerd who wear out social media with all sorts of potshots at Smith.
The Penn State product, who has yet to miss a start in the NFL, in a perverse way enjoys the hate and wants more of it.
“People have to sit out there and put stuff out there,” Smith said of his detractors. “I mean, whether it is good or bad, whatever is going to hit and mostly it is negative.”
When asked it the negativity gets him fired up to perform on the field, Smith said there was no doubt.
“It is absolutely motivating,” Smith said. “There is nothing better than proving somebody wrong.”
So remember this, Bucs fans: If the Bucs tag and/or re-sign Smith, in the hours leading up to gameday, you may want to flood Smith’s social media accounts with as much hate as possible. If nasty comments/posts/messages motivate Smith, then the haters should not hold back. Every little bit helps.
February 15th, 2019 at 9:09 am
So the level of play we’ve been witnessing has been not just his standard level, but one that’s been motivated to prove his critics wrong? Lord help us….
February 15th, 2019 at 9:13 am
Its ok, seen plenty of your loafing Don
February 15th, 2019 at 9:13 am
Stop saying you’re the best and be the best. I generally dont badmouth anyones play that I couldn’t do better. But when a guy says he is one of the top 3 LTs in the world it gets scrutinized. And if you’re not performing that way then it appears you may not be working hard enough because of your own evaluation. Less talk more walk.
February 15th, 2019 at 9:14 am
Even more interesting was the dialogue when asked about JW… DS was adamant and animated about our QB’s personality. Made me feel like no one outside of that locker room has a clue about what they’re talking about when it comes to that young man… an observation.
February 15th, 2019 at 9:21 am
DS
…………..the human turnstile
February 15th, 2019 at 9:25 am
He’s a must sign, regardless of talent…The early draft picks need focus on other areas. There’s no replacement fix, a short term deal…
February 15th, 2019 at 9:32 am
the negative comments will stop when he shows he can play every play not just when he feels like it. PS penalties on him have killed us also. We could do better and cheaper in draft.
February 15th, 2019 at 9:33 am
If it takes other people opinions of you to make you work harder you were weak to begin with.
February 15th, 2019 at 9:33 am
Sign him and draft a tackle in round 2.
February 15th, 2019 at 9:43 am
Smith is a fragile, whiny loser, i.e. Jason Licht’s prototype Buccaneer.
February 15th, 2019 at 9:49 am
He’s not a great left tackle, but we need a right guard and right tackle way worse than a new left tackle.
I’m very interested to see how a new coaching staff evaluates the players on this team. This free agency and draft should be very telling for a few of these guys.
February 15th, 2019 at 9:51 am
keep settling for bad players because the team has too many holes and his durability and you will end up with the same thing next year a garbage oline and another basement title. the cycle needs to be broken at some point or it will be another 2 decades before a meaningful win.
no one settles for mediocrity like the bucs and bucfan.
February 15th, 2019 at 9:51 am
Anthem- That moniker belongs to Caleb Benenoch!
At least Smith blocks sometimes.
February 15th, 2019 at 9:53 am
hAtErS
Right, because Buc fans want to despise the guy protecting the blind side of the franchise.
If D Smith gets paid, it will be solely due to the lack of a backup plan put in place by Licht. Hopefully we can get a year out of Smith and draft a guy in the 2nd. It’s a good year for tackles.
February 15th, 2019 at 9:57 am
Bucsfanman Says:
February 15th, 2019 at 9:51 am
Anthem- That moniker belongs to Caleb Benenoch!
At least Smith blocks sometimes.
Benenoch probably would be an all pro if he was not playing next to one of the worst RT that has ever suited up for a nfl game on Sundays…. dotson is just another shining example of settling for garbage year in and year out because the team always has too many holes to fill each season. does not make dotson good just means once again the bucs settle for garbage.
so basically every year bucs front office knows these players suck but they have 52 that sucks worse so every year they settle on half the roster sucking. thanks to the glazers for training low standard bucfan to fall in love with losers year in and year out…
February 15th, 2019 at 10:00 am
If you want to prove us wrong, Donovan, please do something other than FRICKING LOAF!!!!
