Dickie V Pleads For A Quarterback
January 13th, 2015
Uber Bucs fan Dick Vitale begs Team Glazer and Jason Licht to stop the madness and draft a quarterback come April. (Photo courtesy of Buccaneers.com.)
Bucs fans have had it with garbage quarterback play. They see the quarterbacks in the playoffs and know the Bucs do not have a QB that could lead the team to the conference championships.
Bucs fans understand if you don’t have a quarterback, you are screwed.
For the first time in ages, the Bucs have the opportunity to address their biggest need and, at the same time, add a quarterback that potentially could be spoken of in the same breath as top tier NFL quarterbacks.
To that end, Joe has received numerous Twitter messages from fans claiming they will throw in the towel on the Bucs if their No. 1 pick is not used on a much-needed quarterback. Essentially, these fans are saying if the team no longer gives a damn about winning, then they don’t give a damn anymore about the team.
Joe understands the frustration. With the exception of two seasons with leaky, sleepy Josh Freeman, since Brad Johnson led the Bucs to the promised land, the Bucs have been led by a parade of castoffs, never-beens and has-beens, from Brian Griese to Jeff Garcia, from Bruce Gradkowski to Josh McCown, it has been almost criminal what the Bucs have tried to pass off as decent quarterbacks.
At least Garcia was serviceable and made a Pro Bowl. Bucs fans, frankly, are tired of this dog-chasing-its-tail routine, watching as other teams draft quarterbacks in the first round, develop them, and march their teams into the playoffs. Year after year after painful year.
In April, the Bucs can an end this nonsense for at least the next 12 years, if Lady Lucks smiles.
One Bucs fan who simply cannot stomach more miserable quarterback play is Dick Vitale. The infamous ESPN college hoops analyst took to Twitter Sunday, pleading with Jason Licht and Team Glazer to end the madness and get a signal-caller on the final day of April.
If u r the Bucs – Do u take Mariota or Winston ? U CAN NOT win in the NFL w/o quality play @ QB! http://t.co/Y4wHbpw6xK
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) January 8, 2015
Interestingly, the link Vitale had in his Twitter post leads to a story on Jameis Winston. Hhhmmm?
Look, nothing makes a Bucs fan want to throw a beer bottle against the wall more than this abject irresponsibility of ignoring the most important position on the team. And no, just because you pay a never-been starters’ money doesn’t mean the guy suddenly transforms from a long-time turnover-prone frog into a prince.
The Bucs have it in their power to easily end this nonsense and do the right thing. No more excuses.
January 13th, 2015 at 9:41 am
I’m with Dickie V on this. Draft a PTP-er Baby!
Go Bucs
January 13th, 2015 at 9:46 am
winston and mariota are risky picks…team can’t go all in on one player….trade down to get 2-3 quality starters and build depth and talent level makes more sense…Is QB Petty at top of 2nd round too high?…faith in Testaverde and Freeman set this franchise backwards…
January 13th, 2015 at 9:47 am
I threw in the towel when Lovie was not fired….
January 13th, 2015 at 9:48 am
They will draft a QB Joe. But luckily for you, we won’t know that for sure until draft day most likely – so you will get to write roughly this same story about 29 more times over the next 14 weeks. – and as a bonus – we also have approximately (14 X 7 X 2 =) 196 more Jameis Winston articles from you to look forward to between now and then….
January 13th, 2015 at 9:55 am
The key word there is develop.
Its fine to call for a rookie QB, and they should draft one, but will the fans have the patience to let the guy develop?
I doubt it given the attitude of many already wanting to run Lovie out of town after one season, after the train wreck he inherited.
Lovie took over a team with no QB. He got one of the only available FA QB’s. He had no other options.
Five years of the supposedly great GM hadn’t produced a good QB either.
January 13th, 2015 at 9:55 am
JoeJoes Fungi Nails Says:
January 13th, 2015 at 9:47 am
I threw in the towel when Lovie was not fired….
———————
Trust me I understand but all we can do is go along for the ride! But yes I agree Lovie leaves a lot on the field to be desired and player eval has sucked!
Hopefully this is history in 4 months.
January 13th, 2015 at 9:56 am
Bucco, hell ya 2nd round is to high for Petty. Wait until the 4th or 5th rd if you want him. He is currently the #4 QB in the draft. After the combine it could change though.
