It’s A Bucs Life
March 12th, 2018
Bound to get better?
Bucs fans are an angry, aggravated lot these days. And Joe doesn’t blame them one bit.
The team looked like it had turned the corner in 2016 only to revert to its normal losing ways in 2017. The Bucs once again dropped anchor in Buccaneers Cove, known as the basement of the NFC South.
The Bucs still cannot win games at the Den of Depression — only the Browns have lost more home games than the Bucs since Chucky was jettisoned from One Buc Palace, and that’s by one whole game.
You know, Cleveland South?
It has been 12 seasons since the Bucs had a double-digit sack artist, which is simply a cold slap in the face to any thinking fan. An organization has to actually try to be so inept; the evidence is clear when you remember the Bucs tossed Michael Bennett out the door for no good reason. And this fact was flushed to the front of Bucs fans’ brains in recent days when the team swung and missed in efforts to obtain sackmeister Robert Quinn and bring Bennett back home to right one of the greatest wrongs in franchise history.
And the more Joe thinks of it, the Bucs are still trying to dig themselves out of the homemade canyon dug for themselves, and holding those shovels were none other former Bucs commander Greg Schiano and lazy Lovie Smith.
Joe often gave Schiano the benefit of the doubt. It wasn’t Schiano’s fault that leaky sleepy Josh Freeman went mental and the locker room became infested with the MRSA. However, Schiano must — at least in part — get the blame for players leaving under his watch. Players who blossomed into critical stars if not key cogs for Super Bowl-winning teams.
Joe vividly remembers relaying to a Bucs suit, during a meeting at One Buc Palace, how LeGarrette Blount seemed disinterested if not put off when the Bucs won but he didn’t get touches. But if the Bucs lost and he got his desired carries, Blount was giddy. This suit pointed a finger right at Joe’s face and said, “And THAT’S one reason [Blount] is no longer here.”
Could it be that Blount got turned off because he didn’t march to Schiano’s drumbeat? He, like Aqib Talib, was not deemed a Buccaneer Man. But they were winners as evidenced by both getting rings after their Bucs days.
The Bennett debacle is more murky. Joe was told by someone who would know it wasn’t exactly a Schiano call but Joe is also sure Bennett was a bit too much of a loose cannon for Schiano’s liking. It is fair to suggest if Bennett’s departure wasn’t Schiano’s call, the coach wasn’t exactly distraught about it.
If those three galling moves weren’t bad enough, the reign of terror with Lovie is almost too obscene to put into words. A child sugared up at Chuck E. Cheese’s could have and likely would have made better personnel decisions than Lovie.
Joe is confident the homeless person who consults Browns owner Jimmy Haslam could judge talent better than Lovie.
As Joe is typing this very story, in the background is a Redskins-Saints game on NFL Network, and Joe just saw safety D.J. Swearinger making a pick on Drew Brees. But he, like too many to count, were not good enough for Lovie.
So after two coaching administrations that were legendary in how not to build a roster gutted the Bucs of so much talent, perhaps it may have been too much to ask Dirk Koetter to turn the franchise around so quickly.
Not too many coaches have to mop up so much vomit and raw sewage left behind by two immediate predecessors.
March 12th, 2018 at 4:24 am
Blount and Talib had to go they both could not be counted on to be on the fields because failed drug test. Schiano should have been given one more year. Yes letting Bennet walk was a big mistake who’s to say who that was on the GM or the coach. Lovie I feel inhearded a good team on both sides of the football. For what ever reason the offesene line and anyone that did not fit the cover two got the boot. The one year under Lovie that the Def was good Leslie Frazier was calling the plays. Lovie set us back years. With the pick of turn over machine Winston. Winston will all was put his team in the hole costing us close games last year. Hopefully the coaches this year can get read of Winstons bad habits.
March 12th, 2018 at 4:40 am
IMO, Dominik was the primary culprit.
He’s the one who hired Greg, Lovie, AND Raheem.
This is what happens when you fire someone and don’t replace them with someone markedly better.
