Stop The Revis Revisionism!
March 11th, 2015
Joe had a hunch it would start, but wasn’t sure when. “It” began early in the evening last night.
It is Darrelle Revis revisionist history. And it needs to stop before folks make themselves look like sniffling dummies.
Of course, Revis signed with the Jets last night and Gotham is abuzz. Once again, the Jets have won the back pages of New York’s tabloids while the Giants passed the evening polishing their Lombardi Trophies.
There was nothing wrong with the Buccaneers’ Revis trade. Nothing at all. Quick, how many teams would have fought to acquire Revis for a first- and third- (or fourth) round pick? That’s because it would be a steal for a future Hall of Famer not yet 30.
That is the price former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik paid for Revis. And even Revis, who wasn’t 100 percent recovered from knee surgery at the time of the trade, proved valuable both on the field (named to Pro Bowl) and off the field (he became Johnthan Banks’ big brother and the two remain especially tight).
Quick, name the last corner outside of Ronde Barber to make the Pro Bowl for the Bucs?
And people think Revis was a bad deal for a first and what turned out to be a fourth? Please. A first-round pick, you just hope the guy becomes All-Pro one day. To get a Hall of Famer for that price would have general managers getting into knifefights for a chance to buy.
If you are bored, go look at the history of fourth round picks for the Bucs. The list is pretty gruesome.
How exactly was this a bad trade? It wasn’t, not in the least. Problem is, folks can’t get past their blind hatred of Dominik.
No, the problem with the trade wasn’t making it. The problem was the Bucs letting Revis go for zero compensation. They didn’t get squat for him. Just let him walk. How did that turn out? Not sure? Ask Bill Belicheat.
The players the Bucs bought with the windfall of cash in Revis’ void blew up in the team’s face. Josh McCown, Anthony Collins and Ghost Johnson were handsomely rewarded as free agents acquired, in part, with what was previously earmarked for Revis’ salary. Two of those bums have already been cut a year later. And the third? The Bucs are burning the midnight oil trying to find away to unload him with the least amount of financial pain.
Now that is the mistake of the Revis trade. Not that the Bucs traded for him, but they gave up on him as if he had both the Ebola virus and the MRSA left over from the 2013 season.
March 11th, 2015 at 5:29 am
We both know Revis did not make the Pro Bowl in 2012 for his play that season. The Pro Bowl is a popularity contest, you know that Joe.
March 11th, 2015 at 5:35 am
MariotaorWinston
Obviously you missed the whole point of the article.
March 11th, 2015 at 5:39 am
we lost revis for mccown, johnson and collins lol we blew this one
March 11th, 2015 at 5:45 am
The lengths Joe will go to defend Doms bad choices is hilarious.
March 11th, 2015 at 5:48 am
dom drafted two legit players in all his years here david and mccoy thats a terrible draft record
March 11th, 2015 at 5:56 am
@DI
I understand the point of the article. You shouldn’t look back at the Revis trade with bitterness because he eventually made it back to the Jets in a matter of two seasons. The Teflon Dom messed up on a LOT of things, but he’s done worse than the Revis trade, a LOT worse.
I was simply saying that it is silly to use the Pro Bowl as reasoning that Revis had a good season in 2012. Revis could’ve amputated his bum leg and still made the Pro Bowl.
March 11th, 2015 at 6:15 am
Looks to me like we lost the first time when we traded for him. We lost the second time when we let him go. The only winner was Revis $$$!
March 11th, 2015 at 6:15 am
Quick: Donnie Abraham
March 11th, 2015 at 6:16 am
He saw the new unis and said oh he!! no!
March 11th, 2015 at 6:17 am
True Revis was a good player here. Letting him go was after one wasn’t the best move. Given how much cap space the Bucs had and still have it was unnecessary.
It sounded more like they really wanted that 3rd round pick. Which became: … Charles Sims. A pick not many people liked at the time and who hasn’t proven himself yet.
March 11th, 2015 at 6:19 am
We rehabbed him for his super bowl team and for his current/former team. At least we gave up a draft pick from our rebuilding franchise to do it.
