“The Clock Is Ticking”
February 8th, 2012
- No!
Bucs fans are growing restless with the deliberate method by which Greg Schiano has taken on the task of filling the Bucs’ coaching staff with credible men.
Fear not Bucs fans, you should not feel guilty. It seems eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune believes your fears have merit.
Tuesday, speaking on “Primetime” co-hosted by Ronnie Lane and Tom Krasniqi on WHBO-AM 1040, Kaufman suggested the Bucs and Schiano in particular are up against a tight deadline to fill staff vacancies without repercussions to the team.
“I believe by the end of this week, [the Bucs] will have a complete offensive staff or a complete defensive staff or even more. Guys, the clock is ticking. People say, what’s the big deal? Well, it is. You have to send your guys down to Indy in a couple of weeks for that combine. You have to start making preparations. You want your coaches involved in free agency deliberations. There is a time factor here. I don’t think they have another month to put this thing together. It’s a little bit discouraging what has gone on so far. Not jumping the gun and saying this is going to be a terrible staff. I will be shocked, gentlemen — shocked — if the entire staff is made up of college coaches. Then the Bucs will merit criticism.
It doesn’t appear the Bucs will have all college coaches, as one of the names rumored to join the Bucs on the offensive side of the ball is the notorious Ron Turner, who frankly should have stayed in college.
Joe’s of the mind that if Turner is to be named offensive coordinator, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik should immediately get on the phone and call Jacksonville quarterback coach Greg Olson to ask (beg?) if he will return as the Bucs offensive coordinator.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:07 am
Looks like we will see soon enough what kind of staff has been assembled. Not getting a good feeling though. And why hasn’t anybody in the media picked up their phone and called Schiano to see how things are going. Has he been censored by our GM?
February 8th, 2012 at 9:25 am
Joe your not being fair… He did not have alot to work with in Chicago…
Kyle Orton was the Qb
Matt Forte was great as a rookie
and their best receiver was a CB turner WR (Devin Hester)
**Chicago was 14th ranked offense that year**
For such a terrible cast of offensive Talent I think Ron Turner did a hell of a job. Not to mention each year he was there their offense improved.
Why is your basis for hating Ron Turner?
February 8th, 2012 at 9:27 am
The combine is a few weeks away. The coaches need to get together prior to that. Im a little worried that they wont have enough time to get everything ready.
Rushing a hire cant be good.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:29 am
The Bucs are taking entirely too long and it’s obvious they are struggling to fill a staff. This is a circus that isn’t very funny.
Huge dissappointment.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:37 am
Management has totally dropped the ball on this one. While all the other good team, including two of our division foes, were picking the cream of the crop coordinators and position coaches, we were sitting back like IDIOTS. We are now left with leftovers, the bottom of the barrel. Ron Turner, are you freaking kidding me??? What a garbage hire by a team Ive loved for thirty years. This is going downhill fast. Someone (MARK DOMINIK) needs to be fired for this terrible hiring process. Has been crap coordinators, thirty year old college position coaches, and grad assistants as a coaching staff??? SHAME ON YOU BUCS!!! What, where Les Steckel and Jim Bates too busy? SELL GLAZERS SELL!!! You cheap Bastards.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:37 am
@Travis, Don’t forget the greatness of Rex Grossman. Or the failed Cedric Benson experiment. And also Notice all of the former greats that played QB in Chicago…… Oh, wait, there aren’t any legendary QB’s out of Chicago? Maybe that’s because its impossible to throw a ball straight in Chicago. Notice Eli never had a great season until they got out of that old Meadowlands dump where the wind took over every game, much like in Chicago. Jared doesn’t think Joe is being very fair either. I’ll take Turner over Olson everyday of the week. Atleast Turner would find a way to get Blount the ball more than 4-5 times a game.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:39 am
None of this makes sense to me, unless, Schiano has his hands tied with restrictions from the kids.
To those pointing out the secrecy of the head coaching hire, and think this is more of the same….why? Tampa is the only team out there still assembling a staff. At this point, what purpose would there be in throwing the press of the trail with Sherman chicanery?
