Licht Came Andy Reid Approved
July 15th, 2014
In an epic feature rivaling the length of Chucky’s old playbook or the Five Books of Moses, Buccaneers.com writer Scott Smith has chronicled the first 100 days of the Lovie Smith regime.
It was quite an undertaking. One nugget detailed how Lovie Smith hired his Tampa Bay general manager.
Yes, Joe is saying Lovie made the hire. You can read the full piece linked above for details. Lovie interviewed nine candidates for an average of nearly four hours each and then referred four to Team Glazer for further review.
Licht, however, was Lovie’s top dog. The story paints an image of Lovie and Licht agreeing on everything from football philosophy to ice cream flavors. The point also was emphasized that Lovie approved of his research on Licht.
If Smith needed references, Licht had them.
“Everybody has their history,” said Smith, and it’s a phrase he uses a lot, often turning it on himself. “You have a record on what you’ve accomplished, what you’ve done, places you’ve been. All the experience he has, the guys he’s worked with. I have friends in the profession, and it meant a lot what Andy Reid had to say about Jason, among other guys that I trust and that knew him.”
Smith himself had met Licht when the latter interviewed for a similar job with the Bears just before the 2012 season. The Bears went with Phil Emery, who had previously scouted for the organization, and then a season later dismissed Smith, with Emery bringing in Marc Trestman to replace him. Smith had been impressed with Licht, however, so it was no surprise that he made a point of including him in the Bucs’ search. The meeting in Chicago was short, but Smith had taken time to research Licht more extensively in the interim, and had liked what he’d seen.
Because Smith arrived before Licht, and had a major hand in the G.M. search, the media unsurprisingly gnawed on the bone of which man was really in charge. Neither was it surprising that Smith and Licht chose not to answer that question directly. Smith knew it was more important to find a G.M. with whom he could truly form a decision-making partnership. There would be common ideas, but there would also be a division of labor. Smith knew he would be counting on the general manager to get him the types of players that he needed to succeed; the wrong choice would set everyone back, including himself.
The Licht-Lovie honeymoon sure still seems to be in full swoon. Remember, a few weeks ago Licht said he and Lovie and the whole football staff were on the same page with every last move this offseason.
Joe sure hopes harmony equals wins.
July 15th, 2014 at 12:02 pm
If we learned anything from the last regime, its how important it is for coach and front office to be on the same page. Obviously the coach and gm from last year were not. They compromised on great number of things to lead to very bad decisions in the end. It is really no shock that before Lovie was hired he demanded a new GM before he would take the job.
July 15th, 2014 at 12:03 pm
“Harmony and peace are pretty good company”. Raise a toast to Lovie and Licht for the prospect of an improved Bucs effort this coming season. I’m all in.
July 15th, 2014 at 12:19 pm
Division of labor and harmony are critical for a balanced management team.
July 15th, 2014 at 12:28 pm
I guess neither think the o-line is an issue.
July 15th, 2014 at 12:40 pm
What did Butch Davis do for the organization? I must have missed something somehow.
July 15th, 2014 at 12:41 pm
I like these two as a pair, Licht isn’t a pushover for Lovie, and Lovie does defer to Licht on a lot of issues. I was concerned we’d have a puppet GM kissing the rear of the HC, like Bruce Allen did. Glad we have a guy who commands genuine respect from his counterpart.
July 15th, 2014 at 12:46 pm
@jim walker
he locked Dominick in the bathroom during the nfl draft. worth every penny.
July 15th, 2014 at 1:33 pm
Joe
If you start with a team at the top, you will have a team all the way down, if they are at war at the top, it is hard to have a team that doesn’t take sides.
July 15th, 2014 at 1:51 pm
LOL @ The_Buc_Realist!
Worth every penny, indeed.
July 15th, 2014 at 2:16 pm
“he locked Dominick in the bathroom during the nfl draft. worth every penny.”
*golf clap*
July 15th, 2014 at 2:43 pm
Whatever happened to checks and balances? :^/
July 15th, 2014 at 2:57 pm
Let’s hope that this duet make a formidable team for years to come.
*thumbs up*
July 15th, 2014 at 4:00 pm
Joe was that media dude who gnawed on the bone, of asking who was really calling the shots. Doesnt matter if they win.
July 15th, 2014 at 4:03 pm
No meat left, though. 🙁
July 15th, 2014 at 4:39 pm
30,000+ words but it was pretty good stuff. While I enjoy the behind the scenes stuff I think all of us just want to see some MFin football already!!!!
July 16th, 2014 at 10:31 am
Harmony within a balanced management team is important, however, Joe is right with his focus on “checks and balance” within the management team. NO ONE PERSON always has the right answers!!! Except my wife…..