NFL Network Fosters Bucs Fallacy
July 19th, 2013
Yes, last January when the Bucs finished the 2012 season out of the playoffs, Bucs coach Greg Schiano stated he wanted competition at every position including that of inconsistent quarterback Josh Freeman.
Given the fact Freeman is now in the final year of his contract, many did the simple math and concluded Freeman was on thin ice. A few weeks later, at the NFL combine in frozen Indianapolis, Schiano confessed he may have misspoke and that under no uncertain terms, Josh Freeman was his guy [at least through the 2013 season].
Countless times since, Schiano, in one form or another, has reiterated his position: The Bucs have a starting quarterback and his name is Josh Freeman, though Schiano oddly re-kindled the Freeman fire in May when he told a national writer that rookie Mike Glennon could win the starting job.
But for reasons unknown, people don’t want to believe Schiano, even after third-round pick quarterback Glennon himself, stated this spring he is no where near ready to start in Mike Sullivan’s offense.
Apparently Paul Burmeister hasn’t caught Schiano’s repeated direct endorsements of Freeman, including one on NFL Network this month. While introducing a piece on the Bucs’ Rookie School last night on “Total Access,” Burmeister, an NFL Network anchor, said the following:
“Head coach Greg Schiano says he expects an open competition at quarterback between Josh Freeman and third round selection Mike Glennon.”
Open competition? Really?!
Joe immediately stood up from his leather couch. Joe was out at One Buc Palace yesterday, attended Schiano’s press conference and never heard him say anything about the quarterback position. Surely a solid outfit like NFL Network had a side interview with Schiano where he talked about how the quarterback position was open? But no. There was no sound byte from Schiano, no attribution from any publication or media outlet reporting this news, nothing. Only Glennon talking about how much he has learned since he was drafted by the Bucs.
Where exactly did Burmeister get this information, that the quarterback position was open? Joe has been at virtually every Schiano media appearance since that frigid day in central Indiana when Schiano admitted he may have given out the wrong vibe about Freeman. Not once has Schiano said the starting gig was up for grabs.
If Burmeister, and ostensibly NFL Network, is just making up fiction as they go along, what else is the network conning people with?
Look, Joe loves NFL Network. Loves it. It is Joe’s go-to channel on TV. He watches it daily, easily more than any other channel. In fact, Joe was mocked on Twitter this week for watching NFL Network as opposed to the MLB All-Star Game or that shameless spread of feces from Los Angeles BSPN assaulted innocent Americas with Wednesday night.
Joe just cannot believe the NFL Network, the house organ of the NFL, would just fabricate something out of thin air that directly contradicts something an NFL coach has been preaching for months without any sound byte or attribution.
Either Burmeister is woefully ill-prepared when he goes on the air, or he and/or some producer at NFL Network has an agenda in order to generate fiction like this.
Joe’s not sure even BSPN would pull a stunt this low.
July 19th, 2013 at 8:22 am
I certainly don’t expect everyone out there to be as well versed in the Bucs as you (Joe) and I. Paul Burmeister is no different from most “analysts.”
July 19th, 2013 at 8:24 am
First of all, this is terrible. NFLN clearly manipulated the situation to drum up some drama. Not only did Burmeister open with a statement that was completely untrue, then they cut straight into the middle of a statement from Glennon where he said “I feel like I’m way more ahead of em now”, to make it sound like he was saying he thought he was ahead of Freeman.
Second of all, I’m not surprised because NFLN sucks. Their NFL coverage is sadly no better than ESPN and their hosts are even worse than ESPN. When you throw in the “Dancing With the Starters” nonsense that they waste 15 minutes talking about…every hour, of every season…NFLN shamefully falls short of their potential in actual real time NFL coverage…They’re a disgrace…and the opening song for Thursday Night Football makes me long to hear shitty Faith Hill singing the Monday Night opener.
July 19th, 2013 at 8:34 am
It should always be an open competition at every single position. Freeman should easily win that competition over a 3rd round rookie from a weak QB class. If he can’t, he shouldn’t be starting.
July 19th, 2013 at 8:39 am
It’s dunno because anyone who asks me the same question about our QB gets the response of “he’s a cheap backup for the future, not starting material (Glennon)” and the people who ask me these questions are not hard core fans.
Anyone that has been following the bucs news all year long would know that there is no competition, Joe briefed it up pretty good in this article. Also the media has died out with this “controversy” topic, however here’s the only idiot that comes and doesn’t do his research and just wants to have QB competition. No other media outlet went on to say or imply what NFL network said yesterday after the press conference.
