“There’s A Lot Of, You Know, People Involved In That”
September 9th, 2014
The loss of Michael Bennett got a new twist today
Letting beastly young defensive end Michael Bennett walk away to Seattle after a nine-sack season in 2012, a season in which Bennett also was dominant against the run, is one of the more puzzling moves/non-moves in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history.
And this morning, former Bucs rockstar general manager Mark Dominik made it sound like that critical call wasn’t his decision.
Bennett was never arrested, never part of a scandal, and was known for his work ethic, rising the from the ranks of undrafted free agent in 2009. He was — and is — still very close friends with Gerald McCoy. Their wives are extremely tight, Bennett told Joe at Super Bowl media day in January. Bennett wanted to stay in Tampa.
Yes, Bennett needed shoulder surgery after the 2012 offseason, but he didn’t miss a game in 2012, and he recovered just fine and didn’t miss a game for the Super Bowl champs last season — while he led Seattle in sacks.
There’s never been a straight public answer on Bennett being allowed to leave the Greg Schiano defense that he thrived in.
Today, Dominik was asked point blank why Bennett was allowed to get away on the Ron and Ian show on WDAE-AM 620, and Dominik made it sound like Team Glazer and/or team doctors had a heavy hand in the decision.
Host Ron Diaz: What was the reasoning behind Michael Bennett, who’s succeeding now in Seattle, for him not being offered another [Buccaneers] contract?
Mark Dominik: It’s a good question. Here’s where I’d take a step back and sit there and say, you know, Michael Bennett obviously came into the league as an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M. We spent the entire preseason watching him. When he came available, guys, there was only one team in the league that claimed him: that was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And so we, I put him on the team because I believed so much in Michael Bennett and what he is as a player and what he could become. He grew into that player, and did a good job. You know, there’s a lot of things that go into decisions. There’s a lot of, you know, people involved in that. But, you know, it was a tough decision for the football team and Michael’s done a good job going forward.
Dominik saying “there’s a lot of, you now, people involved in that” has Joe’s radar up. Who exactly are these “people?” Greg Schiano and Dominik made draft/free agency decisions together.
Is Dominik talking about Team Glazer quashing a free agent signing? Did Buccaneers doctors insist Bennett was badly damaged goods?
Dominik surely gave an answer that made it clear Bennett was a guy he found, cultivated and respected.
September 9th, 2014 at 11:46 am
Hogwash. Dominik is bad at everything football related. Just ask your readers.
September 9th, 2014 at 11:47 am
Man I heard that when he was on earlier and can’t remember someone answering a question by talking so much while saying so little.
September 9th, 2014 at 11:48 am
Really.
Are we that dumb?
Is there any question at all who made the call to
release Bennett?
I’ve been saying this all along and every ex-coach
and ex-star-player would agree (unless they’re still
under contract).
Let me spell it out for the less mentally agile:
What is the one common denominator since
Gruden left?
September 9th, 2014 at 11:49 am
Haha same ol Dom – the cop out con.
Translation of what he said: “Let’s blame the ‘difficult’ decision to let him go on someone else, and focus more on my incredible evaluation.”
The decision was easy pal – u just blew it.
September 9th, 2014 at 11:50 am
And threw away for “his” draft picks!
If you think Coach Schiano preferred Bowers over Bennett, he would have put bowers in the best light, not benching him for Teo!!
stop looking at excuses for the truth Joe! let the facts tell the story!!!
September 9th, 2014 at 11:50 am
Stop…the pain is unbearable…
September 9th, 2014 at 11:51 am
Dom hurt this team no doubt
– and I’m not gonna grab the pitchfork for L+L, but I’ve seen a few players also shown the door this offseason who could be helping us…
September 9th, 2014 at 11:52 am
To think ownership isn’t involved in big signings in foolish. Not saying I believe Dominik, but maybe the Glazers were afraid to sign the guy needing surgery. It’s their money, not yours.
September 9th, 2014 at 11:56 am
I believe Schiano didn’t want him back. However, I still blame Dominik 100% for not standing his ground and signing him anyway. You can’t let the little high school coach get his way on everything. Dominik should have just told him tough sh!t, and signed him to a huge deal.
