“Absolutely It’s An Emergency”
August 14th, 2014
Former Bucs QB Shaun King didn’t stamp out the idea of skanky guard Richie Incognito getting consideration by the Buccaneers
Don’t panic, Tampa Bay fans. It’s only been one quarter of one preseason game for the first-team offense. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the Bucs’ new regime will need time to jell and smooth out the rough spots and fill holes. There’s plenty of time before opening day.
That’s the message from One Buc Palace, but that doesn’t seem to be the message from many ex-NFL players.
Alarm bells have been sounded after the world got to see the state of the Bucs’ offensive line Friday. Today on WDAE-AM 620, former Tampa Bay quarterback Shaun King, one of three QBs to lead the Bucs to the NFC Championship game, also chimed in with a troubling message.
“Absolutely it’s an emergency because I think they’re not just bad right now. I think they’re awful,” King said of the Bucs’ offensive line.
“What bothers you is this isn’t Carl Nicks and Davin Joseph coming off an injury, and we feel like, ‘Well, once they’re 100 percent healthy, they’re resumes say they’re elite players. These are two guys who are journeymen who never have really been any good to begin with. So I think that would be the alarming part of this for me.”
King added that personally he’s not overreacting “because I think we knew that the guard position was going to be a problem.”
King is confident Lovie Smith and Jason Licht will “fix it,” and when asked about human debris free agent guard Richie Incognito, King said he doesn’t think the Bucs should eliminate him from their radar.
“If this continues the way it goes, you know, he’s better than either one of the guys we have,” King said.
August 14th, 2014 at 1:52 pm
What King didn’t mention is that he and Incognito are “Buffet Buddies”
August 14th, 2014 at 1:53 pm
Good luck at training camp today fellas in this extremely humid and muggy day. Feels like a sauna out there.
August 14th, 2014 at 1:57 pm
I agree with King for once. If Incognito is an upgrade over everybody we have. Then there is no reason not to give him a shot. The guy has hurt nobody, other than someones feelings. Are we trying to win this year or not?
August 14th, 2014 at 1:58 pm
I love buffets..leave the man alone concerning his weight. He lead us to an NFC championship, was a back up QB in a Superbowl, and gets PAID to talk foot ball.
August 14th, 2014 at 2:01 pm
wow, for once i agree with king
August 14th, 2014 at 2:01 pm
Shaun King, one of two Bucs QBs that lost the NFC Championship Game with defenses that gave up 11 or less points…
August 14th, 2014 at 2:01 pm
Humid and muggy, but cloudy. I love the summer in this part of Florida. Perfect weather to veg out.
August 14th, 2014 at 2:05 pm
The guards we have now don’t deserve to be in the nfl (besides the rookies)
August 14th, 2014 at 2:05 pm
Literally took .5seconds to get to McCown
August 14th, 2014 at 2:16 pm
If we have a Seahawks type Offense with this D then we should be playing late in January with this D
August 14th, 2014 at 2:17 pm
With this D twice Sorry guys. No edit button
August 14th, 2014 at 2:19 pm
i’m not sure how much tedford demands of his guards on a play to play basis, but i doubt a guy we bring in after training camp or after final cuts is going to be 100% up to speed on the offense in time for week 1, even if he is significantly more talented…i think when regular season comes around we will start with 2 guys who began training camp with the team and we will see alot of spread and shotgun to keep heat off our QB
p.s. when it comes to the fatties in the trenches, it behooves a team to be skeptical about the fitness level of guys who are sitting out training camp, such as incognito and boone. it’s more than plausible that one of those guys comes with great expectations from the fans only to pull a hammy or something and sitting out or playing hurt for large chunks of the season
August 14th, 2014 at 2:25 pm
Ive gotta give it to King… Dude knows how to play the game… And stay relevant in the media world… Deep down inside that massive gut, he knows theres no chance in hell Lovie takes on that sociopath… But stirring sh_t up is kings bread and butter… which he deep frys… and then dips in bacon grease.
