Now Dirk Koetter Has A Trust Issue
June 21st, 2018
Dirk Koetter had plenty on his plate as June minicamp concluded. Readying a 5-11 team with many new parts for September dates with the Saints, Eagles and Steelers is no easy task.
Now he’s got a new challenge.
With the inevitable suspension of America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston, Koetter must skillfully manage the trust issues that will arise within his team.
Buccaneers players are human. Many, or maybe just a handful, will believe Jameis is guilty of something inappropriate and will subsequently question the organization and Jameis. That’s just the nature of people.
Joe learned months ago from players that Jameis did not address the Uber incident in any group form with teammates in the locker room, even just to tell them he’d talk with anyone privately if they wanted the truth directly from him. It became just one of those unspoken things and players were left to implicitly trust their leader, the face of the franchise, Jameis.
Well, now many of those players will believe their guy is an inappropriate crotch-grabber, whether he is or isn’t.
Fair or not. That’s the way it is.
Koetter has to find a way to deal with that doubt, and a team that likely won’t be as strong — mentally or physically — as it would have been with an exonerated Jameis. And, sorry to say, this Bucs team was mentally weak and fragile for much of 2017.
Assuming Jameis doesn’t have any prolonged appeal process sits to start the season, Joe sure hopes Koetter does the smart thing and treats Ryan Fitzpatrick as the No. 1 quarterback through training camp and preseason. Give him the vast majority of reps and prepare for the games without Jameis as if they’re the Super Bowl.
More important, that would put Fitzpatrick in a position of strength to unify the team and be the best QB he can be.
Koetter owes that to his players and the fans.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:22 pm
@ Joe
I think you meant to say “America’s Crotchgrabber”
June 21st, 2018 at 9:27 pm
Always hated the America’s quarterback reference.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:38 pm
Remember you fair weather “fans” when Jameis leads us to many many Super Bowls you were dissing him now! I am sticking with my QB who is a hard worker a great leader and who I respect and admir!
June 21st, 2018 at 9:39 pm
He’s not appealing.
Joe will believe that when the ruling comes and the appeal window is over.–Joe
June 21st, 2018 at 9:45 pm
America Qb will be ok…..it’s why he is AMERICA
June 21st, 2018 at 9:45 pm
I guess now he’s ” Alcatraz’s quarterback! ” 😁
June 21st, 2018 at 9:50 pm
America’s quarterback has got to go. Jameis lost all credibility when it was discovered that Darby wasn’t in the car. I think his time in Tampa has run its course. Time to trade for Foles.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:51 pm
Joe..if Stroud is right about possible larger number of days if he doesn’t complete some program, I doubt he will appeal. The more the story percolates out there, the worse it will be for him. Sounds like some possible counseling requirement to me, if it is true.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:52 pm
Or maybe it was some other “conditions” rather than “program”…. any idea what that could be?
June 21st, 2018 at 9:54 pm
Darby not in the car? What the heck? The alibi seems to be coming apart at the seams.
June 21st, 2018 at 9:55 pm
Joe….you are not doing Jameis a service by referring to him as “Ameerica’s QB” he has enough of a credibility problem without you putting him on a pedestal.
And, speaking of credibility….you risk losing yours if you continue to refer to him that way. It is now ridiculously laughable.
As far as Jameis is concerned…..he needs to vehemently deny the allegation and fight the suspension with enthusiasm…..unless, of course, if he is guilty…..then he surely cannot be “America’s QB” by any measurement.
June 21st, 2018 at 10:01 pm
Tampabay
That’s not the reason why Joe’s call JW Americans QB. He calls him that because of haters and attackers. Like America. It’s a comparison not a title.
Joe please clear this up with these clowns. Comments about this very issue gets on my nerves. But if Fox calls Dallas Americans team they agree. They don’t get it
June 21st, 2018 at 10:05 pm
Who’s really talking about this other than a few college sports writers who doesn’t have anything else to do. Beckles? I’m sure the nation is hearing him from his podcast studios right there in the back of his mini van parked outside One Buc Place… I’ll believe it when I see it, JW won’t get suspended. If he does then we’re totally effed …
June 21st, 2018 at 10:05 pm
Wow Joe kind of reminds me of the Josh Freeman defense and the mancrush on Mnaziel
Joe knows QBs
June 21st, 2018 at 10:06 pm
TBBF…if Darby wasn’t in the car, his witness is gone. And who knows if there was anyone else in the car with the driver and Jameis. And if he has no witness, he better take the three and be thankful it isn’t worse.
June 21st, 2018 at 10:09 pm
This is a Cancer that will just continue to spread. Even if Winston would somehow win a Super Bowl or two. That win will never erase the fact that he is a Sexual Predator
June 21st, 2018 at 10:13 pm
mark2011
So, you are saying that he should just lay down and take it even if he is innocent because he has no witness to back him?
I can tell you this, if I was accused of something I didn’t do….I’d be screaming from the rooftops…..you’d have to straight jacket and baker act me……no way he should simply accept the suspension.
June 21st, 2018 at 10:17 pm
I think this suspension puts to rest the “America QB” references for good. At this point, that is a joke and not earned. He is now an average and suspended NFL QB. I would not give Winston more than a 3 year “prove it” deal next year and nowhere near $20+ million year what the top tier QB are commanding. He has really screwed himself on his career from a money standpoint. NFL teams don’t value losers who have off field suspension issues. I feel bad for the Bucs and the fans…this is complete stupid. His fiance must be pissed and preggo. Bad combo! I am sure life at home is all cherries. Winston’s long history of lacking good sense and his on field dumb moments has to make you wonder as a fan if he is “the guy”. I saw someone above say we would regret when he has won multiple SBs….lol…are you kidding me? I think you better lower the bar at this point and how about getting the team to relevance or a playoff game.
