“No Buzz” Explained
July 9th, 2023
Can he get folks “excited?”
Joe has typed many times this offseason that there is zero buzz about the Bucs nationally.
Carlton Davis speaking out last week got a ton of play, but still the Bucs are a national afterthought.
Part of that lies with Todd Bowles.
Super, super nice guy. Excellent defensive coach. But as a head coach, well, charisma is not his thing — and Joe is confident Bowles doesn’t give a damn about it. And no, Joe is not saying Bowles should fake it.
But when the massive NFL wealth directly comes from entertainment entities — TV networks — “buzz” and pimping your product to broadcast partners is a key element in the financial success of a franchise. Don’t believe Joe? Just ask Team Glazer.
One reason the Bucs were made for TV the past three years was Tom Brady, international superstar at the console of the offense. It helped that Bucco Bruce Arians was an embraceable, outspoken character adored by the cameras and microphones.
Now you look at Kyler Traskfield. Mention the current Bucs quarterbacks and most fans begin browsing 2024 mock drafts.
Baker Mayfield is on NFL career life support, many analysts say. Kyle Trask? Folks scoff wondering why the second-round pick couldn’t unseat Blaine Gabbert.
So Joe gets why the Bucs have gone from must-see TV to yesterday’s news for most people. And it seems Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com is among those left scratching his head.
Yeah, first-year Bucs offensive coordinator Dave Canales is an unknown. Nobody knows about Canales while veteran offensive coordinators — Todd Monken springs to mind — with proven track records are running exciting offenses that keep eyeballs glued to the tube.
None of this means the Bucs won’t be in the playoffs. It’s just that so much now is either blah or a complete mystery with the Bucs. So yeah, Joe can understand why the Bucs aren’t moving the needle. It’s human nature.
Again, whatever method the Bucs use to sell Traskfield to their broadcast partners is not resonating. At all.
July 9th, 2023 at 12:15 pm
New system to learn
Crap line
No tight end
No slot
Backs?
July 9th, 2023 at 12:20 pm
Well said. I don’t know why people are so triggered by the media’s lack of respect for the Bucs this season. First, I think it’s too early for any proclamations before training camp. I remember being excited before Marpet’s sudden retirement and Jensen’s injury. I think the media isn’t sold on Bowles as HC, rightfully so. If BA was coach, I think some in the media would rank us higher on that alone. Also, this is a QB driven league, and we have serious questions at the position, but so do the Panthers and Falcons. I don’t think neither of those teams have better rosters than us currently, but I think the media respects Reich more than Bowles. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t think defense wins championships. It’s the QB and OL.
July 9th, 2023 at 12:21 pm
It’s more fun to be a surprise team. I think we’ll be that. Honestly, all the attention because of the former QB just became too much. Rather be under the radar.
July 9th, 2023 at 12:25 pm
I like it like that. I want us to remain under the radar. When we beat Minnesota 30-6, including a defensive score, they will start taking notice. After we dominate Philly, they will really start raising their heads.
July 9th, 2023 at 12:27 pm
It’s not no buzz at all – ALL the BUZZ is WE SUCK!!!!
July 9th, 2023 at 12:29 pm
Can you feel the underwhelm?
1PM will be a cruel slow torment…
July 9th, 2023 at 12:42 pm
Winning will literally cure all of the Buc’s problems.
As Al Davis famously said, “Just win baby!”
July 9th, 2023 at 12:45 pm
Baker Mayfield is the best thing he likes about himself.
Just ask him. He’ll give a long explanation, lol
July 9th, 2023 at 12:45 pm
Yes, we have lost all relevancy……no Brady…..no hype…..no coverage….fewer fans…..
We will have to do it the old fashioned way…..win.
At least for all the attention, money spent…roster moves….future mortgaging…we won a SB.
Imagine all that without winning one…..whole different story.
July 9th, 2023 at 12:46 pm
The best way to get national attention is by winning regular season games, playoff games, and the super bowl — which Tom Brady did. Personality is just icing on the cake because nobody likes a loud mouth loser or a humble quiet loser. If we want national “buzz” then we simply need to win more games, especially during primetime.
July 9th, 2023 at 12:47 pm
On one hand, it’s a damn good thing for the Glazer’s that they juiced season ticket holders into a 2yr pact before the 2022 season…That move insulated the franchise from a HUGE monetary shortfall in 2023.
On the other hand, the Bucs Sales & Marketing Dept. better hope the FO gives them something to sell to the masses before the 2024 season tickets go on sale…As there’s nothing on the current roster to that will get the juices flowing to entice patrons to fork over hard earned coin…Not when you can buy a new 65″ 4K TV & NFL season pass for less than the cost of an single outing to a Bucs game.
July 9th, 2023 at 12:59 pm
JOE: “Folks scoff wondering why the second-round pick couldn’t unseat Blaine Gabbert.”
