No Excuses
September 9th, 2015
Bucs WR Vincent Jackson points a direct finger at what ailed the Bucs last season.
Yesterday, Vincent Jackson paid a visit to the airwaves of “The Blitz,” co-hosted by Rich Gannon and Bruce Murray, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Jackson is one of those players that when he does talk, speaks eloquently but doesn’t say a whole lot (though he isn’t as talented in this trait as Josh McClown. That dude could talk for 30 minutes and when he finished, you’d say to yourself, ‘What the hell did he actually say?’).
Never, ever does Jackson seem to rock the boat.
However, Jackson came close yesterday, as close as Joe could ever recall. Jackson was asked why the 2014 season imploded. Initially, he did his best cliché-filled tap dance, avoiding the question. But then Jackson spoke directly about the Bucs’ ills.
In short, Jackson said, blame the guys on the field, including himself.
“The list can go on and on for us last year but you know what? Other teams have to deal with the same types of things we dealt with like injuries, and some things with coaches or whatever it is,” Jackson said. “That’s no excuse. Lovie [Smith] never made any excuses. He never expected the players to make any excuses. Our job was to go out there and perform and we just didn’t do so. So many close games … and we just did not manage the game well at the end, to put ourselves in position to win the game.”
That may be the most refreshing thing Joe has ever heard Jackson say: The guys on the field didn’t get the job done.
As Lovie would say, simple as that.
Jackson did add that some main issues with in-game lack of execution have been a focus this offseason.
“This year we spent a lot of time on … finishing games and starting fast,” Jackson said. “I really feel like we’re actually going to be able to do that this year much better.
“We have come a very long way in just a matter of months.”
September 9th, 2015 at 5:22 am
VJax is still my favorite Bucs player. He’s been an outstanding performer on and off the field since coming here in 2012 as a free agent. Over 1,000 yards receiving every year, averaging almost 75 receptions a year. Also pretty remarkable that VJax has only fumbled twice in those 3 years. Class act off the field too.
I just hope that he gets a chance to finish his career here on a winning playoff-bound team. Hopefully this is the year for that to happen. Go Bucs!
September 9th, 2015 at 5:41 am
ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
September 9th, 2015 at 5:52 am
He shouldn’t have to make excuses he had nothing to do with crap drafting and bAd personnel decisions.
September 9th, 2015 at 6:03 am
Lovie has made plenty of excuses. Glad VJAX is on this team
September 9th, 2015 at 6:36 am
yes indeed folks! This is your last week to drag along the pains of last year. Slowly let go of them as if your were leaving home to go to college. you will miss the old but you will hopefully cut the cord to the anchor of disgust before Sunday. As Bucs fans you deserve the freedom to embrace your Bucs with
The team has shown a new era is about to be born. Our Savior is here. The Licht was alive on draft day and continues to shine in the off season. Siege your anger and flush it down the toilet. Lovie and Koetter are about to show you a new game on Sunday. And if that is not enough we always have Brindza. Don’t lose hope. The Cannons will fire!!!!
8-8 is coming!
In Lovie, Licht, Koetter and Winston I TRUST!!!
September 9th, 2015 at 6:37 am
With hope.
September 9th, 2015 at 6:58 am
If they lose on sunday…then Tampa will slowly become a football town again. If they lose….I will be loading my gun.
September 9th, 2015 at 7:49 am
Defense Rules:
Thanks for the detailed info. Will certainly look into it.
September 9th, 2015 at 7:50 am
Vjax…..a man amongst boys!!!
September 9th, 2015 at 7:55 am
I just want to go on record saying this is the most negative fan base in the country. Here we are 5 days from the start of a brand new season with a new QB, MLB, LT, RG, K, P and Slot Receiver/kick returner. Along with that we have an offensive coordinator with a great track record in the league for the first time since Jon Gruden. How can people not be excited to see what this team has to offer. Yet day after day comment after comment, not just here but on every site, are just complaints about this, make a smart comment about that. It is really sad We have one of 32 teams in the world yet all these people can do is complain before a game is even played.
