Peter King Talks To Joe
February 27th, 2014
Yes, Joe was able to chase down the esteemed fight-instigating, barista-training, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball box score-reading Peter King of SI.com and theMMQB.com fame at the NFL Combine last week. But there is a cool background story to this short interview.
King is a very, very, very busy man. The guy is hounded at the combine by everybody. He can’t go eight steps and not be stopped. Mind you, King is not in Indianapolis in the dead of winter to golf or play tennis. He’s there to work, as well.
The concourse of Lucas Oil Stadium is where all the insider talk and mingling and smokeblowing occurs alongside radio row and TV film crews. The area is roped off, so roughly all of this happens between the 35-yard lines. The ropes are manned by two or three security guards and only NFL personnel and very few select media types (like King and Chris Mortensen) have access beyond the ropes.
When King agreed to talk to Joe, an SI.com staffer quickly interrupted because King had something to check on. King excused himself but promised Joe he would be right back. Joe offered to walk with King for the interview but King added, “Where I am going, they won’t let you.”
True to his promise, King returned after a short while and Joe met him at the ropes. King said, “I have to warn you. I have Johnny Manziel waiting for me for an interview and I may get hailed any second and when I do, I have to bug out. After not quite four minutes, a voice from afar where the concourse began to curve was heard, beckoning King and he flew. Joe looked down the concourse, and sure enough, there was Johnny Football waiting for King, which resulted in this article (and photo — Joe watched the photoshoot) and this video, both posted on theMMQB.com, where King is executive editor.
JoeBucsFan: Do you think Mike Glennon may be the answer for the Bucs?
Peter King: I think what they need to do right now is to figure out, look, if they come into the draft and they think — pick a guy; Jake Matthews, whoever it is — is the second or third guy on their board, and he’s there when they pick, they have to pick him. My gut feeling is they are going to be a lot more interested in a Khalil Mack-type player or obviously [Jadeveon] Clowney. Because I just think they need to, even though they spent a lot of draft energy and capital in recent years on a pass rusher, they have to, absolutely I think, have to make sure they come out of this draft and/or free agency period knowing they can affect the quarterback more.
Joe: That is the only piece of the puzzle they are missing on defense, if you think about it.
King: Yeah, especially if Revis comes back this year as Darrelle Revis. What the Seattle Seahawks showed everybody last year is that pass defense and pass rush is a symphony. You have to have good guys at both ends. They certainly have good guys in the secondary. What worries me long term from up front is, although they drafted a lot up front in recent years, there is not a soul up front that I really think keeps offensive coordinators up at night.
Joe: Not even Gerald McCoy?
King: OH! I mean, yeah! But I don’t consider him — he’s not an edge rusher. Clearly, he is a difference-maker of the first degree. But they still need an edge guy.
Joe: What is your read on Bucs general manager Jason Licht? It appears he has a great reputation around the league.
King: He does. You know, I don’t really know him well at all but I do know that people who have worked with him in the past, people at New England and Arizona, rave about him. They rave about his — I think one of the things you want in a personnel guy is somebody who is going to be able to say, ‘I am listening to what you say and I respect what you say but I totally disagree with what you say.’ In other words, I think you have to make sure that you trust a guy who is going to have the guts to disagree with you. Ron Wolfe always used to say about personnel, “I don’t want a room full of yes-men. I want people who have opinions, whatever they are whether they are with me or against me.” I think that is one of the things that Licht has done.
February 27th, 2014 at 4:07 pm
He didn’t really answer your first question, other than hinting that they shouldn’t target a quarterback in round one.
February 27th, 2014 at 4:15 pm
For the last 5-6 years, I still read this in entirety as if it were the first time….
“fight-instigating, barista-training, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball box score-reading”….
coffee slurping oatmeal loving…Is the part I enjoy most. ha.
February 27th, 2014 at 4:59 pm
And is horribly cheesy and gets articles skipped worse than the heavy biases
February 27th, 2014 at 5:08 pm
Well you not only didn’t skip this article, Nick, but you actually took the time to post a comment, so aomething must be working.
