Do Not Be Aggressive!
October 27th, 2015
Lovie Smith admits he’s scared to score points late in the first half.
Football is, by its nature, an aggressive game. If you don’t take the game to your opponent, then your opponent will take the game to you.
For those who don’t believe this, please go back to your DVR and re-watch the Bucs-Redskins.
But to hear Lovie Smith talk, meaningful football, winning football, means you need to go all turtle. Somehow, points are not precious even though your defense can’t stop a cool breeze.
That’s what Lovie said yesterday to the Tampa Bay pen and mic club, when asked if the Bucs should have been more aggressive in trying to put points on the board just before halftime.
“No. Not at all,” Lovie said. “Not in that situation [yesterday]. We had a good lead, felt real good about it. Our strategy for that, first off, was to see if we could get something going. We did. And then we were getting ready to take off, we felt like we had enough time to do something, but we got a penalty.
“At the end of the game, you always want more points, but in that situation I didn’t think we needed it. We were OK. 24-7 going in (to halftime). What could happen in that situation? I think more bad things could happen in that situation.
“So don’t bring the rest of the games in here, either. Each one of them is a totally different situation. Where we were yesterday, no, I felt really good about where we were, [and] coming out [from the break], of course, with the ball after that.”
Right there may be the final straw for Lovie as Bucs head coach, at least as far as any confidence fans may have in him.
If you are scared, say so. What NFL team takes the field with its tail between its legs and plays turtle over what may go wrong? Hey Lovie, you have won a grand total of four games in 22 tries.
What could happen? You cleaning out your desk because your defense allows crap quarterbacks like Kirk Freaking Cousins to mount a franchise-record comeback, in part, because you were scared of kicking a field goal or throwing the ball into the end zone to close a half. And it isn’t the first time!
If you are scared Lovie, find safe work elsewhere. Perhaps you should apply for the opening at Maryland? Your late-first-half philosophy would meld perfectly with a program proud of their motto: “Fear the Turtle.”
To hear more Lovie, click on the arrow below. Audio courtesy of WDAE-AM 620.
October 27th, 2015 at 7:07 am
“Lovie is a scared coward” – Mike Tyson
“Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a lose” – Todd Bowles
A coward and a loser. And people still want this guy as coach? Imagine him coaching a playoff game this afraid to lose and scared of anything. Lovie is too soft to coach.
October 27th, 2015 at 7:08 am
Simply incompetent.
October 27th, 2015 at 7:12 am
This fire-Lovie quest is fruitless. He’s got a ton left on his contract. Coaching continuity is critical for Jameis Winston’s development. Finally, we are here in large part due to the coaching carousel. Lovie has through 2016 to get things fixed. Calling for his ouster is a waste of time and energy. It ain’t happening.
October 27th, 2015 at 7:20 am
Under Lovie:
No. 1 pick in 2015
No. 1 pick in 2016
No. 1 pick in 2017
October 27th, 2015 at 7:20 am
Mark- you may be right that the Glazers don’t have the stones or enough respect for their fans to fire incompetent Lovie Smith after 2 miserable seasons but it doesn’t make it right. What the owners will do and what they should do are likely two very different things.
October 27th, 2015 at 7:23 am
Wow. These last two articles says it all.
October 27th, 2015 at 7:29 am
Even if you don’t score in that situation…..it sends a message to your players that you want more….it also sends a message to the opposition that you aren’t letting up.
The message you truly send is that you don’t trust your team….offense or defense..
October 27th, 2015 at 7:34 am
DallasBuc Says:
October 27th, 2015 at 7:20 am
Mark- you may be right that the Glazers don’t have the stones or enough respect for their fans to fire incompetent Lovie…
Come on, Dallas. The Glazers don’t have enough respect for their fans? Didn’t they have enough respect when they fired Gruden, because of fan sentiment? Or Schiano?
I’m not advocating for Lovie to stay but I find that statement to be ridiculous.
October 27th, 2015 at 7:38 am
Lovie will always play to not loose instead of playing to actually win.
I have been saying for over a year now that as long as Lovie is coaching our Bucs we will never be a contender and the sooner we cut out ties with him the sooner we can start over.
Lovie = Fail
October 27th, 2015 at 7:38 am
BuccoDav- if Lovie stays then the Glazers do not respect their fans. You are free not to like that opinion.
October 27th, 2015 at 7:41 am
Complete embarrassment.
That might be the number one issue with this team… A complete lack k of killer instinct and fire.
Hey Dumabass! If you’d have played to win and came out with an extra 3pts before the half, guess what?
