Sharks Are Circling
September 24th, 2013
Wow, Bucs fans are teetering on the edge like Joe has never seen before.
Joe remembers there was a faction of fans fed up with Chucky’s spinning his wheels. Joe knows there was a tar-and-feather crowd who couldn’t wait to burn down Raheem Morris’ favorite South Tampa bar, if that’s what it took rid the franchise of him.
But Joe has never seen the current anger of Bucs fans and how quickly they have turned on Bucs commander Greg Schiano. Just a few short weeks ago, Bucs fans almost universally applauded his law-and-order approach, the New Schiano Order, and how he demanded players put out in practice or face a nasty tongue lashing.
Now? Wow.
Joe cannot count how many Twitterings he received in the past couple of days, since the Bucs offense laid an egg in New England, wanting Schiano gone now. In all caps no less.
How bad has it gotten? Well, likely the most revered man in the Tampa Bay area who sits behind a microphone, all around good guy, straight shooter and the voice of Tampa Bay, Tedd Webb of WFLA-AM 970, co-host of AM Tampa Bay, and no friend of Ron Reagan, Jr., took a rare venture to Twitter Sunday to unload on the crumbling Bucs, in particular, Bucs franchise quarterback Josh Freeman and commander Greg Schiano.
@TeddWebb1: If Schiano sticks with Josh, then Schiano is the problem!
Man, if Tedd Webb, on an all-news station whose listeners include impressionable casual football fans and plain hausfraus and yentas throughout the area — and more importantly, potential advertisers and folks with expendable income — has turned on you, things are bad and you are about toast.
Unless Freeman has a monumental turnaround, Joe simply cannot see him returning to the Bucs in 2014. With a fanbase that is so fed up with Freeman, rightly or wrongly, just how is the team expected to sell any tickets or more importantly, corporate sponsorships when Freeman is the face of the franchise?
And yes folks, a quarterback is always the face of the franchise.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:04 pm
[That has nothing to do with this post. Please do not hijack posts. This site is not a message board. Thanks. — Joe]
September 24th, 2013 at 12:09 pm
Yeah, 3 weeks ago we were 0-0 with all the hope in the world. Now we’re 0-3 and things look as hopeless as ever. You could see how that might turn fans opinion of things. Freeman isn’t coming back, he’s due west to Oakland to be Terrell Pryor’s backup.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Something has got to change! What has been going on the past three weeks, or even further back to the end of last season, is just not working. I don’t have the answers, but I’m not paid to have the answers. Lets hope a win against the Cardinals will help quiet/calm things down.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:11 pm
Gruden won us a Super Bowl and at least knew what he was doing. Even if his approach didn’t succeed toward the end there wasn’t anyone who would question his accumen. From the start everyone knew that Morris was thrown into a position way over his head. The people trying to get him out of town were really more upset with the farce of an organization the Glazers and Dominick were running. Schiano is a fraud and that’s what has this fan so upset. He advertises himself as a disciplinarian yet has the most penalties in the league. Add to that his poor coaching of the wealth of talent that he has on his roster and it’s hard not to get upset. He’s out of his league and he’s trying to cover up his flaws with micromanagent. It doesn’t work and we’re wasting the opportunity that we have with the players we have on the team
September 24th, 2013 at 12:15 pm
Patrick:
That sums up a lot in a thoughtful way. Thanks.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:17 pm
Newsflash! The PLAYERS along with everyone else except apparently Schaino & Dom..has given up on Josh! Wasn’t elected captain…he’s not a friggin’ leader & they don’t want to catch his dang erratic passes.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Who’s he got on the roster that’s better than Freeman? How’s he not supposed to stick with him if he wants to win?
Patrick hit the nail on the head with the frustration though, we’ve got way too much talent on this team right now. This year is such a wasted opportunity, all these pro bowlers aren’t getting any younger
September 24th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
I think Schiano is a great coach. I liked the attitude of the team he fielded last season. I love what he’s done with the defense this season so far. But if he can’t get guys to buy into his style and gameplan, especially the vets on the team, then its a hopeless battle. Barring a complete 180 by the offense and a winning record, I think Schiano is toast, and so is this team for many more years to come.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:26 pm
Joe – I was on Schiano sround week 3 of the preseason. I didnt like how he didnt give our offense enough time, and gave Martin no time to get their feet wet. And when he put Crabtree in a meaningless 4th game as a FB?? and got injured, I’ve been watching him closely since.
