When Will The Media Turn On Greg Schiano?
May 26th, 2012
The headline above essentially is a question Justin “The Commish” Pawlowski pondered during his afternoon show on WQYK-AM 1010 yesterday. So Joe thought he’d take a moment to answer it.
For Joe, many in the media already have begun turning on Schiano, or at least are setting the stage for how they’ll turn on him.
Take Tom Jones’ recent column about Schiano in the Tampa Bay Times. He’s tossing around adjectives like “neurotic” and “dogmatic” when describing the head coach. Jones is concerned that Schiano isn’t equipped to manage professional players and that players will turn on him because he has no “pedigree.”
Former Buccaneer Ian Beckles, whose morning show on WDAE-AM 620 comes on after Jones’ new slot, (setting up as a daily beat-down of the Bucs) has been vocal that Schiano’s act is unlikely to play with veterans and he won’t be able to handle them long term if he doesn’t adjust. That’s a bad combination, says Beckles, because Schiano soon will realize he needs veterans to win.
Popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, beer-chugging Peter King of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports fame, joined in the action Tuesday calling Schiano a “control freak,” seemingly reaching big time by referencing an anonymous Rutgers source that claimed Schiano was once fixated on thermostat settings in meetings.
Keep in mind these three examples were all churned out this week.
None of this surprises Joe, and Joe expects Schiano to feel extreme heat early and often this season if the Bucs aren’t winning.
The fact is the NFL wants every detail and opinion overblown and under a microscope. That drives interest and passion and ratings, which leads to media and fans turning on coaches and players far earlier than they did 10 or 15 years ago. Just look at NFL.com, which takes on a more TMZ feel every day.
Everybody loves a good coaching “hot seat” breakdown, and it’s only a matter of time before a coach appears on those lists before he even coaches a game. Especially a guy like Schiano, who has a lot of talent at his disposal and doesn’t have the greatest college record on his resume.
May 26th, 2012 at 9:02 am
Why in thew world does anyone, anyone at all, find Ian Beckles relevant?
May 26th, 2012 at 9:14 am
He has a veteran staff….Give him a Chance….Media is ticked because he didn’t explain the Winslow situation
May 26th, 2012 at 9:19 am
He doesn’t owe the media anything, he is only accountable to the players and his bosses. You can be demanding and detail oriented if you care about your players, it’s when you ask everything of them and give nothing when things go wrong i.e. Gruden, who I am a fan of.
I don’t sense an ego from Schiano, he was hired to set a tone, a directive from his bosses. Nothing to see here.
May 26th, 2012 at 9:24 am
Ian has never said anything good about any current Buccaneers.
May 26th, 2012 at 9:26 am
Schiano will treat all players the same. Schiano will treat the media with respect when they deserve it, and when they don’t I feel sorry for them. This is a no nonsense guy that doesn’t take crap. This is no longer a haven for slackers or quitters. Does anyone read the Times anymore? Talk about irrelevant. They should have changed the name to “We’ll Pay You To Read The Times”. I’d rather listen to Ian Beckles than read that garbage.
May 26th, 2012 at 9:27 am
Joe, regardless of how a coach is, if he wins, he’s great, if he loses, he’s a bum.
As for how will veterans will react, I guess you can ask Winslow, Faine, Jackson, and Hays how they see him. Of course, it doesn’t matter because they are gone. That, my friend, is how the veterans will react, if they win, they will stay, if not they maybe sent packing for not being good enoungh. I wonder how Trueblood and that outside linebacker, what’s his name, Black are buying into the Coaches’ policies? You have been there, are they hustling? Are they all hustling?
May 26th, 2012 at 9:28 am
Wrong, OB.
Raheem was considered a bum when he one 10 games.
May 26th, 2012 at 9:28 am
Screw Peter King! Any Idiot knows you always want a room that is going to be full of people for a meeting 5 to 10 degrees cooler then normal, to compensate for all the warm bodies that will be there. Schiano just wanted his guys to be comfortable, for the meeting.