Hindsight is 20/20. At the time most of us thought we were ready to make a run.
March 11th, 2015 at 6:25 am
Another pissed away 1st round pick.
March 11th, 2015 at 6:55 am
No revisionism needed to say it was a god awful trade, it’s was obvious to all be the blind and/or mentally challenged that the Jets & Revis agent all bent Dom over the negotiating table and had at him.
NOBODY else was going to trade for him at that time due to cap space and the Jets had to move him for the same exact reason, was negotiating against himself and managed to talk himself into giving up a 1st rounder.
Even then it wasn’t so bad because we were getting a guy who had been the best in the league BUT problem 2 hits in that he was still hurt when the trade happened, we didn’t know if he was coming back to play at that level, he very well could have been a bog standard CB, didn’t happen but remember there is no revisionism meaning we didn’t know that.
Then the real stinker of the contract, the guy was making something like a third more than the next highest paid corner in football, now sure contracts are increasing all the time but to jump like that is just another example of how poor Dom was at negotiating. I swear he never met a name player he didn’t want to over pay for, typical Dom negotiation…
Dom “So what were you looking for with this deal?”
Agent “$15 million over 4 years.
Dom “Well I’m offering $20 million over 3 years.”
Agent “OK? What’s the catch?
Dom “Playing hardball? OK, $25 million over 3 year.”
Agent “Done.”
Dom “Awesome, that’s $30 million over 2 years. Nice doing business with you.
JBF headline “Rockstar GM does it again! Dom lands a huge name for a bargain”
March 11th, 2015 at 6:55 am
Revis is simply a mercenary…..nothing more, nothing less….
March 11th, 2015 at 6:57 am
Elite players don’t come easy, or cheap. To dump one purely for scheme reasons means either the scheme sucks, or the coach is unadaptable. Either scenario is not good.
March 11th, 2015 at 7:17 am
and all those special young talent we couldn´t take..
only winner Revis?
Hell, the only loosers are the Bucs (big supriese)
Patriots won SuperBowl with Revis leading the CB crops; Jets got Sheldon Richardson with OUR 13th PICK, only for renting Revis for 2 years..
What did the Bucs get? 4-12 and 2-14..
– the 4th rounder also…
Dom was one of the BS kind of GM´s.. everyone withn little common sense should know that
March 11th, 2015 at 7:33 am
Look I for one was against the trade for Revis…I can also admit I was excited when we got him. Every single player in this league is a gamble. Looking back of course I’d rather have Sheldon Richardson than pay for Revis rehab, that’s the price of doing business.
March 11th, 2015 at 7:42 am
The real question is did the Buc’s replace Dominik with somebody worse or better?
March 11th, 2015 at 7:49 am
We could have had Star Lotus..
Instead we had the right for Revis re-habbing in our great facilitys..
and now at least we can see Star..
playing with a overall better line than ours with the Panthers
Bucs FO is so easily replaceable…
March 11th, 2015 at 7:53 am
It’s hard for me to get excited about the Revis moves coming and going. He’s clearly an HOFer and a great player, but he is ONE player!
Probably could have all been handled better but it’s not what caused a 2-14 record or left the Bucs in their current condition.
Revis is a likeable enough guy and again we all agree about his talent but as Tom Edrington pointed out he is a mercenary.
It’s fine to make as much money as possible but at some level it eventually grows truly tiresome.
I grow disgusted with human beings who have earned more than 10 million before their 30 and then leave one city and team they supposedly love for another team because they bump their salary from 7 million to 10 million.
Do the math! A 5% return….not very ambitious…would yield $500,000 a year just on their previous earnings. Just how much freaking money does somebody really need. Basically you are then admitting that the single most important thing in life is money. Maybe family and then money but certainly money ahead of your community, where you live and work, your teammates and coaches.
