The One That Got Away
March 26th, 2017
Wiggled off Team Glazer’s hook.
Leave it to the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com to dig up a great gem.
As Joe has learned since he wised up and began DVR’ing “PFT Live,” hosted by the great Mike Florio seen on NBC Sports Network weekday mornings, there are all sorts of NFL nuggets to learn there. He is as plugged in as anyone working behind a microphone and on a keyboard for a living.
Friday was no different. Previously, Florio had former NFL head coach and long-time offensive assistant Kevin Gilbride on his show and Gilbride discussed how he narrowly missed out on an NFL head coaching job in January 2012.
NFL rules prohibit franchises from poaching coaches off teams alive in the playoffs. Gilbride was offensive coordinator of the Giants as they worked their way to the Super Bowl championship.
Gilbride told Florio he was in the running to land a head coaching gig with an unspecified NFL team. However, when the Giants won the NFC title game, the team Gilbride was poised to take over pulled out, saying they wanted to move on as the two-week delay between the NFC title game and the Super Bowl was too long to wait.
Florio, on his Friday show, claimed he did his own independent research following his Gilbride interview and learned the team was the Bucs.
As we all know, the Bucs then flirted with Chip Kelly before settling on commander Greg Schiano.
Who knows what would have happened if the Giants had lost the NFC title game and Gilbride would have come aboard? It’s fair to reason that Gilbride would not have been fired after only two seasons and, therefore, lazy Lovie Smith wouldn’t have been hired — Stevie Wonder would have been a better judge of talent! — and thus, the team wouldn’t have plunged into the abyss. The Bucs never would have been in position to draft America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
While the Bucs may have initially lost out on Gilbride, they won in the long run. Big time.
March 26th, 2017 at 1:50 am
Somehow sounds like the Clothes Horse in action. Hitting on a reasonable strategy but not playing it through. Changing in mid-stream, caught without a backup plan, blundering into a bad choice that makes the situation worse.
That sure sounds like our Rock Star.
March 26th, 2017 at 3:14 am
I think we would have developed a very good football team behind Gilbride who I respect a great deal. Freeman was becoming a promising QB at the time and with better veteran coaching top to bottom the GM had a better chance to succeed. Kind of crapy time in BucLand which a lot of people forget.
Would have missed out on Winston of course because that kind of confluence of ineptitude and malpractice is reserved for the incompetent Lovie Smith and his lil lapdog Licht to manufacture.
Go Bucs
March 26th, 2017 at 4:31 am
#Bigly
March 26th, 2017 at 4:35 am
And, who cares?!
Noone.
March 26th, 2017 at 5:12 am
Could had Gilbride, but Rockstar couldnt wait 2 weeksand doomed us with the joke that was Schiano
Man, Rockstar sucked
Schiano is the only coach Ive ever seen, where opposing players would stand on their sideline, and laugh at his formations and play calling. It was literally high school level offense. Defense was meybe college level.
Gilbride would have been a pro Coach.
Man, Rockstar sucked
March 26th, 2017 at 5:38 am
I remember when PFT announced that Joe Marinelli was coming to the Bucs in 2015 as Lovie’s DC. Oh silly PFT… anywho you can still find that story in their archives.
March 26th, 2017 at 5:48 am
Hurry up April 27th … P-L-E-A-S-E.
March 26th, 2017 at 6:08 am
#Big League
March 26th, 2017 at 6:38 am
Yes, after the Schiano debacle we were stuck with Lovie…Mrs. Howell was complete nightmare and two years of my life that I will never get back. Feel bad for Illinois..He shouldn’t be allowed within 1 mile of any venue associated with competitive sports.
March 26th, 2017 at 7:29 am
Must not have been too in love with KG if your attitude is, yeah we want you to be our HC but can’t wait 2 weeks to make the announcement. C’mon man…
March 26th, 2017 at 7:37 am
Schiano was a egotistical college coach. Like DallasBuc, I always wonder if Freeman would had had a better career with a real coach.
BTW- Licht after Lovie is the real deal. Lovie called the shots back then. Although, Licht wanted Winston since his freshman year at FSU.
Licht is competent as a GM. We are set to become great. We have a perfect gm and coaches combination which makes for a perfect foundation.
Go Bucs!!!!
March 26th, 2017 at 7:55 am
U pass on the guy cause he has to go to the super bowl.
Mark Dominick never ceases to amaze me.
March 26th, 2017 at 7:57 am
Freeman had other chances with REAL coaches.
Or are we back to Schiano ruined Freeman theory. If that’s what you’s two are talking about, then I disagree. Freeman ruined Freeman.
