Mike Smith Responds To “Fire Mike Smith” Talk
October 10th, 2018
The leader of the Buccaneers defense, a former NFL (Head) Coach of the Year, took to the podium today at One Buc Palace to chat with media for the first time since the Windy City Wipeout.
It’s been a very rough season for Mike Smith — and for Bucs fans watching his defense.
Yes, Joe called for Smith to be fired during the Bears game. And a couple of days later, Joe said it was time to pull for Smith because that’s what fans do. In between, Dirk Koetter addressed the Fire Mike Smith chatter and said removing Smith was unwise, wouldn’t be happening and one man is not to blame.
Today, Joe thought it was appropriate to give Smith a chance to address the fire smoldering around his employment. Smith dealt with that late in his tenure leading the Falcons.
JoeBucsFan.com: From the same podium, Dirk Koetter addressed calls out there, “Fire Mike Smith.” And Coach said that’s not happening and you guys are a team. Do you feel like you’re immune to those kinds of comments after being a head coach.
Mike Smith: I got tracks on my back through the years, ok. That’s part of it. You’re in this business. It’s a week-to-week business. You know, the great thing is that you get an opportunity to go out and do it again. It doesn’t hurt my feelings that anybody has their own opinion. That’s the way this world is. That’s what makes it go around. You just go out and you do your job. Hey, you try to be focused on the task. The task at hand is real simple in the NFL; it’s to have one more point than the other team. And we’ve been able to do that 50 percent of the time in the first quarter of the season. And I just want to say there’s a lot of football still to be played. We’re going to go out and do everything that we can to improve what we did in the first quarter of the season, especially on the defensive side of the football.
So there you go. Smith’s feelings are intact and he’s counting Ws and is very eager to fix things beginning on Sunday.
October 10th, 2018 at 1:35 pm
Here’s all you need to know about this defense:
In his first 15 NFL starts, Mitchell Trubisky threw 9 touchdowns *total*.
In his one start against the Buccaneers, he threw 6 touchdowns.
#FireMikeSmith
October 10th, 2018 at 1:37 pm
You just go out and you do your job.
————–
If this were the case then no one would be calling for your job.
#WeakHavoc
October 10th, 2018 at 1:42 pm
Here’s all you need to know about Mike Smith’s “defense”:
In his first 15 starts, Mitchell Trubisky threw 9 touchdowns *total*.
He threw **6** touchdowns against the Bucs.
#FireMikeSmith
October 10th, 2018 at 1:52 pm
If you know that your actions or lack thereof are going to get your good friend fired, shouldn’t you “take one for the team” and resign?
October 10th, 2018 at 1:56 pm
Mike Smith’s defensive scheme is playing checkers.
While other teams offenses are playing chess….
October 10th, 2018 at 1:58 pm
The whole coaching staff and Mr. AC/DC general manager will be looking for jobs after this season because of their refusal to get rid of this guy……a regime change is coming. Unfortunately. He would be better off not talking to the media as opposed to putting this garbage out there. Idiot. Look for Atlanta to put up 50 on Sunday. Book it.
October 10th, 2018 at 1:59 pm
Smitty should have been fired before the season started. No time to install a new defense now.
October 10th, 2018 at 2:00 pm
Christopher
great example, that’s quite an eye opener and says a lot about Smith’s scheme
October 10th, 2018 at 2:00 pm
Not enough–he will lose us everything–the defense has not worked for a very long time, he has had ample time to fix it but he has not–simple as that.
October 10th, 2018 at 2:03 pm
A wise man once said, “don’t just do your job, but do your job well.”
October 10th, 2018 at 2:04 pm
I’m hoping the unlikely happens and Mike Smith figured out over the last two weeks how to turn the defense from worst of all time to below average.
October 10th, 2018 at 2:05 pm
I think we learned his scheme which is ” it’s to have one more point than the other team”. That’s it? no wonder our defense looks so confused.
I really want to root for him, but it’s hard. I hope they figure it out.
October 10th, 2018 at 2:05 pm
So many offensive records and quarterbacks burst into stardom excelling against mike smith defense and some of the poor personnel decisions of licht
October 10th, 2018 at 2:23 pm
Blah blah blah fire him already!
October 10th, 2018 at 2:24 pm
I do think his D is outdated, and they should get another DC after the season, but I don’t think it’ll help to fire him now. I get the sentiment too. My guess is a total house cleaning after this season.
