Unscientific Poll Is Pro Mike Smith
January 31st, 2018
Great respect in NFL circles.
It is time for Joe to pass the Minneapolis baton to Ira.
Joe is leaving the bone-chilling land of 10,000 [frozen] lakes today, after talking to and interviewing dozens of folks, both on and off the record. You will see a lot of that in the coming days on this here website.
The Custodian of Canton, renowned JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman, will be making his way north — when Ira arrives, the high temperatures are expected to be in the single-digits — and Ira will take over for Joe with serious duties on hand. That would be getting John Lynch into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
But while Joe was here in Minnesota, he asked a lot of respected pundits and NFL types what happened with Mike Smith’s defense.
Now a lot of Bucs fans want Smith gone. Joe has been rough on Smith for a couple of reasons: Mike Smith’s defenses have been worse than Lovie Smith’s, and Joe was hard on Lovie and wants to be consistent.
When Joe spoke with many of these folks and mentioned how good teams, playoff teams, changed coordinators because they were not satisfied with just being good enough, but the Bucs were worst in the NFL defensively in several categories and kept their coordinator. Smith seems to have quite a bit of street cred among these NFL types, who believe Smith can, and some suggest will, turn the defense around.
Joe even heard praise from folks about Team Glazer not pulling the trap door on coaches after the 2017 season, as Team Glazer has been wont to do the past decade.
That’s just something Joe wanted to share right off the bat. It seems NFL folks have a much higher level of trust and respect in Smith than Bucs fans do.
January 31st, 2018 at 1:07 am
Coaches and executives from the Falcons, Panthers and Saints think very highly of Smith and support the Glazers’ decision to keep him here.
January 31st, 2018 at 1:16 am
I think people think highly of Mike Smith as a head coach, but I don’t know how they can look at him as DC and think the same. Still saying the same thing I’ve been saying for a year and half – the Bucs have a really good OC at HC, and they got a really good HC at DC – just FIX the problem, put the people in the proper place and you might see a quick turnaround without having to go through a rebuild. To save Dirk’s feelings just make Mike Smith the “assistant” head coach, then hire a real DC, and then Dirk can “concentrate” on the offense (meaning just be an OC). Mike Smith clearly is liked by people, his players are loyal to him and he has a very good head coaching track record. Dirk meanwhile seems way in over his head trying to be the OC and HC – there’s a reason you’re as old as Dirk and as good as he is as an OC yet you never got the head coaching job until you’re nearly 60.
January 31st, 2018 at 1:46 am
lol Gamberlero..lol…
Rod..I like your idea…actually I love it..now let’s get Del Rio over here..
January 31st, 2018 at 4:03 am
Rod, I’ve supported your HC-OC-DC idea since you first mentioned it eons ago as being a viable solution to our leadership conundrum, BUT … we both know it ain’t gonna happen. ‘What you see is what you get’ for this next year. To his credit, Dirk recognizes that his modus operandi must change (thus the Todd Monken role change?). Problem is that the DEFENSE is what needs fixin’ the most right now, and Dirk’s not the one to fix it. Smitty is obviously a huge part of the solution, but Licht is an even bigger part. If he doesn’t upgrade the talent level on defense, we’ll see the same results this year that we’ve been seeing. Bandaids won’t cut it … half of our defense needs to be replaced. And that’s unlikely to occur in a 1 or even 2 year period. But it has to start somewhere, and 2018 is as good as any time to get this Buccaneers crew kickin’ arse again. Make it happen Licht.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:50 am
Since we had no bye,this is literally the first chance to implement change.
Unfortunately for the defense players that didn’t fit well were brought in
and injuries didn’t help.
Hope the OC change will give Koetter a birdseye viiew from the booth of the flow of the game. There are high scoring offenses in our division ,so we need to score early and often to keep up with them. Koetter,Montgen, and Jameis need to get together and make this happen.
Unless some of the younger players on defense play up to expectations,it will be
difficult for defense to turn things around overnight. Expect it to take two years
really get this defense humming with good drafting and better free agent acquisitions.
January 31st, 2018 at 6:58 am
The super blue blood moon started about 6:45 AM & will continue until about 7:15. Gorgeous moon but it’s almost setting (in the northwest). Once in a lifetime opportunity …
January 31st, 2018 at 7:27 am
Great reporting J0E, I know that it hurt personally for you to write this!!!!!!! I almost posted an ” notice that J0E is not peddling that this Coach Smitty can not develop positions and how he should have been held accountable”!!!!!!!!!!
Glad to hear the “truth”!!!! and as you talk to the NFL types walking around some will start to understand what happened!!!!!! Its been a full rebuild since talk show dominik days, In comes loser lovie, and grabs NFL GM Licht, who were told by the Glazer’s that they want “offense” !!!! and that is why it has been so offensive heavy in the draft!!!!! And after 3 heavy offensive drafts in now time for defense!!!!
It really depends on you view of the roster!!!!!! The truth is that there are big holes on the defense that Coach Smitty covered up in 2016!!!! and with all the injuries in 2017 some of the wholes were to big to cover up, so he played, by design a passive defense to be a more of a bend don’t break to keep the score as low as possible!!!! Some of the sheep will slowly start to acknowledge this as next season approaches!!!!!!
Once again, great reporting from frozen Minnesota!!!! And for pointing out that they have “scoreboards” on every field and not “yard” boards!!!!!!!!!!