Occasionally I see a player make a decision based on trying to land with a team that has an SB shot. I can respect that decision. Winning should be more important than how much extra gravy you can ladle from your contract. That is where I question Revis. He’s leaving a perennial SB participant for a loser franchise
March 11th, 2015 at 7:54 am
The other part that people who call him greedy forget is that he never quit on our team. He never asked to be traded or cut. We decided we didn’t want to pay him and cut him because the whole league knew we didn’t want to pay him making a trade impossible. NFL = Not For Long and even the best players on the best teams are treated as expendable (especially more so with the recent examples set by the Pats). So get paid boys…
March 11th, 2015 at 7:55 am
As Reagan would say… – Weeellll Joey, there you go again…”
Dude – Your Dominik mancrush is just embarrassing.
March 11th, 2015 at 7:59 am
Well said Joe. Spot on!
March 11th, 2015 at 8:17 am
Joe, you are a true friend. backing up Dominick till the bitter end. And as a buc fan, it is really bitter.
March 11th, 2015 at 8:23 am
Making the trade for Revis wasn’t bad on its own. It was a great idea, right up to the time they released him a year later. Joe is right on with this one. The fact that Revis after winning the super bowl with the Patriots developed no love or loyalty. Doesn’t seem like many of these huge deals for the NFLs mega divas really work out. That’s why McCoy > Suh and I am happy he is still a Buc. I am becoming a believer in primarily building through the draft.
March 11th, 2015 at 8:26 am
Sorry, Joe, that Revis trade was a complete mistake. Did it get us into the playoffs? No.
And it would be hard to make the case that the $16m would not have acquired at least 3 very good players instead.
Revis had no loyalty and still doesn’t. Not even to the team that got him a super bowl ring.
The only players worthy of $16m is either an elite QB or Elite Defensive Lineman. That’s it. Anything else is unwisely over paying.
March 11th, 2015 at 8:28 am
For example…any DL players leave the year Revis was traded for? Over money? Think about it.
Perhaps that money could have been used to keep them or sign better.
March 11th, 2015 at 8:29 am
Sheldon Richardson sure what have looked nice next to McCoy! working on a team friendly rookie deal for 4 years!
But no, Dominick was desperate!! he knew the turk was coming for him this time!
March 11th, 2015 at 8:30 am
Yes…I’m speaking of Bennett. If not for Revis getting $16m, we could have kept Bennett and we would not have the need at DE that we do now.
March 11th, 2015 at 8:36 am
Don’t get why all you guys are busting Joe’s chops over Dom. this didn’t become a horrible trade until L&L threw him out. And who gives a crap about Dom, that was years ago now. let the hate die. after last years brilliant moves, you can’t say that Licht is any better.
March 11th, 2015 at 8:41 am
As I recall, the Bucs tried to trade him but no one wanted to take that $16 million salary. He also wouldn’t renegotiate.
New England only paid him $10 million last year and it was worth even less due to state income taxes.
Problem with the deal was not only did we pay him twice than what top line CB’s were making at the time, but he spent most of the first year still rehabbing the knee.
Then he ended up here playing in a lot of zone coverage that the entire defense seemed lost in.
Dominick knew what type of defenses this team was using so why he and Schiano were so hell bent on getting an overly priced CB who specialized in one on one coverage was beyond me.
Overall, just a stupid trade to begin with.
But your defense of Dum is getting a little tiresome.
Most people out here realize you and the Dum got to be pretty close friends.
I believe as a “journalist” you are supposed to offer a pretty neutral position on team matters even though much of your reporting is done in a columnists style.
You lose your objectivity when you become buddies with the people you are covering and should be guarded about this in the future or people will lose respect for your opinions.
It becomes very difficult to be objective and write critical stories about people you are covering when they are your friends.
March 11th, 2015 at 9:08 am
Lovie Smith and his stupid little lapdog GM are so woefully incompetent. In a smartass backhanded slap to Schiano Lovie Smith was famous for saying we are a 4-12 football team to justify all of his idiot roster changes. How many times are we going hear him remind us of our record in the 2015 offseason? Haven’t heard it once. Has any HC in Buccaneers history done more damage to the team in a single year than incompetent Lovie?
