“It Is Josh McCown’s Job To Lose”
July 14th, 2014
Former Bucs rock star GM Mark Dominik opens up and likes the current makeup of the team.
Since being relieved of his duties by the team he had worked for since 1995, former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik has, for the most part, shied away from talking about Tampa Bay.
Joe understands. You don’t hear former Colts general manager Bill Polian talk about the Colts very often, if at all.
Even after being hired by BSPN and SiriusXM NFL Radio, Dominik largely has avoided Bucs topics. But last week, Dominik, co-hosting with Howard David during a broadcast of “The Blitz,” opened up.
In general, he believes Tampa Bay has a puncher’s chance of winning the NFC South this fall.
“I have a lot of respect for Lovie Smith,” Dominik said. “I think he is a phenomenal football coach. He’s had a lot of success. I started with Tampa Bay back in 1995, and Lovie was part of that original staff — along with Tony Dungy — as a linebacker coach, so I got to know Lovie very well over the years until he left to start his head coaching path with the St. Louis Rams.
“I have a lot of respect of him. The [Bucs], I think, is a good football team. It is going to take some time because they have so many new additions to that football team in the Michael Johnsons and the Clinton McDonalds, the Alterraun Verners that they did on defense. Obviously, they mixed up the offensive line a little bit. And then they went all offensive all the time in the draft. So, I think it is exciting and I think it is important what they did in the draft in trying to surround the quarterback with playmakers.
“It is Josh McCown’s job to lose. I do really feel like the more that the coaching staff got around Mike Glennon, I think that the more the fans start to see Mike Glennon, the more they will understand this guy is really smart and has a chance to be a quarterback in this league as a starter.
“I think Tampa Bay in general, the NFC South as it is, I really feel Tampa has a chance to move up in my estimation. I think [the Bucs] have a chance [to win the NFC South], but it will come down to the quarterback. I absolutely think they can.”
While Dominik is bullish on his former team, he cautioned that leapfrogging the Saints will be a monumental task. Dominik believes Drew Brees is one of the few quarterbacks who can win games by himself and that the moves the Saints made in both the draft and free agency make the Saints one of the more formidable teams in the NFL. Joe sure cannot argue with any of that.
Dominik later went on to suggest the Bucs will go as far as McCown can take them. Joe’s going to guess that just about every NFL pundit would agree. Outside of offensive line, the lone major question mark on the team is quarterback.
Joe will deliver more nuggets from Dominik tomorrow.
July 14th, 2014 at 11:54 am
Thanks Dominick, for 5 years of failure! without Dominick I would not have stopped going to games and purchased a boat.
If it was not for Carolina tanking it for the #1 draft pick and Nfl lockout. Dominick would have held the title for 4th place in the division for 5 years straight. The next intelligent move this guy makes will be his first!
Smell you later pop-star!!!
July 14th, 2014 at 12:12 pm
Buc Realist
That’s a little harsh don’t ya think. I never bought into Dominik as rock star but there is plenty of blame to go around for the Bucs collapse.
Do we really believe that Rah was Dominik’s first choice as HC? Remember up until a couple of years ago the Glazers were pouring all the Buc money into ManU. And why not? That franchise is now worth more than a BILLION!!!
Was Dom great? Not really. Did he totally suck? Not really.
July 14th, 2014 at 12:21 pm
Dom was hired with Rah, he didn’t get a choice. Schiano was hired jointly. Y him and the Glazers.
That being said, I thought he just had a learning curve and started out with a few terrible contracts but got better as he went.
July 14th, 2014 at 12:21 pm
Around here StPeteBucsFan, people lunge at any opportunity to lambast Dom and Schiano. It’s almost required reading in these parts!
This is kind of obvious to me. I can’t wait to see what our Bucs do!
July 14th, 2014 at 12:22 pm
I want to take this time to thank Joe for not starting this article with the tired “Glennon fans are dumb as mud” routine you like to do. Keep it up and I just might start respecting you again.
July 14th, 2014 at 12:26 pm
Joe never wrote such a thing.
