Look In The Mirror!
March 15th, 2016
Local writer suggests Lovie Smith should do some mirror-gazing.
Yes, last week while everyone was buried amid free agency frenzy, Lovie Smith made his first (known) public appearance discussing how he was jettisoned by Team Glazer (interesting timing, yes?).
There, of course, Lovie blamed Team Glazer for his third-worst winning percentage in Tampa Bay history.
Then we heard Lovie bring up the empty if not misleading talking point of his apologists and sycophants, who argue he needed more time. They claim more time was critical, despite the glaring fact most of head coaches hired with Lovie in 2014, including those who inherited worse teams, turned around their franchises or put their teams in the playoffs while Lovie’s teams continued to wallow in the NFC South basement.
This sent good guy Gil Arcia into a rage. The proprietor of TheBayCave.com put fingers to keyboard and torched Lovie for dodging any responsibility for one of the worst stretches in franchise history.
This is a perfect example of utter ignorance. Smith tells a pity story to make himself sound and look better than what he really is while spreading lies and not telling the whole story.
The only progress was in the win column which is a HORRIBLE way to analyze this situation and does not tell the full story. There was no progress from Year 1, as he claims. In fact, the only progress was on the offensive side of the ball and that was because of the man who is in his position now — and rightfully so.
Arcia then cites many examples of why Lovie needs to man up and accept responsibility for crashing the Bucs’ ship into an iceberg.
Joe can’t argue with Arcia. But let’s remember: Lovie hired Dirk Koetter and was responsible for America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, coming to Tampa Bay.
Other than those two (significant) transactions, it’s difficult to find anything Lovie touched that turned out right.
March 15th, 2016 at 8:16 am
Yes! Can BSPN put these words on a show please?! Or how bout NFL network repeat that statement! Real BUCS fans know this is the truth. Thank you Gil Arcia. Don’t mess with the Dirk!
March 15th, 2016 at 8:16 am
Starting Alexander was the only good decision obvious to us.
March 15th, 2016 at 8:18 am
Lovie isn’t the good guy most like to say he is. Actions speak louder than words or perception. Men of character take responsibility. Men of character don’t leave a trail of 17 offensive and defensive coordinators in a 11 year career. Men of character don’t hire unqualified relatives to lucrative contracts. Men of character take the high road. Lovie does not have the high character some of you like to say he does. There is more to good character than going to church and not allowing naughty words. Lovie’s a pathetic joke.
March 15th, 2016 at 8:21 am
Players usually don’t get the luxury of more time….if they don’t perform they are cut.
It’s human nature to avoid taking full responsibility for your mistakes….especially publicly, so I’m not surprised by Lovie’s comments.
March 15th, 2016 at 8:22 am
Preach on Gil.
March 15th, 2016 at 8:24 am
^^^^^^^tmaxcon,
You’re spot on!
March 15th, 2016 at 8:24 am
I can no longer argue wit you tmax. You just said it best. And again for anyone new to the site I use to defend the guy.
March 15th, 2016 at 8:26 am
And Preach on Tmax
March 15th, 2016 at 8:26 am
All I saw was the picture. What was this article about? Wow!
March 15th, 2016 at 8:28 am
Oh okay, I went back and read the article. Gil is right. Lovie is a bonehead.
March 15th, 2016 at 8:30 am
🙂
March 15th, 2016 at 8:33 am
Watching lovie up close most came to realize that he has no class!!! Yes he treats his star players very well, but everyone else is a different story!!!! But the “look in the mirror” will not happen!!! That was what he was supposedly doing for a 1 year in his basement!!!
Still waiting for lovie to thank Buc fans that supported him and gave him an opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL!! But he is too busy giving NFL GM Licht the double silent treatment!!!! No CLASS!!!!
March 15th, 2016 at 9:03 am
Lovie was a failure here, just as he was in Chicago. Did the blind squirrel find a couple acorns? Yes. But very glad he is gone…plus it sends a message to the team that failure to succeed is unacceptable, on many levels. End of story.
March 15th, 2016 at 9:09 am
@joe… Touché!!!
March 15th, 2016 at 9:15 am
The Realist & Tmaxcon are so far off point, giving Tampa fans farewell thank-you, keep waiting he ain’t built that way, this team did not get better is the biggest lie you guys hide behind, if he was in total control as some of you suggest, then give him credit for all things football related, free agents, draft picks, coaches hired, even the BACK/STABBER, if this team continues to improve, which it has improved, give LOVIE credit for his part in it, and one other thing, when he says he didn’t get enough time, or he thought there was a plan in place that does not mean he does not take responsibility, it simply means in his own mind he did not get the support he thought was there, all the name calling he does not deserve, he tried, he failed, he’s gone! And I still have not heard a HARSH WORD from LOVIE! That’s CLASS!
March 15th, 2016 at 9:43 am
Wow Haynes….. I don’t have ADD, but that was one heck of a long run on sentence. Just wow.