As far as Gruden, I was sick of seeing us starting a different crop of 40 year olds every year. But I get that we gave up a lot in draft picks for Chucky, and our salary cap was still suffering from all the future HOFers we had.
BUT SCHIANOS GOTTA GO.
BRING CHUCKY BACK HOME.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:29 pm
(Joe, if youre getting tired of this. Just delete it or let me know. But its kinda related to this article..)
Michael Bennett has already got 2.5 sacks in 3 games and 7 tackles. And his Seahawks are 3-0. Well I did some fckin around on Google, and came up with this GEM of an article from non other than……JoeBucsFan:
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Bennett explained why he’s skeptical of New Schiano Order tactics and said he doesn’t believe it’s an ideal method for grown men
“The coaches are very different. You know, Coach Schiano is more hard-nosed, military-type guy. And Coach Carroll is so laid back, it gives the guys chances to not be on their back but still coach them at the same time,” Bennett said. “Because I think a lot of players, they’re adults, too, and when you treat them like kids they get offended by that. You know what I mean? Because players, you know, they got their mortgages, they got their kids, they got wives, they got family, they got things they can do.
“So they know it’s their job and they know when they make mistakes. But it’s a coach’s job to keep them honest, you know what I mean. But when a coach is just too much on them, I think the players rebel. Because, you know, they’re going to be like, ’Why is he on me like this? It’s my fifth year in the league. I know more than him.’ Guys are just like, you know, it just becomes a big conflict, I think.”
None of this surprises Joe. However, Joe is troubled hearing it come from Bennett, who is a very level-headed guy. Bennett also appeared to be the textbook Buccaneer Man under Schiano. He was hard-working, versatile and he played through an injury and took on a tremendous number of snaps.
Current Buccaneers surely share Bennett’s attitude. But Joe has no problem with that. You don’t have to love your boss. Numerous hard-nosed NFL coaches have achieved greatness, including Tom Coughlin winning two Super Bowls recently. Schiano’s tactics can work. Joe’s more skeptical of Schiano’s ability as a game-day coach. (You can hear the Bennett audio below.)
https://www.joebucsfan.com/?p=94365
September 24th, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Tampa Bay is enriched in the curse of losing. The city, local media, and it’s transient fanbase will never give this team time to succeed. Because for all the good things that have transpired in the last 2 years it has been overshadowed by the bad publicity and over zealous media. The local radio and print media has created a shitstorm that has affected this teams moral. They are mired in a self inflicted quagmire exacerbated by a savage bloodthirsty media. The media is the sharks. The fans are just the media’s peanut gallery.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:31 pm
I mean I think people are overreacting to where we are right now. Literally if we had Alex Smith we’d be 2-1 at worse right now. We have inexcusable QB play. Josh Freeman is at present the worst starting QB in the NFL. Geno Smith, Terrell Pryor, EJ Manuel, all first year starters, look better than 4th year starter Josh Freeman. You can bring back this entire roster next year with a solid, consistent QB and they’ll be a playoff team. The talk of blowing the team up is quite over the top.
The Bucs just need a QB. I know its always easier said than done to get one, but its one real piece the Bucs need to be a playoff team. Freeman’s play has been totally abysmal and his regression is staggering. The Bucs just need to find Brad Johnson circa 2013 and they’ll be alright.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
Seriously how does Makaveli avoid the banhammer? He’s spamming the same thing over and over again. And actually its not related to the article in any way shape or form. Please stop spamming it, nobody appreciates it,
September 24th, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Expectations.
This is the most talented team we’ve had in ten years. We were promised a smart, disciplined, playoff contending team…we’ve gotten none of that thusfar this year.
Juxtapose those circumstances with the Rah regime & the end of Gruden Era and I can see why people have soured on him so quickly.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:49 pm
Just BEAT Zona!
September 24th, 2013 at 12:50 pm
bucrightoff – “Seriously how does Makaveli avoid the banhammer? He’s spamming the same thing over and over again. And actually its not related to the article in any way shape or form”
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This article mentions how Bucs fans, like me, have turned on Schiano. And the link I posted, a link to a JBF article, discusses how and why a player turned on Schiano.
so fck right off, bucrightoff.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:53 pm
I honestly don’t know what happened to an offense that put up over 4,000 yards last season. This offense can’t get out of it’s own way. Freeman has been ‘god awful’…even when he throws a completion, he is not giving his recievers the opportunity to get any YAC. The pass he threw to Doug Martin this weekend was six points if he had place the ball on the inside instead of throwing to the outside. Is it Sullivan? McNulty? Schaino? Freeman? Or all of the above? Penn is having a horrible year, so he gets some blame…it seems to me that the entire offense is out of synch…WHAT HAPPENED?
