“How Would You Have Liked Us To Do That?”
September 19th, 2017
The behind-the-scenes world of local Buccaneers media is not a pretty place. But that’s not for public consumption since it’s behind the scenes.
In public, however, there is one element that has taken an entertaining life of its own.
That would be the way WFLA-TV Bucs analyst Roy Cummings gets under the skin of winning head coach Dirk Koetter.
One tense moment could happen with anyone. Twice is noteworthy. Four and five times? Well, that’s all kinds of fun.
Yesterday seemed to be Exhibit G in the Cummings-Koetter tension party. Late in Koetter’s news conference, Cummings started talking to Koetter about a weak pass rush but didn’t ask a question before getting cut off.
Cummings: There’s one thing people still wonder about with this team through the offseason, why you didn’t fortify yourself a little bit at defensive end, just get more pass rush help. But then when you look back at the fact you had 21 sacks the second half … [cut off by Koetter]
Koetter: How would you like us to fortify it, Roy? How would you have liked us to do that? Would you like us to maybe [cut off by Cummings]
Cummings: I’m not [cut off by Koetter]
Koetter: Well you’re asking the question, so I’m asking you. So, you’re asking me a question. How would you like us to fortify it? We could have given up Kendell Beckwith. We could have given up O.J. Howard.
Cummings: You could have got Calais Campbell [in free agency].
Koetter: Well, we could have, but we didn’t have $17 million laying around.
You can watch the rest and the entire news conference here, via Buccaneers.com. Koetter went to on say teams can’t run out and sign all new players for a perceived weakness. Koetter loves his players, he said, and they’ll continue to be treasured and coached.
Joe has noticed a pattern with Koetter. Ask a question and he’ll answer it candidly 90+ percent of the time. Sound like you’re pontificating as part of long build up to a question, and Koetter will turn sour in a hurry.
Joe finds this all great entertainment worthy of sharing — since it is made public by the Buccaneers online and promoted by the team for fans to enjoy. As Raheem Morris used to like saying, “We’re all entertainers.”
Regarding “$17 million” for Calais Campbell, the manbeast Jaguars defensive end/tackle who left the Cardinals last offseason, well, he only cost Jacksonville $15 million per season. And subtract the $5 million annually the Bucs paid defensive tackle Chis Baker in March, and the Bucs certainly had the cash to sign Campbell.
Joe’s not cracking general manager Jason Licht for not signing Campbell, but money certainly shouldn’t have been the issue. The Bucs have plenty of cash available under the salary cap.
September 19th, 2017 at 10:35 am
Maybe the glazers tied lichts hands because of so many whiffs that he has had in the FA department since he has arrived in Tampa, so 2 big ticket items this off season may have been squashed by the glazers and thus you get djax and baker
September 19th, 2017 at 10:38 am
That’s an question and answer who question the pass rush. We can win without one. You need great coverage these days as I see the qbs have quicker releases
September 19th, 2017 at 10:40 am
Don’t forget the $6-7M per year it took to keep Gholston around also…and the future $ that will be given to Mike Evans, Jameis Winston, etc
September 19th, 2017 at 10:43 am
LaMarcus that may be true but if you get a good rush with the front 4 then you can make any QB look average, and then if you can blitz and cover you can make a QB like Dak Prescot look like mike glennon like the broncos did on sunday, that was a strong defensive performance
September 19th, 2017 at 10:46 am
Thanks Joe, good stuff. I wondered what that Q&A moment was about, even backed it up and listened to it again, I didn’t realize Roy and Dirk were sparring partners. How about sharing some context on the other 4-5 rounds?
September 19th, 2017 at 10:48 am
So the Jags paid CC $1.0M for Sundays Game for 4 tackles and 0 Sacks and Jags ran for almost 200 yrs at an almost 5.0 avg. Not a crappy oline and run game like the Texans. Its all relative bruh!!
September 19th, 2017 at 10:48 am
This is a legitimate area of questioning from Cummings…..a question that Joe has had and most of us have had for years.
It probably hit a nerve with Koetter and should…..
And yes, we could have signed Campbell…..if we ponied up and if he wanted to. This was just one game….I’m willing to give them at least 3 or 4 before making judgements.
September 19th, 2017 at 10:49 am
Sorry meant the Titans ran…
September 19th, 2017 at 10:51 am
Money is not an issue now. But maybe Licht is preparing for the future hits of Winston, Evans, Alexander….just maybe.
The video was hilarious!!! I love our coach.
Last year the defense did pretty good in the second half just like yesterday.
Maybe the defensive scheme is working Roy!?!?!?
Smitty is earning his money. I’m sure Licht meets with him and ask him what are the main concerns to be addressed in the off season. You know like stopping the run. Well it looks like we did a good job last Sunday.
1 sack, 4 tackles for a loss and a ton of pressure.
Just Win Baby!!!!
September 19th, 2017 at 10:52 am
Cummings is an ass. I would be short with him too.