March 26th, 2017 at 8:24 am
Buc1987 Says:
March 26th, 2017 at 7:57 am
Freeman had other chances with REAL coaches.
——————————————–
Those other chances came after his career was derailed and with other established qb’s playing for their respective teams. He played well vs. Miami and won that game, got the game ball even after a long-long lay-off. Freeman is certainly not without blame, but I put most of the onus on Schiano who wanted “competition” at the qb spot from the day he got hired, and fell in love with a career back-up (Glennon).
March 26th, 2017 at 8:31 am
Man! Just think about all the crazy chain of events that had to take place for us to land Jameis and Koetter! The friggin Giants winning a super bowl are now tied into this?? Crazy
March 26th, 2017 at 8:50 am
So far I’d say Koetter is doing great. We still need to deep into the playoffs, and then deeply in the playoffs to know for sure. I think we’re on track. However, as a season ticket holder with multiple seats, some club, I look at this this as I’m $45K past Gildbride could-have-been. That’s one helluva SUV’s worth later…
March 26th, 2017 at 8:50 am
Schiano much better coach than Lovie… Mentally weak leader of the losing culture couldn’t handle a little discipline so they gave him big softy and that was even worse than schiano. Schiano would have been fine if the roster was not full of choir boy losers afraid of a little work.
March 26th, 2017 at 8:55 am
In fairness…Gilbride was out if the league after the 2013 season. I’m not sure he would have made a great head coach for the Bucs. This article does remind us all of several years of folly for our beloved team. It appears the Bucs are headed in the right direction…2017 will be a very telling season. Is it make or break for Licht? Will Koetter take the next step forward after a promising 9-7 campaign? Stay tuned…
March 26th, 2017 at 8:55 am
Schiano is the martyr Buc fans need to recognize. He sniffed out FreeWee’s bull spit, dealt with the tragedy of MRSA, and had to work with dominik. Lovie was worse with Licht. That should say something.
If it weren’t for Schiano, we’d still be paying Freeman and be in worse shape. Schiano should have been considered for a third year, especially when you replace him with Lovie Smith.
My he Buccaneer/Lovie era was flat out disgusting foootball. I’m excited to see Koetter in year two.
March 26th, 2017 at 8:58 am
Joe Marinelli. Is that Ron’s evil twin brother?
March 26th, 2017 at 8:59 am
I dont buy the whole Schiano ruined Freeman theory. This team needed discipline and Freeman needed someone to ride his arse to be consistent. Sadly Freeman was too thin skinned.
March 26th, 2017 at 9:57 am
Scotty in Fat Antonio Says:
March 26th, 2017 at 8:58 am
Joe Marinelli. Is that Ron’s evil twin brother?
Actually…I think it’s ROD’s second cousin…twice removed. 😉
March 26th, 2017 at 10:57 am
bucs_365 Says:
March 26th, 2017 at 4:35 am
And, who cares?!
No one.
_____________________________________
I’ll second that! If this team did a tenth of what the Joe’s keep begging for, the Bucs would be Cleveland South.
March 26th, 2017 at 1:08 pm
The girls at the Mons ruined Freeman.
March 26th, 2017 at 5:23 pm
Scotty – Haha… ooops.
tmaxcon – Lovie was a coach that took his team to the SB. Schiano wasn’t even .500 against D1 teams in college. There is no comparing the two.
March 26th, 2017 at 5:25 pm
This man was punched by Buddy Ryan, need I say more ?
March 26th, 2017 at 7:11 pm
Freeman ruined Freeman. He had other chances and didn’t deliver…end of story
March 26th, 2017 at 7:28 pm
Lovie was a coach that took his team to the SB. Schiano wasn’t even .500 against D1 teams in college. There is no comparing the two.
Lovie led the team to 6 wins in two years, Schiano had 11 wins in two years (with a harder schedule and FAR more off field distractions). You absolutely can compare the two, and Schiano was hands down the better Bucs head coach. The
March 27th, 2017 at 9:21 am
Schianos plus qualities were many ! Had Schiano had Winston and NOT a guy that found the nightlife and late night / early morning over – time activities of South Tampas Fast Paced Crowd as his Qb/ Leader ; he still may be coach .
He had some clear negatives as well but will be back in the NFL if he chooses.
March 27th, 2017 at 11:19 am
That 2012 roster was bad and Josh Freeman was poised to implode under anyone, even Bill Walsh. The Bucs are where the are and it doesn’t do any good to look back at what might have been. The ship is in good hands for years to come with Licht, Koetter, and Winston on the bridge.