Are Players Afraid Of Lovie?
November 7th, 2014
Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy had interesting things to say Thursday at One Buc Palace and implied players may be scared of Lovie Smith and, thus, are not playing his way.
GMC spoke a lot about how Lovie is laying the law down.
Players better make up their minds to do what Lovie and his assistants tell them, and if they don’t, there’s the exit sign, GMC said in so many words.
Why this wasn’t done in training camp, Joe cannot answer.
A follow-up question about a newly acquired defensive end Jacquies Smith got Joe’s antennae up.
“He listens. He’s not afraid to take coaching, he’s not afraid to make a mistake and then own up to that mistake and that’s helping him improve,” GMC said. “One thing he can do is he can run. I told him – I said, ‘If you just run, I’ll help you. I’m going to draw a lot of attention for whatever reason that is, but if you just run, I’ll help you. I’ll help you make some plays. I just need you to just do what you do best and that’s get off the block.”
Joe has speculated that the benching of quarterback Mike Glennon smells like a panic move by Lovie, that he may be in danger of losing the team if he doesn’t find a way to get a win or two. Quickly. What GMC said sure doesn’t change Joe’s mind.
It almost sounds, based on GMC’s comments, like either guys aren’t listening to Lovie and his staff, don’t trust Lovie and his staff, or have already tuned Lovie out.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:07 am
Don’t know if the players fear Lovie but the fans do!
November 7th, 2014 at 10:13 am
The empty rhetoric that Lovie rambles on and on about each and every day, not only gives him no credibility with the players it also trickles down to the fans who get sick and tired of all the hot air.
This organization is a mess top to bottom. Not to be conspiracy guy but I really don’t believe Tedford is gone entirely to health reason. To quiet… no shout outs get well coach etc…. something is truly up with that one.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:16 am
He’s putting deep down fear into the hearts of: season ticket holder’s. That much is true.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:19 am
why didn’t we hire Mike Zimmer?
November 7th, 2014 at 10:20 am
I’m not sure what to make of the players listening, or not listening, tuning out or not. However, a side from the two blow out tail beatings that resembled the stomping of a narc at a bikers rally, this team has been in a lot of these games. If the QB play was beyond average, the running game would show up and I think we would have a much better record. Like I’ve said before, the defense has been improving the last two games. Hate to say it, but if this team (and fans) can hang on, with a few new faces added to the team next year; QB, MLB, S, DE, this team could be fun to watch.
In the mean time – GO BOLTS!!!
November 7th, 2014 at 10:21 am
@tmax
I really don’t believe Tedford is gone entirely to health reason. To quiet… no shout outs get well coach etc…. something is truly up with that one.
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This ^^^^^^
November 7th, 2014 at 10:21 am
All off season, when everyone was seal clubbing Schiano, all we heard was how respected Lovie was and how he treated grown men like men. Now they’re scared?
November 7th, 2014 at 10:22 am
LOL….now thats a funny notion…..I think they are afraid he is incompetent !…Afraid there careers are waisting away….afraid the might get hurt playing for this BOOB…..yeah they should be afraid !
I am afraid I wasted alot of money on Season Tickets
I am afraid to tell people I have FREE tickets to give away..for fear of being rejected
November 7th, 2014 at 10:24 am
The Browns got Mike Pettine basically because he was the only guy interested. The Lions got Jim Caldwell and everyone mocked them. We got Lovie and were praised as making the best hire that could be made, a surefire homerun.
Whoops….
November 7th, 2014 at 10:25 am
McCoy is basically saying that Michael Johnson sucks
November 7th, 2014 at 10:28 am
I wouldn’t trust Lovie for anything. If he talks to the players like he talks to the media and the fans then how can you trust him? I also found this disturbing:
“I said, ‘If you just run, I’ll help you. I’m going to draw a lot of attention for whatever reason that is, but if you just run, I’ll help you.'”
GMC doesn’t know why he draws attention?