I’m not debating whether or not Gruden deserved to be fired. For the purposes of this discussion, it’s irrelevant. Fact is, those three coaches, COMBINED, don’t measure up to Gruden in any way, shape or form.
March 12th, 2018 at 4:41 am
An organization has to actually try to be so inept
————-
Have you met the owners?
March 12th, 2018 at 5:22 am
Since Mr. Glazer died the kids have shown that they don’t Have what the father had.
I don’t think it’s debatable.
The kids are awful.
March 12th, 2018 at 5:25 am
What hurts the most is by the time this organization rights the ship, good players drafted by the Buccaneers will either have wasted their entire careers here and retired or signed with other teams by the time we manage to fumble our way into the playoffs, much less compete for a championship (And no: I’m not referring just to GMC). This franchise can’t be rebuilding for a decade yet that’s what it seems like. Coming off the 2016 season was the closest we seemed to be towards the playoffs since 2010 (the NFC West was so bad that year that the 7-9 Seahawks made the playoffs yet the 10-6 Buccaneers didn’t due to competitive wildcards). I just don’t see the Buccaneers making the playoffs this next season and we might never until Brees and Matt Ryan start to drop off. I could honestly see all three other NFC South teams in the NFC Championship game for the next 3-4 years. How old will our key players be by then? Who will still be here?
March 12th, 2018 at 6:50 am
What is with this organization?
We can’t judge talent.
We can’t develop talent.
We can’t or don’t want to spend anything near our cap space.
They ignore red flags (loafers, injury, 1 good year out of 5) that other teams run from. And wonder why the FA they sign turns out bad.
Thinking they can coach them up? LOL!
How many years can they keep doing the same thing?
Recent history suggests 16 going on 17.
BUC-kle UP! It’s going to be a long season.
March 12th, 2018 at 6:54 am
The biggest step is to admit the truth!!!!! And congratulations are due to Joe for finally saying the words of the Truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So many year wasted fighting, arguing that talk show host dominik was a good gm and that he was bringing all this talent to the Bucs!!!!! LOL!!!!!!! And now finally Joe is admitting the truth!!!!!!!
the incompetent one was so bad it was obvious to everyone how bad of a coach he was!!!!! and now he is even obsolete in third rate college!!!!!!!! He showed how classes he was in the way he got his job here and definitely how he left!!!!!!!! what a classless joke of an incompetent man!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 6:56 am
No matter what happens this season we cannot keep changing coaches. We have to have consistency. The players need to know the boss isn’t leaving
March 12th, 2018 at 7:03 am
Good article but I don’t think Dirk will make much headway with this group of players.
March 12th, 2018 at 7:16 am
Sounds like we’re giving Dirk excuses. Call it fair if you’re going to call it at all.
March 12th, 2018 at 7:24 am
@Chris in WA
Don’t be a fan of the old players, be a fan of the team!!!!!! And if those old players get traded for picks, that is a good thing!!!! While some are so depressed and say everything is hopeless are not correct!!!!!! There are signs that are saying that the team is on the rise!!!!! The GM for the most part is decent in the draft!!!! The Coaches for stretches have had a lack luster talent over achieve for a multi game stent!!!!!!!!! The roster will add another round of draft to their ranks!!!!!!! And previous draft classes are just starting to come into that “prime window”
Sure free-agents would have speed-up the process!!! But free-agents on bad rosters get exposed!!!!!!!! As the roster adds more talent and matures, free-agents will be able to integrate as more role-players instead of the so-called fans expecting “leaders and super-stars” thru free agency!!!!!!
trading these old players for picks will only speed up the process and add more talent around the “real-core”!!!!!!!!!!
The time to be a buc fan is now!!!!! The depressed and hopeless feeling should have been when Byron Leftwich was a starter and got a standing ovation in the third quarter because He made the 1st first down for the bucs for a home game!!!!!!!!
Or when old man mccown was named the starter before even putting on a bucs jersey!!!!!!! Or loser lovie smith hiding the secret offense!!!!!!!
Times are now different!!!!!!!! Time for the sheep to open their eyes!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 7:25 am
JOE: I think I have read this post 26 times already this off season….move on. Today, the Bucs are tied for first place in the NFC South and the fun part of the off season begins today. Stay positive and become original. GO BUCS!
