Laid Back Lovie
October 24th, 2014
Joe always laughs when he reads fans all bent out of shape because Lovie Smith never gets bent out of shape.
It’s like some feel if a coach isn’t going all Jim Leavitt, acting like the madman he is, somehow a coach isn’t doing a good enough job.
Joe finds this all hogwash of the first order. It seems Vincent Jackson believes the same thing.
The Bucs wide receiver scoffed yesterday when he was asked if someone needs to jump on a table and begin hollering for the team to play better.
“Well, if that was the case, I’m sure everybody would have hired somebody in every locker room in the league to get them fired up,” Jackson said. “But no, for us, it’s just been our performance on the field. We recognize that and we believe we’re doing everything in our power to correct it and get off to a better start. It’s all three phases of the game. Offensively, we’ve got to keep some drives going. Defensively, obviously trying to get an early stop, an early three-and-out, get us the ball. We’re just going to keep working as a team, as a unit to get that straight.”
Tom Landry was statuesque. Rarely showed any emotion. You will hardly find a better coach. Same with Chuck Noll, who scolded players who screamed from the sidelines. Paul Brown would just whisper. Few coaches have had an impact on the NFL, or a winning streak, like he put together.
Is it fun to watch a coach freak out on the sidelines? Sure is. But it has zero to do with whether a team is coached up properly or not.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:06 pm
Its called the Lombardi Trophy right?
October 24th, 2014 at 4:07 pm
I totally agree….everytime I jump up and down and scream at my Wife….it never works…..but somehow when she does it to me…..it often works…..different personalities lead differently and all types can be effective.
I think the press is very frustrated with Lovie because he won’t tell them what they want to hear….in a nice way….so it’s hard for them to badger him. Lovie just smiles and makes them feel foolish foolish for asking in the first place…..he is a master of that but he needs to start winning soon or none of his demeanor will matter….
October 24th, 2014 at 4:10 pm
Would be interesting to tally up, and see if fire and brimstone coaches; win more championships.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:10 pm
Laid back…Jacked up…no matter….it is about leadership ….roll back the clock 15 years to 20 something year old football players and Lovie would relate…I don’t see anything from Lovie other than the gravitas of his resume….lot in translation with the football player of today..
October 24th, 2014 at 4:26 pm
Some of the best players on our team are mild mannered……GMC, LVD, VJ…..this goes for players also…..it takes all kinds…..Sapp vs. Brooks….both very effective…..
October 24th, 2014 at 4:45 pm
many times being laid back denies a sense of urgency
October 24th, 2014 at 4:58 pm
If Lovie was anymore laidback I’d swear he was smoking pot.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:59 pm
Blasphemy Joe.
Tom Landry was one of the most innovative minds in the game. His ideas live on every Sunday in the NFL.
Lovie hasn’t invented, nor even perfected a single thing.
Blasphemy Joe.
October 24th, 2014 at 5:03 pm
The problem isn’t that he is too laid back it’s that his team f’n sucks right now and it doesn’t seem that he is too worried about it. A team can have some laid back players but there also has to be some players that are a little more intense especially when things are going wrong. I don’t think you can win in football with a team full of choir boys.
October 24th, 2014 at 5:08 pm
Coaches may not need to be aggressive but players better have it in them to succeed in the NFL.
October 24th, 2014 at 5:12 pm
I don’t see Lovie as laid back.
October 24th, 2014 at 5:42 pm
LUVMYBUCS Says:
October 24th, 2014 at 4:10 pm
“Would be interesting to tally up, and see if fire and brimstone coaches; win more championships.”
My thoughts exactly LUV. If you’re going to name some that don’t do it, surely you can find just as many that do or did do it.
You’re the person for that LUV…get to work! 🙂
October 24th, 2014 at 5:50 pm
John Gruden at Training Camp http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pulTLAjrCR0
October 24th, 2014 at 5:57 pm
Looks like-Fire and Brimstone Coaches win by a landslide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Super_Bowl_head_coaches
October 24th, 2014 at 6:02 pm
Dan Reeves 0-4 .000 (Super bowl record)
XXI, XXII, XXIV, XXXIII Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons
October 24th, 2014 at 6:23 pm
When the defense coached by the laid back coach in question plays with zero urgency or passion, it’s fair to wonder whether or not they’re taking on the coaches personality.