Why does this false implication that there was a competition between Gabbert and Trask keep surfacing on this website? There was never a competition between Gabbert and Trask. Gabbert practiced with the starters. Trask never did. As Jason Licht said on March 1, 2023:
“We’re excited for him [Trask] to get a chance to be with the STARTERS IN OFFSEASON, STARTERS IN TRAINING CAMP, STARTERS IN PRESEASON, WHICH HE’S NEVER DONE.”
July 9th, 2023 at 1:03 pm
It’s July you got to have a little excitement for your team or what’s the point I guess some are just sad
July 9th, 2023 at 1:17 pm
Anybody in any profession who is unjustly and ignorantly disrespected as to their professional abilities will fight like hell to prove to their critics why they are wrong, I think that’s the kind of players and coaches we have , in a few weeks We will see.
July 9th, 2023 at 1:19 pm
Philly had no buzz until they started winning. Even then, it was more news about “can the cowboys keep pace?”
Tampa is a small market. Now we have new names. It’s all good. We’re used to it.
July 9th, 2023 at 1:47 pm
On a selfish note…the lack of “national buzz” plays right into my wheelhouse. My bedtime. I HATE late games!
July 9th, 2023 at 2:01 pm
Lt Dan hammering down with the bright side audible…Love it.
July 9th, 2023 at 2:09 pm
LT Dan. 😂😂😂
July 9th, 2023 at 2:09 pm
How many of these endlessly negative posts are the same dude with multiple email accounts?
July 9th, 2023 at 2:15 pm
I knew it was going to be bad this year without Brady and the with Cap situation, but I didn’t think it would be this bad. Kinda of looks like the Bucs have decided to tank. Why else would Jason hang the whole season on Traskfield? Would love to be a fly on the wall when Jason meets with the Glazers to explain his plan for this season.
July 9th, 2023 at 2:17 pm
Agree with Sasquatch, even if he is a bit blurry.
July 9th, 2023 at 2:29 pm
There is plenty of buzz in Champa bay. Bucs, Lightning, and Rays will all win titles this year.3 dynasties to root for this decade.
July 9th, 2023 at 2:51 pm
Yeah Joe, coaches need charisma. Just ask Tom Landry, and Bill Belichick! Coaches need to win period. If Bowles gets us a division title, and a playoff win nobody will care he’s not charismatic.
July 9th, 2023 at 3:02 pm
The recurring thought about Trask “not even being able to beat out Gabbert” is total nonsense IMO.
1. We know Arians wanted a vet for backup. Simple as that.
2. We know that last off-season Bowles was given the job so late that he made minimal changes to anything, and I think that includes the QB room.
Many are now acknowledging this is the first off-season Kyle has even gotten reps with #1s and #2s… how would he ever beat out anyone in that situation?
And BTW I’m not part of the Trask force fan club either. I thought it was a total waste of a pick. But I’m still gonna be fair and objective to the kid.
July 9th, 2023 at 3:13 pm
[Claiming Joe is pushing a false narrative is a good way of getting banned. In fact it is you who is pushing nonsense. First, Trask was never Brady’s immediate backup. Second, anyone — ANYONE — not blind last year who watched practices knew Gabbert was the No. 2 quarterback. Plain as day. Tread carefully. — Joe]
July 9th, 2023 at 3:34 pm
There’s no buzz because this team is going to be incredibly boring to watch. Going to a 1972 run first side-to-side offense is going to be a disaster, then on defense Bowles has gone from ultra aggressive to just trying not to lose. Then to add to that, you got the worst QB in football over the last two years that you’re giving the starting job, and there’s a reason why people nationally are going to forget this team exists. Even the one chance the Bucs had to get some huge national buzz, by wearing the orange jerseys, even that they screwed up by placing it against the boring Lions in a random afternoon game, instead of centering the MNF game vs the Eagles around it, which would have moved millions in merch. The Bucs need to fire their PR team and in particular that new woman from Addidas who has decided to send me weekly emails about how much fun all the game themes are going to be each week – meanwhile I think it’s been more than a month since they’ve sent me anything about football.
July 9th, 2023 at 3:41 pm
Joe, who cares about the playoffs? We do that last year (with Brady I might add) and got skunked in rd1. If you’re not playing for the SB then you’re working against yourself by winning. I sincerely hope this thing crashes right out of the gate. No one wants another 5 years of NFL purgatory before an eventual tear down which at that point will likely mean Licht is gone.
They screwed this up in the winter. They should have canned the entire coaching staff. Started over. Kept the kids and loveable studs (Evans) and sent the rest packing. Load up on picks. Grab a stub rookie QB and let’s go for 2024.
July 9th, 2023 at 3:52 pm
I see it differently. Bucs have great talent on both sides of the ball. Explosive dynamic offense, dominant physical defense, 2 deep in qb position, improved on both off and def lines, diverse coaching staff, young team built for sustainable winning. This will be the most exciting team the Bucs have built since 2020 maybe even better.
