Lovie Back On Tony Sparano Watch?
December 29th, 2014
Tony Sparano helped get Donald Penn back in Pro Bowl form while the Raiders’ offensive line allowed just 28 sacks despite a rookie QB, garbage receivers and no running game.
One of the great losses of the Buccaneers’ last offseason, and there were many, was Tony Sparano jilting the Bucs.
This was well documented in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Sparano was lined up to be the Bucs’ offensive line coach, when he took a fat, last-minute deal to stay with the Raiders as O-line coach and assistant head coach.
The Bucs settled for former Cleveland O-line coach George Warhop, who gave a thumbs-up to Bucs management on Oneil Cousins and Garrett Gilkey. Thanks, George! Get outta here!
Joe must assume Lovie is keeping a close eye on Sparano’s job status with the Raiders. It’s almost a given he’ll be fired, despite wide praise for the job he did. Sparano was 3-9 as Oakland’s interim head coach, and the Oakland offensive line was a strength of the team.
The Raiders, anchored by Donald Penn at left tackle, allowed just 28 sacks all season. With a rookie quarterback, Derek Carr, that’s downright phenomenal. The teams that allowed as many or fewer sacks than the Raiders? All six had winning records: Cardinals, Texans, Patriots, Bengals, Broncos and Ravens.
Derrick Brooks even lauded the potential Bucs Sparano hire back in January, saying Sparano is a great communicator and would be a true asset.
What makes Sparano more interesting is that he’s had experience as an offensive coordinator (Jets), and while Joe doesn’t like Sparano in that role for the Bucs, at least he’s a seasoned coach — another set of offensive eyeballs. Man, the Bucs could have used that this year.
December 29th, 2014 at 11:04 am
Why not O/C?
December 29th, 2014 at 11:04 am
Chud, Sporano, Trestman…… anyone!
Shame is that better opportunities await them… elsewhere!
December 29th, 2014 at 11:06 am
Lol are the bucs going to be on hard knocks this year? That be so awesome to see Winston/Mariota and just the whole team to get some national tv time
December 29th, 2014 at 11:09 am
The hammer is falling across the NFL….gonna be a lot of coaches looking for a new gig by lunchtime!
December 29th, 2014 at 11:10 am
PFT snippet about Jets firings and advice to owner Johnson:
“Find people who know what they are doing and let them do it.
Go to the games. Have fun. Sign the checks. And keep away from the team.
It’s a smart approach for most NFL owners.”
Bucs would be well advised to follow that and start with keyword “FIND”.
December 29th, 2014 at 11:10 am
Please… not OC. Anyone remember the Wildcat?
December 29th, 2014 at 11:14 am
“The Bucs settled for former Cleveland O-line coach George Warhop, who gave a thumbs-up to Bucs management on Oneil Cousins and Garrett Gilkey. Thanks, George! Get outta here!”
This is enough to fire our O-line coach.
December 29th, 2014 at 11:20 am
Hey, he resurrected Donald Penn so what the hell? Although I’d like to let the next OC pick his own people, they could do worse.
December 29th, 2014 at 11:26 am
Marc Trestman is officially out in Chicago.
December 29th, 2014 at 11:29 am
I miss Donald Penn, cutting him and trading Zuttah were 2 of Lovies biggest mistakes, something the majority of Bucs fans called when it happened. Goes to show you don’t get rid of proven, healthy offensive lineman even of they are aging and lose a step.
December 29th, 2014 at 11:33 am
Trestman for OC? Well it could not be worse than what the Bucs got this season! Warhop should be already heading North on I-75 with his U-haul into Georgia if anyone at One Buc Place has any common sense. Guy sabotaged the offense along with an inept Marcus Arroyo: someone ought to do a Vegas Inquiry and see if any family or friends of Warhop took the under BIG on the Bucs win/loss total this year….. For that matter they ought to check close associates of Tedford for the same offense….
December 29th, 2014 at 11:37 am
sound like a good move if the bucs get this guy. anyone has to be better than the o-line coach the bucs have now.
December 29th, 2014 at 11:41 am
Lovie is still smothering any OC with his old school NFL DNA
December 29th, 2014 at 11:51 am
Trestman would be my pick for OC. As long as he understands that McCown is only there until Winston or Mariota are ready to take the reigns and Cutler will NOT be an option.
December 29th, 2014 at 11:52 am
how can one even have the energy anymore.
the bucs suck and until lovie proves otherwise my interest falls a little each day.