October 24th, 2014 at 6:37 pm
scream and yell at me or my kid and see what it motivates me to do.
October 24th, 2014 at 8:10 pm
I’m tired of hearing people complain. 99 percent of you keyboard tough guys don’t know shiiiit about football or anything. Your all the same idiots that wanted shiano gone and now after half a season you all want lovie fired now. None of you know jack crap about anything so just shut up and let people with bigger brains than your pile of sand brains run things. It takes time and it doesn’t happen in half a season. We’re lucky we even have a respectable coach that wanted to come here. You all act like this franchise is the premier team in the league and demand super bowls like they grow on trees. Idiots. Check the history of this franchise and tailor down your expectations.
October 24th, 2014 at 9:02 pm
When the laid back guy screams, and yells people take notice!
You can only speak softly for so long, Before people start tuning you out.
October 24th, 2014 at 9:06 pm
That’s the thing that most people just don’t realize – grown men don’t always respond well to yelling. Think about it, when you dad used to yell at you, it used to scare the hell out of you. Now imagine if he did that today, what would you think? It would have a very different effect. These guys are professionals. They’ve had yellers and screamers as coaches their whole lives. They are grown men. For most, that’s just not going to motivate them anymore. Hopefully they are motivated by winning and/or money. If not, all the yelling and screaming in the world isn’t going to make a damn bit of difference. I assume most of us played high school sports, and maybe a few of us played college. It’s just not the same thing.
October 24th, 2014 at 9:11 pm
Our SB trophy was hoisted by a man that screamed and hollered at grown men all season long….end results. The Super Bowl.
October 24th, 2014 at 9:24 pm
@1987,
But he wasn’t a great coach because he screamed and hollered. He was a great coach because he was a great coach. He came to Tampa and actually cared about offense, and didn’t F with the defense. Him screaming was his personality, but was irrelevant to his success. He was a success because he knew what the hell he was doing. All that screaming meant nothing when Schiano was the coach. All that chest bumping meant nothing when Raheem was the coach.
October 24th, 2014 at 9:27 pm
To be clear, I’m not saying a coach can’t be successful by being a screamer. Every coach has his own style, and there’s nothing wrong with a feisty coach. However, it all boils down to how good of a leader and motivator they are. Men can be motivated in many different ways, and coaches have to find a way to do that within their personality. They can’t fake it. If Gruden tried to act like Tom Landry, it wouldn’t work, and vice versa.
October 24th, 2014 at 9:43 pm
Mike Ditka used to get right up into the QB’s face. I think he even pulled one of his QB’s by the facemask one time just to bring him in closer.
Father Dungy was no screamer that’s for certain. I think it just depends on what the coach says when he’s screaming at the player. Which words he uses. If he’s just screaming because he doesn’t like the outcome of what the player just did, then that’s just showing anger and most will tune that out. If he screams at them to teach them that what they just did was wrong and how to correct it. I think some players would respond to it. I also think if the coach is well known to be a screamer coming in, players probably just except it for what it is and who they are.
October 24th, 2014 at 9:51 pm
@NewBucsFan!!!!
Mike Ditka used to get right up into the QB’s face. I think he even pulled one of his QB’s by the facemask one time just to bring him in closer.
How would you and your son handle that?
The league is becoming wussified, now some fans want the coaches to be wussies too.
In today’s pee wee football and little league every player gets a trophy at the end of the season even if their team went winless the whole season. Why? It’s so they don’t hurt the other kids feelings that they sucked. It’s the wussification of America. Stuff like that never happened when I was a kid. You had to earn trophies by being exceptional.
October 24th, 2014 at 9:57 pm
@1987,
I think we’re pretty much in agreement on this one. It really all comes down to respect. If the players respect the coach, they can yell and it will work. If the players respect the coach and he is more laid back, that will work too. But if they don’t respect the coach, it’s doesn’t make a bit of difference one way or the other. Schiano and Morris lost the respect of the players, and it was over. Hopefully the same doesn’t happen to Lovie. Unlike most people, I don’t think it’s happened yet, and I don’t expect it to. I do, however, expect Lovie to come down with the iron fist at the end of the year if this doesn’t get corrected.