January 13th, 2015 at 9:56 am
The young man from Ohio State could end up as a better prospect than both Winston and Mariota…..a little experience more practice time and who knows….great size, great mobililty, big arm, doesn’t rattle as evidenced by his deportment during the championship game….cool and calm….even with the chaos around him…..he’s a gamer!
January 13th, 2015 at 9:56 am
I looooooooooooove the “trade down and get 2 or 3 quality starters” theory…
You realize that none of those 2 or 3 guys you would pick instead are guaranteed to pan out? There’s actually a higher likelihood of them being a bust (that’s why they’re not being considered as a top 5 pick)….so if you trade away your chance at an elite quarterback prospect….and swing and miss on 2 out of 3….or let’s assume one guy is great, one is average (think Mason), and one is a complete bust…have you really improved your team? No…no you have not.
January 13th, 2015 at 9:56 am
Joe what’s up with this black pop up box that comes up and makes me exit out of it before I can read any article??
January 13th, 2015 at 10:06 am
Draft Leonard Williams, tank in 2015, fire Lovie, draft Mr. Jones.
#FailForCardaleIn2015
January 13th, 2015 at 10:15 am
Bucrightoff – So Lovie should tank to get himself fired? Is that what a real Buc fan wants? I don’t want another losing year if we can help it. That’s counter-intuitive.
January 13th, 2015 at 10:18 am
Can we fire Lovie and get John Fox now that he is available.
January 13th, 2015 at 10:18 am
Keeping Lovie was counter-intuitive but we did that too. Besides once Lovie gets in the room with Leonard or Randy Gregory he’s gonna be so hard at what he can do with them….what can he do with Mariota? Well, besides ruining him.
January 13th, 2015 at 10:18 am
It is counter intuitive …leaving Lovie as Head Coach…
January 13th, 2015 at 10:20 am
Come on guys, Jones will be available in the 4th or 5th round this year. If he doesn’t come out this year he won’t be starting in OSU he would need to transfer.
January 13th, 2015 at 10:22 am
No personal offense meant because I am sure most of you are saying this stuff in jest but, I’m getting tired of fellow Bucs fans wishing bad things upon my(our) team. Keep rooting for failure/tanking and that’s all you’ll ever get.
January 13th, 2015 at 10:28 am
Just read that the DC from Arizona is the leading candidate for the Falcons. He had a great defense in Arizona. Only more reason to get a QB and change our offense into a real offense vs Lovieball.
January 13th, 2015 at 10:39 am
ChanEpic Says:
January 13th, 2015 at 10:22 am
No personal offense meant because I am sure most of you are saying this stuff in jest but, I’m getting tired of fellow Bucs fans wishing bad things upon my(our) team. Keep rooting for failure/tanking and that’s all you’ll ever get.
______________________________________________________________
None taken but what I’m getting tired of is acting like we’re a QB away from the playoffs which is beyond laughable. This is a horrible team that is years away from competing for anything that matters if it’s going to be built right. But most fans are too impatient and think drafting Mariota or Winston is an instant cure all, when if they have to play behind the kind of line play we got last year both are going to bust.
January 13th, 2015 at 10:52 am
I get the sentiment and share it. But really are we supposed to do the wrong thing just because it would be doing something?
If neither of these two QB’s are worth the pick (I’ll trust L&L and Koetter to make that call not bloggers) why would we waste just to make ourselves feel good.
Joe is not being logical when he says take one of the top two regardless. What if neither of the top two is really worth it?
@Joe Would you be OK if the Bucs passed on a QB in the top spot and either selected the BPA which IMHO could very easily NOT be one of the two Heismans, or traded down for more picks and THEN picked up a QB in the later rounds?
What if Koetter or Licht have identified a QB they’re high on that can be had later in the draft? No matter WHO they take it’s no sure deal.
January 13th, 2015 at 10:52 am
Bucrightoff – Thanks for the civil back and forth. Consider me one of the fans that thinks(hopes) that this team IS a competent QB away from more wins. I can’t imagine the OL will be as terrible as it was last year and I also don’t think a guy like Lovie has lasted this long in the NFL being completely clueless. I have been on record and consistent, the 2014 Bucs would have been extremely lucky to win 6 games. Been saying that since last year’s pre-season. I call it like I see it and I’m calling the 2015 Bucs as an 8-8 team BECAUSE of improvements on the OL and at QB not in spite of. Gladly going out on that limb.
