The Slander Of Lavonte David
March 8th, 2025
Bucs icon Lavonte David.
Two things quickly get Joe fully frosted when it comes to the Bucs.
The first is edge rush.
Seeing so many proven edge rushers become available the past couple of days has Joe staring at a computer screen continually pounding a fist the way you’d expect after Joe stares at the S&P 500 ticker monitoring Joe’s Tesla stock the past two weeks. Or the way Joe hammers his desk when the pizza delivery guy is running late.
The other is the slander of Lavonte David.
It is just criminal how David has been screwed by the haughty, learned NFL types who give out Pro Bowl gifts.
David could have 200 tackles in a season and people wouldn’t vote the guy into the Pro Bowl. It just drives Joe up a tree.
“Aw, com’on Joe, the Pro Bowl sucks! No one cares! It doesn’t mean a damn thing!”
Oh, really? Then why do teams give out bonuses to players who make the Pro Bowl? Why are Pro Bowl appearances regularly used as criteria to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Don’t give Joe this nonsense the Pro Bowl is meaningless.
Now when some folks talk about linebackers and the Hall of Fame, Joe has actually heard chatter linking Washington linebacker Bobby Wagner as a Hall of Fame candidate. Joe agrees. He’s been a strong linebacker for a long time and has a Super Bowl ring.
David? Well, Pro Football Hall of Fame selector Ira Kaufman always cautions Bucs fans that David may not have “the hardware,” meaning David may not have enough All-Pro awards or Pro Bowl appearances to sway enough voters.
Don’t blame Ira. He’s just the messenger.
So you look at these stats dug up by Bucs fan Trevor Allen (@tdbucs2002). If this doesn’t make you want to hit the ceiling, Joe doesn’t know what to say.
Hell, David’s stats are damn near identical to Wagner’s yet David may never sniff the Hall of Fame, but Wagner might because of the GD Pro Bowl??? Outrageous!
All Joe hears from defensive coaches is constant prattle and droning about the importance of takeaways. David’s takeaways blow away Wagner’s. But, nope, can’t have David in the Pro Bowl. He doesn’t have the hardware to get in to the Hall of Fame.
What a bunch of crap!
It is shameful beyond words how David has been shat on for no other reason than he plays in Tampa Bay and not in the NFC East, the AFC North or the NFC North.
Can you imagine how the NFL community would fall to its knees for David if he played in one of the aforementioned divisions? There would be a bridge named after him.
But David’s been punished for playing for a garbage team for half his career and being buried in the NFC South, which is virtually ignored by BSPN and the league’s house organ, NFL Network.
Just a complete shame — and sham — man!
Lavonte David Is Back! Ira Kaufman Talks Free Agency, Trey Hendrickson Versus Florence Henderson, Jamel Dean’s Shaky Ground & More. Special Guest Chris Simms
March 8th, 2025 at 8:11 am
Agree totally that it is “a bunch of crap!”
Having said that at least it’s LVD. Of all the Bucs superstars I can think of LVD is best positioned to shrug this absurd disrespect off.
He’s a “serious” man who has a great set of “values”. He’s reportedly headed to the Ministry after he retires. His head is in the right place and I suspect instead of looking at what is truly a horrible slight, he’ll view his manifest “blessings” both on and off the field.
Whether some Mo’s recognized LVD’s greatness or not…it’s still very evident.
LVD has had an HOF career in every sense of the word on and off the field!
March 8th, 2025 at 8:13 am
If you look at his stats against First Ballot Hall of Famers like Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, & our beloved Derrick Brooks…his stats in a number of key categories are on par with tall of them too.
So not only does he have the stats, but Jason Licht specifically said that Lavonte is the blueprint for the player he looks to draft as far as character and intangibles are concerned in the I AM THAT MAN mural in the Bucs draft HQ at One Buc Place.
It is insane to think that he is a SB Champion, a team Captain for years, has the stats on par with all of the legends, and is the epitome of what the franchise looks for as far as character. Literally the only thing you can point at to keep him out of the Hall of Fame are not having tons of Pro Bowls because he plays in a small market and a chunk of that was on losing teams
March 8th, 2025 at 8:14 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have released outside linebacker Harold Landry III.
