TAMPA -You can feel Derrick Brooks at Buccaneers training camp ... even if you can't see him.Tampa Bay's iconic outside linebacker, destined for the Hall of Fame Class of 2014, is no longer a Buc. Not one of the 80 players here is sporting the No. 55 jersey Brooks wore with distinction for 224 NFL games, but Geno Hayes is doing his best to honor Brooks with his play."I stay tight with No. 55 and I always know he's just a phone call away when I need him,'' said Hayes, a third-year pro who emerged as an impact player in 2009. "He's a guy who has seen it all and I'm smart enough to stay close to him.''At the urging of Brooks, the Bucs selected Hayes in the sixth round of the 2008 draft out of Florida State, where Brooks excelled a generation earlier."I'm extremely proud of Geno,'' Brooks said Friday. "He's maturing as both a man and as a football player. He came into the league with a little chip on his shoulder because of where he was drafted, but I think he's doing all right. The fact he reaches out to me is a sign of maturity right there.''There's still plenty of work to be done.Hayes cost himself two starts last season, showing up late to Raymond James Stadium for the opener against Dallas and missing the team bus in New Orleans for a December game against the Saints.Playing behind Brooks as a rookie, Hayes blocked a punt for a touchdown against Carolina before hurting his knee against Minnesota and missing the final six games.When Brooks was released last year, Hayes took over as the starter on the weak side and ranked second on the team with 136 tackles, including a team-high 14 stops for losses."Geno exploded on the scene last year with big plays and now he's put some weight on, while maintaining all that speed,'' said head coach Raheem Morris. "He's always been sneaky smart, but now he's more conscientious. His demeanor has changed in the classroom and he's applying that Brooks mentality. He wasn't that way before. He used to be the guy kind of slouched in the corner. He knew stuff, but he didn't work at it.''Hayes registered a sack in each of Tampa Bay's final three games and according to Morris, missed three more easy opportunities.With his rare ability to cover ground in a hurry, Hayes is becoming a force on the delayed blitz."I set high goals and I've got 10 sacks in my head,'' said Hayes, who turns 23 on Tuesday. "That's a personal goal for me. My overall goal is to help this team win. I have a better understanding of the game this year, a better understanding of our schemes. That lets me play loose and fast.''Brooks said most of his conversations with Hayes focus on life issues, rather than football."I knew I could help Geno become a productive young man,'' Brooks said. "He left FSU early, he got married young and had a child. That's a lot of pressures for a 21-year-old man. I was interested in becoming his mentor, friend or whatever he wanted to call me to help him navigate those waters. I wanted to be the bridge between him and the organization.''New linebackers coach Joe Baker doesn't sound threatened by the special bond between Brooks and Hayes."Anytime you can have a relationship with someone like that, I think it's a positive,'' Baker said. "Derrick played for so long and at such a high level, it just reinforces Geno's commitment to being on detail. He's got a ton of ability, a great athlete with great instincts. The biggest challenge is being on the game plan and knowing your responsibilities. Once that stuff becomes second nature, now you can go out and make those flash plays.''Brooks, 37, got caught up in Tampa Bay's youth movement and didn't sign with another team last year. He's still in Tampa, spending more time with his family and enjoying a new career as an NFL analyst.Staying in contact with Hayes keeps Brooks involved in football and Morris hopes he expands that mentoring role."I'm trying to get Brooks to get in here,'' Morris said. "That's my guy. I owe half of my career to Brooks. You have to leave the game at some point and Derrick left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But he didn't really leave us. He just set up the mold for us in terms of what you look for - character on the field, character off the field and character in your post-NFL career."There's no better role model than Derrick Brooks.''source: http://tbo.com/sports/bucs/bucs-icon-brooks-still-a-mentor-for-young-lb-geno-hayes-41768 Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Geno Hayes arrested in Tampa TAMPA — Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Geno Hayes was arrested early Monday morning on charges of disorderly conduct and trespassing, according to jail records.Hayes, 23, was jailed shortly after the 2 a.m. arrest at the Blue Martini, 2223 N Westshore Blvd. in International Plaza. The alleged incident happened hours after the Bucs defeated the Washington Redskins on the road Sunday.Police used a Taser on Hayes after he became aggressive with police during an incident that started with another man, according to police. Hayes overheard a security guard wouldn't let his friend into the lounge for being underdressed. Police said Hayes pushed a police officer out of the way to stand between her and two disruptive men.Police said the man denied entry was verbally abusive, and police directed Hayes back into the lounge and forced the other men to leave.Instead, police said Hayes stayed at the lounge entrance, "menacingly staring" at the officers and guards who made his friends leave. Police eventually led him to the parking lot and told him not to return or he could be arrested for continuing disorderly behavior.Hayes was back 10 minutes later. He said he'd left his credit card, and police told him to sit at a nearby store while a friend looked for the card.Bar employees told police they overheard Hayes saying, "B-tch a-- cop. You ain't gonna do nothing. I ain't leaving. I don't have to leave."An officer ended up using a Taser on Hayes because he continued to be combative and refused to leave, police said. His thick clothing made the device ineffective, and an officer tackled and handcuffed Hayes.He was booked at 3:35 a.m. and released on bond at 5:12 a.m., according to records.Hayes, a 6-foot-1, 226-pound former Florida State University standout, was drafted by the Bucs in 2008 and became a starter in 2009, replacing Derrick Brooks. He has started all 13 games this season, amassing 61 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and an interception.Bucs general manager Mark Dominik said: "We're disappointed Geno put himself in this situation, are currently reviewing it and will handle the matter accordingly.''In a news conference on Monday, Bucs coach Raheem Morris said: ""You talk to your team about making good decisions all the time, you're frustrated with anything that diverts attention from your team. So obviously you're frustrated with that and diverting away from us being positive and 8-5.""The frustration is that we're not talking about the plays Geno made yesterday," Morris said. "We're talking about the incident after the game."Morris said the Bucs will handle Hayes' discipline internally and there are no plans to suspend the linebacker."Geno will be here Sunday," Morris said. "We'll handle our discipline in house like we always do."source: http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/tampa-bay-buccaneers-linebacker-geno-hayes-arrested-in-tampa/1139742 Gee, that worked out well. :-
