The Countdown: Worst 20 Buccaneers Of The Past 10 Years — No. 1
July 24th, 2014
The dubious countdown is over. And the winner/loser was known for playing very, very scared.
After a couple of weeks of clobbering Tampa Bay fans by dredging up their worst nightmares of the past 10 years, Joe is finished.
Final judgment day is here.
The offseason NFL Top-Whatever craze got Joe thinking of the anemic Bucs teams of the past 10 years. Not a playoff victory since their Super Bowl glory. Ugh!
That motivated Joe to gather with his senior and junior level staff and rank the 20 worst Buccaneers of those seasons. Serious deliberations went down at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters. Beer bottles were thrown. Game film came out. Arguments ensued.
A third of Joe’s staff went on strike when it was learned leaky, sleepy Josh Freeman wasn’t a finalist.
In the end, primary consideration was given to expectations combined with on-field performance. Off-field behavior was a factor, and players were not punished for injuries.
No. 1 — wide receiver/returner Dexter Jackson (2008-preseason 2009)
The case against Dexter Jackson is a simple one. Chucky’s coveted 2008 second-round pick was afraid to play football.
Yes, afraid. Very afraid.
Jackson didn’t want to get hit. It was clear on gamedays and, early in his rookie campaign, Jackson told The Tampa Tribune that a punishing blow on opening day of ’08 got into his head. Even blocking icon Michael Clayton called him out in September of that season.
“You can’t be scared,” Clayton said. “You’ve got to just to hit it up in there through the hole and get all you can get. Dexter is a young guy. He’s going to learn how to do it.”
Well, Dexter “never learned how to do it” to use Clayton’s words.
Last week, Joe ran into a former Buccaneer at a Tampa eatery. Joe offered a friendly greeting, and that former Buccaneer quickly asked Joe who was No. 1 on this countdown. (Hey, that was cool.).
Joe advised the ex-player it was Dexter Jackson, making sure he didn’t think it was the good Dexter Jackson, the Super Bowl MVP. The ex-Buccaneer, who played for the ’08 squad, then smiled and relayed a story about how Jackson was clearly afraid of contact in practice, saying he’d dive at times, leaving coaches and teammates scratching their heads. 
Jackson got shots in Carolina and with the Jets, but managed to finish his NFL career with zero receptions, and a whole lot of people wondering how the Bucs scouting department missed one little detail: that Jackson was afraid of the game.
No. 2 — Eric Wright No. 3 — Jeff Jagodzinski No. 4 — Albert Haynesworth No. 5 — Sabby Piscitelli No. 6 — Myron Lewis No. 7 — Byron Leftwich No. 8 — Edell Shepherd No. 9 — Jerramy Stevens No. 10 — Jim Bates No. 11 — Gaines Adams No. 12 — Keydrick Vincent No. 13 — Dre Moore No. 14 —Kevin Ogletree No. 15 – Sean Mahan No. 16 — Da’Quan Bowers No. 17 — Daniel Te’o-Nesheim No. 18 — Kyle Moore No. 19 – Jeremy Trueblood No. 20 – Michael ClaytonThe Countdown: Worst 20 Buccaneers Of The Past 10 Years will run once or twice daily until No. 1 is revealed on Thursday, July 24.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:06 am
No Dominick!!! Booooooo!!! This list has lost all credibility.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:06 am
The #1 should actually be Tony Dungy… for taking the anti-gay position.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:06 am
A second round pick that was even worse than Dairy Queen Bowers.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:07 am
A just decision for #1, and a sad waste of talent.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:09 am
For a very low round 2nd round player ( he was selected 5 players berfore the third round), I don’t think he was the worst Buc in the last 10 years. But I was afraid that this list was more of Bucs that irked Joe More than the worst. I was proven correct again.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:10 am
Nope. If that was the case, handsy Adam Hayward would have been No. 1.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:15 am
I’m OK with 95% of “The List”.
