Freeman Must “Find The Fun In Football Again”
September 5th, 2013
Ronde Barber says the Bucs’ franchise QB needs an attitude adjustment
What does Josh Freeman need to do to become a consistent and special quarterback?
Bucs icon Ronde Barber gave a new take on that during an interview on the national Jay Mohr Sports show this afternoon, heard locally on WDAE-AM 620, Barber said Freeman needs to loosen up.
“He’s just got to find, you know, the fun in football again, and just that confidence that comes with playing well. Then he’ll be alright,” Barber said.
Last week, Joe asked Freeman whether he’s having more fun now in the league and how he feels entering his fifth year. Freeman said he’s having as much fun as ever.
But the reality is that Freeman tightened up during his November/December collapse last year, and looks like a different QB than what Bucs fans saw in 2010. Bucs fans have to hope that further comfort in Mike Sullivan’s system, and a stout running game, will transform Freeman into a relaxed, smiling and consistent QB.
(Enjoy Barber’s full interview below. He makes a great point about how overrated intelligence be, like the kind Darrelle Revis shared with Bucs coaches about the Jets. Audio from WDAE-AM 620.)
September 5th, 2013 at 6:02 pm
As long as he doesn’t let all the ridicule affect him he should be alright, but the fact is, we are all human, and the constant negativity will eventually eat a hole in your soul and take any fun that you may have had away. Tell your wife every morning when she wakes up, damn honey, you look awful. Are you feeling alright? Continue that for a week and I will guarantee you, she will eventually start feeling terrible, because you have programmed her to believe you. If the ridicule has gotten to Josh, just a little, it will just eat away at what confidence he has in himself. For those of you who say “who cares, it shouldn’t affect him”. Stop for a moment and imagine if it were you. I couldn’t operate at 100 percent if I was scared to death of making a mistake.
September 5th, 2013 at 6:12 pm
Its not fun when you have a great game and all the “yea but” fans pound you with negativity…waiting….almost wishing you will fail.
Not everyone can have fun at their job but I expect that Josh Freeman is enjoying himself more than you think. What is not to like about making millions….having the opportunity to make more millions and playing football doing it.
Say what you will about Josh Freeman….he as a pretty good demeanor…says all the right things and I don’t think he will be accused of killing anybody.
Last night the NFL network featured five QBs that they thought had the most pressure on them this year. Josh Freeman wasn’t one of them.
September 5th, 2013 at 6:19 pm
Freeman has lost his will to succeed at the Bucs. He is almost catatonic from too many seasons of do this and do that and stand here and stand there. He’s been drained of his competitive fiber and Schiano is not the type of coach to rehabilitate him.
The best thing that happened for Freeman and the worst thing for the team was when Morris was here – he essentially had no coach. He played as he wanted to and flourished in 2010. Unfortunately the team quit on Morris after the 4th game in 2011.
I am a Freeman supporter, but this relationship needs to come to an end regardless of how the season turns out. I think it will be better for the Bucs and Freeman too – say under Tomlin and behind Rothisberger. All of the drama this offseason is no media concoction. Freeman is not Schoano’s cup of tea and Freeman knows it, feels it, and reacts to it. Time to move on. Torture is un-American.
September 5th, 2013 at 6:21 pm
The best part of the whole show was when Jay and Ronde were talking about Glennon and they laughed about it. Jay and Ronde were essentially laughing at the Mike Glennon Mob. Freeman IS our only hope this season. Joe and Big Dog laugh about it and Jay and Ronde laugh about it. People better getused to Freeman, because unless he goes down. He’s not coming out.
September 5th, 2013 at 6:27 pm
I really don’t know how many times Schiano has to say he likes Josh a lot or how he has to say it to get through to some people. People just somehow want to think what they want about their relationship. Usually where I’m from that’s called pulling something out of your ass to form a baseless opinion.
September 5th, 2013 at 6:30 pm
Mike Glennon Mob powers ACTIVATE
Form of a winning season
September 5th, 2013 at 6:31 pm
“I don’t think you can assume his confidence is shaken,” Schiano said. “I’m not sure it is, to tell you the truth. One of the things I said is he saw things very well. Every time he came to the sideline he could tell me exactly what happened. Sometimes a quarterback comes to the sideline and “What happened?” and “I don’t know, they’re hitting me in the back of the head’’ and you don’t know. He knew what happened. He knew what he saw down the field. He knew where he wanted to go with the ball.”
“Sometimes, he didn’t have time,” Schiano said. “When you watch it on tape, what you do as a coach is you write those things down and you watch it on tape and sure enough what he thought he saw was what he saw. As long as he’s seeing it, we’ll get better in protection and we’ll get the ball out of his hand and we won’t drop them. I think in his mind he feels more comfortable than he’s ever felt in this offense since he’s been a part of it. I think he’s going to be fine.’’
This must be too complicated for SOME people to understand.
September 5th, 2013 at 6:33 pm
Listen to Jay and Barber laugh about Mike Glennon…
September 5th, 2013 at 7:06 pm
Please Freeman, just find your way through your reads and find the open man….QUICKLY!…or throw it away and try again.