The defense is playing better and for the first time in a long time we are getting to the QB on a regular basis. Yet…when the clock hits the two minute warning in the 4th qtr…they throw up on themselves.
I was cautiously optimistic about this season…but that is fading fast. It is not too late to right the ship. Remember, the Redskins were 3-6 last year and still made a run. I am pretty sure we have more talent than the Skins…sans the QB spot. But, if the NE game was any indication…we may be going in the wrong direction. IF…and that is a BIG IF, the Bucs can beat the Cardinals at home and go into the bye with good feeling about how they are playing…they could crank out a few wins.
But, first things first…beat the freakin Cardinals.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:58 pm
Sharks should be circling. What was it the New Jersey paper said…something to the effect of, Schiano is just the guy you want to be coach except for those pesky 3 hours on Saturday (or Sunday for the bucs).
Is the Bucs Arizona game blacked out yet? How will this one sell out?
Its the throwback game. Even good old Bucco Bruce will be embarassed to be worn by this lot of buccaneers. and thats saying alot as old Bruce has seen his fair share of stinkers.
September 24th, 2013 at 12:59 pm
Ted Webb? Has he ever been right about anything? Hate is so easy.
September 24th, 2013 at 1:01 pm
MakaveliTheDon Says:
This article mentions how Bucs fans, like me, have turned on Schiano. And the link I posted, a link to a JBF article, discusses how and why a player turned on Schiano.
so fck right off, bucrightoff.
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Well most Buc fans don’t have IQs below 40 like you, so no, there aren’t many Buc fans like you. Pretty much you and Raphael. And you aren’t Buc fans, you’re Josh Freeman as Bucs QB Bucs fans. And you’re spamming the same article over and again, even as you must know nobody is reading your post (it basically screams tl;dr), and since you’ve made it clear in the past few days with your 500 posts a day that you are in effect a troll.
But go ahead and make some random braggings nobody believes. Thats always good for a laugh.
September 24th, 2013 at 1:06 pm
Most the NFC is down this year.Right now it is very Bottom heavy.Atl,Sf,Skins,Ny,Gb all down.9-7 could get a wild card.Shit win next 3games and we are 3-3 .Since when does a 3-3 team not have a shot at a playoff spot.
Can we please stop over reacting?yes freeman is sucking wind and some of the coaching decisions have been bad but there has been ALOT of good.Barron,Revis,Foster etc.
Lets just take a breath and let it all play out.Glennon is not the answer
.Maybe a solid backup would be worth a trade(Orton)Comes to mind and could give us a serviceable option if 5 does not get his Head out of his own ass quick enough.
But sheesh lets just chill a little.We are only in week 4
September 24th, 2013 at 1:07 pm
Is it Sullivan? McNulty? Schaino? Freeman? Or all of the above? Penn is having a horrible year, so he gets some blame…it seems to me that the entire offense is out of synch…WHAT HAPPENED?
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All of the above. It doesnt make sense to get rid of all of them, (at least not until the end of the year). But it starts from the top down, Schiano and Co. are gonna have to do some soul searching, swallow their pride, change their tactics, and do it drastically. To wake this team the fck up.
As far as Penn, I think he’s sick of his line not putting in the work that he has. (the dude worked hard all offseason, all while being called out for still being fat) At any job, if you have coworkers who are slacking, while youre busting your azz, theres a certain point where you say “why bother”?
September 24th, 2013 at 1:08 pm
145, fckrightoff… its 145.
September 24th, 2013 at 1:10 pm
“so no, there aren’t many Buc fans like you.”
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youre damn right there arent! Im a limited edition fckrightoff.
September 24th, 2013 at 1:12 pm
“But go ahead and make some random braggings nobody believes. Thats always good for a laugh.”
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I just did. I have a 145 IQ, fckrightoff.
September 24th, 2013 at 1:14 pm
Tedd Webb? Cool. I haven’t thought about him in 20 years (haven’t lived in Tampa since ’95). I watched his Sunday night “Sports Rap” show religiously in the early 90’s (and late 80’s?). He always had that dude with the long gray hair from like the Lakeland Ledger or something on his roundtable. I forget who else.
