Naming Freeman Starter Begins An Ugly Snowball
October 28th, 2009
Pure and simple, Raheem the Dream naming Josh Freeman the Bucs starting quarterback — “and beyond” — is nothing short of a panic move by Raheem the Dream.
The Bucs drafted Josh Freeman, an admitted project, as a key future cog of a run-first, throw-deep offense.
Now, with scant few weeks under a Chuck(y)-and-duck offense, an offense he was not drafted for, Freeman is thrown to the wolves. His first game (ironically, fittingly, in creamsicle unis) will come against Dom Capers and the Packers.
Capers, the architect of the famed Steelers zone-blitz defense (which Dick Lebeau later perfected) will throw so much at Freeman next week that the unsuccessful Kansas State product will be so dizzy he likely will think he’s on some ride at Busch Gardens.
Nothing like rushing a rookie quarterback who came out early from college into an offense he likely barely has a grasp of. Oh, well, offensive coordinator Greg Olson likes to practice plays in games so this might be fitting.
Joe can just see it now: Freeman will struggle mightily and possibly be ruined. The Bucs will win one game and, as Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune suggested, assistants will be tossed aside. Hey, it’s a cheaper move than paying for three head coaches.
So Freeman will be on his third offensive coordinator in less than a year. The Bucs will likely suck next year and with Chucky’s salary off the Glazers’ books, it’s not unlikely Raheem the Dream will be let go.
Then, Freeman will be working with his fourth offensive coordinator in three years.
That is not the way to develop a quarterback the organization admitted needed some developing.
Think not? Just ask Jason Campbell.
Naming Freeman as the Bucs starter way too early is not just a panic move, but another reach, which is also fitting since Freeman was a reach in the first round.
Obviously, Joe hopes for the best and his promise still holds true: If Freeman makes a Pro Bowl Joe will buy his jersey, happily.
But Joe fears rushing and thereby ruining Freeman will set the Bucs back six years.
Joe is very depressed.
Caybrew, please!
October 28th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Freeman won’t be ruined.
Now that should keep you from being depressed.
October 28th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Joe, if Freeman does “ok” and the Bucs get a win against the Packers, what will you write? What will the headliner be?
October 28th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Jeff:
Joe will have to check if his Caybrew is spiked.
October 28th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
We should not start him at all this year! The fact that he’ll be learning a new offense next year is the reason why? He should sit… It didn’t hurt P Rivers or C Palmer. Let him start next year from jump street with the new offense in hand. This kind of stuff is what gets in young Qb’s heads, not the pass rush!
October 28th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Joe: I could not agree more. Jason Campbell is a perfect reference in this case. The owner ruined that quaterback with a lack of stability. The same could apply here. If the coaching staff will be revamped, and it will, they need to keep Freeman on the bench. The turnover in coaching will always hinder a young player’s growth. I am more uneasy with the instability in the coaching staff than I am about him getting hit becasue he will get hit. Rookie or vet he will get hit. I do not worry as much about “David Carr syndrome” as I am about the learning new terminoligy every year or in this case every week. Pass me a Caybrew. This is making my head hurt.
October 28th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Joe I just now bought garcia jersey but I like to buy clearance jersys anyway
October 28th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
I’m still looking for a Johnson jersey but I guess they didnt even bother to make them.
Freeman is not going to amount to much no matter wha system he is in. He wasnt that great in college and if I’m not mistake Joe did a little write up on how he wasnt even that great in high school. Maybe I am wrong here but if your going to be a first round pick and the future of an NFL franchise you should Dominate in high shcool. Not do well, not excel, not turn heads, DOMINATE!
At least it will be easy for me to get tickets when I come back home to see the parents for Thanksgiving. Just like when I was a kid, Dad and I getting coner of the end zone tickets day of the game and not have another person in our row.
October 28th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
I kind of think David Carr and Jason Campbell just aren’t that good. I don’t think they were ruined, just never any good. Just my opinion.
October 28th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Start the kid, let him get some game experience its not like we’re worried about making the playoffs. He was drafted early in the first round and should be expected to start mid season. All this, “it’ll ruin him” stuff is ridiculous. There has been more evidence towards the opposite school of thought recently ie Ryan, Flacco. I would rather know what we have than sit a guy for a year or two and not know. If he loses confidence early on he probably wouldnt have been that great anyway.
October 28th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Hey how come no one wants to buy my shirt?
I’ll sell them in the stores at 3 for $10!
October 28th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Joe I was going to get you a case of Caybrew for Christmas –
After reading all these posts I’ve changed me mind
I’ll get you a case of Pepto-Bismol and a 30 day pass to AA instead
October 28th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Hey Jeff
If the Josh Freeman led Bucs beat Green Bay in 2 weeks I can see the headlines now:
“Miracle on Dale Mabry”
October 28th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
When will Chucky salary be off the books?
October 28th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Mike says it best. Carr and Campbell aren’t that good. Joe, I don’t buy that you can ruin a QB by playing him. He will have the rest of this season to get used to the speed of the NFL. Surely to God you don’t expect a whole lot from him this year. Personally I want to see if he takes charge like Garcia did. He does have the size and speed we need. But by years end we should know if he has the tools and know how to get it done. If not we start looking during the off season through free agency or the draft. The problem is if we do find a savior so to speak we’ve got owners that won’t pay him.
October 28th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Joe,
Don’t worry be happy. Enjoy the ride! This will probably set the Bucs a couple of years. But once they get competent people to head the organization the team will turn around. Provided they do hire competent real NFL coaches and staff, then we will see competitiveness in 2011.
Who cares if Freeman is starting now, the sooner the better I would say. You said it yourself he is a bust, might as well get the ball rolling so they actually draft a real QB and hire a real NFL coach.
October 28th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
If it’s irony you want, then Josh Freeman’s NFL Comparison in the NFL Draft was Jason Campbell.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Mike – I agree with you. Jason Campbell, David Carr, Akili Smith were never going to amount to anything even if Jesus Christ was coaching them.
I think all this talk of “ruining” the QB is a bunch of BS. If he can’t handle getting booed this year (when he knows it’s going to happen), then he’s not the guy you want as the leader of your offense. If he misses wide open receivers, like he did at K State, that ain’t going to change either if he has the same coach for 2 years.
Personally, I think he was picked way too high and he’s going to fail regardless of who is the coach.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
OK you want to talk about bad mojo/karma? Let’s have a not ready for prime time rookie QB make his first start against a defensive style that traditionally gives this team fits coached by an excellent to great defensive coach. Have him try to run an offense he was not drafted for and has not practiced more than a handful of times. Then add to that putting him in not only the creamsicles but the ’76 creamsicles! For the love of God man!!! He’ll probably trip on something running out for pregame warm-ups and blow out a knee with all that going on. Bad things man, bad things.
October 28th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
10 says he shorts it…….
20.
October 29th, 2009 at 1:06 am
Well there is light at the end of the tunnel… I just googled Radio Raheem and got to watch a little clip. Hopefully art does immitate life, Radio Raheemeem gets strangled by the Police breaking up a fight. Maybe some night hes out with the players instead of coaching the team he can sic Talib on somebody and we”ll get our happy ending of this Raheem nightmare
October 29th, 2009 at 9:33 am
I have increased my prayer time.