“It Kind Of Game Me Chills”
October 22nd, 2023
Leadership.
This is for the leaders crowd.
Joe will never forget the horrid local morning sports talk show hosted by Dan Sileo. Cool guy away from the studio, truly dreadful radio from the studio.
Outside of football, Sileo wasn’t very knowledgeable about sports. When he ran out of something to talk about, he always fell back on what Joe believes is one of the most empty talking points in sports.
Joe will type it the way Sileo pronounced it, phonetically.
“Leh-DEHRS!”
Riveting radio, man.
But last week after suffering a very poorly played game by the Bucs offense in a loss to Detroit, you could almost anticipate a team being down in the dumps.
To Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales, he was very surprised to see the mentality of his offense at Wednesday’s practice. He said it was about what he would consider the perfect practice where players were very, very vocal, upset with how they played, and verbally holding each other accountable throughout the practice to get things right, to practice the right way, to get their heads out of their tails.
Canales described the scene for the local pen and mic club on Thursday.
“Yesterday, just to share a moment for all of you because you weren’t out at practice, but the seriousness that the guys came out with yesterday together in the huddle, at a couple times in the practice, I’m watching them talk. They’re talking, they’re taking ownership of this thing.
“My highest vision for our offense, my highest view of us long term is a group that can work those things out together in the huddle. It kind of gave me chills a couple of times, where I really feel like I’m this guy back there just reading off a paper because Baker [Mayfield] is talking to the wideouts and the linemen are talking together and communicating with the tight end. Yesterday was such a fantastic example of that – of what we’re looking for – for [Robert] Hainsey and those guys taking ownership of this offense. It’s theirs. We give them a plan that they’re excited about, hopefully we give them plays they love, and then from there they’ve got to take ownership and really drive it and be out there on Sunday where it’s them playing.
“They’re not an extension of me, they’re not an extension of their coaches – this is their team. This is their offense and their defense and their special teams. I believe we’re heading in that direction. It was really cool to see the last two days just kind of how serious the guys have been in the huddle and in the locker room, as well, just kind of talking with each other.”
After Canales’ press conference, Joe got a chance to talk to Carlton Davis. The veteran Bucs’ corner told Joe he could see the same thing as Canales, but since Davis plays defense, he didn’t want to speak out of turn.
So Joe asked him if the defense had the same mindset. Absolutely, Davis said.
“Leadership always shows up right away for us for sure,” Davis said about his defensive teammates. “That’s a normal thing.
“If we lose, it’s like, ‘Alright, how do we fix this?’ Something that we always do.”
Joe would expect nothing less than from a bunch of dudes who less than three years ago were doing confetti angles in the turf of The Licht House celebrating a Super Bowl win.
October 22nd, 2023 at 3:47 am
Well I definitely got chills accompanied by a Cold Sweat watching them play last week.
October 22nd, 2023 at 4:10 am
It “game” me chills?
October 22nd, 2023 at 4:56 am
They’re going to need that leadership today. That Atlanta defense is tough and Ridder is starting to play better.
October 22nd, 2023 at 5:24 am
Yup Davis is obviously a leader.
Go Bucs!
October 22nd, 2023 at 7:00 am
What Billy said.
October 22nd, 2023 at 7:11 am
You know, after reading what Canales said, I just find the dude candid and refreshing. Especially after that “card board cut out” of an OC from last year. Props Coach Canales.
October 22nd, 2023 at 8:07 am
My neighbor across the street is a yuge Bucs fan. When I ran into him, he mentioned it’s been 6 years since the Bucs won a game after the Bye week. That includes the 2020 SB season. I said yeah, they just don’t play well. I feel different today, much more positive. Talk about FL tourism weather–wow! C’mon, Tampa Bay, you’re the best team in this Division. Now, play like it!
October 22nd, 2023 at 8:42 am
And oh by the way, I keep harping on this. For whatever reason we stink at home, at RayJay, we are not consistent. No swagger what so ever. Yeah, the running game definitely needs to be fixed but damn, win a game in front of the home crowd. You know the 65% of the people wearing orange and red, those with Buc gear. We had a hard time winning at home with Brady under center, what gives? Atlanta runs the ball very well. If our defense starts back-peddling, look out for a long hot depressing day.
October 22nd, 2023 at 9:34 am
Angels Joe, Canales is very intelligent and doesn’t seem to have that traditional arrogant stubbornness that most coaches have. Bowles is definitely stubborn and that’s why we will keep running the ball to nowhere until he gets fired. I believe at some point Canales will try to throw the ball more to open up the run and Bowles will tie his hands.
October 22nd, 2023 at 9:50 am
Canales talks a good game. Needs more results.
October 22nd, 2023 at 11:41 am
Im an optimist but I keep hearing the same thing: “I’m doing my part by delivering an awesome game plan that everyone loves but the players screwed it up”.
I’m heartened to know that our players hold themselves and each other accountable. It would be nice for the coaches to do the same. And saying “My game plan is very complicated and intricate and the players just haven’t learned it yet” isn’t exactly taking ownership of the offensive struggles, is it?
Coach ’em up, pretty boy or you’ll be back to the lower ranks of assistants next year (if you can package and sell your bill of goods again to another desperate team).
Right now he’s just Lefty with better grammar. No DC is losing sleep over his game-planning.
October 22nd, 2023 at 3:55 pm
How many degrees does a confetti angle have, I wonder?
October 22nd, 2023 at 4:08 pm
Yup, Davis is the leader of the soft pathetic scrubs on our defense.
David, Winfield and Izien are the only good players. Everyone else is soft and pathetic.
Did Devin White even play today?
October 22nd, 2023 at 5:04 pm
Ha! Focused on crapping the bed!
October 22nd, 2023 at 6:32 pm
It kind of GAME me chills…?
Gave?
October 22nd, 2023 at 7:31 pm
How in the world did the Bucs get gifted three freakish turnovers / takeaways in our red zone, basically take 21 points OFF the board for the other team, still be in position to win the game with one final TD Drive, and end up losing?!? It has to be the coaching. The Bucs definitely have talent, especially at the skill positions. I’m tired of watching canales’s play calls, and waiting for the promised creativity, when all I see is Byron Leftwich 2.0- run up the middle on first down for 0-2 yards, that’ll keep them honest LOL. I would love to call plays for this Bucs team for one game. We don’t use any motion, to give the d a little pause, we rarely throw on first down, we don’t stretch the field side to side or vertically, but especially side to side. I don’t get it, because we have speed i e Devon Tompkins, Etc. I could draw up plays in the dirt like sandlot, “you go here, you cut right, you go down and out left – the ball will be there as soon as you turn!” It’s bad coaching. We’re soft, and we have to overcome “slow starts”. Bad coaching, Bucs not prepared. One bright light, Lavonte David, consummate All Pro leads by example! Too bad not enough support and other players chipping in. In 2020 I was convinced that Devin white was going to be the 2nd coming of LT (as in Lawrence Taylor); did he even play today? I listen to the game on radio cuz I was “out of market”, and I swear I didn’t hear his name called one time. He’s Got Talent, so what’s the problem? Gotta be coaching
October 22nd, 2023 at 8:27 pm
The offense would be more entertaining if Canales just went out to the 50 yd line and dropped a big steamer. That’s what we’re gonna get anyway.