Lavonte David: Bucs Got Caught Up Thinking They Were Better
June 15th, 2015
Bucs fans who have yet to release themselves from the gut-sucking humiliation of last season might find the following disturbing.
The rest of you, well, consider this fresh news on some ancient history.
Lavonte David hopped on SiriusXM NFL Radio last week and admitted the 2014 Bucs were a bit too caught up in their pre-2014 press clippings.
Here’s the exchange with co-host Bruce Murray.
Bruce Murray: You talked about the learning curve last year. I’m sure that you remember this time a year ago. Tampa Bay has an offseason that was very successful in free agency. Here comes Lovie Smith, great defensive guy. It seemed like fans, and I don’t know if players themselves were getting caught up in how good this team could be. I mean, as you reflect back a year ago, what was that period of time like? And did you guys get caught up thinking maybe you were better than you actually were?
Lavonte David: Yeah, I think so. You know, we had a lot of talent on all parts of the field. And we kind of thought that, you know, maybe sometimes we probably thought that our talent can just take over for what we do on our assignment. But you know, (laughs) we learned the hard way that it doesn’t work like that. Everybody has to be on the same page on the field. Everybody has to know what they’re doing on the field. And that’s what I thought that happened towards the end of last year, after we kind of realized that, ‘Hey, this is a difficult defense and there’s things that we really have to learn and really have to tone into so everybody can have a positive impact on a certain play.’ Now that we really understand that, everybody’s getting on the same page.
The June optimist in Joe believes this is another reason the Bucs will be better this year. This time around, they won’t be thinking about how talented they are — after a 2-14 season under a well seasoned head coach.
June 15th, 2015 at 2:05 pm
That can happen to even the best around here.. Hell, I thought they were 4 wins last year and look how wrong I was!!!!!
year 7, and the rebuild continues!!!!
June 15th, 2015 at 2:28 pm
I find it hard to beleive that the Bucs didn’t know what they had with their POS free agents this time last year as they had all the OTAs and extra OTAs, mini-camp and traiing camp prior to the start of the season. The season just clarified their POS.
June 15th, 2015 at 2:32 pm
Funny how Bruce Murray blamed the fans and ” some players” got caught up. There was a lot of national and local media that are huge Lovie fans. All the Lovie-ites were guaranteeing a the Bucs winning the division and off to the playoffs!!!!!
June 15th, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Lovie is America’s Coach. The Bucs keep piling up these America’s best and the playoffs can’t be far off.
June 15th, 2015 at 3:15 pm
Not surprised at all. As I’ve said since The Love Master got hired. He will make this franchise a winner again. Not sure how soon but he will.
June 15th, 2015 at 4:23 pm
Or we just tanked the season at some point…
June 15th, 2015 at 4:27 pm
In Lovie we trust, this team will be good we just gotta get rid of a lot of dead weight and replace it with some hungry younger blood. I believe our undrafted/ walk on rookies will be stand outs in preseason.We will prevail, we will succeed.
June 15th, 2015 at 4:37 pm
Most readers of JBF and at least one JBF writer all assumed the defense would be just fine prior to the start of the season last year. Well, we all know what it makes us all when we assume!
June 15th, 2015 at 5:08 pm
Well, Trash McSht is no longer our starting QB which means incompetent Lovie Smith is not automatically trying to lose football games. I know the fans bought into the McCown thing but don’t for a second believe the players thought this guy was going to win a single football game for them. As I recall LovieDovie could do absolutely no wrong last year in the eyes of the fans and media and making McCown the starting QB only proves that.
June 15th, 2015 at 5:19 pm
Herm Edwards predicted the Bucs would reach the Super Bowl. Amazingly he still has a job as an analyst!!!
But he wasn’t the only one to go overboard. Plenty of people were on the Bucs bandwagon this time last year. And I mean plenty. I’m too lazy but I bet if you hit the internet and the archives you’d see how many NATIONAL pubs and outlets were on the Bucs bandwagon. This time last year the Bucs were the media darlings….this year the direct opposite. Given the accuracy of last year perhaps we should take comfort in being the bottom dwellers on the “experts” prediction lists.
June 15th, 2015 at 5:40 pm
StPete- the bloom is off the rose that is Lovie Smith’s professional reputation…at least for most honest, thinking people.
June 15th, 2015 at 6:14 pm
I never got this whole “reading our press clippings'” angle. Some people say that you are good and you take it easier? If someone hyped me up in my profession (especially for little reason, see 2013 Bucs) I would prepare better and work harder to avoid embarrassment, if for no other reason.
LaVonte is vastly unheralded player in this league but, he and his teammates should be embarrassed to offer such a lame excuse which, somehow almost absolves them of responsibilities. I would also be ashamed to say it publicly. Man-up! You guys PLAY FOOTBALL for millions.
June 15th, 2015 at 6:17 pm
@bringbucsbac
You have to know that football teams take on their Head Coaches personality! And Lovie is the best in the business when it come to excuses and passing blame!!!!
June 15th, 2015 at 6:44 pm
DallasBuc
What would be your response if Lovie wins ten games this year and makes the playoffs? And don’t avoid the answer by saying it’ll never happen. ANYTHING can happen and if he wins ten and makes the playoffs what say ye.
I’ve been a relative Lovie supporter. His record merits that respect. His record last year also merits the disdain DallasBuc and Tmax and others seem to love to hurl.
So what’s it take this year? For me to stay on the Lovie bandwagon?
7-9 subpar season not impressive…probably gets another year though for continuity.
8-8..mediocre but no off season hot seat…the verdict would still be out given the rookie QB and need to rebuild OL
9-7 good but not great. Still enough to show improvement.
10-6 fine performance that backs up the rest of Lovie’s record and places tmax and dallas buc in a tough spot.
More than ten wins? DallasBuc and Tmax probably only come back as sock puppets.
June 15th, 2015 at 8:31 pm
STPeteBucsFan, If Raheem Morris can win 10 games with a bunch of guys that he got off waivers, I don’t see why Lovie can’t win 11 games with this squad. But im predicting 10-6, I believe this squad has a lot of deph, and we have an experience coaching staff.
June 15th, 2015 at 9:04 pm
StPete- why make this about me? I have always said that if Lovie Smith makes a good decision I will happily give him credit. If the Bucs win 10 or more games I will give Lovie Smith credit in as much as I think his decision-making and talent evaluation played a part in the success. However, what will be true is that a 10 or more win season will be because of the exceptional talent and leadership of Jameis Winston in spite of Lovie Smith’s incompetence. We saw very clearly what Lovie Smith is about last year and it is a scary, humiliating record of vast ineptitude.
June 15th, 2015 at 10:47 pm
Herm Edwards never said last years team would make it to the Superbowl.
June 15th, 2015 at 11:15 pm
@DallasBuc
StPete is making this about you because you sound like an idiot.
Thank you…………
June 15th, 2015 at 11:40 pm
I have faith in Lovie and the Fellas
But I don’t predict winning seasons for Rookie QBs, With Rookie Left Tackles.
Yeah, Dallas Buc- it’s the” You’re an idiot” thing
June 16th, 2015 at 10:06 am
Hilo & CaptTim- calling someone an idiot because you don’t like what they have to say is sweet irony! Thanks for the intelligent contribution. Always gotta have those guys that will defend the parties responsible for shameful mediocrity and 2-14 seasons! A gift that keeps on giving…
June 16th, 2015 at 10:44 am
Idiot!
June 16th, 2015 at 11:54 am
^^^Irony!