Jackson was a 2nd round pick touted by Chucky
who curled into a fetal position as soon as he
crossed the sideline.
Good arguments can be made for leaving Freeman
off the list. Morris was list-worthy but not as much as
his ill-fated assistants. Dom? Pretty bad drafter and
signed some really bad deals.
Tanard was a great player when he wasn’t
failing drug tests.
The only two possible snubs I see are
Rockstar and Morris.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:15 am
No. 1 – Dexter Jackson –
No. 2 — Eric Wright – Signed by Dominik
No. 3 — Jeff Jagodzinski – Hired by Morris/Dominik
No. 4 — Albert Haynesworth – Signed by Dominik (he also outbid $ the Skins initially)
No. 5 — Sabby Piscitelli
No. 6 — Myron Lewis – Drafted by Dominik
No. 7 — Byron Leftwich – Signed by Dominik
No. 8 — Edell Shepherd
No. 9 — Jerramy Stevens – resigned by Dominik
No. 10 — Jim Bates – Hired by Morris/Dominik
No. 11 — Gaines Adams
No. 12 — Keydrick Vincent – Signed by Dominik
No. 13 — Dre Moore
No. 14 —Kevin Ogletree – Signed by Dominik
No. 15 – Sean Mahan
No. 16 — Da’Quan Bowers – Drafted by Dominik
No. 17 — Daniel Te’o-Nesheim – Signed by Dominik
No. 18 — Kyle Moore – Drafted by Dominik
No. 19 – Jeremy Trueblood – resigned by Dominik
No. 20 – Michael Clayton – resigned by Dominik
Mark Dominik, the catalyst for 75% of the list. I look at 1st place as the runnerup, and Dominik is the King of the Bad Buccaneers.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:16 am
I remember is 1st saints game where he would just go down before contact. AWFUL player. Im surprised freeman wasnt on the list. Great list. Thank you hickey and dommoinick for all these disasters. How can you take a guy in the 2nd rd that doesn’t even belong in the arena league????????
July 24th, 2014 at 10:20 am
In 30 years, when most of today’s players are drooling out of their mouths, have to have their butts wiped by somebody else, and can’t remember their own name from too many hits to the head and body, Dexter will have the last laugh.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:24 am
That was a horrific pick, and the definition of a reach for position.
Pretty fair list overall, except Dominik, Raheem, and Schiano should be on it.
And the Glazer Boys.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:25 am
Uh…Dungy did not take an anti gay position.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:26 am
Good choice Joe!
This was great fun Joe. I’m sure your crew also got some laughs with the drama created by us in the comment section.
You made the off-season entertaining for us Bucs fans. Like always, you do a great job.
Thanks! Go Bucs!
July 24th, 2014 at 10:32 am
Raheem Morris is glaringly absent from the #1 position on this list.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:32 am
what about freeman?
July 24th, 2014 at 10:32 am
For Carolina and the Jets to have interest on him is hilarious! I guess they didn’t watch our film….
July 24th, 2014 at 10:35 am
where exactly is aaron sears on this list? Another 2nd rounder with all the hype in the world who fell off the map. I think he could be an honorable (dishonorable) mention.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:39 am
Any player that won Super Bowl MVP should not be on the list, and forget #1 overall worst. I don’t care how bad the remainder of his Buc career was, but oh well, to some he was worse than the 19 before him and those left off the list. Enjoyed it though. How about another list, the most outlandish upcoming season finish prediction being awarded the JoeBucsFan booby prize according to the eventual finish.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:44 am
You think he actually wanted to become a (true) mental patient?
Unexpected medical issues disqualify players from the list. Joe has written this several times. Arron Sears was quite good before he came down with his condition.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:46 am
What about him?
July 24th, 2014 at 10:47 am
Thanks!
July 24th, 2014 at 10:51 am
And let the complaining begin…
Also cue the ignorant comments about Dom and Freeman in 3…2…1
July 24th, 2014 at 10:55 am
Freeman has to be number one. Love to hear the real story of his breakdown.
