“This Is Getting To Be Stupid”
September 26th, 2019
Cursing over Bucs kickers.
Joe has a hunch just about every Bucs fan can sympathize with the one and only Chris “Mad Dog” Russo.
Yesterday on the show that bears his nickname, “Mad Dog Unleashed” heard exclusively on SiriusXM Radio, Russo got so worked about Bucs kickers and the complete and total circus kicking has been for the Bucs for way, way, way too long, Russo actually caught himself about to use the Lord’s name in vain.
This is what Bucs kickers are doing to innocent and law-abiding citizens who are not even Bucs fans. Just think of the anguish these kickers have caused those who pay good money to watch the Bucs?
As he is wont to do, internationally-popular JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman made his weekly appearance with Russo yesterday. Naturally, the plight of the Bucs after that trainwreck of a game Sunday against the Giants came up.
And if you are going to talk about that game, it is impossible not to discuss Bucs kickers. And Kaufman got Russo so worked up about kickers, he caught himself cursing while hollering about the Bucs organization’s persistent stepping on rakes while efforting to find a reliable kicker.
Ira Kaufman: You’ve got to make that [game-winning] kick. It’s an extra point. If you can’t make it, get another kicker. You’ve got to make that kick.
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo: Well I think the bigger issue, how come they can’t get a kicker, this team? They draft a kicker a couple of years ago he turns out to stink. This kid is a [fifth]-round pick, he had a rough day. Last year their kicking was awful. This team never has a kicker! I mean, go get yourself a God — excuse me — a damn kicker! This is getting to be stupid for crying out loud!!!
How many Bucs fans uttered the same phrase as Russo on Sunday night? Only Bucs fans didn’t censor themselves. And they may have used saltier language.
Russo was sort of right about the Bucs’ plight with kickers. It’s not getting stupid, it’s past the stupid level.
Joe hopes Matt Gay can quickly get over the yips because Bucs fans are about to completely go mental over kicking.
It’s nearly to the point where the Bucs need to put an ad on Craig’s List for national kicking tryouts. Let former high school and college kickers and soccer players all try out. It’s can’t hurt.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:07 am
Never had a Kicker? What about Gramatica? What about Bryant? Sometimes this charcacters fell in love with themselves , and say whatever stupid thing crosses his mind. Of course last years our kickers stinks, but to make a serious statement on Gay you have to wait more games……Of course games like Giants do not help, but you can’t throw under the buss for one game…….Lets wait and see to just throw under the buss a player that just has 3 games as a pro. I agree he had to make that kick, but just wait some more games to make a final statement
September 26th, 2019 at 9:14 am
It’s not that hard, if Gay sucks at field goal range kicks he should be required daily to kick 25 consecutive field goals from the 33 yard line alternating from between the middle of the field and left/right hash marks. If he misses the count is zero, he doesn’t leave until he can hit those 25 in a row.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:17 am
Should not, of what is left of the dwindling fan base, be more concerned that this team and coaching staff need 5 out of 5 field goals to bearly win against the lowly NY Giants?????????
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?
September 26th, 2019 at 9:21 am
Connor Barth could also kick…..and Patrick Murray was adequate….
You have to give Gay another opportunity at this point…..I would put a kicker on the PS…..
There are always veterans available….
In the meantime…..go for it on 4th & 2…..go for the TD every time.
September 26th, 2019 at 9:35 am
We haven’t had a very good QB either. Kicker is an easy target to pick on. good teams don’t put games against bad opponents to be decided by a kick. Maybe this is why we feel it’s so critical
September 26th, 2019 at 9:37 am
Zz-clearly he meant in this era, Matt Bryant hasn’t been a Buc for over a decade.
