Enough With The Leadership Loss Baloney
March 10th, 2014
Joe wrote about this Saturday, but Joe feels obligated to revisit the point in light of comments this morning by Bucs beat writer Rick Stroud and former Bucs guard Ian Beckles on WDAE-AM 620.
Those local Bucs voices were adamant that the cutting of Davin Joseph represents a “big loss” of leadership.
Joe really can’t buy any of that.
Where exactly did Joseph’s leadership take your Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
Last year the team imploded in historic fashion. In 2012, Joseph was out of the mix following blowing his knee out in August of that year. In 2011, Joseph was an acknowledged leader on a team that quit on its head coach. Think about that concept for a minute: a leader of quitters. In 2010, the Bucs’ running game dominated after Joseph was injured and replaced by undrafted rookie Derek Hardman.
Yes, Joseph was a good guy. He led local charity efforts. He talked to the media under all circumstances. But frankly, Joe’s not sure that’s worth much in the big picture of an NFL team. Too many terrible things happened under the leadership of Joseph, and that’s how Joe has to judge the leadership portion of Joseph’s legacy. He was a good guy and a very good player at times, but he was not a good leader.
Joseph set a great example for his teammates, but there are plenty of other Buccaneers who follow in the same path. The Bucs locker room will miss Joseph, but they’ll be just fine without him. Hopefully, the Bucs will have a starting quarterback who will grab hold of the offense — his team — and set the tone for the organization.
March 10th, 2014 at 10:39 am
The fact is we don’t know how much of a leader he was. Regardless of whether he was a good leader or a bad one, we don’t know if he even was trying to be one.
March 10th, 2014 at 10:39 am
Joe has to judge the leadership portion of Joseph’s legacy.
Joe we all have Respect for you, but c’mon brotha Davin Joseph is the truth. There’s not one fan or former player who will say otherwise.
Davin Joseph was the one that got all the linemen together and did workouts, in the offseason- not your boy Penn.
Injuries derailed the former 2x Pro Bowlers career…Nothing else.
Davin Joseph was a leader IS a in the community, and was one in that locker room. C’mon lets not disrespect one of the best guards the organization has ever had, by questions his leadership. Because Mr. Joseph displayed that-NO DOUBT!!!
March 10th, 2014 at 10:41 am
*Davin Joseph IS a leader in the community, and was one in the locker room. And when he was healthy-The Field.
March 10th, 2014 at 10:43 am
I’m not following your logic of how Joseph is not a good leader simply because bad things happened that were out of his control? Sounds pretty silly to me.
March 10th, 2014 at 10:43 am
Hey joe ,
What good did Revis and his 16 mm per year on a bum knee buy the bucs? 4-12
March 10th, 2014 at 10:43 am
In the third preseason game against the New England Patriots in 2012, Joseph hurt his knee when teammate Donald Penn blocked defensive end Chandler Jones into his knee. Joseph was later placed on injured reserve, ending his season
smh
March 10th, 2014 at 10:44 am
So Walter Payton wasn’t a leader on all of those terrible Bears Teams?
March 10th, 2014 at 10:55 am
Good Lord Joe, How much crap do you have to read or hear from Rick Stroud or Ian Beckles to learn that their opinions are insignificant and meaningless?
March 10th, 2014 at 10:57 am
@LUVMYBUCS: Not surprisingly, you miss the point. Joseph could be a leader, but a lot of other players on the roster are leaders as well and the loss of one leader does not hurt as much as the jokers in the local media are saying. Also a leader that is possibly the worst player at his position in the whole league is a horrible leader. It sets a horrible example and bad influence for folks he is leading.
March 10th, 2014 at 10:58 am
Too Many things happen under the watch of our former GM & Current Ownership.
Leadership starts form the Top-But I don’t hear you questioning-So called Roc Star former Leadership.
Joseph wasn’t part of hiring the coaches, didn’t make the personnel decisions. When things went bad, you always heard him speak on issues plaguing the team. You always heard him call for a meeting with the offensive line-to get things back on track.
Never heard him speak ill of management, after they trade someone. Or throw a temper tantrum like a child on the sideline.
So he will be missed-But we will move on
March 10th, 2014 at 10:59 am
Time brings change – it’s time for change 4-12.
March 10th, 2014 at 11:00 am
Ronde Barber was also a captain and leader on that 2011 team. So I guess his leadership is also in question right?
March 10th, 2014 at 11:02 am
Nature abhors a vacuum. If there is a leadership void, it will be quickly filled. Not my opinion, a law of physics!
March 10th, 2014 at 11:07 am
@Jonny 2.3
I didn’t miss no damn point BtCh-Dude said “Too many terrible things happened under the leadership of Joseph, and that’s how Joe has to judge the leadership portion of Joseph’s legacy”
Davin was coming off and ACL/MCL. Most people have a extremely hard time coming back that combination of injuries (Thats why his plays suffered). I respect the decision for his release-But the Man was a warrior for even lacing up.
March 10th, 2014 at 11:10 am
Hope you Judge your Boy Donald Penn the same way when his a$$ is released. Nah, we probably hear how he farts rainbows, and his issh don’t stink.
March 10th, 2014 at 11:13 am
You people act like ever player on this team was great and it was just a recurring void of coaching and GM qualities. I know nothing of Davin’s leadership. I do know that there are many moving parts on a team and each year brings different views on each of those moving parts.
It is important that we don’t remain emotionally connected to players based solely on past performance. Same goes for evaluating free agents to bring in.
Patriots have been very good at cutting players around the time their performance declines. Hoepfully, that is the case with our decision on Davin. (Not because I want a person’s career to be winding down, but for the sake ofthe Bucs being right.)
March 10th, 2014 at 11:14 am
Joseph strikes me as a “lead by example” kind of guy. Like Ronde was.
March 10th, 2014 at 11:14 am
Joe I agree with you because there are leaders like Patton who never lost sight of the final goal, win the war period.
Most people confuse managers with leaders, leaders lead, managers manage, big difference.
I was never in the locker room or on the field with the Bucs so I don’t know who was and who wasn’t a leader, but from the results they did not have one at the top and as far as the ones questioned in the locker room the old “We have to do better….” is not leadership, it is happy talk.
March 10th, 2014 at 11:31 am
@Jonny 2.3 — Very well said. Don’t worry Joe, there are plenty of us who understand your valid points.
March 10th, 2014 at 11:32 am
joe seems to equate leadership with w/l on the field. now that’s a load of crap. judging by the responses to your irresponsible article above , I would have to say that joe is a menace to his own website and will eventually lose the respect and viewership he craves.just remember joe, it takes a good man to build a barn and 5 minutes for a jackass to tear it down.
March 10th, 2014 at 11:58 am
I’m right there with you, luvmybucs. No sense in discrediting Joseph. The organization will move, as will he.
March 10th, 2014 at 12:28 pm
I agree Joe. At a professional level, I think “leadership” is over-rated anyway. Also as I recall, the players got Dashon Hard-Hat Goldson to lead the charge against Schiano on their behalf.
March 10th, 2014 at 1:26 pm
Let’s not confuse activity with results.
The Bucs simply don’t have a culture of winning and that’s what leaders are supposed to provide.
March 10th, 2014 at 1:46 pm
He was a leader, just not as vocal about it like McCoy is.
March 10th, 2014 at 1:46 pm
zam Says
“I agree Joe. At a professional level, I think “leadership” is over-rated anyway.”
wth????
Were you not around during the morris years???