May 26th, 2012 at 9:49 am
I have to respectfully disagree Joe. His turnaround of the Rutgers program was extremely impressive. I would argue his college record is great.
May 26th, 2012 at 9:58 am
Tampa Bay area “sports reporters” both in print and worst I’ve ever seen. Tom Jones is an absolute JOKE! Ian Beckles, Peter King, and Tom Jones…pathetic!
Truly amazing to see how”major media” has turned into nothing more than “NAtional Enquire” style journalism. It’s disgusting, but par for the course, for fat, lazy jouralists who no longer “beat” the streets for a story, but make one up bangin on a keyboard.
May 26th, 2012 at 10:11 am
“Control Freak” “Dogmatic” “Drill Sergeant” “Won’t Relate With Veterans”
All these things were said about Tom Caughlin and to a lesser extent with Bill Belicheck” in their 1st year as a head coach and those guys turned out OK.
As far as Beckles goes, he was a mediocre guard and is a worse annalist and the guy he works with is a joke. Totally not relative.
May 26th, 2012 at 10:12 am
I’m on the same page with the thinly talented local sports writers and the bloated Peter King. The tough guy act doesn’t work with NFL players, just ask Belichick and Coughlin….Told ya I was on the same page, I can write stupid things as well.
May 26th, 2012 at 10:14 am
Years ago there was a fanatic in Green Bay and how did that work out. When you are inept as a journalist, you try to set the stage for I told you so. If that does’t happen they figure no one will remember. Conjecture is not a science.
May 26th, 2012 at 10:14 am
I’m sure Schiano is a big guy and can handle the media. The Fourth Estate (print media)is already beginning to circle the wagons. This subject is on every website I’ve visited recently – From PFT to PR to SB Nation. And the answer unanimously is – he will be fine if he wins!
Schiano is not starting off as a media darling. No complaint here, but when you take that approach, you have got to win. If you flounder or don’t win, they will be merciless because of the personna created by his so-called peculiarities. The media wants access and questions answered and truth be told the NFL wants teams to be media-friendly. That is why they dictate through the NFL Media Policy when the teams must allow media access and when coaches must make themselves and players available to the media.
Even Joe, when commenting in a previous post on Schiano’s style stated that he had “no problem UP TO THIS POINT”.
Schiano is undoubtedly a different kind of guy and maybe for the better. But remember, the press can be your best friend or your worst enemy!
May 26th, 2012 at 10:17 am
Agreed MBF… Rutgers was the door mat of the Big Est and a perennial loser as an “Independent” for years before Schiano arrived. He built that program and left it in good hands….without direct access to a recruit base like that of the SEC or BIG XII. He was. Very good college coach and I think he’ll transition more like Harbaugh because he appears to have the right priorities… Also I one is griping aBout Coughlins disciplined approach now, right. Beckles needs to stop hating.
May 26th, 2012 at 10:35 am
Coughlin, Belichick, they two were too tough, too dogmatic, name it – they adjusted and they won and won big – Beckles is so bad I quit listening –
May 26th, 2012 at 10:43 am
My god Schiano has not even coached one game, and people are already looking for reasons to nip pick him to death. Lets see how it goes before he is typed cast as a control freak. Media loves to build it up, so they can tear it down. Unbelievable.
May 26th, 2012 at 10:51 am
The competition for readers /subscribers dwarf’s the NFL and every other Athletic endeavor. They are never anyone’s friend or enemy. They only serve themselves and their masters. The more they spew the more I’m reminded of a Frank Zappa tune. “The Slime”
May 26th, 2012 at 11:13 am
Unbelievable, absolutely pathetic.
Ian Beckles? HOW does he matter?
What matters is winning and how Coach Schiano gets us there. Ya kind of sort of MAYBE have to actually play some GAMES……..
You know who matters outside the team itself? The season ticket holders who buy TICKETS to support the team we love. Not some jackwagon on a horrible, irrelevant radio show that should have been replaced years ago.
Have a great weekend and remember why it’s here.
