Top Buccaneers Mysteries Of 2014 — No. 17
February 17th, 2015
In many ways, Tampa Bay’s 2014 season was more bizarre than the MRSA-infected, quarterback-gone-mental, Fire-Schiano-billboards campaign of 2013.
There were plenty of real Bucs mysteries last year, and Joe’s revisiting the most interesting of the bunch.
No. 17 — Virgin center
The Buccaneers’ backup center on opening day was Garrett Gilkey, who was signed a handful of days earlier. Joe knows Gilkey was the backup center because Lovie Smith said so during his Week 2 radio show.
But what Lovie didn’t say is what left Joe and much of the universe mystified 2 1/2 months later. Gilkey had never taken a game snap at center — ever!
On Nov. 30, Gilkey started at center against the Bengals. The penalty-riddled results were brutal — and Gilkey’s virgin-center secret was revealed after the game.
Meanwhile, the Bucs were in the heat of a playoff chase, per Lovie. And Tampa Bay had a real reserve center (you know, a guy who actually played the position before) Josh Allen, sitting on the bench.
No. 18 — Investing in seven starts
No. 19 — Returner decisions
No. 20 — VJax’s wrist
No. 21 — Anti-Jell
No. 22 — Seferian-Jenkins boasting about penalized pose
No. 23 — Never moving Michael Johnson
No. 24 — “I didn’t want to put more points on the board”
No. 25 — Glennon success without an offensive coordinator
No. 26 — Putrid punting
No. 27 — Defending three-step drops
No. 28 — Eight consecutive red zone runs versus Rams
No. 29 — Leaky Sean Glennon
No. 30 – Jorvorskie Lane
February 17th, 2015 at 4:02 pm
Oh yaaaay, more in the top 30 B1tches and Moans series.
February 17th, 2015 at 4:11 pm
Some of these coaching decisions scream Junior Varsity coaching staff.
February 17th, 2015 at 4:15 pm
Yeah, that just reeked of ineptitude in the “roster management” category.
[Side note: if you don’t care for a particular feature, why bother clicking on it, (presumably) reading it, and then commenting on it?]
February 17th, 2015 at 4:17 pm
Bucs never should have gotten rid of Zuttah. I sure hope they can find some lighting in a bottle with the late 5th round pick they got in return for Zuttah.
February 17th, 2015 at 4:25 pm
This entire issue was lost in the basement, I just wonder if anyone ever asked him if he had been a center before, and if answered yes because he was one on his hockey team.
February 17th, 2015 at 4:29 pm
BucFanInArkansas Says:
February 17th, 2015 at 4:15 pm
Well, I didn’t read it. I comment on it because the constant, relentless negativity on this site needs to called out. And, with the terrible results on-field in recent years, the offseason is the only time we have to be optimistic. Why do people have to mercilessly dump EVERY.SINGLE.DAY? Does’t it get old?
February 17th, 2015 at 4:45 pm
I’m sure that if you’re into cock-eyed optimism and an endless bounty of sunshine and lollipops, there’s other Bucs sites that can fill that void for you. Constant, endless negativity is the end result of a decade-plus of the incompetency and lack of on-field production (read: wins) that has driven this entire franchise right back to that hole called “irrelevancy” that we managed to claw our way out of in the late 90’s/early-2000’s. And now that we’re back there, I don’t think it’s too far off-point to spend a little time reflecting on the most recent gaffes and errors that keep us mired in the muck. You want to call somebody out? How about calling out our front office and coaching staff for the decisions and strategies that continue to lead us to depths that, while not entirely “new”, had been thought by many to be in our rear view mirror. Know what gets old? LOSING. So until we manage to become competitive and relevant once again, yes, we will voice our displeasure.
February 17th, 2015 at 4:55 pm
BFIA-
I’m not into rainbows and unicorns, or rose colored glasses. The critiques have already been made, over and over again. And to the extent they were accurate and fair-minded, I support that. Now that it’s been done ad infinitum, it’s beating a dead horse, and it comes off as a bunch of miserable people just finding an outlet to express their own misery. Not helpful, in my opinion. If you’re tired of being miserable about the Bucs, how about giving the negativity a rest? You’d be amazed what a relief it is to not lock yourself into a dysfunctional co-dependency with a football team.
