Now What?
January 5th, 2010
Just by the comments on this very blog, Joe’s readers are in a deep state of depression that Raheem the Dream was given a second season running the Bucs.
One specific commenter was so enraged just at the thought of Raheem the Dream coming back, Joe seriously wonders about the man’s well-being since he has been mysteriously absent of late.
It seems Tampa Tribune columnist Martin Fennelly didn’t stay up all night last night celebrating the news either. Fennelly simply asks, what next?
Chest bumps all around!
OK, fine.
Now, what’s next?
What is Raheem going to do about it?
If Monday morning was any indication, I’m worried.
At his final day-after news conference, he was asked about where his team needs to get better. He said he’ll have to look at the tape and evaluate – 32nd in rush defense and he has to evaluate?
He can’t just take a stab at it, off the cuff?
He really needs to look at film.
Joe hopes Raheem the Dream was joking. There’s a certain John Lynch wannabe in the Bucs secondary that the drunkest of Bucs fans saw miss tackle after tackle after tackle.
One could make the argument the Bucs did improve in the latter weeks of the season.
The same cannot be said for No. 21.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Scabby Dickarelli continues the tradition of wearing that shitty number 21. We should retire that number. It always means “toast”.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Joe, I looked at the stats page on ESPN today, and it seems to me that Piscitelli possibly had a better season than Ronde Barber did. But you don’t call Ronde out in every single post. Granted, they don’t play exactly the same position and Barber is a Buc hero from the glory years, but your treatment seems a bit unfair to me.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
What’s Raheem going to say? Better off, what do you expect him to say?
He’s not going to give much specifics to the public. That’s like asking John Fox if he’s going to have a passing offense, or the Glazers to tell us how they really feel…LOL.
I’m sure we would all be in disbelief if the pick a RB\QB at the 3 spot. Any other position, especially the DL, is fair game. We saw the obvious, why can’t Fennelly?
January 5th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Jeff:
Oh, Joe’s going to take a real big step out on a limb and guess Raheem the Dream could say, “Well, obviously, we have to look at ways to improve our defense.”
That’s what Joe would expect.
Is it too much to ask a coach to be remotely honest to the fans he expects to buy tickets next year?
Nothing like treating fans like fools and in the process, build a case for why you shouldn’t have seen a second year as Bucs coach, huh Jeff?
Sorry, Joe doesn’t subscribe to the T.J. Rives head-up-your-ass philosophy of journalism.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
We need help at safety and D tackle and wide reciever and corner back and offensive tackle and og as well as a runing back and inside linebacker and outside line backer.
January 5th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Other than that, the Bucs are great! 🙂
January 5th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
They need alott of help and it starts with good coaching even if they get all those things in the draft if u can’t coach like raheem and olson then there goin to suck big time!
January 5th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
I can’t belive this – Mr. Lucky has locked himself in his room and says he won’t come out until 2011! This can’t be good news.
Joe any idea how much Caybrew he can consume in order to ease the pain?
January 5th, 2010 at 1:00 pm
I happened to have actually listened to the press conference and Fennelly’s characterization is bullshit. Coach Morris said we had to improve on all aspects and he particularly talked about building the team around Josh Freeman. The problem was these dumbasses don’t know how to ask direct questions. What they wanted him to do was say specifically who we were targeting in free agency and the draft and what players and coaches might not be here. If Coach Morris had actually answered those questions a day after the season ended THEN I would have been concerned. But to say he didn’t talk about areas that needed to be improved is a load of crap. Fennelly as clueless as he is, probably really thinks that nobody heard the press conference so he will be able to get away with it.
Yeah, what I want is a coach to say who we are going after in the draft so other teams can try to get them. I also want them to say who won’t be back even though we aren’t sure who will be available because of the uncapped year. On top of that I want him to say who he will hire before he has conducted a single interview. Sure, that’s EXACTLY who I want.
Sometimes the stupid just burns.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Now Rah has been confirmed as Coach for another year lets get on his bandwagon. Do you do your job better when you feel under threat? I doubt it so lets get behind the staff from today so Rah can relax and do his job properly without always looking over his shoulder because of fan pressure.
Likewise stop scapegoating Sabby, one player does not make a team as horrible as we were. 32nd in Run D has to go down as a front 7 fault primarily. Even if he isnt qualified to be a starter next year he will be a good special teams and depth player so stop getting on at him.
Team has shown signs of improvement, with a less fluid offseason and a decent draft we can do an 08 Falcons in 2010.
Go Bucs!
