“You Kiss And You Make Up”
December 28th, 2017
All is good with offsides-jumping, belly shirt-wearing, practice-hating, kicker-heckling, tree-grinding , non-contact-football-loving, chicken-wings-grilling, playing-time-squawking, TV-cooking-star, half-sack Swaggy Baker.
That’s the word from Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith.
Yesterday, when Smith took the lectern at One Buc Palace for what possibly was his final press conference, a big topic of conversation was still the locker room hassle Sunday evening that was sparked by Swaggy.
(This week Joe had heard from a trusted source what was already being whispered: it was Kwon Alexander and America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, who took umbrage to Swaggy’s who-gives-a-s(p)it ‘tude and went after him. Swaggy yesterday declined to be available to the local pen and mic club.)
Smith — who refused to go into details about the hassle because he claimed he didn’t see it — believes the Bucs locker room is full of love and harmony now.
“A locker room is like a family,” Smith said. “You’re going to have squabbles and guess what happens when it is over? You kiss and you makeup and you move on. You move forward. These guys are now focused on moving forward and getting a win against the New Orleans Saints this week.”
Joe isn’t going to relay what he heard that Jameis hollered at Swaggy during the locker room fracas because Joe cannot verify it, but let’s just say if you watched “Hard Knocks” this past August, it wasn’t just the rookies who noticed Swaggy loafed his way through practices.
Oh, and yesterday, Smith backed up what Gerald McCoy had said that on the fateful fourth down in which Swaggy jumped offsides, Swaggy indeed should have been watching the ball to prevent an encroachment penalty.
Knowing how much both suits and coaches at One Buc Palace think so highly of Jameis and Kwon, and given how it is clear just about everyone understands what a drag Swaggy is on the roster (and a Team Glazer accounting spreadsheet), this guy Swaggy is toast in a few days.
The Bucs should just do the right thing and Anthony Collins this character and tell him to just stay home this week and do another TV hit grilling wings.
December 28th, 2017 at 8:16 am
I defended him. But he must go.
December 28th, 2017 at 8:18 am
The Smith and Saggy Show will not be renewed another season. Mercifully…
December 28th, 2017 at 8:24 am
Jason Light needs to be banned from free agency signings! What is this guy 0 for 12??? He just needs to stick to building the team from the draft like Green Bay, because that’s all he’s good at.
December 28th, 2017 at 8:36 am
Joe…that isn’t how the coaches see it. He is just a brother that had a small issue. It is family.
December 28th, 2017 at 8:36 am
OK Joe…a dysfunctional family.
December 28th, 2017 at 8:38 am
Bucs Fan #7423 i can’t think of everyone he has signed and each circumstance for each signing is different but he he has had at least one success with Bryan Anger.
December 28th, 2017 at 8:40 am
Other than saying Licht should have known better, There is no need to spill words on Baker. He didn’t lose us the superbowl. we were a bad team before and will remain bad after he’s gone. He’s not our problem. A GM who brings such character to a young locker room lacking of winning, veteran leadership is a much bigger problem.
December 28th, 2017 at 8:41 am
I think you’re right Joe. Is this guy gonna loaf on the last game? If we still have fight in us, do we really want someone out there who’s playing like he doesn’t care in the last game?
I just still question the due diligence on Baker prior to him signing with the Bucs. I can’t imagine it wasn’t known this guy’s practice mentality.
December 28th, 2017 at 8:43 am
Absolutely! This is a lost season but it’s never too late to make the right decision. Sitting Baker and Doug Martin would show a lot to ownership and the fan base. The Jaguars made a decision earlier this year to sit Leonard Fournette for a game over his conduct. That’s what teams building a winning culture do.
If Chris Baker isn’t sat for the final game then in my mind whatever Drug Martin did to earn a one game suspension is far more than a minor team infraction.
December 28th, 2017 at 8:44 am
Addition by subtraction…
December 28th, 2017 at 9:03 am
no matter what happens this week, if this a-hole isn’t on the inactive list, i say clean house!! how would any coach or team support this piece of crap?…
December 28th, 2017 at 9:11 am
I don’t see how sitting them would make a difference…..the season is over!!!!!….
releasing them on Monday would’ve been a bigger statement…..who cares if they sit the final game….its a paid vacation….
we gotta clean house and get a competent coach in here that players respect and can develop under…..GO BUCS!!!!
December 28th, 2017 at 9:40 am
This has been a weird season…from hurricanes to officials falling at the end of the game and wasting out time and probably costing us a chance to win in OT.
The Swaggy story could be another really weird thing that actually sets us up for the future.
