“The Throwin’ Samoan” Located
March 17th, 2015
Former Bucs QB, “The Throwin’ Samoan,” Jack Thompson, offers his take on who the Bucs should select at No. 1.
Few things give Joe the shakes — outside of the thought of an alcohol-free society — more than hearing or reading the name “Jack Thompson.”
Joe has nothing against the former Bucs quarterback, aside from the fact he is the tipping point of a once-proud Bucs team turning into a decade-long NFL laughing stock.
It was the early 1980s. That old SOB Hugh Culverhouse, original owner of the Bucs, got into a contract dispute with starting quarterback Doug Williams. The Bucs, at the time, were a playoff team, one of the best in the NFL.
Williams, tired of being jerked around by Culverhouse, bolted for the new USFL, a league decades ahead of its time. John McKay, then lording over the Bucs, panicked and threw away a first round pick for backup Bengals quarterback Jack Thompson, nicknamed “The Throwin’ Samoan.”
The move totally backfired. Thompson was dreadful and the Bucs collapsed and became a horrid franchise.
Well, Thompson’s name resurfaced because Pat Yasinskas of ESPN.com did a great job digging up Thompson for a story on another Samoan quarterback and a potential Bucs No. 1 draft pick, Marcus Mariota.
It’s a matter of pride for Thompson, a former NFL quarterback known as “The Throwin’ Samoan.” Mariota, who was born and raised in Hawaii, also comes from Samoan ancestry. His father was born in Samoa.
“Marcus is a far better quarterback than I ever was,” said Thompson, who was born in Samoa and moved to the Seattle area as a child. “Marcus is going to have a great NFL career. My heritage is very important to me and I can’t tell you how proud it makes me to see what Marcus has done and what he will do.”
Thompson later went on to say the Bucs should draft Mariota, not Jameis Winston, because you know what you are getting in Mariota. Well, if the Bucs draft Winston, it will be for that exact reason — because you simply don’t know what you are getting with Mariota. Mariota has never played in a pro-style offense, unlike Winston.
Mariota’s biggest knock with NFL general managers is trying to figure out how his spread-options ways can translate into an NFL offense. So how can Thompson know? In blunt terms, he is guessing.
You may know what you are getting from Mariota the person, but at the end of the day, you are drafting a football player, not a clergyman.
Joe knows all sorts of nice guys, upstanding folks, pillars of integrity. But Joe sure as hell wouldn’t want them near a football field other than to work with the chain gang.
March 17th, 2015 at 2:23 pm
It’s not too hard to be a better qb than Thompson, 30 years later the Bucs are still signing ex-bengals with the same result…
March 17th, 2015 at 2:25 pm
Yep one is an on-field risk and the other is an off-field risk. I’d rather gamble on Winston.
March 17th, 2015 at 2:26 pm
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS EAT IT JOE!!
MARIOTTA WILL BE A BUC! YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!
March 17th, 2015 at 2:31 pm
Hey Joe’s, how about another website, joejameiswinstonfan.com?
March 17th, 2015 at 2:32 pm
Everybody is an analyst. Writers are now football experts…what a joke.
March 17th, 2015 at 2:33 pm
So by that kind of thinking joe the crap you just wrote then why did you’re panties get tangled when the bucs talked to incognito? Last i checked incognito is no clergyman he’s a football player
March 17th, 2015 at 2:37 pm
Actually this year while watching Josh McCown I kept thinking about the “Throwin Samoan” and the lack of hope we had back then. It was almost like going back to those days……
March 17th, 2015 at 2:37 pm
As usual, we want to blame the whole mess back them on the QB.
Since I was ther at the time, I remember a Lee Roy awelmon and Mark Cotney both retiring due to injuries.
Like other teams during the 80s, drug use, specifically cocaine became widespread on the team.
There were rumors that certain members of the,offensive line weren’t putting in as much effort for Thompson because he wasn’t black.
Kevin House and Jimmie Giles were on the downside of their careers.
But no, let’s blame poor Jack Thompson for being the sole reason for the Bucs losing record.
