Jameis Superstar
June 13th, 2015
He is on the cusp of owning the Tampa Bay area.
Joe shakes his head and chortles reading comments that take Joe to task for referring (accurately) to Jameis Winston as “America’s Quarterback.”
Those folks make Joe think of Jim Mora’s famous line, “You may think you know, but you don’t know.”
Hell, Jameis doesn’t even have to do anything, say anything, and he trends on Twitter. Even when he does something polite and innocent like thanking a captain for free crab legs, or holding a door open for a hottie, social media blows up.
Travel outside Florida and drop Jameis’ name and watch how people freak out, both good and bad. Joe has never seen anything like it. Neither has ESPN’s Pat Yasinskas, who long ago was a Bucs beat writer for The Tampa Tribune before he went to Charlotte to cover the Stinking Panthers.
In fact, Yasinskas believes Jameis very well could become the most popular sports figure in Tampa Bay sports history.
Lee Roy Selmon was beloved. So were Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Mike Alstott. The same currently goes for Gerald McCoy. And you have to at least include Evan Longoria from baseball’s Rays in the conversation.
But Winston has a chance to be far bigger than any of those guys. That’s because he’s the quarterback. That’s the most glamorous position in the most glamorous sport.
The Bucs never have truly had a superstar at quarterback. Doug Williams came close, but his time in Tampa Bay didn’t last long enough. Vinny Testaverde and Trent Dilfer were drafted to be franchise quarterbacks, but they didn’t have a lot of success with the Bucs. Now, along comes Winston. He’s full of talent and personality. This region is just waiting for a superstar it can love.
Yasinskas makes a good point. Imagine if Jameis becomes a Pro Bowl quarterback and is able to lead the Bucs to multiple playoff appearances? This place would go wild.
Brad Johnson was only here a handful of years and, before Chucky arrived, was handcuffed by the prehistoric “offense” that Father Dungy employed. Johnson was one of the rare quarterbacks who had a playoff resume but wasn’t even the most popular guy on the offense.
If Jameis could lead the Bucs to consistent winning and end the godawful drought of no playoff wins, then he will have locals falling at his feet.
June 13th, 2015 at 2:09 pm
He hAs to beat out glennon first
June 13th, 2015 at 2:19 pm
You probably just awakened all of the overtly religious types with that pic. Jameis Christ!
June 13th, 2015 at 2:24 pm
Joe, do you have a tingle going down your leg. Jameis has done nothing yet get over it.
June 13th, 2015 at 2:28 pm
If I was religious that picture might offend me. I still don’t feel right looking at it. Go Bucs
June 13th, 2015 at 2:31 pm
Funny, but to me Joe, you failed to make the most important point of all about the use of “Amerca’s Quarterback”.
What does one think of when you used to hear “Amerca’s Team”? That reference was always for the Cowboys. Why? Because you either loved them or hated them – there was no in between. One could once make the same case for the Yankees – you rooted for them, or for whoever was playing them. Tebow very much had this same characteristic – people still love him or hate him – but he did not have the talent to pull it off on the professional level (I still to this day don’t get the hate that is directed towards him).
Although it is far too premature to give Jameis such a label as “America’s Quarterback”, simply because he hasnt accomplished anything outside of his college career, just like with Tebow. But, Winston seems to have that same polarizing affect. If he makes the Bucs a winner and he becomes an annual ProBowler, the entire fan base in Florida could become fanatics about him and those outside of the Bucs fan base might love to hate him.
June 13th, 2015 at 2:32 pm
If he earns it, good for him. Right now he’s just another rookie.
June 13th, 2015 at 2:55 pm
Some might call that picture sacrilege, but not me!
Jameis is God’s Quarterback, and has a divine right to a Super Bowl. He is incapable of doing anything wrong, it’s always someone else’s fault. Joe can continue to call Winston whatever the hell he wants and make an ass out himself, as nobody outside of Tampa Bay would agree with that name choice.
However, Jameis Winston, God’s Quarterback, will show everbody how holy he is. He will squeeze water from rocks, move mountains with his mind, set fire to water, and smite defenders with electric bolts from the heavens on his way to a Super Bowl.
June 13th, 2015 at 3:04 pm
I for one am not offended by the picture. As a Christian, I have enough trouble policing up my own actions that I do not have any room to judge others or to be offended by a simple picture. Gotta have thicker skin than that and besides, the picture does not make me question who my savior is. But there will be some who are overly sensitive.
June 13th, 2015 at 3:05 pm
@Harry
I use to hate tebow with a passion cus he was a Gator. Im not a nole or anything, I just hate the Gators, probably cus of Spurier and all the snob types i grew up with in south tampa were all Gators. But I actually like Tebow now after i thought he was a good analyst.
June 13th, 2015 at 3:09 pm
Joe, I love your site, an I’m not overly religious but this pic is a little too much..IMHO.
June 13th, 2015 at 3:10 pm
Yasinkas is the worst. He leaves out the two most famous (WITHOUT QUESTION) sports figures on a national level in Tampa history: Gruden and Sapp. Without question. Bar none. If you’re making a comparison to Jameis on the national level, whether it be for infamy or not, those are the only two who have tilted the meter like Jameis has.
June 13th, 2015 at 3:19 pm
@JOE
Anything to get more hits right? You know what you’re doing with that pic. No way in hell did you not think about the arguments the pic was going to cause. You’re a beast for that in your own right. LOL The Messiah has landed! He will split up defenses like Moses did the Red Sea!
June 13th, 2015 at 3:22 pm
“You may think you know, but you don’t know.”