How many games in Jameis’ career have been lost by missed kicks? During or at the end of games? I can think of 4 right off hand but I’m sure there’s plenty more…
Can we get our offense in shotgun and two minute more often? Joe have you discussed this? We are so much more efficient when Jameis isn’t under center cuz he has more time to assess and throw. We don’t have the benefit of a line like Dallas where Dak has 4 seconds to find a target, yet we pay them like we do…
September 26th, 2019 at 9:39 am
I agree fully with “El Buco”, except I think he means “barely”, not “bearly”. You need five field goals to beat the Giants? The Bucs rank 31st in the league on scoring TDs from the Red Zone. Bigger than a Kicker…
September 26th, 2019 at 9:41 am
There’s no excuse for the kicker he needs to make kicks period … honestly I hope they do get rid of the kicker in the NFL … one less headache for us
September 26th, 2019 at 9:47 am
I harp on this is a team sport. You he bucs lost the game from coaching right down to the dam water boy or girl here’s the BUT it doesn’t matter how you win if it’s a ugly win or a good looking win it’s a dam win. IF GAY does his job an makes that kick or kicks I know he missed 2 field goals 1 was blocked but if he makes em we win the dam game doesn’t matter who we play an if we win by 1 point or 40 points. I don’t care if we win an it’s so ugly or we win cuz of a missed call or something we need to win win win win
September 26th, 2019 at 9:50 am
Its not the kicker its jason licht and management. This organization needs to it the re-do button; unfortunately it won’t because arians has an ego the size of alaska and isn’t going out as a 4-12 coach and him and licht will weael their way into the 2020 draft and season…fans will type and shout that this is a playoff team blah blah blah…..5-11 management gets 5-11 results
September 26th, 2019 at 10:02 am
One problem with getting rid of the kicker after a bad game is it sets a precedent with the next kicker and then the next kicker….
If a kicker feels that is the consequence of a bad game….that adds undue pressure to every kick. There is enough pressure already.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:04 am
at some point this is going to become a self fulfilling prophesy, we are going to get so worked up about it, we are going to drive any kicker that comes here, mental.
Its gotta be worse here than in chicago for kickers at this point.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:12 am
realist
the giants beat the bucs last year under dirks leadership!!!!!!!!!!
and that was with eli!!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!!
September 26th, 2019 at 10:19 am
They should have fired an incompetent Mike Smith after the 3rd game last year.
They should have fired the incompetent kicker after the 3rd game this year.
Last year they waited too long and all of them got fired.
I’m afraid that all of them may be fired again this year.
BA’s got me worried.
Gumpster Fire!
September 26th, 2019 at 10:20 am
@813broccoli
And now the new overhyped coaching staff collapsed historicist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tied for largest comeback for a debuting rookie qb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Toilet bolwes had no answers for this historic comeback!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sad indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 26th, 2019 at 10:23 am
” honestly I hope they do get rid of the kicker in the NFL … one less headache for us”
Interesting idea, but what then would you call this sport?
Handball?
September 26th, 2019 at 10:39 am
Meant to say “Historically”
September 26th, 2019 at 10:46 am
*This has been stupid for years.
September 26th, 2019 at 10:54 am
Go get yourself a kicker…. okay, easy, right? How many kickers have we brought in here since Matt Bryant left? Barth, Nugent, Santos, Gay, Brindza, Murray, Folk… I know I’m leaving a handful out. We’ve TRIED to find kickers.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:04 am
realist
it’ll all be forgotten after sundays victory….
but we’ll never forget how bad smittys defense was!!!!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!!
September 26th, 2019 at 11:14 am
And to think that Incompetent loser lovie smith’s was even worse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Incompetent loser lovie smith (2014-2015) 25.84 pts per game
Coach Smitty (2016-2018) 24.97 pts per game
Mark Duffner (2018-2018) 26.45 pts per game
Toilet Bolwes (2019-????) 25.67 pts per game
2019 will reveal answers to the sheep, that the “real” fans already know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 26th, 2019 at 11:17 am
If J wINsTon #3 was a good QB these articles would never written. BA clearly sees our QB as a sub par. It’s obvious after the melt down last Sunday.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:19 am
During training camp nearly everyone was rooting for Matt Gay to win the kicker’s job. And according to BA, he did WIN it … he was deemed to be the better kicker. Not just for the here & now, but for the future also.
