No Coincidence In Hargreaves’ Appearance
April 2nd, 2019
Head games
Joe is confident you saw a very calculated move by Bucco Bruce Arians on Day 1 of players reporting yesterday.
Think about it.
When is the last time you saw Vernon Hargreaves, Vernon Hargreaves, standing at a podium in a Buccaneers studio and holding an afternoon news conference.
The Bucs confirmed to Joe and other media yesterday morning that Hargreaves and Mike Evans would be the team representatives fielding questions to open the official start of the Arians regime. Newcomer Shaq Barrett was added later, but it’s rather typical for a new player added in free agency to do that.
So why Hargreaves out front?
You better believe there’s a 98 percent chance team media officials asked Arians if there was anyone he wanted — or didn’t want — out there talking to media yesterday. That’s how the game is played, and Joe suspects Hargreaves’ news conference came Arians-approved, complete with a huge smile.
Almost out of the blue, Arians raved about Hargreaves in Phoenix last week and he clearly is trying to pump the guy up. And now Hargreaves has a news conference when face-of-the-franchise types like Lavonte David, Jameis Winston and Ali Marpet are available. Peyton Barber just got a new contract and is looking to build his brand, and Arians is calling Chris Godwin a 100-catch guy, but out in front was Hargreaves, who was benched in 2017 and sidelined with shoulder surgery nearly all of the 2018 season.
Hargreaves was all smiles and oozing confidence, stating the surprise public display of love from his new head coach stunned him last week. Hargreaves even said he was forwarding Internet links to friends and family, presumably of Arians’ positive stories and video.
Yes, the old coach in the funny hat apparently pegged Hargreaves as a guy desperately needing an over-the-top shot of confidence, much like he did America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, three months ago.
Who’s next?
April 2nd, 2019 at 5:36 am
Good pick up joes !
And no question that was intended.
Hope he can get some swag back cause his confidence had to be close to zero in his young career.
Again when your strength is to play press coverage / be physical at line of scrimmage and then you are forced to play in off soft coverage (sometimes 15 feet away) then who knows what this kid can do?
April 2nd, 2019 at 5:36 am
Im actually excited about VH3 this season. This new defense will be good for him. He is going to be going back to doing a lot of what he was doing in college where he was very successful at it, obviously.
I doubt he will turn into a lockdown #1 CB like he was drafted to be in 1 season, but if he stays healthy he can remove the “bust” label.
April 2nd, 2019 at 5:39 am
Im actually excited about VH3 this season. The new defense will be good for him. He will be going back to doing a lot of what he did in college and he was very successful at it, obviously.
I doubt he will turn into the lockdown #1 CB he was drafted to be in 1 season, but if he stays healthy I think he can remove the “bust” label
April 2nd, 2019 at 5:45 am
Listening to Hargreaves press conference really highlights how terrible the previous coaching staff was.
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:18 am
VHIII is one player who all I see is question marks over his head. Rookie year (2016) he started all 16 games. Nothing spectacular (9 PD, 76 Tackles, 3 TFL & 1 INT) but not all that bad for a rookie CB (who got picked on quite a bit because of Grimes being on the other side). But after that? The roof caved in. Vernon only played 9 games (started 7) in 2017 before he ended up on IR (hamstring), and only played ONE game in 2018 before he once again ended up on IR *shoulder).
So in 3 seasons with us, he’s barely played in half of the games (26 of 48) and in the last 2 seasons he’s only played in less than one-third of the games (10 of 32) due to injuries. Whatever his REAL talent is as a CB, one thing it’s not: availability. Heck, the other CB drafted in 2016 (Ryan Smith) has played in 31 of 32 games these past 2 years (since the Bucs FINALLY identified him as a CB) and has started half of those (16) with better stats than VHIII has had these past 2 years when he did play.
