“Embrace The Stink”
December 10th, 2014
This season has been such a kick in the crotch for Bucs fans, this image is all they have to look forward to.
Joe has written so many times over the season how the Bucs fans have quickly become apathetic. There’s no winning. There’s no suspense. There’s no drama.
Shoot, it has gotten so bad, that there are wagers being placed when the losing streak at the Den of Depression (currently a seven-game losing streak dating back to December 2013) is snapped.
Few expect that to happen this season, with the final two Bucs home games against the Packers (before a sellout crowd of Packers fans) and the Saints.
In the past few days, the apathy, in a twisted sense, has dissipated if but for a short time. Why, because the Bucs are relevant again. They are leading the pack for the coveted No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft
It is a freefall and change in fortunes that few if any expected, notes Andrew Astleford of FoxSportsFlorida.com.
It’s worth recalling how ridiculous the thought of such a fall would have been at the year’s start. Back in January, when Smith entered One Buc Place with momentum from widespread public support, few reasonable observers expected the Tony Dungy disciple to turn a 4-12 team from 2013 into a sudden playoff contender.
There were too many holes, many of which Smith and general manager Jason Licht tried to patch in free agency. There were too many perceived weaknesses throughout the roster, many of which have been amplified in a swift and stunning decline to the NFL’s cellar. A 2-11 record would have been beyond comprehension in those early hours, in part because of Smith never lived worse than a 5-11 campaign in his nine seasons with the Chicago Bears, in part because it would have been hard to imagine the veteran coach being responsible for such a tire fire. Yet thanks to twists of fate, the Bucs are on the cusp of entering the national conversation for reasons they never would have imagined when Smith’s presence meant new hope and a fresh beginning. Embrace the stink.
The reason Bucs fandom has awakened suddenly after a grotesque season that has chased ticket buyers away from the Den of Depression?
Hope.
The hope that the Bucs finally, finally, finally are in the rare position to draft a top-flight signalcaller, whether that be Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota. For as we have seen first-hand this season, if you don’t have a quarterback, you have no hope. That’s all Bucs fans can cling to now.
December 10th, 2014 at 9:04 am
I just hope we are smart enough to draft a Qb!
December 10th, 2014 at 9:09 am
We will beat the Packers. That’s my prediction simply because it’s been a year since I’ve seen my team win in person. Also because nothing would be better than cutting the cheese and starting their downfall for the postseason.
December 10th, 2014 at 9:11 am
How was this a fall? Because Herm Edwards thought the Bucs would be good? I’d say the Bucs have stayed consistent with the last few years.
Neither of those qbs are top flight signal callers. We’re just so desperate that we fantasize about unrealistic things. I guess that’s all you can do as a Bucs fan.
December 10th, 2014 at 9:21 am
Hope the Glazers will step in if Lovie don’t want to draft a QB
December 10th, 2014 at 9:35 am
McCown is under contract one more year, so why draft a QB now? Tom Brady was a 6th round pick and Peyton and Brees were free agents.
Time for some coffee.
December 10th, 2014 at 9:39 am
Most likely, as they’ve found new ways to lose games, this team will find a way to move enough slots down in the draft to the point where they won’t be in the running for a college quarterback.
December 10th, 2014 at 9:42 am
1)Hire a President of football ops to oversee and make final decisions
2)Hire an experienced top notch OC
3)Draft a QB with first pick
4)Hire Marinelli
5)Cut ties with most FA busts. You know the names
If Lovie doesn’t like being stripped of full control. Too effin bad. No other NFL owner will give him that.
December 10th, 2014 at 9:44 am
Sad but true. If Magic Johnson can root for the Lakers to lose, then why is it wrong for our fans to do the same? #SuckfortheDuck #ShameusforJameis
December 10th, 2014 at 9:47 am
Trade down twice in the 1st round…Rebuild
December 10th, 2014 at 9:51 am
Trick is to lose but not get embarrassed..
The not embarrassed getting going to be the hard part…
They’re gonna lose all 3 remaining games thats a given, but if blown out and embarrassed (and based on the upcoming opponents that is a major possibility) then you have to seriously consider a house cleaning come Dec 29…everyone from Lovie to Licht must go. First I don’t trust Lovie to groom my dog let alone a bluechip number one pick QB, second, I don’t trust he’d even draft said bluechip number one pick QB…remember, this is Lovie “F’ing” Smith, the man who is still convinced a good defense and no QB will win you 10 games…yeah, how’d that work out for ya…
December 10th, 2014 at 9:52 am
The not embarrassed getting going to be the hard part…
Should read
The not getting embarrassed is going to be the hard part…
December 10th, 2014 at 10:03 am
if the bucs get the first pick, I am thinking to trade out for more picks or draft the best Oline or d linemen available. then go get Grayson from Colorado State. Drafting Mariota and Winston that high is very risky..
December 10th, 2014 at 10:12 am
All I want for Christmas is for the Saints to need to beat the Bucs to win the division. Locking up the division in the 2 weeks would be like a steel-toed cowboy boot kick to the nuts.
December 10th, 2014 at 10:14 am
The Glazers should fire Lovie regardless of whether he wants to take a QB. Lovie will ruin any QB we draft, gotta have an offensive minded head coach here for a QB to succeed. Lovie only knows how to ruin QBs, whether the oppositions or his own.
December 10th, 2014 at 10:19 am
What makes this funny is the people that think the Bucs could win if they wanted to. We have three kinds of players and coaches, one that is very good and try all the time, two is not very good and trying all the time, and three not trying or caring.