March 12th, 2018 at 7:35 am
Let us not forget it was Dungy who lobbied the Glazers to hire Lovie in the first place. Not because he was the best choice wnward spirilla bbut because he was part of his coaching tree. Did he actually believe this was st choice for the Bucs, oregan
Did he have his own agenda?
I also believe the talk and print media were to blame for running Gruden out of town by taking sides in his player disputes (remember Keyshon). The Glazer boys did not give him the resources (remember Man U) and the media actively campaigned against Gruden. Then Raheem was chosen and the downward spiral began. Sad but true.
March 12th, 2018 at 7:39 am
gluttons for punishment i guess….love is love…loving to hate, hating to love….true story bro
March 12th, 2018 at 8:24 am
LOL – so coaches gutting the roster of talent has been the problem Joe???
More like Bruce Allen and Dom were so bad at drafting for 10 straight years that Jason Licht was pretty much starting from scratch in trying to build a talented roster when he walked in the door at OBP 4 years ago.
But Joe has NEVER been willing to admit how historically bad Mark Dominic was at playing GM – so yea – I guess it was the coaches fault for not knowing what to do with all those great players obtained with high picks like Price, Benn, Myron Lewis, Clayborne, Cheesburger Bowers, Banks, etc….
March 12th, 2018 at 8:33 am
Said it before.
Malcom Glazer wanted a winning team
His sons want a profitable business.
And they dont need us for that. They make a huge profit, just from the TV deal.
If they can lure some of us into buying tickets or merchandise- all the better.
But spend as little as possible- and make as much as possible.
That explains this team.
March 12th, 2018 at 8:41 am
There are several teams that have turned things around in under 3 yrs…..the Jets completely gutted their roster, rolled out McCown at QB and still finished with the same record as us. The issue is two parts…..
1. Licht doesn’t know how to build a roster, its that simple. While we got a great player in Evans in the 2014 draft….he was the only starter. There were studs littered all through that draft for a team rebuilding…..Carr and Garrapolo were 2nd rounders……They could easily be throwing the ball to Evans right now. OR….Winston could be handing off to Carlos Hyde, Devonte Freeman, Mckinnon….or have superior blocking established with investments in the OLINE. We went TE in the 2nd who’s off the team….Sims in the 3rd round that we wont resign….everything else is garbage. Everyone and their mother knew we were rebuilding for a QB….so why not roll the dice on Carr or Garrapolo? Because Licht was locked in on Winston who has been everything he was in college….literally. But my point here is if we were determined to get Winston, why not build the line first with a running game to compliment a young QB. Its simple, Licht is just throwing stuff against a wall and taking credit for what little sticks while ignoring the piles of crap on the ground.
2. The Glaziers wont spend….Of the 16 top spending teams…..11 made the playoffs. We hover in the bottom 5 for spending…..its been over a decade at that level. Nothing has improved, nothing changes. We cant field a competitive product, there’s turnover bound to happen and the rebuilding is perpetual. Rebuilding is great for the Glaziers pockets, the roster gets young, the obligations are cheaper…it all adds up to more cash for the boys to divide. It is what it is.
March 12th, 2018 at 9:16 am
The owners clearly have no desire to put a competitive team on the field. Coaches and players understand this which is proven by years of blowouts, flat performances and selfish actions. Obviously the players and coaches have accepted thier is no hope thier actions and more importantly thier inactions prove this beyond a shadow of a doubt…. it’s time for the delusional optimiusts and those living in denial to wake up and accept reality.
There truly is no hope and 4-12 is very very optimistic given the pathetic ownership and a roster which more resembles a special Olympics team than a nfl roster. led by captain blowout cancer93 bucs definitely have much less heart than the special Olympic competitors.
March 12th, 2018 at 9:44 am
As much as I hate to admit it, Lovie failed with his first round of free agents, he also failed with sticking with bad players that even though they knew his system, they were toast in this league, he also failed when he likely would not have fired or demoted his son – but he did bring in Dirk and my guess being a defensive coach, he would leaned toward the draft to fix this defense and not drafted a kicker over another defensive player that this team may have been able to use. Lovie, who I am not fond of as a coach, with another year, I do not think the team would be still digressing.