December 29th, 2014 at 11:53 am
what fiery OC is gonna want to come play lovieball?
either way we are getting a chicago offense, whoever the OC…….
last year at least we had dreams of a high octane spread offense.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:00 pm
It’s Dungy Lite, not Lovieball.
I have not seen one shred of innovation from this guy. He still runs Tony’s and Monte’s D intact.
Probably the main reason Tedford said no thanks. He was able to return weeks ago yet chose not to.
The basement sessions was a bill of goods the Glazer’s bought intact.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:00 pm
biff barker, would you PLEASE go away? You have added absolutely nothing to any conversations. Either shut up or leave, or start being constructive.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Bonasi,
The master of the obvious speaks! Stick to your fiction and stick it in Mark Alstott’s locker you twit.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:03 pm
On Rod Marinelli coming to Tampa:
From the Dallas Cowboys website mailbag
JOHN HYLAND
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Given the tremendous job that Rod Marinelli has done with the defense and his contract ending at the end of the year, do you see him with the team next year? Can Jerry throw enough money/titles at him to keep him?
Bryan: I have gone on record to say that I believe that Rod Marinelli will take the opportunity to move back to Tampa and help his friend Lovie Smith at the conclusion of this current season… To his credit Marinelli stepped up in a difficult situation and did exactly what he knew he could do with this defense. As much as I believe in Jerry Jones’ ability to close deals, this might be his most challenging due to the friendship of Smith and Marinelli.
David: I agree with Bryan that I think Marinelli is going to move on when this season is over.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:03 pm
Lovie knows O-Line…ahhaa
December 29th, 2014 at 12:04 pm
Imagine that. Penn played well this year. Thanks for blowing up the line Lovie.
Sparano would be a solid hire as the O-line coach. Warhop should be let go regardless.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:05 pm
@biff barker
Your insults would carry more weight if you had the intelligence to spell properly, even with the help of a spell checker.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:05 pm
Why do people want Trestman? The Bears offense was mostly garbage. Anyways Sporano is a longshot, he;s apparently legitimately in the Raiders hunt and you’d figure someone will give him an OC gig, so very little chance he comes here to be line coach. He’s earned himself an OC gig.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:08 pm
biff barker Says:
“Probably the main reason Tedford said no thanks. He was able to return weeks ago yet chose not to.”
Actually, that’s not accurate. Lovie didn’t want him back, because he realized the hire was a bad one.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:08 pm
Sparano would be an upgrade to Bucs’ Head Coach, so why would he come here to be a position coach?
December 29th, 2014 at 12:14 pm
Jim Harbaugh agrees to take Michigan job.
Man could have had a top job in the NFL. Insane. An NFL team would have matched and exceeded the offer he got from Michigan. Well, at least my friend over there will be happy.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:20 pm
BuccaneerBonzai Says:
biff barker Says:
“Probably the main reason Tedford said no thanks. He was able to return weeks ago yet chose not to.”
Actually, that’s not accurate. Lovie didn’t want him back, because he realized the hire was a bad one.
_______________________
All of Lovie’s hires have been bad dude. Taking a bad team and making it the worst team in football should tell you that.
Lovie hired Tedford to get hired by the Glazers. BTW, how can anyone make excuses for Lovie and the McCown hiring?
Glad there are hundreds of miles of pristine beaches in the Sunshine state to have a place to park your head.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:23 pm
Tony could be the new HC of the Raiders. Otherwise, he will be offered OC jobs.
I know this is off the wall, but Arthur Blank is cleaning house. If he fires Dirk Koetter, why not bring him in as offensive coordinator? He’s done a decent job with Matt Ryan.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:34 pm
Chudzinski at OC and Sporano at OL would be a great way to start the offseason. But I doubt Sporano takes the job and have no confidence in Liar and Lapdog to make a smart hire at OC.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:39 pm
The curse of Jon Gruden…… 3 HCs later the Bucs are 2-14 and Joe n fans hoping for a QB OL Running game Offensive coordinator…. Joe,Justin, Pee Wee,most in local media “Gruden gotta go, he lied to his players”. Haha, remember those days Joe? Boy were you wrong, no? #IMO
December 29th, 2014 at 12:41 pm
Sporano would make a great O Line coach for us. I would be stoked with that hire. As far as OC goes…I would look into another Chicago coach and check in on Tressman. We need an OC that will come in and say it is my offense and if you want me as your OC then I want full control over it. Lovie needs to focus on the D and let a real OC run the offense. You would think with the talent we have already and including the top pick in the draft and in most of the following rounds as well. A great OC would want to come here. We need oline help obviously but the position players are there. God I hate losing!! Come on Bucs…get this ish right
December 29th, 2014 at 12:43 pm
biff barker
“All of Lovie’s hires have been bad dude.”