January 31st, 2018 at 7:50 am
Having respect in NFL circles doesn’t mean much because it’s based on what? Here’s not a top coach and if he’s still being given credit because if what he did 10 years ago in Jacksonville then why he got fired in Atlanta is coming back to haunt dork and Mike Smith.
It’s just me I guess because I’m tired of watching draft man press corners and using them for a zone scheme. As a preference I prefer the long taker corners who can play man. This scheme is junk and we’ll see, if it somehow turns around this coming season it would only be because they have more quality players on the d line and at corner.
January 31st, 2018 at 8:00 am
Whu wouldn’t opposing NFL coaches Luv Mike Smith? Hell, if you played against our Pourous, soft as Charmin, No in game adjustment Defense..You’d luv it too!!
Yep..keep right on doin what you been doin there Smitty!
January 31st, 2018 at 8:35 am
obviously they haven’t watched any bucs games or they would know as @joe pointed out, Mike Smith’s defenses have been worse than Lovie Smith’s, and the Bucs were worst in the NFL defensively in several categories…..
when those folks said they believe smitty can and will turn it around, I hope @joe mentioned that he only has “THIS” offseason to do so…..
if the defense and offense underachieve in 2018, smitty and dirk will be canned…..
NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!!
January 31st, 2018 at 8:53 am
not there yet says: I’m tired of watching draft man press corners and using them for a zone scheme.
^^BINGO^^
a poster says smitty covered up holes in 2016….BS….so what happened in 2017?…..folks say injuries….BS…..noah spence was the only player on defense to miss the entire season……so 2nd year player that got hurt in 2016 and couldn’t finish the season so how derailed the bucs entire season defensively…..that’s BS…..
and the solution smitty comes up with is play a die slow soft type of defense…..brilliant….so once spence went down smitty basically said this seasons over…..great…
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t want a coach leading my team that will throw in the towel the 3rd week of the season all because of 1 defensive player going down for the season…..that’s a soft weak mentality…..its not a surprise why this team is so soft….I see exactly what author blank was talking about…..
NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!
January 31st, 2018 at 9:11 am
Now to be clear I wanted Lovie gone as well but Realist where were you with the lack of talent excuses for Lovie when his defense was horrible? I know you like to think you know it all but they have similar talent, in fact Mike Smith might have more with Beckwith, Evans, and Hargraves but yet Lovie had a better result on defense. But I guess it is just the talent when it comes to Mike Smith but Lovie was just horrible right???? Dude quit being so full of yourself and actually open your eyes as they were both horrible. Mike Smith let Chris Baker walk around like he owned the place and he was worthless. What did Mike Smith do about it? Nothing! TJ Ward complained and tore the team apart and what did Mike Smith do about it. Nothing! Vernon Hargraves was struggling big time and it took him forever to try to get him more comfortable by moving him inside. And lastly when Julio Jones was destroying us for an entire game did he put his best corner on him, did he double him, did he roll coverage every play. Nope again he did NOTHING!!!!!!
January 31st, 2018 at 9:37 am
Joe,
Have you ever conducted an interview where active nfl players or coaches (anyone) has said anything negative about another active player or coach?
I’m thinking you are getting PC answers strictly for professional courtesy.
January 31st, 2018 at 9:53 am
Of course, they are glad the Glazers kept this lot, it’s an easy win for them.
January 31st, 2018 at 10:35 am
AND THE WINNER IS:……………NDOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ndog Says:
January 31st, 2018 at 9:11 am
Now to be clear I wanted Lovie gone as well but Realist where were you with the lack of talent excuses for Lovie when his defense was horrible? I know you like to think you know it all but they have similar talent, in fact Mike Smith might have more with Beckwith, Evans, and Hargraves but yet Lovie had a better result on defense. But I guess it is just the talent when it comes to Mike Smith but Lovie was just horrible right????
and to take it a step further, he didn’t say anything about the lack of talent last year when we won 9games…..now all of a sudden we lack talent…..
thanks for being a straight shooter and calling this bum out!!!!!!!!!!
NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!!!
January 31st, 2018 at 12:18 pm
Where o where is Monta?
January 31st, 2018 at 12:19 pm
Err, I meant Monte K.?
January 31st, 2018 at 2:22 pm
When fans though that Gruden might coach here again there was talk of Derrick Brooks being the new GM. Why not, if licht can’t do the job or needs help try DB55 at GM or at least hire him to some post involved with player development or hiring. It couldn’t hurt.
January 31st, 2018 at 2:36 pm
Defense – Yeah I know it isn’t going to happen, but just taking a shot that perhaps the Glazers are trolling here, stumble upon the post, and they’re like wow, I never thought of that.
Glazers, if you read this and do it, just post a smiley face with your troll account so I know I’m not wasting my time.
God bless.
January 31st, 2018 at 10:45 pm
Mike Smith has a very very high football IQ and can film coach with the very very best !!!
However when it comes to communication, leadership, team toughness and live game coaching he is just not effective !!! Talking football, x’s And o’s he’s as good as it gets but live play real coaching he just isn’t there. Hell he in the f’ ing press box and has assigned no strong def leader on the sideline .
This also speaks volumes as to how NOT ready Koetter and Light are in their positions !!! True strengths ,,,, Koetter OC , Smith Asst def coordinator or consultant…….. Licht Asst to GM