October 10th, 2018 at 2:29 pm
I feel like Tampa media [credentialed] take it light on Smith majority of the time. I think it’s fair to ask him the questions he’s asked but I would like someone to scope the defense ineptitude for him in the form of a question.
“Coach, in three years your defense has consistently underperformed and costs the team multiple victories and potentially job security issues, what can you say for this degree of failure?”
Or “Coach is it fair to say the defense production has been bottom of the league – is it reasonable to seek indiependebt consultation for solutions if job security and continuity is off the table?”
Like frame up the degree of failure but the questions asked was very good.
October 10th, 2018 at 2:31 pm
“We’re going to go out and do everything that we can to improve what we did in the first quarter of the season, especially on the defensive side of the football.”
It’s NOT just the first quarter!
You’ve had 3 years to do that!
And it’s WORSE!
My Nuts Hurt!
Fire Mike Smith to make them feel better!
October 10th, 2018 at 2:54 pm
ARCHITEK
you hit the nail on the head…..even tho @joe called for his firing, he walked those comments back with, lets root for smitty….that’s BS…. First, Joe roots for every Buccaneer when the whistle blows. It’s called being a fan. Second, not only did Joe not “walk those comments back,” Joe reaffirmed them in subsequent posts. –Joe
the last regime didn’t have that luxury…..never once did @joe say fire lovie and then turn around and say, lets root for lovie….. To clarify, Joe never called for Lovie’s firing. –Joe
local media needs to ask questions like the examples you have…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!…#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
October 10th, 2018 at 2:57 pm
The Bucs as an organization have had a decade to fix this long running problem. Three entire coaching changes top to bottom and still the problem persists. It’s a culture change that’s needed. Mike Smith is only the latest one to blame but reality is this issue runs deeper than coaching. I don’t care what D you run none of it is rocket science like the media would have you believe. Besides some crazy blitz packages the defenses these guys play they’ve played since H.S.
October 10th, 2018 at 3:00 pm
Mike Smith: “You just go out and you do your job.”
If your job is to suck, you’re doing it well.
But as a fan, I’m still rooting for you to figure it out.
October 10th, 2018 at 3:00 pm
Umm Christopher
All you need to know about Smitty. Trubisky was worst qb in the league against the blitz before the game. Smith called zero blitzes in the first half. ZERO! Thats why he threw 6 tds and scored 35 in one half. That was my final straw. No idea how the Glazers didnt fire him after that game. Lack of preparation, ignorance and no aggression. Recipe for a bad bad D coordinator. Ive seen enough
October 10th, 2018 at 3:01 pm
It will be a bigger miracle than hitting the PowerBall if this defense hold ATL under 30 points
Looking at the rest of the schedule….outside of San Fran and Dallas this defense is in big trouble
Mike Smith is a joke, if it gets fixed its because of the players finally getting sick of taking a** whippings…he has clearly proven he has no idea how to run a NFL level D
Id rather get beat blitzing and trying to impose my will on the offense than laying back in a soft zone watching every pedestrian QB ever pick me apart game after game, season after season – how long do we have to tolerate this shiznit??????
October 10th, 2018 at 3:04 pm
Clearly Mike Smith is a nice guy, but he is in a highly paid, results oriented business that is accountable to its customers(fans).
His results have been awful so far and the attitude of your defensive coordinator should be to shut the other team out every time you play. His is that he wants(hopes) to score at least one more than the opponent.
I do think Joe and the other local media give him softball questions. I think they primarily give him easy questions, because he is a nice guy.
October 10th, 2018 at 3:04 pm
“never once did @joe say fire lovie and then turn around and say, lets root for lovie…..”
To Joe’s credit I believe he was still rooting for the Bucs when Lovie was coach. He was rooting for all things Bucs – including Lovie. Same situation here – he’s rooting for the staff/the Bucs/etc to win games.
If he was rooting for Lovie to fail; then he’d be rooting for the Bucs to fail; and I don’t recall any of that.
It’s not like he’s saying we should keep Mike Smith or giving him some endorsement of approval after saying we should fire him.
October 10th, 2018 at 3:07 pm
Darin
No blitzes and wide open receivers running all over the field, waving their hands…look at me I’m wide open!!
October 10th, 2018 at 3:09 pm
What do we expect him to say?! Shoot, what’s the guy’s salary? Millions?! Yea, I don’t think he cares what people think.