September 9th, 2015 at 8:11 am
Agreed ndog. Sucks to be them.
September 9th, 2015 at 8:22 am
also agreed ndog, but years of losing can make fans cynical. There are some “fans” on here, however, that seem to enjoy pissing on the parade every chance they get about anything. Those “trolls” are the same people in my opinion that thrive on other people’s struggles because it make them feel better about their own lives. It’s old and extremely boring.
Funny story real quick – my wife and I met VJax at an event (my wife owns a hair salon) and when I introduced my wife to VJax as “the man” – she said, “Oh you’re a hair stylist?”. He got a good laugh out of that one.
September 9th, 2015 at 8:23 am
ndog:
2-14 and 30-70 in last 100 games will do that to a fanbase.
September 9th, 2015 at 9:32 am
ndog you said it well. I accept the idea that a long history of losing will make people cynical. But also to that sentiment, I’ve been a fan for over 20 years. I’ve experienced just as many lows as a lot of you. And yet I still buy in, every year. And I love every second of it. Wearing the gear, playing as Jameis in Madden. Getting in arguments with people in public about MY team. This is OUR team. And they deserve to be supported by their fans. These players dont make the personnel decision. They play. And players like VJax deserve to feel our support.
We have a lot of young guys to be excited about. IDK about you guys but the idea of watching Lavonte and Kwon flying around the field on Sundays has me all jacked up!
Dont get me wrong. The losing is OLD. and EXHAUSTING. but I am fan of the Buccaneers. And Im jacked up. The past is the past. Lets Fire some Cannons guys!
September 9th, 2015 at 9:46 am
ndog: I’m always excited for the start of the season and to watch the Bucs. But over the last few years, unbridled enthusiasm has given way to cautious optimism, and finally to stark reality….the Bucs just aren’t as talented the other teams around them. This is the result of bad personnel choices and coaching. It’s frustrating because we fans want to see a competitive team every week, but instead, we get 2-14 and a coaching regime that can’t seem to fix those most glaring deficiencies…offensive and defensive lines. My own thought…for what it is worth…is that we will have one more bad season this year, before Lovie is let go and Koetter becomes our new HC. Then we will use our draft choices and free agency next year to build a much more competitive team. Sometimes you have to go thru this kind of rebuilding to get better.
September 9th, 2015 at 9:52 am
We need to fill RJS with screaming Bucs fans! Simple as that.
September 9th, 2015 at 10:15 am
I agree Jackson doesn’t say much. He has been around long enough to not create controversy. A model teammate.
September 9th, 2015 at 10:32 am
sunday is a must win for this team and city..simple as that..GO BUCS!!!
September 9th, 2015 at 10:47 am
The same “McClown” that carved up the Bucs! His performance showed that Coaching is the problem. If he was so bad, why did he perform like that!
September 9th, 2015 at 11:22 am
@Tony
“Lovie has made plenty of excuses.” Just a tip….
If you want your post to have any meaning other than I hate Lovie and so waaahhh…you need to provide some examples.
Any quotes that you could share of Lovie making excuses. Examples are always better than just saying something.
September 9th, 2015 at 11:24 am
If he was so bad, why did he perform like that!
Duh. It was a freaking PS game!!! He was diving head first to make a first down that had even his own coach pointing to his head as in numbskull.
Why did he fail to put the dagger in the Bucs hearts when Fameis threw that horrid int down 14-0? Why the 3 and outs?
September 9th, 2015 at 12:18 pm
30-70 deserves critical and cynical fans. We should go to games and support the team but I blame the glazers not the fans for this crap the last 6 years. Cautiously hopeful but not blind. We have a ways to go. Also, consider this is a parity league with a hard cap. Your not supposed to be bad for 6 years.
September 9th, 2015 at 12:50 pm
I agree with Brent and Joe….30-70 will make u goNUTS…..
September 9th, 2015 at 7:39 pm
Missing out on Chip Kelly and the Josh Freeman nose dive set the rebuilding back.