“We Have No Time To Stay Down”
October 23rd, 2024
Can’t look down any longer.
Bucs legend Lavonte David always likes to talk about “mindset” and “mentality.” He must have been a psych major at Nebraska.
David hasn’t talked much this year but it seems from years past, those two subjects are his favorites to discuss.
So after walking around and through the Bucs locker room in the wake of the carnage that was the Bucs’ curb-stomping loss to the Crows, Joe has to wonder how the Bucs mentally bounce back on Sunday wearing the creamsicles against Atlanta.
(Oh, Joe loves the creamsicles. Sadly, Joe also knows how the Bucs channel their inner creamsicles with their play while wearing them. The results are just as gross as the 1980s Bucs, who wore the creamsicles full-time. They often ate an “L.”)
The best way Joe can describe the locker room vibe Monday night is “shell-shocked.” Fully shook, not just because Mike Evans went down but the alleged nature of Chris Godwin’s injury.
(Gutless if not arrogant of BSPN not to show a replay of what happened to Godwin. Of course, the Disney shot-callers quickly tried to cloak themselves with a moral superiority over the unwashed watching the game. They wouldn’t broadcast the replay — but continued to discuss Godwin’s injury. The slobs apparently don’t know they are there to report. But, that’s typical BSPN. Act like they have a divine-influenced code of ethics when it fits a self-aggrandizing purpose. Pretend, as always, they’re better, smarter, holier than anyone else.)
Whatever Godwin’s injury was, it clearly rattled his teammates (just look at this video).
That was obvious and evident by the way players exited the field and entered the locker room and reacted in the aftermath.
Guys who normally are chipper with reporters suddenly refused to comment. Dudes couldn’t get out of the locker room fast enough. Heads hung low, speechless.
Joe felt it was like watching guys walk from a church after the funeral of a close friend.
Even before this afternoon, Joe wondered how the Bucs would mentally bounce back. Perhaps they wouldn’t?
“You do worry about it a little bit,” Zyon McCollum said of the recovering mentally. “At the same time we are all trying to stay up. Me, my mentality, I stay in the present moment.
“And right now the present moment is we are a 4-3 team and we have to beat a division opponent coming in. That’s the word I am preaching to this entire locker room.
“We have no time to stay down. It’s a long season. We have to stay up. That’s the only way we’ll get to a Super Bowl.”
These are encouraging words but McCollum is but one player. Joe witnessed key players in the locker room Monday night with empty stares at the wall. They were rattled to their cores.
On a short week, rebounding from Monday night would say a lot about this team. And the next few weeks will say a lot about the coaching.
Joe has a fear as bad as that locker room looked Monday night, if the Bucs lose Sunday to Atlanta, this season could very quickly go south.
October 23rd, 2024 at 4:07 pm
Wonder if this is David’s last season.
October 23rd, 2024 at 4:13 pm
They shouldn’t feel ashamed and embarrassed
They went up against the best offense in the NFL
They just don’t have the talent to keep with with the Ravens
Take your frustrations out on the Falcons, and these other weak teams from the WORST division in NFL history. You have 4 games left against these marshmallows from the NFC South!!
October 23rd, 2024 at 4:13 pm
The Bucs made the big move this week to cut the punter, that should help not just special teams, but also the offense and defense and let the team know they need to give it their all, that this coach doesn’t take any guff.
October 23rd, 2024 at 4:14 pm
Heard (not from the Bucs) that David was going to retire this past offseason. But something or someone coaxed him back. Not sure if it was his inner drive to squeeze another year out of his bones or what.
Also heard he asked the Bucs to give him a few weeks after the season for him to decompress and decide if he wanted to return, which the Bucs did.
October 23rd, 2024 at 4:18 pm
Unfortunately, I think the Falcons win and win big. The lack of a pass rush, slow inside linebackers + a very disappointing Whitehead = another blowout.
October 23rd, 2024 at 4:21 pm
Would be nice if the defense actually showed up. Doesn’t help when your defense is ranked 31st in the league.
October 23rd, 2024 at 4:22 pm
So Bucky didn’t practice today Toe Injury.
October 23rd, 2024 at 4:24 pm
McCollum and David were the only guys on defense that didn’t give up after halftime.
I said this weeks ago but Lavonte needs to scream at them every single week. Too many who are mentally weak and happy to just collect a check, like Jordan Making-Business-Decisions-Whitehead.
October 23rd, 2024 at 4:24 pm
I think all you guys are greatly underestimating the lack of depth at corner. They’ve lost, from the preseason, their #1, #3 and #4 corners.
Just as bad, they have zero depth at ILB, and Britt starting is just absolutely killing this defense. This is just like last year when they kept rolling out Ryan Neal at safety, even though he was blowing up the defense on a weekly basis.