January 5th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
I just want to add one more thing. The press conference was held at a time when Coach Morris didn’t even know if he would be back next year for sure. So possibly that is the reason why most of the questions were weaksauce. But here are some questions they should have asked but didn’t that hopefully someone WILL ask now that its confirmed that he will be back.
1. Will resigning Antonio Bryant be a priority?
2. What is Michael Clayton’s status and is it possible he could be asked to take a cut in pay or be released?
3. Will we continue to run the Tampa 2 scheme regardless of whether Coach Morris continues to call the defense?
4. This year we used right and left defensive tackles whereas in years pass we had a designated undertackle and nose tackle. Will you go back to the old scheme with one guy who is a disruptive pass rusher and the other is a big run stopper or will you continue to just go with left and right tackles?
5. We know Jimmy Wilkerson is hurt and his contract is up. Will the team still resign him and if so what kind of time table is he looking at for recovery?
6. Do you have plans to bring in a blocking tight end in light of the problems we had running the ball?
7. Any plans to bring in a veteran quarterback as a backup/mentor to Josh Freeman and or will Leftwich be back next year?
8. If Coach Morris continues to call the defense will he still bring in a defensive coordinator in name only to help out with preparations and in game adjustments?
9. Are we going to resign Donald Penn right away or let him test the free agent market?
10. One of the problems this year was quality depth particularly at the offensive line position as we saw when Jeff Faine went down. What will you do to address that?
Now I swear to God I took all of just 5 minutes to come up with those questions. And while Coach Morris may have still been vague in answering them at least they would have been asked.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
sgw94,
I agree with you. These reporters throw out the vaguest questions ever! My opinion is that these press conferences are freakin’ pointless. Neither party provides anything. The press sound squirrelly and intimidated when they speak; almost like they are the kid with the retainer and the Members Only jacket asking the head cheerleader to the prom.
Raheem is no better. The Bucs could literally have Rah record the same 3 or 4 answers prior to the conference and then have some intern hit a corresponding button when a question is asked.
It would be a nice change for a little honesty and admission that the team was inadequate in mostly every area this year. The optimistic rhetoric is aggravating and insulting.
January 5th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Sorry, but this has kind of pissed me off because a lot of the so called journalists around this town are garbage and I don’t mind saying it. If you want to see everything Coach Morris said you can go to this link.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/bucs/2010/01/raheem-morris-monday-quotes.html
I think im about to do a post and blow a hole in Martin Fennelly’s column. In the meantime I will leave with this exerpt of Coach Morris’ remark.
Seems quite a bit more substantive than Fennelly would have you believe, doesn’t it?
January 5th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Good point Steve.
January 5th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Mr. Lucky:
The amount of Caybrews needed to numb the pain depends if Rachel Watson is alongside to help comfort you.
Glad to see you made it through the night. Joe was seriously concerned for your welfare.
January 5th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Steve totally agree. They make Raheem out to be some ignorant jackass when in actualality he has to be cautious in his aporoach to answers as not to give away everything they are working on behind closed doors. For someone who doesnt actually listen to the pressers, articles like these will have you believing a total untruth. I listen to and read every piece of buc news i can before formulating and opinion and to me the team has a goal and they are sticking to it. Whether or not its gonna work only time will tell. Until the Steve keep blogging and jumpin on da asses of da media who ef’s up and try and keep these guys str8. Love ur bullrush column as well. If ur a Buc fan u ride and die with ur team not jus when we are winning, in order to fully appreciate a win u gotta know how it feels to lose. Go BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 5th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Thank you Steve SGW94,
You are the only person I’ve heard lately that is thinking clearly and actually looking at the facts. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that you actually played the game and know what you are talking about.
I find it funny that people around who actually know the game, I.E. Dungy, Sapp, Steve White, and others can see that Morris is headed in the right direction but the “experts” around town typing away in their moms basements want him fired.
January 5th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
All very good questions Steve. Not sure what type of answers you’d get, but the questions were to the point. I’m not quite sure what “making sure everything works around” number 5 means, but I’m ASSUMING that means we get a running game going (I guess?). Again, just not quite sure on that one.
This season almost had the feeling of an expansion team. Quite a few young, unproven guys battling for positions and experience. The only thing missing was the few over-the-hill vets to fill out the roster, which were dumped last off-season. Maybe Team Glazer, Dominik, and Morris sat down and said screw it, let’s build this team from scratch, regardless of the record we end up with. It’s been said that building a team is best done from the ground up. This year certainly left hardly any stone unturned as far as finding out what type of talent the team has on the roster. Should make it easier to identify guys they want to build around without the question of “what would this guy do with more playing time” lingering in their heads. Seems like everyone had their chance to prove what they could do this year. Gives the team a good foundation to work off of at least.