I really expect more from someone who is knowledgeable about football, Joe. As it is you are beginning to sound like Tmaxcon.
March 17th, 2015 at 2:39 pm
Yeah cause Winston just screams stability.
March 17th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
Thompson later went on to say the Bucs should draft Mariota, not Jameis Winston, because you know what you are getting in Mariota.
he doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about…..what a dumb comment, if anyone knew what they were getting with mariotta I honestly think there’d be no debate and he’d be the top choice for 1st pick overall. I remember a friend hyping me up the next great Hawaiin quarterback QB Colt Brennan lol what a fragile thing the draft can be
March 17th, 2015 at 2:44 pm
I’m gonna pass on Throwng Samoan 2.0. I just hope the Glazers join me.
March 17th, 2015 at 2:46 pm
Stop making this argument>>> Well, if the Bucs draft Winston, it will be for that exact reason — because you simply don’t know what you are getting with Mariota. Mariota has never played in a pro-style offense, unlike Winston.<<<<
This argument makes you look silly………… Do we need to go back and look at the PATRIOTS tape during the playoffs and the spread offense they were running???? How many times is the NFL QB under center per game nowadays like 5-10 plays max?? Geezus…you think Big Dog would have hammered this into your skull by now. lol Love ya Joe…just not your draft choices… 🙂 Peace.
March 17th, 2015 at 2:48 pm
You buc fans going for Jameis make me sick! Why do you want a well known THUG on the TEAM?!?!?!?
March 17th, 2015 at 2:48 pm
Last i checked incognito is no clergyman he’s a football player
Thank Gawd Incognito is white so I can say this. Last I checked Incognito is a thug and a bully with a LONG, LONG record of unacceptable behavior. He has fought with coaches, teammates, and been a cancer in locker rooms at every level.
In fairness to both Fameis and Hardy they do not deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Richie the scumbag Incognito.
Fameis made some boneheaded mistakes. Hardy did one horrible thing.
Incognito is a serial jerk!! This is not to excuse Hardy or Fameis completely but it is again to remind folks that it’s the pattern that counts. Everybody can and most have screwed up at least once.
March 17th, 2015 at 2:50 pm
A question for all you long time Bucs fans.
Which franchise has scrwd us the most over the years. The Bungles of Bill Belicheats boys. Why we would ever trade or sign a player from the Bungles or the Patriots is beyond me. Don’t they eat our lunch every time?
March 17th, 2015 at 2:55 pm
Draft who’s best, I’ve been Marcus Marcus Marcus, but now I’m about winning so Joe; let’s have a good season. Cheers!!!!!
March 17th, 2015 at 3:02 pm
Curtis Gatorboy Says:
March 17th, 2015 at 2:48 pm
You buc fans going for Jameis make me sick! Why do you want a well known THUG on the TEAM?!?!?!?
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first step is admitting it, second step is going to get the help you need….we’re all pulling for you in hopes you have a strong support system!!! lol I honestly don’t think I’ve ever heard Thug and quarterback in the same sentence until Winston came along but that’s the dumbest thing I ever heard. who ever heard of a thuggish ruggish quarterback lol. a thug with a high GPA, you have issues whoever you are. how many times does jameis have to be acquitted of wrong doing, it’s been 4 times already and even Winston haters have stopped with that and just call him boneheaded for the crab legs and stupid things he’s done in college that everyone has done even in Christian colleges lol go get help
March 17th, 2015 at 3:15 pm
ddeast. Who claim that the Bucs OL didn’t want to block for Thompson cause he was black? A) he replaced Williams who was black. B) he wasn’t black.
March 17th, 2015 at 3:15 pm
JoeNuts says:
Do we need to go back and look at the PATRIOTS tape during the playoffs and the spread offense they were running???? How many times is the NFL QB under center per game nowadays like 5-10 plays max?? Geezus…you think Big Dog would have hammered this into your skull by now. lol Love ya Joe…just not your draft choices… 🙂 Peace.
