Arthur Blank, An NFC Head Coach On The Bucs, And “Why You, Joe?”
March 26th, 2019
“Joel, you hear what Arthur Blank is saying about me? He must listen to me on Russo.”
Joe always enjoys the NFL Owners Meetings, which offer Joe the chance to mingle at the most unique party in sports, where NFL Owners, head coaches, general managers, select media, high-ranking team officials and their families gather annually.
Yes, somehow Joe is allowed into this affair that has more security than one might imagine. (Joe learned last night that the bomb dogs everywhere are actually shipped in with their handlers from Alabama and are contracted to all major NFL events.)
It was a fun time last night in Phoenix. Kudos to the NFL for the top-shelf booze, food and the 14-piece band.
Yes, Joe talked to Arthur Blank about how he calls JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman “Irv” instead of his given name. Joe explained to Blank that his famous line “he looks like an Irv” is legendary to listeners of the Ira Kaufman Podcast. Blank was proud that his candor was enjoyed and he stands behind the message.
In fact, Blank actually explained to Joe why Kaufman is a great ambassador for the entire NFL because of his passion and the way he represents the media, which Blank said is a very important part of the overall product.
How bout that!
Joe bolted soon after thinking Blank might start talking about how JoeBucsFan is a stain upon the game — but not before Joe got Blank to talk about the two former Bucs head coaches on his staff. Unfortunately, those comments were not for publication.
Another fun nugget came from an NFC head coach who actually offered to wager with Joe that the Bucs draft a running back somewhere in the first two days of this year’s draft. “There’s no way Bruce relies on what they have now or another guy off the street. That’s not his offense with just Peyton Barber out there,” he said.
But perhaps the most intriguing highlight was one Bucs-savvy attendee asking Joe why the writing on these pages appeared to reflect that the Bucs would be a big-money player in free agency this season.
It was an excellent question and a fair one. Heck, the Bucs had no cap room, and that was no secret.
Joe replied that Joe is a fan at heart and likely got a little caught up in the fantasy that is free agency, but Joe explained that the feeling at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters was that the Bucs would (and should) find a way to land one big-fish free agent as a culture-changer figure in the Bruce Arians regime.
Even with the tight cap situation, Joe thought that would happen somehow. A cut here, a trade there, a contract restructure, relying on a rookie, etc.
But the question did get Joe thinking. Ultimately, this Bucs season won’t be about how a big free agent worked out, even if the Bucs signed one. It’s going to be all about Jameis Winston and more efficiency in what’s already a good offense, in addition to building a defensive foundation where there wasn’t one before.
And Joe’s ok with that — as long as it works and Arians is committed for the long haul.
March 26th, 2019 at 9:29 am
This was such a great read, Joe!
March 26th, 2019 at 9:32 am
I don’t understand why we wouldn’t be looking at drafting a Qb at 5 and I’m not joking. Just saying I have seen nothing to make me believe after this year Winston will deserve a 100 million dollar deal?! And please don’t talk about a bs. Pro bowl or 4 thousands yards a year with the NFL rules not hard to do.just being realistic here there’s a great chance with him at Qb this year we will be drafting top 5 again look for a Qb again. Oh well maybe next year’s QBs are better…
March 26th, 2019 at 9:34 am
Blank runs a first class franchise !…
March 26th, 2019 at 9:47 am
Most people haven’t seen Jameis play on the field in person the man is ELECTRIC ⚡️ he throws anticipation style and it’s unique not many can sling it like he can. Too many games have been lost the past few seasons because of defense and special teams. We need to find a way to draft Josh Allen!
March 26th, 2019 at 9:50 am
Was Blank attired in a zoot suit or something “conservative” with a pink vest and pink bow tie?
March 26th, 2019 at 9:50 am
As it stands, we can’t even participate in the draft due to our cap space, duh! The longer we wait to trade some one away to free up cash is becoming REAL. I’m sure moves will be made but the longer that wait continues the more likely we get very little for our trade…or hope and pray someone is as desperate as we are. I hope Arians GIVE A SPIT meter is high concerning our cap space.
March 26th, 2019 at 10:06 am
Peyton Barber and Miles Sanders will make for a dynamic duo.
March 26th, 2019 at 10:07 am
And oh yea,you out did yourself with this piece. Salute homie.
March 26th, 2019 at 10:09 am
Joe Says:
“Ultimately, this Bucs season won’t be about how a big free agent worked out, even if the Bucs signed one. It’s going to be all about Jameis Winston and more efficiency in what’s already a good offense, in addition to building a defensive foundation where there wasn’t one before.
And Joe’s ok with that — as long as it works and Arians is committed for the long haul.”
1) Arians isn’t committed for the “long haul”–3 years tops health wise.
2) “As long as it works”–who determines what works is, subjective to most, (more wins, more defensive progress, etc.)
3) All combined it’s stupid as hell to put all the Bucs’ eggs in one basket in one individual offseason …in Jameis’ supposed quantum leap to save the day. NO OTHER FRANCHISE thinks like that, operates in any offseason THAT way. Why the hell should Licht (and company) be allowed to?!
More $$$ should have been freed up to DIVERSIFY RISK by making more significant changes to the secondary and OLine. They didn’t. 8-8 tops.
