Six Things Joe Really Wants To See
August 12th, 2011
Photo by Michael Hamm
Even if fans were subjected to hearing Chucky rave about Jimmy Wilkerson and Todd Wash of the Seahawks last night, it was great to have real football back on the tube.
Glorious!
And tonight’s when the real fun starts with the Bucs kicking off in Kansas City just after 8 p.m. In no particular order, here’s some things Joe wants to see:
1. Dominance along the offensive line: The entire line is back, it’s likely the highest paid O-line in the league, and they’ve got no excuses. Joe wants to see dominance from Day 1. If Josh Freeman is going to be the player the Bucs need him to be to win a playoff game, then the line is going to have to finally fulfill its potential.
2. Michael Koenan: The Bucs dared to dabble on the dark side, aka free agency, to grab and overpay the top punter and kickoff specialist on the market. For those who want to see the Bucs buy players next year, you better hope this guy is a superstar.
3. Da’Quan Bowers: In a preseason that’s already considered soft with no two-a-day practices, the Bucs are babying Da’Quan Bowers and his knee, which Bowers claims is fine after a surgery that he says wasn’t a big deal. Keith Millard spoke of the team working to get Bowers healthy. Color Joe very skeptical of Bowers’ health. Let’s see the guy play 10 snaps and look like a live, dangerous body.
4. LeGarrette Blount in short yardage: On WDAE-AM 620 the other day, Mike Alstott talked about how he looks forward to seeing Blount becoming a three-down, all-around back. Raheem Morris has said he’s been very encouraged by Blount’s development. Joe wants to see Blount hit a hole hard and move the chains on 3rd-and-short.
5. Stop the damn run: Joe doesn’t care how the Bucs do it. Just do it. If Thomas Jones’ first five carries are something like six yards, seven yards, 11 yards, four yards, and eight yards, Joe’s going to need Valium.
6. Mason Foster: Good luck, young man.
August 12th, 2011 at 9:27 am
Joe, you are right on, but I would like to add some to the list
7.I want to see Clayborn disrupt the backfield and maybe even get a sack. Everyone has been high on him, Sapp says he is a beast. I want to see it right from the get go.
8. I want to see Ben pick up where he left off.
9. GMC baby, I want to see him beat a double team.
August 12th, 2011 at 9:45 am
I agree with you Joe! I also want to see Freeman continue to make good decisions now that he is on the opposing teams radar screen. Defenses will adjust to his style; can he continue to make the right decisions. I bet he will but seeing is believing.
August 12th, 2011 at 9:49 am
I Just want to see some Buccaneer Football, Buddy!!!!!
August 12th, 2011 at 9:52 am
Can’t wait! Wanna see All the young d-linemen. Lumpkin, Benn and Briscoe, Grimm- wow, going be glued to the screen! But my eyes hurt from not blinking!
August 12th, 2011 at 9:57 am
Man, work is going by so slow today! This gonna be one long day!
August 12th, 2011 at 10:05 am
All 6 of those points are great, wouldnt change a 1 of them
Ill be at Arrowhead, 50 yard line Field club seats, chearing the Bucs on amid a wave of red chief fans, wish me luck!
August 12th, 2011 at 10:33 am
From what I read in interviews DaQuan Bowers already said he will probably be sitting out the first preseason game but should play in the rest. Are the Bucs hiding bad news about Bowers knee or just being overly cautious about limiting his activity in camp in order to ensure he starts the regular season as healthy as possible?
August 12th, 2011 at 10:37 am
I want to see Blount pass block correctly. That is the biggest weakness in his game by far. I sure hope he’s corrected it.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:44 am
Man, if only Bowers had granted Joe that interview. Now, despite the fact that the bucs have been ridiculously upfront about the fact that they’re going to give him the old Winslow treatment during practice and limit his snaps during preseason, Joe’s going to be banging the knee drum throughout the preseason. He’s got a suspicion that everything’s not alright, you see. Because BOWERS NEVER RETURNED HIS CALLS.
https://www.joebucsfan.com/?p=48240
August 12th, 2011 at 10:45 am
Agree with Joe and McBuc, and want to add to the list:
10. Mike Williams. Is he as good as we hope? Or is he the second coming of Michael Clayton?
11. Cody Grimm. I love this kid. I hope he’s the second coming of John Lynch style play ability.
12. Josh Freeman. I want to see him improve and continue to get closer to becoming a successful franchise quarterback.
13. A. Benn (I’m not going to try to spell his first name). Even though he started slow, I think this kid will become one of our best, if not our best, Wide Reciever.
14. Fullback. Running Back. Halfback.
I want to see Bradford in action. And I would like to see Hardy tried out at fullback. I’m tired of having a fill-in there just to keep him on the roster.
15. Tight End. Luke Stocker. Show me what you can do, kid.
16. Anthony Gaitor. With any other team a 7th round pick would be no big deal. I hope we strike gold twice this year…and the Bucs can do it.
17. Cornerback. Ahmad Black. Let’s see if he was worth the pick.
18. Tanard Jackson. I don’t even know if he’s playing. He’s permitted under league rules I think. I want to see if he’s still in shape and worth keeping on the roster.
I have other favs of course, like Lynch.
But I’m also not going into the game expecting too much. It IS the first preseason game and there is just no way we’ll see all our questions answered.