March 11th, 2015 at 9:42 am
Is Revis a future HOFamer and why?
March 11th, 2015 at 9:47 am
Check that he just got a ring….
I would have thought he needed one of those…not that you can’t get in without one, just that I don’t see HIM getting in without one.
March 11th, 2015 at 9:51 am
Cutting/trading him eventually would have made sense. Trading him last year for decent compensation would have been defensible. However, cutting him last year to turn a 4th rounder into a 3rd rounder and save a million or two dollars (his guaranteed salary for still being on the roster in April) was petulant and idiotic. Acquiring Revis was a coup and it took guts by Dominick. It looked stupid when turned into a one year rental for the worst year of his nfl careerl. I understand not wanting the highest paid CB in football long term, but they cut him to move up 1 round in the draft (the amazing Charles Sims), when they probably could have gotten a year of Revis PLUS better compensation this offseason after he proved his health.
March 11th, 2015 at 9:58 am
The problem here wasn’t that that they paid big bucks to Revis, nor was it that they gave up a 1st and a 3rd… it’s that they did both! You don’t go and pay a guy top of the free agent market value and THEN give away top of the line draft pick compensation. That’s double payment. Sure, Revis, was/is good, but to pay him $16 mil a year AND give away premium draft picks (that would have normally been used on players that would have combined to make a 1/4 of what Revis was to earn) is ridiculous. Good GMs just don’t do it.
March 11th, 2015 at 10:31 am
It was a bad trade because a 1st and a 4th netted you FOUR WINS and I guarantee that the first and most LIKELY the 4th would STILL be on the roster today. Now you’re down two draft picks, Leonard Johnson is seeing considerable playing time, and you’re STILL in single digit wins.
I’m not saying Revis is a bad player. I’m saying the trade was awful. Dominik is essentially the Obama of the NFL. Everything he touches turned to dookie.
Mark Dominik… the man who looked at Michael Clayton and said, “Yes… he deserves $10M guaranteed.”
March 11th, 2015 at 10:48 am
@Buctrooper – “Mark Dominik… the man who looked at Michael Clayton and said, “Yes… he deserves $10M guaranteed.” ”
got a good laugh out of that one. then i thought about that entire 2009 offseason and i cried:
-who should replace our hall of fame WLB that we cut without warning? well, why not our injury prone Strong Safety?
-let’s have a QB competition between 2 guys who aren’t our first round pick, and then trade away one of those guys who took all the future franchise QB’s reps for absolutely nothing.
-oh, and when it’s all said and done, Byron Leftwich is our guy. seriously.
-Jagodzinski will be a great OC for this team…oh, wait, nevermind
-Bates will be a great DC for this team….oh, wait, nevermind
to be fair, after possibly the worst offseason by any GM ever, i think he did a better job of getting out of his own way. i still like the revis trade, had he stayed on our team or had we gotten some compensation on the way out.
March 11th, 2015 at 10:48 am
Joe was being sarcastic right? How do you defend a 1-year rental of Revis at $16 million in exchange for Sheldon Richardson on a rookie-scale contract, and another pick?
Revis is great but Richardson is more valuable because of his cheap contract. That trade never should’ve been made for that reason. 1st round picks are the greatest asset in the NFL. Even if Revis was still on the team it still would’ve been a horrible trade in retrospect. Joe has the football intelligence of a developmentally-challenged mosquito.
March 11th, 2015 at 11:20 am
Brandon nails the point perfectly.
It was the combination of two different regime mistakes that makes this such a bad trade. We rented a player for one year and it cost us a high 1 and 4th round pick. Both of those picks should be on the team right now, and Richardson is a long term NFL starter. The contract Dom gave Revis handcuffed us. Made him un tradeable because other teams knew we would cut him so why offer compensation. It is why no other teams were dealing with the Jets in the first place.
So L and L come in and say he doesn’t fit, too expensive and use the money on big time FAs that are now gone after one year.
Plenty of blame to go around, but both Dom and Lovie screwed it up.
To say it was a good trade makes no sense. What do we have to show for our traded picks?