February 17th, 2015 at 5:03 pm
You’d be amazed what a relief it is to not lock yourself into a dysfunctional co-dependency with a football team.
——————————
Cool on you sea douche.
Now, back to the task at hand.
Lovie sucks!
February 17th, 2015 at 5:06 pm
^^ That’s great. Sorry for being reasonable.
February 17th, 2015 at 5:14 pm
In the words of the immortal Forrest Gump “lovie is as lovie does”
@salish
There are dozens of homer sites you can visit. Like this one site where commenters believe MJ is better than Peppers and J Allen. Where they believe mccown is a top 30 qb in the league and where they believe lovie is a SB coach. And finally that the lack of success of the 2014 bucs has more to do with negative fans than the product on the field.
Go fly my friend and seek and search. One day soon you too can be a PFUDR.
February 17th, 2015 at 5:17 pm
@salish
Btw please leave your name and number so I can pass it on the “TheKevin”. Thanks and have an outstanding day. 🙂
February 17th, 2015 at 5:20 pm
True. Maybe you’re right.
OR…
I can continue to compartmentalize my dissatisfaction with a bunch of grown men playing a game (poorly) and getting paid with (mostly) other people’s money and voice my disapproval on this helpful section labeled “COMMENTS” and then go back to living my otherwise enjoyable life. But since you brought it up, a) clearly some of us appreciate actually having this outlet to express “our misery” (as you put it), b) being advised that we’re doing it wrong is actually less helpful, in my opinion, and c) fans like who they like and simply choosing to not be negative about it is a path towards general apathy towards a team I’ve loved for decades that I would rather avoid. But thanks for the free emotional consultation.
February 17th, 2015 at 5:22 pm
You don’t have to be a “homer” or a blind eyed optimist to be sick of the complaining. But I suppose it’s a waste of time to expect anything reasonable or balanced to come out of the comment threads. My bad.
February 17th, 2015 at 5:26 pm
lovie tanked the season
simple as that
February 17th, 2015 at 5:36 pm
There’s no place on these boards for logic & reason, sir. Maybe try Twitter?
February 17th, 2015 at 5:42 pm
Logic n reason he’s obviously never read Jameis watch or seen lovie make a decision.
February 17th, 2015 at 5:58 pm
You guys have made your point. These message threads are for complaining, and it makes no sense to try bringing sanity to the conversation. People like to have a place to repeatedly, unrelentingly express frustration. I can’t stop that, so I should just stop reading these freakshow threads. Thanks and enjoy. 🙂
February 17th, 2015 at 6:03 pm
Or you can just stop complaining lol oh the irony.
February 17th, 2015 at 6:08 pm
The content of the complaint actually makes a difference, so no irony really.
February 17th, 2015 at 6:11 pm
@WS99: Now THAT was funny.
February 17th, 2015 at 6:15 pm
The dickishness is unrelenting too.
February 17th, 2015 at 6:25 pm
THERE it is. Awesome. Thanks. You want us to stop bitching and moaning about our crappy team, we WANT to bitch and moan about our crappy team, and now, as Bill Belichick might say, “we’re on to name calling.”
February 17th, 2015 at 6:39 pm
Boy… you read these and you wonder how Lovie wasn’t fired for just pure incompetence.
February 17th, 2015 at 6:57 pm
That’s hilarious. “Fans” of a football team being so protective of their little negativity haven here on JBF.
It was a valiant effort Seamonster. As you can see though – the majority of commenters on JBF comment threads consist mainly of Neggie Nellies and Debby Downers who just love their unfettered environment here in which to say negative, ugly and sometimes slanderous things about players and coaches that they would never say to the person’s face. They are very protective of their turf.
February 17th, 2015 at 7:27 pm
Why why why why why WHY did the Bucs trade Zuttah for a sixth rounder? Why was he replaced with that jerk EDS and a “virgin”? Seriously I know hindsight is 20/20 but wtf?
February 17th, 2015 at 9:30 pm
“you play to win the game”
+
BucTrooper: “Boy… you read these and you wonder how Lovie wasn’t fired for just pure incompetence.”
=
the reason to “complain” or to discuss what should be done about it because
“you play to win the game”
and we fans want this team “to win the game”
February 17th, 2015 at 10:48 pm
#1 Mystery of 2014….Why did we tank the season for a chance to draft Infamous Jameis?