Electing “Captain” Jameis
June 30th, 2015
In the world of Lovie Smith, and on most NFL teams, players elect team captains: two on offense, two on defense and one for special teams.
Joe hopes Bucs players are smart enough to make Jameis Winston, America’s Quarterback, one of those players. Anything else is silliness.
Captain Vincent Jackson has captained the Bucs to horrible depths the past two seasons. V-Jax seems like a model teammate, but Joe’s had enough of the current leadership team. “You’re Fired!” as Donald Trump would say.
Earlier this month, Lovie Smith told media he believes Logan Mankins will be a captain. It was a very bold statement endorsing a guy who brought little to the table for the team’s worst unit last year. And what’s the guarantee Mankins will schedule the barbecues he deems so critical?
In the Buccaneers.com video below, official team scribe Scott Smith says he doesn’t believe Jameis will be voted captain. Man, Joe hopes Smith is wrong.
Joe thinks the roster will realize Jameis is their leader and make it official. And Mike Evans is a fine choice for the other offensive captain spot.
June 30th, 2015 at 12:13 pm
Uh, my mind draws a blank on who better to name a captain on offense, like somebody who touches the ball on every play.
June 30th, 2015 at 12:14 pm
I’m great with either Jameis or Evans being captain. I’m not in favor of both. I’d like to have some veteran leadership, not two guys who’ve been here for like a minute and a half. Jackson and Jameis seems like the best two for me, but I’d be fine with Evans and Mankins (although definitely not as much as Jameis and Jackson). If it’s Evan Smith, we are in huge trouble.
June 30th, 2015 at 12:20 pm
I don’t believe that he will be elected captain as well. And I don’t think Lovie wants him to wear the “C” too. That is why he worked so much with the second team in OTA’s. It seems like they want to make Winston earn and not gift him everything. VJ and BBQ master will wear the “C” for the offense this year, as the torch will be handed off during the season.
Just cause you don’t have a “C” sewed to the uniform does not mean that you cannot be a leader!!!
June 30th, 2015 at 12:36 pm
A rookie captain? Uhhhhh no thanks. Mankins, Jackson. I’d pick Evans over Winston.
June 30th, 2015 at 12:47 pm
I agree I hope its VJ and the the “Pit master”, then this year JW becomes the Captain and leader of our team but he MUST earn it.
June 30th, 2015 at 12:50 pm
@BUC REALIST
“Just cause you don’t have a “C” sewed to the uniform does not mean that you cannot be a leader!!!”
100% accurate my friend.
June 30th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
Sorry, Joe, but I do not believe that ANY rookie should be ‘captain’. I am not even convinced that a second year player should wear the big ‘C’ (How many one-year-wonders have the Bucs seen?). I kinda like Dotson for the role.
Let us not heap too much on a young player trying to find his way.
June 30th, 2015 at 12:59 pm
Has in NO WAY earned any cred to be a captain on an NFL team.
June 30th, 2015 at 1:03 pm
@ Realist
“Just cause you don’t have a “C” sewed to the uniform does not mean that you cannot be a leader!!!”
Finally, we agree…
I think Jameis will earn the Captain’s position after a year of leadership.
Joe, I thought Jameis was a General….why would he want a demotion?
June 30th, 2015 at 1:07 pm
Only America’s General could come up with this. He has not played one game. And already you want him to be a Captain.
June 30th, 2015 at 1:34 pm
This is something the players vote on. If they vote for Jameis, or Mankins, or decide to make Mike Kafka the Kaptain, who am I to say they got it wrong or player x is too young or blah blah blah?
It’ll be interesting to see who they pick, but I’m not going to second guess their choice
June 30th, 2015 at 1:58 pm
Why does a rookie need to be a Captain year 1?Let him go to battle with the guys and gain some pro experience and perspective before he gets the honor.
Joe you need to slow it back a little. What will you say when he struggles like most rookies will? You need to manage expectations a little better and understand that his development will be a process.
June 30th, 2015 at 2:08 pm
Vincent Jackson, and Mike Evans should be the captains.