March 12th, 2018 at 9:46 am
I think there’s a lot of truth to this, Joe. The team has been woefully bad for a long time with a number of different coaches. We’ve all shaken our heads and slammed fists on the table looking at personnel moves that have happened over the years and whined about the lack of talent. There’s no reason that we should be able to reasonably expect a new group to walk in and take the bad news bears and turn them in to some sort of world beaters over the course of 2 seasons. The team dedicated a decade to tanking the team, so expecting them to turn it around in a season is crazy. Reading over that definitely helped to assuage the acrimony that’s there for the team.
March 12th, 2018 at 10:09 am
so DIRK goes 5-11 and we find excuses and blame lovie and all the previous coaches and GM’s…..lol…..
where was all this blame last year when we went 9-7?…….no one said a peep about the talent…the roster….the scheme…..
dirk is who real fans thought he was…..only an half decent OC…..that’s it….he wont get off the hook this year!!!!!…..no playoffs…no job….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 10:29 am
@813bucbeachboi
not true at all!!!!! The “real” fans said the roster was garbage in 2014 and we said that the roster had holes during and after the 2016 season!!!!!!! Its just we finally had some competent coaches that could cover up some of the holes on the roster!!!!!!! Something that loser lovie could not do!!!!!!!
It was a simple fact of distractions, 2nd hardest schedule and injuries that derailed the 2017 season!!!!!!!
The GM is drafting, The Coaches are good enough, now the roster just needs to be finally fixed!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 10:31 am
The Lions, Bills, Browns, Falcons, Panthers, Jaguars, etc., have NEVER won a single SuperBowl ….
March 12th, 2018 at 10:42 am
NFLNut Says:
March 12th, 2018 at 10:31 am
The Lions, Bills, Browns, Falcons, Panthers, Jaguars, etc., have NEVER won a single Super Bowl ….
NOR DO THEY OWN THE LEAGUES WORST WINNING PERCENTAGE!!!!!
A single Super Bowl Win does not give a franchise a LIFETIME free pass to suck arse!!!! Super Bowl Win Expired Week One of 2003…. Stop living in a past filled with underachieving, failure and 1 great season.
March 12th, 2018 at 10:58 am
I’m seeing a LOT of excuses around here!
I’ve got to agree with tmax on this one. You don’t get a free, life-time pass for winning ONE SB. Shoot, the Patriots have more in a shorter time span coupled with double-digit wins since like the Earth cooled. That’s excellence, that’s what we SHOULD aim for.
March 12th, 2018 at 11:00 am
for all you living in the past fans holding onto a super bowl nearly two decades ago ask yourself this questions would you still have a job if you only were great once every 2 decades. would you still have a loyal wife if you only lasted more than 2 seconds every 2 decades. the answer is NO… Let the underachieving past go. The past nor ANYONE from that past can help the bucs moving forward. let it go… holding onto mediocre underachievers is not good for long term mental health
March 12th, 2018 at 11:09 am
realist
so they covered up holes in 2016 but failed to do so in 2017……an you say these coaches are competent….lol…..that’s the definition of incompetence at its finest……
and lovie never had half the talent dirk has…..so dirk is doing less with more talent than lovie, schiano and rah combined……that’s incompetence at its finest….yet again……
no playoffs….no job….no passes….no excuses!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 11:11 am
Bucsfanman Says:
March 12th, 2018 at 10:58 am
I’m seeing a LOT of excuses around here!
^^BINGO^^
realist is at it again!!!!!!!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 11:13 am
813bucboi says
“lovie never had half the talent dirk has”
Then that was loser lovie’s fault!!!!!!! He had the juice, and if it was not good enough, he was supposed to know!!!!!!!!! He didn’t!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and that was not even in the top 20 of the reasons they fired that bum!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 11:37 am
The bucs have done nothing so far this off season to improve the team. It is hard to get excited watching all the good teams make moves to get better and us continuing to suck.
