Raheem Explains How To “Generate A Fan Base”
February 28th, 2011
For those who missed the Ch. 8 multi-part feature interview with local head coaches Raheem Morris, Joe Maddon and Guy Boucher last week, it was pretty good stuff.
When Joe’s not feeling as lazy, he’ll link to all the segments on TBO.com.
The coaches gathered in a dimly lit room to sit on comfy chairs and answer all kinds of questions from good guy Dan Lucas. Raheem was asked about lockouts and drawing bigger crowds in the Tampa Bay market, and here was his response verbatim:
“We have a certain way down here. (looking at other coaches) We’re not going to make excuses about what we don’t spend. Myself, my management team, with Mark Dominik and our ownership, we got a vision. It’s to draft players. Do well in the draft. Get’em to come here and play. Remain young. Have a longevity of winning. And then re-sign our own players and make those guys play for us and be great,” Raheem said. “And we truly believe in that. And that’s how you generate a fan base. That’s how you get the fans to buy in. That’s how you get the fans to be a part of that family. And once that happens again, we’ll get that place filled. And I got all the confidence in the world.”
First, considering Joel Glazer said “money will never be an issue” when building the Buccaneers, and Raheem works for Team Glazer, why would Raheem even mention making excuses about spending? That sure seemed to come from left field for a coach who works for an organization that proudly proclaims it does everything possible to build a winner.
The more one listens to Raheem and Mark Dominik voice their philosophy (which continues to resist the mere mention of free agency), the more obvious it is that the Bucs will take one or two defensive ends high in the draft.
They’re desperate for the quarterback pressure, and they’re publicly disinterested in obtaining an established pass rusher.
Dominik doesn’t think the Bucs should be pigeonholed by draft pundits, so he said last week, but by turning his nose at the biggest free agent class in history, Dominik’s all but asking to be pigeonholed.
Joe’s not sure if it’s all an elaborate series of smokescreens, or the Bucs are determined to not grab one impact free agent.
February 28th, 2011 at 5:16 pm
Yea Rah, thats gonna work out just fine.
Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahah
February 28th, 2011 at 5:40 pm
I guess ERIC does not like 10-6 and being in the playoff hunt with a franchise QB. He would rather remain a mediocre .500 team for most a decade all the while claiming the coach is an offensive genius….
whatever.
Personally, i think they WILL sign a FA DE
February 28th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
eric is not even a bucs fan, i dont get it, why he is here damn it?? he doesnt love the bucs
February 28th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
I think Rah and Dom have done a great job building this team with young talent, but I’ll be pissed if they don’t bring in a star free agent or two. If we’re really going to be a playoff team next year, we need a proven star at DE, not a rookie who generates no pressure next year. Not against getting a DE in the draft, just want a proven guy there to turn to. We already have two young, ineffective DT’s. Don’t add on to the lack of pressure and lack of experience by just focusing solely on the draft to fill our DE needs. We need immediate impact from the line if we want a chance at the playoffs next year.
If we would’ve had next year’s schedule this past year, we would’ve had maybe only a 7-9 record. We have a lot of holes on this team to fill.
February 28th, 2011 at 8:15 pm
Considering how well Dominick, Raheem and Team Glazer are doing so far, I don’t think anyone is justified in complaining about their methods.
What they are doing is working. Why change things now? Considering the rough start they had, it’s incredible they’ve turned things around.
so…
…mountain out of molehill…
February 28th, 2011 at 8:17 pm
@Patrick
The chances of us being a playoff team this coming season are slim. Possible but slim.
If I were you, I’d be expecting it the following year. And in all likelihood, next off season is when the time will be right to add free agents.
As far as “star free agent or two”…
Sorry, but a falling star isn’t worth the price to be paid.
February 28th, 2011 at 9:11 pm
“Have a longevity of winning”
Seriously, how is this guy a head coach in the NFL?
February 28th, 2011 at 9:43 pm
“First, considering Joel Glazer said “money will never be an issue” when building the Buccaneers, and Raheem works for Team Glazer, why would Raheem even mention making excuses about spending? That sure seemed to come from left field for a coach who works for an organization that proudly proclaims it does everything possible to build a winner.”
Uh . . . because outlets like JBF constantly post articles with sarcastic commentary about the Bucs finances?
🙂
Conspiracy theories about the Bucs finances do more for Joe’s bottom line than the actual team, particularly during the off season.
February 28th, 2011 at 10:05 pm
“The chances of us being a playoff team this coming season are slim. Possible but slim.”
Can I ask what made you come to that conclusion?
February 28th, 2011 at 10:14 pm
Totally disagree with you on this one Pete.I think the chances of the Bucs making the playoffs are excellent.With some defensive help thru the draft,they have a good shot at winning the division.
February 28th, 2011 at 10:33 pm
Joe here,
@LucasJackson — Conspiracy theory? …The coach makes a weird comment and Joe’s just being his hypersensitive self and writing about it.
Can’t deny it’s an odd statement.
February 28th, 2011 at 11:15 pm
Joe,
Is Raheem’s comment on the Bucs spending really “weird”? The Bucs have had the lowest payroll in football for years. The Bucs have been called everything from cheap to broke for years. Morris knows that Joe. Everyone knows that Joe. I presume this is why every article you write about the Bucs free agency plan includes Glazer’s “money will never be an issue” quote, right?
I guess its fair to say I deny that it’s an odd statement . . .
February 28th, 2011 at 11:23 pm
When someone says that they ‘got all the confidence in the world’ usually means they will lie about anything, tell you what you want to hear.
February 28th, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Its an odd statement from a coach who believes his ownership group will do what is necessary to win.
But, in his situation, it makes perfect sense from the standpoint of a man making the best of the cards he has been dealt and the limitations he has.
Does he really buy into it? Not a chance.
But, he will try like hell to make it work and he firmly knows where his bread is buttered.
February 28th, 2011 at 11:35 pm
Joe here,
@Lucas Jackson – The Bucs’ company line essentially is that they’ve freely spent money on players, but haven’t drafted well enough to dole out big contracts to their own homegrown stars, so total payroll has been down because they didn’t have the players to pay.
If Raheem believes that, then it’s odd for him to say, “We’re not going to make excuses about what we don’t spend.”
March 1st, 2011 at 1:15 am
Joe- He’s saying they(himself,dominik, and ownership) have a plan and they’re sticking to it and they don’t owe the fans any apology for doing so. I don’t see anything odd about that. Some fans bitch about them not spending money on free agents and he is basically telling those to get over it.
March 1st, 2011 at 10:08 am
Joe, you and Eric agree so you must be right. My bad.
March 1st, 2011 at 10:11 am
On the other hand, there is the reasonable, non-pot stirring interpetation provided by many like gitarlvr.
Naaaaaa . . . . Joe and Eric must be right.
March 1st, 2011 at 11:12 am
as long as they keep making progress without spending money, great there is no use spending money just because you have it,Gruden was excellent with freeagents,Rah is a diffrent kind of coach.Like alot of people stated he was not ready and he wasnt,but by no way is he a finished product just like his players.I really think we need to wait another year,MAKE THE PLAYOFFS,before we spend money to get to the superbowl,not spend money to get to playoffs.this would have been a great year for chucky to be in free agency picking and probing