Despite all of BA’s and Licht’s ‘stroking’, perhaps that’s why the Bucs offered Morris Claiborne a contract several days ago (28 March). Of course, it was insulting to Claiborne (1-year, vet minimum of less than $1 mil) but with not enough in the coffers to even pay future draft picks the Bucs have become beggars. Nice job Jason.
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:25 am
“Lol the Bucsheep with there short memories
Milli Vanilli going to play man off the line vs julio jones and the top recievers?
Milli is probably the worst corner vs the slant route
Absolutely the worst recovery speed. The reciever makes 1 juke and off to the races
Remember milli trying to cover amari cooper?
This man coverage experiment with our slow corners will last for 2 weeks if that long”
Kobe Faker
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:28 am
“The day we fire Jason Gump is the day the Bucs get better”
Defense Rules
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:30 am
Hargreaves is average at best.
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:38 am
The day we fire Jason…is the day we start rebuilding. A ten year do over. Fire Dungy, fire Gruden, fire McKay, fire the next guy, fire them all. I guess firing makes winners.
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:48 am
Hargreaves had the best footwork than any college CB when he was drafted. With his ability to shift his hips laterally, he shadowed the best college WRs with ease. He was quicker than fast and could out jump most WRs taller than him. I was quite shocked to see him do so poorly in his rookie year. The Bucs coaching staff ruined him. Excited to see how well he performs this year.
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:48 am
Great
Vernon “Marshmallow” Graves is out performing his first clown act of this upcoming horrible season.
……wait til Brucie sees this clown on the getting toasted like the marshmallow he is……..
It’s Ok Brucie…..you can’t play Red Cross to everyone except for JPP and Nassib.
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:50 am
Kobe Faker Says:
April 2nd, 2019 at 6:28 am
“The day we fire Jason Gump is the day the Bucs get better”
Defense Rules
……………………………………………………………………………………….
bingo… bingo… bingo !
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:07 am
He’s the Millennial Whisperer
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:11 am
VH3?? c’mon this guy is a another below average bust from licht. Vernon is the poster child for how bad of a gm jason licht was and how licht and teh coaching staff was so out of whack. Licht picking guys that were no rhyme or reason for what teh bucs wanted to do. Koetter is a football guy, Mike Smith has been around super bowl winners and hall of famers and knows what he needs, yet gump drafts VH3s and D-3 players to think hes cute and smart. The bucs have been running a version of the Tampa 2 the past few years and everyone knows you need to build the defense up front but licht ignored that and got VH3. The bucs in the super bowl years had middle round DBs and had them play cover 2,3, & 4, primarily off coverage and got the pressure up front, mike smith, wanted this too, but licht being such a dunderbox drafted like stevie wonder, 5-11 licht
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:17 am
Kobe … No secret that I’m not a huge fan of Jason Licht, but for the life of me I can’t remember writing what you quoted me as writing … “The day we fire Jason Gump is the day the Bucs get better”. Old age I guess.
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:26 am
My thoughts are how well will BA and our DC be willing to put him out front at the end of the season. After a season of watching his play up close and personal. Time will tell. I do hope he has gotten good advice on his enthusiasm and voicing it on the field. Can someone clue him in on getting fired up after YOU make the play, and please quit squealing like a teen girl on the football field after someone else makes a stop- pass defensed- or interception. From the looks of it from his Buccaneers player history he has a difficult time staying on the field to make plays for himself. Hard to pass defend-cover-tackle from the bench. I hope he can improve with the new coaches, my fingers are crossed.
Go Bucs!!!!
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:27 am
My thoughts are how well will BA and our DC be willing to put him out front at the end of the season. After a season of watching his play up close and personal. Time will tell. I do hope he has gotten good advice on his enthusiasm and voicing it on the field. Can someone clue him in on getting fired up after YOU make the play, and please quit squealing like a teen girl on the football field after someone else makes a stop- pass defensed- or interception. From the looks of it from his Buccaneers player history he has a difficult time staying on the field to make plays for himself. Hard to pass defend-cover-tackle from the bench. I hope he can improve with the new coaches, my fingers are crossed.
