Shaun King Picks Bucs To Win NFC South; Says It’s Reality Not Bias
September 6th, 2024
Ex-Bucs QB Shaun King years ago at a Tampa Bay practice with general manager Jason Licht.
One of four quarterbacks to lead the Bucs to the NFC Championship game, Shaun King, is one of Joe’s favorite analysts.
Smart, and he’s always got angles not heared elsewhere.
King visited the folks at GoLongTD.com and made his NFC South picks. The St. Petersburg native had a moment of fun to start.
“In Baker we trust, baby, let’s go,” King said.
But King quickly was called on that and asked if he was just being a homer. King fired back.
“Don’t try to alter my narrative by saying that I have emotional and historic attachments to this organzation,” King said. “This is a very, very honest evaluation because the Bucs are the one team, if I’m looking to make money right now in the stock market, I know what I’m buying with Tampa. They probably don’t have a whole lot of upside, but I know what I’m getting with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and Lavonte David … etc. … like I know who and what these guys are.”
That take came after King already had explained his concerns about whether Atlanta really has good weapons in Drake London and Kyle Pitts. King doesn’t view them as proven like most analysts do.
King went on to say his biggest Bucs concern is whether Baker Mayfield’s maturity last year was a natural progression of him growing as a player and a person or whether a lot of it can be attributed to departed Bucs playcaller Dave Canales.
King leans in the direction of Mayfield in that debate because of his “mental toughness and confidence,” among other attributes.
“Failure can ruin the average player, the average athlete, especially in today’s era where guys are so caught up in what people are saying DMs and what this podcast host had to say, and what they’re talking about on FOX and ESPN,” King said.
He added that Mayfield has shown he’s not like most players who “are soft as cotton candy” after major criticism and adversity like Mayfield has endured.
King puts the Bucs with a 10-7 record this season and thinks Atlanta will be right behind them. “In this division, with as many unknowns, I’m going Bucs to win for the fourth year in a row. … They got a top-10 defense. If that offense is not an unmitigated disaster, they’re going to be in every game.
September 6th, 2024 at 10:24 am
Doug Williams led the Bucs.
Brad Johnson led the Bucs.
Tom Brady led the Bucs.
The 1999 defense would have made it to the NFC championship if a 3 legged mule was the QB. Shaun and his inaccuracy led the Bucs home after only scoring 6 points.
But I like his enthusiasm, even though he’s got it backwards. Offense is going to have to carry the team. Hopefully the defense against the pass is not the unmitigated disaster.
September 6th, 2024 at 10:35 am
It’s crazy how much they talk about baker and his maturity. How can one person have this many skeptics. People want him to be washed sort of like Derek Carr. The national media has hated on this guy more than they did AB. But at least king football.
September 6th, 2024 at 10:42 am
Way to go Shaun! Keep it 100. Hopefully a lot of crow to be consumed come January.
September 6th, 2024 at 10:46 am
Shaun obviously has NFL experience and a VERY inside view of the Bucs. IE He has more cred than most, but perhaps a touch of bias.
For everybody gripping about the disrespect of this year’s Bucs, don’t take it personally. For me it’s a good thing! The players will be motivated!
But one of the major reasons the Bucs struggle to get respect is simply the $$$.
The Networks could care less about which teams are the best. They simply care about which teams produce the most eyeballs. Sometimes a smaller market team can capture a decent audience share with an entertaining team lead by a dynamic QB (Yep Joe QB’s are essential for more than just on the field).
So you have Kansas City, 35th largest market a network fave because they are fan faves across the nation. Can you say Mahomes and Swift? The Bucs are in the 17th largest market and that was a major draw for the Glazers and fans in Tom Brady. Like Mahomes he brought eyeballs (read ad $$$)
So I conclude with something I appreciate that you may not.
Tampa Bay has just under 3.5 million up over 5%. The top markets have populations of 20 million in NY 12 million in Southern Cal, 9 million in Chicago.
All three of those areas lost population last year as folks head to the sunbelt not just Florida.