January 5th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Also thinking maybe “making sure everything works around number 5” is referring to settling on a QB coach and OC to work with Josh as soon as possible. Again, no idea, just guessing. Glad to see I’m not the only one who is lost when trying to decipher some of Rah’s responses. LOL
Oh well, there are lots of other issues in this world to get upset about, so I’m trying to learn to live with Rah’s way of answering questions. I agree Joe, saying “Well, obviously, we have to look at ways to improve our defense.” would make sense and be one of many available answers, but we’ve got to realize that’s not the way Morris chooses to do it.
January 5th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
@FlBoy84
Here is the problem though, was Raheem actually asked where his team needs to get better? I heard the whole press conference and didn’t hear him asked that question. He was asked questions about the direction of the team, yes. But where his team needs to get better? Maybe it was me but I didn’t hear it and even though the transcript doesn’t show the questions asked, none of the topic headings refer to that either.
If the question was never asked, its kinda hard to answer it to anybody’s satisfaction, no?
January 5th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
He gets called out for being vague, but if he says anything specific…then he gets called out for throwing his players under the bus and acting like a rookie coach. No win situation.
January 5th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
There are a few glaring problems with the hand Rah has been dealt, starting straight from the top. As the old Parcells approach goes, if you want the Dream to cook the dinner, you’ve gotta let him shop for the groceries. His answers may repeatedly seem vague, but he’s forced to give the politically correct answer because not only do the fans hear the p.c.’s, but also the ones who have placed the final stamp on many of the decisions the franchise has made, including the hiring of Rah himself. It naturally places him in a bind, and he’s asked questions that reflect the judgment of the front office, so how can he actually go out on a limb if he may have chosen to go in another direction if he held the reigns himself? The only judgment on Raheem can be made if he is given more control, and only then can he be held accountable. Until then, guys like Fennelly will continue to pick up their crayon and come up with these crackerjack questions.
January 5th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
With that said, many of the Sabby siders apparently had their face in the nacho cheese while playmakers like Ronde and TJacks have been putting their nose in the dirt and getting it done for years. Guys like that have brought hat and instilled the attitude that this defense used to thrive on, while Pity has sat back and ate the popcorn. He simply doesn’t have the “it” factor that a STRONG safety demands to be a playmaker in this league, just ask Jason Snelling of the Atlanta Falcons. I believe the Berry kid out of UT would be a viable solution for this problem as we assess it in the upcoming draft. The Tebow hit not only served as eye candy for youtube enthusiasts, but also as an example of the never back down mentality that bleeds playmaking potential, a ferociousness few can say embodies the mindset of 21. His skillset would be more suited for special teams.
January 6th, 2010 at 8:55 am
Steve, you really should be coaching our Defense with Raheem. I think it would make it more personal to those of who enjoy reading your blogs.
Joe, at this rate you will we the #1 Bucs Site soon. It’s about common sense and giving the fans what THEY want and not what some reporter’s ego needs.
January 6th, 2010 at 11:55 am
hey dumb#ss d money right direction this organization is an abortion,RADIO HAS SET THIS TEAM BACK 25 YEARS ANYONE REMEMBER LEEMAN BENNET
January 6th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Steve,
Not trying to beat a dead horse, but the question was asked, about halfway through the conference. When asked what areas the team needed to improve (i.e. coordinators, personnel, etc.), Rah responded with the ” I have to look at the tape over the next month…” response, which he used occasionally throughout the presser. I definitely agree there was plenty of “weaksauce” questions asked, but this one was a pointed question on what areas the team needed to improve upon.
It didn’t seem to take the Bills and Bears long to realize areas that needed addressing, though I understand a bit more analysis is needed due to these coaches only having a year to work with the players, obviously under less than optimal circumstances. My only concern is that it takes so long that we’re in the same boat as last year, with the top replacement candidates available having already accepted other gigs.
January 6th, 2010 at 10:08 pm
Those are good questions that would never be answered in this politically correct NFL these days.
The challenge for the ‘reporters’ is to get a nugget out of Morris. He’s not giving them out readily (any more.)
I’m certain the Bucs PR staff tells Coach the same thing they tell everyone, no discussion of contracts, no discussion of hire/fire, no discussion of anything on plans for the future… Just the way it is…