Donald Penn Professes Love For Bucs
March 7th, 2015
When a team finishes 2-14 and wins the Chase for Jameis, it’s pretty clear a mistake or two (or eight) happened along the way. Otherwise, the team wouldn’t reside in the NFL basement.
One mistake was giving up on left tackle Donald Penn for Anthony Collins.
The new regime of Bucs coach Lovie Smith believed the offensive line needed gutting. Not a sinister concept, so long as the guys you ran are replaced with better players. That’s the trap that caught Lovie.
At first, Penn was livid at news he was released and thought he got crossed. Penn didn’t stay bitter long. The California native hooked up with the team he grew up with, the Raiders, and turned in one of his best seasons in years.
Meanwhile, Collins has the U-Haul trucks backed up in his driveway, and Craters & Freighters on speed dial.
In a lengthy feature on SB Nation’s SilverandBlackPride.com, Penn said he has nothing left in his heart for the Bucs except love, types Levi Damien.
“I’m always gonna love the Buccaneers,” said Penn. “They were my first jam, my first opportunity. I played eight years there, eight years of my life there. Buccaneers will always have a place in my heart… I wish the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the best, I really do. I really hope they get to turn things around. I got a lot friends that still play there and I wish them luck. It’s a great town, they got a great city, great fan base.
“But, you know what? With the way things happened, I couldn’t have it any better way, man. I love being in Oakland. I grew up in LA, grew up cheering for them so what more could you ask for? I’m really truly blessed it happened this way and I live in LA, so it’s like the perfect match. What would be even better is when we turn this thing around, being a part of the turnaround. I can’t wait to do that. Being able to tell my kids about it when I get older and stuff like that.”
Penn was one of Joe’s favorite players. Always willing to talk and often with a unique, intelligent perspective. Oh, sure, he was angry at Joe at one time, thinking Joe was trying to Pearl Harbor leaky, sleepy Josh Freeman’s career. We all know that was not true.
Penn may have looked the part of roughneck, but the guy really is a Teddy Bear at heart. The fact he speaks fondly of the Bucs, even after the Bucs dumped him out of the pirate ship, shows he’s’ a class act.
March 7th, 2015 at 8:11 am
good article Joe
March 7th, 2015 at 8:44 am
We love you too Penn, keep doing your thing man.
March 7th, 2015 at 8:45 am
I’m a huge fan of Penn. I always liked that guy.
March 7th, 2015 at 8:50 am
I have to disagree, While I did not watch any Raiders games. The Grades that Penn received indicated that he did not ” have his best season in years “. That is Joe’s opinion, and I question home many games did Joe watch of the Raiders.
while singing Collins was a mistake, it was not a mistake to let Penn Go!
March 7th, 2015 at 9:00 am
Said it then that it was a mistake to release him and then when I heard who his replacement was only confirmed it for me that it would blow up in our faces and in pure buccaneer fashion….it did
March 7th, 2015 at 9:08 am
I agree it was time for Penn to he was getting his arse beat like he was Collins. The only reason people complain is because Collins did not meet our expectations of a dominate LT. The way Quinn undressed Penn he should have been cut why he was on the field..
March 7th, 2015 at 9:11 am
Penn was fantastic last year. Don’t kid yourself, Realist.
March 7th, 2015 at 9:51 am
Just about every Bucs fan on this site was happy to see Penn go. I seem to remember that was when all the do-no-wrong Lovie campaign started. It was one of the saddest times in franchise history. Maybe this time around it’s okay to question these guys?
March 7th, 2015 at 9:58 am
“Oh, sure, he was angry at Joe at one time, thinking Joe was trying to Pearl Harbor leaky, sleepy Josh Freeman’s career. We all know that was not true.”
We do? Presumptuous at best.
March 7th, 2015 at 10:27 am
Robert Quinn the all pro? Shame on Penn not being able to lock that guy up. Rolls eyes.
Anthony Collins made Everson griffen look like Reggie white.
March 7th, 2015 at 10:29 am
Hence why I am not confident this ownership group and coaches will make the right decisions on draft day and when FA market opens. I think we are cursed. Dungy curse? Lol.
March 7th, 2015 at 10:36 am
By far the worst decision of the current regime. If nothing else penn brought the nasty. His leadership is sorely missed. Best wishes brother.
