“Man, The Accountability Level”
June 11th, 2019
Derrick Brooks shares what he saw recently at One Buc Palace
BY ZACHARY SEIFTER
JoeBucsFan.com intern
Former Bucs coach Dirk Koetter may have had it all wrong last season when he whipped out the “Discipline Driven” shirts that were worn by every member of the coaching staff.
You know what that shirt should’ve said?
Accountability.
That’s been the message throughout Bucco Bruce Arians’ first offseason as head coach of the Bucs. Every person in that locker room needs to be held accountable for everything they do.
And it has the attention of a Bucs legend.
Derrick Brooks talked to The Sage, Ira Kaufman, on their recent edition of TAMPA TWO about how different these offseason practices were to those of years past.
He didn’t hold back.
“I’ve stuck my face in to watch a few practices myself and that’s one of the things I’ve noticed too Ira, there’s a different energy,” Brooks explained to The Sage. “Obviously a new staff, a new coach, you would expect those things but there was a different energy in the tempo. I believe the two practices that I was at, man, the accountability level.
“In terms of being accountable for mistakes, and also being accountable for successes as well, I was impressed, a lot of teaching. I mean, coach Arians has a lot of staff; don’t get me wrong, but that staff, but every play, they were teaching, and they held the multiple sessions where they split practices at times with young guys was over getting their reps, the veterans were getting their reps and it was generally some great energy out there. And, as I said before, when I was able to peek my head in, it was some days where it was highly competitive, too, amongst themselves.
“So again, I like where they’re at, but as you said before they haven’t played a game. This is the next phase of putting your team together is going through this phase and they came out healthy, no major injuries.”
Strong words of praise from a man who was known to be a great leader in the locker room, one who demanded accountability from everyone on the team.
The level of accountability demanded this offseason is one that hasn’t been seen around these parts in quite some time.
It’s a breath of fresh air not only for the fans, but for former players like Brooks who still stay connected with the team.
Not one person held Swaggy Baker accountable until he jumped offsides and cost the Bucs a win against the Panthers in December 2017. Nobody successfully held Desean Jackson accountable for the stunts he pulled.
Those former Bucs greats are going to keep coming to practices to make sure this energy is maintained.
Come training camp, hopefully there will be an accountability shirt on Brooks’ back.
SEE ALL OF BROOKS’ COMMENTS BELOW on this edition of TAMPA TWO, presented by Caldeco Air Conditioning & Heating!! It’s another dynamic production from The Identity Tampa Bay and JoeBucsFan.com.
June 11th, 2019 at 12:42 am
Whatever works. We’ve had endless angles presented for suggesting there is hope over the past decade. Will this actually translate into something that produces a playoff team over the next year or two?
June 11th, 2019 at 2:05 am
Love the accountability factor hope it translates to the field. I think his message to the team is the perfect one for a franchise used to losing and not living up to expectations ” it’s not my team, it’s your team and we will go as far as you want to go”
June 11th, 2019 at 3:08 am
he jumped offsides and cost the Bucs a win
————–
This narrative, although popular amongst the Pen and mic club at obp, is suspect at best. The tape shows a different story and I believe the player who actually lost the game has been held accountable.
The last play lost the game. The dline-man #93 gets blown of the ball, as he’s falling backwards Cam Newton has time to fumble the ball and then run it into #93’s gap. Game winning TD and accompanying celebration. Newton probably even got a hug, a pat on the back or a high-five from good ol’ #93.
Yes, BA is holding players accountable starting with #93. I can’t wait until he holds others accountable in 7 short weeks.
June 11th, 2019 at 4:28 am
Ode to THE GREAT GMC93…..when will ya’ll stop humming on this man sack…you win together and you loose together!! He’s been held accountable …now would be the time to let him go!! He gone…start looking for your next scapegoat!!
June 11th, 2019 at 4:51 am
Watching that earlier Tampa Two, I thought that Derrick Brooks was spot on with his thoughts about accountability. That’s been a key issue with the Bucs across-the-board for years now. But I’ve always believed that ACCOUNTABILITY and LEADERSHIP go hand-in-hand. They’re inseparable IMO, and without solid leadership you won’t see much accountability.
It was far too much to expect when the ‘suits’ brought in Jameis as a green 20-year-old and anointed him as THE franchise QB & LEADER of the offense. And once 20-year-old Kwon showed that he was a ‘voice’ in the huddle & locker room, they anointed him as LEADER of the defense. NEITHER was truly ready to LEAD and that negatively impacted ACCOUNTABILITY on the team IMO. That simply showed how bereft of FIELD LEADERSHIP our Bucs team has been for far too many years.