May 26th, 2012 at 11:18 am
Tom Jones is about as valid a journalist as Adam Rank.
If every would stop listening to Beckles he would go away.
May 26th, 2012 at 11:33 am
What gets you hired, gets you fired. Everyone with a pen or mic, was clamoring for structure, discipline, control and direction. Now we may have a guy with too much of it?
Anything to sell ad’s these days…..
May 26th, 2012 at 12:30 pm
Joe this article and the media in this town is garbage IMO. Give the friggin guy a chance. From what we all saw last year if the suck arse veterans that played bad last year can’t get on board then they need to be sent packing. Listen to Derrick Brooks and any good professional veteran should play harder for his new coach than he did the last one. This is what Dungy told him after he was fired. Good god guys support the guy until there is something to bitch about.
The commish has agreed with every move Schiano has made as far as personnel. He was only concerned if Schiano was that anal about the temperatures in their hotel rooms being the same. But he still supports him.
Ian is so friggin negative anything Bucs he has never said a positive thing about anything. How these two morons have a morning show is as shocking as how popular it is. I’ve never seen a local sports show that only talks sports about 10% of the time succeed. I quit listening and don’t miss it all. Other local stations should wise up and put on their own local show in the same slot and those guys will go bye bye.
May 26th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Thanks Joe for helping manage public perception; good insight on this one.
May 26th, 2012 at 1:26 pm
The Media must adapt to the coach. Peter King is just made because now, when he comes to Tampa, he actually has to work instead of going to the cafe’ and stuffing his fat face. Same with Beckles, get off your butt and get out there and work. Don’t just sit on your butt and expect the coaches to spill their guts to you about everything, they owe you nothing.
May 26th, 2012 at 1:26 pm
@Brad – You’re being awfully hard on Joe or completely missing the point.
+1 Luc
May 26th, 2012 at 1:34 pm
didnt read..but i know when..isf he loses alot of games..weak joe..that was EZ
May 26th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Printed media i failing because of the quality of reporting. Come say it’s social media that’s the cause, but if a printed mag/rag provides quality content people will spend the money on it.
That fact that our local sports reporters have jobs are proof that the people running the organizations are doing a bod job of it.
I could name several people here that could do a better job of it, and no, one of them is NOT me.
May 26th, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Hmmmm, yes, it sounds like a recipe for disaster. If only coaches with Schiano’s style had EVER had success at the NFL, but they haven’t. Schiano is destined to fail, just as Coughlin and Belichick have failed before him. Those two coaches are not good company to be in, trust me. Just because a team wins regular season games and numerous Super Bowls, that doesn’t make a team successful.
I feel to measure a team’s true level of success you have to dig deeper… does the media have constant access? Are all of the prima donna players happy? Is the staff forthcoming and predictable with all decisions and in most cases, cave to the media’s opinion? Being able to answer “yes” to these three questions are unquestionably the truest measure of how successful a team and coaching staff is….not wins or championships.
May 26th, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Ian Beckles is a class act idiot. Same can be said for the lazy journalism of Tom Jones, he seems like another couch potato journalist. Tom Jones and Beckles are some of the worst I’ve seen in the sports business.
Schino is a man of virtue and has the characteristics of a true leader, the players on the Bucs haven’t had that in years. Oh and last time I checked Schiano has brought in numerous veterans, and they all seem to rave about Schiano’s style.
I truly cannot stand the Ron and Ian show, Ian Beckles is too much of an idiot for sports talk radio. 620 WDAE seriously needs to consider replacing him, he is cancerous to the network. Same goes for the couch potato journalist Tom Jones of the Times; and I love the times because of sports journalists such of Romano and Shelton, among others.
May 26th, 2012 at 3:31 pm
Ian is an idiot!!!!
May 26th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
Coughlin and Bellichick?
We just tried having a buffoon for a coach with no discipline and no clue – how did that work out? Lol
Rah was an idiot for going 17-31 and never finishing above 3rd in the south.