The two players who were coming down on Swaggy were clearly the two who should have….our offensive and defensive leader. It’s good to know where TMAX and DB55’s loser rot really resides. Swaggy is gone…but he’s no longer the issue.
The “loser” spirit in our locker room has been CONFRONTED!!!!
It’s like the entire Bucs process is in the middle of a giant vomit. Time to upchuck all the bad crap and move on to next year.
This team has not quit on Koetter. Koetter has not quit on them. If somebody besides Chucky is brought in at this point with the locker room in it’s fragile state and the two leaders finally getting ready to take over…it could be rough.
Just how strong is the support for Koetter among the players. I hope somebody at OBP has a great feel for that!!!!
I get changing to Chucky immediately if the Glazers are looking for a splash ticket sales campaign. Other than that we should wait a year which is better for everybody. We get to find out about Koetter…and Chucky’s son graduates.
December 28th, 2017 at 9:52 am
Bucs Fan #7423 Says:
“Jason Light needs to be banned from free agency signings! What is this guy 0 for 12???”
Pretty close: I guess Anger and Brent Grimes could be considered good pickups but that makes him about 2 for 14 or so? That is about the NYG record this season, even lower than the Bucs….. Joe probably knows what a decent FA success rate is but less than 20% has to be considered one of the worst in the league especially when one looks at how much coin the Bucs have invested in so many busts and that is not counting keeping guys like Doug Martin on the roster. Swaggy’s signing might be the one that gets Licht canned, much like any of the inept play calls in the several “close” losses Koetter called might have been the straw that broke the Stick Carrier’s back or Lovie blowing a 24 point lead in DC during that 6-10 season (which looks pretty good in comparison to what Dirk and sidekick Smith did this season with allegedly more talent).
December 28th, 2017 at 10:23 am
How sweet Mr. Smitty. Our locker room is full of Love and Harmony. May I have a side order of fries and valentines day hearts with that?!!! That is the problem MR Smith, Your Defense is to Deeyham full of love. So much so, it allows the opposition to waltz casually into our enzone time after time again!! Go ahead Smitty, Keep throwing…Rose Petals in the locker room. Just have a..Gay old time!!!
December 28th, 2017 at 10:34 am
2 years ago it was moving up in the 2nd round to draft a kicker because ” he was the final piece to win the superbowl”
Than last year we were changing the culture with team first warriroirs with kwon and jameis so…dim licht bulb brings in a lazy selfish baker in the locker room
And the buc sheep is worried about grudogs fa evaluations?? Lol
Meathead has was water logged in his brain
Son of kobe faker
December 28th, 2017 at 10:52 am
Make Baker play….make him play every play….show him begging to come off the field on the JumboTron
December 28th, 2017 at 10:58 am
Baker obviously did not do much.
But the failings of this team are far beyond him. Horrific defensive performances after mindnumbingly not addressing the pass rush issue, bad offense in the red zone, bad ball protection by Jameis.
All that =’s a very poorly coached football team.
December 28th, 2017 at 11:06 am
Eric…I am sure the Bucs would have gone D last draft had not OJ Howard been staring them in the face, IMO, threw of whole offseason draft/roster planning off….I’m in the trade down camp this draft….DL/OL/DB
December 28th, 2017 at 11:51 am
Who. Is. That.
December 28th, 2017 at 12:02 pm
Smith backed up what Gerald McCoy had said that on the fateful fourth down in which Swaggy jumped offsides, Swaggy indeed should have been watching the ball to prevent an encroachment penalty.
——————–
And Swaggy replied: Beach don’t let them run your ass over, per usual.
Yet here we are.
I like Swaggy every team needs an as whole hopefully it can rub off on captain cream puff
December 28th, 2017 at 12:08 pm
Someone needs to take a long look at the director of pro personnel.
December 28th, 2017 at 12:22 pm
ALTER
excuse…excuse….excuse….don’t blame oj for the way this team has been poorly coached….poor coaching is the reason why we’re 4-11…..GO BUCS!!!!
December 28th, 2017 at 12:33 pm
813
reasons….reasons…reasons…
December 28th, 2017 at 12:43 pm
Let someone else pay that piece of spit! He’s one of the worst FA pickups we’ve ever signed. He’s lazy and just came here to collect a paycheck, which is unfortunate because I was excited when we first signed him. At least we won’t have to worry about Licht holding on to this guy.
December 28th, 2017 at 12:57 pm
alter
the reason why dirk will be sent packing is because he(and you) have run out of excuses!!!!…blaming oj….c’mon man….that low….GO BUCS!!!!
December 28th, 2017 at 1:35 pm
WillieG Says:
December 28th, 2017 at 12:08 pm
Someone needs to take a long look at the director of pro personnel.