July 19th, 2013 at 8:39 am
The position is open until the first game.
Glennon is the future. We need a qb who is a bit smarter.
July 19th, 2013 at 8:49 am
An agenda? Really? You’re just now figuring that out? I think it all stems from last year. A lot of these people must secretly despise Schiano. Remember how they were all up in arms over the kneel down blitz or how about the punt formation shift. Or better yet how they were all amused and laughed at Schiano after the replacement ref called him a college coach.
You could tell back then these guys would have an agenda going forward even if they had to fabricate something themselves. Wait till our first blackout and listen to the bottom feeders chastise our fan base. Last year by listening to all of them you would have thought we were the only team with attendance problems.
As soon as a blackout was announced it was all over BSPN and Network with all their defamatory remarks but you never heard much about Jacksonville or San Diego. Somehow they would get a pass. Maybe I’m super sensitive, but I hear what I hear, and backhanded slights about the Bucs appear to be the norm these days, and they all are piling on.
July 19th, 2013 at 8:52 am
Lets ask Shaun King….I’m sure he’ll have an answer to this!
“Shaun King, one of two Buc Quarterbacks that lost a NFC Championship Game when his defense gave up 11 or fewer points.”
July 19th, 2013 at 9:06 am
Glennon will be the starting clip board holder by week 1. He should get some decent playing time late in games after Josh is taken out with 30 point leads over opponents. Orlovsky, or whatever his name is, will likely get cut by week 1 too. You can always pick up an old retread QB in a pinch. No sense wasting a roster spot on one.
Big Bird is the Word.
July 19th, 2013 at 9:10 am
@Robert
Lol just stop it man, I know you wanna win the bet but c’mon. This is just getting sad.
July 19th, 2013 at 10:04 am
Short of a disaster of epic proportions, Glennon will never start a regular season game in a Bucs uniform, ever. He’s a project, albeit a 3rd round project. He’s literally a 6’7″ version of Drew Bledsoe, cannon arm, cement feet.
July 19th, 2013 at 10:05 am
An agenda, ya think. Last year on the pregame show against the Vikes, they had a three min. interview with Schiano and the rest of the show was about how great the Vikes were. After the game they talked a different story (reluctantly of course )
July 19th, 2013 at 10:11 am
[…] JoeBucsFan […]
July 19th, 2013 at 10:15 am
Its the offseason yo. This is what happens, guys who are getting paid to analysts need something to analyze, so they usually try and concoct storylines that don’t exist.
July 19th, 2013 at 10:38 am
Short of a disaster of epic proportions, Glennon will never start a regular season game in a Bucs uniform, ever.
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You sir are a first class moron.
How can you possibly say such a stupid thing about someone who has never taken a snap in a Bucs uniform?
Freeman has been here going on 5 years now and has done absolutely nothing. Yet you have blind faith in him but you bash someone who has not even put the Red & Pewter jersey on for the first time….
I swear the stupidity never ceases to amaze me.
July 19th, 2013 at 10:51 am
@Couch Fan
I wouldn’t classify that as stupid, maybe an over reaction, but not stupid, simply because our season would have to be a disaster for Glennon to take Freeman’s job. If we are doing well, Glennon doesn’t see the field. Period.
July 19th, 2013 at 10:59 am
I just want to see Glennon play in the preseason. I can’t say anything about the guy until he actually passes a down in the NFL.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:05 am
Stupidity is like a Tampa area virus and it has spread beyond the area and made it’s way to NFL Network. The only cure is winning and winning a lot.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:26 am
okay, I’d put his chances at less then .01%, see I gave his the benefit of the doubt…
Fact of the matter is, Freeman is our QB, he’s big, athletic and when allowed to use his legs is very dangerous, unfortunately for him he’s had to absorb numerous systems and variations on systems since he got drafted. Lets see what he can do now that he doesn’t have to think of the various options of each play but does them instinctively, which is what you want.
oh and Couch F/U you moron. You don’t know me.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:28 am
“Joe just cannot believe the NFL Network, the house organ of the NFL, would just fabricate something out of thin air that directly contradicts something an NFL coach has been preaching for months without any sound byte or attribution.”
