Schiano’s Ability To Teach Sold Dominik
March 25th, 2012
After Oregon’s Chip Kelly flirted with the Bucs as potentially the next Bucs head coach, but at the last moment, sort of a like a coveted high school football player on the eve of signing day, shunned the Bucs’ advances, it threw the Bucs back into coaching-search mode.
Days later, the Bucs settled on Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, who came with a strong reference from no less than Bill Belicheat.
Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune uncloaked another reason, maybe more so than the word of Belicheat, that sold Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik on Schiano:
He was able to get through to young players.
The Rutgers graduation rate, which was tops in the nation in 2010 and second in 2011, tells Dominik that Schiano not only can relate to players but also motivate and discipline them in a way that produces positive results.
“Because we have such a young football team, it’s really important that he be able to get through to the players and motivate them,” Dominik said at the time of Schiano’s hiring. “What he did with the graduation rate at Rutgers is amazing.”
“What that tells me is that young people are listening to him and buying into what he believes in and what he says about how you grow and become a professional, and not just on the field but off the field.”
Or, if Joe can play Devil’s Advocate, Schiano, like his mentor Joe Paterno, wasn’t looking for just football players to fill out his roster, but smart football players who valued a college education.
Now if Dominik and Schiano are trying to incorporate Paterno’s “Grand Experiment,” where Paterno proved his lifelong quest that one can build a championship college football team with student-athletes, not just football players, then Joe is all ears to this concept.
It sure seems that’s the way Dominik has drafted recently with smart guys like Josh Freeman, Gerald McCoy and Adrian Clayborn, to name a few.
March 25th, 2012 at 6:45 pm
Joe says:
“the way Dominik has drafted recently with smart guys like Josh Freeman, Gerald McCoy and Adrian Peterson”
Adrian Peterson? I think you meant Aqib Talib, Joe.
March 25th, 2012 at 6:47 pm
I sure wish we could “sell” Dominik. Blue light special
March 25th, 2012 at 6:50 pm
Prolly meant Adrian Clayborn there.
March 25th, 2012 at 6:54 pm
I don’t know, Talib’s got smarts – street smarts. But not really, since he got busted, so yeah, not even very street smart.
Def must have meant Clayborn.
March 25th, 2012 at 6:54 pm
Gerald may very well be bright but the whole football thing is another issue altogether.
March 25th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
LMAO@ Adrian Peterson , seriously lost some credibility hahaha
March 25th, 2012 at 6:58 pm
If they want smarts, let’s start drafting guys from MIT and just use them to come up with the most genius plays based off of personnel, physics, and other smart stuff.
March 25th, 2012 at 7:05 pm
I think what’s being missed by most of you is that Dominick is looking for leaders (most draft picks the past few years have been team captains) and smart guys. Mental mistakes will lose a lot more games than physical ones.
March 25th, 2012 at 7:07 pm
Joe loses credibility by mixing up last names? Really?
March 25th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Tonytwocents
Talib is the product of the previous front office.
March 25th, 2012 at 7:12 pm
Trade Talib and Quincy Jane Black to the Redskins. Bruce and Raheem will welcome them with open arms.
March 25th, 2012 at 7:12 pm
Well Brandon, I did get the jist of the article. We want guys mentally tough enough to handle professionalism in all aspects of life, and so you can’t do that if you’re a dumb person or a stupid guy or a Talib.
March 25th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Im still pissed off at loftin but we still got 2 of the best free agents out there.Lets go bucs I think Shiano will be the best coach the bucs ever had.
March 25th, 2012 at 7:15 pm
@NJBucs
my bad. All of these bad seasons and drafts the past decade have all kinda blended together. With Raheem Gruden, and Bruce Dominik.
March 25th, 2012 at 7:17 pm
well, so far I’ve got nothing against Dom…….allegedly
March 25th, 2012 at 7:17 pm
WE GOT ADRIAN PETERSON YES! lol
March 25th, 2012 at 7:21 pm
Joe here,
Just wanted to see who was paying attention. 😉 Kidding aside, Joe always appreciate his volunteer editors.
March 25th, 2012 at 7:32 pm
One thing about young teams is they grow up. Look at the Rays
March 25th, 2012 at 7:44 pm
It’s funny how mellow Sciano is during interviews/press meets, but every gametime picture of him I see in articles,
His rage and anger is like Gruden, with the skin color of Shanahans trademark “angry rose”, sprinkled with some furious Bill Cowher mustache hairs. Dude just gets into it! I Love it!
