Report Of Internal Issues Was Welcomed
March 27th, 2024
“Thanks for the cleanup crew, Mr. Glazer. They got Dave Canales’ hair gel off the coaches’ dressing room floor, too.”
You better believe there’s not one living insect within 80 feet of the Buccaneers’ locker room and the players’ sauna is brand spanking new.
That’s Joe’s interpretation of the emphatic message delivered by Team Glazer yesterday.
Last month, the NFL players union published results of its membership survey that asked to rate teams’ facilities, staff, amenities, work environment and more.
Tampa Bay got excellent grades for everything related to their training staff, strength coaches and workout facilities. But the team was lacking when it came locker room cleanliness. There was a reported bug issue, a mold issue and a stink that had nothing to do with Tampa Bay’s yards per carry average.
Yesterday at the NFL owners convention in Orlando, Team Glazer was asked about the Bucs’ poor marks by FOX-13 reporter Kevin O’Donnell during his session with local reporters.
Bucs co-owner Joel Glazer didn’t hesitate.
“There’s two ways to look at that [survey],” Glazer began. “No. 1, I always welcome some information that you may not have heard from somebody. You would hope you hear it as the year goes on, but sometimes you don’t always hear these things. So, you know, [the players union] did this a year ago, we heard the list, said ‘take care of everything because obviously we’re not doing something right.’ And that’s the goal. Everyone can always improve, self included, and anything we can do to improve we always do.”
It’s the right answer from Glazer, who obviously isn’t cleaning the locker rooms personally with his siblings. The key is fixing issues as soon as they’re realized.
While it has nothing to do with players, per se, Joe is hopeful for a fix this year on the fan-access front at training camp. Joe thinks the Bucs can do much more to let the common folks on a tight budget attend those sessions.
March 27th, 2024 at 6:29 pm
Well, I hope they take it seriously. However, it’s doubtful because they got low marks for some of the same things (day care for kids is one that comes to mind) 2 years in a row, so that obviously wasn’t fixed. Have they outgrown that building now and can’t make space for day care? I also think they had guys paying their own way if they wanted private hotel rooms in both years, and poor flying arrangements as well. I’m sure the Glazers can afford these upgrades.
Obviously, Joe doesn’t work for the team, but the hotel thing was simple. You get a roommate on the road or you can pay extra for your own room. At one time, the Bucs were having players decide prior to the season. If you want your own room for these 10 road games, here’s the price. Seems reasonable. –Joe
March 27th, 2024 at 6:40 pm
i don’t want to be cynical here,
but if a football player, making tens of millions of dollars per year, get’s grossed cause he sees a roach on the floor…. are we supposed to be concerned?
March 27th, 2024 at 7:02 pm
I do not see why daycare is an issue. There is no reason, to me, why a football team should be taking money away from small businesses in the area. It has nothing to do with football. It shouldn’t be addressed. I also don’t see why a player who wants a private room should not pay for it. A semi-private room is free.
I may upset some people but I have owned a few businesses and I am aware of how much employees want and what is reasonable.
March 27th, 2024 at 7:31 pm
Players across team talk to each other about facilities, coaches, etc. Conditions matter when you’re hunting free agents. Do the Glazers have pride in their facilities and treatment of players, or do they only care about their bottom line?
All that said, I think the A-F grades can be misleading. I am more interested in our rankings relative to other teams.
I hope the players union rep at the Bucs (who is it?) will go in and talk to management about the survey. If Joel was truly surprised and cares about the players, then he needs to address the issues – and maybe conduct his own survey.
March 27th, 2024 at 7:55 pm
I’m not saying that any of the accommodations are awful, but you’re competing with other teams for perception of the organization. If most teams provide daycare in their facility, the Bucs should consider the same. If other teams give all their players private rooms on the road but the Bucs do not, players notice. And having filthy, disgusting, roach infested locker rooms is just gross. Yeah, it’s Florida and it’s harder to control the insects than in Wisconsin let’s say. Sure, the players are pampered and spoiled. But it’s just an area where competing for perception among players across the league may make a difference.
Stories about the old Bucs in the early days included having guys pay for a can of soda.
March 27th, 2024 at 7:59 pm
I am quite sure they did not welcome the criticism.
March 27th, 2024 at 8:30 pm
Millionaires crying cause they could not get the room upgrade and walk in closets. Lol
March 27th, 2024 at 8:42 pm
I agree with you Crickett.
Maybe the one exception would be if a guy is a single dad… but it still seems like they could find a nanny + daycare / preschool.