August 14th, 2014 at 2:25 pm
The only reason the Bucs will not sign Incognito, is because of the reaction they would receive by the local media, and not because they fear he would be a cancer in the locker room. Richie is a fiery competitor, who is very similar to our own Dietrich Smith, who is also an “in your face” type competitor. Maybe these are the characters that we need. You guys bitch about winning but you don’t want to bring in the guys that are available to help us get there. Joe says no to Boone and Incognito but then sits there and moans about what we have. How can we get any better if you’re saying no to everything. I get the feeling some of you actually would like us to sit on our hands just so you can have something to bitch about. *migraine cramp*
August 14th, 2014 at 2:27 pm
Here is the problem as I see it:
-Meredith and Cousins sucked last year.
-L&L upon watching tape of these guys thought they were…starters? (huh?)
-Lovie had an awful OL in Chicago
-We CHOSE not to address the OL (roughly) in draft or FA
-We are rotating guards to see who “rises to the top” – that means you don’t have a starter.
-Alex Boone can be had, albeit for an overpriced transaction.
-Lovie is telling us be patient, but Licht said they “didn’t want the fans to be patient” and “we’re building to win now”.
I like L&L but there are conflicting signals here. OL is a problem even my 12 yr old can see. They weren’t just beaten, they were beaten like little b!tches with relative ease.
You want to win now? You have two options, Boone & Incognito. I’m not suggesting either – but that’s the best available right now. Everyone else is just another backup to our starting backups.
August 14th, 2014 at 2:29 pm
We could put king at guard
August 14th, 2014 at 2:32 pm
Zuttah was making $4 mil & now he’s one of Baltimore’s best and most versatile lineman. Sorry I keep talking about it, but I’m getting more pissed about it by the day…. S.M.D.H.
August 14th, 2014 at 2:35 pm
To all you people who say “I’m giving Lovie three years”
To all you people who say “The guard position doesn’t matter”
To all you people who say “McCown is mobile enough to handle the preasure”
To all you people who say “Kadeem Edwards has a chance of being a starting guard this year”
YOU ARE FOOLS!!!
If the guard position doesn’t matter then why in the he’ll did YOU all applaud when we signed C. Nicks to a $50 million contract?
August 14th, 2014 at 2:35 pm
I will tell you what is an absolute emergency and that is that Shaun King join Weightwatchers. He was so hi on Courtlan Finigan that he said the Bucs should absolutely should have signed him. Where is and what has Mr Finigan done. The GM hat is not so easy to wear for real.
August 14th, 2014 at 2:40 pm
We just signed Larry English. Can he play guard?
August 14th, 2014 at 2:45 pm
🙂
August 14th, 2014 at 2:46 pm
“Mac Says:
August 14th, 2014 at 2:35 pm
To all you people who say “I’m giving Lovie three years” ”
How many years did you give Mark Dominik?
Maybe you were equally pissed after the first preseason loss (20-27) to Tennessee in 2009, for all I know.
August 14th, 2014 at 2:50 pm
Sigh…
I mad.
I so mad about the Bucs guard situation.
The Ether made Lol.
That sounds good: Buttered bread deep fried and dipped in bacon grease.
August 14th, 2014 at 2:54 pm
After just one preseason game, one quarter played for the first time in 8 months, just calm the f___k down… lets see how the next few games pan out, and hopefully by the end of our 3rd preseason game, we get at least one of our own who emerges…
Then theres the cuts, and Im sure Licht is on top of every single guard/OL on the bubble, and has his eyes on a handful or more to sweep up… If a rookie GM like Dom could do it, and we all know how much we hated him, then a vet front office man like Licht should be able to pluck a few too.
Calm the f___k down people… The last time we made a knee jerk reaction, what did we get?? Schi…
August 14th, 2014 at 2:59 pm
@mp,
I doubt King would really eat that stuff… But I wouldnt doubt him eating deep fried buttered bread dipped in bacon grease, hold the bread…
August 14th, 2014 at 3:12 pm
@ The Ether
Dont waist your time, these guys love to find something to panic about.
