Accountability Works
January 31st, 2020
No-nonsense approach.
It may be a different game but one thing remains constant in the NFL: accountability.
Back when the Super Bowl was first played, it was dominated by powerful if not overbearing men like Vince Lombardi.
A coach often ran a team like a combination of drill sergeant, police chief, judge and sometimes warden. A coach’s word was law. There was little to no discussion or flexibility.
That is far from the case today but some things hold true a half a century later.
Accountability.
Joe read an article by Lindsey Jones of The Athletic about former Bucs great John Lynch and how he transformed himself from one of the top safeties in the game to a guy who built a Super Bowl team as the general manager of the 49ers.
In fact, 49ers big shot Jed York said an unprecedented move by Lynch to cut a first-round pick who Lynch traded up for, linebacker Reuben Foster, because he proved to be too big of a scumbag and alleged woman-beater, turned out to be the turning point in the 49ers going from run-of-the-mill bad team into an NFC champion.
This brings Joe to the Bucs. Halfway through last season, Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians released former first-round pick, cornerback Vernon Hargreaves, for what is believed to be repeated acts of loafing.
Speaking on the set of NFL Network this week in Miami Beach, NFL sacks leader Shaq Barrett mentioned this move as a wakeup call for the defense.
“Like it’s never been seen before,” Shaq told Steve Smith of his reaction to Hargreaves’ release, noting that he has been on teams where coaches talked tough but Arians was the first to follow through on his words.
“They really did that? Dang, they were really about business.
“It lets us know [Arians] is not taking any [excuses]. We expect higher [standards] of ourselves and they expect higher [standards] from us too.”
What a difference a couple of years means. Two seasons ago the Bucs seemed on the cusp of turning the corner from a rotten team to a playoff contender. Then the team brought in a couple of Redskins and totally wrecked the vibe of the locker room.
The difference is, the past coaching staff apparently tolerated and accepted the two Redskins running amok. Arians and his staff? No tolerance (in fact Arians was OK with trading one of those cancers who did virtually nothing this season and the Bucs offense actually got better).
And we all saw how much the defense improved after Hargreaves was sent packing.
January 31st, 2020 at 11:41 am
Does that mean that Jameis will eventually be held accountable? It doesn’t seem that way to me. We saw Griffin light up the preseason and then sit and watch Jameis actively give away almost six games this past season.
Is that accountable? What a joke.
January 31st, 2020 at 11:48 am
(“F’ing-A!!! Yeah, Arians benched Jameis for Ryan Griffin. Way to go Bruce! Nothing like tanking a game to get back at your quarterback. Nevermind you Pearl Harbored the team by doing so — that will show ’em! And while you are at it, suspend Devin White for not covering Alvin Kamara. That’s why you drafted him, right Bruce? Get him! And will you please start running the ball, even though your running backs are lousy?”)
January 31st, 2020 at 11:58 am
Accountability is for people not playing QB if 4 of the last 5 years show me anything; Dirk having the cojones to actually bench Mr Entertainment America’s Quarterback Pro Bowler etc etc was one of the best things…and then of course we fired him, let go Fitz, and made sure Mr Superlative didn’t feel threatened.
All in all, there needs to be more accountability on this roster and the front office.
January 31st, 2020 at 12:04 pm
Touchy… touchy.., touchy…
January 31st, 2020 at 12:29 pm
I think with everything they have invested in Winston they felt they had to give him one season where he was totally supported, felt safe to see if he could calm down his anxiety and play to his potential. He still made the stupid mistakes so that’s over. If they keep him I believe he will be held accountable this year. I don’t think they will keep him because I don’t think they believe he will overcome the mental mistakes. That’s what I read from Arians last comments.
January 31st, 2020 at 12:33 pm
In this modern era of rules where the QB is protected like they are…. when was the last time a QB had 5 years to prove himself ?? And alot people say just give him 1 more year ?? JW is who he is …………. we have seen his ceiling ….. its very entertaining and rewarding for both teams….. unfortunately…..