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This is too funny. Just because a QB lines up in the shotgun does not mean they were running a spread offense. The patriots have their own system and its not the spread. If it was, everyone would know it and not just the big dog. The shotgun has been around for years. Brady is still throwing timing routes on 3 step drops etc when he is in the shotgun. You know, a pro style offense. And please, do not talk about the big dog. He says whatever he wants to try to help his argument no matter how wrong he is. For instance, he continuously states that Big Ben won the superbowl as a rookie. I mean do you really want to reference something he says to validate your point?
March 17th, 2015 at 3:18 pm
Curtis Gatorboy Says:
March 17th, 2015 at 2:48 pm
You buc fans going for Jameis make me sick! Why do you want a well known THUG on the TEAM?!?!?!?
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We all know that the word thug is not the word you truly would like to write. SMH
March 17th, 2015 at 3:18 pm
never mind dd. read that wrong. my apologies.
March 17th, 2015 at 3:19 pm
With a little over a month left until the draft and both Mariota and Winston have come in to One Buc and private workouts still scheduled with both, I’m becoming more and more confident the Bucs will make the pick that best suits their franchise. My concerns with Winston’s weight and possible immature issues vs Mariota’s system qb concerns or not being vocal enough really are beginning to subside. I hope all of us being Bucs fans support the pick whoever that may be and get behind our team going forward. There are plenty of personal men at One Buc that know way more than we do whether we wanna admit that or not. So in the end it doesn’t matter who I like better, or who Joe likes better, or anyone on this site.. Put the trust where it should be and hope for the best. The reality is we won’t know who’s what for at least 3 years. Time for me and hopefully most of us to chill and be happy. We are getting either Winston or Mariota!! Rejoice people!
March 17th, 2015 at 3:22 pm
QB curse here since Williams left….Lift the curse!!! Draft the new “Throwin Samoan” …and “runnin samoan” too lol
March 17th, 2015 at 3:27 pm
I’m sure most of the posters here were not around when Thompson was the QB……he was beyond awful, we used to refer to him at the “Throw-up Samoan” because after watching him play, it made you want to do exactly that…….
March 17th, 2015 at 3:29 pm
@ChrisK
I think a significant number of posters here feel exactly like you. Regardless of their preference with that first pick they trust the professionals at OBP to due the due diligence and make the correct. They are ingesting information that we are not privy to see. IE they have more info as well as experience than us.
And so we join you.
I hope all of us being Bucs fans support the pick whoever that may be and get behind our team going forward. There are plenty of personal men at One Buc that know way more than we do whether we wanna admit that or not.
March 17th, 2015 at 3:33 pm
@StPeteBucsFan….. Cool! I’ll try to avoid the site until closer to the draft and hope there’s more unity in the community at that time.
March 17th, 2015 at 3:38 pm
TinyTim
Always pull out the RACE card when you have no legit argument or point…rather just wanna run at the mouth on here……yeah we have seen this before.. SMH back at ya!
March 17th, 2015 at 3:39 pm
Joe is afraid his website will be a ghost town once we draft Marcus because there is no controversy about the guy. Talk show hosts and blog hosters thrive off of controversy
March 17th, 2015 at 3:40 pm
St.PeteBucsFan, I agree with your statement but I still wish we had Incognito on the team.
For the life of me, I still can’t figure out how a 320 pound man bullies a 350 pound man.
This team needs some nasty attitude on it and both Incognito and Hardy possess that.
Also, I think Incognito is going to keep a low profile off the field due to losing a whole years salary. He can’t afford to make that mistake again.
Besides,that whole bullying thing was dreamed up by his parents, both attorneys, who were trying to keep their little baby from losing his paycheck and getting fired. It worked.
I’m 6 175 and if Incognito was bullying me I’d take a crowbars to his head and then go to court and stand next to him before a judge.
There wasn’t any bullying going on.
March 17th, 2015 at 3:42 pm
This is the Number One Pick in the Draft
Not just a High First Round Pick
but THE NUMBER ONE PICK!!!