August 14th, 2014 at 3:12 pm
* waste
August 14th, 2014 at 3:31 pm
Consider this dead horse beaten.
August 14th, 2014 at 3:52 pm
@bigpoppabuc
Love it!
Old Indian proverb …
“If you’re riding a dead horse … dismount.”
August 14th, 2014 at 3:54 pm
Did anyone happen to notice that the Bucs play an almost identical pre-season/regular season schedule as when they were 2002 SB Champs? There is only one difference in the preseason opponents this season as they play Buffalo instead of in 2002 Houston. In the regular season there also is only one different opponent – this year they play Washington instead of Philadelphia.
Another note of interest regarding preseason games…in the key game 3 (when starters play most) of preseason in 2002 – they were routed by Washington 40-10. I’m sure there was much doubt in buc land after that. They proceeded to lose the first game of the year to NO in tampa…again much doom predicted, but hey…things seemed to turn out ok for them that year right?!!
August 14th, 2014 at 4:06 pm
I don’t get why people get down on Shaun.
When he was put in as our starting qb back in the day he did enough to get us to the NFC championship game.
It was such a fun season, I kinda wonder if the sweeping critics of his were not fans at that time. He did well above expectations and nearly helped us to a Super Bowl as a very green player.
C’mon man!
August 14th, 2014 at 4:23 pm
Im not down on Shaun King…….I have a “broad” appreciation for what he did for the Bucs…..My feelings for him are as “wide” as the deep blue sea!……Now he is a “huge” media star that provides excellent commentary.
As for these A-holes who are always commenting about Shaun’s weight….I say “lay off, fat people have feelings too”…..
“Shaun King, one of two Buc Quarterbacks that lost a NFC Championship Game when his defense gave up 11 or fewer points.”
August 14th, 2014 at 4:32 pm
I think its obvious that we will be pickiing up some guards when the teams start cutting that tier of players that barely missed making the team. I am sure Licht is aware of which teams have an abundance of quality guards right now and willl pounce on any that are let go. This is my only hope because I don’t think we are trading for a guard or bringing in Incognito. Thankfully the season hasnt started yet!!!
August 14th, 2014 at 4:50 pm
Let’s get both Incognito and Boone and kick some ass… I don’t think we got any pansy asses on our team to worry if Richie might say something wrong… let’s build this team to win not whine!
August 14th, 2014 at 4:58 pm
Plus it never hurts to have two big ass crazy white boys on the O line 😉
August 14th, 2014 at 5:02 pm
I played Shawn King in Poker at the Horse Track and stayed all the way with a gut shot to the river which I hit. He looked at me and said “Really”. He turned around and placed a bet on a horse and won like $1200.
Now I kind of have a soft spot for him.
King is 100% right. At least give Incognito a tryout. If he makes it. Great, if not at least you explored all options.
August 14th, 2014 at 5:02 pm
“As for these A-holes who are always commenting about Shaun’s weight….I say “lay off, fat people have feelings too”…..”
I looooooove fat people! You kiddin me?? Most of them are the most jolly, good natured people out there…. But every now and then, you come across an angry fat. Those angry fats that refuse to budge on their grocery scooters, while dragging a second cart behind them, while youre just trying to get 5 items or less and jet….. now follow King to his local Piggly Wiggly one night, and watch him… cause I bet you his bucket of bacon grease that that dude rocks grocery scooters…
alright, Im getting off track here, but the guy stirs up sh__t to make a living… he feeds off the hate… literally… he was hated as a Buc, when he wasted the efforts of one of the best Ds ever, in ’99.. but yeah… other than that, I looooove fat people!!
August 14th, 2014 at 5:27 pm
To all the lil rainbows out there.
We didn’t start worrying about the O-line, after last Friday’s game.
That’s just as far back as your limited attention span can remember.
I was worried, when they said they were counting on Nicks. It was obvious he wasn’t coming back. He made the same money if he played or not. You wanna go run outside right now?