September 19th, 2017 at 10:54 am
Koetter sure has it out for Cummings. Koetter got into it with him at another presser, too. Must be a behind the scenes story we don’t know about.
September 19th, 2017 at 11:06 am
That would of been a legit concern/question if we had been shredded and just lost. We put in an excellent defensive performance and backups/depth got good work in. He should have asked Dirk if we should have kept Roberto cause Folk missed an XP.
September 19th, 2017 at 11:09 am
Anyone know who was playing DE at the end of the game? Couldn’t tell if it was George Johnson or Russell. I know for sure it wasn’t Spawn nor Ayers.
September 19th, 2017 at 11:12 am
I found it interesting that Koetter mentioned the OJ Howard pick and then jumped to Beckwith…..skipping Evans and Godwin…….when it certainly could have been argued that we could have used our 2nd or 3rd round pick on a DE.
Also, we didn’t sign a DE in FA…..so, again I believe the question is a legitimate one.
September 19th, 2017 at 11:15 am
I have a profound dislike for anyone that bills themselves as a “Professional Media”.
Not to go off on a rant, but the word and term of “NEWS” is long gone, we do not have NEWS, its INFOTAINMENT.
Cummings deserved to have his head bit off. I really like Koetter and when some pompous reporter goes after him, I love it when Dirk slams the toilet seat on his head.
Psst! Legacy Media (newspapers, TV & radio)! You might not be aware but you have been supplanted by the NEW MEDIA that includes outlets like Joe Bucs Fan
September 19th, 2017 at 11:21 am
I disagree with your comment about plenty of cash. That’t true if you don’t want to resign our guys for the next couple of years. Managing salary cap isn’t about one year…its about the long-term.
Are we upset that the Bears got a touch down or that we only beat them 29 to 7. Maybe if we had a great pass rush, the score could have been 100 to 0. Everyone wants a great pass rush, but the Bucs D looks ok…so far.
September 19th, 2017 at 11:21 am
Get rid of the putrid uniforms.
September 19th, 2017 at 11:32 am
I’m with Roy on Campbell. Passing on Campbell this season shouldn’t have happened. It’s like….. watching all of these Rookie running backs making names for themselves and realizing we took the last available who didn’t make the team.
But that’s okay! We drafted Justin Evans in the 2nd! Oh wait…..
September 19th, 2017 at 11:34 am
HAHAHA LOVE KOETTER! D line will be fine. The sacks will need to start coming and I have every ounce of faith they will.
September 19th, 2017 at 11:46 am
They have some stout defense of tackles and McCoy who can rush from the inside. They have Gholston who can rush from the inside. They have Ayers who preys push from the edge and Spence with speed. They also have Smith with speed on the edge when he comes back. Plus some lightning quick linebackers behind them all.
Yes I would like them to get another D end, but people act like they are a dime a dozen. This defense should be pretty damn good
September 19th, 2017 at 11:53 am
Stopping the running game was much more important for the Bucs going into 2017.
In that regard, Baker > Campbell.
I saw a lot of pressure on Glennon, forcing him to do short drops and quick passes. Hard to sack a QB with short drops.
Sack stats are overrated. Pressure is what causes QB’s to get antsy and out of their game. That where turnovers happen.
But sacks look great to the stat obsessed.
September 19th, 2017 at 11:58 am
Sacks come from pressure and there wasn’t much, maybe cause of the run first mentality but there were a lot of 3rd and longs that Glennon when untouched on. They will get there though, I have no doubt.
September 19th, 2017 at 12:00 pm
Didn’t really hear anyone singing Calais Campbell’s praises as the Titans were dropping 37 points on the Jags this week….
September 19th, 2017 at 12:01 pm
the media once was an honorable profession that being said today’s oversensitive / dramatic media members are somewhere between circus clowns and jerry springer at best. oh wait both traditional media and circus clowns are a thing of the past. it’s adorable they think they still matter. all too often the media makes it more about them than covering a topic / subject objectively. desperate media members hanging on to a failed career are almost as bad as the balding 80’s rocker with a gut still belting out a crappy ballad that sucked 30 years ago but not nearly as bad as the pig in spandex in the front row.
September 19th, 2017 at 12:17 pm
Cambe is coming off knee surgery and pushing 30 plus, Joe.
September 19th, 2017 at 12:21 pm
It’s overly simplistic to say they have 15 million laying around. Yeah, sure, they could have paid Campbell, but then you aren’t signing somebody else at another position, whether it’s this year or next year. Big paydays are coming for Mike Evans and Jameis… not to mention Ali Marpet, Kwon Alexander, and perhaps even Donovan Smith. Keeping Kevin Pamphile will cost a little money too.
It’s called cap management. They have to project their spending into the future, and Campbell did not make sense for their budget. Sorry, that’s reality.
September 19th, 2017 at 12:22 pm
Glad you brought this up Joe as I have been noticing a rift between these two going back to summer. Roy seems like a lame and always asks dumb questions with long intro’s and also noticed Dirk doesnt entertain him for a second.