He’s missed TWO FGs out of 9 attempts … made 78% of his FGs. He’s made 5 of 7 XP attempts … 71%. He was perfect on FGs & XPs in Game 1, missed a 42-yd FG in Game 2 (but made his 2 XPs), then self-destructed in Game 3 (missed 1 XP, plus 1 XP was blocked, and missed the game-winning FG after making FOUR FGs earlier in the game). So now many JBFers want to replace him for a yet-to-be-named kicker?
None of us know if ‘he’ll be fine’ or if ‘he’ll be the answer to our kicking woes’. But Matt does have POTENTIAL and that’s about all we can go on at this point with the ROOKIE. If he makes his next 2 FG tries, he’ll be back to roughly average in terms of league-wide kickers. Let’s let it play out and see what he’s got. It’s all up to him at this point.
September 26th, 2019 at 11:44 am
realist
where is smitty coaching now with that 24.97 pts per game avg?…..lol….
GO BUCS!!!!!
September 26th, 2019 at 11:56 am
@813broccoli
Same place toilet bolwes will be if his defense does not improve drastically!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not many more damaged and rookie qb’s on bad teams in the coming weeks!!!!!!!!!! He better start coaching up or he will get shown the exit door!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 26th, 2019 at 11:57 am
With the fourth pick in the first round the Bucs draft Ima Gonnamiss, kicker from Whats A Matter U!
September 26th, 2019 at 12:22 pm
IMO they had a kicker in Santos. Didn’t have the strongest leg but was very accurate.
September 26th, 2019 at 12:30 pm
Yep just pluck them off the recycle tree. Lot of kickers missing lots of kicks and good ones don’t grow on trees. It’s so bad Licht has to draft one with a 5th round pick and because of the uncertainty they will be available by the 7th.
Betting on a kicker is like betting on a jai alai player. There’s just too much human psyche, and free will involved to get it right. Some kickers can thrive under a microscope or in a bubble. Some can’t i.e. Aguayo, maybe Gay? He’s had anxiety issues in the past.
September 26th, 2019 at 1:23 pm
The realist is a moron. Todd bowles defense has not given up 25.67 points a game. the bucs offense has been a part of those numbers. But facts are dumb right? Would you understand better if I put up a bunch idiotic exclamation points? Go be a “fan” of literally anyone else. Your a sad (probably short) man with a big lifted truck, or a loud sportscar/motorcycle most likely. The only “sheep” you speak of are the folks who take anything you say with even a grain of salt.
September 26th, 2019 at 1:23 pm
You’re*** a sad man
September 26th, 2019 at 1:27 pm
It’s only one game…..Folk need not lose their head…..The kid will bounce back.
September 26th, 2019 at 2:15 pm
Are you telling me gay can’t be straight?
September 26th, 2019 at 3:05 pm
“the Bucs organization’s persistent stepping on rakes while efforting to find a reliable kicker.”
BAM!
Joe, with the accompanying link to sideshow bob stepping on rakes compilation, that is one of the best and most creative lines ever written on this site. Congrats whoever dreamed up and wrote that line with the visual link. Sports “journalism” gold I tell ya….
Nice Job
No choice but to stick with Gay for now.
You don’t bail on the guy you entrusted this job to at the first sign of “trouble”. You coach him, you work with him, you psychologize him, but most importantly – you express FAITH in him and then just cross your fingers and pray that he doesn’t miss another easy game losing kick ever again.
If he does sh!t the bed again in any of the next half dozen games or so – then its time to go dumpster diving for another kicker…
September 26th, 2019 at 4:20 pm
I do not want to ship out Gay….yet. Agree he deserves more of a chance.
But I do agree with TBBF and John Harbaugh for that matter…no more kicking on 4 and 2….go for the kill.
September 26th, 2019 at 6:05 pm
LOL @ Brandon, you put that list out there and don’t remember the guy we used a second round pick on???? C’mon man.
September 26th, 2019 at 6:37 pm
The title of this article is the most perfect summation of being a Bucs fan I’ve probably ever heard.
Nailed it.