Landry led the Titans with nine sacks last season and posted 15 tackles for a loss and 15 quarterback hits in 17 starts. Last season was Landry’s third consecutive season with at least nine sacks, including a career-high 12 in 2021.
March 8th, 2025 at 8:14 am
And he’ll probably be overshadowed this year by ME13’s possible final season. Do your thing LVD, we appreciate you !!!!
March 8th, 2025 at 8:14 am
If you look at his stats against First Ballot Hall of Famers like Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, & our beloved Derrick Brooks…his stats in a number of key categories are on par with all of them too.
So not only does he have the stats, but Jason Licht specifically said that Lavonte is the blueprint for the player he looks to draft as far as character and intangibles are concerned in the I AM THAT MAN mural in the Bucs draft HQ at One Buc Place.
It is insane to think that he is a SB Champion, a team Captain for years, has the stats on par with all of the legends, and is the epitome of what the franchise looks for as far as character. Literally the only thing you can point at to keep him out of the Hall of Fame are not having tons of Pro Bowls because he plays in a small market and a chunk of that was on losing teams
March 8th, 2025 at 8:16 am
And LVD just beat Wagner in 2025 salary !!! haha
March 8th, 2025 at 8:20 am
Could not agree more.
So very happy to have had (and still have) LVD on our team.
So very sorry (to LVD) that the ‘optics’ and ‘politics’ of the NFL regarding the Buc’s has hampered his career!
March 8th, 2025 at 8:42 am
David’s lack of recognition is fairly easy to diagnose.
Wagner played with the “Legion of Boom,” who some say was the best secondary ever for several years. Those guys also stated Wagner was an intricate part of their success.
Meanwhile, here in Tampa, David has played with a cast of DB’s who could be collectively called, “The Legion of Doom,” as Bowles’s DB’s often rank near the bottom, giving up yards like every NFL Sunday is Christmas for opposing QB’s.
Bottom line: Wagner’s name is affixed to a defense with a well known moniker.
And David, the far better player in my book, has not.
Combine that with short attention spans who are unwilling to do research and BOOM, Wagner gets much of the attention that David deserves.
March 8th, 2025 at 8:55 am
David has played 13 seasons thus far with the Bucs and the majority of them were on bad teams.
Wagner’s 13 seasons, 9 seasons they made playoffs. I mean 7 of his first 8 seasons they made the playoffs, back-to-back Super Appearances with one win. One could argue it helps to set the tone early in your career, I think it also helps that in the prime of his career he was recognized as a member of the “Legion of Boom”. David’s Bucs Teams peaked late in his career.
March 8th, 2025 at 9:02 am
What’s funny is Licht keeps showing this “appreciation” with these 1-up salaries, man I hope that really pays off for us given the needs of this football team. God, forbid we bring our players back at the same rate as the competition. Some sort of ego stroking pride saying we signed Winfield and Wirfs as the highest paid in their positions at the time … smh. Really humbling look for our players, and yet still a lot of work we need to do to free up cap and make this team better. Winfield needs to be better for this year.
March 8th, 2025 at 9:09 am
IF the Bucs win another Super Bowl with LVD playing a key role, then he’ll get a sniff for the HOF. LVD can’t change a thing about his first 8 seasons, but he’s made the playoffs for the past 5 seasons and has played a critical role in each of them. One more Super Bowl puts him in rarified company.
March 8th, 2025 at 9:30 am
People with instachat or twittergram need to gang up on Nick Shook. He slandered LVD on the league’s website, claiming last year was LVD’s worst!
Because he considers PFF grades gospel and fails to recognize that LVD was playing next to stiffs and tards in the LB group after SVD went down. He had to play 3 positions at once and still blasted out.
Nick Shook is a loathsome dweeble.