Talent is important but
Character Counts MORE and
Mariota’s Character > Winston Character
March 17th, 2015 at 3:46 pm
All I know is that I wanted to be a very high draft pick and was, #257, if I remember correctly. In that draft, you didn’t want to be #1.
March 17th, 2015 at 3:51 pm
joeNUTS Says:
March 17th, 2015 at 3:38 pm
TinyTim
Always pull out the RACE card when you have no legit argument or point…rather just wanna run at the mouth on here……yeah we have seen this before.. SMH back at ya!
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Well when I pulled the so-call race card, it had nothing to do with your post. I see you did not want to address the fact that I called you out on the ridiculous claim that the patriots run the spread offense just because they are in the shotgun and thats fine. As it relates to the word thug, I never saw anyone call Manziel a thug when we were debating whether or not he should be the bucs qb last year and he has even more off the field issues. If it is not racial, then please explain to me what it is.
March 17th, 2015 at 3:58 pm
“Thugs” come in all shapes and colors.
and that “Thugga” there, is definitely a “thug”
There is plenty of controversy with him.
What if he’s taken that high and can’t perform in an NFL offensive system (that isn’t the Eagles)?
What if in all his athleticism, he takes off running and gets injured like RGIII and is then afraid to run the ball?
What if he takes multiple sacks (like he has in college) and gets injured?
What if he is taken before Winston and Winston has the better career?
With that being said, there is controversy with every draft pick. That’s what happens when you venture into the unknown.
Sorry. You can get character later in the draft. When you have the #1 draft pick, you pick the most talented player.
Period.
March 17th, 2015 at 4:05 pm
Another manufactured article giving Joe a chance to disparage Mariota…..I’m getting immune to them because they have become quite entertaining…..
March 17th, 2015 at 4:13 pm
Buc Neckid… Please stop talking… Character will get you friends, talent will get you wins. However talent and character will keep you in the league. When Mike Vick killed those dogs, he was called a thug. So that would be your first instance of quarterback and thug in the same sentence. While I’m on Vick, dogs are better than people so he should still be in jail… Ok back to Bucs talk.
March 17th, 2015 at 4:51 pm
The Throwin’ Samoan speaks people listen. (sarcasm)
March 17th, 2015 at 4:53 pm
Tiny TIM… what are you Talking about sir?
March 17th, 2015 at 4:57 pm
Something tells me that gator boy curtis has only been on campus in Gainesville to watch football. UF is actually a good school and something that racist redneck never went there to work on his doctorate degree.
March 17th, 2015 at 5:06 pm
Give me the Alpha-Quarterback
March 17th, 2015 at 5:12 pm
Tiny Tim I agree with you 100%. Thug is the new N-word. Bunch of internet tough guys. Crazy part is, I bet if they ever happened upon Jameis Winston they would probably ask for his autograph.
Bunch of PUNK A$$ MITCHES!!!
March 17th, 2015 at 5:35 pm
What he can bring to this organization, this town is a guy with high character, that will represent this organization with class, and will give everything that he has to work toward becoming a great quarterback,” Licht said.
“He’s a very productive player that has a lot of accolades, obviously a Heisman trophy, a very efficient player and obviously a player that’s a lot of fun to watch.”
One note piqued my interest was his note on Mariota’s personality.
“Any time you’re meeting with any player you want to sit down with him one-on-one and you want to try to get him in a relaxed atmosphere, just to get the true personality. And I don’t believe think in all my years in the NFL I’ve seen a player that has had as much success as he’s had, be as humble as he was.”
WOW
March 17th, 2015 at 6:06 pm
Mariota will be a Titan, Redskin, Jet or Eagle. Winston will be a Buc. Stop fooling yourselves. On the field he has more questions than Winston. Bucs need to win now. Winston is 26-1 and has more come from behind wins. That is exactly what the Bucs need. So many close games. Lovie likes close games. Winston will take them there. Marietta won’t and Glennon has proved he will not either.