February 8th, 2012 at 9:43 am
Travis –
I’m an Illinois alum and have watched Turner (then Zook) as a head coach for years. He was brought in with promises of being an offensive mastermind that would energize our offense. What we got was a predictable, unimaginative offense. Turner had one good year (Sugar bowl in 2001 season), followed by years of mediocrity.
I’m with Joe, Turner as the OC does not excite me. In my opinion, this would be Greg Olson 2.0.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:49 am
I have been holding onto the belief that Dominick is actually much better than people think and the Glazers had his hands cuffed that last three years. One reason is that they were jettisoning great veteran leadership since the early Chucky years (Sapp, Lynch). However, this is fast becoming an inglorious debacle that never ends.
I haven’t watched Moneyball yet, but it sure seems like the Glazers feel they can buck all trends and come up with a non-traditional formula that combines cheapness with over-performance. Unfortunately, I fear they have been drinking too much from the Rays fountain and are destined to disappoint once again.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:52 am
Harbaugh has alot of his college coaches and they did fine… no need to panic.
February 8th, 2012 at 9:54 am
CC , That’s not good marketing according to the Bucs. They would rather the media feed us all the negative responses and alienate the fan base even more. And please, secrecy ?? There’s no team left that needs OC’S & DC’S and position coaches. I wonder if the Testosterone challenged Glazer twins would have handled their Foosball team’s coaching search the same way? They need to put an ad in Craigslist. Time for me to back off the Buc sites and accept the fact that I love this team way more than the Glazer’s deserve. I’m not looking for perfection or things done my way.I assure you I’m not so full of myself. Just some down home HONEST EFFORT and to see a DESIRE to win..Not at all costs but at least don’t be the team that has the reputation as being the cheapest either. Just an opinion from an old nose tackle who has been a Buc fan since before they played their first game. Peace Out !
February 8th, 2012 at 9:56 am
Turner has the distinction of the the only coach in Illinois history to lose 11 games in a season.
And he did it twice.
Also winless in the conference twice.
When your begging for Greg Olson……………OMG.
Thats a bigger bullet to dodge than Mike Sherman IMO. Or Chilly.
One thing I didnt realize: Dungy wanted Turner for bucs oc in 1996, but he already was OC for Chicago. However, Tony hired Mike Shula on Turner’s recommendation as he was his QB coach. Ugh. Lets not revisit that offense please.
Id almost rather have Ray Perkins form Johns Community College.
February 8th, 2012 at 10:01 am
The thing about Moneyball is that there is no cap in baseball, so, the have-nots were forced to come up with a way to compete. No other options, as who will outspend the Yankees, etc.?
On the other hand, the NFL has developed a great system to keep the parity with the salary cap. Sadly, our owners have chosen to not even use the system to their advantage. In fact, the league had to actual force a minimum spending level for teams just like TB. Embarrasing. Pathetic.
It’s one thing to be the Washington Redskins, and overspend. But, TB is just as bad as they are, on the other side of the fence. No depth. Backups who are masqueraded as starters. Rookie linebackers attempting to call plays. Lumpkin. Biggers.
Until they open up the wallet, I am a little gun shy by their recent history.
February 8th, 2012 at 10:01 am
“Fear not Bucs fans, you should not feel guilty. It seems eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune believes your fears have merit.”
SOOOO…. Don’t fear, because our fears have merit? WTF is that supposed to mean?
February 8th, 2012 at 10:02 am
Travis:
Joe is being very fair. He’s looking at Turner’s entire body of work which is bad.
We’re talking about a guy who was launched in favor of Ron Zook for crying out loud.
Turner’s claim to fame is Kurt Kittner. Need Joe say more?
February 8th, 2012 at 10:03 am
For the love of God hire Marty and Butch NOW! Give us something after all these years of trial and error.
February 8th, 2012 at 10:03 am
🙂
February 8th, 2012 at 10:05 am
eric:
Yup.
February 8th, 2012 at 10:05 am
FYI: 5 of Harbaugh’s 12 position coaches/coordinators were from the college ranks…
The rest of the staff averaged about 18 years of NFL service. Seems like the proper mix of college “teachers” and experienced NFL vets.
It seems unlikely (but still possible) that we’ll have the same mix here 🙁
February 8th, 2012 at 10:10 am
We better get the best DC in the history of organized football if were gonna roll with Turner.
