The Sad Days Of The Bucs
December 26th, 2018
Ugly playoff drought.
The Bucs once went 14 seasons without a playoff berth.
It was one of the darkest periods for any NFL team. Oh sure, teams like the Steelers (pre-Chuck Noll) and the Cardinals (post-World War II) went over 30 years without a playoff win.
In the modern NFL, the post-AFL-NFL merger days, the Bucs going 14 seasons without a playoff appearance is a landmark in some respects.
This season will mark the 11th straight without a playoff game for the Bucs. And in some ways, it may already be worse than the 14-year drought.
The NFL is built for teams to turn things around. Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com pointed out some interesting nuggets about how the NFL is organized for rotten teams to bounce back.
For 29 consecutive seasons (1990-2018), the NFL has turned over at least 25 percent of the playoff field from one year to the next. …
Since the 12-team playoff format was adopted in 1990, at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs in every season that were not in the postseason the previous year.
What Williams did not point out was that free agency as we know it today, began in 1993, and the salary cap kicked in a year later. This almost guaranteed that teams with any sustained success would have to let go of some good players in order to stay under the cap.
It was also in 1993 that then-Bucs coach Sam Wyche signed Steelers free agent linebacker Hardy Nickerson. This was an important signing as Nickerson became a key player in what led to the franchise turnaround. Four years after Nickerson was signed, the Bucs broke their playoff drought.
So in some ways the Bucs, the current Bucs are doing a worse job of coaching and/or roster-building than during the previous 14-year drought. Even with the options of signing free agents, the Bucs still can’t take advantage.
That’s bad.
Joe has no idea if Bucs coach Dirk Koetter will be on the sidelines for the final time at the Den of Depression on Sunday. If he is, the quickest way to stop the madness that is the Bucs watching playoff games each January is to not hire a coach who’s never been a head coach at any level or an NFL coordinator in his life. Don’t hire a college coach who is trying to outdo Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, and don’t give full and complete power to a guy sitting in his suburban Chicago basement, drooling over tape of Anthony Collins, who thinks he’s the second coming of Tom Landry.
And for the love of God, can someone at One Buc Palace find a scout who can choose a friggin’ kicker or who knows what an NFL running back looks like?
Is that too much to ask?
December 26th, 2018 at 8:03 am
Joe- I did not sign off on using my likeness! Neither did my mom!
December 26th, 2018 at 8:08 am
It was a long walk from AT&T stadium all the way to the car.
December 26th, 2018 at 8:12 am
It’s time for the Joes to take the bags off of their heads and reveal themselves.
Joe Buc Fans want to know!!!
December 26th, 2018 at 8:24 am
I’ve simply gone on and enjoyed watching football in general, pro and college, who needs a favorite pro team? Simply enjoy all the great games and no doubt there will be great playoff games as well…..
December 26th, 2018 at 8:29 am
Drafting kickers in round 2, RBs who cant catch, passing on all pro LTs for small DBs get you to where the bucs are now. Clean out every single one who has a fingerprint on drafting or agreeing on any FA the bucs have signed. Get rid of the ppl responsible for passing on D James last year when they should have known 2019 is greatest DL class in history. Clean House
December 26th, 2018 at 8:34 am
“Kobe always knew there was some deep personality issues with Koetter…Kobe doesnt think Koetter is going to end quietly at RJS
Koetter might throwup the middle finger to Tampa, Glazers and Jameis by
Playing Ryan Griffen at the 2nd half
Truely a Redneck Shakespearean Tragedy indeed”
Kobe Faker
December 26th, 2018 at 8:37 am
I don’t know what goes on in the mind of Jason Litch once the second round comes up each year. Who told him that Jeremy Mcnichols n RoJo were nfl ready running backs? What’s up with picking Division II players in the early rounds. We have developed a culture of a bunch of softies i.e.,DSmith is pure trash, he’s a wimp;MEvans anticipates contact n falls to the ground prematurely, he makes no effort to stretch out n dive for the ball to catch it…he’s learning a lot from DJackson, he does more push off n winding than a lil baby, he’s ridiculous crazy if he thinks every defenders contact is a penalty. And, MEvans is very fragile. I’ll take ABrown, Julio, ACooper, n others over him any day.Caleb Benocho is another wussie, CBrate is showing a soft side. A true grit player on offense is the one n only…AHumpries. Our defense…Willian Gholstin is a joke, Gerald McCoy should be given a pay cut, Carl Nassib could be another JJ Watts if he learns how to wrap up n stop arm tackling n trying to sling a runner to the ground, Devante Bond is a dud, BGrimes should be benched,RSmith is not Nfl material, n JWhitehead is becoming another Tanard Jackson, he’s all over the place. Finally, get a real coach because Koetter is a clone of Lovie. We need an aggressive , creative, n innovated coach to take this high octane offense to the next level. A DC such as Gregg Williams will bring the best out of this current defense.