July 9th, 2023 at 8:29 pm
Buc4ever … ‘Kinda of looks like the Bucs have decided to tank. Why else would Jason hang the whole season on Traskfield?’
Because we don’t have any money to afford anyone better?
July 9th, 2023 at 9:29 pm
Buzzkill Baker?
July 9th, 2023 at 10:39 pm
The NFL mock draft websites are high on the Bucs.
July 9th, 2023 at 11:26 pm
Joe I’m not going to make any false claims about Trask being anything other than the scout team guy last two seasons.
I will say this though, what we have going on here is called the “the assumptive sale”. Its a framing of what the situation is to social engineer the default expectation – to drive consensus to a forgone conclusion of the outcome. If you can curate a public consensus then you can influence team decision making. If fans think you are doing a bad job with decision making then they’ll stop thinking you are worth paying attention to. How do many fans (unfortunately) get their sports opinions? From skilled wordsmiths that lay out arguments in sports media.
I’m not going to single Joe out because he’s far from the only one doing it. As a matter of fact, Joe himself did question hey how much influence will the Trask Mob have? Being a proud card carrying member of the Trask mob, I hope the answer to that is at least some influence – enough to keep the narrative crafters honest. I think the Trask mob has been somewhat successful in preventing the assumptive sale, preventing the forgone conclusion on JBF and elsewhere that from day 1 its been Mayfield.
Its not because I want to engage in a contest of egos or anything like that. Its because I’m a fan of the Tampa Bay Bucs and have been since I was a teenaged boy in the 1980s. I want to see the team do well.
Instead of getting into the weeds of why I have the position that I do I’ll just say I’m not sold on Baker Mayfield as a viable starting QB in the NFL and I believe Kyle Trask has shown enough in his preseason appearances to warrant real consideration.
Really that’s it – a fair shot at the job for the player they drafted in the 2nd round. Let the players win the jobs on the field and not on the page.
July 9th, 2023 at 11:39 pm
Article had me laughing most of the way through. Typical Joe.
THIS is what makes JBF so dayum grreat!
Go Trask btw…beat Baker!
July 9th, 2023 at 11:51 pm
As far as buzz is concerned, nobody should be insulted at the lack of buzz. This team is trending in the wrong direction. They just had a very disappointing year especially on offense – an alleged strength of the team. The greatest QB in NFL history just retired leaving a void. Cap issues are being felt in the QB room. The HC has a career losing record. The OC is a rookie who never called plays. The front 7 really got younger with rookies expected to make real contributions and with high draft pick non-rookies that look like busts. There is a lack of continuity on the offensive line.
And now we got the guy who leads the league in INTs since he’s been in the league with a career 60% comp on a base $4M contract being anointed the defacto starter by beat writers and alleged insiders.
Yeah of course there is no buzz. We got the opposite of that – we got the anti-buzz.
Here’s an example:
The RB room filled with unprovens. Edmonds is washed. They signed him as a warm body. White yards after contacts was 1.3 avg last season ranking near the bottom of qualifying backs. The UDFA kid they’re high on can’t practice because of a heart condition.
Yet recently I read that Vaughn is on the bubble – he’s in jeopardy of being cut.
Really? You cut Vaughn and you cut half the RB room basically. He’s the depth – the plan B behind White. Vaughn’s going to get touches. Why would you cut from an already thin RB room?
This is where we are. This is the kind of “buzz” we’re getting.
Let face it – this team has a lot to prove. The criticism is fair and deserved. If players and the team don’t like it then they’re going to have to re-write the script with play on the field. That’s how its going to change.
July 10th, 2023 at 9:19 am
~Queue theme from Wizard of Oz~
“Somewhere…under the radar…”
No buzz=low expectations, which is a positive IMO.
“Expect nothing and you won’t be disappointed.”
Last season was a disaster BECAUSE of the buzz…
July 10th, 2023 at 2:07 pm
As far as excitement for the Guy Under Center.
Folks should be excited about a First Overall Pick mounting a comeback when all the other first rounders in History like Tim Couch, Joey Harrington, Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn. and Jamarcus Russell came into the league, had instant success, and never looked back? Why not Baker?
How can Folks get excited about a Second Round pick when every one of them have been been Busts. Guys like Brett Farve, Drew Brees, Andy Dalton, Derek Carr, Jimmy G., and Geno Smith? Raiders and Saints are not excited but like their Second Round Bums because they don’t have to pay them squat. For Instance they squeezed Jimmy G to 3 yrs @ 75.75 Million (45 Million Gar) and Low Balled Derek Carr to 4 yrs 150 Million (40 Million Gar.)
July 11th, 2023 at 3:22 pm
Joe says “Baker Mayfield is on NFL career life support, many analysts say. Kyle Trask? Folks scoff wondering why the second-round pick couldn’t unseat Blaine Gabbert.”
Joe,
There was no competition for qb2 last two years. Please stop spinning it.
Also Baker is all show off the field but nothing to show on the field.