Well, now, lets have a good look at that, just to be fair.
When Lovie Smith was hired, he wanted Rod Marinelli as his defensive coordinator. But rod had a year left on his contract and Jerry Jones refused to release him from it. Jones knew this ticked Rod off, so he moved Monte Kiffin to asst head coach and promoted Rod to DC. However, rod STILL refused a contract extension when it was offered. He’s leaving there. For Lovie.
That said, last year, Lovie did not get the guy he wanted, so he was forced to settle for Frazier. Bad hire? Yes, I agree. However, someone had to fill the role in 2014…someone Lovie knew he could replace the following year if needed.
Heck, truthfully, Rod could be hired as Assistant Head coach in Tampa, and we could still keep Frazier with the understanding that Rod would run the defense.
And then we have Jeff Tedford. I agree with you. He was a bad hire. That’s easy to say in hindsight like you, but I actually VOICED that same thought before he was even hired. A college coach going right to offensive coordinator in the NFL doesn’t usually do well. It’s best to start them off as an assistant.
Tedford chose his QB Coach (Marcus Arroyo), Offensive Line Coach (George Warhop) and Running Backs Coach (Tim Spencer). All of which had little experience in the NFL and ended up bombing.
Lovie EVEN gave Tedford the entire 2014 draft to build his offense.
Which kind of says that he is not Dungy-like, doesn’t it?
It’s true, the free agent class has not been great, or even good in most cases. Evan Dietrich-Smith was a BAD signing. Michael Johnson? He’s not use to the system, but then none of the players were. The defense has been improving, but Johnson has had injury issues constantly. The Bucs are stuck paying him though, so he’s here another year. Maybe he’ll “get it” and play better.
Alteron Verner has played well. So has Logan Mankins (he just can’t do it all himself on that line).
So that’s actually 50-50 on free agent signings, unless I’m missing someone (I’m not bothering with the little guys like Jenkins, who was never expected to work out).
Here’s the thing though…Jason Licht as much as admitted the free agent class of 2014 was on him yesterday in a radio interview. He said it wasn’t good enough and he needed to do better this year.
So there you have it.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:49 pm
Let’s review something…
Jon Gruden lasted what? 5 years? He was fired after having two consecutive winning seasons.
Raheem Morris, deserving as it was, was fired after what? 3 years?
Greg Schiano was fired after 2 years.
And now, you idiots are suggesting Lovie Smith be fired after 1 year???
Think about it. Seriously. What Head Coach candidate would consider coming to the Buccaneers knowing that one bad season could cost them the job? There is no stability in Tampa.
I’ll put this out there…the Glazers have to stick with Lovie smith for at least 3 years total, or the job of head coach in tampa will not be taken seriously by the good coaches.
Period.
5, 3, 2, 1. A pattern of instability.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:50 pm
Trestman’s out of a job
December 29th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
bonzai needs to back away from the lovie crack pipe
December 29th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
Sparano was absolutely horrible in his only attempt at being an OC. Maybe as an OL position coach. The Warhop hiring was a mistake from the start since he had been fired multiple times from previous teams for incompetence.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:56 pm
Robert 9 needs to get real.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:56 pm
Talk as we might about a new QB, the first thing the Bucs will do is to adopt an offensive philosophy and scheme. Then they will hire an OC to put an offensive organization together that will make the philosophy a reality. If the Bucs decide on a more traditional offense (Broncos/Patriots), and I believe they will, they should not rest until Marc Trestman, who is just released as HC of the Bears, is comfortable in the Florida sun. The man is a virtual QB Whisperer and is known as one of the best offensive minds in the business. Some guys make great OCs, but lousy coaches. Marc Trestman and Norv Turner stand alone in this regard.
And the Bucs should hire Aaron Kromer, his former OC, as O-Line Coach. Kromer was hired by the New Orleans Saints in 2008 as the running backs coach, before becoming the offensive line coach the following season. Under his tenure as OL coach, the Saints sent five players to a combined nine Pro Bowls, and tied for the fewest sacks in the league with 96. Under Kromer, the Saints line twice won the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award as the best offensive line in the league (in 2009 and 2011). Kromer filled in as the Saints’ interim head coach for the first six games of the 2012 NFL season when Sean Payton was suspended.