June 21st, 2018 at 10:18 pm
3 cost himself soooooo much coin wow
Millions
Thought he was smarter then that…
Hell money isn’t everything I suppose
June 21st, 2018 at 10:22 pm
87…..I feel your pain….
June 21st, 2018 at 10:23 pm
Jameis made a deal with Goodell. No appeal for a shorter suspension.
So he won’t be appealing.
June 21st, 2018 at 10:24 pm
What a letdown
June 21st, 2018 at 10:31 pm
I’m saying if he has already lied in coordination with Darby…and it comes out there was no one else in the car, he could be in even deeper S. That would be two lies he went along with. So how can he appeal it and hope to win? And if there are other conditions and he makes a scene, it could be four, five or six games.
June 21st, 2018 at 10:32 pm
Bonzai…I think it likely you are right.
June 21st, 2018 at 11:08 pm
This happened over 2 years ago. He is married with child on the way. They didn’t interview the driver, there is no evidence, and he has an alibi. WTF?
June 21st, 2018 at 11:14 pm
Franchise quarterbacks don’t create an endless litany of bad decisions. There’s no
way to spin years of JW’s undisciplined behavior.
June 22nd, 2018 at 12:29 am
C’mon everyone, don’t you all remember how much time, effort and money the team put into validating their positive impression of Jaboo’s character? How our GM personally vouched for him as thr fave of the franchise? Whatever folks think or however the facts play out, in the court of public opinion, Jaboo is who many thought he was- an impulsive, immature kid with a penchant for doing stupid things and a very public reputation stemming from Kinsman’s allegations. The cynic in me says it’s more than coincidental that there has been a lot of play-up of Jaboo’s community efforts, his pending marriage and fatherhood- the Bucs are trying desperately to polish a turd. This is the nightmare senario that Licht said wouldn’t happen. This is the young man that ownership put its faith in and $ behind. They have to be apoplectic over the whole thing.
June 22nd, 2018 at 12:47 am
This is crazy and I don’t believe he did something so stupid. But something happened – Wentz and other young talents don’t come with this baggage. Time to think long term as a franchise.
June 22nd, 2018 at 7:42 am
Kinsman’s lawyer is the one that has been driving this Uber Crotch-Grab story and was hired by the uber driver as well. That smells fishy to me.
I get the impression that this scummy lawyer has a thing for Jameis and is pushing the narrative and looking for a payday (kinsman got $950,000 from FSU and who knows how much from Jameis.
And also… The leader of our country has legitimized sexual abuse and “grabbing them by the P$#%%&” If that is our example, how can we punish those who actually do it?
June 22nd, 2018 at 9:19 am
Did JW confess? Is there a videotape of JW grouping her? Does she have witnesses backing up her story? If not, the NFL is just as bad as the #MeToo movement, convicting the confused with no real evidence.
June 22nd, 2018 at 9:25 am
franknfurter is an asshole, go to a liberal website if you want to talk politics, don’t need your asshole comments. MAGA
June 22nd, 2018 at 9:35 am
Jameis should run for President now!
June 22nd, 2018 at 9:38 am
Jk obviously… I’m really concerned about the stupid enforcing of the non-reporting policy that wasn’t in place when this incident occured… Seems unfair to me, but Fitz should be able to lead us to at least a victory or 2 with all these freakin studs we have on this team…
I mean I could prob suit up at QB and win a game or 2….
June 22nd, 2018 at 9:51 am
SAD DAY FOR TAMPABAY!!!!!!…..
we start out 0-2, dirk will lose the locker room……
as joe stated, this team was mentally weak last year……any kind of adversity with this team under these coaches will send this season into a tail spin…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
June 22nd, 2018 at 10:39 am
I agree wholeheartedly that Fitz should get all the first team reps all the way to the end of Jameis’s suspension. Then let Jameis show what he can do. If he plays like our Franchise QB then offer him a long term contract with plenty of clauses that invalidates the contract if he ever lies or is suspended for anything and that he must meet our character guidelines, and we will always have to have a veteran backup who can do a great job if he has to play and he must be great in the red zone and if Jameis doesn’t master the red zone that backup must be inserted every time we get to the red zone. Fitz needs to unite our team as one and keep us up so we can win some of our first three games.
June 22nd, 2018 at 10:43 am
Jameis is an NFL QB that gets pounded in the head every day and is still smarter than Trump to making any “locker room” comments.
June 22nd, 2018 at 10:52 am
James Walker
“This happened over 2 years ago. He is married with child on the way. They didn’t interview the driver, there is no evidence, and he has an alibi. WTF?”
I don’t even know how he was suppose to know. Especially within a week and no criminal investigation!!!
“Jameis you’re in big trouble mister. We saw your Uber account got suspended. Do you want to explain this?” – Goodell
“No. Cus it’s none of your f#cking business Rog.” – Jameis
June 22nd, 2018 at 11:26 am
Americas Quarterback is true. Except its South America.
June 22nd, 2018 at 2:10 pm
If Jameis did grope…three games is not enough…if this is just an administrative error…”failure to report” then three games is way too much.
This leaves us in limbo once again. If Jameis actually did this….but if he’s innocent of just not reporting or even lying and hiding it that’s different.
When the allegations first emerged everybody jumped on the gold digger after Jameis’ money. But this woman has hidden from the publicity, not filed a criminal or civil suit and has not cashed in! What is her motive? Just askin’.
June 22nd, 2018 at 3:45 pm
They just need to trade for Teddy Bridgewater now and see what happens