January 13th, 2015 at 10:57 am
@bucrightoff
most fans are too impatient and think drafting Mariota or Winston is an instant cure all, when if they have to play behind the kind of line play we got last year both are going to bust.,
Amen. If people paid attention to this weekends playoff games there were a COUPLE of common denominators. First…yes all the teams had at least competent to good NFL QB’s…I get that. But these QB’s had various styles and more than one way to excel.
The other common thread was they ALL had time to throw and play behind great offensive lines.
Joe is correct that a LT never lead a team downfield on a game winning drive.
The best QB in the world has never lead a team downfield on a game winning drive from the seat of his pants!!!
This really is a chicken and egg kind of debate. Which comes first..QB or line.
IMO there is NO correct answer. We’ve seen it done BOTH ways…build a great team and then find a QB….Find a QB and build a great team around him.
The Key is not which position…is getting quality in all positions which requires excellent drafting (most important IMO) and judicious acquisitions of FA’s to fill just a few holes not build a team.
January 13th, 2015 at 10:58 am
Many fans will pout and threaten to cancel tickets if the Bucs pass on a QB with the first pick, but I’m willing to bet that the fans would rather see the team win games by a score of 13-9 than lose 31-38. Winning sells tickets and generates excitement…period. We have one franchise player and badically no depth from the 3 Rah/Dom drafts, several starters and rotational players from the 2 Schiano/Dom drafts, and 1 potential elite player along with a lot of unknown players (mostly due to injury) from the one Lovie/Licht draft. This nonsense of the cupboard being bare is just that…nonsense. WITH GOOD COACHING (the big ?) I see this team being a few pieces away from being competitive especially in a weak division. My vote is still to strengthen the sub par OLine, draft an impact pass rusher, and maybe a project QB to compete with Glennon for the starting QB role. Perhaps a vet re-tread QB added to the mix? If that doesn’t pan out then the team will be in a position to draft high again, Lovie will have been fired, and an offensive minded HC can hand pick his franchise guy in 2016 with a better Oline in place as well as a (hopefully) talented D.
January 13th, 2015 at 10:59 am
BrianDorry55 Says:
You realize that none of those 2 or 3 guys you would pick instead are guaranteed to pan out?
__________________________________________________
The same can be said about Winston or Mariota. Just sayin.
January 13th, 2015 at 11:01 am
We could definitely trade back and get around 12 picks for the draft. Do Like NE did in 2010.
1
2
2
2
3
4
5
6
7
7
7
7
Except I would want some of those 7s to be 5s probably. Imagine though. 12 picks in the draft.
January 13th, 2015 at 11:01 am
Jaboo!
January 13th, 2015 at 11:15 am
This is why Jameis scares the hell out of me! http://blogs.nfl.com/2009/02/20/underclassmen-quarterbacks-are-a-risk/
Don’t know if this link will work but top 5 underclassman QBs since 1990 are Rothlesberger, Bledsoe, Dilfer (Ravens), Vick and Vince Young out of 15 total from 1st round! Not exactly getting warm fuzzies. Not saying which the Bucs should draft becasue they both scare me but buyer beware.
January 13th, 2015 at 11:31 am
This is the same Dickie V that thought that hiring Willie Taggart was a slam dunk….love ya Dickie V, and I love your work for the Jimmy V foundation….but stick to basketball and fighting cancer
January 13th, 2015 at 11:39 am
Dick Vitale knows nothing about football. He said the Bucs should have drafted John Manziel. Nuff said.
January 13th, 2015 at 11:40 am
Absolutely pick a QB…but not with the #1 pick! So many successful lower round draft picks at QB!! Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Kap, Kurt Warner, Brett Farve, Dan Marino (all those GM’s should have been fired)!
If the Buc’s are going to use the #1 pick, trade it for a HC who can evaluate talent. Pete Carroll, Bill Belichick, Chuck Pagano, Bruce Ariens, Chip Kelly could come to Tampa and beat their old teams with our roster. The could then turn around and go back to their teams and past 50 points on Lovie with their old teams.
Lovie and the Big Poodle need to pack their bags and head on out….don’t ya come back…no more..no more!! I don’t care if Lovie the Loser could take all 32 players in the first round, he is unable to coach the best out of the players , his time management is childish in its technical form (or lack thereof), and he could not coach his way out of a wet paper bag.
