Couldn’t the Bucs use an effort like Alstott’s?

by Gary Shelton on October 5, 2015 · 3 comments

in general, NFL, Tampa Bay Bucs

Former running back Mike Alstott joined the Bucs' Ring of Honor. /ANDREW J. KRAMER

Former running back Mike Alstott joined the Bucs' Ring of Honor. /ANDREW J. KRAMER

Monday, 6 a.m.

For a running back, there wasn't a lot of wiggle to his game.

That's okay. There were other guys to wiggle.

There were faster guys, and there were sleeker guys, and there were guys who could dance more in the hole. There were guys who gained more yards. There were guys who got more headlines.

But what Mike Alstott brought was pure effort.

And Tampa Bay loved him for it.

There may have never been a player who got more out of his natural ability than Alstott, who mattered simply because of the sheer effort he put into the game. Fans could sense that about Alstott. That he was much more one of them than, say, more gifted athletes like Derrick Brooks or Warren Sapp.

But what Mike Alstott brought to the NFL with him was pure effort. There has never been a player in the NFL who got more out of his gifts than Alstott. And there may have never been a player more appreciated for his contributions than No. 40, who was inducted into the Bucs' Ring of Honor on Sunday.

Look, there have been a lot of players who have given a lot of effort over the years. But

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