I also notice that a little bit too with Jenna Laine – she seems nice but her questions are always brutal too and i feel like she always gets looked at by Dirk or the other players like “really?”. You can tell she is trying to spin it to get a story out of it (which is her job) but when its blatant it really is cringeworthy just like most of Roy’s questions.
September 19th, 2017 at 12:28 pm
Dewey Selmon is correct. Outstanding effort on D. The stat geeks are still crying about sacks after the Bucs held the potent part of their attack to 20 freaking yards. That’s two flipping zero, and Cummins leads off with that question? Glad Koetter owns Roy’s shins and ankles now.
The Bucs plan all along was to let Glennon beat them with his arm. Bears went to the dink and dunk where pressure up the middle and not sacks is key.
There was so, so many positives in a home opener during a really difficult circumstance and the whiners are still crying like they are out of pablum.
Biff is bonkers after Sunday, don’t talk me down man.
Go Bucs.
September 19th, 2017 at 12:44 pm
im with roy but not on CC…we should’ve drafted demarcus walker in the second round….he went right after j.evans…
with tj ward..conte…tandy we could’ve waited to pick a safety this year and just signed some camp meat to provide depth….I know we got ward late but if your stuffing the run…providing constant qb pressure from your front 7 and having tight coverage on the wrs with cbs you can get away with having average safeties like conte and tandy….GO BUCS!!!
September 19th, 2017 at 1:41 pm
Koetter is moving up the list of my favorite Bucs head coaches.
1 and 2. Gruden and Dungy (tie)
3. Koetter
4. McKay
5. Wyche
6. Perkins
7. Schiano
8. Morris
9. Smith
10. Williamson
11. Bennett
September 19th, 2017 at 1:58 pm
Hey CalBucsFan ….. I know at least one of the other “rounds” between these two came in training camp, when Cummings kept trying to ask about the team running gassers and the reason they were doing it. Another uncomfortable exchange to be sure.
September 19th, 2017 at 2:16 pm
Gotta love Coach K. No b.s.
September 19th, 2017 at 2:52 pm
Campbell is 31 years old, owed 15 million a year for 4 years. He’s got just as good a chance to flame out as not and that’s a ton of money. Jacksonville over committed, IMO. It’s not a great bet. Not at all.
The Bucs D upgraded with Baker, Beckwith and now TJ Ward.
We’re good. Look for more pass rush in the draft this year. You can’t solve all problems at once.
‘
September 19th, 2017 at 4:47 pm
Koetter is QUICKLY becoming my fav Bucs HC
September 19th, 2017 at 5:29 pm
It’s just a dumb question. The pass rush wasn’t a problem at all.
Per PFF McCoy had 7 QB pressures on just 29 snaps. Spence had a strip sack. There was also a graphic showing that on average we were getting closer to Glennon on a given pass than average for the NFL by far. Can’t find that but thought that was interesting since it shows pressure more so than stats we track.
We didn’t even have most our starting D-line in there a lot of the game because we didn’t need it lol. Just a stupid question.
September 19th, 2017 at 5:41 pm
As a coach who is now 10-7,of course he would bristle when a reporter that comes off knowing more than the Gm and coach on what to do to with team personnel.
September 19th, 2017 at 6:07 pm
TMAX
You remind me of my BIL who I had the misfortune of eating lunch with today.
Your negative hyperbole just makes you look like a fool!!! You literally do not know what you’re talking about. There are SOME media members who are not talented…have the wrong motivation…whatever…there are many…I would posit the majority of journalists who effort to do their best to get a story correct!
But nowdays of course if you disagree even with FACTS…you simply call it “fake news”…and pictures…and denials from people who knew…none of it matters because all the media and all journalists suck.
I do not know whether you or my BIL would be the writer of that classic..
“The Power of Negative Thinking”. Or maybe that childrens story…The little train that couldn’t…heading up the hill saying I think I can’t I think I can’t.
Man it must suck to be in your head.
September 19th, 2017 at 6:15 pm
I would have gotten anther cb!
September 19th, 2017 at 10:21 pm
I’m sure there was an all-pro pass rusher available at minimum wage
September 19th, 2017 at 10:37 pm
Being a gm sucks! We could have taken Campbell. What would it cost if we missed……….(insert revis)? I wouldn’t have taken him with the cash flow. And I understand this from freakin Madden on the ps4. We’ve had so many freagent flops, I can’t even count. We’re Building through the draft and that’s what truly counts. We’re almost there. I love this bucks team!!!!
September 19th, 2017 at 10:38 pm
Sorry, meant Bucs!!!!
September 20th, 2017 at 10:24 am
He din’t do Jax any good last week
September 28th, 2017 at 10:05 pm
Actually the Bucs are $17-mil under the cap.
Not saying you spend it, but to say the Bucs don’t have when they have players like Evan Smith making $4.5-mil, they could have found the money if they wanted to spend it.
Again, not saying you do spend it, but it’s not a completely valid response.