“Boomer” Bullish On Greg Schiano
December 14th, 2013
Former Super Bowl quarterback “Boomer” Esiason makes a strong case for Bucs commander Greg Schiano to return in 2014.
This is what happens when your NFL team is mired in (yet another) playoff-less season: Games are secondary. Fans want to know about the coach and the draft.
So it doesn’t shock Joe that a lot of the hollering on sports airwaves is mostly about Bucs commander Greg Schiano and will he or won’t he return for 2014. Clearly, we will know in a matter of days.
There is one voice solidly behind Schiano and that is former Bengals and Jets quarterback and national football voice “Boomer” Esiason.
The former Super Bowl quarterback, now a co-host of “NFL Today” on CBS, radio analyst for Monday Night Football and co-host of the popular “Boomer and Carton Show” heard on WFAN-AM/FM in New York (and soon to be seen on CBS Sports Network), recently chatted with Joe’s good friend Justin Pawlowski of WHFS-FM 98.7. He made a strong case for Team Glazer retaining Schiano.
“The good thing for Greg, this team did not collapse. This team came back and won some games. They beat some pretty decent teams. When you win in Detroit and you win over Miami, I mean, those are good wins right now when you look at where those teams are in relation to making the playoffs. You recognize that team never gave up on Coach Schiano. Hopefully the ownership is recognizing that. Hopefully the players there are recognizing that. And the one thing that I will say, if they keep him, it’s the same kind of thing that happened up here with Coach Coughlin and the Giants. Everyone was saying his old ways couldn’t mesh with today’s athletes and all that other stuff. So he kind of changed the way he was a little bit. He started doing things a little bit differently and lo and behold, Cough Coughlin won two Super Bowls with the Giants. Hopefully Glennon is the quarterback of the future and hopefully they let Coach Schiano grow with him and then you never know, you catch lightning in the bottle next year and make the playoffs.”
Those are salient points by “Boomer.” Can’t argue a whole lot with what he says, but, playoffs? PLAYOFFS?
The two Joes (of JoeBucsFan.com) are split on Schiano’s immediate job security. One believes, barring a complete and total meltdown, Schiano has already been granted a mulligan by Team Glazer, thanks in large part to the Rip Van Freeman/MRSA mess that sabotaged the season; the other Joe believes Schiano desperately needs at least one more win before he can begin to rest comfortably.
This much is certain: If Schiano returns, he very likely will be under a win-now-or-else edict from above –making a run for the playoffs in 2014 mandatory.
December 14th, 2013 at 1:44 pm
I agree with this. Freeman set this team back early on.
December 14th, 2013 at 1:55 pm
I don’t think the last three games matter, barring 30 pt blow out losses in each.
And demanding a playoff appearance next year is not unreasonable. 3rd year outta mean playoffs. After all Mr. McKay brought the bucs to the championship game in 4th year without the benefit of any free agency.
Lets not forget this is the rocks fifth year of no playoffs. He should be in the “no playoffs and your gone” category in 14 too.
Give them another year. Sure hope were not wasting our time again.
December 14th, 2013 at 2:03 pm
In this division you cannot really demand a playoff spot. A winning season? Yes. But we are in a division where it is entirely possible to go 10-6 and not make the playoffs.
December 14th, 2013 at 2:09 pm
I agree that Freeman sabotaged this team from the very beginning with his piss poor play and then his antics after he got benched. The media for whatever reasons was in love with Freeman and crucified Schiano over it as well as fans. Thankfully the truth finally trickled out slowly. I do think another win ensures he returns next year but I dont think they have to win another game for him to return.
December 14th, 2013 at 2:13 pm
Bucs’ll win at least one more and Schiano returns. Bank it. You can also carve it in stone they won’t be drafting a QB in the first round.
As for next year I imagine 9-7 is the minimum expectation from the Glazers to continue with this current coaching staff.
December 14th, 2013 at 2:29 pm
I think ultimately the result is how he wins or loses the next few games.
December 14th, 2013 at 3:02 pm
Stick with Coach,… he will bring us good years!
December 14th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
I don’t think Schiano necessarily has to win another game but the team must be competitive. I just don’t think the Glazers want to make another coaching change this soon. Schiano has done a lot of dirty work for them and out two drafts with him have been excellent. A win would be very nice though!!!
December 14th, 2013 at 3:37 pm
Yea of they went 10-6 and missed the playoffs that wouldn’t be grounds to release him.
But at some point we have to get that idea out of our heads. It’s these folks job to win the division, no matter how tough it supposedly is.
It was a tough division when they ran Tony and Jon out of town.
December 14th, 2013 at 4:17 pm
He needs two more wins for me to be excited about next season. So, one more win might save his job. 5 out of 8 may translate to 10-6 next season with stability at QB, right?
If they drop three straight it reeks of last season’s collapse….
December 14th, 2013 at 9:12 pm
Schiano has already been granted a mulligan by Team Glazer, thanks in large part to the Rip Van Freeman/MRSA mess that sabotaged the season
_______________________________________________________________
Everyone from the coaches to the players were performing terrible early on. Holding Josh Freeman (along with the WR dropping passes, defense committing fouls/defensive collapses/coaching mistakes) accountable for his performance in the first 3 games is justified. Josh Freeman is not responsible for the other 6 losses that have occurred. After all, Schiano said Glennon gave the team the best chance to win. His (and the team because it is a team sport)
record as a starter is 4-6. Hopefully, his record will be 7-6. Overall, this season has been one of regression in light of the fact this team was expected to compete for the playoffs.
December 15th, 2013 at 12:41 am
6-2 over his last 8 saves Schiano.
December 15th, 2013 at 11:09 am
Schiano is back regardless – SleepmanFreeman actually vindicated Sciano on Monday night looking like a fish out of water!
December 15th, 2013 at 12:02 pm
I look at how Schiano’s play calling abilities vs the MSRA/ Freeman side show. The play calling was horrible most of the time. Which had nothing to do with MRSA of Freeman.