November 7th, 2014 at 10:30 am
All of these guys have ben around competent coaching in their lives, if not they wouldn’t have made it this far…they know what competent coaching looks and sounds like…this ain’t it and they all know it…with one more curb stomping and he’ll lose the locker room, thats if he hasn’t already.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:32 am
Shocking that a team full of mercenary free agents and players who are clearly going to be replaced next year who don’t have the requisite talent to be kept aren’t listening to the coach. Lovie will trim the fat and he’ll get in people that fit the scheme and have the right attitude.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:33 am
BFFL – I thought he might have been taking another shot at Bowers, not Johnson, maybe both.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:34 am
Anybody see that game last night? We didn’t look as bad as the Bengals did. HA
November 7th, 2014 at 10:37 am
That Smith kid is a gamer. But please Aunt Geraldine don’t mess with this kid at all. The last thing we want and need is another DL picking up RB’s after getting run over.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:41 am
Hey Ray, don’t you have a woman to beat up to prove your manhood or something….
November 7th, 2014 at 10:43 am
You can fool some of the people all of the time
and
You can fool all of the people some of the time
and that’s good enough for Lovie to continue collecting a Buc’s pay check.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:45 am
@Rastamon
I warned you about making intelligent comments.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:47 am
You can not quit what you never started. This team never “bought” into Laid back Lovie therefor Lovie can not lose what he never had.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:49 am
@FLMike
Dont let me catch you slipping in the elevator. My wife and I are in a better place now.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:50 am
When is there ever going to be any accountability on this team. We see it over and over again. This team has been terrible regardless of who’s coaching.
Let’s stop blaming every coach that walks in the door and say their losing the team and not playing up to their potential… Maybe the players suck or their just a soft a$$ team that cracks at the 1st sign of adversity.
I’m not saying Lovie is doing a great job, but it’s annoying Joe keeps putting up article upon article about lovie sucking and the mistakes lovie has made…
WHAT ABOUT THE PLAYERS!!! Why is the locker room being lost under every coaching staff?
Just maybe the whole roster needs to go.
I love McCoy but he’s too damn nice. Go punch someone in the damn face, intimidate the other team, thats what Sapp did. Dashon Goldson a leader in the locker room and hasn’t done sh*t since signing a contract except get fined. Even the great Lavonte David is a soft spoken leader. Mason foster… quiet leader, Michael Johnson… Quiet.
Where is the heart, where is the guy that says ENOUGH! Let’s sttop blaming all the coaches, lets stop blaming the playcalling, the stunts, the QB. When is someone in Tampa going to step up and be the guy?
This team has know heart and until we have somone to in the locker room that steps up and punches someone in the face for being a softcake. No Coach can win with this team.
I’m embarrassed to be a fan of this team and Lovie has nothing to do with it.
I rock Buccaneers T-shirts now, I have not 1 jersey of any player on are team because I can’t rally around 1 guy on this roster. Their all a bunch of Vag*nas
November 7th, 2014 at 10:52 am
Winston accused of point shaving. Jamie’s watch is officially over.
November 7th, 2014 at 10:57 am
Trade glennon and a 3rd of Johnny baller
November 7th, 2014 at 10:59 am
And
November 7th, 2014 at 11:07 am
This might be Lovie’s plan from the start. Start out a sucky team, then reveal his inner brilliance in working that team to a few wins. In the end, everybody can praise Lovie for turning the lovable losers into a near .500 success.
November 7th, 2014 at 11:13 am
Agree w/ the statement above: “McCoy is basically saying that Michael Johnson sucks”
I have watched many times Michael Johnson just standing there playing patty-cake.
November 7th, 2014 at 11:14 am
@DallasBuc-
Point shaving? You’re kidding, right? If you’re not, then Winston is officially the dumbest human on the planet.
November 7th, 2014 at 11:15 am
You can be a thief and play in the NFL (numerous examples; Peter Warrick comes to mind for example), you can mistreat women and play in the NFL (Jeremy Stevens and all the allegations out of U Washington land) but if one gets tied in with ****ing with a point spread by shavin’ points and it can be a career killer for any athlete. Not saying that Winston did anything wrong, I am just saying that this rumor can do far more damage than any of the other accusations that have come out of Tallahassee. Lets see if they shake out; just a personal observation; the Fox Sports article I read did not seem to be Pulitzer Prize material; I seen better sports journalism written by USF sophomores in the Oracle…. But the author did sum up the situation right; “What a mess”. Indeed! Even if Winston is exonerated of the point shaving the stigma is gonna stick and probably ding up his draft value just because he is allegedly associated with the scumbag which this article is centered around…..