June 30th, 2015 at 2:27 pm
Yea because naming russell wilson and andrew luck captains as rookies was such huge mistakes. LOL some of you are hillarious!!!
June 30th, 2015 at 2:38 pm
Thank you tiny Tim.
June 30th, 2015 at 2:42 pm
If the great Greg Shiano was still here he would know exactly who the captain would be. He tends to run his elections like the city of Chicago.
June 30th, 2015 at 4:17 pm
Can you imagine if he didn’t get named team captain? Everyone would think he loft the team already.
He’ll get it whether he earns the title or not.
June 30th, 2015 at 4:21 pm
I like JW but he is not a captain not even close. The guy has yet to earn his first NFL W and the folks on here want to make him out to be the second coming of Montana. For your sake and pride, I hope he doesn’t melt in the NFL sun. If he is captain that it just deflates (Brady reference..lol) the value of the meaning and what the title holds. The captain is someone you seek for advice and direction for things football and non-football. The last time I checked JW did not have a stellar record for non-football scenarios and what to do. He lacks maturity in my opinion…see Ballin video and video of him chasing skirts in LA and getting dissed. A captain does not put themselves in that scenario nor does a true captain need to use media to make himself shine.
It would be a huge mistake and I am pretty sure Lovie will not let it happen….there are many things he learned from his days with Cutler.
I hope by next year he will have EARNED his C!
June 30th, 2015 at 5:44 pm
I cant see the veterans on the team (especially EDS) voting #3 team captain this soon…With that said, if there’s anyone that has a chance to pull it off it’s “America’s QB” Jameis Winston…Love’em or Hate’em, this kid has a way with people…especially his teammates…
June 30th, 2015 at 6:34 pm
If Jameis’ personality is really what we have heard, he will be a captain. Mankins lost creditability last year, Evans is a better choice.
June 30th, 2015 at 6:54 pm
The C means absolutely nothing.
June 30th, 2015 at 7:40 pm
I agree with Jim.
June 30th, 2015 at 8:11 pm
VJax and Mankins should be and most likely will be captains.
June 30th, 2015 at 9:25 pm
Joes this is laughable! The guy has not played a down in the NFL. You, me or anyone else knows what kind of player he’ll be. As far as the leader thing goes, if he sucks on the field no one will follow him anyway. You yourself said manikins should not be a captain because he played so poorly last year. Get real! JW being a captain this year is a big mistake. The kid has enough pressure on him. Let him be a rookie and grow into a great qb without all of this media imposed leadership bs.
June 30th, 2015 at 10:50 pm
Here goes JOE again making a big deal out of nothing. Why should fans even give a thought or care about who the captains are. It doesn’t affect us fans in any way at all. Of course JOE seems to have a lot of backed up man love for Jameis. Maybe it would help JOE in some way when he is having seclusion time.
June 30th, 2015 at 11:11 pm
Why should fans even give a thought or care about who the captains are.
On face value, you may think that is right. But you would be shocked how often this question is asked when preseason games come around. Same as “What number is the new guy going to wear?”
July 1st, 2015 at 7:26 am
Joe:
You are so up JW’s @$$ I think I will be sick. The boy (and he is a boy in a mans league until he proves otherwise) has no NFL credibility, no NFL stats, no NFL nothing (only promise). Why should any veteran player elect this unproven commodity.
You are a joke of a journalist, Joe, laughable.
July 1st, 2015 at 8:17 am
@cigarfan – Yes, what a ridiculous concept to embrace having the starting QB, a quarterback roundly praised for his innate leadership ability, be the team captain. The Bucs’ veteran leadership led them straight to the toilet.
July 1st, 2015 at 11:00 am
I believe it will be Mankins and Jackson this year on offence and I picked them before I watched the video.
July 1st, 2015 at 4:16 pm
The offensive players will select Collins (in absentia) and Lovie as their captains.
Collins, because after his performance last year, he made EVERYONE else look better than what they truly were.
And Lovie, because anyone who will continue to pay you after what you did (didn’t do) last year, just has to get a big ‘C’.
July 1st, 2015 at 8:32 pm
There’s no personality on this team. Jamies is dripping with personality. He’ll have a C on his chest pretty damn soon.