I want to believe in you. I actually like you.
Please PROVE IT, that you are WORTH IT.
February 15th, 2019 at 10:03 am
There’s not this much hate on this guy for no reason. He is straight up not worthy of a long term, gigantic sack of cash contract. Hope Licht and BA aren’t buying this motivation BS. This is the last guy we need to spend top dollars on. This team needs to be re-loaded or re-booted whatever the hell you wanna call it, but a lot of players need to leave and be replaced by others. We have Leidtke, Wester, and draft a LT in the third and bring in camp meat. “It’s a business”, right? Talent vs. Dollars. That guy is no where near more talented compared to those guys compared to the money he wants. I would rather not tag and I would offer him 3-years $25-$28 million and see if he’s really motivated.
The only reason there is talk about this guy being signed to a fat contract is because there are NO good LT in FA this year.
February 15th, 2019 at 10:04 am
He will be rich pretty soon, no doubt about that….And is not about love or hate, is about effort or lack of it…….And this guy lacks of it…..He doesn’t seem to care……
February 15th, 2019 at 10:05 am
JOE says “Donovan Smith……. feeds off negativity”
————
He is clearly eating well.
February 15th, 2019 at 10:06 am
The amazing thing about modern technology & big screen TV’s is now fans can see EVERYTHING you do. We might not know all there is to know about NFL football but we sure as hell can spot lack of effort. If the coaches & GM are OK with this then we need to set our standards much higher.
February 15th, 2019 at 10:08 am
Also I’m Good with Jensen even though there have been some bone head penalties you can’t say that guy doesn’t bring it start to finish.
February 15th, 2019 at 10:19 am
Umm YOU better pick up YOUR game and bring it! I’m for bringing him back at this point sometimes you can’t get rid of average draft picks and have to live in other the pick of the general manager. But apparently Donovan Smith thinks his worse season so far wasn’t that bad. Dude you are talented but no one hates on players who produce. You get caught loafing when the quarterback is running for his life it’s obvious but you like BA now we’ll see how much you like him if he has to start calling you out for loafing.
Personally I believe you get away with what a coach allows and Koetter was weaker than Raheem
February 15th, 2019 at 10:22 am
Not there yet says
“Koetter was weaker than Raheem”
———-
Wow, that is saying a lot, man.
February 15th, 2019 at 10:24 am
D Smith might fair better with different OLine coaching, and the age/health factors are encouraging. But him firing himself up on negative criticism is a joke, because there’s been critics of him for over the past 2-3 years, and where did his prior “motivation” get him??! Right here. Still loafing with questions.
CAP is looking BETTER now at $16 mill available with Curry gone. KEEP CUTTING LICHT!
Go Bucs!
February 15th, 2019 at 10:27 am
“Smith has a simple message for all of these folks: You better pick up your game and bring it!”
LOL – that’s exactly what the “haters” are saying to you Donovan.
You want to get paid like a top 10 LT?? Then you should have put your best season on tape last year.
It seems the concept of “performance in a contract year” is lost on this player since he apparently wants to skip the actual analysis of performance and negotiate like he’s Joe Thomas…
4 years worth of tape says you are worth $7-8M per year dude – get real!
February 15th, 2019 at 10:29 am
Benenoch was The Turnstile. Smith is more like Clap On/Clap Off?
February 15th, 2019 at 10:43 am
^^ Well said, WyldKat.
February 15th, 2019 at 10:52 am
Go get em big fella
February 15th, 2019 at 11:04 am
BucsFIRE
From an x and o’s standpoint no but atleast Raheem made halftime adjustments and didn’t have to give up play calling on defense. Compare those rosters because freeman was also a turnover machine, two seasons in a row with one of the best passing offenses you barely get to 5-11 plus no one on Raheem defense was getting the sack production of JPP including Geraldine who ended his first two seasons on IR. Horrible coach good coordinator.
