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Jameis Winston again shows actions, not words, are his problem

 
“Eventually their minds will be changed by what I do,” quarterback Jameis Winston says of those who aren’t fans of the Bucs drafting him first overall.
“Eventually their minds will be changed by what I do,” quarterback Jameis Winston says of those who aren’t fans of the Bucs drafting him first overall.
Published May 15, 2015

TAMPA

The new face of the franchise has an easy and alluring smile. He has a voice that is soft yet confident. He has a personality that is charismatic and warm.

Watch him for a few moments. Listen to his words. He says all the right things. He shows humility and poise, humor and grace. Immediately he engages you. He pulls you in. He makes you want to like him.

Then you stop. Is this authentic, or is it all an act? Is he being genuine, or is this a carefully rehearsed performance designed to fool you into liking him?

Frankly, I don't know the answer, and I have no idea what to make of Jameis Winston. The first overall draft pick of the Bucs introduced himself to Tampa Bay on Friday, and you couldn't help but come away wondering if the Bucs just got themselves a fine young man or a firecracker who is going to blow up in their hands.

"I can't really speak on that," Winston said when told not everyone in Tampa Bay is on board with him joining the Bucs. "I just want to tell everybody that I'm going to work my tail off in the community and on the football field. Just give the perception that, 'Hey, this guy's our quarterback, and he's a good guy.' "

Sounds great. Now let's see if that happens. He said he will prove himself.

"Eventually their minds will be changed by what I do," Winston said. "Whatever they've seen or may heard, they don't really know me."

You want to believe him. His father, Antonor, was asked what we should know about his son.

"That he's a great kid," Antonor said.

Antonor talked about Jameis' love for his family, and Jameis showed that as soon as he became a very rich man Friday when he signed his $25.35 million contract. His first big purchase wasn't a new house or a fast car. It was a $2,000 recliner. For his grandmother.

"She actually was sitting on a wooden box with pillows on top of (it)," Winston said. "My money is going to be for my family."

He said he doesn't care about being rich. "I'm rich on happiness."

You hear him say things like that. You hear him talk about wanting to be involved in the community. You hear how he hopes, with lots of hard work, to be the face of not just the Bucs but all of Tampa Bay. He said he wants to be just like Derrick Brooks.

You want to believe him. You want to give him the benefit of the doubt.

But we've been down this road before. He said similar things while at Florida State. Then he would do something dumb, or perhaps more serious. He was a member of the Bucs organization for less than a day when he made a boneheaded move. He posted a photo on his Instagram account of him posing behind a big plate of crab legs.

Was he poking fun at himself for infamously being caught shoplifting them from a Publix? Or was he thumbing his nose at everyone? He said he was merely paying respect to the Deadliest Catch captain who helped cater his draft party.

"I had no intention of (thumbing my nose)," Winston said. "There have been a lot of things that I have done that definitely have been blown out of proportion."

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Was this crab legs photo that big of a deal? Not in and of itself. But it shows a complete lack of self-awareness. He comes off as self-absorbed and completely tone deaf to how his actions can be perceived by a skeptical public.

That's what he will have to learn, and we hope no one with the Bucs will make excuses for his behavior. His road to maturity starts with accountability. And though we must constantly remind ourselves that he is only 21 years old, that cannot be the alibi for any future missteps.

"I know the type of person I am, and I know what I hold myself to," Winston said. "I've been under the microscope for the past two years like no one else, so I am kind of used to that. I'm just ready to play football now."

But — and this is the other part of the story when it comes to Winston — is he ready to play football right now?

"We're not asking him to be Superman coming in here," Bucs coach Lovie Smith said.

Not right away, but make no mistake, the Bucs do expect him to be an elite player sooner rather than later. Winston — again, saying all the right things — wouldn't make predictions about when he would start or make the playoffs or anything like that.

He's just happy to be getting back on the football field.

"My sanctuary," Winston said.

He believes he will make everyone inside the Bucs organization proud, from the Glazers to general manager Jason Licht to Smith.

"They did research on me," Winston said. "I'm still working on their trust. That's why I'm so grateful that they accepted me."

Maybe eventually all of Tampa Bay will accept him. Right now that's hard to do. Not enough time has passed since his series of bad decisions at Florida State. If he keeps doing the right things, maybe everyone will come around.

Winston again repeated one of his most-used lines: "Actions speak louder than words." Unfortunately, his actions often don't speak well of him.

You want to believe he can change.

That, however, is going to take some time.