Overall…I would be happy if there are no injuries for a change. All the time off? Let’s hope it didn’t affect the players too much.
Preseason always makes me nervous…you get good players against players that don’t know how to tackle or that are trying so hard to make a team they make bad moves and people get hurt.
So I hope all the teams have minimal casualties. Especially the Bucs.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:46 am
GMC and Benn both will be out if I heard right this morning on 620wdae
August 12th, 2011 at 10:55 am
Bowers is fine. The Bucs just don’t want to risk him getting injured by some axious rookie hitting his knees from under him.
How do I know this?
Because of an unnamed source (who names their imagination???)
I would put an emphasis on Clayborn anyway. Afterall…he IS our #1 pick.
August 12th, 2011 at 10:56 am
@TCK
Bummer 🙁
August 12th, 2011 at 11:00 am
Jocko:
Nice try. Joe has already interviewed Bowers. Twice in fact.
August 12th, 2011 at 11:03 am
Considering Koenan made 2.5m the past two years, I’m not sure you can really say that the Bucs “overpaid” to get him at 3.5m, a million isn’t much in the grand scheme of things.
August 12th, 2011 at 11:14 am
My list
1: The D-Line
2: LBs
3. Blount
Bowers, Clayborne fall under #1.
Don’t care about the punter. He is damn good at refusing to let teams return against his team, he’ll be fine.
Don’t care about the O-Line. They have not really played together since last year, it will take a few more weeks to get them playing good as a unit. I expect much from them, but not quite yet.
Stopping the Run and Mason Foster fall under # 1 & # 2 for me.
I ma not even worried about the passing game right now because I know that will take a little more time as well, even though I expect it to be sharp.
Basically the Defensive front 7 and Blount.
August 12th, 2011 at 11:23 am
With all these lists posted and Joe’s, I have revised mine to a readers digest verison. I would like to see improvement/progression on:
1. defense
2. offense
Go Bucs!
August 12th, 2011 at 11:30 am
What Gruden said that I did agree with is, “Wow, this is real exciting.” He was being sarcastic about the neutering of the Kickoff by the new 35 yard line rule. Really? Every kickoff is now going to be a touchback? Booorriing. On the bright side I now have extra time at the beer counter line.
August 12th, 2011 at 11:35 am
Mason Foster has the physical and mental tools to be very good for a very long time. Obviously 2 – 3 weeks of preparation is a very short time to digest and diagnose all of the complexities presented in facing an NFL offense. You are carrying on like a disgruntled pessimist when you single out a player and tell him “good luck”. Realize that this is the start of a career for a young man who can potentially lead your team to high places for many years to come. He led his high school team as a quarterback and Mike backer to its first ever section chamionship (equivalent to state championship in many states), he led his college team to its first bowl win in several years while defeating very worthy Nebraska team (garnering defensive MVP in the process), he was second in the Nation in tackles in 2010 and led the entired PAC 10 confrence in tackles twice out of his four year career at UW (most single season tackles in the PAC 10 since 1986). He’s worthy of support and encouragement, especially from a self-professed ‘fan”. Ruud is gone and there’s a new sheriff in town. Mason Foster is that guy
August 12th, 2011 at 11:57 am
I wonder if soon we’ll see kickoff specialists who approach it more like a punt, go for hangtime, reverse spin, and a reception at the 1 yard line.
August 12th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
BOOM!
August 12th, 2011 at 12:32 pm
I’m with OAR on that.
Are you ready for some Football??? Hell Yeah!!!
GO Bucs!!!
August 12th, 2011 at 12:33 pm
Well at least we don’t have the Twin Twerps spewing hate and venom before the game. Hopefully the Bucs will play great and we won’t hear from the two losers anytime soon.
August 12th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Im looking forward to the new d-line stance.
Epic!
August 12th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
Joe, combine #5 and #6 and move it to #2. After keeping Josh Freeman upright, stopping the run is what will win games.
August 12th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
OAR…You should add ST as well…
August 12th, 2011 at 2:03 pm
These posts are hilarious. “I want to see this, I want to see that”. I, I, I, me, me, me. “And if I don’t get what I want, I’m gonna take my toys and go home!” You guys crack me up with this childish sense of entitlement. The sh-t is so deep around here I have to wear rubber boots just to read it all!
August 12th, 2011 at 2:17 pm
McBuc
You know, you’re probablly right, although Spur is back. Hopefully, the new punter is as good for us outdoors, as he was for the Falcons indoors?
August 12th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
Fly
But, you keep on reading don’t you? Dont read’em, if you don’t like’em.
BTW I bet, you wear rubber boots for another reason!
August 12th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Fly…Been here ny ny entire life, so I doubt I am leaving soon. You are reading into this wrong. “I want to see” is what we are excited to see. It is all good man, you are thinking of Thomas, Tampa2, and Eric.
August 12th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
OAR…you’re right. I wear them to keep your mom’s saliva off my feet.
August 12th, 2011 at 4:54 pm
FLBoy
Wow, bringing my mom into it, huh? Classy! Your moniker hits it right on the head, with the description of you, “Boy”!
BTW Dallass where the boys are boys, and the cows are scared! Dont get yourself stuck in one, when you go “tipping” them tonight!
August 12th, 2011 at 7:09 pm
Someone jump in and pull OAR off of Flboy…it’s a beating!!!