You’d have won the f**ling game!!!!
Siege this, loser!
Go Sucs!
October 27th, 2015 at 7:52 am
I always say in sport: never show mercy !
Hit your opponent until you are sure they are dead !
In this case, if you can add point before the halftime do it ! Break their momentum !
It’s like the TD line situation in seocnd half, you are facing a team having a huge comeback possibility, go for it on the 4th and 1 !
October 27th, 2015 at 7:52 am
Why do they always hire coaches who coach scared? I’m sick of it!!!
If you’ve sucked this much your way Lovie, you’d think he’d adjust to stop sucking. But he just doesn’t get it
October 27th, 2015 at 7:53 am
4-18 take some chances!!! Change, adapt, like good coaches!!!!!
October 27th, 2015 at 7:56 am
Please end this nightmare now Glazers…We can’t endure this until the end of the season…this coach gets more horrible and full of bullsh*t by the week…what does waiting until the end of the season do? More head coaching options will come forward if the firing is done now!!!!!!!!!!
October 27th, 2015 at 7:58 am
Ok so don’t fire Lovie to protect “continuity” really? Why so we can make sure to continue to crap our pants on defense for years to come? Don’t worry about Jameis, he will be fine, hell the next coach may keep Koetter as he is doing a good job so there is your continuity.
I think Licht has done a good job, and he has worked in a couple quality organizations so I think the Glazers should let a football guy (Licht) hire the next coach. The biggest mistake this team made was pushing out Rich Mckay. I credit him over Dungy and Gruden for the success of the team in our glory years. Since he took over football operations in Atlanta, they went from joke to a respected winning team with several playoff runs.
October 27th, 2015 at 8:02 am
@destro44 …agreed…Rich had the ship on the right path and made smart decisions…
October 27th, 2015 at 8:06 am
I understand the arguments that the Glazers will not fire Lovie this season. During the season may be questionable…UNLESS..the Bucs keep playing like this.
Sandwiched in between two nightmares we have some signs of improvement but even our wins were frightening nerve biting affairs that didn’t have to be that way.
But the first game and this Sunday’s games were EMBARRASSMENTS. “It’s as simple as that”. Everybody connected to this franchise from the owners to the management, players, cheerleaders, vendors and yes we the fans…are humiliated to be connected to this team of losers.
And so I now disagree with those who claim the Glazers will not fire Lovie until after 2016 because of contract, #3’s development and other good reasons.
The reasons may be valid but they are close to becoming irrelevant. In fact if Lovie’s team puts up a couple more performances like game #1 and game #6 I’m not sure he even survives the season.
Barring some dramatic improvement over the next ten I simply do not see how Lovie survives the fan/media hate or for that matter even keeps his locker room. Barring a truly surprising next ten game Lovie can already pack his bags…the Glazers are not going to want to go to war with their own fan base and a couple more stinkers like Sunday and the fan base will be marching up Dale Mabry for Lovie’s job!!!
October 27th, 2015 at 8:09 am
@Tom
We’re probably destined to have the number one pick this year. Every time we’ve had it the past, we also had it the very next year. Look it up, it’s pathetic.
October 27th, 2015 at 8:12 am
The Bucs are once again the laughing stock of the NFL. When the national media is laughing at you, this is what the Glazers notice. If this season continues to be a sh*t show. Lovie will be canned.
October 27th, 2015 at 8:16 am
Fire Lovie. Either trust your GM to hire his replacement or fire him also. Stay out of the day to day operations of this team and watch your team flourish. And last, go micro-manage your kickball team.
October 27th, 2015 at 8:16 am
So much for lovie being a man of good character. This ignorant fool has the character of a buy here pay here car salesman selling a lemon with a salvage title to a desperate single mom… men with good character face the music and take responsibility. Lovie is a joke. He certainly is not the man of high character some of you profess and cling too.
October 27th, 2015 at 8:29 am
Make Koeter the HC, there’s your continuity.
October 27th, 2015 at 8:32 am
I probably could get over the loss. Football is a great game and sometimes strange things happen.
But his comments about how they want to play go forward are crazy stupid. Based on reading those comments, I’m officially off the Lovie bandwagon. I’m done. I’m out.
No more “we play not to lose” mentality.
October 27th, 2015 at 8:38 am
With this type of attitude from the head coach how can anyone expect him to win any games? He doesn’t have faith in his players and most importantly, he doesn’t have faith in himself. What’s the point of him coaching? By his “logic” of only something bad can happen then why go for a TD anytime during the game. Hell, why step on the field at all. He’s gutless. This scared attitude is the worst trait to have, worse than be incompetent. Geez, I agree Jameis needs continuity but he also needs a coach that’s wants to win and has confidence in him and his teammates. Lovie is the problem, it’s that simple. I knew that penalty before the half scared him and as soon as he went for the FG instead of a TD on the Bucs final drive, that lost the game. How can players respond to a coach that has no faith in them.