I mean the league minimum salary is almost 4x what I make in a year, and I find a way to pay for childcare / daycare AND support my wife!! lol
March 27th, 2024 at 8:47 pm
Bottom line for any NFL team is winning football games. Not sure how child care & roaches relate to that goal, but I’ll try to keep an open mind.
March 27th, 2024 at 8:53 pm
Go back a year. The cleanliness of the locker room and mold was a complaint in last year’s report. You’d have guessed the team would be all over this after the MERSA debacle. They paid out millions in the settlement.
March 27th, 2024 at 8:58 pm
Every organization can use and should seek feedback from it’s employees.
The roaches didn’t participate in the study….If they did, they would probably complain that things were too clean.
March 27th, 2024 at 8:58 pm
The stank was Devin White’s shoes. This is why everyone wanted his stench gone.
March 27th, 2024 at 9:02 pm
I admire that they heard the issue and ordered the problems fixed. That’s the way it’s supposed to work.
March 27th, 2024 at 9:02 pm
Boss Says:
March 27th, 2024 at 8:30 pm
No one was crying. It was a questionnaire, so if they’re asked about the hotel situation on the road, they respond accordingly and in relation to what other teams provide. All the millionaire athletes are treated better than average folks, but it’s all relative in comparison to what other teams provide. Do any of these guys deserve 30 million dollars? Hell no, but that’s what you do if you want to have a football team.
March 27th, 2024 at 9:05 pm
Back in the old days, Hugh Culverhouse used to charge players for Gatorade…..
March 27th, 2024 at 9:13 pm
Give me a break about it being lowly ranked… it’s not lowly ranked vs your garbage local gym, it’s lowly ranked vs other billionaires with incredible facilities. IE, even a crappy place is going to be nicer than any place you’ve ever been in most likely.
Also killing ‘everything’ just creates superbugs.
But that’s boring, people just want to have stuff to whine about, so they pretend like the Bucs facilities or worse than what they used in high school – and because of that THEY’RE OUTRAGED!!!
March 27th, 2024 at 9:16 pm
BuxfaninTX Says:
March 27th, 2024 at 9:05 pm
Back in the old days, Hugh Culverhouse used to charge players for Gatorade…..
———-
Now everything I said above about the facilities being compared to other billionaires … well that doesn’t include the old One Buc Place or the old stadium. Based on everything I heard from players, that place was literally worse than your local gym.
March 28th, 2024 at 12:43 am
you can always stay at the culverhouse inn…
they offer free coffee and cans of delicious tahitian treat
March 28th, 2024 at 2:33 am
A portion of the practice facility devoted to improving zone cover 3 bust would be a great place to start.
March 28th, 2024 at 6:47 am
I am glad they are looking at it and hope take care of it. Mold is nothing to take lightly. It causes so many health issues. Yes, and they also had issues with their travel and family game day. The Glazers seem like really good owners and should address all of it because it’s not the first time these concerns were on the survey.
March 28th, 2024 at 8:09 am
Dave, you always bring something thoughtful to the table…
March 28th, 2024 at 8:16 am
MRSA.
March 28th, 2024 at 8:54 am
Hey, Joe, do you had a chance to ask team Glazer about letting “ordinary” fans to watch Trainning Camp practices?
March 28th, 2024 at 9:00 am
Bucs should spring for some disinfectant cleaner and janitorial staff to clean up the facility. Give Kyle Trask a mop and let him “work out” by cleaning the locker room. Teach him a new career for the future.
March 28th, 2024 at 9:01 am
If they have mold, Bucs should call Elite Restoration immediately! Joe and Ira taught me that.
March 28th, 2024 at 9:36 am
Run n gun check your facts..
Malcolm started his fortune as a slum lord..
Malcolm Glazer soon moved into real estate where he was dubbed as a ‘slumlord’ after his holding company, First Allied Corporation, was accused by residents of adding illegal extra charges onto trailer park rent payments. He used this money to expand in other avenues.
March 28th, 2024 at 9:53 am
I would not touch the day care issue with a 10 foot pole. Just let something happen to one of those kids and ownership will be paying out their nose in a big lawsuit. Those players make millions, let them provide their own day care.
March 28th, 2024 at 9:54 am
Toad Bowels Says:
March 28th, 2024 at 9:00 am
Bucs should spring for some disinfectant cleaner and janitorial staff to clean up the facility. Give Kyle Trask a mop and let him “work out” by cleaning
…….
Man that was brutal.
March 28th, 2024 at 11:25 am
Maybe it’s because the USA has such abhorrent labour laws/conditions, but you should never have to pay for your own accommodation when travelling on a business trip – and the Buccaneers are a business. Good businesses look after their staff.
March 28th, 2024 at 2:41 pm
With they purchase a team plane? God knows they charge enough for season tickets alone…???