November 7th, 2014 at 11:21 am
I said it weeks ago. Lovie lost this team after the loss to the Rams where his true colors shined- playng not to lose, rather than being agressing and playing to win. It was a gutless, chicken spit effort by Lovie that game and everyone knew it.
November 7th, 2014 at 11:35 am
You said it Frank, that Lamb loss set the tempo for the whole damned season; 3 other losses were just like that St Louis fold: Vikes, Browns & Saints. Perhaps the team psyche would be 180 degrees opposite if they won the Ram game, the Bucs had 4th quarter leads in 5 of their 8 games so far and won one of them; the Pitt game which is the one game out of the 5 which they held leads that was the least likely game they should’ve won…. Playing not to lose has created the loser mentality; excellent point Mr Pillow….
November 7th, 2014 at 11:42 am
Players afraid of Lovie ~ only in the sense that they are afraid of how long Lovie will be their coach and waste their youth, talent and time in the NFL to be successful!
November 7th, 2014 at 11:42 am
Hmmmph… the players think Lovie is a phony?
Look what he did to Glennon. He’s tried to deal him since day 1.
November 7th, 2014 at 11:45 am
Quit going to games or if you do wear paper bags over your head saying fire Lovie Dovie. What a friggin name.
November 7th, 2014 at 11:48 am
The players are afraid they will be traded for a conditional 5th round draft pick.
November 7th, 2014 at 12:05 pm
It’s been ONE season and not even a FULL season. Lovie and Licht made some personnel moves that did and some that have not worked out, but it’s still not quite his team. QBs and coaches both need a little more time than a half year or even ONE year to be evaluated. You’ve got to have faith in the team. You know what does more damage to a team’s morale? Fans constantly bashing the team and wanting to “blow it all up”.
Stand behind your team and look for some positives. Firing a coach after one year and bringing in a new coach, with different schemes and personnel, is not going to solve the team’s issues.
For a team who has had little success in the NFL, some of.you guys act like we are a model franchise like the Pats or Colts. As if we have some great history like Pittsburgh or Dallas. As if Montana and Bill Walsh are out in the open market.
Chill the -F- out, man.
November 7th, 2014 at 12:05 pm
@biff
Lovie is a phony. years back the knock on Chuck y was he was 2 faced. it appears that we have the same now.
If i were glennon, i would asked to be traded. Ask Washington if they would like him. see how fast he is gone.
November 7th, 2014 at 12:06 pm
@john
if a coach is loosing but maintains respect, i agree.
not the case now
November 7th, 2014 at 12:12 pm
If a team leader has to single out a peer and praise him for LISTENING and give him kudos because that player is “not afraid to take coaching, he’s not afraid to make a mistake and then own up to that mistake and that’s helping him improve,” then what does that say about the OTHER players on that unit???
November 7th, 2014 at 12:21 pm
Jacquies Smith is our new starting LDE folks.
Johnson is gonna come out on third downs.
Gholston is gonna play more DT on third downs. He could be like JJ Watt down at DT.
I hope we rest Johnson for the next 3 weeks. Hes too hurt to play.
We need to draft a DE first and second next year.
November 7th, 2014 at 12:56 pm
This nonsense about you can’t blow a team up after one year is complete nonsense. If you know you hired the wrong guy or group of guy’s, then you blow it up. For instance, if Farmer is the right guy in Cleveland, then they made the right call. Notice how I said Farmer, and not Pettine. The right GM is what makes or breaks a team and the future of a team.
November 7th, 2014 at 1:57 pm
SMH Joe I thought you were smarter than that! If this doesn’t show that Lovie has a quick hook w/ WHOEVER the player is then idk what else to say. Mark Barron 1st rd pick (7th overall) has been shipped out. Mike Glennon who has close to almost 20 starts now has shown enough & will be gone. Michael Johnson has produced & has been taken off the field for William (92) & Smith (56) to provide edge rushers.
The think that stuck w/ me more than anything is Licht saying “you have to cut bait w/ players, just move on & realize you made a mistake quickly” I believe this is what’s going on. Trust me Johnson will get till next yr to show that he even belongs on the team or he’s gone. I’m not even saying he’s gonna start next yr, but just to stay on the team. Lovie & Licht are making quick changes & they’re not afraid to show they were wrong about players evaluations. Shit which coach/GM is right about every player they sign or draft!