March 25th, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Pretty sure this is some inside koke, he’s done this before. (the whole Peterson – Clayborn mixup)
March 25th, 2012 at 8:00 pm
*Joke, wow.
March 25th, 2012 at 8:05 pm
That Quincy Jones is a lousy linebacker.
Im thinking the smart ones may have been puzzled at our last leader.
Perhaps somone might mention that NFL teams dont really have a graduation rate?
Us fanbase may not match McCoy’s brilliance, but some of us can count.
The number ten comes to mind.
March 25th, 2012 at 8:15 pm
I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom, for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I see skies of blue, and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I myself thank the almighty every day for our Rockstar………drafting these smart folks and all…………………………….hardly ever getting our asses handed to us………….
March 25th, 2012 at 8:23 pm
I’m actually thankful Chip Kelly changed his mind of coming here, I am far more excited about Schiano then I would have been with Chip. I had a gut feeling Kelly was going to be on of those college coaches who tried to make it in the pros that fail miserably. I honestly don’t get that feeling about Schaino, I think his style of coaching is well suited for the transition. Schiano has the traits of a great NFL coach. Chip Kelly changing his mind @ the last minute might have been one of the best things that could happen to the Bucs!! My two cents anyway. 🙂
March 25th, 2012 at 8:43 pm
The poor LB level of play may have been due to the scheme and D play calling. Quincy and the others may actually play better under the new scheme.
March 25th, 2012 at 8:51 pm
Eric- lol!
That all sounds lovely. Really
But I’m not worried about their graduation rate. I’m far more concerned that this great, intelligent, team captain, super geniuses- dont lay down and quit- like they did last year!
Despite all those great character traits Dom has assembled- being a quieter is about the worst knock on a pro player
And they quit in herds last year
I hope Schiano can reach them.
It’s a lot easier to reach a kid on scholarship, trying to get his education
Then it is to reach a 24 year old kid- making 20 million a year(17 more than the coach!), who has been in the national spotlight forever, and is a high draft pick
I hope he gets thru to them. I think the team needs a major housecleaning, after their lil stunts last year
March 25th, 2012 at 8:58 pm
Joe meant Clayborn and Capt Tim just above meant quitter for those keeping score.
March 25th, 2012 at 8:59 pm
and there seems to be an awful lot of people keeping score.
March 25th, 2012 at 9:03 pm
@Capt
I wouldn’t put one ounce of blame on our “team captains” last year. There was something going on behind closed doors that they weren’t buying into. I mean even Freeman just said “f@*k it”. That tells you one thing, and one thing only –
Yes our guys might have been “quieter” last season, but they were a group of Captains being led by a Private First Class dressed in a General’s uniform. Making a General’s salary. Getting General pu$$y.
But who always spoke and coached like a Private First Class.
March 25th, 2012 at 9:13 pm
But anyways I get a sense of that leadership when I hear Schiano speak. I could see parents hiring him during the offseason to straighten out little Timmy.
Hate to keep raggin on Rah, but when he spoke, all I remember was his Talib impersonations and his “I’m talkin bout” rants.
March 25th, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Schiano will not put up with what Raheem put up with. He’s giving guys fresh starts but that won’t mean he won’t cut some people before roster cuts if they don’t perform well. Lots of people on our team should be fighting for spots on the roster.
March 25th, 2012 at 10:51 pm
@tonytwocents
It was “what your talking about”
Like a question to rah about freeman.
What your talking about there is a big strong guy. Your talking about a guy who can throw it all over the field……etc.etc.
Even though it was rah actually talking about it.
Not gonna be the same around here.
March 25th, 2012 at 11:41 pm
@eric
ok, I see what you’re talkiin about.
You’re talkin about a head coach who had a nack for starting off sentences using the same words, at least three times in a row.
You’re talkin about a head coach who spoke those sentences fast and deliberately, as is done from up north (allegedly).
You’re talkin about a head coach who deserved a promotion back in 2009, but seriously…G Men… you guys f**kin loco en los cabesos?! Head Coach? Really?!
but anyways, I get your drift eric.
~ Respect the Rah, Brah!
March 25th, 2012 at 11:46 pm
I love GMC as a player, but smart is not a term I’d use to describe him.