Lovie: There Was No Tanking
December 28th, 2014
Lovie Smith said the Bucs never threw the game to secure the Chase for Jameis.
Although it sure smelled like someone upstairs pulled an Al Davis and picked up the Batphone and ordered top-shelf starters to sit, Lovie Smith maintained he tried to win the game today.
In his postgame, not postseason news conference, Lovie was pressed about why certain stud players were standing on the sidelines watching Drew Brees engineer a 13-point, fourth-quarter comeback that secured the Bucs win in the Chase for Jameis.
“Not at all as we see it,” Lovie said, regarding whether he put evaluation of backups ahead of winning today’s game.
“With the lead, we wanted to play some of our linemen. We wanted to see some of them in the second half. That was a part of our plan going in. We had a lot more success in the first half than I thought we would, especially being able to run the football. With the lead, if you play pretty good defense, you should be able to hold on to that. tey made a ouple of plays at the end there. Their interception that they got on a pass that if we catch the ball, and not give them that quick turnaround, it is a totally different game.”
Still, it looks suspicious, the Bucs going full turtle mode in the second half. The Bucs didn’t attempt a pass in the second half until less than eight minutes left in the game. Lavonte David was benched. Mike Evans was benched.
Joe is going to guess Ken Whisenhunt has already screamed at NFL warden commissioner Roger Goodell.
Still, the Bucs’ loss was their biggest win in years. Joe hopes Jameis Winston has already checked apartment rates in the area.
December 28th, 2014 at 7:05 pm
Still, it looks suspicious, the Bucs going full turtle mode in the second half.
Normally I’d agree Joe but this has been Lovie’s M.O. his entire career. This is how Dungy/Lovieball works. And when it doesn’t work it looks really ugly. Build a comfortable lead the first half and then shut it down in the belief the defense can always win. Dungy/Lovieball = boringball
December 28th, 2014 at 7:06 pm
“With the lead, if you play pretty good defense, you should be able to hold on to that.”
That says everything you need to know about Lovie.
December 28th, 2014 at 7:06 pm
“Full turtle mode” is the greatest phrase ever perpetuated by this web site.
December 28th, 2014 at 7:09 pm
I’ve seen a ton of Bucs losing, but that was a total tank job in the second half, which I’m fine with.
December 28th, 2014 at 7:14 pm
We had a lot more success in the first half than I thought we would…
That’s all we needed to hear!
December 28th, 2014 at 7:14 pm
Listen to what he is saying…. This season has been the best coaching he can do…. He can’t do any better…. He tried to win…. eH is just admitting he is a lousy HC…
December 28th, 2014 at 7:15 pm
I don’t even care……jut bring up the number one pick. I’d be happy with either Winston or Mariota
December 28th, 2014 at 7:16 pm
Enjoying looking at the Titans fan page and watching their reactions during the first half. The sheer joy on that page when the Bucs were up 20 to 7, many of them saying they had the top pick locked up. Man it feels good to read further down once they realized the Bucs mailed it in.
December 28th, 2014 at 7:16 pm
Lowest point in Bucs history if they tanked. And some of you guys are ok with it. that shows what type of integrity some have. #NoRespectForSmith
December 28th, 2014 at 7:26 pm
Oh please. We tanked.
December 28th, 2014 at 7:36 pm
Shut ya pie hole Barry,lol,only bad thing about the tank job was that they made it too obvious
December 28th, 2014 at 7:52 pm
If Lovie tanked it, and I hope he did, it was his best move all season.
December 28th, 2014 at 7:55 pm
Lovie is just a garbage coach is all.
December 28th, 2014 at 8:01 pm
Bullspit Lovie!! You’re lying your losing *** off!
December 28th, 2014 at 8:02 pm
This team will go NOWHERE as long as Lovie’s here, calling the shots. He’s almost as bad of a game day coach as Schiano was!
December 28th, 2014 at 8:06 pm
@Barry, just watch some good football like this greenbay detroit game and you will see how far away we are from anything close to that and we need that first pick…Hope we use it wisely though..
December 28th, 2014 at 8:09 pm
Thought the Bucs were going to get a terribly meaningless victory for a while. They came through again though.
Risking your starters would have been stupid.
Would LaVonte David playing and getting another concussion in this game have made the “anti tankers” happier?
December 28th, 2014 at 8:21 pm
This is how Lovie is. Even if the Bucs were 11-4 and up by 10 he’d sit on the lead and hope his passive d would hold up. We won’t win anything with Loser Lovie.
December 28th, 2014 at 8:47 pm
The fact that Joe has such a hard on for Winston just assures me that I don’t have to worry about the Bucs drafting him. I think you too should leave the qb selection up to the new oc joe.
December 28th, 2014 at 8:54 pm
So Joe was wrong calling Josh Freeman a “Bust in Waiting” before the 2009 draft?