July 24th, 2014 at 10:59 am
^^^^^And cue the critiquing of the comments.
July 24th, 2014 at 11:01 am
I’m wondering if my comment even made any sense. It says above WR Dexter Jackson 2008 preseason 2009. Oh well, duh.
July 24th, 2014 at 11:14 am
Phillip Says:
July 24th, 2014 at 10:51 am
And let the complaining begin…
Also cue the ignorant comments about Dom and Freeman in 3…2…1
——————————————————————————
Dom and Freeman should be 2 and 1 on this list, we all know it. Apparently you know it too, hence your pre-critiquing stance of the two worst Buccaneers in the last 10 years: Dom and Freewee.
July 24th, 2014 at 11:17 am
You think Dominik had the only say in signing and re-signing players? The blame can go all around, here is an idea…..how about your blame the SCOUTS both college and NFL the bucs had during this time?
Lets be honest, bowers was a steal at the draft position, hayensworth and olgetree were proven players. Ogletree was a rising receiver for Dallas and haysenworth was the most dominant DL in the league at one point. You gotta take chances and sometimes they don’t pan out. Every NFL team could make a list like this!!
July 24th, 2014 at 11:18 am
Oil Derrick Brooks, that’s an awesome list you have there! There are other bad moves he made not on the list (i.e. winSLOW, losing Bennett). Not only that, but I came across a comment you made on JBF early last year where you kept saying the Bucs were very far away from success.
Dominik may have been a decent cap guy but clearly not a good evaluator of talent. His hits with McCoy, Lavonte David are overshadowed by his other blunders.
July 24th, 2014 at 11:20 am
Oil Derrick Brooks Says:
July 24th, 2014 at 10:59 am
^^^^^And cue the critiquing of the comments.
___________
ODB,
Geez, one would have thought Phillip would have been busy enough being the JoeBucsFan.com official “spelt” checker, but now he’s the resident Critiquer of Critiques also. Busy guy, that Phillip!
July 24th, 2014 at 11:22 am
I wonder if the bucs could give him another shot now that you’re not allowed to tackle in the NFL.
Joe,
Next you should do the Top 20 worst plays of the last 10 years, and make sure the Benn’d around is number 1,2,3,4 and 5.
July 24th, 2014 at 11:27 am
And I was right as I said believe during the Sabby or Myron post that Dexter would be número uno…Couldn’t agree more.
And as everyone keeps saying Dominik should be number one, well as it could be argued he was a failure the league has seen bigger failures and he had also done some great things too, as the 2012 draft class, McCoy (although a dead given nobody else to draft) VJax, Goldson, Mason, Penn, and more etc..
For every Dominik failure there is probably a positive to match every one of his negatives.
July 24th, 2014 at 11:31 am
“For every Dominik failure there is probably a positive to match every one of his negatives.”
Certainly not in wins and losses. 28-52. Heck, if he’d approached .500 ball, Phillip and Joe might be lobbying for induction in Canton.
“it could be argued he was a failure the league has seen bigger failures”
That’s high praise.
July 24th, 2014 at 11:31 am
Great list but no Quincy Black? smh
July 24th, 2014 at 11:32 am
There isn’t…
We all know GMs have their hits and misses but his hit rate is probably similar to his winning percentage as a GM.
July 24th, 2014 at 11:33 am
Huge swing and miss leaving off Freeman. Time for a holiday
July 24th, 2014 at 11:36 am
Unbelievable.
You put both of our coordinators from 2009 on this list, but not the moron head coach of ours who hired them in the first place. Makes SO MUCH sense. Raheem….the driving force behind the cinderella 2009 season, is the biggest SNUB from this list!
