Fiction Can’t Hide Bucs’ Growth
July 1st, 2017
More takes from JoeBucsFan Saturday columnist Gil Arcia. (Yeah, Gil took a week off last Saturday. Chill out!)
The term “elite” gets thrown around too much. It’s ultimately based on opinion, not true factual data in many cases. Of course, you have Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, etc. currently playing at “elite” status, I guess.
But is it really worth it to sit there and justify other players and label them as such?
Why not just label them great, really good, good, average, and so on?
Well, the Bucs have a mix of great and average players and everything else in between. But you give an offseason to some people and they try their best impersonation of the keyboard warriors.
An SB Nation blog that covers the Raiders created some elite ranking system to determine which teams had elite talent based on the NFL Network Top 100 Players list. It is nearly as bad as the PFF tribe’s made-up rankings and stats.
The SB Nation blog ranked the Bucs in the middle of the league for elite level talent based on some kind of average that was created just because. So then, naturally, another blog decided to run with it and interpret the team as lacking elite talent.
Silly. Season. Part. Two.
However, here is a fact: There are nearly 1,700 players on rosters throughout the NFL. The NFL Network lists the Top 100 players in all of football. Many already call that an elite list and the Bucs had Jameis Winston, Gerald McCoy, and Mike Evans all show up with a couple others surely close to making the list.
It’s a list that changes yearly due to player vote. So creating a ranking system with no true consistent data is a poor way to determine “elite” talent for any team.
During an offseason where we have seen the Bucs get consistent national attention from media giants like Fox Sports, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and NFL Network, Tampa Bay’s arrow is trending up — regardless of what fictional ranking system is created.
July 1st, 2017 at 7:50 am
Ok? So what? Take another week off Gil.
July 1st, 2017 at 8:14 am
Yep…. This is the time when fans, writers, bloggers all tell their fictional stories and opinions. At this point is all a guessing game since we haven’t seen the product in true action. Teams have different players, schemes evolve for the next season and sometimes new coaching staff is present. But that is what makes it fun in the off season reading all who are with you or not.
In these JBF avenues we are all experiencing each others opinions to keep ourselves sain until training camp!
Thanks Gil
Go Bucs!!!
July 1st, 2017 at 8:40 am
In due time, Gil, it will all wash out. They can’t flee their agenda quite yet. Soon, they’ll have no choice.
July 1st, 2017 at 8:50 am
Sigh… people like Leighroy get upset when you bash their favorite blogs or statistical dreamcatchers or just get upset when they don’t comprehend the meaning behind a post. Have to write it out in pictures. Fact is that these stupid blogs from SB Nation misinterpret lots. To say Bucs don’t have no elite talent is stupid. I agree with Gil here. Bucs have a lot of talent and are getting better. Much better. Being placed in the Top 100 out of 1700 players is great. And it’s a list created by their peers. Nation is taking notice. Can’t let the SB Nations or Tom Jones or Leighroys of the world bring us down. STICK CARRIERS! Go BUCS!
July 1st, 2017 at 8:53 am
Elite players doesn’t guarantee a winning team.
Who on the Patriots would you consider elite besides Brady? It’s still a team sport.
July 1st, 2017 at 9:05 am
Gotbbucs, exactly! I saw the list and the Cards and Titans were Top 10 teams based on that formula. Stupid!
July 1st, 2017 at 9:06 am
The list is subjective — but also meaningful. At three players out of 1,700, the Bucs have an average roster. Which is what one would expect, based on our record and history.
The team needs two things: (1) more top quality, high end players in the top 100 and (2) better depth, where we are relying on more starters in the 100-250 area and more backups in the 250-600 area. Big fish/small pond mentality doesn’t do it. (Looking at you, Lavonte). Up the game, up the record and the rankings will follow.
July 1st, 2017 at 9:27 am
A Raiders blog rated us middle of the pack. Well, we came one questionable 4th and goal defensive penalty from defeating their beloved Raiders last season with our lack of elite talent, so what does that say about their talent level?????