July 14th, 2014 at 12:26 pm
A mediocre QB behind a mediocre oline. How exciting!
July 14th, 2014 at 12:52 pm
Yea right like the line wasn’t mediocre last year. MGM wants everybody to believe Glennon took the league by storm last year with the worst ranked offense. Everyone here that’s whining and complaining will change their tune by preseason. There’s reason for optimism mainly because gap tooth is gone
July 14th, 2014 at 1:13 pm
Look at it this way Dallas, at least he can move! I foresee a lot of nails being chewed to the quick this year!
July 14th, 2014 at 1:15 pm
Did I miss something?! Did Strahan suit up last year?!
July 14th, 2014 at 1:31 pm
can’t wait for training camp!
July 14th, 2014 at 1:44 pm
Dominik grasps the obvious here. One thing of note that Joe didn’t comment on, is he seems to think they’re going to have to gel before they can start winning. I don’t disagree at all with that. I predict a rough start to 2014, for that very reason (along with the brutal defenses they’re playing).
July 14th, 2014 at 1:49 pm
U guys are silly. The reason Dominick got the rockstar nickname is bcuz he was orchestrating blockbuster FA signings & trades for 2-3 years in a row. He didn’t get that name from his overall performance as a GM.
July 14th, 2014 at 1:55 pm
@buc the haters
you had a typo, I fixed it for you
” bcuz he was orchestrating blockblunders FA signings & horrible trades.”
July 14th, 2014 at 2:03 pm
The Bucs GM job was Dominik’s to lose………….
July 14th, 2014 at 2:09 pm
Mort, I completely agree with you. I thought Dom got better, but some of the things he did were very questionable. Having an anchor around you neck like Rah and Schiano doesn’t help
July 14th, 2014 at 2:28 pm
Harry:
As has been well-documented, Dominik did not hire Rah.
July 14th, 2014 at 2:35 pm
If they win one game, I hope it’s against St. Louis.
July 14th, 2014 at 2:46 pm
The Saints have won the division only once in the last 4 years. The last three have been Saints, Falcons, Panthers. I’m hoping that’s a trend, because looks like we’re up next.
July 14th, 2014 at 3:08 pm
@Buc the Haters & The_Buc_Realist
Actually he got the name because he was always on the radio or TV doing interviews like a rock star promoting a new album or concert tour.
It had nothing to do with performance whatsoever.
Joe has explained this many times.
July 14th, 2014 at 3:29 pm
Just go away.
Leave the football to true professionals.
July 14th, 2014 at 3:42 pm
Yes, Dom totally sucked in every way except for one. I though he was a good speaker. That’s it! His drafts, his trades, his contract renewals all sucked! That guy wasted so much time for Bucs fans it’s sad. He could have ruined the careers of 2 head coaches as well. He was also the one who let 55 go in very poor fashion. Good riddance. Go manage the saints and fire Brees when you do.
July 14th, 2014 at 4:40 pm
Two more weeks and I’ll be making the 14 hour ride to Tampa for training camp, can’t wait, GO BUCS
July 14th, 2014 at 5:13 pm
Actually, I’ve heard the dirtstar verbally defend the Revis trade. I mean what’s not to like about giving away a 1st & a 4th to rehab a diva cb for a year while paying him $1 million per game? I’m so glad for last season’s dumpster fire so that the Bucs could get some fresh answers in the building and on the field.
July 14th, 2014 at 6:46 pm
Great read, Joe. Really one of the best this summer.
July 14th, 2014 at 7:57 pm
Business as usual, Dominik speaks, people listen, people hear nothing, people talk about nothing, people waste their time when they could be debating thong designs.
July 15th, 2014 at 7:45 am
Please it’s insulting why are they asking the gm to comment on the roster and state of a team he just got fired from. This is gm position of licht and he’s already built a winning team on paper. Dominick gutted the team and gave Brooks a Dungy like farewell in favor of young unproven talent and someone thought it was a good idea to hire a young unproven coach. If Dominick is smart and I’m not accusing him off that he’d stay where he is cuz he isn’t made for gm life