Please Jose!!!!! Smack the Big Poodle in the mush and tell him if John Fox (I agree with the firing) can be fired at 48-16 or whatever, then Lovie the Loser should have been fired weeks ago for that stinker of a 2-14 season he laid on Tampa Bay.
FIRE LOVIE THE LOSER TODAY! LET HIM GO HOLD A CLIP BOARD FOR JOHN FOX!!
Greg Schiano
January 13th, 2015 at 11:44 am
P.S. Joe!
Tell the Big Poodle that he and his boy Lovie owe me $200 bones I spent taking my son to the Saints game only to watch that wanna be put in the entire second string in the 3rd quarter. Why?? He can’t coach and no matter whether he gets the #1 or #2 pick, he could not coach these players if his life depended on it.
NEED TO PAY LOVIE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF WINS!! CUT HIS PAYCHECK INTO 16 PARTS….1 PART FOR EACH WIN!
Lovie the Loser must go!
January 13th, 2015 at 11:53 am
ChanEpic Says:
January 13th, 2015 at 10:52 am
Bucrightoff – Thanks for the civil back and forth. Consider me one of the fans that thinks(hopes) that this team IS a competent QB away from more wins. I can’t imagine the OL will be as terrible as it was last year and I also don’t think a guy like Lovie has lasted this long in the NFL being completely clueless. I have been on record and consistent, the 2014 Bucs would have been extremely lucky to win 6 games. Been saying that since last year’s pre-season. I call it like I see it and I’m calling the 2015 Bucs as an 8-8 team BECAUSE of improvements on the OL and at QB not in spite of. Gladly going out on that limb.
_______________________________________________________________
I think 8-8 is probably their ceiling next year. 6-10 or 7-9 seems about right to me, but thats not going to be enough to save Lovie’s job. He needs to go 9-7 to win at least as many games as Schiano did in his two years, and Lovie’s a 10 year NFL vet head coach. To not produce a winning season in two years is awful.
And Lovie’s made the playoffs 3 times in 10 years. Maybe not clueless, but a very mediocre coach. John Fox just won his division 4 times in a row, Harbaugh 4 straight NFC title games and they both got fired. Lovie needs to be held to a much higher standard around here.
January 13th, 2015 at 11:55 am
@Greg Schiano
agree with the saints game fiasco…I travelled 2,000 miles with 2 club seats and got to see T.King, Pamphile and whoever else shat their pants, lose a winnable game…John Fox would be a great hire! a year too late though…
January 13th, 2015 at 11:59 am
Not all Buc fans are tired of it Joe. Some are ridiculously hoping the Bucs trade down.
Fools every single one of you. I’m not singling anyone out. I’m lumping you together.
January 13th, 2015 at 11:59 am
Greg Schiano’s experience with his son at the Saint’s game ought to simply lend more fire to the draft a qb with the first overall pick as the Glazers have to do something to bring people back to RJS. Not too often in NFL history does a team go winless at home but the Bucs accomplished that in the most inept ways imaginable.
To the other greg who is slamming the bus driver Willie Taggert: well everyone knew USF was a huge mess thanks to Judy Genshaft firing Leavitt and allowing one Skippy Holtz to set the program back to 1-AA level in his short stay. Lets see what Taggert does with a couple of his recruiting classes now onboard, He did get a diamond in the rough with the kid from Sarasota Booker; Marlon Mack and does recruit the Tampa region and SW Florida well, at least better than Skippy; so this 3rd year will be telling if Willie sticks around; but yeah another 4-8 season could and should get him fired…. Another thought: UAB just shut their program down, once upon a time the Blzers were quite a bit like USF in being an upstart program in a football city sitting in the shadows of a major program (Bama and the Gators); given the state of USF football do not be surprised if those contraction rumors start if Taggert fails to turn USF around….
January 13th, 2015 at 12:00 pm
@Bucrightoff,
I would temper the 8-8 or even 6-10. We won 4 games last year and we all had expectations of going 8-8 this year and instead won 2 games. I’m expecting at least 5 wins next year, but will wait and see.
January 13th, 2015 at 12:04 pm
Living up here in VA I was hoping to buy tickets to fly down to Tampa next year and watch a game, but that could depend on who they draft.
January 13th, 2015 at 1:27 pm
Thanks 87, love you too.