If you keep doing the same thing and it doesn’t work, it is the definition of insanity. We have managed to lose 11 games because the head coach picked the players, coaches, and approved the playbooks. He has changed some players on defense and it shows. He picked and/or approved every signing and it shows. On this team, he is in over his head.
December 10th, 2014 at 10:38 am
The Bucs stink this year! There’s no other way to put it. It’s kind of like digging through a dung heap….it’s going to stink no matter what, until you get to the bottom of it. The only upside at this point, is the fact that for stinking the most, we are rewarded with the #1 Draft choice. So “embrace the stink”! The Colts stunk as badly as we do a few seasons ago, and they got rewarded with Andrew Luck and are now a competitive team. Maybe we can do the same?
December 10th, 2014 at 10:48 am
Well the Bucs have not got their franchise qb yet and there are still 3 games where the Bucs could damage their chance at grabbing a qb with a W. The Saints could be done when they come to RJS if they crap the bed vs the Falcons and Bears, a real possibility. Joe even pointed out on the Duemig show that the Pack plays bad in 70+ weather in December, so the winless crowdbetter hope for a nice cold front like the one we just got here on the Suncoast. This weekend though seems to be the best spot for the Bucs to win, thus being the Bucs;Lovie and Arroyo will somehow find a way to lose again, just a guess but that Saint game does seem like it could be trouble if they are in freefall mode per the 41-10 loss at home last Sunday….
December 10th, 2014 at 10:50 am
Just lose baby
December 10th, 2014 at 11:21 am
such a fall?
did you just get to tampa joe? yes it’s so bad people are missing greg schiano a guy who lost 4 of his last 5 games in his first season INCLUDING 41-0 beating by the saints then lost the first 8 games of the next season and again got beat 42-17 in his last game as a bucs coach. fans are so damn forgetful as if we haven’t sucked since chucky left tampa, sorry to tell you delusional fans but you can make the excuse that this team sucks because of lovie but that would imply we were better before he got here. EVERY coach whiffs on players duh because you cant evaluate a man’s makeup and whats in his heart until you see it in battle. wake up people and stop acting as if we were on the verge of a superbowl title before lovie got here
not even chuckie could keep this team in playoff contention and so if your looking at history of it all since tony dungy was here then the common denominator is THE GLAZERS, maybe the issue is they have the jerry jones syndrome
December 10th, 2014 at 11:42 am
How can he say that “few reasonable observers expected the Tony Dungy disciple to turn a 4-12 team from 2013 into a sudden playoff contender”? Four of six MMQB writers expected them in the playoffs, not to mention Herm Edwards and many local beat writers. I know that I was expecting playoffs with all of the high-fiving the ‘experts’ around here were doing. http://mmqb.si.com/2014/09/02/nfl-2014-season-preview-extravaganza-the-mmqb-predictions/
December 10th, 2014 at 11:46 am
Ill bet you anything, Lovie is salivating over the thought of Leonard Williams. Can’t wait to get him.
A QB? Please. What good is that when you can have a DE from Bust University!
December 10th, 2014 at 12:41 pm
Most people on here really like Lovie Smith as HC except for the chicago bear trolls who keep coming here. I know who some of you are because i’ve seen your names on the chicago tribune comments section. The thing that I think most are concerned about is that Lovie Smith won’t draft a QB or try his best to win 1 or 2 more games to avoid the hassle. I grew up watching the Bears and after Ditka, there was Lovie who provided a winning tenure. BUT I really do think that there is a real possibility that he would not drat a QB with the 1st or 2nd round pick. If those owners don’t get to him then the draft will be a nail biter full of suspense. Notice how most of the national media won’t talk about the Bucs taking a QB. As much as I like Lovie he should be fired if he doesn’t do it and most likely he would with this team anyway. I bet that he will not sit the starters and play the old guy’s and the Bucs will beat the Packers. That’s my upset pick for that week and I’m considering putting 16pts. on it.. LOVIE PICK THE QB, it’s the best thing for you!!!
December 10th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
Embrace the stink already. We Bucs fans have been doing that for what seems like forever. If you are around something stinky long enough the stench lessens. And no, the Bucs will not beat the Packers.
December 10th, 2014 at 3:36 pm
If the Bucs win one of the 3 remaining games – Fans are going to feel very frustrated that we were so close to getting a potential franchise QB without overpaying like most teams do – but couldn’t manage to suck just a little bit longer for the good of the franchise.
If we win 1 more game- we would pick no better than 4 or 5 most likely. Both QBs are likely to be gone by the 3rd pick IMO as it looks now. 1-2 most likely. We’ll see. A lot can happen in the next 4 1/2 months though…
Even if FSU does win out and Winston is the primary reason – and he comes to the NFL as an undefeated College QB causing his stock to skyrocket to the top of the draft – There’s also always the reasonable chance that he has another “incident” – another brain lapse that combined with all the so-called behavior concerns to this point causes him to slip a bit farther in the 1st round.
C’mon Bucs. You can lose 3 more games. Do it for the good of the franchise.
With the right OC and Mariota at QB – I guarantee you we are in for a bunch of exciting Sundays in the future.
Winston just ooozes talent as well – but in a different way. Without great stats or supporting cast this year – he wills his not great team to a win – week in and week out. It was easy last year with all the talent around him – this year Winston has shown that he can consistently carry a team on his back to victory. When is the last time we had a QB like that – uh NEVER!