Must be a masterfull Glazer smoke screen to throw everyone off the trail.
They are good at that, but not sure why its needed. Nobody else is looking for coaches now.
February 8th, 2012 at 10:12 am
Harbaughs coaches(mansula,fangio,etc)all were in the pros before the were college guys.fangio was part of some top notch raven d units and was dc of the year in 2010 in ncaa at stanford.
February 8th, 2012 at 10:13 am
The last section about Dominik getting Olson is funny. Dominik has created this mess and he seems to have not learned anything. I thought the interviewing process included asking the new HC what kind of staff would he have. Apparently someone forgot to ask Schiano that. I was super excited after the press conference but now I’m super concerned. Either the Glazers aren’t doing what they said as far as doing whatever it takes to build a winner or Mark Dominik is over his head and has been. It’s time for fans to demand the sell of this team. We’ve been screwed over by more coaches and players (how many contracts was Dominik second choice) than should be allowed and for a city with great weather, great stadium , great training facility, no state tax you would think coaches would be dying to come here. Then you have a franchise QB, an in the making elite running back, solid o line, a young D line hungry for good coaching, a number 5 draft choice, money to spend in FA and this is the best billionaire owners and a GM that is supposed to know what he’s doing can do? The Glazers have either made a mistake keeping Dominik or their what everyone says cheap cheap cheap. Regardless there both unacceptable and should put the team up for sale immediately. We’re a freakin joke..
February 8th, 2012 at 10:20 am
@raphael
Another thing about Harbaugh’s college guys, they came from either Stanford or Southern Cal…our coaches are coming from Pitt and Rutgers…oh boy.
February 8th, 2012 at 10:20 am
eric:
Hopefully, Jim Irsay is just crazy enough and still hungover from Super Bowl parties to deny the Bucs a chance to crap in their own pants and interview Turner.
February 8th, 2012 at 10:44 am
Some time ago we were all bitching about Mike Sherman because he was a lock for our HC. He was the only one who was interviewed. Now Turner is a lock for OC. Haven’t we learned anything about the way the Glazers like to play the media?
I just can’t see them bringing in someone for Freeman, Blount and company who doesn’t at least carry a little excitement like Schiano brings with his defensive background.
February 8th, 2012 at 10:49 am
Harboughs staff also has a lot of NFL experience.
The OC, although he came with Harbough from Stanford, had 14 years coaching in the league. DC had 25 years in NFL, 11 as a DC.
QB Coach 19 years
Secondary 20 years
Some of his postion coachs (like Jim Leavit) came straight from college.
Remember also Harbaugh played QB in the league for a long time.
I don’t think folks would be upset over Rutgers position coachs here and there, provided we get really good NFL quality DC and OC. (NOT TURNER)
Puzzling position coachs are signed before coordinators…………………………………assbackwards?
February 8th, 2012 at 10:51 am
Josh, as I mentioned before. Perhaps, the secrecy during the HC search made sense, as there were other teams looking.
Why now? What point does it serve if TB is only team looking? It’s like shadowboxing.
February 8th, 2012 at 11:00 am
there is no such thing as Greg Olson 2.0…..He was and is that bad.
February 8th, 2012 at 11:50 am
Thanks Joe – appreciate you putting this out there. So far, this charade of a coaching search has left me scratching my head (at best) or contemplating my sanity/allegiance (at worst). I’m off the Kool-Aid until further notice.
Make the hires, and move on. If Turner’s the OC…sheesh.
Gimme Martz over that guy.
Will be stunned if Davis is in DC mix, BTW
February 8th, 2012 at 12:09 pm
We got a better chance of the Congress balancing the budget than this thing working out.
February 8th, 2012 at 12:19 pm
With the first pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select…
February 8th, 2012 at 12:24 pm
eric:
Now John Shoop is rumored as an offensive coaching candidate.
Joe cannot figure out what the fascination is with Bears offensive coordinators???
February 8th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
PLOP PLOP
FIZZ FIZZ
OH WHAT A RELIEF IT …………………………………..
February 8th, 2012 at 12:40 pm
I would call monte and ask for suggestions.
February 8th, 2012 at 12:41 pm
maybe gruden wants to compete with his brother