February 15th, 2019 at 11:15 am
Sign him. Time to use that cap space for once in a decade and a half
Howard was considering filing suit over the decades of spousal abuse at the hands of Team Glazer but Howard suspects that the Glazers have better barristers.
Lol all you want.
Howard is going to Lol about how the fanbases, the NFL suits and the other owners must view the Glazers and their Buccaneer escapades in Tamps
February 15th, 2019 at 11:24 am
Well said, Not there yet. Definitely understand you on all points.
February 15th, 2019 at 11:27 am
That should be easy with this fan base lol
February 15th, 2019 at 11:33 am
If he loafs during a contract year imagine what he would look like with a long term contract (or even the boosted salary of a franchise tag). smh.
February 15th, 2019 at 11:48 am
Ok. I’m done. Donavon Smith needs to go. I don’t care find someone off the street because it will equal the production plus save some money
Buyer beware like MF. Don’t do it Bucs.
February 15th, 2019 at 12:06 pm
His technique is sloppy and he’s lazy play to play –
Nothing negative to say just reality.
February 15th, 2019 at 12:08 pm
Architek Says:
“His technique is sloppy and he’s lazy play to play –”
———-
Other than that, Architek……….. he is really, really good. 😉
February 15th, 2019 at 12:11 pm
Irresponsible Joe. Reverse psychology or not, never promote this behavior. You should know better.
February 15th, 2019 at 12:38 pm
What would be absolute karma would be for Arians to come in and evaluate Smith and then moves him to RT, or RG. lol
February 15th, 2019 at 1:51 pm
If this has been motivating and he is trying even harder….it is that much more apparent that he really just sucks
February 15th, 2019 at 2:12 pm
tmax- No doubt! They better be looking around for a RT. Not addressing RT AND RG would be criminally negligent.
February 15th, 2019 at 2:43 pm
Bucsfire and Lamarcus.
Here is the hypocrisy at its best. I love it.
Donovan smith is rated in middle of left tackles. He is average. I agree. And you feel he is garbage and needs to go.
Jameis Winston is rated In middle consistently. Average. I agree. Yet you feel he is elite. There is always an excuse. He just needs an offensive line , defense , kicker , speed receiver , healthy tight end , coaching and running back.
I know bucs fire went to FSU. Lamarcus says he didn’t.
I mean wow guys.
Thanks.
And you guys call other people idiots for criticizing Jameis.
February 15th, 2019 at 3:07 pm
Bird,
One of the biggest differences between the 2 is that Donovan Smith seems to be loafing about 75% of the time, and never makes you feel that he is giving you everything he has got.
Now seriously… you being one of the most consistent Jameis critics on JBF… can you honestly say that you do not feel Jameis is giving you EVERYTHING he has got 100% of the time?
I believe Jameis has the ABILITY to be elite.
He is not there yet.
But I believe he can be.
If I am wrong, than I will be wrong.
February 15th, 2019 at 5:26 pm
Buc fire . Now that’s not true. Jameis definitely works hard. Everyone knows that. Go read my posts
Jameis is a buc so I support him. Is he my favorite player – not even top ten
I think he has been average. But I Also think Arians is best coach to raise his game . Not sure what that entails. I am critical cause he is always given excuse by some here
He deserves the criticism.
Not sure why he gets a pass and others are bashed aka smith gmc etc etc.
All I care about is the Bucs to win.
February 15th, 2019 at 6:50 pm
Paying this guy big money because they are unable to draft is one of the major reasons why they haven’t won anything of significance in well over a decade. You are breeding a generation of fans that know nothing but losing and negativism because that is all they have been exposed to. They should have cleaned house.
