Mark Dominik Is A Free Agent’s Grim Reaper
August 5th, 2011
Yes, Joe last year coined Bucs general manager Mark Dominik the “rock star” because, all of a sudden, when the Bucs started winning games, he was popping up on virtually every national sports talk radio show and making a solid name for himself with swift, easy-to-understand analysis in a concise yet eloquent manner.
If this football thing doesn’t work out for Dominik, Joe is convinced he’ll be hired by the four-letter or FOX or CBS to provide NFL front office insight.
So often Dominik was on Sirius NFL Radio at one point, Joe tabbed him “rock star” as if he was David Lee Roth pimping the Van Halen reunion tour, sans a troupe of roadies of course.
It didn’t hurt that Dominik was nailing draft pick after draft pick as well.
But not all players may agree with this assessment of Joe’s. To many, Dominik is the NFL grim reaper. Think about it: How many players has Dominik deemed not worthy or over the hill and not invited to a training camp? Many of those same players had limited NFL careers after Dominik waved goodbye.
The list is impressive if not depressing. Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune, Twittering on the TBO Bucs Twitter feed, mentioned a few.
@TBO_Buccaneers: When #Bucs GM Mark Dominik tells a player he’s lost his value, Dominik is usually right (Brooks, Dunn, Cadillac, Ruud, Stylez).
Joe sees what Richardson is implying and he’s dead-on. To be fair, we do not know if Ruud’s career is shot. Over 100 tackles last season does not suggest Ruud is washed up.
To Joe’s knowledge, Stylez White is still unemployed and he’s been very quiet on Twitter of late.
Cadillac, as much as Joe loves the guy, proved last year he was no longer an effective NFL starter.
In other words, if Dominik doesn’t want you, it’s a good bet your NFL days are numbered.
August 5th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Now, if he could only use that same formula when he signs FAs, we’d have a few decent veterans!
August 5th, 2011 at 1:09 pm
It’s good to know that he is willing and able to make the hard calls when he has to. The Patriots and Steelers follow a very similar approach. When their players reach that point where their value is depreciating quickly; they either trade them, restructure them, or cut them.
August 5th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
The problem in the past was Dungy & McKay didn’t have the heart to part ways in a timely mannor and Gruden & Allen couldn’t stock pile enough of them. It’s a very tough business, but that’s why they make the money they do.
August 5th, 2011 at 1:15 pm
I think that dom has done a good job all things considered. But lets be homest:
Can you be a “rock star” with a 13-19 career record as a GM having never participated in the playofffs and never finishing above 3rd of a 4 team division?
Tearing apart a good team (9-7) to re-make a terrible team (3-13) only to quickly improve to an average team doesn’t equal “rock star” in my books.
If they achieve greatness this year – he will be demed rock star. If they miss the playoffs again, probably not. Virtualy anyone (except Matt Millen) can reach mediocrity if given 4 years.
August 5th, 2011 at 1:18 pm
I wish Bucs fans would quit whining about how we need to do more in free agency or how we don’t have any “veterans”.
Josh Freeman, in my opinion, is pretty close to a “veteran” in terms of leadership. Leadership isn’t the problem on this team. Guys are stepping up.
The real problem has been dead weight. And some of that is gone.
Dom is very good at getting rid of dead weight – all of those players who’ve gone on to do NOTHING after leaving the Bucs is all the proof you need.
I’ve yet to see a guy leave the Bucs and go and succeed somewhere else… or even get more than a 1 year PROVE IT contract.
Keep it up, Dom. We’re on the right track. Its just that Bucs fans tend to be a little emotional when it comes to letting players go who are no longer of value.
August 5th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
Absolutely amazing to see the transformation of the organization. Under Allen and Gruden, any washed up player was on the radar. Always going outside the walls. Now it’s youth and developing their own guys.
You could say Caddy and Ruud were their own guys, but Dominick is clearly making this his own team.
August 5th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Hey Thomas sort of like tearing up a superbowl team and missing the playoffs the next year?
August 5th, 2011 at 1:26 pm
thomas 2.2 Says:
Winning 10 games with the youngest team in NFL history is pretty much above mediocrity. You are just an idiot in your own world.
August 5th, 2011 at 1:29 pm
Remember, his best work is yet to come – at the end of preseason when he starts raiding practice squads for talented players ala Dez Briscoe.
August 5th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
These cuts are going to become even more painful starting next year. The depth is young, yes, but it’s becoming talented enough at many positions to where it’s at a point of becoming very difficult to decide who should be released.
Starting in 2012 and 2013 our cuts are going to be talented enough to start on quite a few teams in the league and you’ll see some of our guys get immediately signed by other teams, much like you see with the Patriots & a few others.
This is a good problem to have, and Dominik is so clear-headed and unemotional that he’ll make those tough decisions without wavering. The Bucs days of grabbing practice-squad players are almost over. The point of being able to cherry-pick our acquisitions has almost arrived. Good times.
August 5th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
jvato24: He’s at it again. That’s just 2.2 being 2.2.
August 5th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
@Thomas 2.2 – you must wake up depressed! Does the sun shine anywhere near you?
August 5th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
I like how a 9-7 team that collapsed down the stretch is “good.” But a 10-6 team that was a blown pass interference call away from the playoffs is “average.” Only Thomas could have that logic.
August 5th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Jvato: your stats are as false as your arguments. The bucs werent the youngest team in “nfl history.” They werent even the youngest in the league per reports at the end of last year. Who was? The packers.
August 5th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Ok, so they were the second youngest team, big f deal.
August 5th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Correction: panthers. The bucs were only .10 years, like 1 month on average younger than indy.
August 5th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
He said “in history.” they werent even the youngest last year.
August 5th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
I dont know .. I thought when they cut the Guard from the Panthers and Ryan Sims they became the youngest.
Mike WIlliams and LGB set a record
August 5th, 2011 at 4:32 pm
Mark Dominik can make the tough decision, and not let emotion cloud his judgment. This is what Executives get paid to do,, make tough decisions. Tampa has become Mark’s Team, and this is a good thing!
August 5th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Thomas, if the Bucs are mediocre at 10-6, doesn’t it follow that the Packers (also at 10-6) are, too?
You can check my facts if you want, but I’m pretty sure the Bucs were either the first or second team in history to win ten games while starting at least ten rookies. Argue that.
Argue also that Dominik has let no one leave his team, well-regarded or otherwise, who went on to find success elsewhere. The jury is out this year, but the past two years speak for themselves.
I trust Dom completely. Why don’t you?
August 5th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
A 10-6 team that runs the table against the leagues best on the road in the most important games, and a 10 win team who got 2 vs the 1-15 panthers, a handful more against max hall, troy smith, jake delhomme etc are vastly different.
August 5th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
To be complete, he has sucked on the free agents he has signed.
And he had one excellent trade for K2.
Can lasting contenders be built solely through the draft in 2011 NFL? I suppose we will find out soon enough.
Lastly, the rock star is given maching orders from higher in the food chain, so it may not be his true philosophy. Or Rah’s for that matter. Less likely to be Rah’s IMO. He’d probably love to have some vets.
August 6th, 2011 at 6:49 am
The league’s best, including Buffalo, Detroit, Minnesota, and Dallas. Every team beats weak teams every year. Whatever.
Eric, the Steelers build that way. So do the Packers and the Colts. Seems tried and true.