July 24th, 2014 at 11:37 am
Good list Joe, but I’m starting to wonder if Arreleous Benn didn’t have compromising photos of you lurking outside Ms. Watson’s residence that he threatened to go public with if you put his (deserving) name on this list 🙂
July 24th, 2014 at 11:39 am
@Buccfan37
Joe isn’t referring to the Dexter Jackson who won Super Bowl MVP…
He’s referring to the WR that Chucky drafted in the 2nd round… who of all things, was afraid of making contact
July 24th, 2014 at 11:43 am
He did single handily destroy Michigan on opening day!
July 24th, 2014 at 11:48 am
When does anyone say Mark was a great GM? Or Freeman a great QB? They were not as bad as you make them seem… Most of the Dom and Free bashers are apart of the MGM… But it’s crazy that Dom is the one that drafted Glennon and didn’t give Free an extension before the 2013 season… Hmmm
Stevek no one should ever take advice from a dude that was preaching Hillis as a great RB and that we could have had him with the pic we gave up for Free..
ODB you clearly think a GM picks coordinators for the Head Coach and makes the final 53 man roster..
Lightning you are just plain ignorant who constantly spews the same garbage over and over..
Keyboard warrior’s that doesn’t go to games or never played a down of football their entire life…
July 24th, 2014 at 11:53 am
Freeman doesn’t belong on the list. You can’t put a guy on the list that played 4 years and holds multiple franchise passing records. Look at this list of debacles he was surround with, he never had a chance, but still managed to play well enough. Yes the melt down was epic, but he is certainly not a top 20 worst Buc.
Joe, please explain to all of us why Dominick, Raheem, and Schiano are not on this list?? I’d say 90% or more of us agree all three are worthy of the top 10. The last 5 years rank up up there with the worst in franchise history and the three of these guys were a huge part of it.
July 24th, 2014 at 11:54 am
^^^^^FINALLY a man with sense!
July 24th, 2014 at 11:54 am
Lightning you are just plain ignorant who constantly spews the same garbage over and over..
_________________
Phil,
Only when you’re around, Oh Master Spelter!
July 24th, 2014 at 11:55 am
My comment was for PHILLIP
July 24th, 2014 at 11:55 am
@panhandle
That was Armanti Edwards who torched them running and throwing the ball(who turned out to be a better NFL WR than Jackson lol) .. Huge Wolverine fan and that game still haunts me… Payback this year though! 🙂
July 24th, 2014 at 11:58 am
Do we all need approval for our opinions from Phillip before we comment?
As far as I can tell, everyone is free to post their views re: the articles. But, the comment police keeps pulling me over.
July 24th, 2014 at 12:00 pm
ODB – I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: Doms contributions extend past 2009-2013. I’m not going to say he was the best, or even just good, but your obsession is just obnoxious. He was not good as the man in charge of personnel, but he hardly destroyed the organization single-handedly. Ownership gave him the task of rebuilding a roster with mostly young players and draft picks and that’s what he did. That 2009 team had no talent because the Glazers were saving money for the new CBA. They were literally 10 steps behind everyone else before they even got started because the Glazers took way too long to make a decision on Gruden and Allen. If you ask me, Dom never really got the ability to pick a coach, although IMO he shouldn’t have settled for Schiano hindsight is 20-20. Tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumb (Glazer brothers) were the driving force behind the hiring of Raheem the Dream and El Generalissimo Pequeño, as well as the purge of veteran players/coaches. If you ask me, Ed and Joel Glazer deserve to be on this list more than anyone else. Their knee-jerk decision making process, coupled with their oddly selective use of micro-management, has probably done more damage than Dom ever did.
July 24th, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Lightning knows QB’s…
I would honestly rather mess up with a commonly used word(on a cell phone no less) 1000 times over than spew the stupid sh!t you say on here constantly..
July 24th, 2014 at 12:03 pm
Forgot to mention Ed, but I still stand by my remarks. I hold ownership accountable for the failures of the past decade.
July 24th, 2014 at 12:04 pm
Bryan*
So much for making a point…. >_<
July 24th, 2014 at 12:06 pm
I think Tanard Jackson deserved to be on this list.
July 24th, 2014 at 12:07 pm
Thanks Joe.