March 17th, 2015 at 6:30 pm
“Yep one is an on-field risk and the other is an off-field risk. I’d rather gamble on Winston.”
What a flawed piece of reasoning… as if it’s a guarantee that Winston will succeed on the field. Plenty of pro-style quarterbacks have waltzed into the NFL only to fail horribly.
March 17th, 2015 at 6:43 pm
as a season tkt holder ..bucs draft the best qb M. M. is the man and not a punk who will get into trouble with all that money>
March 17th, 2015 at 7:10 pm
I continually hear the claim that Mariota will not succeed because he ran a spread option offense and spread option quarterbacks do not succeed in the NFL. Jameis will be successful because he ran a pro-style offense. Can anyone tell me how many sophomore quarterbacks have been drafted and found success in the NFL? Can anyone inform me of the number of quarterbacks with character concerns who have succeeded in the NFL?
March 17th, 2015 at 7:37 pm
The Film Room Ep 03: Marcus Mariota vs Florida State (2015 Rose Bowl): https://youtu.be/TCcm2Vl4TNs
The Film Room Ep 04: Jameis Winston vs Oregon in …: http://youtu.be/PYa6S6UA0MU
March 17th, 2015 at 8:14 pm
People rag on Jack Thompson, but a look at the numbers shows he wasn’t all that bad given that it was a different era. In that 1983 season he ranked just below Jim McMahon, Vince Ferragamo, and Ron Jaworski. He had a better QB rating than Doug Williams did the year before.
Now, mind you–I’m not claiming Thompson was good. He wasn’t. But it is all about context. The rest of that team flat-out sucked, but Thompson was among the least suckiest on the team.
March 17th, 2015 at 10:53 pm
@SuperSam
I watched the video as well. I think Licht was in love with Mariota. The class and being humble was something that he really liked. Also interesting that he emphasized all of that.
March 17th, 2015 at 11:00 pm
Holy crap Waterboy….I saw the Mariota one awhile back. I never watched the Winston one because I’ve seen so much of him, but that Winston video SHOULD get EVERY Bucs fan fired up.
The guy goes onto say as the video closes that he doesn’t think Tampa Bay fans realize how incredibly lucky they are to have a chance to get this kid.
Also says we can compete and make the playoffs next season with the talent we have, because Winston is THAT good!
People need to watch that video and get excited for this draft.
OMG I can’t effing wait!
March 17th, 2015 at 11:07 pm
@Joe….the Bucs are getting their first franchise QB in the history of the franchise in less than 45 days.
Can you believe it?
I never thought I’d see the day.
Where’s ODB and does he have that time machine built yet? I’m ready to get in and punch the dial to April 30th.
March 17th, 2015 at 11:42 pm
@Buc1987
You must consider the source of the video. Hardly an expert opinion.
March 18th, 2015 at 12:02 am
charactermatters…yes but all the “expert opinions” agree with the video.
March 18th, 2015 at 12:57 am
Joe can you answer this question? Seattle Sehwaks have read option in their offenseive scheme and they’ve been to the Super Bowl 2 years in a row. Can Winston ever be an effective read option QB? Can Mariota ever run a prostyle offense? Who can eventually be like Rusell Wilson and do both? Answer that question for your readers when you write next biased article about Winston.
March 18th, 2015 at 7:31 am
Lol, some of you guys crack me up. Mariota was in here as a courtesy visit. The best he is hoping for right now is the number 6 pick, yet you guys act like he is still in the running for the number one pick. Thank god we intentionally lost that game to the Saints. If we had the number two pick the Bucs would probably be trying to trade with TN to get that top pick. There is one QB in this draft worthy of #1.
March 18th, 2015 at 7:36 am
@Buc1987
I like the way that he showed in that video how Winston has already mastered being able to move the safeties around with his eyes. That’s huge in at the NFL level.
March 18th, 2015 at 11:27 pm
Curtis Gatorboy Says:
You buc fans going for Jameis make me sick! Why do you want a well known THUG on the TEAM?!?!?!?
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We like making you sick. It’s so easy.