“Did You Order The Code Jameis?”
December 11th, 2015
Simple as that
Renowned Tampa Tribune sports columnist/humorist Martin Fennelly pounded the pavement and the Bucs’ locker room this week trying to figure out exactly what happened the last time Tampa Bay hosted the Saints — and lost the game but won the Chase For Jameis.
Fennelly got some answers in his journey, and you can read about it at TBO.com.
Of course, Fennelly didn’t find anyone to flat out say the Bucs tanked intentionally, but he did pay proper homage to former Bucs wide receiver Tavarres King, who deserves a statue on Himes Avenue.
Fennelly also played his best Jack Nicholson and screamed at Lovie, “Did you order the Code Jameis?” That had Joe laughing over a morning beer.
You really want evidence the Bucs tanked? Consider that Joe heard Mike Evans told the Buccaneers Radio Network weeks ago that team trainers gave him his usual halftime IV in that game to be ready for the second half — but he didn’t play in the second half. And then there’s also the fact Tampa Bay started banged up quarterback Josh McCown, who was riding a five-game losing streak and already had earned himself a bus ticket out of town from his good friend Lovie Smith.
December 11th, 2015 at 10:39 am
They might of tanked the last game but that doesnt explain the first 15.
December 11th, 2015 at 10:53 am
Couch Fan
Agree completely! When the prize was so clearly in sight…2nd half of the ‘Aint’s game…they did the deed.
But there are a lot of explanations for the other 15.
Let’s satisfy the Lovie haters first. He obviously did not turn in his best year of coaching. Perhaps the game had changed or evolved while he was gone? Maybe he had a master plan to turn around the culture. I like MG8 and will NEVER understand McCown…other than McCown had leadership skills and veteran cred in the locker room and MG8 is not exactly a charismatiic come follow me guys kinda guy.
There was the entire Tedford/Arroyo mess but that’s on Lovie. He made a bad selection but he certainly more than made up for it with their replacements..Koetter-Bajakian
There are plenty of reasons for losing the other 13 games but I do not believe it was tanking. But New Orleans? Why didn’t they just put up announcements on the scoreboard….Ladies and Gentleman…Congratulations we have decided to tank this game so get ready for Fameis Jameis Winston!!!!
December 11th, 2015 at 11:02 am
Totally agreed the last couple games were young guy testing material as well as tanking for a QB “simple as that”
December 11th, 2015 at 11:03 am
I agree. What turned me off the most was the very first thing he did was sign and announce McCown as the starter before even allowing competition. I refuse to believe that he was tanking right from the beginning. He really believed McCown was better which was just crazy, in my opinion. It turned out well considering we now have Jameis but the decision making from Lovie will be scrutinized by me forever off that one decision alone.
December 11th, 2015 at 11:06 am
Sure would have made this article easier to read if I was smart enough to see there wasn’t a comma between code and Jameis
December 11th, 2015 at 11:29 am
Last year was a necessary evil. Hard to watch those games but it was worth it. My guess is it was the plan all along. Once Tedford left Lovie did nothing to replace him with someone competent. He continuously stated McCown when Glennon was playing better…only a lil bit better tho. Oh well. Glad it happened. And to think, there were fans that wanted Glennon to start over Jameis at the beginning of the year. Lol….
December 11th, 2015 at 11:44 am
Looking back at the beginning of this year, Lovie seemed to be continuing his poor performance from the previous year. But something happened (in the second quarter?) and Lovie seemed to start believing in this team by getting more aggressive with his game-time strategy (e.g., going for it on fourth down in our own territory). And the team responded with better play. It helped that Lovie finally found the right combination of CBs who would challenge WRs at the line of scrimmage, too. It’s been an interesting ride, to say the least.
December 11th, 2015 at 11:48 am
Mccown was a stop gap solution. A poor one, but that was his purpose. The team must not have been sold on any of the rookie qb coming out that year, hence rolling with Mccown and Glennon. But boy was that painful watching Mccown. He cost us games against the Panthers (week 1) Rams Bears and Bengals. Maybe Mccown would have done better with Tedford, but consider that both teams he started on the past two years earned the first pick in the draft (Browns will nit win another game all year.) So I have to think it wouldnt have mattered. Lovie really should have rolled with Glennon, but then we wouldnt have had Jameis and we would have been stuck with Glennon and go 5-11 every year. So in a weird way, Lovies horrible choice worked out. I think he realized the defense was not as good as he thought and even if they were, it just dosent work like that anymore.
Last year was painful. I was baffled but knowing Lovie had been there, done that before and is no fool, so I thought he could right the ship this year. But I sure as hell didnt see the o line being so good so fast. It hurt last year, but other than Zuttah everyone was overpaid and underperforming.
The growth all around from a year ago is astounding. There is finally light at the end of the tunnel. We got a strong core on offense and a chance to add young talent on defense this year. What a difference a year makes.
December 11th, 2015 at 12:19 pm
Could be the best loss in Bucs history
December 11th, 2015 at 1:23 pm
Lovie pumped his brakes that day for THE MESSIAH. This season he’s gona hit the gas on their a$$! #7-6
December 11th, 2015 at 3:03 pm
Then of course there’s us fans out there that think the tanking might, just might have started earlier than that Saints game.
Everything Jameis has done so far tells me it would have been worth it to throw in the towel early last season.
Anyways….McCown WAS the tank!
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Go Bucs!
December 11th, 2015 at 3:10 pm
Oh and for Couch Fan. No he wasn’t tanking from the very beginning and yes he did believe in McCown when he signed him. Just so no one jumps all over me for my conspiracy theory.
McCown WAS the TANK.
Had they put Glennon ( a kid with something to prove) in over McCown mid-season, then he might pull off a win or two. They couldn’t have that. That would ruin their chance for Jameis.
Again. Pay attention everyone. I’m not a conspiracy nutjob. Nutjob yes, but not a conspiracy one.
One more time. McCown was the tank.
Repeat after me…
December 11th, 2015 at 3:35 pm
McClown was the tank… Roger that!
December 11th, 2015 at 4:15 pm
the decision to tank the season came way before the final week. when they re-instated mccown, they basically let the world know that they were fishing for their future QB in the 2015 draft. i don’t know if they expected to be dead last like they were, but the closer they got to the end of the season, the less sense it made to field the best possible team to win the game.
December 11th, 2015 at 4:17 pm
what buc1987 said. certainly not from the get-go, but after tedford’s issue and mccown’s injury and a few games of seeing whether mike glennon could measure up to Jameis and Mariota’s potential, it’s hard to read McCown’s reinstatement as anything other than the team was neither trying to win nor trying to develop glennon
December 12th, 2015 at 6:38 am
In the immortal words of Don Quixote of La Mancha (or maybe it was Longfellow) – “In last year’s nests there are no birds this year”
In other words, last year is behind us so who cares! This year we have Jameis and are fighting for the playoffs. This year we are relevant! The last 10 years are but a fog … were our Buccaneers bad????? Hmmmm, I can’t remember.