It was a kinder, gentler time in sports talk and sports media. The Bucs were unrelentingly terrible (12 straight season of 10 or more losses, woohoo!) and the Lightning weren’t very good (but were exciting and new). Everyone was frustrated with our teams and wanted better, but the fans (and news guys, I bet) sort of felt like we were all in it together, downtrodden but hoping for the same thing.
I still don’t get how fans will now sometimes root for their team to lose so that the coach will get fired or the QB yanked. Even when Richard friggin Williamson was our coach, I treasured every victory (few and far between as they were).
September 24th, 2013 at 1:15 pm
Makaveli, you know you can’t add up your parents IQs and make it yours right?
September 24th, 2013 at 1:24 pm
Ted Webb????? I suppose you’re trying to find people to quote that are as irrelevant as the Bucs, right Joe?
September 24th, 2013 at 1:33 pm
Id like to go back to “spinning our wheels” with three winning seasons and two NFC South Titles in Jon’s last four years.
If that is “spinning wheels” then this is warp speed in reverse.
We cant even sniff a wild card with this group.
But changing would require admitting they were wrong so I doubt anything will happen and the Dom/Greg show will go on. Another fantasy offseason – followed by the butt kicking in the regular season – until it boils up to where they have to change it.
So I am anticipating pain till 2015. Then a long rebuilding process – unfortunately. I dont think they have learned their lesson yet at OBP.
September 24th, 2013 at 1:44 pm
just one more lousy game until the bye-week, thank goodness the bucs have the first bye-week.
September 24th, 2013 at 1:49 pm
@Mak…enough with the Michael Bennett crap already. This is OOOLLLLDDDDD
news.
September 24th, 2013 at 1:53 pm
I think the outrage is due to a perfect storm of a decade + of mostly FRUSTRATING football…capped of by a season that showed a lot of promise that feels like it’s toast already. The first two losses were about as FRUSTRATINg as they come…it’s too damn much to take at times. At least that’s my perspective.
September 24th, 2013 at 2:20 pm
“Makaveli, you know you can’t add up your parents IQs and make it yours right?”
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hilarrrrious! that was good fckright off, that was good!! you got me there! lol! aw man! you got me! “you know you cant add up your parents”.. classic!! that sht was gold fckrightoff!
fckrightoff will be here all night ladies and gentleman!! tears! my eyes are tearin up!! Funny!! so……Fcking…..Funny!
September 24th, 2013 at 2:27 pm
@Mak…enough with the Michael Bennett crap already. This is OOOLLLLDDDDD
news.
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yea, I cleared it up with Joe. but wasnt it interesting though???? not THAT old…. just from last month. well I thought it was still relevant.
and it was probably the most genuine insight we’d get on the feeling at OBP, since he was no longer with us, he was a high quality player, and as Joe said, level-headed.
everywhere else, we get national media speculation, and everyone at OBP keeps regurgitating the same cliches. cause they dont want to jeopardize their cash flow, which is totally how it should be.
but dont worry, Im done.
September 24th, 2013 at 2:41 pm
Look, football is a great sport and fun to watch but when it makes you as bitter and stupid as a lot of Bucs fans seem to be then it is WWaaaayyyyy out of perspective. It’s a game. We watch it for entertainment. Other than that it has no bearing on life. It doesn’t pay your bills, feed you, cure you when you’re sick, give you advice when you need it, etc. It does one thing and one thing only…it provides entertainment. Why let it make you so miserable? We all hate losing but some of you just get irrational.
You want Gruden back now but you forget how you wanted him gone at the time. I remember being at the games and hearing all the fans screaming for Gruden’s head. The game Jamarcus Russell came to town and beat us was a great example. If fans could have burned Chucky at the stake it would have happened after that game. Hind sight is always 20/20. Only one team is happy at the end of the year and that is the super bowl champ. 31 other teams are disappointed and 31 other team’s fans are screaming for change. Even the fans whose teams were in the playoffs are crying about how the coaching staff blew it with poor game planning, etc and wanting him gone or blaming the QB, etc.
I appreciate the passion all of you have for the game but when passion turns to lunacy it’s just counter productive. When you are so sure that a good QB could turn our fortunes around then why get rid of the coach too? You don’t like the strides our defense has made in 19 games? I sure do.