Experience, experience, experience! With the state of the QB situation at the Bucs, this is not the time to give a deserving guy an opportunity or grow someone in the position. The Bucs need a CEO for the offense – an area where Lovie has the least experience to offer. Trestman is well suited to prepare a new QB for the NFL and work with the existing talent to put a competent and competitive offense on the field. This is especially true if McCown is retained as the back-up QB. The pieces immediately fall into place.
Trestman is a mad scientist and has the personality and interpersonal skills of dried paint, but he knows offense and how to get the most out of a developing QB. Nobody questions the work he did with MVP Rich Gannon at the Raiders or even Josh McCown at the Bears. The most notable QBs Trestman worked with were Bernie Kosar, Steve Young, Jake Plummer and Rich Gannon. He served as either QB coach or OC when coaching each player. Trestman was able to boost the performance of every quarterback he has ever coached (nobody can help Jay Cutler), with impressive results as his coaching career went on.
December 29th, 2014 at 12:58 pm
ALL HAIL LOVIE!
WE NEED TO GIVE HIM AN EXTENSION!!!!
real enough bonzai?
December 29th, 2014 at 1:24 pm
“With former 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh set to head to Michigan as their new head coach, Tony Sparano is in the mix to remain the Raiders coach, Jeff Darlington of NFL Network reports.”
December 29th, 2014 at 1:45 pm
no to trestman, was he not supposed to be the man to get, mr cutlers head out of his arse? well we see what happened in chi town. I do not want Chicago south in tampa, ok there keeping lovie around for continuity I guess, but please until we get rid of that moron no more rejects from chicago
December 29th, 2014 at 2:38 pm
Why would Marinelli leave the Cowboys for this pile of #$&* in Tampa??
I would love to have him here; but I doubt he would leave Dallas for here.
December 29th, 2014 at 3:15 pm
no one can work with cutler, he’s proven to be a long term head case who is a coach killer. Trestman is a great offensive mind, but you have to have your qb on board, cutler was not, he freelanced way to much and when they started to get hit by the injury bug he got worse, as in any system, the players have to play within the framework of that system to work, the Tampa 2, once the defense started buying in we saw better defensive play, the Trestman offense is the same way, if they buy in it works, if not it doesn’t. Every scheme us a system, Belicheck has his, Brady bought in and it was magic, Gannon bought into Grudens system hook line and sinker and it made hi an MVP, play within the system….
December 29th, 2014 at 4:06 pm
Well Bonzai if the Glazers set two simple mandates during coaching then there should be no issues..(1) if you come in and get half as many wins as the guy you’re replacing then your job security is nada, (2) if you blow up the roster because you want your hand picked free agents and they play worse than the guys they’re teplacing then your job security is nada.
December 29th, 2014 at 4:07 pm
^^^ during coach searching ^^^
December 29th, 2014 at 5:17 pm
Bonzai – Gruden was HC of the Bucs for 7 years. 2002>2008.
December 29th, 2014 at 5:38 pm
why did we let Penn go? whose decision was that?
December 30th, 2014 at 2:16 am
Conner asked:
Why would Marinelli leave the Cowboys for this pile of #$&* in Tampa??
Answer: Cause he’s a fixer…. everywhere he’s been shy of the HC gig he makes defenses work look how bad Dallas was 3 seasons ago then last a little and wala This season Playoffs first time for them in years. His job is done Tampa is in his heart he knows the system and had Dallas to tinker with to make it work with the new offenses. And yes he’s going to save his friend’s ass Lovie and him go way back……….. And this is why Lovie needs him badly!!!!
Marinelli facts:
1996-2005 Bucs DLC, Asst HC he worked to develop lineman Warren Sapp HOF and Simeon Rice TBD HOF. During Marinelli’s tenure in Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers earned more sacks than any other franchise.
2006-2008 Lyons HC (Calvin Johnson only positive in 2007 draft)
2009-2012 Bears (with Lovie From 2010 to 2012, Marinelli’s defenses ranked ninth, seventeenth, and fifth, respectively. Also in 2012, the Bears led the NFL in interceptions with 24, along with in takeaways with 44, sixth in third-down efficiency (35.5 percent) and eighth in sacks with 41, while ranking third with the fewest points allowed (477).
2013-2014 Cowboys (2014 post season playoff’s last time Jan. 9th, 2010) A quote from “Marinelli says his Dallas defense is modeled off the old Tampa 2 scheme, but plays a mixture of man and zone and features variety.”