March 7th, 2015 at 10:43 am
Repost
(January 1st, 2015)
Donald has always been a good athlete. Weight & Motivation has always been a problem. You don’t have to review a scouting report of when he was coming out of college to understand that. Mark Dominik thought putting a yearly 400k workout bonus AND 600k weight clause would, keep his weight and condition in check.(unfortunately that didn’t work)
Bottom line Donald put out bad tape (real bad tape according to reviews). And because of that he lost MILLIONS. You gotta give big fella props though, Donald responded by putting himself through what he recalls – the most vigorous off season conditioning program of his entire career.
He spent a lot of time playing basketball to improve his lateral movement and explosion. Countless hours in the gym going through strength & resistance training drill. Losing Millions + the need to provide a quality living for his family was all the motivation he needed. Now he plays ball in his home state…and suits up for the team he grew up cheering. No Harm -No Foul….wish dude the best!
March 7th, 2015 at 10:47 am
You are correct BK. Not on the Dungy curse though. Our team would never have sniffed the Lombardi if that were true.
Lovie strikes me has having no fight in him. No passion, and probably lacking in the smarts department as well. I pray I’m wrong, but I have no confidence in him whatsoever.
Look at the way Chip Kelly goes about business. Or Harbaugh. Or Bellicheck. Heck I wouldn’t care if half the league called us cheaters if we got the results of the Patriots. You gotta want it bad, and Lovie Dovie looks like he’s just happy to be here.
All Penn needed was a challenge. He has always responded well to a challenge.
Heck, Lovie was handing out starting jobs and money like they were Halloween treats. I hope the Bucs aren’t in for another stretch like they were in the 80’s but it sure smells like it. It’s going to take more than the #1 pick to fix this situation.
March 7th, 2015 at 10:57 am
@Buc Realist:
How did you come up with your supposed grades? According to profootballfocus he was the 7th highest left tackle in the league and only responsible for 4 sacks the whole year.
March 7th, 2015 at 11:09 am
@Eric
did you watch any Raiders games? or are we all basing opinions on grades of opinion websites???
if profootballfocus graded him high, are they just Raider fans? donald penn fans? Because you can find other sites like profootballreference that graded penn in 2014 the worst in 3 years. I have seen more sites graded him average to below average then to above average or like you say top 10!!!
March 7th, 2015 at 11:51 am
This Bucs fan sends the love right back at you Mr. Penn.
March 7th, 2015 at 1:43 pm
I live in Oakland, Ca and I do get to watch Raider games. Penn wasn’t all that last season. I’m going to have to agree with @Realist on this one. Penn was underperforming in TB before they let him go.
March 7th, 2015 at 2:09 pm
Just think, if Lovie would not have cut Penn then the Bucs would have likely have won a couple of more games, they wouldn’t have the no. 1 pick, McGown would still be the starting QB and instead we would be hearing all the PR crap about how the no. 5 or 6 pick brought us the player they wanted all along, though we all know that player could only be the best of what’s left.
Now, with the no. 1 pick, there’s no excuses. The Bucs get to pick the best player in the draft rather than be a pick or two away from the best, so they better pick wisely. This will more than likely be Lovie’s one-and-only shot at the ‘best player in the draft’. No pressure on Lovie, only the Glazers, the city of Tampa, the Bucs fan base, and all the No. 1 pick’s fellow team mates are counting on him to choose the right ‘Face of the Franchise’ player.
The stakes are high, Lovie is keeping his cards close to the chest and Lovie-speak and body language have been known to be only scripted as diversion. So who will it be Lovie, how will you play the hand? Take a card and pick Winston hoping for the royal flush, hold and go with the safe pick in Mariota, or lay down your cards (fold) by trading down? This hand will define the Buccaneers franchise for the next decade. Prayers coming to you Lovie, and lots of them from the left coast.
All this because Penn was released last March 13. Wonder who’s gonna get released this year?
March 8th, 2015 at 12:47 pm
What I am saying is that at worst he was an average left tackle which would be a huge upgrade over the garbage that we overpaid last year
March 9th, 2015 at 9:45 am
Most of you guys hated Penn when he was in Tampa. Your memory is horrible.
Maybe if you guys didn’t whine so much, you would realize talent when it is here.