Did I mention his team was down 42-0 in 1.5 quarters? It just gets funnier.
Some of you were arguing that he would be around for “a long time” funnier stil.
Did I mention that he once tried to enlighten reporters at a presser by telling a story about his grandma running like a bulldog. Funnier yet!
The legend of rah rah grows posthumously.
May 26th, 2012 at 3:49 pm
What good head coach isn’t a control freak? Schiano has ALL players drilling the basics. That is how you minimize penalties that keep drives alive or get your D off the field.
As far as the media, I don’t really care. I listen to many sources and make up my own mind. Just because somebody played the game, doesn’t mean they can analyze it.
I also find it interesting how the Commish has made 1010 relevant. Maybe those at “The Animal” underestimated him?
May 26th, 2012 at 4:00 pm
Schiano’s “pedrigree” is called “character” and “conviction”, something Jones, Beckles and a few of those so called “pros” out there are seriously lacking.
May 26th, 2012 at 4:13 pm
sports writers do nothing more than give an opinion, and its coming from guys who have never played the game with the exception of a few. people do it on this site about player and coaches as well. how about everybody form your own opinion and just enjoy (or try to) the ENTERTAINMENT that is Buccaneer football. i love that i live in St. Louis and dont have to read about the haters. cant wait for September!!! BUC IT IM OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 26th, 2012 at 4:18 pm
does suck that i dont get to many games tho. ive been to 1 game (during 2008 season i believe) and it was against the Rams and the Bucs won, loved being surrounded around thousands of people. when the Bucs are on there are no greater fans!!! to hell with Raider Nation, its time for a Buccaneer Revolution!!! BUC IT IM OUT!!!!!!!!!!
May 26th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
@thomas. The only reason the legend of Rah grows is cause your dumbarse brings him up continuously. So you made a stinking prediction right. Get over it and move on will ya. This article had nothing to do with our last head coach so shut the hell up already.
May 26th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
Ian isn’t all bad, all of the time. He surely has his moments of “foot in mouth”, but he can be entertaining. I like Ron D, so I listen to them for a while in the mornings, but not every day. Like Steve D as well, I like him but not every day. Problem in SRQ is that we only get 620, and nor 1010 or some of the others here. I would say I an isn’t any worse than Thomas 2.2, but he entertains me as well, at times. Not always.
Bottom line is that we just need the damn season to get started. Its been too damn long with no playoffs.
Anyone see the bench clearing last night at the Rays’ game. I can’t believe that pitching scum purposely hit Scott. Man I hate baseball, but that’s all I got.
May 26th, 2012 at 4:49 pm
Must be a slow news day…
May 27th, 2012 at 12:50 am
Schiano is not giving information on things irrelevant to the “current” Bucs.
T_Jax, K2, Geno, and other will na shown the door.
We didn’t win a playoff game with the guys I e mentioned, and we never went to the playoffs with them.
There is something to be said about that. Do you want the most “talented” team (Bengals?), or do you want the mentally toughest “team”.
Schiano is finishing off all that needs to be dealt with.
K2 can go take his “me first, soldier” bull$h!t to Seatle. He is good, but his lack of desire to be the best possible teammate not only sets a bad example to the young guys, but also inhibits K2’s ability to gain familiarity with his teammates.
T-Jax is gone for being selfish. He should’ve stayed away from the drugs to avoid suspension, thus showing accountability to his teammates.
Until next time, Eric, we are cutting the dead weight off the roster. No more bad attitudes and non-team 1st guys. You can argue about their statistical production all you want, but they aren’t “winners”.
May 27th, 2012 at 7:55 am
Before Ian had a full time gig at the animal he was informative and entertaining to listen to. Once he got the gig and was teamed up with Ron D. it quickly went downhill. I consider myself very reasonable and try to resist talking negative about people. that said I reached my point of not being able to tolerate WDAE from 9-12 weekdays some time ago. Ron should be nothing more than a DJ at a strip club getting the crowd all worked up. If he had even 2% the class and skills of the late Chris Thomas it would serve him well.