“To Serve The Head Coach”
August 13th, 2014
Twice over the past week, Bucs general manager Jason Licht has talked about how his role is “to serve the head coach.”
Licht used those specific words on the Buccaneers Radio Network and on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
Former Bucs rockstar general manager Mark Dominik didn’t utter such commentary when he got the Tampa Bay job in 2009, and especially when he denied Raheem Morris his desired 2011 return of Cadillac Williams and Barrett Ruud.
But Dominik’s tune changed when Greg Schiano was hired.
All of a sudden, Dominik adopted more of a coach-first mindset in scouting, meaning he was looking for and securing players that fit the head coach’s paradigm. Joe knows it frustrated Dominik when Schiano released talent like Wallace Gilberry (14 sacks through 2012 and 2013), Chris Jones, who recorded six sacks as a rookie last season in New England, and George Selvie (seven sacks in 2013).
Licht has said repeatedly that he and Lovie Smith have been on the same page from Day 1. Five weeks ago, Licht even said there’s been total consensus from the entire football staff at One Buc Palace.
Even skeptical Joe bought into that. But the latest conundrum at guard has Joe wondering whether there might be just a hint of heated but healthy debate within the regime. Nobody can agree all the time, right?
Regardless, Licht’s role “to serve the head coach” won’t change. Joe’s just hoping Lovie knows how to build an effective offensive line, something he struggled with in Chicago. Even if it takes Lovie until 2015, that would be ok. But he’s got to get it right if the Bucs are to reach the promised land. You just can’t hide a crappy O-line, especially without an elite quarterback.
August 13th, 2014 at 10:43 am
Lovie’s lap dog.
August 13th, 2014 at 10:52 am
Don’t need an elite QB a smart QB will do.
August 13th, 2014 at 11:08 am
“To Serve The Head Coach”……Hope this isn’t like the Twilight Zone’s “To Serve Mankind”.
August 13th, 2014 at 11:11 am
Joe I couldn’t agree more. I hope they get things straightened out but given the current players and who they brought in at guard during free agency, it’s hard to see how they can. Seems like they were relying too much on Nicks and now they are in a bind.
August 13th, 2014 at 11:17 am
If they all agreed on our guards, then they need to hire a dissenting opinion ASAP.
August 13th, 2014 at 11:22 am
its as it should be. lap dog is out of line. it’s lovies team, Licht is the buyer.
August 13th, 2014 at 11:31 am
^^^out of line? Perfectly in line, you just happen to agree with the situation. I don’t. It’s what leads to us having no nfl caliber guards and no competition at the following positions: QB, RT, C, LT, RDE. Temper your lofty expectations buc fans.
August 13th, 2014 at 11:34 am
The big issue is whether Tedford will be able to coach at pro level. Lovie can be crappy with offense just like Dungy was, provided you have an O coord (or Manning) to handle the offense.
FWIW remember that when they hired Schiano the Glazers were ready to send Dominik packing and Schiano was the golden child. So it would be natural that Dom would have done everything Schi wanted, at least at first.
August 13th, 2014 at 11:36 am
More delusional b.s…. I really hope these two (Licht and Lovie) are not this inept… Please fix the line…
And what is this B.S. – giving these guys a few years to “straighten out this franchise”… That’s some bullsh*t… I’m sick of losing… win now or get the hell out!!!
August 13th, 2014 at 11:40 am
Lovie was hired because of his track record — which includes offensive line struggles and ineptitude.
August 13th, 2014 at 11:44 am
Can’t help but think back to the time when Tony Dungy was hired by Indy. It was the perfect setting for him as the offense was already in place, with excellent assistants on that side of the football.
Dungy’s only job was to rebuild the offense and let Peyton Manning coach the offense. Yes, Peyton Manning was the real offensive coordinator of the Colts, no matte what the PR brochure said.
The proposition here is: Does Lovie’s offensive staff know how to build a good offensive line. We all know that offense is not Lovie’s expertise, nor was it Father Dungy’s.
August 13th, 2014 at 11:45 am
Correction, should say: Rebuild the defense.
August 13th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
I agree that they couldn´t turn this team 180° in just one offseason.
However they already made big mistakes shaping this team at their will.
Of course they should be given next years offseson also.
But if they continue to make such dumb a ss moves, there is no reason to support this by paying 400 dollars a game; considering a fan “online draft expert” could make better moves than these high paid men.
Thats what cost the Shianomik demon (ShianoDominikRegime) its job too.
Making bad personal moves (Revis) and on shemeatics.