March 8th, 2025 at 9:52 am
Win a second ring and this conversation is over. He’ll get his due. For better or worse, every Buc with a ring in 2020 will be in the “won because of Brady” group in the mind of most national sportswriters. Winfield, Godwin and yes, Evans… they need a ring without Tom. The Bucs D of Brooks/Sapp/Lynch is so highly regarded because you can’t possibly take the Brad Johnson / Keyshawn offense and think they’d win a title without that D.
March 8th, 2025 at 9:53 am
I remember the Bucs passed on Luke Kueckly in the 1st round and got Lavonte in the 2nd. Kueckly was a perennial pro bowler because the Panthers were a good team, David got shat on till the Brady years or just before and how much longer has he played? The Bucs D in the 2002 SB win was statisticly the best ever or one of, better than the 85 Bears but you never hear them mentioned except here.
March 8th, 2025 at 11:22 am
Mike Evans ain’t going anywhere.
He’s faster and stronger than he was in his rookie year.
He hurdled a tackler this year. First in his career.
He has also avoided the big hits his entire career. Unlike Calvin Johnson.
I can see Mike playing 3 more at least.
March 8th, 2025 at 11:33 am
The Bucs are not a national team unless Tommy Boy is on the field
March 8th, 2025 at 1:04 pm
Deff feel your pain for him JOE. Honestly pro bowls shouldn’t be a criteria for hall of fame. It’s a popularity contest at best. Rita shouldn’t be about if a guy is well liked or not it should only be based on stats and nothing else. Dam shame. Pro bowls is a joke. Deff was better back in the days
March 8th, 2025 at 2:07 pm
LD54 is currently 8th all time in combined tackles with 1602. By seasons end he will likely surpass Derrick Brooks 1713 and perhaps also Zack Thomas 1734 to be either 6th or 7th best tackler of all time in the NFL.
LD54 is currently 5th all time in solo tackles with 1111. He will be 4th all time after this season behind Derrick Brooks 1300….
With roughly the same # of games played/started – the stats between 10X Pro Bowler Bobby Wagner and 1X Pro Bowler LaVonte David are very similar. Wagner has more combined tackles – David has more solo tackles – they have the same # of Interceptions – 13 – similar Passes Defensed (BW – 72 / LD – 70) and Sacks (LD – 39 / BW – 35).
But LaVonte David blows Wagner away in the other “playmaking” categories –
Forced Fumbles (LD – 31 / BW 7), Fumbles Recovered (LD – 19 / BW – 12) and especially Tackles for Loss (LD 169 / BW 99). David btw will be 4th best all time in the Tackles for Loss category by the end of this season…..
If those aren’t HOF worthy stats – then no such thing exists!
March 8th, 2025 at 2:57 pm
The Pro Bowl is a bigger joke every year. In five years voters won’t give it much weight, hopefully.
March 8th, 2025 at 3:02 pm
Why do people use LVD to describe Lavonte. His name isnt La Vonte.
Anyhow, really glad he has signed for another. A great player and leader on the Bucs.
March 8th, 2025 at 3:11 pm
JA and others nailed it. Wagner had early career team success and the legion of boom. Only difference.
You know what makes Lavonte a shoo-in for the HoF? Another SB… this year right now. Shortsighted and it’s about the team not the player, I know, but I will continue to pound the table for going all in right now and trying to get this man another SB!
March 8th, 2025 at 3:15 pm
Well said Pickgrin. I completely agree with you, yet I can’t shake the feeling Joe is right when talking about these pro bowls and all pros.
March 8th, 2025 at 4:19 pm
Lazy national media and lazy football *experts/analysts* will never go away.
March 8th, 2025 at 7:36 pm
His middle name is Perseus, which in Latin is the character V. So LVD is correct.
Or maybe that is BS.
March 8th, 2025 at 10:57 pm
100% agree Joe!
Two things. Alhough we agree I look at the way it should be rather than the way it is. Pro Bowl and All Pro nods should have nothing to do with salary or HOF. Why? Because the voting is ridiculous! All Pro is not a whole lot better for the same reasons.
Ira
Lavonte’s play should be all that truly gets talked about not these other so called honors. If you are a HOF voter and you base the HOF on these two things? Wow!
Go Bucs!