September 9th, 2014 at 11:56 am
Talk about dodging the question! In my opinion, “Da Rock Star” blew it, and doesn’t want to admit it
September 9th, 2014 at 11:57 am
Certain folks around here keep insisting that “Schiano knows talent!!!1!1!! Derr derrr!” You know, like Daniel Te’o-Nesheim. Had to keep him over Bennett.
September 9th, 2014 at 11:57 am
Who cares now. The past is the past. Unless we’re looking for a patsy to lay blame on for the history books, there’s no reason at this point, looking at the past. Let’s move forward and come up with fresh ideals on how to improve our future.
September 9th, 2014 at 11:58 am
Glazers only care about profits. Did you now that the Tampa taxpayers are also paying for the stadium upgrades? luxury suites at that. Smh
September 9th, 2014 at 12:09 pm
FWIW, Pewter Report suggested a while back that it was ultimately the Glazers who said no to signing Bennett to a lucrative extension. I’ll look for the article, but it’s not like it would be the first time those incompetent brothers have made a boneheaded football decision.
September 9th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
That Guy,
Shiano was forced to work with Dominick’s draft picks, you know 1st and 2nd rounds (busts) Clayborn and Bowers.
Why did we keep Bowers, but cut ties with Bennett?
Easy, our GM was hog wash.
Rockstar= #1WorstBuccaneerInTheLast10Years
September 9th, 2014 at 12:19 pm
Why has the new regime keep Clayborn and Bowers?
September 9th, 2014 at 12:19 pm
I guess even more why didn’t they sign Bennett???
September 9th, 2014 at 1:07 pm
Should have given his contract to Michael Johnson instead. We know Bennett is very, very good. Johnson? Meh.
September 9th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Well not signing FB Lorig is another mistake we have made too. Look, I like our new FB, but Lorig seemed to have a knack for cracking holes open here and there for our RBs. We should have kept him if we were planning in running the ball from the I-formation. And don’t get me started about Zuttah, yes yes he is a better C than G, but it sure would be nice to still have him.
September 9th, 2014 at 1:48 pm
His agent held out for a lucrative multiyear deal and someone very high up in the Bucs organization offered a one year deal. Bennett/Agent went all “dissin’ on me”. UDFA’s don’t always get the courtesy that draft picks do.
Seattle gave him the same $5M one year deal the Bucs offered.
My conclusions?
1) Bennett looked a whole lot better in Seattle’s rotation than he would have here.
2) 3 of his 9 sacks in 2012 were against he same scrub in the same game. Bennett wasn’t that good here.
3) Maybe the real focus should be on the fact that Clayborn, Bowers and Price were all overpaid squandered draft picks.
We cut guys who have played better elsewhere, Miller, Gilberry, Michael Johnson, Selvie etc.
September 9th, 2014 at 1:49 pm
I clicked “read more” thinking there would be an answer.
September 9th, 2014 at 1:51 pm
Translation: The Glazers are still paying me and it wasn’t all on me. Yes I screwed up but the origin of the decision should be placed at the foot of the ownership and all parties involved.
September 9th, 2014 at 1:58 pm
The real problem in Tampa = Consistency. We need consistency at GM, HC, QB for more than a few years. Building a team over and over then dismantling it is the problem. We have had some bad luck with injuries, etc. But some of the decisions made have been really poor…and frustrating. We need to stick with our HC and GM for a while and let things play out. I trust Lovie more than any coach we have had in a while. I also think our GM has done a fine job trying to improve now (FA signings) and build for the future (draft). Hate to say it, but being patient is warranted given the HC we landed this offseason. He will sooner than later figure it out. So let me be the bad guy and say the nasty word…patience.
September 9th, 2014 at 2:26 pm
SAMCRO: You’re failing to see the actual issue. The root of the problem persists into the present. Unfortunately, the root owns the team.
September 9th, 2014 at 3:10 pm
@ DB55
Thank God.
Finally someone else who can see through the bullshit
like me and isn’t snowed in by the media.
Lol:
It’s Dominick!
It’s Schiano!
It’s McCown!
It’s Morris!
IT’s Gruden!
It’s their fault that the Bucs suck!
No…..It’s the Glazers fault and they know it
but they do not want you to know it.
We’re really kind of ****ed here.
If the profance mobs get up to speed on
what is really happening and demand a change
then they’ll just move the team to a new patsy city.
They really don’t want to move because they know
that we’re chumps and we’ll put up with it.