January 13th, 2015 at 1:28 pm
Just trade down and go after the big young beef to solidify the line play. I don’t trust these top two QB’s either, although Winston seems a better Bucs fit with a attitude more like a pirate, to pillage and produce TD’s.
January 13th, 2015 at 2:00 pm
Most bucs fans have thrown in the towel years ago, have you been to that outdated bomb crater they try to pass off as an NFL stadium in the past 3 years? Pathetic crowds waching bad football.
The have no option but to draft a QB, hope he pans out, spend millions to bring the stadium up to par in the nfl, and then beg the fans to come back.
If they do all that, they have a chance to be real team again 4 or 5 years from now. Until then they remain the laughing stock of the nfl.
January 13th, 2015 at 2:53 pm
Not just no, but HELL NO!
This best-player-available mindset it nonsense. If the Colts, for example, were picking with Winston and/or Mariota still on the board, you believe they would draft a QB?
The Bucs have a rare, rare, rare, rare opportunity to address their greatest need. To draft, say, an offensive lineman, short of trading for Matty Ice, is irresponsible if not criminal.
Besides, why would any quarterback-needy team pass on the best quarterback and take a major gamble by drafting a quarterback later. For those who believe this is the best way to go, why do you want the second-coming of Mike Glennon?
January 13th, 2015 at 3:22 pm
Who’s to say if we trade the number one pic for a slew of lower round picks we don’t screw those up?? I would rather pick the number one guy that there is somewhat of a concensus on that this guy is legit and an NFL starter than to have Lovey and Licht move down to lower rounds and get their “gems in the rough.” Not alot of confidence that Lovey and Licht will strike it rich with a slew of picks. Just sayin………..
January 13th, 2015 at 3:40 pm
Joe says :
“The Bucs have a rare, rare, rare, rare opportunity to address their greatest need.”
Joe I’m glad you emphasized the matter with 3 rares. It’s what I’ve been saying for a month now on here. You get this chance very rarely and YOU DON’T PASS IT UP. You don’t trade down or take a chance in the 2nd round on one. Period.
I think most of your readers would rather the Bucs trade down then take Winston. I’m sure it bothers them to no end that every time they turn on ESPN there goes yet another analyst saying that Winston is and should be the first QB to be taken in the draft. I’ve heard it so much on that channel I’ve lost count. I don’t even memorize who says it, because it happens so often.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:42 pm
Sorry, I’m from VA and didn’t realize that season tickets are cheap as hell for the Bucs. Holy f*cking Sh!t. $750 for the 100 sections. $93.75 a game. Really? I need to move down there and buy season tickets.
My wife’s parents had season tickets with the Skins up here and we had to do a 3 couple buy on it. It was around $2800 here for us to be in the 100s. I could probably drive down to Tampa and watch a game for cheaper than getting a ticket here in VA. You guys were complaining like you were spending a ton of money on season tickets.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:45 pm
Sorry, should clarify that the $2800 was for two seats. So $1400 per seat.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:53 pm
Skyline…yah they’re dirt cheap man. I got great seats in section 150 in 2013 for $650 each.
I told some Jets fans that we’re here for the holidays that and they freaked.
January 13th, 2015 at 3:58 pm
Then again the cost of living is probably cheaper than that of DC. The pay is more than likely a helluva lot more up there too. Thus the tickets cost more.
It all shakes out in the end. People always move down to Florida and then the bitch about how they can’t make as much money as they did in say NY.
They never take into account that they are only paying $5.00 for a pack of smokes and not $10.00 for a pack like NY or $3.00 for a gallon of milk vs $6.00.
It never dawns on those people that things are cheaper in Florida, because the pay is cheaper.
January 13th, 2015 at 4:03 pm
ChanEpic, I share your bewilderment with so many of these “fans” casting aspirations on my beloved Bucs but I came to realize most of them are fans of other teams who are just internet trolls out here. The other ones use such insane logic you wonder when they are going to get Baker Acted again.
January 13th, 2015 at 4:17 pm
ChanEpic…around week 9 or so I was calling for them to tank this season.
Saying what’s the difference, we always lose anyways?
January 13th, 2015 at 4:26 pm
Well Florida has always been kind of a retirement home for us folks up here so to speak. At least that is what I hear from the old ones. I’ve only been there a few times, but a very nice state.