The Courtship Of Koetter’s Lust
May 17th, 2017
Targeted for months.
Yes, the draft is over and so is rookie minicamp. Still, it intrigues Joe to learn just how much the Bucs were in deep love with tight end O.J. Howard.
When the Bucs introduced Howard to the local pen and mic club the afternoon after he was drafted, Joe couldn’t help noticing how winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter almost needed a drool towel the way he gawked at Howard. Koetter, beaming smile on his face, remarked that he liked tight ends, but the way he gawked at Howard made Joe think of the way Joe stares at his life-sized poster of Rachel Watson.
Last week when AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht appeared on “Schein on Sports,” hosted by popular sports television and radio personality Adam Schein, heard exclusively on SiriusXM Radio, Licht explained just how much the Bucs coveted Howard. So much so that Howard had been a popular subject at One Buc Palace dating back to the 2016 college football regular season.
“We were elated, first of all,” Licht said of the moment the Bucs picked Howard. “We had discussions about him throughout the season. My scouts loved him, obviously. I had conversations with [Bucs] owners during the national championship game that was played [in Tampa] about O.J. and then Dirk and I had talked about him throughout the entire [draft] process. At the Senior Bowl [the two remarked], ‘Can you imagine if he is still there’” when the Bucs picked?
“So when he was – we are very calm in the draft room because we go through every scenario – but I couldn’t turn that pick in quick enough. Right after I did, it was a party.”
Koetter also remarked that at the Senior Bowl, after watching a few minutes of drills, Koetter told Licht he wanted Howard, got up and walked away.
In fact, a scant few minutes after the Howard pick was announced, Licht stated at One Buc Palace he needed a beer he was so happy.
Joe also found it interesting that California train-romancing, anti-football proliferation, outhouse-admiring, airline-napping, steerage-flying, Yogi Berra-worshiping, urinal picture-taking, video game-playing, Taylor Swift-listening, pickpocket-thwarting, Bucs-uniform-frowning, Allie-LaForce-smitten, Big-Ten-Network-hating, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, craft beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading, NPR-honk, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training Peter King, of Sports Illustrated and NBC Sports fame, weighed in on the drafting Howard.
King was embedded with the 49ers for theMMQB.com during their draft. He wrote that San Francisco called the Bucs to try to trade up to No. 19 and was quickly informed there was no desire to trade back.
May 17th, 2017 at 10:22 am
See people me doing my part to keep DC4 a daily topic here at jbf had its benefits. Never know who’s watching might’ve provided enough smoke to allow them the land who they really wanted in the end. Someone should send me a bottle.
May 17th, 2017 at 10:23 am
Ah, It’s nice to know that I was on the same page as Dirk and Jason for months.
May 17th, 2017 at 10:23 am
🙂
May 17th, 2017 at 10:24 am
@Joe
It was more than just a few months!!!!!! Back by popular demand, its the Realist Repost!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Buc Realist Says:
June 21st, 2016 at 8:58 am
I don’t see how they will not be looking for an “elite” TE come NFL draft 2017!!!!
https://www.joebucsfan.com/2016/06/guessing-the-final-53/
I am not sure, But there was a moment went The Buc Realist and Head Coach Koetter’s eyes meet and we both nodded, and we knew what the biggest need on the roster was going to be!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 17th, 2017 at 10:27 am
Glad to see Koetter got his guy
May 17th, 2017 at 10:36 am
I somehow can’t help but think Dirk was flashing back to the days of having Tony Gonzalez available for his offensive game plans. I’m sure those memories are among the best that he has.
He simply sees Gonzalez II and is ready to let the good times roll.
May 17th, 2017 at 10:38 am
I’ll send you a gift wrapped bottle of Zima Nos.
It should compliment your daily cocktail of anti-psychotics nicely.
May 17th, 2017 at 10:38 am
Let’s go Jameis. It’s time to slay the NFL now.
They bring what they got and we bring what we got. We win.
It’s that simple for me. Really.