November 7th, 2014 at 2:42 pm
Shiano was a terrible coach for the Bucs for 2 seasons and Lovie with his (Shiano) “STUDS” are terrible but getting better on defense and Bucs fans are clamoring for Lovie’s head. Look there are either trolls from chicago who just hate Lovie or 1 to 2 people with multiple names commenting on here. Because some commenters are arguing about who did a better job coaching a terrible team and developing a back-up quarterback.
November 7th, 2014 at 2:51 pm
@DB55- yup cuz tedford found out how much of a moron the head coach is. and wanted out!!
November 7th, 2014 at 2:53 pm
also these players are not afraid. they too! found out how this pinhead coach doesn’t have a clue.
November 7th, 2014 at 3:01 pm
@DB55- yup cuz tedford found out how much of a moron
I would trade glennon for k cousins in a ny minute
November 7th, 2014 at 3:31 pm
“I will tolerate you until I can replace you”
November 7th, 2014 at 4:00 pm
” …Lovie with his (Shiano) “STUDS” are terrible but getting better on defense and Bucs fans are clamoring for Lovie’s head. Look there are either trolls from chicago who just hate Lovie or 1 to 2 people with multiple names commenting on here”
Sorry to burst your bubble Newbucsfan but there is a third more plausible scenario that is Schiano went 7-9 year one and flopped out a 4-12 season with a QB meltdown, MRSA, and media circus. Lovie has none of that in year one and will be lucky to manage 4 wins let alone 7. More damning for Lovie than the record however is the complete team regression in stats as well as performance on the field. Lovie has a lot of self evaluation to do next off season
November 7th, 2014 at 5:08 pm
@tmaxcon
Your an idiot if you believe anything you said.
November 7th, 2014 at 5:40 pm
IMHO, the two main roles for the head coach are:
1) Choose the best players from the current roster and potential draft picks, as well as potential free agents available; both with respect to the starting lineups, as well as the backups and PS.
2) Once that is done, then offensive and defensive schemes are implemented, taught to the players and then honed over time to improve their individual play, as well as their gelling into a cohesive team.
So, with respect to role # 1:
Has Lovie Smith chosen the best players for this roster overall, and then the best starters?
Jamon Meredith — backup tackle Colts
Davin Joseph — starting RG Rams
Donald Penn — starting LT Raiders
Jeremy Zuttah — starting C Ravens
sed or traded PRIOR to training camp/OTAs/preseason.
Was Casillas better than Lansanah in TC/preseason?
Was Tim Wright given any chance to compete at TE?
Was Eric Page given an adequate opportunity?
Louis Murphy was our best receiver in preseason, hurt but cut too.
Josh McCown was signed and named the starter before the first pass was thrown?
Maybe he needed all of his guys to run his system, but……..?
With respect to role #2:
Has Lovie Smith “coached them up”. I do agree they have gotten better since the start of the season, but are they playing smart, disciplined football; or do they show lack of discipline, stupid penalties, poor tackling and fundamentals, disorganization, poor clock management, and unimaginative play-calling?
Mike Evans gets “stripped” of a sure TD in exhibition by carrying the ball on his “inside” hand.
Illegal procedure, illegal shift, and illegal formation penalties.
Delay of game penalties not the fault of the QB.
Available timeouts not being judiciously spent.
Not challenging a catch by Mike Evans, yet calling a timeout before the next play, when throwing the challenge flag, at worst, costs you that same timeout!
So, you decide: are we a well-coached team?
If so, tell me which individuals are playing BETTER than last year.
tickrdr
November 7th, 2014 at 5:44 pm
@TheKevin…tmaxcon makes a lot of sense…I sniff a power struggle that sent Barron and Casillas packing …I think Licht recognizes that being a puppet for a murmuring, hubris, double talking Lovie will only get him ruined in this league….It’s no secret that Lovie ordered full control…so far EVERY ONE of his high price free agents(and coach) are sidelined for IMO lack of resolve …what does that say about Lovie’s ability to find football MEN…not the school of Jamarcus Russell “ballers”…