On a positve note: They bolstered the d-lines depth (only lacking another dominant pass-rusher besides McCoy)
August 13th, 2014 at 12:20 pm
.. same for CB´s
Offense need o-line and, lacks a quality QB + WR, so basically is work in progress..
Besides V-Jacks and maybe EDS nothing special. RB´s certainly good enough…
But lets see if Lovie Smiths´Defense is outdated as some say, or he still brings it – looking forward season start and next PreSeason Game!
Go Bucs!
August 13th, 2014 at 12:27 pm
My God!!!! They haven’t played a single regular season game yet and there are so called “Bucs Fan” waiving the hang Lovie and Licht signs already. It is not easy to turnover a franchise and win it all that very same season. If we are swapping coaches on a yearly basis we willl never see a winning season. Give a proven winner at the head coach position a chance to build a team that can win and If the losing seasons continue then it is time for a change.
Pump your brakes all you children of the microwave era!
August 13th, 2014 at 12:36 pm
You can’t just serve the head coach. If that’s true then why even have a GM, or call someone a GM. Maybe Jason already sees that lovie is making personnel mistakes and is trying to distance himself to hold his job if the defense turns out to be a disaster. Jason’s been fired a number if times, he’s probably learned a lot thru that.
August 13th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
Team Licht
August 13th, 2014 at 12:56 pm
lol licht is the ultimate yes man
August 13th, 2014 at 2:06 pm
Uncertain as to why people are so upset at this point with either Licht or Lovie after one preseason game.
August 13th, 2014 at 2:24 pm
biff- some of us are so upset because we do not have starting caliber QB or guards. I’d say that is a really good reason to take issue. You apparently seem fine with it. It’s cool, I guess…
August 13th, 2014 at 3:20 pm
You (Dallasfan) and Who Else thinks ‘we’ don’t have a starting caliber QB on this team?
I don’t think many people agree with you on this and you act like you are speaking for all these people.
Guards maybe but I think most Bucs fans are willing to give the coaches a few preseason games to see how the younger Guards on the team play before making that blanket of a statement.
August 13th, 2014 at 3:46 pm
@biff barker:
its not about the one game perse.
Of course they need time to turn the ship, but what if they turn the ship into the wrong direciton?
Seems like holding course anyway would be youre suggestion.
Some examples should be clear by now, so lets see and hope that they get better with decision making just as the players also get better rep by rep.
August 13th, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Stanglassman- you know who else thinks he isn’t a starting caliber QB? How about every single NFL team for the last 12 years! What more do you need to know about him and our HC/GM for making him a starter? Scary bad decision-making.
August 13th, 2014 at 4:11 pm
@Stanglassman:
You are obviously not able to understand the use of “we” in the context of DallasBuc´s text.
Which actually isn´t quite hard to understand. Whats up man, are you drunk?
when he says: “we do not have starting caliber QB” he could also say: the bucs do not have…
So he is not acting like he would speak for each and every bucs fan, he is simply giving his opinion.
I for one even agree.
While i would say: I don´t think we have an quality starting caliber QB….
McCown, while he had an statistical good few games last year, he wasn´t very good playing the position and he played against not so good teams.
This plus his history of being an non-starter makes me and i guess quite a few, people questioning if he is the right choice as starter, but: lets see.
Glennon: You like him, or not. I think he´s not good enough to win a SuperBowl. He is anything but a dynamik QB, doesn´t have an good deep ball (arm strengh?), not good throwing on run, etc….
Overall: lets see
Guard situation: we saw what the Bucs thought would be starting point. Didn´t look to good.
What do we have on roster? Lets see. But quite possible Gabe Jackson will turn out as an better lineman than Edwards.
And instead we drafted Sims. While having two big holes on O-line, we went RB first, which is ??? – is it so hard to understand?
August 13th, 2014 at 7:04 pm
Louden. Right on. We drafted a RB while we had massive holes at guard. They know nicks wasn’t going to play back in May. I’m sure of that.
August 14th, 2014 at 10:50 am
Everyone needs to relax. It’s not like they can go pick two pro bowl caliber Guards off of a palm tree…they are doing what they can with who they have. People are ready to jump out of windows over one preseason game in which they didn’t even employ a blocking scheme. OL success is based on cohesion and team work period. They’re reportedly looking at Boone from San Francisco what more do you want them to do?
August 14th, 2014 at 10:52 am
@Jon come on man they didn’t know that they obviously were banking on Nicks being healthy…why would they purposely sabotage themselves?
August 14th, 2014 at 9:05 pm
Brilliant observation Jon about Licht giving the blame/credit on Lovie because he is only acting as a “servant”. If that is Licht’s intention then that’s ingenious. Wish my ex was more servant like, then she wouldn’t be an ex.