October 24th, 2014 at 10:05 pm
I see him as arrogant and profoundly passive aggressive….almost as if anybody that speaks to him is beneath him
October 24th, 2014 at 10:08 pm
Hawaiian Buc …as the season has been going along. I’ve been doing more and more research on Lovie Smith. Not stats research either. Stuff fans have said about him in the past good or bad. What I’ve been finding out from most Bears fans is the one thing they most disliked about him was exactly what were talking about on this thread. The same reason Joe wrote the article. Most Bears fans hated the fact that he shows no emotion. I was reading stuff as far back as 2008. I’m still searching more stuff every day just to get a gauge on this guy. Just to see if what was happening in Chicago is happening here or what we might be in store for in the future.
I know I’ve said I don’t care about past seasons and history from other teams, but you can learn a lot about the man just by looking around the net.
October 24th, 2014 at 10:16 pm
sho nuff Says:
October 24th, 2014 at 10:05 pm
“I see him as arrogant and profoundly passive aggressive….almost as if anybody that speaks to him is beneath him”
I think you just described Mike Tomlin of the Steelers. That dude pissed me off about 2-3 weeks ago when he was asked why he hates being called a “players coach”. His automatic response was to pull the race card. He thinks people are being racist by calling him a players coach. When I heard that I almost crapped my pants. How come no one called him out on that? They just swept it under the rug like oh well. I think his comment was racist for that being the first thing that pops into his mind. There have been plenty of white “players coaches” in history of the NFL. Some people can say stuff and no one questions it. He should have been asked to elaborate. I saw that as an arrogant response because of the tone of his voice and it pissed me off a lot.
October 24th, 2014 at 10:40 pm
Yelling and screaming don’t work anymore, because the new chickified America is too soft for it. Youngins these days are too coddled.
Used to be, a boss yelled, the employee thought he was a dick but still tried to get better. Now they just cry to the boss’ boss (media in the case of players) that their boss is too mean and it makie their poor wittle feewings get hurt.
The American MAN is a dying breed. Now you have to be in touch with your sensitive side and cry at stupid movies, or else you’re a bigot!!
October 24th, 2014 at 10:47 pm
@Buc1987,
As for Lovie, I’m lucky enough to have personal experience. One of my buddies played for him for 2 years in Chicago. He loved him. He’s also played for a couple other big time coaches, but he loved playing for Lovie. Now keep in mind that Lovie cut him in the middle of his second season when he got hurt, and subsequently lost his starting job. Even with that, he said he’s the best coach he’s ever had. The day we hired Lovie he told me that we are going to love him. He basically said he treats them like men and family, but still motivates them and holds them accountable. When I talk to him now, he’s totally confused as to what’s happening. Like me, he just can’t believe that Lovie forgot how to coach.
Every coach is going to have criticism. Hell, even Bellicheck constantly gets second guessed. Don’t forget how many people didn’t like Gruden. It’s just part of the job. Myself included, fans don’t know what the hell we are talking about. We like to believe we do, but realistically we are ignorant. The smartest of us on this site would make the world’s worst NFL coach. We can say “he’s not making adjustments, he’s not doing this, he’s not doing that”, but we wouldn’t recognize it even if he did. Let’s just be real here. Was I too hard on Schiano, probably. Schiano I’m sure knows a lot of football. My issues with him were more so his behavior and his high school mentality. Point is, I don’t take too much stock in what the fans of a team say. Bottom line, Lovie got it done in Chicago. Obviously he made mistakes, but I’d sure as hell take 10-6 in Tampa. I might even take 6-10.
October 24th, 2014 at 11:02 pm
Can we agree that you make better decisions when you keep your cool?
October 24th, 2014 at 11:29 pm
Tomlin being called a player’s coach is about as racist as him tripping that black player. Clearly he is a racist and an idiot, since he can’t even beat those crapped Buccaneers. 🙂
October 24th, 2014 at 11:30 pm
*crappy
October 25th, 2014 at 3:01 am
@Buc 1987
I don’t really care what Bears fans said. He was winning, and the idiots wanted him gone. 10-6 would be huge here. They were looking for reasons to send him packing, just like you are. And don’t say you’re not, because you went searching for negative thoughts on him.