December 28th, 2014 at 9:00 pm
Liar Smith at it again. Why the hell wouldn’t you just come out and say you sucked ass this season and tanked it for the 1st pick?
I don’t mind tanking at this point. I would’ve liked a win because #1 or #2 matters little to me. Neither Winston nor Mariota stand out from each other as better QB’s. They are both pretty good. I think whoever we get as OC will give us a clue as to who will be a But next season. But beating the Saints wouldn’t have done anything, aside from ending the season without being on a losing streak.
December 28th, 2014 at 9:06 pm
Trust me, if Liar Smith was actually NOT lying about not tanking, then he would be fired immediately. I have never seen such a poor attempt to win a football game by any other Bucs head coach in a season ever.
Obvious tank job.
December 28th, 2014 at 9:19 pm
You called Freeman for sure, it’s the qb’s you like that the bucs have no interest in.
December 28th, 2014 at 9:43 pm
Here comes Marcus
December 28th, 2014 at 9:50 pm
Its extremely obvious the Bucs tanked, one of the few smart decisions Smith made all season. To not want the 1st pick and a loss today is beyod foolish, this is all Lovie and management left the fans. Either QB is a must need but I’m sure something will still get fu×ked up
December 28th, 2014 at 10:05 pm
Thank goodness Lovie Smith doesn’t believe in adding to a lead
December 28th, 2014 at 10:07 pm
MariotaOrWinstonOrWalkdaPlank Says:
“Why the hell wouldn’t you just come out and say you…tanked it for the 1st pick?”
–Come on, man, you can’t be THAT obtuse.
“…beating the Saints wouldn’t have done anything, aside from ending the season without being on a losing streak.”
–Oh, I see that you CAN be that obtuse. Good to know.
December 28th, 2014 at 10:12 pm
Please stop with the Jameis Joe. You are most certainly entitled to your opinion, as it is your site after all. But anyone outside of Florida or who isn’t a huge FSU fan who isn’t wearing “rose colored glasses” can clearly see he isn’t the guy. Not for us he’s not. Not when the last #5 set us back so many years with his off field non sense. This kid can’t behave broke. You really think $20 million in his pocket is gonna HELP that? Lmao.
Mariotta or otherwise, what we need, what even our head coach lacks, is L E A D E R S H I P. A worthy, RELIABLE face of a struggling franchise. A guy we can all feel good rooting for. Someone we can get behind and believe in, not some punk with all the God given talent in the world who doesn’t know how to behave. Not Someone who’s selfishness and stupidity will destroy not only himself but so many others around him. We, Buc fans, sure as hell don’t need that.
December 28th, 2014 at 10:14 pm
Anyone see NBC pregame show? Both Rodney Harrison AND Tony Dungy IMPLORED Lovie Smith to take Mariotta and stay away from Winston.
December 28th, 2014 at 10:16 pm
Tank? At what point with McClown at QB has this offense broken the 12 point rule? 12 was the most they could put up. The rest was up to Murry or a score by the defense unless the defense could hold the other team under the Bucs score. Which would Not happen. There NEVER was any worry!
December 28th, 2014 at 11:17 pm
I have zero confidence in this franchise to do the right thing. No confidence in Smith or the GM to address the multitude of needs either through the draft or FA. This franchise is an embarrassment to the city.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:02 am
The press is running with tanking everywhere and demanding a draft lottery. All I can say is great job TB and **** the press.
December 29th, 2014 at 8:21 am
Joe Says:
So Joe was wrong calling Josh Freeman a “Bust in Waiting” before the 2009 draft?
—–
It’s less important of who you don’t like as opposed to who you do like. Freeman had a nervous break but looked at times like he was a stud. There’s no way you could’ve predicted WHY he busted, which he didn’t really.
What’s more important is WHO you liked… and that who, is Manziel, who you would’ve selected in the slot where we selected Mike Evans. That would’ve been a deadly mistake if you were a GM.
December 29th, 2014 at 8:49 am
@Brandon
This was exactly my point.
December 29th, 2014 at 9:37 am
Anyone that claims to be a Bucs fan that actually wanted us to win yesterday is a fool…big picture folks…don’t be such a goober
December 29th, 2014 at 10:25 am
lol im confused so confused, they’ve been fighting all year long and media has been asking why and saying tank for the top pick for the last month….now today here they are questioning what I think was hahaha good coaching, it was the best move of the season. if you wanna say the bucs tanked then say the BUCS tanked don’t blame lovie unless you heard him say pull all the starters.
which way do you want it because if mike evans had gotten hurt in a meaningless game and wasn’t available until midseason or if lavonte david or anyone important had gone down then what would you be saying…I like it, I like knowing just who shouldn’t be on the roster next year so I can say in season no you finally have no more excuses because this player played for you a full season lovie