“Militia Unit Formed, And That Got It Done.”
November 24th, 2009
The Tampa Bay market’s lone football Hall of Fame voter and nominator, eye-RAH! Kaufman, of the Tampa Tribune, made it loud and clear that the firing of Jim Bates came from the Bucs locker room.
Speaking this morning on 1040 AM, Kaufman said players “got in [Raheem Morris’] ear” this week to protest Jim Bates’ scheme.
Kaufman said he asked Raheem The Dream on Monday whether he and his coaches were evaluating themselves as to whether they had the right scheme on defense for their players but didn’t get a straight answer.
“I got zero. He gave me nothing. And 12 hours later Bates is history. A lot of players were complaining about that scheme. A couple of players, a militia unit formed, and that got it done,” Kaufman said. “A few guys in the locker room told me off the record it wasn’t the right system that they can’t play in that system.”
Then asked by radio host Nanci Donnellan (aka The Fabulous Sports Babe) whether Ronde Barber led the militia charge he referenced, it was Kaufman who didn’t respond.
If Raheem The Dream is making landmark, franchise-changing decisions with the help of his players in the middle of the season, that’s downright ugly, especially considering the lack of experience on his defense.
These are scary times in Bucs history.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Calling Derrick Brooks for DC, come in Derrick…
His football IQ is second to none. Granted he only played Tampa 2, but he knew what the offense was going to do. If you’re going to go youth, why not?
November 24th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
So let me get this straight:
We have a new head coach who’s never BEEN a head coach. Now he’s going to be the new Defensive Coordinator and he’s never been a DC either.
It figures that it goes well with the offensive coordinator who was never an OC before either.
Well now it all comes down to Radio’s calls.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Jeff called it. You’re looking for youth? DB for DC. You got a respected guy on and off the field, with brains, who’s proven his worth time and time again. He’d walk in as an instant leader and while there may not be immediate success, he’d grow into the role better than anyone else.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
I thought you were the one leading the charge to oust Bates? Now we’re gonna let an aging CB, who won’t, or at least, shouldn’t be here next year determine who coaches our team, this is a bad as I’ve ever seen for the Yucs.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Joe here,
Jackson. you are correct. Been hounding Bates here for weeks. Just reporting the info. on this one. More focused here on how Raheem may actually have made this decision. That’s what’s scary. But we’ll probably never no for sure. …Stay tuned
November 24th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
While I think Brooks would be an excellent coordinator one day, I think you’d be making the same mistake the Glazers did with Rah. There is a reason guys are groomed as they go through the process of advancing through various positions on the way to HC, OC, DC. I think DB would be a GREAT choice for LB coach next year. Get his teeth sharpened there under a proven DC, and then in a few years let him advance to the DC position. While it is exciting to catch lightning-in-a-bottle like the Steeelers & Ravens did, we’re learning a hard lesson now that there is a reason guys usually need to go through the process.
November 24th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Actually guys if you want a proven and respected DC why not look northward – to Gainesville: Charlie Strong?
With Brandon Spikes leaving and good at the LB position maybe we Bucs fans get a 2-1?
But seriously Strong’s got a good resume and is being recruited as a HC already. This would be a perfect opportunity for him to come to Tampa and revamp the Defense – plenty of good draft picks as well.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Strong to the Bucs is not a lateral or upward move. No chance he’d make that career killer.
He’ll either be the DC of the Gators, the HC of another team, or the HC of the Gators (if Urban leaves)
Lovie Smith on the other hand could very well be kicked to the curb by Chicago. Let’s focus on bringing him back.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
This is not good, the inmates running the asylum! Mr. Lucky, I think you’re incorrect about the OC, I think he was fired as the OC at St Louis before coming here as the QB coach, but I may be wrong. I’m thinking like Alex, Lovie Smith is probably not going to survive this season, so him or Rod Marinelli would be good fits as well. Maybe we can get Charlie Weis to be the OC as well once he’s run out of South Bend next week! But, if we’re going to dream, let’s start with getting a real HC and GM in here, these guys have made way too many mistakes so far, and I don’t trust them or the scouting dept with all the picks we have in the upcoming draft!
November 24th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
The St. Pete Times had the story first on the demotion of Bates while the Tampa Tribune had nothing, which leads to this question:
If Ira Kaufman knows so much, how come he got scooped?
Does he really know what he’s talking about?