I was even more worried when they signed Oneil Cousins- and said so, many times, right here. Cousins was rated one of the WORST BACKUP guards in the NFL in Cleveland. Yet he was brought here, and worked in the starting lineup
I was concerned to see Lovie making the Exact same mistake that he made in Chicago- and said that- many times, right here.
Lovies inability to build a decent O-line in Chicago, probably cost them a title or two. Great defense, great special teams, great skill on offense. Jay Cutler can get it done.
But the lousy line killed their chances- time and time again. Every year- Bears fans were confident the line would get addressed – and every year, it didn’t happen.
If you aren’t worried about our line- you dont know what you are looking at, and don’t understand the fundamentals of NFL football.
You aren’t worried, because you are to dumb to see the problem, basically.
And to show ignorance, and then pass it off as optimism, is even worse.
Have you even payed attention to this teams record the last decade???
There is optimism, then there is slap happy stupid.
I’m surprised some of you”optimist” aren’t standing beside New York Harbor, still optimistic that the Titanic will be pulling in.
‘Bout the same odds as this O-line succeeding!
I’d bet on the Titanic first . . .
August 14th, 2014 at 5:43 pm
A Titanic joke? Really? Anway, I would say that I’m a little concerned at this point in time. full blown panic? Nah, to early for that, this ship hasn’t sunk yet. See what I did there.
August 14th, 2014 at 5:52 pm
@ Capt Tim,
Just have some coffee, and calm th f— down. At this time of the season, 1 preseason quarter in the books, the roster is a living fluid thing. It’ll take a few more gametime looks, of not only ours, but of every other game in the league the next few weeks, to get a more precise assessment on whos making s— happen now… And not who made s— happen in 2012, 2013… And we can all agree that OL is a concern, and there’s no doubt that moves will be made… But seriously, have a little restraint and see how l&l handle this before you get all Days-of-our-Lives on our asses.
August 14th, 2014 at 6:31 pm
@andrew1
well if we have learned anything from all the cruise ships going down, Its when the crew is tell you to be calm and patient, but you know that the boat is listing and adrift. You better start coming up with an exit strategy.
August 14th, 2014 at 7:23 pm
Maybe we can drown our O-line sorrows by watching the D-line?
Although once we remember that you can’t win games with just one
side of the ball then we’ll come crashing back down to Earth..
August 14th, 2014 at 7:29 pm
Andrew 1 and Buc realist- lol
The Ether- keep walking foward, then turn left.
That’s the sheep pen- for those who blindly believe in team leadership
A team that’s won 4 games or so for years.
Yeah, or if you look around in the sheep pen, there are the skeletons of poor Chicago sheep- who friggin died waiting on Lovie to fix that O-line- 7 years!!!
Be you keep right believing
But I do agree there is time. Every preseason- I’m the same . I jump up and down about the obvious flaws that our genius leadership fails to address
Last year- it was TE, Slot Reciever, Left guard, and depth everywhere
This year- Lovie and the boys have done a great job. It’s just the O -line
But the Problem is, with Lovie, it’s always the O-line. He’s never build one that would grade out as “fair” or better.
They have all sucked. It’s an amazing flaw, for such a great coach.
There is time to fix it
But I bet they dont
August 14th, 2014 at 10:28 pm
It’s interesting if not a little surprising to see Lovie and co take such an ambitious / aggressive / lean approach with the oline for obvious reasons of competitiveness and also that Lovie just endured oline hell in Chicago.
I think it’s silly to suggest that Lovie and Licht do not have a plan.
Equally silly is the idea that Lovie and Licht were actually counting on Nicks to play.. They have no history with Nicks and recent history would suggest that he could not be counted on to play in good health.
So first, what is their plan?
I think the reason they didn’t act more aggressive to bring in starting caliber fa guards is because they felt that they have capable players here already.
If you entertain that hypothetical the following thought becomes: Have their evaluations let them down?
Also worth considering, maybe the oline just had a clunker last week..
Only time will tell Bucco’s.