May 17th, 2017 at 10:47 am
My girl was weirded out by how excited I was when we landed Howard. I felt like it was a dream for 3 days. I still can’t grasp that it’s reality. He was literally the only player I wanted besides Davis at #2 and Barnett as a back up. He is my favorite draft pick in the past decade. Jameis is the best by OJ is my favorite. It truly was unbelievable that potentially 14 TEAMS PASSED ON THE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE AND PREFERRED A NEED!
Also the fact that Lynch was making a move after what he did #1 is very admirable. I really like what he’s doing in SF. The fact that he still got Foster is insane. People were hating but he’s nailing everything so far.
May 17th, 2017 at 10:51 am
Summer’s eve better yet go in your medicine cabinet and pony up a few of those zans. They a little more valued on the streests.
May 17th, 2017 at 11:29 am
Nos.. you sure that wasn’t a bottle of pepto bismol.
May 17th, 2017 at 11:29 am
“I’ll send you a gift wrapped bottle of Zima Nos.
It should compliment your daily cocktail of anti-psychotics nicely.”
That made me laugh
May 17th, 2017 at 11:32 am
LOL Nos! If it helped, I’m saying thanks! OJ is gonna be a stud
May 17th, 2017 at 11:33 am
🙄🙄🙄
May 17th, 2017 at 11:49 am
I tell you between Realist-a-Damus and the Nos-freakingway-a-Damus we’re covered!
Now, if I can just get Realist to give me those lotto numbers!!!
Pass the Boone’s Farm! I want to see what the back of my toilet bowl looks like!!!
May 17th, 2017 at 12:04 pm
Bucsfanman …lmao.
May 17th, 2017 at 12:50 pm
I wish I could just go ahead and sell my condo and put the proceeds on those vegas lines. Millions ready to be made!!!!!!!
I remember wanting to buy amazon stock 20 years ago, but never got around to it.
+49000% return as of now. A measly 1000 would have me sitting at almost half a mill right now if I had went with it 🙁
May 17th, 2017 at 12:51 pm
OJ Howard Rookie of the year! Yep!
May 17th, 2017 at 1:55 pm
Its becoming apparent that any and all lingering “curses” on this franchise were removed to coincide with the arrival of the Messiah. (Thanks Chucky – Thanks Doug – even Bo knows when its time to let stuff go).
The grand slam of ’15 signaled the heralding of the Savior for this franchise. 4 picks – 4 starters. Good starters. Including the best QB prospect the NFL had seen for years. Perhaps many years…
In 40 years the Tampa Bay Buccaneers never had a franchise QB. Not really. Doug Williams and Steve Young were nice talents – but neither played for this franchise very long. Vinny? nope. – Dilfer? No – All 4 of those 1st round QBs went on to greater glory elsewhere and aside from Williams, were mostly ineffective their entire careers with the Bucs. Brad the Bull?? Efficient, tough, smart game manager who rode one of history’s best defenses to glory. But No – and he was here What? 3-4 years? 2010 phenom Josh Freeman? Well thats just a sad story that is still a bit too “fresh” to dwell on.
So fast forward to that fateful night. April 30 2015 8:12 pm. The stars align. Beams of light from above stream down. Amidst a chorus of boos aimed at the speaker, the self proclaimed King of the league announces the coming of the Tampa Bay NFL franchise’s turnaround… “With the 1st pick in the 2015 NFL draft – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers select…. Jameis Winston – Quarterback – Florida State University”
The prophesy is fulfilled (personal text to Jason Licht just prior to the 2014 draft – “which QB do you like? Manziel? Carr?” – Jason’s response – “Winston”).
Ever since that moment – things have gotten better and better and better for this long struggling, suffering franchise. 2 Very Good Oline talents fell enough to be scooped up in round 2 the next day. Exactly the 2 players Oline coach Warhop had told the GM he wanted. And the next day brought more of the same. The Bucs selected perhaps the steal of the entire draft by moving up in the 4th round for LSU LBer Kwon Alexander.
That was some nucleus to go along with budding star Mike Evans – the previous year’s (not a QB???)1st rd selection.