March 26th, 2019 at 10:12 am
Y’all just do yourselves a favor and wear bibs during the draft. Don’t want y’all getting any drink on your shirts when you blow it out your mouths when you see how early they go get Sanders. This organization has an affinity with Penn State football players. I’m cool wit it considering he’ll be a major component of next season’s offense. Don’t think an owner would set himself up to look like his new old offensive quarternator.. klueless.
March 26th, 2019 at 10:18 am
Str8cash we all just watched KC take the league by storm last season by dropping 30 points on basically everyone. Before my hiatus from this site I was a 30 point offense is the new defense. And were it not Joe’s beloved Dee Ford mental blunder they would have advanced. Wigs in that league don’t think like fans do. Fans especially here are consumed with over hyped and over valued DEs or edge rushers. But Bill allows them walk every offseason. Andy Reid didn’t blink an eye at Houston or Ford. Chuck his duces up and was like see ya. Why.
March 26th, 2019 at 10:20 am
And Bosa nor Mathis touched Tom once in that playoff game.
March 26th, 2019 at 10:29 am
Oh an neither did Dee Ford or Justin Houston. Just saying.
March 26th, 2019 at 10:36 am
There is no long haul. There hasn’t been one for awhile. Talk about Jameis looking over his shoulder, try being a Buc head coach. They start looking over their shoulders from day one. Who’s got time to develop home grown talent? Either a player gets up to speed in their rookie season or get labeled a bust by the hometown media.
..and then it ratchets up when all the minions pickup their torches and pitchforks
March 26th, 2019 at 10:51 am
Great piece Joe. Nice to pull the curtain back on these meetings. I appreciate it. It really is about Winston this year. If he doesn’t produce at a pretty decent level we are going nowhere. I expect the D to improve, but by how much? Can’t rely on miracles there.
March 26th, 2019 at 11:00 am
Apology for blasting Landon Collins and Tyrann Mathieu et al posts out every day accepted.
March 26th, 2019 at 11:05 am
When has a big FA signing changed the culture the last 10+ years?
Stockpile talent via the draft and actually coach it up with good coaching = the culture change we need
March 26th, 2019 at 11:05 am
is day 2 2nd,3rd & 4th round?…..
i wish they go back to the draft on Saturday and Sunday…..those were fun times….
#REALISTKNOWSNOTHING!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
March 26th, 2019 at 11:24 am
We’ll find out this year if the problem the last few years was personnel or the coaches. I would put down money that it was the coaches.
March 26th, 2019 at 12:08 pm
We will select a running back in round two or trade for one.Bruce can’t afford to have Winston handicapped with a mediocre running game.Love Gerald,but he has to go.
March 26th, 2019 at 12:27 pm
AlabamaBucsFan … Let’s say we go 5-11 again. Would you conclude that our personnel suck? How could you be sure that it wasn’t just ‘more of the same’ from this coaching staff? And what if the defense improves but the offense stumbles? Do we then have quality defensive talent but crappy offensive talent? I ask because I don’t think it’s possible to separate player talent & coaching. By the end of the year, the two are inexorably intertwined IMO.
BTW, what’s your impression of Mack Wilson, Bama’s MLB? Walter Football sees him going somewhere in Rnds 1-3, but in watching all of Bama’s games, I didn’t think that he ever really stood out that much. Not like Devin White did in the LSU games that I watched, and certainly not like C.J. Moseley did while he was at Bama.
March 26th, 2019 at 12:32 pm
J, Teams are only required to have the cap room for rookie minimum salary until a player is signed. That being said, the Bucs don’t have to clear cap space until after the draft. I wouldn’t worry about playing GM. The Bucs are aware that they need to make cap room and they will.
March 26th, 2019 at 12:38 pm
Entertaining article Joe.
Unfortunately for Licht fans, Arians would have to do yeoman’s work to turn a team off consecutive 5-11 seasons in the midst of a 11 year playoff drought into anything resembling a playoff contender in his short time here. When Arians did it in Arizona he had the benefit of a brand new QB in Carson Palmer who set the tone for the passing offense. This motley crew of Buccaneers is largely the same as it was without the cap room to make it much better. And despite the constant refrain of bad coaching, the revolving door at One Buc Palace hasn’t changed a thing.
March 26th, 2019 at 2:22 pm
Joe , offer him a fourth and 10 mil for McKay ( Team President )
Mckay had a bigger hand in the Super Bowl Win than Dungy and Gruden Combined !!!
March 26th, 2019 at 3:51 pm
I’m guessing the coach willing to make a wager with Joe is Sean Payton. Seems like the type.
March 26th, 2019 at 5:16 pm
I’ll say it…Bucs aren’t looking to draft a QB as the number 5 pick because the NFL is not madden. Go Bucs!
March 26th, 2019 at 6:13 pm
Wow! Draft a QB at #5. This is not a QB laden draft. It IS a defensive laden draft. Why would we waste a #5 pick
Either JW works out or he doesn’t. Next year’s draft will feature a greater assortment of QB’s anyway.
You simply can’t invest the #1 pick of an entire draft…anoint him as the “franchise” QB for four years and put up with his off field stupidity and a three game suspension..and then bail on him when it appears he finally has the coach and experience to put it all together.
I want to see what JW has to offer. I think he has finally grown up on and off the field. This season will either confirm or deny my thoughts but I want to see it first!