————————————————–
Willie – here are is a list of the Personnel Front Office staff:
Jason Licht General Manager
John Spytek Director of Player Personnel
Shelton Quarles Director of Football Operations
Mike Greenberg Director of Football Administration
Mike Biehl Director of College Scouting
Duke Preston Director of Player Development
Rob McCartney Director of Pro Scouting
Byron Kiefer National Scout
Andy Speyer National Scout
Donovan Cotton College Scout
Andre Forde College Scout
Tony Hardie College Scout
Brian Hudspeth College Scout
Tony Kinkela College Scout
Pat Perles Player Personnel Scout
Josh Hinch Scouting Assistant
Antwon Murray Scouting Assistant
Brian McLaughlin Scouting Assistant
Shane Scannell Pro Scout
Alex Smith Pro Scout
I believe that Player Personnel Dir – John Spytek and Pro Scouting Dir – Rob McCartney would be at the top of your hit list in this case…
December 28th, 2017 at 1:45 pm
gotta hold the scouts that brought in the FA duds accountable too….only those on the inside know who..what…why…happened and if Jason overruled for his favorites FA’s…ultimately the draft picks and FA’s are on Jason’s head….he has been burned playing genius high stakes gambler ….slow learner
December 28th, 2017 at 2:28 pm
Now it’s Chris Baker fault this team is 4-11. How many times have Chris Baker turned the ball over? How many ball has he dropped? How many plays has he called? He jumped offside on a play that didn’t even give the opposing team a 1st down. But now he’s is the reason for this pathetic season from this pathetic team. They have to do better than this in your search for a scapegoat.
December 28th, 2017 at 3:02 pm
I don’t get the hate on Chris Baker – the guy wasn’t paid starter money, he was a 2nd rate FA who the Bucs got on the cheap, he’s the type of guy you invest some money and see if it pays off or not. I know Redskins fans were really hyping the guy as being a great value, and everything I read said the contract was a steal for the Bucs, so to compare him to a guy you give starter money to is a bit ridiculous. When you sign 2nd and 3rd rate FAs, like Baker and Ayers, you get 2nd and 3rd rate results when you expect them to be starters.
December 28th, 2017 at 3:21 pm
Baker is gone. Robert Ayers is gone. Noah Spence is unreliable with a recurring shoulder injury. We are going to get Bradley Chubb, Minkah Fitzpatrick, or hopefully Saquon Barkley (but they may go Arden Key or the Clemson DE). I would rather see the Bucs trade down if Chubb, Fitzpatrick, and Barkley are gone before we pick. But, with the 2 QBs, I think we’ll land one of those guys. Arden Key and Clemson DE are not #5 worthy so a trade down with maybe the Broncos who look like a lock for Josh Allen would be good.
December 28th, 2017 at 3:24 pm
Actually, another team who would want to leap frog the Broncos to steal Josh Allen would create a really sweet bidding war. Is Josh Allen worth a #5 pick though? I really don’t think so, but teams go crazy for QBs. Hopefully, the Josh Rosen not playing for the Browns thing works itself out (maybe the Browns go with Darnold or they draft Rosen and trade him).
This should be an interesting draft once again.
December 28th, 2017 at 3:27 pm
Ding!
December 28th, 2017 at 3:31 pm
To Licht’s credit – he has been quick to cut obvious “mistakes” in FA and always structures contracts in a way that gives the team that flexibility.
Free Agency is a HUGE and overpriced crapshoot as it is – For every team. The very good and especially the great players in the league mostly all get re-signed by the teams that drafted them if they are under 30 years old. Especially at the premier positions like QB, LT, DE and CB. (all of which we need except for QB).
For whatever is left – Its like shopping at the Wheel of Fortune store where everything is priced at full retail + 40%.
From everything I’ve gathered – it seems like Licht is a GM who trusts his staff, who delegates well and who greatly involves everyone associated in the making of most personnel decisions.
So its not like the less than stellar FA results during Jason’s tenure can be pinpointed to one underling person or title unless you are pointing to the ultimate decision maker himself as “the problem”. Scouts, directors and coaches all get their say in Licht’s regime and their opinions all get considered when it comes to decisions about drafting or signing any particular player.
December 28th, 2017 at 4:09 pm
Uh,..what were you saying Joe? Didn’t actually read your post…
December 28th, 2017 at 5:18 pm
Can someone PLEASE tell me who this girl is seriously
December 28th, 2017 at 11:10 pm
The NY Giants picked up Gettleman, the Panthers old GM.
Smart Move by the Giants!