I’m still concerned about field leadership on the offensive side of the ball (I miss Logan Mankins I think), but I’m convinced that leadership AND accountability on the defensive side won’t be as much of an issue this year as it has been in the past. Can’t pinpoint why, but I’ve got a feeling that Ndamukong Suh will bring the same kind of ‘presence’ to the DLine that Warren Sapp brought (and we NEED that). Devin White is already grabbing the leadership bull by the horns in the LB corps & likely will from a broader TEAM-leadership perspective. Plus there seem to be a couple of guys who appear to be stepping up in the Secondary to do the same (no, VHIII isn’t one of them).
What I think is most important from a defense perspective is that Todd Bowles’ defense DEMANDS accountability. It seems to put a premium on guys not just playing hard, playing fast & communicating with each other, but also on MAKING PLAYS. And THAT to me is where the accountability comes in. Can’t wait to see this defense in action. I’m convinced that once it gels, it’ll be something special.
June 11th, 2019 at 6:04 am
DB55- No disrespect dude but there were a lot of players in that one play that were standing around looking lost, shooting the wrong gaps. ONE guy didn’t miss, ELEVEN did! Swaggy didn’t lose it for us. That game was lost much earlier than that one play. It’s a sad tale of a football team that we root for.
I am far more optimistic with this coaching staff in charge. Gone, I hope, are the days that players dictate personnel moves and scheme. Just stfu and play football the right way!
June 11th, 2019 at 6:22 am
6-10
June 11th, 2019 at 7:08 am
Who on the Bucs 2017 team played so well that they could hold anybody else accountable. If you are gonna call somebody out then you better be setting an example with your own game, nobody will respect you until you do.
Agree with Fanman accountability starts with the coaches and change is coming.
With the infusion of new players this defense will improve, hope its sooner rather than later.
June 11th, 2019 at 9:30 am
DR
i disagree…..
VHG is one of the players that have stepped up not only in the leadership role to the young guys but he’s also stepped up his play…..BA challenged him and he’s accepted the challenge….since his tongue lashing, BA, TB and teammates have all talked about how he’s gained better practice habits on the field and in the class room…..
i think your dislike for VHG for whatever reason is creating an bias opinion…..yes he’s a former 1st round pick that hasnt produced up to the level that we’re all excepting but we can say that about a number of players including winston…..it has nothing to do with skill….their development has been hampered by poor coaching…..
bottom line is everyone has a clean slate with the new staff…..they’ll learn the system and coaches will put them in position to be successful…..
hard to judge a player under the previous coaching staff….
GO BUCS!!!!!
June 11th, 2019 at 9:45 am
First round pick in his fourth year just now getting better practice habits on the field and in the classroom? It sounds more like an effort and attitude problem to me. No excuses, VH111 needs to step up or he will be replaced by one of the younger DB’s chomping at the bit .
June 11th, 2019 at 12:44 pm
Bucboi
That’s a stretch at best… He’s already been called down, in underwear football, for not having his head right..
Unless you’ve been to practices, you can’t really verify that he’s become a leader..etc.
Agree with Bob, a fourth year player who needs a tongue lashing, ain’t much of a leader.
June 11th, 2019 at 1:27 pm
bob & jmark
no one was holding anyone accountable the entire time he’s been a profession….he was learning from GMC, djax, chris baker…..lol….
i havent been to practice but ive seen practice notes and videos from different sources….and since his “tongue lashing” he’s improved his game…..
as i stated earlier, BA challenged him to step his game up and he has judging by some of the video clips and coaches interviews…..
kinda like when you were younger and you go to grandma’s house for the weekend….she lets you do whatever you want….but then you go to your other grandma’s house and she dont play….she’s strict and wants things done her way….you’ll get a “tongue lashing” or worse but you’ll straighten up and you wont act like that again…..
so by you and bob’s definition, winston isnt a leader as well….he got more than a “tongue lashing” during his fourth year….he had to miss games….
GO BUCS!!!!
June 11th, 2019 at 1:32 pm
Joe always mentions Baker. Did we ever hear of McCoy holding Baker accountable?
Afterall, wasn’t McCoy such a “leader” on defense?
BA is weeding out the players who lack accountability. McCoy was the fat cat shown the door.
June 11th, 2019 at 1:48 pm
Bonsai
SMDH Winston narrowly avoided criminal charges for groping someone…
Definitely not leadership characteristics for sure, but way way different than the discussion of VHIII
IMHO, BA is giving him just enough rope to hang himself.
June 11th, 2019 at 2:16 pm
Don’t think Joe ever wrote that.
June 11th, 2019 at 3:27 pm
BucBoi ,
IMO , Jameis college leadership style has not transitioned to the NFL as yet.
Overemotional Rah Rah speeches liking ” eating a W” should not be needed.
I would much rather he quietly go about his business as Evans does until he grows into the leadership role.
June 11th, 2019 at 5:04 pm
DB, I see once again it’s not the end. McCoy is so much in your head he can be gone and you talk about him. No matter how you paint it, it reflects on you more than him. Especially when you proclaimed you were done talking about him, said “the end” and “dropped the mic, with your bad self. Too funny. Sad. Go Bucs!