The next city may be a much more hard sell.
September 9th, 2014 at 3:17 pm
1bucfan88 Says:
September 9th, 2014 at 12:09 pm
FWIW, Pewter Report suggested a while back that it was ultimately the Glazers who said no to signing Bennett to a lucrative extension. I’ll look for the article, but it’s not like it would be the first time those incompetent brothers have made a boneheaded football decision.
_____________________________________
OF COURSE IT WAS THE G-BOYS!
Was there ever any question?
They’re behind every high-priced, new-contract-due
termination the BUCs have ever had (Gerald McCoy
you’re the next!).
They’re behind the release of Penn, Joseph, Zuttah,
Bennett, etc, etc, etc…..
They PAY people to keep their mouths shut about this fact.
…And it has nothing to do with “boneheaded football decisions”
it only has to due with money…and NOT spending it on the Bucs.
September 9th, 2014 at 3:28 pm
Personally, I always thought the decision to let Bennett walk was Schiano’s.
September 9th, 2014 at 3:31 pm
Amazing … the players he drafted were garbage. The players he DIDN’T draft he lets walk away. I don’t buy a WORD of his story.
September 9th, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Same.
September 9th, 2014 at 4:23 pm
the “rock star” is as gutless as they come….
September 9th, 2014 at 4:28 pm
@ ThatGuy
” Greg Schiano and Dominik made draft/free agency decisions together.”
And there you have it finally putting to rest the argument on the draft and free agents. I’ve said all along Schiano helped Dom in the draft since you don’t go from the ineptitude of Rah+Dom drafting to the quality of 2012&2013 without help from someone else. Obviously the Schiano haters still want to blame him for every ill, but truth is I believe we would have seen a much more prepared team this past Sunday had Schiano still been the Bucs HC (hopefully that changes and Lovie gets his sh!t together next Sunday)
September 9th, 2014 at 4:34 pm
Bucs made an offer. Bennett thought he should have gotten a multi year deal. Seattle made a one year prove it deal. They offered him a new deal after he proved it.
Didn’t want to take the Bucs deal, he took the only other offer last year with the Hawks. If another team offered a multi year deal last year, he would not be in Seattle.
September 9th, 2014 at 4:41 pm
Sho nuff brings quality to the message boards.
September 9th, 2014 at 4:48 pm
Last I checked, Rockstars don’t get punked by mediocre NCAA coaches in their first stint in the NFL. In the words of Kamikaze Tanka, Mark Dominik apparently didn’t have the “marbles” to put his foot down and mediate the two sides in setting aside their differences. Instead, Dom & Schiano forced that ridiculous notion down our throats about DeQuan Bowers being a “10-sack guy”. Dom was the pu**y and Schiano was the d*ck, that’s why we were fncked while they were both here, royally.
September 9th, 2014 at 5:26 pm
Appreciate the comment, but Joe has this checked on various levels from various sources and pays good money to do so, and does it personally from numerous and varied locations. It’s got to be on your end. –Joe
September 9th, 2014 at 6:15 pm
Someone hired Schiano. Someone hired Raheem Morris. Someone promoted Dominik. I’m sick of giving them my time and money and I’m not doing it anymore.
September 9th, 2014 at 8:40 pm
We lost out on Bennett and that is that, but reading some of these comments today has me smh. There’s even talk about moving the team:
“They really don’t want to move because they know
that we’re chumps and we’ll put up with it.
The next city may be a much more hard sell.”
That is such BS, and an asinine statement if there ever was one! Chumps? Speak for yourself hombre! Everybody is down on this team and those who lead it, did it ever occur to you that it’s only ONE game in the books? I was pissed too after watching that game, but I also realize that it takes a little time for things to come together, there’s a lot of moving parts that were just installed this off season, let’s at least see how this unfolds. If it’s still inept after the next couple games, then your concerns may be validated, but until then…..just relax people.
September 9th, 2014 at 10:36 pm
Bucfever40
Agreed. But if we lose this badly to the Rams, then somebody needs to walk the plank.
September 9th, 2014 at 10:51 pm
Hm something tells me Dom is covering this up Joe. You really think he’s going to come out and admit his mistake when it made him look so badly? He’s no longer employed by the bucs so he said it the most professional way of trying to cover up his bad mistake.