I’m with Amar, I enjoy the ridiculousness of the Peter King intros on this site. It always generates a chuckle. Now, that nonsense about Shaun King leading a Bucs team that featured a legendary defensive unit to the NFC Championship game generates an eye roll or two. King wasn’t leading anyone, he was along for the ride (and his poor play stopped the ride short of a Super Bowl appearance against Tennessee).
February 27th, 2014 at 5:15 pm
Peter King must like Joe’s intro of him….or, he never visits JBF.
Sounds like King is high on Licht….and prescribes Clowney or Mack for our pick at 7……sounds perfectly reasonable to me.
February 27th, 2014 at 5:31 pm
Joe how can u afford to do all these interviews with these big name media guys, but can’t afford to block the annoying pop-ups on mobile devices ?
February 27th, 2014 at 6:00 pm
Pablo:
“These big name media guys” do not charge Joe to talk to them. If they did, Joe would tell them to their face to go to hell.
However, having a very popular football site is terribly expensive to maintain. Thus, Joe needs revenue sources. Joe is not a charity.
Of course, Joe could charge for content and not have any ads. We both know that is a terrible business model.
February 27th, 2014 at 6:10 pm
I’m fine with the adds and love the site I just cannot stand the app redirects. I know you said you are working on something for mobile users so I won’t bitch about it anymore. Anyways good article keep up the awesome job. Oh and joe I read today that the browns don’t like Jfootball. So maybe just maybe you will get your wish.
February 27th, 2014 at 6:15 pm
Joe he didn’t answer your question specifically about Glennon, he danced around the question!
February 27th, 2014 at 6:54 pm
“although they drafted a lot up front in recent years, there is not a soul up front that I really think keeps offensive coordinators up at night”
“They”=Rock Star
February 27th, 2014 at 7:09 pm
He did answer the question, just not the way you wanted. Gotta give Joe an A for effort. BTW, no mention of the Jaws story on Johnny Boy.
February 27th, 2014 at 7:14 pm
Jaws himself said he had to watch more of his games.
February 27th, 2014 at 7:15 pm
Thanks INDY.
February 27th, 2014 at 7:27 pm
Thanks for the interview Joe. Right now I’m still trying to get a gauge on the new GM and Lovie. So I very much appreciate anything you can get us at this time of the year.
Oh Jaws did say he might need to watch more film on Manziel. He also but it appears to him that he looks like a project QB.
That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for some team to trade the farm for him. Like I’ve been saying. He’s not a slam dunk, can’t miss, Andrew Luck type, let’s trade some picks to move up and get him type of QB.
February 27th, 2014 at 7:28 pm
Damn it I hate these I pad’s. Never agaiin.
February 27th, 2014 at 7:35 pm
I think Johny Football is going to be the guy in the green room they go to after every team passes on him and might not go til mid to late 1st round. Off the field issues and RGIII type style would be the reason why. I’m not saying I agree and could and probably am wrong about this but it seems like it happens to someone every year and this year I think it maybe him.
February 27th, 2014 at 9:54 pm
I don’t mind the ads, they are well worth it in exchange for the content.
The one thing that crashes my lap top every day is that Shockwave spyware.
A Shockwave crash is definitely an issue on your end. –Joe
February 27th, 2014 at 11:05 pm
DREW BREES, CAM NEWTON, MATT RYAN, AND michael glennon?
February 28th, 2014 at 12:26 am
Intro is always worth a laugh.
IMO, Bucs are going to draft an edge rusher, then hope to land Carr or Garrappolo in the 2nd
Only time will tell. Free agency may totally Change their strategy
February 28th, 2014 at 2:20 pm
Did talking to the guy who talked to Johnny Football make you feel warm and gooey inside Joe?
March 1st, 2014 at 2:52 am
Did anybody else get a little freaked out over this (peter King’s) pic? Ewwww….a little nightmarish.
March 1st, 2014 at 12:22 pm
I don’t even see the ads. Just focus on the articles and comments.
March 2nd, 2014 at 12:01 am
David – – -Peter King is laughing in the pic – – all the way to the bank.