People say he can’t adjust but I believe he can. We needed the pass D fixed and he brings in Revis and Goldson. We needed more sacks and this year we are tied for 3rd with 12 after 3 games. We’ve only given up 4 TD’s in three games and zero rushing. I think Schiano want to fix the offense too but it can’t be done until a QB change is made and at that time I think a new OC will be coming too. Give Schiano time. It’s not like everything happening is bad and don’t forget…nobody said it’s his offense, it’s Schiano’s defense and I’m excited about our defense.
September 24th, 2013 at 2:45 pm
No actually Makaveli is wasn’t interesting at all. Former player who wanted long term contract from team doesn’t get it because team doesn’t think he’s worth it, market proves he’s not worth it, former player is angry and bitter that former team was right.
Your trolling has declined pretty sharply since Sunday, a dramatic fall in only two days. Gotta step your game up.
September 24th, 2013 at 2:53 pm
Bobby – “People say he can’t adjust but I believe he can. We needed the pass D fixed and he brings in Revis and Goldson. We needed more sacks and this year we are tied for 3rd with 12 after 3 games. We’ve only given up 4 TD’s in three games and zero rushing.”
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I get what youre saying about it just being entertainment. But as Maximus would ask, “Are You Not Entertained???”…. no, Im not. So we get on here and bust balls while our team loses 8 of their last 9.
You can bring up those defenses numbers, like we’ve been bringing up Freemans numbers to death. But the reality is we’re 0-3. In the last 9 games, we’re 1-9.
September 24th, 2013 at 3:01 pm
fckrightoff – “Former player who wanted long term contract from team doesn’t get it because team doesn’t think he’s worth it, market proves he’s not worth it, former player is angry and bitter that former team was right. ”
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dude, youre just not too bright are you. Granted, its only week 4, but Bennett has already racked up 2.5 sacks in 3 games. He’s on pace to reach 13 sacks. And with a one year contract, I think thatll give him enough motivation to pull it off.
Anyways fckrightoff, Im sorry you didnt enjoy the article. That just ruined my day. Well……. fck off, bucrightoff!
There are too many articles to read for me to waste my attention and time on you. Be gone you angry little man!
September 24th, 2013 at 3:03 pm
Everyone jump right off the bandwagon. Rest assured there will be plenty o’ room to jump back on when they turn this around. Then you can tell everyone how you been a fan since day one, and you KNEW they were on the right track. Don’t sprain an ankle….
September 24th, 2013 at 3:06 pm
He had 10 last year and didn’t get a long term contract. The fact you don’t understand how the NFL market works isn’t surprising, you can’t get through an entire one on your posts post without a “WTF is he saying?” translator.
Oh and Lavonte David, who’s paid to run the entire defense, has more sacks in 3 games than the guy who’s paid to sack the QB, Michael Bennett. We sure do miss him…
September 24th, 2013 at 3:07 pm
The last part of this post is the key. The Glazers are running a business. For the past few years their business model has failed to produce a product that translates into ticket sales, which in turn affects corporate sponsorship. The fanbase has been on edge since not long after the SB win. It doesn’t take much nowadays to get the fans riled up. We’re waiting for the positive results of a 5+ year rebuild.
September 24th, 2013 at 3:53 pm
No fan of Josh, but wtf? Webb is an idiot. Lets not turn to uneducated radio dj’s for answers (for anything).
September 24th, 2013 at 4:27 pm
bucrightoff Says:
September 24th, 2013 at 3:06 pm
He had 10 last year and didn’t get a long term contract. The fact you don’t understand how the NFL market works isn’t surprising, you can’t get through an entire one on your posts post without a “WTF is he saying?” translator.
Oh and Lavonte David, who’s paid to run the entire defense, has more sacks in 3 games than the guy who’s paid to sack the QB, Michael Bennett. We sure do miss him…
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smh. dude, at least get your facts straight. he had 9 sacks last year. still not too bad.
his replacement?? Bowers?? has ZERO sacks so far. and 1 tackle. and our MANBEAST?? AC?? has 2! (BTW, I fckin love AC!) and who do you think has final say on our roster?? ESPECIALLY on defense?? Bennett obviously didnt click with Schiano, and thats why Schiano didnt want him back. So he talked up Bowers in the offseason, and look at him now….
so dont knock on Bennett because I made a good point & youre too petty to admit it.
as far as LVD??? youre comparing apples to oranges. Im comparing DEs to DEs. But God Bless LVD! Good job on that pick Dom!
September 25th, 2013 at 8:17 am
Im only watching for the defense…oh, and Martin (wish they could get more creative with him but having no TE wont allow it.