January 31st, 2020 at 12:33 pm
Great response Joe. At the same time though, accountability only works if you have ALTERNATIVES. The only reason VHIII lasted here as long as he did last year IMO was because Dean was hurt, SMB was slow developing, and Ryan Smith was suspended. IOW TB had little choice but to play VHIII UNTIL the others were ready. Once they were, VHIII was gone.
I’ve sometimes wondered if BA would’ve put Gabbert in if he hadn’t gotten hurt. But he had no viable ALTERNATIVES to keeping Jameis in there (BA obviously didn’t have a very high opinion of Ryan Griffin IMO). That’s what happens when ANY position lacks viable competition.
TB starting Mike Edwards at the beginning of last season is a case in point. He obviously wasn’t ready, but with Justin Evans hurt, TB had little choice. Andrew Adams came onboard late & wasn’t inserted into the starting lineup until Game 4. By Game 6 Edwards was at 1 defensive snap, and only 19 in Game 7. Thankfully Adams picked up the slack (one of the reasons I hope that we re-sign him for at least this year).
January 31st, 2020 at 12:49 pm
So Joe, who seems to overlook beating women and other scumbaggery, is now shining a spotlight on Lynch getting rid of a guy with low character? I thought this was a sensible Joe article until I saw him jump all over Craig.
Odd…
In BA I Trust!
January 31st, 2020 at 12:50 pm
To the Koe on comment board
Lol…. I’m with you. Let’s just bench everyone. F it
January 31st, 2020 at 12:56 pm
Anyone who wants Ryan Griffen as the QB is a moron. Guy has had many coaches through his career and not one thinks he is starting material. He’s a Steve Walsh type. Nothing more.
But but but he tore it up in the preseason when every defense is in vanilla mode.
Never underestimate the stupidity of the American citizen. Most don’t have $400 Incase of an emergency. SMH 🤦♂️
January 31st, 2020 at 1:09 pm
LOL
BA would not of benched the QB who in charge of the 3rd highest scoring offense in the NFL for Blaine freaking Gabbert. He is way too smart for that.
Some of you guys act like we are in a quarterback crisis it’s ridiculous.
January 31st, 2020 at 1:13 pm
“I will tolerate you until I can replace you.”
January 31st, 2020 at 1:18 pm
Jameis Winston is a top 15-20 tier QB BUT he has the most potential to make the greatest leap. If he can cut down on the INT problem.
January 31st, 2020 at 1:27 pm
Blaine “freaking” Gabbert dislocated his shoulder in September so he was NEVER a viable option for BA.
Blaine “freaking” Gabbert would have been BA’s option if he was healthy only because BA made a concerted, widely publicized effort to make sure there was NO competition for JW because…because…well fill in the blanks. JW is a choker!! He can’t handle the pressure.
I love BA but IMHO he blew it with JW. He should have had plenty of competition in training camp. If JW couldn’t have stood the heat then get his butt out of the kitchen!!!
January 31st, 2020 at 1:43 pm
Wish the Ariens Accountability actions would show up in the QB part of the Bucs equation. Still waiting on Wins A Ton…. yeah.. Go ahead call me a “Hater” I want to WIN.
January 31st, 2020 at 2:04 pm
So, Joe, BA benched RoJo for missing a block. Did that jeopardize the team during that game?
It did, so why not bench Jameis? Maybe some accountability would have helped Jameis more than giving him excuses for every time he slapped the team upside the head.
I have found that children like to have rules to keep their world in order.
January 31st, 2020 at 2:12 pm
Did BA bench Jameis for Ryan Griffin?
I thought Jameis broke his thumb and couldn’t answer the bell coming out of halftime. WTFDIK
January 31st, 2020 at 2:14 pm
StPete
Sounds like your trying to argue that Blaine Gabbert is better than JW. Which is insane. Would Blaine Gabbert throw less picks than JW? Yes. Would Blaine Gabbert score less points? Throw less TD? Lose more games? Yes yes and yes.