And, yes, Jon Gruden was a screamer. But we WAS NOT a good coach. After his first year, how many playoff games did he win? How many playoff appearances were there? Good coaches are consistent winners, not roller coaster rides.
Would he have won the superbowl without Dungy’s defense? Heck no. Would he have won the superbowl if it was against a team whose offensive playbook he didn’t have in his lap? Maybe. Maybe not.
Was his offense, the part that HE contributed to the team, ever any good? Heck no. An offensive minded coach should be able to win with offense, not rely on the defense another coach developed.
There is a reason the Buccaneers SB was voted the most boring superbowl in history a couple years ago. Jon Gruden is not a good coach.
Do you know why the Bucs were yo-yoing each year under Gruden? Because they no longer had the coach who had taught them to win consistently.
And you can’t say Dungy would not have won a SB here. He probably would have, and we would have never stopped being contenders, because Dungy and McKay were a perfect match.
October 25th, 2014 at 3:11 am
And for god’s sake…instead of search for reasons to dislike a coach, try looking for reasons to like him. When the Bucs start winning, you know what we’ll hear from the same media who says he is too laid back? That he was a rock thru the hard times.
Laid back does not mean there is no drive. He’s an encourager. Encouragers get much better results.
Its ironic that fans here, who can’t handle being told they’re wrong or are confronted aggressively, think a sceamer is better. If your boss, no matter what you do, screeams at you, you would either set him straight or quit.
I’ve worked for screaming bosses before. One I talked to in private and told him if he talked to me like that again I would walk. He never screamed at me again. The other? I was younger. I threw him thru his office wall. Who knew drywall broke so easy?
October 25th, 2014 at 3:21 am
Here is how this team will start winning:
“But it’s enough talking. We have to start playing, simple as that. The talking is not going to get it anymore,” McCoy said. “I’ve been hearing talking and speeches for five years. It’s time to start seeing action, simple as that.”
If David and Goldson and Johnson each say and do this, the team will become a major player.
October 25th, 2014 at 9:27 am
Who dosent like a easy teacher or easy coach like bear Bryant or bill parcels or don Shula or Lombardi or jimmy johnson they were all laid back
October 25th, 2014 at 9:53 am
Bonzai. Right on.
October 25th, 2014 at 11:03 am
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
October 25th, 2014 at 3:01 am
@Buc 1987
I don’t really care what Bears fans said. He was winning, and the idiots wanted him gone. 10-6 would be huge here. They were looking for reasons to send him packing, just like you are. And don’t say you’re not, because you went searching for negative thoughts on him.
And, yes, Jon Gruden was a screamer. But we WAS NOT a good coach. After his first year, how many playoff games did he win? How many playoff appearances were there? Good coaches are consistent winners, not roller coaster rides.
________________________________________________________
lol at this. Lovie made fewer appearances after the Bears made the Super Bowl (1) than Gruden did (2), but Lovie made the playoffs once in the 6 years after their SB appearance whereas Gruden made it twice in 6 years.
Oh yeah, consistent winners? Lovie made the playoffs 1 out of every 3 years in Chicago. That’s not a consistent winner, that’s missing the playoffs twice as often as making it. Nice to know what we’re striving for is that kind of “consistent winning”. Gruden actually made it 3 out of 7, so he was technically better than Lovie at making the playoffs.
October 25th, 2014 at 11:56 am
Gruden could have possibly won a SB with the raiders if not for the “tuck rule”. Possibly one of the best yet worst games in NFL history.
And then there’s this:
Destinjohnny Says:
October 25th, 2014 at 9:27 am
Who dosent like a easy teacher or easy coach like bear Bryant or bill parcels or don Shula or Lombardi or jimmy johnson they were all laid back
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Winning isn’t a sometime thing it’s an all the time thing unfortunately so is losing.
October 25th, 2014 at 1:23 pm
oh the statuesque, steely eyed glare of bewilderment, reminds one of the good ole day’s. when Milton burle was being roasted by don rickels on the dean martin celebrity roasts, idly staring in disbelief as he was being utterly destroyed by his protégé and could not give an answer. just like ole stoneface when he guides his hapless bucs to a 1-15 record and then drafts a punter!