Do you know who should? Dirk Koetter, if he allows this defense to take down this team!
I truly hope he turns this thing around, I really do. I apologize if I’m a tad apprehensive, however.
October 10th, 2018 at 3:10 pm
I have a tough time believing anything this joker talks about. Just as many posters have stated this is his third year and it has not getting any better. One thing I cant stand is that silly smirk on his face as he addresses the press. He can take that silly smirk and walk the plank. The sky fell last year.
GO BUCS
October 10th, 2018 at 3:11 pm
Why did it take 10 days for Smitty to step up to the podium?
Just to deliver that weak “Oh well, people have opinions”
Dork and Smitty have to be the weakest minded coaches in the NFL.
Maybe they should get some more feedback from the players, so they can learn how to do their jobs…smdh.
October 10th, 2018 at 3:15 pm
We are pullin for you Smitty. We want you to do good. Put there’s an ole song from yrs back that goes..After a while its..Sorry Harry..You’s to much weight..to carry!!
October 10th, 2018 at 3:18 pm
Only the misinformed and sheep would thing that the Bucs were going to throw out on the field a rookie secondary and that the defense would be good!!!!! Why do you think the “real fans” and those in the know called for “wait until the second half of the season for the defensive improvements!!!!!!! All the new pieces and the sheep still can’t figure it out!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
October 10th, 2018 at 3:21 pm
Mike Smith is the GMC of defensive coordinators.
Resign ASAP please.
October 10th, 2018 at 3:26 pm
I mean, he’s treating it like a “aw shucks” attitude when he should be saying “we chose to suck and it’s mostly my fault” moment.
He’s soft.
I hate soft.
October 10th, 2018 at 3:32 pm
We’ll see.
October 10th, 2018 at 3:41 pm
This guy is so full of shlt they are going to need to start keeping a septic pump truck at one buc for all of his pressers
October 10th, 2018 at 3:43 pm
I swear to god if I were Tod Monken sitting up there next to Smitty I would be shooting spit balls into his ear every time his defense gave up a completion without a defender within 10 yards of him.
I don’t think there are enough straws and napkins in the entire stadium to do that through 4 quarters though….
October 10th, 2018 at 3:44 pm
Little things say allot , no the Goal isn’t to get one more point than the other team ( but what I would expect from a soft guy ) . The goal is to dominate on both sides of the ball and have a top 5 offense and defense and you will beat numerous teams by 10 to 20 points , not one Mike ( Loser Mentality and it shows )
October 10th, 2018 at 3:45 pm
If we get all healthy players out on defense and they still give opposing offenses record-setting games, then what will be the excuse? I give the defense till the mid-way point of the season to show us that this scheme is the right fit for the players.
October 10th, 2018 at 3:58 pm
2017,,,,,11 of the Eagles 13 wins were by 5 points or more last year and not one win nor one game was by one point !!! Either you get the just of this ( Winner , Leader , Fighter , JPP ) or you don’t ( survivor, G McCoy , Loser ) .
Yes naysayers I know ( I can’t teach M Smith) isn’t saying he wants one point games but this is just a loser mentality and btw less than 8 of there (Eagles)wins came down to one score !!
So No ,,, Good teams don’t come down to last possessions all that often !!!
October 10th, 2018 at 4:31 pm
By refusing to take action on Smith, Koetter I am sure knows that this will be his last season as a head coach. Maybe he is hoping to land another job as a coordinator and doesn’t want to burn any bridges. No clue why and I don’t give a damn! As bad as the Glazers are as owners they should step in and fire Smith themselves. Fans are fed up with this. I had planned to attend a few more games later this year. At this point I think the Bucs are going to go down in flames in 2018 and I will not be spending more of my hard earned money on this crap.
October 10th, 2018 at 4:34 pm
What kind of a crap attitude is that. The goal is to have 1 more point than the other team? Are you kidding me? No the goal is to dominate the other team, 0 points, hell the goal should be 0 years. Set the bar high and demand your team fight for it. Mike Smith’s like ” hey guys the O will score 40 so we can take it easy”
October 10th, 2018 at 4:36 pm
It also looks like it is time to tear this all down and start over…..AGAIN! The offensive line blows, JPP was a short term band aid for the D Line but that line still sucks. The corners look like the bad news bears, and yet another second round pick has turned out to be a disaster. Jacksonville and Cleveland have turned the corner while the Bucs are stuck in quick sand. Licht hit on a couple of picks, but you cant have all of these 2nd rounders turn out to be complete failures (ROJO, ASJ, Spence, and Aguayo). That is four whiffs with premium picks.