The fact they refuse to even talk to White and bring him in is just disgraceful. I don’t care about you dumb petty personal issues or the fact Bowles hates White’s imaginary horse, do what is best for the team, and what is the best for the team is to send Britt to the unemployment line.
October 23rd, 2024 at 4:28 pm
Zyon will be a solid piece to build a new defense with. Bucs need EDGE ILB and another DB this offseason. Lavonte honestly should have retired. Another Buc great but the writing is on the wall. There’s no way he comes back next season.
October 23rd, 2024 at 5:14 pm
Joe, probably shouldn’t ask, but why have you let ESPN get so far under your skin? Obviously they have done (or are doing) something that you find intolerable.
October 23rd, 2024 at 5:18 pm
@Rod Munch Devin White signed with the Texans this morning.
The Bucs definitely lack depth at LBer…. Are we sure the Bucs lack depth on the outside or is it Bowles system that continuously describes “a lack of communication” for being the problem?
October 23rd, 2024 at 5:24 pm
Great comments from a young player. This guy is going to be a beast for years to come.
October 23rd, 2024 at 6:02 pm
So if our defense is trash how does Bowles keep his job? Sorry but Bucs will never be respected so long as he is the head coach. No one believes this guy can take a team to a super bowl. He’s a carbon copy of Lovie Smith just a smidge better. Wasted talented players prime years. Please let him go at seasons end. He is a nice guy but not a top tier head coach by any stretch.
When other fans talk about our team at the gym or at work or anywhere they laugh at Bowles and say he just stands there all game with the same smug look on his face. No passion fire or anything. That’s what we get from this team week after week. Please move on from this failed experiment Licht at the end of this season.
October 23rd, 2024 at 6:04 pm
I wished they stopped saying “it’s a long season” all the time. It literally is the shortest season in pro sports.
That said, he’s right, no time to stay down (because it’s a short season)
October 23rd, 2024 at 6:07 pm
ESPN is there to report it all. They should show the injury and on top of it the NFL are investigating it so why wouldn’t you want your viewers see it? That makes me so mad. They have showed many injuries in the past.
Zyon is honest. Seeing Chris being injured so badly does make you think and also somewhat scared. As fans, we were all in shock and saddened. Feel so bad for Chris and the long road ahead of him and his family too. Hoping for a successful surgery and rehab.
October 23rd, 2024 at 6:26 pm
They didn’t show Hutchinson’s gruesome injury either
October 23rd, 2024 at 6:36 pm
Thank you for the information, Beeej.
What’s going on with them at ESPN…
October 23rd, 2024 at 8:01 pm
Joe, hammer meet nail. Thank you fine sir! Your screed on BSPN is my sentiment on them to a T! They are nauseating. Not just in this particular case but, in total. Their self appointed superiority morally, politically and, intellectually over us, the unwashed flyover proletariat, just oozes from them. I tuned them out a while ago. Unwatchable & unlistenable. They’ve been overtaken by the woke self-important faculty lounge theorists who know what’s best for us. They are ruining sports as hard as they can………………….What was the topic again?
October 23rd, 2024 at 8:07 pm
A Bucs Fan Says:
October 23rd, 2024 at 5:18 pm
@Rod Munch Devin White signed with the Texans this morning.
———
Just makes no sense.
Bucs have a glaring, huge hole at ILB, Britt has place in the NFL, he’s just too slow and the more he plays, the worst he looks, and the Bucs do nothing.
I mean keep in mind the reason White was cut was because during the Eagles game vs the Bucs he retweeted David sacking Hurts and stripping the ball. If that doesn’t tell you that he’d welcome coming back, nothing does. Bowles is just being stupid on this, like last year when he refused to use White as a blitzer even as the Bucs got no pressure at all – and instead just had White stand around in zone.
October 23rd, 2024 at 10:08 pm
Blowes is being stupid on a lot of issues. He must change. But because he’s the masturmind, he won’t. Therefore, he will be managing a collection of storage facilities across the southeast in three months.
October 24th, 2024 at 5:11 am
I would move Joe Tryon-Shoyinka to MLB to replace Britt. He already plays the run, pass and rushes at olb. Maybe a change of position would be good for him. He’s a much better athlete than Britt. It’s worth experimenting with.
October 24th, 2024 at 7:22 am
Saw JTS drop back as LB in the 1st quarter against the Ravens. Perhaps worth putting him there with Nelson rushing on 3rd down or Vita at end with Cancey and Hall rushing the middle and YaYa on the other side.
Need Whitehead and Winfield to have some pride and shut down the middle/deep middle. TEs have been KILLIN’ us.
October 24th, 2024 at 3:01 pm
Joes, don’t you yahoos dare make fun of LVD. That will prove you’re in it for the $$, not being fans of the team.