September 5th, 2013 at 7:15 pm
Please Freeman, just find your way through your reads and find the open man….QUICKLY!…or throw it away and try again.
——————————————-
Or RUN! Lol
September 5th, 2013 at 7:17 pm
Hey…HELL YEA, IM ALL FOR THAT TOO!!!
Cut him loose Schiano if he can DO IT! Hellz Yeah!!!
September 5th, 2013 at 7:31 pm
He’ll find it. In Arizona, Cleveland, or Philly.
This team is Rutgers South. The coach doesn’t like the QB, and is giving up on Bowers in his first training camp.
It takes 3 years to develop an NFL lineman. The exception is if a rookie is added to an excellent defense- and responsible for rushing the QB only
If Freeman had played for Rutgers- he’d be a fixture for years.
This team has big problems. Once our Franchise QB walks- we will remain in the cellar for another 5 years or more.
And for the really confused guys- NO. Glennon isn’t an NFL starter
September 5th, 2013 at 7:39 pm
Is that laughter that I heard coming from Jay and Barber when they mentioned Glennon?
September 5th, 2013 at 7:59 pm
@Capt. Tim
So the next most logical move is….
(seriously, with all due respect)….where do we go from here if this season crashes?!?
September 5th, 2013 at 8:20 pm
Capt. Tim Says
“This team is Rutgers South.”
“If Freeman had played for Rutgers- he’d be a fixture for years.”
Oh really Tim, can you tell me how many players from Rutgers the Bucs have on their team?
I bet you can’t so I’ll tell you myself. The answer is 4. That’s it Timmy 4 players from Rutgers on the Bucs current roster unless you want to count LB Booker, whose on IR.
The Patriots roster currently has 5 that’s right FIVE current players on their roster from Rutgers.
September 5th, 2013 at 8:23 pm
“The Patriots roster currently has 5 that’s right FIVE current players on their roster from Rutgers.”
Is this where your going to tell me Belichick is an idiot?
September 5th, 2013 at 11:40 pm
I think Barber is right. Freeman has always played better when he plays “loose”. I heard him in an interview recently commenting that last year was hard because the playbook was growing as the year went along because the plays the offense started with were being adjusted to by other teams, so Sully started changing things up and adding new plays.
But because the plays were complicated to learn, both Feeman and the other players had trouble in the second half of the year.
Thinking back, it makes sense. There were a number of times when things seemed off…out of sync.
Freeman went on to say that he is more comfortable with the playbook this year and that Sully & company have installed plans ahead of time should the need arise again.
If I can remember where I saw or heard the interview I’ll send Joe a link…provided it is in podcast form now.
September 6th, 2013 at 6:41 am
MadMax- I hope the next logical move, is that our coach evolves his thinking, and adapts better the pro game. That is the only good outcome. If Schiano can start adjusting his schemes and discipline to the level he’s at.
Last seasons ” crash ” was pretty easy to diagnose. The opposing teams had learned our tendencies and plays. John lynch pointed out numerous times that CBs would beat our WRs to “the Spot”, and be there waiting on them. Everyone here blew that off as no big deal.
It’s a big deal. It’s a huge deal when defenders know your plays before the snap.
Also, the team was visibly exhausted. They are visibly exhausted this entire preseason. I know this was an undisciplined team when he arrived- but if you tire your horse before the Race- you don’t bring home the Cup. Big difference between 11 games and 16. Big difference between training in New Jersey- and training in the dehydrating humidity of Tampa.
Bowers is another example. He was injured when he was drafted. He is really a first year player. He has all the skill,drive, and intelligence to be an outstanding DE. But in the NFL- developing every down DEs takes 2-3 years of adjustment. Shiano bet the farm on a first year guy- and now is publically dumping on him. That’s not on Bowers- that’s ENTIRELY Schianos fault!
Check The Great Simeon Rice’ s first year numbers. It’s a long roar to the top of the DE pile- it takes years of physical training, plus great coaching.
And don’t bring up JJ Watts. He has no responsibility , other than rushing the QB. Period.
Freeman is going to leave this team. He has been thru too many scheme changes, poor WRs, Bad TEs, bad blocking, and predictable offenses here. There is a book out” how to destroy your Franchise QB” . We have read, and followed it to the tee. One year, he had 2 rookies ( Williams,Benn) as his targets- along with Winslow. His only legit Pass option. Last year, he had good help, but ran the NFLs most predictable vanilla offense. Everyone knew our playbook. Often better than some of our guys.it was the giants offense- minus audibles of significance.
Freeman may turn into a great QB. Won’t happen here.
Schiano is a good guy. And he demands great things from his players. I love it. Love the focus, love the discipline. Like the attention to detail.
Can he make the jump from small college to NFL? That has been my concern since the hire. I hope so.
But I can tell you, many of the players don’t think so.
And that’s the biggest problem of all
September 6th, 2013 at 9:04 pm
Well said Capt…..well said. And I agree on Schiano.