March 12th, 2018 at 11:51 am
realist
dirk has the juice…..why did he let smitty continue to throw out a lousy defense?…..you know…the defense that was ranked dead last in the NFL!!!!!!!…..obviously it wasn’t good enough……he was suppose to know that the defense wasn’t getting positive results!!!!!!…..he did nothing!!!!!!!!……
and that combined with the inability to score in the red zone or put up more than 21 points per game WILL get him fired!!!!!!!!!!
incompetence at its finest!!!!!!…..YET AGAIN!!!!!!!!
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 12:14 pm
2 wins, dead last in the NFL
3 offensive coordinators
2 defensive coordinators
17.3 pts per game offense
25.6 pts per game defense
That is loser lovie’s legacy!!!!! The Glazers should have made him take the wonderlic so they could show his failing grade and would have gotten money back because lovie was not mentally competent!!!!!!!!! Worst coach in Buc’s history!!!!!!!!!!
unfortunate the other are cleaning up that disaster that burnt the Bucs Org down to the ground!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 12:16 pm
Thanks for typing how many here feel, Joe! My only issue here is that not enough blame Is being placed at the feet of the current GM. I’m not taking away from Dominick’s disasterous run, Schiano’s baffoonery or Lovie’s incompetency— but Jason Licht’s record speaks for itself and it’s time to direct the heat his way. He has been here 5 years- we haven’t improved our standings on damn bit.
March 12th, 2018 at 12:28 pm
lol…..dirk has no legacy!!!!!!!…..dirk is closing in on lovie fast!!!!!!…..he’s formerly buc winning HC!!!!!….LOL…..that lasted every bit of 2 minutes!!!!!!…..lol….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 12:38 pm
And loser lovie legacy is a classless loser!!!!!!!!!!! Most would rather be still writing their legacy!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 12:53 pm
lovie was good enough to get the bears to the SB…..that’s a great accomplishment!!!!!!!……
dirk has NO legacy to write…LOL….he’s accomplished nothing in the NFL…..lets talk accomplishments and legacy when dirk win 13 games in 1 season…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 1:02 pm
Who gives a flying F.. what was or who is to blame from the past/ Who’s in charge now? Who is going to steer this ship right? I’m so sick of this sorry A.. franchise! We drop players and they go on the superbowls, and accomplishments. Yet we give them the Sh.. label in TampaBay. We want model guys. Well I want to WIN. This should be the Tampa Bay..”Excuse Me’s!! instead of the Bucs. We will not become a winner until these owners get serious and bring in some football minds with organizational winning skills all around. And you think ATl. New Orleans and the Pnathers are just sittin around singin..we shall overcome!!
PITYFULL BUCS!
March 12th, 2018 at 1:40 pm
And what did loser lovie choking in the superbowl do for him in Tampa????
Nothing!!!!!!!!
What did that choke job due for him in his job at a third rate college that he is about to be fired from????? Nothing!!!!!!!!!
That choke job appearance does not stop that classes fool from being the worst coach in Buc History!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 12th, 2018 at 2:03 pm
The Buc’s will go as far as their “ability” takes them in ’18. I’m not talking talent here but availABILITY.
If #3 misses the first six games we’re toast…first four with Fitz…still a deep hole in one of the best divisions in the NFL.
If Noah misses the entire season again…we’ll be counting on the rare rookie producing sacks…but if Noah is healthy he and GMC will produce some pass rush.
If we get the right rookie to help them, our team will be OK. Yeah that’s a lot of IF’ eh?
But they’re all on the DL with the exception of the obvious…QB. If Fameis gets shoulder problems this year we’re going to be in the same boat as Indy with Luck.
March 12th, 2018 at 3:16 pm
CHOKE JOB??????
LOL…..5-11 was the worst choke job I’ve seen in years!!!!!!!!!….lol…..
what has dirk accomplished here in tampa?…..nothing!!!!!!!!!!…….by the end of this year, dirk will be officially introduced as the bucs worse coach in history……doing less with more talent get him the nod over everyone….
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!!…..GO BUCS!!!!!