Why Neuter Jim Bates Now?
November 24th, 2009
Look, Joe hates to see anyone lose his job, especially a nice guy like Jim Bates who once upon a time was a damned good defensive coordinator.
Maybe the game passed him by? Who knows?
Joe finds it a little more than curious as to the timing of Bates being “relieved” as defensive coordinator.
While it’s a popular perception that Raheem the Dream was safe for this season, possibly next season and maybe until the NFL and the NFLPA come to a labor peace, no one truly knows what was going through the minds of Bryan and Joel.
There was only one word that Joe can use that is fit for mass public consumption to describe the Bucs defense: rancid, specifically the rush defense. Watching the Bucs try to stop the run against the Saints so turned Joe’s stomach, he imagined this must be what an adult movie starring Rosie O’Donnell would be like.
What Joe finds curious is the timing. Clearly something had to be done. The Bucs defense was beyond a laughing stock and each game the brutal Bucs seemed to set franchise lows for defense.
Given the mostly sorry history of this franchise prior to 1997, the defense — or lack thereof — was more than alarming.
Joe wonders if Raheem — and possibly general manager Mark Dominik — were starting to worry about their own job security and launched Bates, eeerr, “relieved” Bates, in an attempt to save their own jobs?
Not a dumb move if that was the case. Something, anything, had to be done.
November 24th, 2009 at 9:05 am
Please -no more Rosie O’Donnell refrences so early in the day. I have to live with that visual all day!
November 24th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Why did the Bucs fire Jagodzinski 10 days before the start of the season?
It only PROVES my point that Radio Morris is in over his head.
I understand making “rookie” mistakes but Radio has shown a pattern of consistently making stupid decisions.
This is nothing more than Morris attempting to save his butt.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Joe, have to agree with T-Bone that Rosie references this early in the morning is nauseating, but you are right, watching the Bucs Sunday did make me sick to my stomach (I don’t know if it was the play or the fact I paid good money to watch this high school team play a scrimmage)! Congrats on 100K visitors, love the site man!
November 24th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Clearly, Morris had to start feeling the heat (again). The goodwill fromt the Green Bay win and the success of Freeman evaporated quickly with the defensive showings of the last two weeks. It was only going to get worse in the last 6 weeks of the season. Right now, I think Morris is gone if Gruden lands a coaching job (looking more likely after last week). If Morris can show improvement in the defense and Freeman continues to play well, then he might be able to save his job.
November 24th, 2009 at 11:23 am
While getting my daily morning fix of JBF, I came across the name of a creature I never thought I would see here ..Rosie O Donnell. Just thinking about her this early in the morning is enough to keep me in a perpetual state of irritation the rest of the day.
That being said, it is curious timing. I didn’t expect Bates to be back next year, but to offload him in the middle of the season makes no sense. Perhaps he wanted to go is the only explanation I can think of. Good Riddance! I wonder if they are thinking of bringing in Dick Jauron out of Buffalo? He never did very well as a HC but he wasn’t a bad D/C