December 26th, 2018 at 8:58 am
That’s bc Nickerson was like Samuel L Jackson that is to say he is/was a bad mofo. We lack that and have lacked it for many years.
Question: how would the TB fan base react if Winston stares down a coach or made a jester symbolizing him whipping out his manhood after a win or score? I think all heck would be break but since it was another QBs who did these thing it was a non-issue and celebrated bravado.
Stop signing choir boys like Chris Conte and you might have a chance at the playoffs.
December 26th, 2018 at 9:00 am
kris richard 4 HC!!!!!
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!…#ADIOSDIRK!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
December 26th, 2018 at 9:10 am
This site, the majority of fans, and Buccaneers ownership seems to think the biggest issue with the Buccaneers is who the head coach is.
Over the past ten years this team has had two General Managers that has failed at hiring the right people (players, scouts, coaching staff) to produce a winner. Just about every year fans drone on and on about replacing the head coach when it’s the GM that is making the bad coaching hires, bad free agent signings, bad draft picks, and lacking the leadership to force a coaching change at the assistant level.
Mark Dominick and Jason Licht were failures as GM. However, Mark Dominick had the deck stacked against him in the early going. Jason Licht, not so much. Jason Licht made moves as if he *actually* listened to the fan base. Fans didn’t like Lovie. He fired Lovie. Fans cried, “We need to keep Dirk!” He kept Dirk. Fans cried “Weapons for Winston!” He got those weapons. Fans cried, “Fix the defensive line to take pressure off the secondary!” He did that.
I saw a shooting star…on TV…while watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and I made a wish. My Christmas wish is that the Glazers clean house and hire an experienced and proper GM first! Finding the head coach and then hiring the GM has not worked.
December 26th, 2018 at 9:13 am
Joe – You seem to have lots of restrictions on who the Glazers should be hiring. Got a list of who meets your requirements handy?
December 26th, 2018 at 9:15 am
Do I hear 15?
December 26th, 2018 at 9:23 am
I’m going to go out on a limp and say that maybe possibly the best players, coaches, scouts, GMs don’t want anything to do with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That may be one reason why you have to make Jensen the highest paid center even though he’s the third best center in the division (if that).
In my industry there’s some revolving within the industry but there are orgs that every professional steers clear from bc of their reputation and the way they do business. Sure they pay well but that’s still not enough to attract the best talent. That’s how I see the buccaneers.
Fact is this team is the owners third or fourth priority and that’s why they stink for so long that and the fans and media are not very football smart.
December 26th, 2018 at 9:47 am
Top free agents don’t want to come to Tampa
That’s why you have to build through the draft
Every draft pick need to be useful to the team (impact players)
After 11 years without a playoff berth
This team should be loaded with young talent
December 26th, 2018 at 9:52 am
Do I detect some anti Kris Richard from Joe?
December 26th, 2018 at 10:32 am
When I saw the ticker on ESPN that Gru had been fired I knew this was going to happen.
December 26th, 2018 at 11:21 am
All I know is if/when the current regime is let go, they need to clean house in the scouting department.
Our scouts have sucked for at least 11 years now.
December 26th, 2018 at 11:23 am
D matt is an idiot. I see that all the players you didnt criticize in your diatribe have one thing in common. Your not slick.
December 26th, 2018 at 11:35 am
unbelievable- Everybody is responsible for this mess, but I can’t help but keep going back to this point with our scouting. How can we be this bad at talent evaluation? Not just with the draft, free agents as well.
Then, for some strange reason, we hit these late rounders and UDFA that turn out to be gems. Ugh!
December 26th, 2018 at 11:41 am
Eric Says:
“I saw the ticker on ESPN that Gru had been fired”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That who was fired?
December 26th, 2018 at 12:16 pm
I have also jumped on the Kris Richard train. Energetic coach (which we haven’t had since we brought a guy from Rutgers for crying out loud) in practice and on the sideline on gameday. Feel he would be a very good defensive HC and defenses win championships.
December 26th, 2018 at 12:34 pm
SOEbuc Says:
I have also jumped on the Kris Richard train. Energetic coach………
Totally agree. I like everything I have seen, heard and read about this guy.
December 26th, 2018 at 12:38 pm
Fireeeeeee Licht!
December 26th, 2018 at 12:59 pm
As long as we’re sucking for so long, can we bring back a awesome new version of the creamsicle jerseys. Original white Bruce helmets. Maybe not the original block numbers. Something new age but still sutel. Atlanta’s numbers are a good comparison. Maybe a very small outline of red around the numbers and a small red outline down the straight creamsicle/white line of the pants. But any red involved could be a bit “cheesy looking” lol.
I like the 2000’s red and pewter and would like to see a come back but creamsicle and white are best for players to beat Florida heat.
