Jump On The Bandwagon
May 25th, 2015
Yes, the bandwagon is welcoming newcomers on board.
That’s the Lightning bandwagon, in which suddenly, with the Bolts now one win from the Stanley Cup Finals, has virtually everyone in the Tampa Bay area a hockey expert like the guy sitting in the corner of the bar in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, drooling over Kathryn Tappen on NHL Network.
But that is not the only bandwagon preparing for new fans. Joe’s referring to the Bucs bandwagon, which Bill Barnwell of Grantland.com believes will be driven by “America’s Quarterback,” Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston.
Barnwell, who likes to swim in stats, noted the crazy record the Bucs had in one-score games (1-8) and that with an upgrade at quarterback like Jameis, the Bucs could turn the NFL on its ear this fall.
Even beyond the numbers, it’s worth pointing out that the biggest year-to-year improvements (like the 2012 Colts and 2013 Chiefs) come when teams swap out replacement-level quarterbacks for competent-or-better passers. Even if you’re skeptical of Jameis Winston as a pro passer, it’s hard to imagine he’ll be worse than the combination of McCown and Glennon. I say this with trepidation in my heart: The Tampa Bay bandwagon is back and open for business.
This take has been in Joe’s head for a while. Joe can’t count how many times he had heard Warren Sapp say last offseason that it will take two years for the Bucs to become comfortable with Lovie Smith’s defense. That the light bulb will flicker in the second season.
Joe still thinks a six-win season is an admirable goal — again, any time a team triples its win total from the previous season, that is solid progress. If the Bucs do shock people and make a run for a wild card berth, it will be because of the defense, not so much Jameis.
Joe just isn’t going to put that kind of pressure on a rookie quarterback with too many questions up front and a shaky at best run game.
May 25th, 2015 at 8:05 am
Joe,
Glennon would’ve won too much to get Jameis. We have a good QB situation.
What about the O line and DEs? Those was the weak spots.
May 25th, 2015 at 8:14 am
I believe that Winston is being called “America’s QB” is because there is such a long list of people that simply love Jameis Winston. Some of them include:
His Mother, Father, Joe, Bessemer Alabama, Joe, 87, Jameis, Pablo, Joe, Jimbo, Joe, 87…..Joe and many others.
May 25th, 2015 at 8:20 am
Gaining Dirk Koetter will be the reason we make the playoffs this season if we do.
I cannot wait to see the falcons this year. I see them winning 5 games. They are going to be horrible.
Can’t wait to see Matt Ryan have worse numbers than Mike Glennon. I sill believe Glennon would have been good enough under Koetter with this defense going into year two….but I am also happy they took Winston. I love the guys drive to win. It will make everyone on the team play better. That is except maybe EDS and Danny Lansaahasomehtingorother.
May 25th, 2015 at 8:31 am
@TBBF,
You can certainly add me to your list. And I am glad to see my buddy Pablo is on there (does that mean TBBF is a closet fan of Jameis’? Lol)
May 25th, 2015 at 8:34 am
Nothing like shooting high for the mediocrity of 6 wins. I expect to win every game every Sunday. All of us should. I guess with incompetent Lovie Smith running sht mediocrity is all we should hope for.
May 25th, 2015 at 8:43 am
@ Harry
You are there under the “and many others” category…..as for the TBBF & Jameis….I’m glad we picked a QB….I am hopeful he is the right one….I’m confident he will make major improvemets….I fear there may be too high of expectations for him in the beginning…but we will see.
As for “America’s QB”…..I think that’s a stretch…..and that title needs to be earned not bestowed.
May 25th, 2015 at 8:47 am
For any of you that didn’t click on the “on it’s ear” link provided by Joe i suggest that you do. It breaks down the last minutes of all of our one-score games and the outcomes.
I maintain of the Strong belief that we would have won at least 6 games last season with MG at the helm. With an upgrade at QB, OL, OC, and QB coach there is Zero excuse to not win more than 7 this yr.
May 25th, 2015 at 8:50 am
Sorry, been disappointed too often by the hype put out by the media about the “new and improved” Bucs. They will have to earn my loyalty this go round.
May 25th, 2015 at 8:52 am
@TBBF,
Totally agree with you on the “America’s QB” thing and on expectations for Jameis. “We” badly want to believe he is the answer to solving our misery as Bucs fans, and I believe he is. But it will take time, just as you say.
I hope you and your family have an awesome Memorial Day!
May 25th, 2015 at 8:53 am
And Harry…..You should know that TBBF only speaks truth. Rock on TBBF
May 25th, 2015 at 8:55 am
Why not jump on the Lightning bandwagon? The finals in any sport are so infrequent around these parts I’ll take whoever is close to being there. Still with cautious optimism seeing as how the Rangers were down 3-1 in the Capitals series and came back to advance, the Bolts have to win one out of two to advance. I think they do!
May 25th, 2015 at 9:17 am
Didn’t notice the top ten O line,dominating defence and hellafide run game Luck came into when he took over the helm in indy. Jamies is more than capable of doing the same.
May 25th, 2015 at 9:28 am
Of course when the games were being lost, the story written last year was with better defense and how bad they were we have not lost them. Ok. Now you have the QB that can score more than Glennon you say. No more excuses. You said it all off season. Now it it will be show time.
May 25th, 2015 at 9:57 am
I missed one Lightning game this year and knew they would be awesome from the moment Yzerman’s plane first touched down in Tampa. I went ahead and renewed my Bucs’ tickets after they drafted Famous Jameis, but we definitely have a long way to go.
May 25th, 2015 at 10:02 am
joe we hear enough slack from the national media. Lets not attack the home front. GO BOLTS
May 25th, 2015 at 10:03 am
Thanks Harry & Buc-A-New
Happy Memorial Day..
G
May 25th, 2015 at 10:38 am
Six wins will probably be needed for Lovie to keep his job. I could see a potential nine wins on the schedule, but we will lose some of those and hopefully win some we shouldn’t. But five wins or less, it will (and should) be Lovies head.
May 25th, 2015 at 11:25 am
american sniper jameis christ
May 25th, 2015 at 12:52 pm
Just being realistic man.
May 25th, 2015 at 1:17 pm
Joe I’ve been meaning to say that’s a weak prediction for America’s quarterback!!! Last year you mccown proved your point you need a franchise qb to win, Andrew luck, RG3 came in and even he won 7 games with that awful defense. As weak as the 2015 schedule if you mean you really can’t find more than 6 wins? Don’t only look at the quarterbacks we face look at the defenses and I see weak ones especially in our division and NFC East. Take another look more you might find 7 wins
May 25th, 2015 at 4:17 pm
I believe.
May 25th, 2015 at 11:08 pm
^^^I believe on Sundays. Can talk and bitch and moan as I am known to do but come Sunday I expect to win.
Joe’s talk of triumph, tripeling win total to a grand 6 out of 16 makes me sick and tired. I hate win predictions because it sounds like idiot clarevoyents shucking something other than intelligence.
I hope Lovie Smith has learned more from a 2-14 unwanted professional encounter than he did from his well-publicized basement unemployment.