Believe it. dont doubt yourself on what you think was said on the subject. its a flat out lie.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:30 am
You people do know all QB’s selected 3rd round pick’s are seen as backup”s. Matt Flynn was the Seahawk’s starter going into camp last year. But Wilson was to impressive to deny the starting job. I see Freeman and Glennon being very similar. Both struggle with footwork leading to arm throwing short passes. Who ever can figure out will be the Qb of the future. Free has had 4 season’s to figure it out. Yet still can’t set those darn feet. If the defence can force a turnover for every TD they surrender. The QB will only have to be average with the weapon’s on offence. That’s my biggest fear, that the D will carry Freeman to the playoff’s. Landing him 12M per contract then he proves his inconsistantsy with back to back. More turnover’s than TD’s season’s.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:43 am
All eyes on Glennon in pre-season that’s for sure. I truly can’t wait to see him play. I’ve seen his college highlights on youtube and that’s all I have to go on. He did dismantle my Noles D pretty good in that final drive for the win and it was a VERY good D. We’ll see soon enough.
July 19th, 2013 at 11:45 am
Matt Flynn was never a good QB. He pulled a Rob Johnson and had a great game against a poor pass defense and got a contract off of it. He is average at best while Russell Wilson would have been a 1st round pick if he was 6-3, but his height hurt him at 5-10. He reminds me of a player like Drew Brees in the draft.
July 19th, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Well said, Sneedy
July 19th, 2013 at 12:13 pm
SMH, I can’t believe anyone could have THIS much faith in ANY third round pick, let alone a QB. Who gets jacked up about a third round pick? The future, really? I mean, yes, it is possible, maybe even likely, but come on. Roy Miller, Myron Lewis, and Mason Foster were third round picks. I never saw any of them get this much support before ever taking a snap.
@Sneedy16
That is a great point. Russell Wilson was considered a good quarterback that was simply too short. Glennon has quite the opposite going for him. He might be one of the tallest QBs in the league. The reasons Glennon was a third round pick are very different from the reasons Russell Wilson was a third round pick.
July 19th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
That answers everything. Buc1987 is a Noles fan. And Glennon wiped his arse with them. Therein lies her hatred for Glennon.
The Freeman homers must have an extremely long list of football analysts that they hate. 4 years of mediocrity and Freeman is still their messiah. I bet they all voted for Obama too.
July 19th, 2013 at 12:38 pm
oh and Couch F/U you moron. You don’t know me.
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I dont need to know you to know that The statement “Glennon will NEVER EVER start for the Bucs” before he has even put on the jersey for the first time is ignorant as ignorant gets.. unless you are a fortune teller..
And this has absolutley nothing to do with Freeman… The statement in general is non sense….
So in other words F/U right back.
July 19th, 2013 at 12:44 pm
@Walter
The statement contained the words “NEVER EVER”. Thats not a over reaction, thats stupidity at its finest.
Your comment is fair basing it on this year only, but this fool is predicting Glennons entire future, before he even has had 1 real practice in the NFL. Lol, thats no over reaction…
July 19th, 2013 at 12:47 pm
National media coverage is always suspect in my opinion. I read JBF everyday because I feel it gives me the best coverage with some some fun commentary.
July 19th, 2013 at 12:53 pm
What I actually said was, “Short of a disaster of epic proportions…”
Which would mean, either Freeman is just an epic failure or gets injured, otherwise, short of the Bucs just deciding to not resign him, which I doubt if he’s neither a failure or injured, he’ll get his extension and Glennon will continue to be what he is, a project and probably a career back-up.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:00 pm
It’s quite the contrary the Noles fans have seen Glennon play and play well more than most the other Bucs fans. I’m excite to see him play, I support both our Bucs QBs. I also believe Josh and the rest of this team is built to win now and if Glennon has to play it will be bad news for this season.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:02 pm
@Mean D…your IQ is shining through again. Where is this “hatred” of Glennon that I’ve written? For the record I despise Obama with a passion. I’m a conservative. It’s there you will find the word hatred. I did live in Raleigh, N.C. for about 5 years though. So I am kind of a NC State fan as well. Kind of like Cam and the Falcons. As long as NC State is not playing the Noles I sort of root for them. Your comments are always way off base. That’s what makes it hard to not respond to you. All said is that I’m not part of the Mike Glennon Fan Club until he atleast shows what he can do in pre-season. That somehow equals in your simple little mind the word “hatred”.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:09 pm
@flmike..it’s not your fault. I’ve been dealing with foolishness and comments misconstrued for a long time now. I’ve learned it’s part of being a Bucs fan though. Some people just don’t get it. WestCoastBucsFan deals with it daily on here. So your just going to have to deal with it.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:13 pm
Short of a disaster of epic proportions, Glennon will never start a regular season game in a Bucs uniform, ever.