This is useful, spot on advice that is perfect for JOE. Please heed this advice JOE! It comes from someone who is far brighter, and has far more football credentials than you appear to have.
June 13th, 2015 at 3:56 pm
“Joe shakes his head and chortles reading comments that take Joe to task for referring (accurately) to Jameis Winston as “America’s Quarterback.”
It’s OK Joe….We shake our heads and laugh at you for the very same reason!
June 13th, 2015 at 4:05 pm
No. Joe is in business to chase people away.
Just like in magazines and newspapers, photos are to grab people’s attention and pull eyeballs in. That’s one reason Joe posts cheerleader pictures.
What, Joe should start posting pictures of Rosie O’Donnell?
June 13th, 2015 at 4:13 pm
The Messiah!
June 13th, 2015 at 4:24 pm
That’s one way to clear the board, unless of course it’s a sexy pic of Rosie O’Donnell, which there aint any.
June 13th, 2015 at 4:25 pm
Jesus has great touch.
June 13th, 2015 at 4:27 pm
“What, Joe should start posting pictures of Rosie O’Donnell?”
That would certainly help with your lesbian viewers.
June 13th, 2015 at 4:28 pm
But he is prone to hand injury.
June 13th, 2015 at 4:29 pm
@JOE
LMFAO. I didn’t get offended by the pic. I did find it funny the angle you played with that pic though. As far as Rosie goes… LMFAO… Hell no I don’t want to see pics of that biatch. If eyeballs is what you want make PABLO happy and include pics of the women from Telemundo & Univision. LMFAO. .Variety is the spice of life my friend.
June 13th, 2015 at 4:35 pm
Leading. U.S. To multiple playoff appearances and becoming a pro-bowler is way off and may or may not happen. I think most of us are way ahead of ourselves. He has yet to play One down in the NFL. I want him to make it. But joes and the rest of the lap dog local media have totally lost any objectivity. At this point he’s a great prospect, not a franchise QB or pro bowler.. Get real folks!
June 13th, 2015 at 4:36 pm
Leading us
June 13th, 2015 at 4:40 pm
Harry wins!
No quarterback in America provokes a reaction — positive or negative — like Jameis. It’s unreal.
June 13th, 2015 at 5:09 pm
Yet they STILL won’t understand it Joe….
June 13th, 2015 at 5:21 pm
Sources tell my Jameis is going to lace up the skates and play for the Lightning tonite.
June 13th, 2015 at 5:56 pm
I’m not religious but even I know that is moronic blasphemy, you really can be an idiot Joe!!! You can’t be America’s quarterback before playing quarterback in the NFL or you can until you do play and have a quarterback rating like Tim tebow
June 13th, 2015 at 6:46 pm
Joe , Are you and Winston just still dating or have you become engaged already?
June 13th, 2015 at 6:58 pm
Smh at whoever writes this ****. It’s like a lovesick little girl.
June 13th, 2015 at 7:31 pm
I’m not offended by the pic but I understand the insecurity of the “religious”.
But Joe CAN be thankful that it’s Jesus we’re funnin’ with. If he had placed Fameis face on Muhammed he’d probably be shot to death by now.
June 13th, 2015 at 7:32 pm
i still go with jameis christ or american sniper…
america’s quarterback is tom brady for the reasons you state for jameis…but he has done the big things we hope jameis will do. half the country loves brady, half don’t. hell, probably everyone outside of the patriot’s area thinks brady is a cheater.
so again, that moniker is taken, and deservedly so.
June 13th, 2015 at 7:36 pm
what picture offends? no one even knows what jesus looked like.
ps he was never resurrected, he was just a man. maybe an activist, but still just a man.
June 13th, 2015 at 7:43 pm
@Joe,
Thank you. When you first put “America’s Quarterback” out there I thought of that Cowboys comparison as America’s Team. I thought you were a little early with that moniker, but it is still brilliant, truly. And it’s never too early to be brilliant, is it?
Seriously, great work as always. And please keep posting pics of hot girls, Jess Goldberg, etc. and NOT Rosie, lol
June 13th, 2015 at 9:38 pm
Try posting a picture of Jameis as the Prophet Mohammed…..then…you’ll see some religious sensitivity……
June 13th, 2015 at 10:46 pm
Sign Rosie O’Donnell!!!
You can’t have too many offensive linemen.
June 14th, 2015 at 9:11 am
StPete- great point
June 14th, 2015 at 10:26 am
The picture in this post is Idiotic. We will all see very soon what Jameis Winston is made of. I personally can’t wait then we will watch all of you idiots crawl back under the rocks y’all crawled out of.
June 14th, 2015 at 11:37 am
I hope Jameis leads us to the playoffs and I think he will in due time. But he is atill a rookie at the end of the day. It may not be fair, but Jameis will always have high expectations due to being chosen first over all. If he is anything short of an icon, people will call him a bust because of his draft status. Jameis cant afford to be slightly above average. The mega powered national media will never let him live that down. But honestley, screw them. As long as Jameis can help the licker room and help us reach the playoffs and beyond, I dont care if he is in that same tier as Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers. As long as he helps us win.
And as far as tghe title of Americas quarterback goes, I guess Joe is righ. Its just odd how bringing up the name Jameis brings out everybodys opinion when the kid has yet to play a down. Its just how it is.
June 14th, 2015 at 11:52 am
Come on Joe, that picture’s just wrong.
June 14th, 2015 at 11:05 pm
Yeah that pic is a little sacrilegious. Im a very religious guy. Not a fanatic but to put ANY human in Jesus’ shoes, so to speak, to me is wrong. I’m not offended by it but I really some really eerie feelings when I look at it.