Now let’s leave these memories of putrid players past behind us and embark on the road to respectability.
It starts today.
July 24th, 2014 at 12:07 pm
Bucs Fan #237 Says:
July 24th, 2014 at 10:06 am
The #1 should actually be Tony Dungy… for taking the anti-gay position.
________________________________________________________
You must have the I.Q. of a pea. Pull the penis out of your ears for a change and pay attention fruitcake. Dungy never made his statement based on Sams sexual orientation, it was about the circus that followed Sam. So get off your Sybian and get with the program Hazel. You’re ripping an icon that a lot of us fans adored, and I for one am offended by your statement that a man with the integrity of Tony Dungy would have meant it the way you just claimed.
July 24th, 2014 at 12:08 pm
Can we have a follow up article on the reason why a few of the names that did not make the list got clemency? Besides the obvious injury ones.
July 24th, 2014 at 12:09 pm
How does Benn not make the list?
July 24th, 2014 at 12:10 pm
Joe has explained many times already. The search button above is free to use.
July 24th, 2014 at 12:16 pm
@ Philip
Your right, but Jackson scored two or three TD’s that game, I think. None the less GO NOLES!!!!!!!
@ Jim walker:
Tanard Jackson should be in the bucs ring of honor for his hit on Dallas Clark! I thought clarks career was over after that hit!
July 24th, 2014 at 12:28 pm
Good way to fill the dead time Joe. Thanks for putting it together
Glad you enjoyed. Joe had fun with it. –Joe
July 24th, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Same here Joe!
It kind of brought the last 10 years back into perspective for me.
It’s been UGLY!!! 🙂
July 24th, 2014 at 12:36 pm
There have been plenty of disappointing Bucs over the past 10 years. It’s no coincidence that the results of the past 10 years have been disappointing as well. It’s a real bummer to see a list of 20 players/coaches, knowing that many more names could easily be added. The list could’ve been called the worst 30 or 40 Bucs of the past ten years. Onward and upward.
July 24th, 2014 at 12:51 pm
Oh Phillip,
Mark Dominick and Josh Freeman are by a wide margin the worst bucs of the past 10 years.
Freeman gave up on his team, and created a distraction and false NFLPA investigation. There is a reason Mr. Butt Fumble is still in the league and Freewee is not.
Ast for Mr. Rock Star, 28-52 is god awful (as Fran Tarkenton would say). Dominick had many more blunders than sucesses, as defined by his W-L record.
As a MGM card carrying member, I can admit that it was a breath of fresh air to watch Napoleon DynaMike play QB for us last year. When your GM and Franchise QB (coach killer) are stinking up the joint, one can only hope the 3rd round QB can step in and provide some sort of spark.
It is down right wrong to not put Dominick on this list. His choices for the roster consume 75% of Joe’s list. Instead of pointing out the small failures, look at the big picture (reason for failure).
July 24th, 2014 at 1:02 pm
@panhandle
Ugh if that’s the case then it makes it even worse..
I remember Dexter catching one pass a Jet but there was holding on the play… I laughed so freaking long about that… The play by play people even mentioned how didn’t have a catch for his career and I think chuckled after the holding call..
@stevek
By your logic of quitting then the entire 2011 team should be on the list because they quit on each other and coach.. You can think what you want there is no talking sense into you…. Lost cause..
July 24th, 2014 at 1:22 pm
Freeman had one very good year and one respectable one. He doesn’t deserve including in this list. Love or hate him now, most of us had hope for him coming into 2013. Just didn’t work out.
July 24th, 2014 at 2:55 pm
Freeman was Hot then freezing – Hot then cold – cool then not here. Joe did you even consider him for the list? Or did the Irish man say not to?
July 24th, 2014 at 3:33 pm
I met Dexter last fall when he had a tryout with the CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats. For all the negatives posted, I can tell you he’s a really good guy and did OK for himself money-wise.
The NFL didn’t work out, but I wish him all the best.