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There is nothing to “misconstrue” about that Buc1987, though I would expect you Freeman lovers to give each other passes when it comes to common sense.
It’s ok FLmike, go head and continuing to back pedal.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:15 pm
@Mean D –
Both times and whoever the Democrate’s candidate is in ’16 will also get my vote, the last GOPhucker I voted for was Reagan, and he was the last GOPhucker to not get us into a full scale war. And yes, I’m a veteran. End of the politics, back to football…
July 19th, 2013 at 1:18 pm
Couch, I didn’t back pedal, those three dots are called ellipsis is a series of dots that usually indicate an intentional omission of a word, sentence or whole section from the original text being quoted. Believe me, I have no reason to back pedal.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:19 pm
I see no back pedaling at all. Once again misconstrued comes into play.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:20 pm
Buc1987
I’ve been here for a long time, been through Thomas2, Thomas2.2 and his buddy Tampa2 and the rest that have fallen by the wayside.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Im betting Glennon will have a monster preseason, and while it will be good for him it will be bad for the rest of us who are tired of hearing about a fabricated “controversy.” non of this changes the fact that Freeman is and will be our starting QB.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:27 pm
I think MANY of you need to go through the 2-14 and some more 4-12 seasons as I have to recognize what a sh*t team or QB looks like. Dungy and Gruden spoiled you all.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Glennon could have 1000 yards passing and 15 touchdowns in the preseason and it still wont get him the starting gig. why? because its preseason, or aka ” a glorified practice.” all it will do is make the Freeman haters even more annoying.
July 19th, 2013 at 1:48 pm
The moment Glennon throws a TD against a 3rd string defense:
Robert: “START GLENNON!! START GLENNON!! START GLENNON!!!!!!”
Couch Fan: “Freeman better watch out, Glennon looks sharp.”
Free’s a Boob: “At least Glennon has a brain, unlike Freeman.”
Me: “It’s preseason guys… -_-“
July 19th, 2013 at 1:52 pm
smh whatever
July 19th, 2013 at 1:53 pm
@Mean D
Why do you repeatedly bring politics into football conversations. That had nothing to do with why anyone does not trust an unproven product, why some fans think that Freeman will have a good year. More likely you are rooting for “change” isn’t that what Obama was all about?
July 19th, 2013 at 2:03 pm
WCBF,
Wrong again, Cleetus. Take your football “knowledge” to the record books?
Draft status doesn’t mean a lick.
Thomas Brady was a 6th round pick.
Jimmy Graham was taken *after* Brian Price, Reejus Benn, and Myron Lewis in the 3rd round.
Good players can come out of the 3rd round, but please continue to dismiss the fact that our 3rd round rookie QB could possibly be our future.
How can so many have BLIND FAITH for a QB who has a 43-39 TD-INT ratio since going 25-6 three years ago, and have ZERO FAITH in a 3rd round draft pick?
I want the Bucs to win every single game they play, and I will root for whomever the QB may be, but I am just curious how it is possible to put Freeman on a pedestal for his mediocrity? And, Glennon gets the cold shoulder.
It is Freeman’s “Fault” Glennon was brought it. If he had developed like he could have, then we wouldn’t even be discussing this.
July 19th, 2013 at 2:20 pm
“flmike Says:
I’ve been here for a long time, been through Thomas2, Thomas2.2 and his buddy Tampa2 and the rest that have fallen by the wayside.”
LO f’in L…you forgot Miguel & his anti-conditioning rants.
July 19th, 2013 at 6:36 pm
@stevek
I never said Glennon couldn’t be the quarterback of the future. It is just statistically very unlikely that he is ever anything more than a serviceable back up. Also, this “pedestal” that I have put Freeman on has only been that he deserves to start in 2013. That is all. Is that some sort of elite praise or something?
Who does ^this^? You pull the most random, unrelated stats to make your points. At one point you determined that Freeman was much worse than the defense simply because of how the points per game changed in different sections of the season for the offense and the defense. I mean you really S T R E T C H for “facts” to make your point.
Fact is, Glennon is much more likely to fail than to ever even be as good as Freeman is now. That is not an opinion that is a fact. Just because the Bucs drafted him doesn’t change that.
lol, YES! It is Freeman’s fault that the Bucs front office wanted a cheap, competent backup in case of injury. You are absolutely right that Freeman failed to make Orlovsky a better quarterback.