February 15th, 2019 at 8:31 pm
I just keep seeing one play in my head from him. It was a game towards the end of are season. The defensive end jumps offsides they don’t blow the play dead. He just stands up and starts yelling at the ref as jameis gets killed. And then the fumble where jameis got hit from behind as he was just fixing to make decision of pass or run it. The guy hit him and he fumbled. On that play my football coach friend made us rewind it several times and as soon as smith gets beat he just gives up and stands there. Didn’t even make an attempt to get back into the play as the end had to get through traffic where smith could have easily kept trying to block him. And that happens a lot with him he gives up once he is beat and doesn’t play to the whistle. Just acts like his job is to block his one guy if he fails just stop playing.
February 15th, 2019 at 8:34 pm
And I don’t think a huge amount of money in his bank account is going to make him try harder. I think he is what he is an average tackle who doesn’t miss games. I guy that’s great to have on your team on a rookie contract. He is the guy that we always sign as a free agent after his original team let him walk. Even though there were all kinds of stories from other team that he always doesn’t play hard or to the whistle. And we think he will change for us and we release him in a year. Let him walk let another team have an average player on a horrible contract. Hopefully the panthers or another nfc south team signs him. And then they he can get there qb killed at least once a game. Be fun to watch jpp eat him up all game long.
February 15th, 2019 at 8:38 pm
Draft two tackles in the draft hope they both pan out. But if just one does we have a left tackle for four years for the price of one year of smiths new contract. And maybe next year we can get a compensatory pick in the 3rd round if Alexander and smith get huge pay days from other teams. And we could get are pick back if we use a 3rd round pick on One this year.
February 16th, 2019 at 12:11 am
DONOVAN SMITH–how can you think you are anything except below average–dude, you can’t even keep up with lame ass drug addict Randy Gregory. He put a huge whopping on Jameis and forced the fumble which lost us that game–yeah–lazy ass–you know which game I’m talkin bout. THAT WAS YOUR FAULT!!!!!!!!!
Please figure out how to play guard as you aint making the cake at left tackle.
February 16th, 2019 at 7:43 am
Bird,
Very well said on all accounts, man. Great post.
I understand completely what you are saying.
February 16th, 2019 at 8:32 am
Turnstyle Smith never met a speed rusher he can beat and would be just as vulnerable at RT. If he goes to any other team he will be out of the NFL in one year unless he gets guaranteed money for the entire contract. If he was motivated by negative posts he would not have regressed last year playing worse than his rookie year. His only hope is to learn to play OG where he doesn’t face speed rushers and has a Coach who holds him accountable on every play and won’t defend him like stupid Warhop did along with Koetter. BA needs to just take a LT from a program that is not a stretch team such as Mississippi and their Star LT Greg Little—smooth, long, and athletic in pass blocking and 6’5” 325 Lbs. (Don’t take Florida’s RT—they are a stretch team) and let D. Smith try his luck at Free Agency. If he cannot find a team due to his awful film, you can offer a low one year prove it contract for a backup LG.
February 16th, 2019 at 1:28 pm
If you are not playing great before you get paid, what do you think will happen after you get paid?
Never mistake activity for achievement.
John Wooden
February 16th, 2019 at 3:59 pm
Players should really get off social media, there’s nothing good that ever comes of it. Keep a low profile, have a private account if you just need to be on social media, and don’t look yourself up.
If I was a coach I’d tell all the players this, then while they were practicing on the field I’d have an assistant go through the locker room and take each players phone and run it through a plastic shredder.
February 16th, 2019 at 9:14 pm
I don’t hate the guy. He’s the one who hangs his QB out to dry, quits on plays and doesn’t give maximum effort. It’s not our fault that he sucks. If he was smart, he’d shut his fat mouth and let his play speak for him. Hit the road Donovan. Go suck somewhere else.
February 17th, 2019 at 12:54 pm
“There is nothing better than proving somebody wrong.”
OK DONOVAN, PROVE US A WRONG AND TRYING PLAYING FOR 100% OF THE GAME INSTEAD OF TAKING 25% OF THE PLAYS OFF AND WATCHING EVERYONE AROUND YOU.
February 18th, 2019 at 9:56 am
LLL – LIMP LAME AND LAZY – CHEW ON THAT!