December 26th, 2018 at 12:59 pm
“Kris Richard? Why would you want a fired DC coach from Seattle and now that he was replaced seattle def is much better
This Loser is a ken norton jr clone with less experience
This bum is now a demoted cornerback coach lol
***If you want the true understudy of Ron Marinelli, it is the proven brilliant Matt Eberflus, the defensive coord of indy colts, who shutout Dallas 2 weeks ago. …
Kobe “I would rather have Keith Richards” Faker
December 26th, 2018 at 1:14 pm
GhostofSchiano
I watched a video of him at practice and he’s running fast up to players with his sheet to show them corrections. Very impressive. Him and Buckner WILL NOT be putting up with any BS or gassed out defense in the second half like Grandma Glasses Koetter.
December 26th, 2018 at 1:33 pm
Kobe Faker
Richard has plenty experience playing college (USC), NFL, and coached as CB coach and defensive backs coach throughout the Richard Sherman era of Seattle’s backfield. In case you don’t know we have a bit of a problem in the secondary. BR came up with a nickname for this guys secondary coaching as “the Legion of Boom.” Guy still looks like and has the energy of an NFL cornerback. A young Mike Tomlin. Rivera is my one, this guy is my two. Hell no Mike McCarthy or Jim Harbaugh.
December 26th, 2018 at 1:42 pm
“Kris Richards next step is BACK TO defensive coordinator which he has failed before and definately not Head Coach
Why do you want to reincarnate the next Raheem Morris, hiring a position coach to HC?
He is a ken norton jr clone
Google Matt Eberflus and you will be embarrassed to ever read 1 of 813 posts ever again
Kobe Faker
December 26th, 2018 at 1:55 pm
Richard was also the defensive play caller in Dallas this year (#5 defense).
And is it me or do we have a secondary full of potential that are mostly not even out of their rookie contracts.
December 26th, 2018 at 2:01 pm
Kobe Faker
“Why do you want to reincarnate the next Raheem Morris, hiring a position coach to HC?”
Haha. Maybe cus Raheem Morris was the last HC to get us in the playoffs in god knows how long. You can go hire you’re OC Dirk Koetter for HC, but I’m going with the guy that’s on the top of the list for best assistant coach 2018.
December 26th, 2018 at 2:17 pm
Like it or not..We are a losing franchise overall throughout our years of existence. Buc fans have had more angina, heart and panic attack treatments, Stomach ailments to include surgeries, ulcers and yes..alcoholism due to frustrations with our team. Will it ever end? OK..one superbowl victory and a few playoff appearance. Our record though speaks for itself. I just hope the Glazers get themselves some professional know how to assist them in running the football operations side of things. I sure they have absolutely no problems with the..counting profits side of it. Why just the mere mention of BUCS at my job? Makes me..sneak in a cocktail at lunch!
December 26th, 2018 at 2:29 pm
I lived through both – and this is nothing, NOTHING, like the 14-year stretch. The Bucs HAVE won a championship, they have at times looked competitive, they were screwed out of a playoff game by the refs, they’ve had a team that at times has looked like it could really win if things held together, that wasn’t the case with that 14-year stretch. There was no SB championship in the past to taunt Vikings fans with (no Falcons and Carolina fans), there wasn’t an owner that spent money, there was no free agency for most of that time, there were guys who’d leave the Bucs and win SB’s – or guys like Bo Jackson who were drafted #1 overall who wouldn’t even play. There was, in short, no hope – no way to turn things around, no going into the season thinking if this team got on a hot streak it really might go somewhere. NO HOPE at all. If you think there is no hope now, when you have a franchise QB and extremely high talent all-pro players at multiple positions, then you’re a d-bag who has no knowledge of history.
This is NOTHING like the 14-year streak, and anyone that has been an actual fan, that has lived through both, knows damn well what I’m saying is 1000% accurate.
December 26th, 2018 at 3:22 pm
Rod Munch
“they were screwed out of a playoff game by the refs”
Screwed out of a playoff game by refs? You mean we were screwed out of Super Bowl appearance by refs. Fifth grade girlfriend broke up with me over the phone not long after the game ended. That was my first day of sloshed alcoholism created by this program.
December 26th, 2018 at 3:29 pm
Glazer kids have no clue who to hire at managerial or coaching positions. They inherited all their money from Malcolm but none of his managerial smarts. Hate this sh!t. I would love to see them sell to someone serious.
December 26th, 2018 at 3:44 pm
Munch- I was there. There was no hope then, NONE. We had a Bucs team that went to the playoffs DESPITE its cheap-a$$ ownership. It’s laughable that we call RayJay the “Den of Depression”! Remember the “Sombrero” with the bleacher seats and 30 minute waits to pee at the trough?! I sure the heck do.
As “bad” as things are, these owners do spend money and free agents can change an organization’s direction.
This is why I say there is no such thing as a band-wagon Bucs fan. If you were THERE, man, tip of the hat!
We sipped from the same keg I’m sure!