That being said, no excuse for the team being so horribly blown out in so many games. Where was the accountability? And Lovie didn’t standup for Jameis when he was taking cheap shots….the Ref. should have been blasted by the HC and Lovie stood there like a statue….that wasn’t class… it was “not standing up” for your QB/ players.
March 15th, 2016 at 9:52 am
Lovie, dude, your scheme was so predictable! I dont even coach football and figured you out within the first 4 games your first year here. Run Dougie, run Dougie, try to pass, run Dougie again. Then he was injured. Thats why Simms was picked in the 3rd because Licht knew you would run a guy into the ground.
And dont even get me started on the undisciplined craptacular players you brought in!! You knew they would follow you and wouldnt argue with you no matter what!! Well they followed you down and some of them will be following you out the door. Conte remains to be seen but Im pulling for him.
On D, your specialty, WHAT DID YOU DO? Lose games. And you fleeced the Glazers and thousands of Buc fans! Congratulations! Your bank is fat but your stupidity runs thick! Go ahead, try to blame others thats what people like you do. Inever saw any emotion from you on the sidelines, EVER!!!!
You brought us some high draft picks last year and thats about the ONLY thing I’ll ever remember you for. Glad you’re gone….GOOD RIDDANCE!! And to Tmax and Realist, you’re so right my friends!!
March 15th, 2016 at 9:54 am
Blah blah best move team glazer has made in 10 years was firing lovie instead of waiting another year
March 15th, 2016 at 10:18 am
Tmax has it right
March 15th, 2016 at 10:21 am
I posted on the NBC sports/PFT site regarding what really went down with Lovie and how many mistakes he really made. You know, all of the stuff the national media wont touch. And all the other fans on there were just kinda shocked. Apparentley they had no clue about all the bad personel moves under Lovie.
It’s just shocking how so few actually know what took place here the last two years.
March 15th, 2016 at 10:26 am
Nole on Sat.-Bucc on Sun.
much respect sir… I know we had some good ones in the past but I have anyone’s back who is a passionate bucs fan like yourself. Above was my last lovie rant. I am moving on…
March 15th, 2016 at 10:26 am
Largo folks really have idea.
March 15th, 2016 at 10:29 am
I appreciate it bro and likewise I have nothing else to say about the guy.
March 15th, 2016 at 10:52 am
Grrrr those slant passes.
March 15th, 2016 at 10:54 am
Does this guy ever take any responsibility? He acts like 8-24 is a common thing in the NFL and is completely acceptable.
March 15th, 2016 at 10:55 am
@Mark2001 I think you got it.
March 15th, 2016 at 11:00 am
I agree that he needs to take responsibility. I STILL don’t think that 2 years is enough to exact change in an organization though.
March 15th, 2016 at 12:34 pm
The red flag for me was how the Chicago based write highlighted Lovie’s transgression and loyalty issues in Chicago with his defensive staff.
Lovie had a nasty habit of making his DCs the fall guys and dishonoring them not by words but by his actions. He did multiple DCs in while HC of the Bears.
I said to myself, when Lovie was hired Rivera had to be licking his chops for embarrassment twice a year. And sure enough Rivera made sure his teams have us a little extra juice every time we played them recently.
That being the case, TMax hit it. Lovie can play victim all he want but there are inner circles that know his ritual and know he has a ceiling as a HC. Thanks Lovie for gifting us Dirk and Jameis but no thank you for the rest of your drama.
Gil nailed it.
March 15th, 2016 at 1:49 pm
Honestly, I don’t give Lovie all the credit for hiring Koetter as OC. I believe Jason Licht might’ve had something to do with it. Just a hunch.
March 15th, 2016 at 3:47 pm
amen Haynes!!!!!….they gave him time to fix the offense but didn’t give him time for the defense…its as simple as that…the offense was trash the last month of the season just like the defense(give dirk credit for that)…bucs are my team so i’ll support them until I die but be careful what you wish for..the grass aint always greener on the other side….GO BUCS!!!
March 15th, 2016 at 4:50 pm
BigGogHaynes,
You are so off base, I can’t even read your entire post. The fact that you refuse to acknowledge that Lovie is mostly to blame is amazing. I love listening to the Tampa Two Mafia spew their miscalculate ignorant and skewed opinion. They remind me of the Freemanites, the crazed population of fans that were more about Freeman than our team, the Bucs.
It just amazes me that you really believe Licht wanted to ax Lovie. Licht was just being a professional and doing the best he can.
How in the heck can you see our season last year as progress? How did Lovie’s Defense perform after a 6-6 start?
Lovie refused to adjust and is so entrenched in his own way that he has lost sight and the NFL game has passed him by.
March 15th, 2016 at 5:09 pm
BigHog,
Period bro. I want to read and reason with you but you can’t call Jason Licht a backstabber without knowledge of the dealings.
You’re speaking strictly from a uninformed fan perspective