October 10th, 2018 at 4:54 pm
Smith mentioned we’re 2-2. Had nothing to do with the defense. I have faith in Jameis but I don’t think he is going to be throwing for 400+ yards and 4 TDs every game. I like Licht and his “build through the draft” theory because he’s a good scout. We can keep him on for one more year. 10-6 or 9-7 with a round 2 playoff appearance. If not, this entire coaching staff (except for Buckner) needs to be spit shine cleaned and don’t bring in some BS coordinator or college coach that is going to be gone in three years.
Bucs have not given Jameis the opportunity to be great playing under all these sh!ty coaches.
October 10th, 2018 at 5:18 pm
I was watching games from 2015. There is no excuse Mike Smith and Dirk get more of a leash than Lovie. When the Joes called him incompetent. But he’s took his team to a Superbowl. Man forget it. Why do we keep hiring coaches with no back bone. Dirk has set himself up for failure hiring he’s buddies instead of the best coaches available. The losing Jack Del Rio tree.
October 10th, 2018 at 5:44 pm
“The Buc Realist Says:
October 10th, 2018 at 3:18 pm
Only the misinformed and sheep would thing that the Bucs were going to throw out on the field a rookie secondary and that the defense would be good!!!!!”
I never thought “good”. I wanted “semi average”. We are “pure dog sh1t”.
Seattle has a bunch of no name corners too and no excuses. Our entire secondary isn’t rookies at all. We have multiple multi year players contributing between Grimes/Smith/Evans. We have a veteran front 7.
The year after Carolina let Norman walk guess what the f*ck they started in their secondary? 2 rookies and other no name has-beens. They had a GOOD defense that year.
I just want SEMI AVERAGE. Which is a sh1t low bar to set.
NO MORE EXCUSES FOR WORST DEFENSE IN THE NFL
I repeat
WORST DEFENSE IN THE ENTIRE F*CKING LEAGUE.
Good job smitty!!!! Sorry I’m such a sheep and can’t see the brilliance of the last 3 years that I am missing
October 10th, 2018 at 5:48 pm
At least Dirk admitted that he and the rest of the staff deserved to be fired. It would have been more appropriate if Smitty ate some humble pie and admitted his performance thus far has not cut the mustard. Not that it ever really has but that is who Dirk hired. If the Glazers had a pair they would not have allowed it when a proven gem in Jim Schwartz was available as D Coord. Ask the Eagles how that turned out.
October 10th, 2018 at 5:50 pm
The Defense is so far down, it looks like up
October 10th, 2018 at 5:53 pm
smith like lovie tries to make the players fit their scheme. a good coach will develop a scheme to fit the talent at hand.
October 10th, 2018 at 6:09 pm
Maybe early onset dementia. You can stay until the end of the year foggy bottom.
October 10th, 2018 at 6:19 pm
Hari Kari Bucs fans. Expect more. We will be better this year. Go Bucs!
October 10th, 2018 at 7:59 pm
What can the guy say? At some point he’ll run out of excuses.
October 10th, 2018 at 8:01 pm
“The task at hand is real simple in the NFL; it’s to have one more point than the other team” – Smith. It’s Koetter’s job to say that. You’re not the head coach. Your responsibility is to ensure you’re putting the best defensive display out there.
October 10th, 2018 at 8:24 pm
“one more point than the other team”
Now there’s a Bad Ass Defensive Coordinator for you..SMDH
Great defenses try and keep the other team from scoring at all. That’s perfection, and not achieved often, but THAT’S what you shoot for…
So glad when this clown show is over.
October 10th, 2018 at 8:44 pm
Washed up has been.
This franchise sucks out loud.
October 10th, 2018 at 10:23 pm
Well that was a pretty pathetic statement if I’ve ever heard one.
“The task is to have 1 more point than your opponent”? Just one????
How about your goal is to shut out your goddamn opponent and make them lay a goose egg!
No wonder this defense has gotten softer and softer. That mentality is beyond pathetic.
October 11th, 2018 at 3:13 am
Watch the Bucs end up playing decent enough for everyone to keep their jobs then next year we will look like fermented dog crap again. Smh
October 11th, 2018 at 9:56 am
FIRE MIKE SMITH!!!!!!