While I get a 5% increase is great for bizness it sucks for we long time residents. 10 minute drives are now 20, tickets more expensive yadda yadda. Now we’re talking about paving over some state parks with freaking pickle ball courts and golf courses.
I’d rather be overlooked than proof of Joni Mitchells classic 1970 hit. Written about Hawaii but it fits us just as well!!
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swinging hot spot
They took all the trees and put ’em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half to see them
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone?
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
September 6th, 2024 at 11:09 am
That ‘not alot of upside’ comment by King is a slap in the face.
A possible Superbowl appearance this year isn’t alot of upside?
Because I think we’re Superbowl bound.
Shaun scared to look like a homer, weak take.
September 6th, 2024 at 11:56 am
spbf – love the Joni reference.
September 6th, 2024 at 12:22 pm
Hey Joes, how old is that pic? Licht looks healthier than King. @stpete, Governor DeStupid is backing down on that paving our Parks (what few we have) brain f@rt. Well, I hope King is right. We’ll know something day after tomorrow. Hope the weather cooperates.
September 6th, 2024 at 12:22 pm
Erik w/ UniqueModernArt.com Says:
A possible Superbowl appearance this year isn’t alot of upside?
Because I think we’re Superbowl bound.
^^^^^
AGREED! The Bucs lost 4 games by 1 score. People don’t realize how limited the offense was by Canales. With Coen, those 4 loses become wins and this is a 13 win team.
THE UPSIDE … Everyone is doubting the Bucs. When we crush, everyone is going to give Baker’s “reemergence” all the credit. They won’t see Canales. They’ll see Baker. Not only do I think the Bucs are legit contenders, I think Baker is a darkhorse MVP candidate.
September 6th, 2024 at 12:49 pm
The truth:
We are 1 game above .500 with Bowles as HC. Like it or not, that’s not a good record.
On top of that, we are currently the worse division in football, and our QB was all over the place last year.
AND…our owners wanted to gut the team this past off season.
Those are the facts. Like them or not. So outsiders are naturally going to dump on us.
We, as fans, have had new players hyped to us. But it’s all been talk. Even we won’t know for sure until the games start.
September 6th, 2024 at 1:33 pm
Bonz, such factual comments about the Bucs head coach tends to trigger long bloviations essentially arguing that results are misleading and there is genius just behind the results.
September 6th, 2024 at 2:51 pm
There are times when reading King’s words that I wonder what team he is watching. Not this time.
September 6th, 2024 at 2:58 pm
“In Baker we trust!” Right on Shaun King!
September 6th, 2024 at 3:00 pm
orbits – the more recent the photo of King, the larger he looks which does indeed make everyone else in the frame look healthier.
September 6th, 2024 at 4:08 pm
*orlbuc sorry for the autoincorrect
September 6th, 2024 at 4:27 pm
Dave Pear
Thanks! You realize you’ve outed yourself as an old dude. LMAO
I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and figure you first heard the tune on an oldies station.
Otherwise if you’re like D.R. and me who heard as a current hit in 1970 the Muncher will throw you into the Nursing Home with us.
September 6th, 2024 at 4:30 pm
@Bonzai
“The truth:
We are 1 game above .500 with Bowles as HC. Like it or not, that’s not a good record.”
OK as long as you’re consistent. Without Brady Bill Belichik is WAY under .500 and in fact if you wish to take the time to do the math and look up their records as I once did, too lazy now, you’ll see that BB and TB’s career records are very close, BOTH of them under .500. BB did this at Cleveland and N.E. He is a LOSER without Brady at QB over many years not just a few.
So how could you think replacing Bowles with BB would have been a good idea?
September 6th, 2024 at 4:31 pm
I think 10-7 is a realistic total. Will it be 12-5? Possible if guys really step up as a team. Will it be 9-8? That’s possible too especially if the injury bug bites us.
I do believe this team will be more consistent and more competitive than last year, and that potential has me excited!
Go Bucs ! ! !
September 7th, 2024 at 8:25 am
And Shaun knows, because he was almost a good QB?
Geez!
Go Bucs!