July 24th, 2014 at 3:58 pm
I still think E.J. Biggers should have been on this list!
July 24th, 2014 at 5:07 pm
You guys are flat out dumb to say freeman was the worst. Dominik was bad but not the worst Besides last years meltdown freeman was one our best players
July 24th, 2014 at 5:33 pm
@ 1bucfan88
Finally somebody sees what I’ve been talking about everyone wants to blame the coaches or the GM for the mess this team has become when the real problem has been the Glazer brothers. The Glazers are the ones who decided to fire Jon Gruden shortly after they just gave him an extension. The Bucs were then obligated to pay Gruden for multiple years since he accepted a job with ESPN and not another coaching job in the NFL. Glazers then hired Dominic but weren’t willing to pay for a top notch coach since they were still paying Gruden hence he was forced to hire Raheem Morris and then Greg Schiano, two coaches with little to no NFL experience, to lead the team.
Everyone in the league could see what was happening which is why it was so hard to get free agents to sign with the Bucs. Even when the Bucs offered to over pay for a player agents steered their clients away from Tampa Bay. I don’t think that it was a coincidence that as soon as the Glazers were off the hook for paying Gruden that the team went after a proven coach in Lovie Smith.
July 24th, 2014 at 5:43 pm
ODB, I bet if we did the research Gruden/Allan would be far worse than Dom. Heck, Dom never had a draft as bad as the ’07 draft Gruden did. That was a total bomb.
July 24th, 2014 at 5:45 pm
JOE— Thanks for this list and getting us to camp! Lets hope 10 years from now your list only has a top 5. I never thought after the super bowl we would go this long without a playoff win or endure the low point of 2011.
July 24th, 2014 at 7:25 pm
Certainly able to keep the message boards a buzzin’ while creating (sometimes questionable) debate on here ‘Joe’ to help us pass the time waiting for training camp to start.
Kudos to ‘Joe’ and the list!
(and no I’m not saying that because my only posts were about Dexter Jackson when this list was only at #’s 20 and 19, lol)
July 24th, 2014 at 8:13 pm
@Harry
Ah, that Bruce Allen. Lucky, lucky guy. Born into a family of both sports history, but, power too. And, he just kept falling bass ackwards into it. Three straight division crowns in Oakland. Executive of the year. A Conference championship and Super Bowl loss. To Gruden. Then, more luck with 2 of 5 division titles at OBP (and I still think another playoff if the D hadn’t quit on Monte.) THEN! That golden son of a gun trips into another playoff game while in D.C. It’s uncanny!
And, I’m by no means a Bruce Allen fan, trust me. I’m not. But, however you measure GMs, you’re entitled to your opinion. So, if you want to say Mark Dominik (28-52) is better than Gruden/Allen, who am I to argue?
Me personally? I’d probably not choose Dominik, between the two.
July 24th, 2014 at 9:32 pm
Hugh Culverhouse should have been #1
July 25th, 2014 at 2:03 am
*BUZZER
The answer is Josh Freeman.
Not contest.
BTW a current player on the list? lolol
July 25th, 2014 at 2:05 am
No*
July 25th, 2014 at 7:15 am
Bucs Fan #237 Says:
July 24th, 2014 at 10:06 am
The #1 should actually be Tony Dungy… for taking the anti-gay position.
I know that this is your opinion, but you and everyone else who questions TD’s character are sooooo outgunned, because when it comes to character Father Dungy is unmatched!
July 25th, 2014 at 7:50 am
Thanks for the list Joe. It certainly kept things entertaining while filling the down time.
July 25th, 2014 at 11:48 am
I would argue that Derrick Ward and Alvin Harper should be top 5 on this list. Dexter Jackson was just a second round pick that we didn’t have to pay much for. Harper was made one of the highest paid wr’s in the league by the Bucs and gave us nothing.
December 26th, 2014 at 11:07 pm
If Dom jumped the gun and gave Free that extension for ~100mm then Free makes top 5 on this list right? ?