July 1st, 2017 at 9:43 am
Nothing NFL related bores me like the same teams at the top year after year. Yeah the Patriots make the game less enjoyable in my view. That last SB comeback a monumental creepout in my mind.
July 1st, 2017 at 9:45 am
Rayjay did you watch the Raiders game? The raiders put up 700 yards of offense and 200 yards of penalties, the bucs were outclassed that game by a potential super bowl team
July 1st, 2017 at 10:08 am
No Dave, its bc this is just a whining post about nothing meaningful from people who don’t care to do actual research.
Happy to resume Gil’s usually fine commentary when there’s actual substance to debate.
July 1st, 2017 at 10:42 am
duthsty rhothdes
outclassed??? the raiders got the overtime win 13 minutes into overtime!!!!!! only 2 other teams held Derrick Carr and the raiders to less points in 4 quarters of football!!!!!!!
July 1st, 2017 at 10:48 am
The thing that makes Rodgers elite, isn’t his arm or his legs. It is his mastery of throwing the D’s off base and on their heels, and finding the open guy. From his cadence, that draws D’s off in spite of the fact they know it is coming, to his timing of the snap, hurrying up or slowing down….to his awareness of the flow of the series and timing to keep D’s off base. Those things took him years to master….and frankly take any QB years to master it. Even some great QB’s never did or have. Man, if Jameis can keep growing in mastering that part of the game, I would have to believe that he would definitely be in line as the next “elite QB”.
July 1st, 2017 at 10:53 am
BTW…Favre never mastered that part of the game….. Rodgers get’s into the D’s head. Look how he even plays the
July 1st, 2017 at 10:55 am
….. injury card. He and Payton Manning were both masters of that.. just think…during his last couple of years, Payton couldn’t even through the ball as well as Jameis likely did in high school.
July 1st, 2017 at 10:56 am
throw…not through. OK…I’ll stop.
July 1st, 2017 at 11:08 am
Not a matter of hide and seek. It’s win and lose. Everything else is nonsense…
July 1st, 2017 at 11:34 am
Jim…the game is 90% mental. How many great arms have turned out to be a bust? Why does it take years to become masters of the game, particularly at positions like QB? And why will Jameis be ultimately successful, I believe? Because he is dedicated to becoming a master of the mental part of the game, as well as the physical part. Most of these guys drafted in the early rounds of the draft have physical gifts far beyond that of normal human beings. The mental part of the game is usually what separates the men from the boys. And that mastery can overcome the weaknesses of the parts of the team, or a player, and maximize the strengths.
July 1st, 2017 at 11:46 am
Still trying to figure out what I just read. Man I need a coffee
July 1st, 2017 at 4:07 pm
Brady still elite??? Hmmm,maybe but I saw a kink in his armor in the tournament last year. He played uncharacteristic against the texans in the playoffs. If they a qualified QB they would’ve beaten the pats. Then there’s the superbowl,he was pure garbage for 3 and half quarters. The Edelman miracle catch should’ve been a int. Remeber a pick 6 occured in the first half. He’ll be 40 next season,I ain’t buying this nonesince of 6 or 7 more years. My fingers will crossed come that Thursdays night in Tampa. I’m really hoping Kwon has m meets josh mccown during that game. If you haven’t noticed by now I’m sick of brady and the pats. CAPITOL MUTHAF@$! them.
July 1st, 2017 at 4:10 pm
brady kryptonite is a badd@$$ physical defense with capable QB on the other team. We’ll be fielding that in 2018.
July 1st, 2017 at 4:26 pm
A yo Kwon if you catch and read this my G, which I know you players check inn from time to time because I see my words in some of y’all tweets here and there. I wanna tell you like the Russian training told Drago in the movie Rocky 4 “you must brrreak him”. josh mccown him come that Thursdays night!!!
July 1st, 2017 at 8:10 pm
“Brady still elite??? Hmmm,maybe but I saw a kink in his armor in the tournament last year.”
——
I literally can’t read beyond that. Just stop bro. No one with even an ounce of football knowledge will agree with you.
July 2nd, 2017 at 1:05 am
so a pointless article about a pointless list/article from someone else? got it. yawn