In 2016 the best pure pass rusher in the draft by multiple accounts fell well into the 2nd round where GM Licht with an almost Nostradomus like patience waited eagerly to scoop him up. Another draft steal to go along with the safe and solid CB selection of Vernon Hargreaves in the 1st round. The kicker in the 2nd? Well that doesn’t fit this narrative so we can just cede the GM a brain fart every couple of years – Kay? OK!
And then in 2017 a talent like OJ Howard. A top 10 talent on EVERYONE’S board and top 5 talent on quite a few – the best 2 way TE prospect to come out in many years (sound familiar?) falls to the Bucs at #19 in the 1st round… The wheels in coach Koetter’s head have been working and creating and scheming in triple overtime ever since.
Folks – I’d say we’ve gone from cursed to Blessed.
And I also said from the minute we drafted Winston – “enjoy the Ride Buccaneer fans” – that statement seems to be gaining some real traction these days…
May 17th, 2017 at 1:59 pm
@Pickgrin- I have tears of joy running down my cheeks after reading that! Thanks! I feel so much better now.
May 17th, 2017 at 2:00 pm
@Pickgrin
An elegant summation friend. And I agree wholeheartedly with your second to last statement.
We be Blessed.
May 17th, 2017 at 2:23 pm
To me its a combination of …
1. This is Jameis’ 3rd NFL season. He should have it worked out. Now we should see his football IQ shine.
2. “Weapons for Winston!” was the cry. Well it has been answered in both the FA market and the draft. Get ready for allot of 2 TE sets forcing defenses to guess, run or pass, and if pass, to who?
3. Another full off-season for the Bucs defense to learn Smitty’s scheme. This year they should be even faster.
Slowly pundits are coming around, I’d prefer they lay off. Because in the end. The only thing that matter is “W’s”. Once the Bucs break that 10 win barrier and are in the playoff. Everything above is mere speculation. And IMHO anything less than a playoff berth for the Bucs in 2017 is a disappointment.
May 17th, 2017 at 2:27 pm
Pickgrin…great job man.
I proclaimed when they drafted Jameis. “You may think you don’t like him, but you’re going to fall in love with him.”
May 17th, 2017 at 3:23 pm
@Pickgrin…Spot on Analysis…i think some people forget Licht came from Arizona and New England (Franchises who build PROPERLY) and he has done nothing but brought that same pedigree here…
I’m staying calm but can’t help but be excited (Hard Knocks only out the icing on it)
**Watch how everyone hop on once we get off to this fast start tho 🙂
May 17th, 2017 at 3:25 pm
Pickgrin….good job of showing the metaphysical side of being a Bucs fan.
And it’s only getting better…imagine next year’s draft…we’re starting to catch up on needs and we can really go BPA….what if a stud DL slips to us..GMC’s eventual successor…it’s possible because according to Walter Football the ’18 draft is going to be heavy with Qb’s taking up a lot of high spots in the first. Maybe some a great DL will drop.
May 17th, 2017 at 3:52 pm
i truly believe this kid could be the next tony gonzales
May 17th, 2017 at 8:46 pm
Honestly the year Carr was drafted I really wanted him cuz I could tell he was gonna be good and you imagine where we would be right now if we drafted him. We would have no need for Fameis. Now that we have him though, this is the year we break out of that 10 year slump! Anyone who ain’t excited to be a Bucs fan simply ain’t a true Bucs fan!
May 17th, 2017 at 10:20 pm
David – If we were drafting a QB in 2014 – I wanted it to be Carr.
But I’m glad Licht held out for the cream of the crop QB prospect the following year.
Simply stated:
Winston > Carr
May 17th, 2017 at 10:45 pm
I’ll never forget Winston’s first game live on tv….I was mesmerized! I remember thinking to myself, I hope we can draft him, man we need him! Had no clue Lovie could deliver him, but he did….it was like prophecy…..Marpet and OJ too.
You the man Pick! Well said!
May 17th, 2017 at 11:16 pm
I don’t have a gay bone in my body but even I have a man-crush on O.J. (and Tom Selleck but that’s another story, hahaha) … can’t wait to see this kid beast in the NFL!
May 17th, 2017 at 11:18 pm
I love me some Derek Carr, more so as a person than a player though he’s one heck of a player, but he is nowhere near the QB talent that Jameis is …