Go Bucs!!!!
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:33 am
A-men!
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:37 am
“DR,
You never said that…
Its unusual Kobe humor”
Kobe Faker
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:46 am
So the theory is….that by putting a player “out front” in a season opening press conference, that his election to do that and being in that press conference, thereby automatically gives him a shot of confidence??? To not have been near the media in a while, and prior to the press conference, any of the media could have asked God knows what kinds of questions about his prior play, scheme (un)fits, health issues, etc……but he’ll definitely get a shot of confidence….just by participating in the press conference representing the team??! 🙂 Sure.
There’s no proof whatsoever that walking off that stage, just by taking player of team questions in any direction, that VHIII has any more “confidence” than when he walked on to the stage. In fact, depending on the questions, one could objectively make the case, that he could end up with less confidence walking off, having not dealt with the local media in quite some time.
But sure.
I would reasonably think that “confidence” , real confidence, would come from holding joint practices with the Dolphins this offseason, VHIII performing exceedingly well in those, then dominating in OTA’s, which might be somewhat shaky covering Evans/Perriman size and speed….those are things one derives confidence from. Action-based outperformance.
April 2nd, 2019 at 7:59 am
Defense sues Kobe for misrepresentation…
April 2nd, 2019 at 8:33 am
If we have a DB that needs a confidence boost, we’re already toast. I’m apprehensive as heck with VHIII.
He’s constantly injured, too short and too slow. To make matters worse, he finger-wags at everything as if he’s some superstar.
Scheme change? So what?! Who can he cover in press? He’s not big enough or physical enough to take a Julio Jones, Sanu, or any other big WR. Second, he’s not fast enough to make up ground on an AB, or DJax.
I pray that he proves me wrong, I really do. I just don’t buy it.
April 2nd, 2019 at 8:45 am
Lets see the confidence ON the field with good D play. Yes calculated BA.
April 2nd, 2019 at 9:26 am
Comments in here are funny. Everyone seems to think that BA will help Winston but when it comes to Smith, VHIII or any other player they can’t be saved. We have a new coaching staff a proven staff that has won previously I would like to see what they can do with our players before I pass judgment… The defensive staff the bucs had under Koetter was a complete and total joke. Bowles by himself is an upgrade even if he defenses struggled in NY at least he was trying different things. Smith trotted out the same useless scheme having our corners playing off and getting burnt. At least we will be switching things up.
April 2nd, 2019 at 9:26 am
lol….VHG will prove a lot of folks wrong this season…..
he has to stay healthy, but his problem along with others have been lack of development not talent…..spence is in the same boat….solid rookie season, and then fell off a cliff….i wonder why……smitty!!!!!
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
April 2nd, 2019 at 9:27 am
doolnutts
BINGO!!!!!!!
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
April 2nd, 2019 at 9:32 am
Nice call, JOE.
Pure & simple, Bruce Arians understands the value of CONFIDENCE from the Head Coach.
Jameis Winston will benefit GREATLY from this.
I believe that Vernon Hargreaves III is going to, also.
Who knows, maybe even others like Noah Spence.
It’s called SWAG.
April 2nd, 2019 at 9:35 am
doolnutts Says:
“Comments in here are funny. Everyone seems to think that BA will help Winston but when it comes to Smith, VHIII or any other player they can’t be saved.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXACTLY, LOL.
Well said, doolnutts.
April 2nd, 2019 at 9:48 am
@Tampa Bay Demon
“Swag” can turn into “False Bravado” when meet with “truth” and “Reality”
2019 season will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 2nd, 2019 at 9:49 am
Hargreaves has only been coached by one staff the last 3 seasons. Like the rest of the Bucs let’s see if a different voice and scheme help him reach his potential. Sometimes that’s all you need. The Rams are the poster child for this.
April 2nd, 2019 at 10:12 am
Dude was drafted ninth overall and better be able to cover better than any second or third round rookie we drafted. He’s a press corner so it’s good to see what he has before trying to replace him, can’t address all the holes and can’t keep drafting corners. Besides it was stupid to try and make him an off corner.