January 31st, 2020 at 2:28 pm
Heres a mind blowing concept…….
You can be a VERY good quarterback and throw a lot of interceptions. (Brett Farve)
You can also be a VERY bad quarterback and throw very few interceptions (Mitchell Trubisky)
January 31st, 2020 at 2:29 pm
bernching Jameis is not to get even with the Jameis.But if his play wasn’t good enough after some of his multi turnover games, then i would call that trying to get a message to Jameis. Arians failed to send that message.
January 31st, 2020 at 2:47 pm
When will the gm be held accountable????????? All the sheep want to say great job for cutting vh3, but say nothing about drafting the bust early in the first round!!!!!!!!!!!!
The “real” fans are going to hold the Glazer’s accountable by empty seats in the stadium this year!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 31st, 2020 at 3:57 pm
Lol I love this time of year!.
January 31st, 2020 at 3:59 pm
A 20 plus million dollar contract with incentives for Jameis would show the team that Jameis must be accountable for improvement next year. Giving him 30 mil. would show that accountability is for some, not others.
January 31st, 2020 at 4:06 pm
it’s a shame the coaching staff didn’t have this type of backbone when the swaggy bakers, brent grimes’, and desean jacksons of the world were actively working against the team’s desire to be known as winners
January 31st, 2020 at 4:21 pm
I remember swaggy as a pos but I forget who the other one was. Please remind me.
January 31st, 2020 at 5:25 pm
@TbBucs
I can write longer posts so I realize folks don’t always follow. But how did you get me arguing that Blaine Gabbert was better than JW?
“BA made a concerted, widely publicized effort to make sure there was NO competition for JW”
I literally wrote that Gabbert was NO competition for JW emphasizing NO.
January 31st, 2020 at 5:33 pm
Mark
BINGO…I’M no longer a JW supporter but if BA feels he needs to see yet another year I’d be cool with it.
I’d be especially cool if they do a deal exactly as you’ve posted. He gets paid the same amount as 2019…7-9 does not merit a raise…plus incentives.
However if JW has all that potential, reward him if he lives up to it. 20 guaranteed and as much as another 10 million in bonuses.
One million for every win over five…10 should get us into the playoffs..if he gets 11 or 12 or more…it would be gravy for everybody so JW should earn the big bucks.
More bonuses tied to playoffs and advancement could help him to reach 30 million plus.
I do not care about stats…positive or negative. I do not care about yardage..
td’s or ints and fumbles…I’m over all this crap. SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!
Money for me means WINS!!!
January 31st, 2020 at 6:49 pm
StPete
“Blaine “freaking” Gabbert would have been BA’s option if he was healthy”
Only going by what I read
January 31st, 2020 at 7:33 pm
Sincere and honest people like Tony Dungy and now Bruce Arians can and do bring real culture change.
They exhibit truth in what are taken as cliche by many. “Actions speak louder than words”.
In Ba We Trust!
January 31st, 2020 at 7:38 pm
Accountability? <<<—- now there's a concept the JW apologist don't consider.
January 31st, 2020 at 8:10 pm
Tbbucs
As I said too bad you didn’t read the entire post. Indeed I was stating a fact…Blaine Gabbert would have been BA’s option true or false?
If you accept that and the next sentence is…”BA made a concerted, widely publicized effort to make sure there was NO competition for JW”
See if I can help with the logic…Blaine Gabbert was the planned backup/option for JW. Gabbert however blew out his shoulder in September. is that a fact?
Accepting that fact if it follows that BA made a public concerted effort to make sure JW had no competion does it not follow that Gabbert was never considered as good as JW…and in fact he was considered INFERIOR by any logical deduction.
January 31st, 2020 at 11:11 pm
Addition by subtraction… its a real thing: GMC, Spence, VH3. Now, who’s next? Hint: rhymes with aimless.
February 1st, 2020 at 1:44 am
The cumulative IQ of Buc fans must be close to vegetative state level.