April 2nd, 2019 at 10:43 am
Kobe … I appreciate the ‘Kobe humor’ but really, I make enough ‘unusual’ dumb statements on my own.
TB Demon … I agree with you about the value of CONFIDENCE. But confidence isn’t taught, it’s EARNED through hard work & experience IMO. CS Lewis made an awesome statement on EXPERIENCE when he wrote … “Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn; my God do you learn”. Right now BA is stroking some of these guys I think to get them looking forward instead of backwards. Great approach IMO, but in looking at his past teaching EXPERIENCE, I think it comes down to ‘BA don’t take no BS’. He is the quintessential ‘brutal teacher’ some will soon find out I have a hunch.
April 2nd, 2019 at 10:49 am
@Realist,
You are just yelling at me because 813 and I happen to agree on this, lol
April 2nd, 2019 at 10:51 am
Dapostman Says:
“Sometimes (a different voice is) all you need. The Rams are the poster child for this.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Very well said, Dapostman, and great example.
April 2nd, 2019 at 10:52 am
Good job Joes spotting the subterfuge.
I’m beginning to see BA as a grand master poker player. Propping up VH3 is simply a bluff to cover a move he plans to make in the 2nd round of the draft, Rock Ya-Sin, CB from Temple.
He probably lusted after that young cornerback and doesn’t want anyone to move ahead of him to claim his guy. It will be a blindside move.
Building up Peyton Barber is also to disguise the 3rd round grab of Darrell Henderson, the David Johnson (3rd round steal) of this year’s draft.
Who else did he build up…..Gerald McCoy, who will disguise his intended 1st round pick, Ed Oliver?????
Don’t underestimate BA the grand master poker player.
April 2nd, 2019 at 10:57 am
When they drafted VHIII I really thought he could play a Honey Badger type role in a defense. Maybe we’ll finally see some of that.
April 2nd, 2019 at 10:57 am
Defense Rules,
Fantastic post and very eloquently written, as usual.
“Experience is a brutal teacher, but you learn; my God do you learn” is a quote that has a million miles worth of depth and meaning.
I agree with you that there are many facets to BA’s style of teaching, and these guys are going to experience many levels of it, depending on what happens.
I think “teaching”, in general, is something this team desperately needs and has lacked for awhile now.
April 2nd, 2019 at 11:33 am
The Buc Realist Says:
September 9th, 2018 at 4:28 pm
What was the difference in the game between the Bucs and the Saints????? Coach Smitty pitched the shutout in the 3rd quarter with that duct tape of a defense with all those rookies and new guys!!!!!!!!! The “real” fans stand up and applaud these great coaches we have in Tampa!!!! For out coaching and out scheming the other team with less experienced talent!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
**************************************************************
dirk and smitty never outcoached anyone….the difference in the game was VHG forcing the fumble combined with MI having to sit 4games…..
the funny thing is, dirk and smitty had soooo much “swag” back then….lol….
if i saw dirk and smitty today, i’d tell them this………….
**************************************************************
The Buc Realist Says:
April 2nd, 2019 at 9:48 am
@Tampa Bay Demon
“Swag” can turn into “False Bravado” when meet with “truth” and “Reality”
2019 season will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!
**************************************************************
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!!
April 2nd, 2019 at 12:57 pm
@Tampa Bay Demon
Nothing of the sort!!!!!! I thought you were some new poster!!!!!!!!!!!! Sometimes the sheep look all alike!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And if you actually believe that, then you should think all problems are fixed and you have nothing to worry about this season!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 season will reveal answers to the sheep, That the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Free The Realist Joe!!!!!! Do not moderate the Truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 2nd, 2019 at 4:36 pm
Realist,
No I have been here for awhile and most definitely not a “sheep”, but thanks nonetheless.
Not really sure what your point of the post was, but all good.
Carry on.