Lovie sucks. Who really wants to go through another year of this? He’s proven that he can’t adjust or change his philosophy. Smh…I hate the coaching carousel but he has to go.
October 27th, 2015 at 8:45 am
Says it all, the coach laid down just before the half and the team followed his lead. It’s not our players that don’t know how to win, it’s our pu$$ of a head coach
October 27th, 2015 at 8:48 am
Yeah but lets say Jamesis throws a pick 6 before the half, everyone will say why didnt we run Dougarnaut. Its easy to point finger at something after the fact… We as fans forgot how to just enjoy games, so what good game, good job washington, next game up lets go.
October 27th, 2015 at 8:55 am
@Pawel
Let’s say Jameis throws a TD before the half then we win the game. It goes both ways. Stop living scared. That’s like someone never driving because you can possibly get into a car accident.
October 27th, 2015 at 9:00 am
I was angry after the debacle in Wachington D.C that our Bucs made us all witness. I said that I was done and would not be a fan of this team as long as Lovie Smith is the coach. I always will be a Bucs fan and they will always be my team. That being said, I will no longer support them or cheer for them to win as long as Lovie Smith is running the show. This stance is not because I am quitting on them but because I want to finally see a winning product. I love the improvement Winston is showing and I think he is going to be a special talent at the QB position for us, so that is a hopeful take. There are also a handful of others on the offensive side of the ball that are solid contributors when they are allowed to be aggressive. Our offense is too often being held back. The defense however is a total trainwreck because it is being led by a total moron when it comes to football. Lovie may be a good human being but he is a lousy coach.. So as long as Lovie is here, I will root against this team because he needs to go and the sooner the better. I could accept a year of struggling with a rookie QB, but the fact is that the reasons for our struggles is NOT the QB but LOVIE’S DEFENSE. This in my view does not warrant the rookie QB grace period. I will keep coming to this site because I respect the work that the Joes do and am entertained by many of the comments but I just cant continue to support this garbage. Also, I really think even after Smith is canned, that we will have the same issues unless the Glazers get a football guru to assist them with finding a good head coach. The Bucs have not been relevant since Malcolm was out of the picture due to his illness. I trusted him but not his kids. Nonetheless, I will support the new coach and be a part of the broken record that is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers once we have a new coach. I will even start rooting for them again if Lovie is fired and Koetter takes over or even Frazier for the remainder of the season. I am however checked out until Lovie Smith is gone. I am still a fan and that is why I have to do this. For those who are going to still attend games and spend your money on this product, that is your right and I wish you more sanity. I think the best way to send a clear cut message though is if the stadium had no Bucs fans in attendance and just fans of the opponents. Maybe then the Glazers would get the message. This team needs a good dose of tough love.
October 27th, 2015 at 9:09 am
We can’t get caught up in the negatives. We’re doing good things behind the scenes and improving each week.Simple as that.Someone is gonna make a play. This is thing,there’s still a lot of football to be played.If you really want the truth,it’s still not November yet. I’ll take your questions.
October 27th, 2015 at 9:10 am
Lovie lacks the edge that every great coach has. He’s just soft and has no balls. Good thing we didn’t sign Greg Hardy or he’d be abusing Lovie and Lovie would just take it. It’ll be nice to have a coach who doesn’t deflect everything and actually wants to play to win every now and then.
October 27th, 2015 at 9:12 am
Everyone over reacts to this season… Is there a difference if we win 4 or 6 games? 6 or 8 games? No.. Except draft position. We need players… Players make the system. Starting over again is ridiculously stupid.
October 27th, 2015 at 9:12 am
Lovie has been teeteering on the edge since his first few games as Bucs coach. After this past collapse into a loss Lovie should feel the heat. I’d never know it by listening to him postgame. That must be an attribute, to remain calm amid the storm. I expect the team will do enough to let Lovie linger through at least this season, unless the team tops itself in ugly.
October 27th, 2015 at 9:15 am
Hey Tom Egrington, only if we’re lucky. That would be the silver lining here I guess. Top draft picks.
October 27th, 2015 at 9:17 am
R.O Says:
October 27th, 2015 at 9:12 am
Everyone over reacts to this season… Is there a difference if we win 4 or 6 games? 6 or 8 games? No.. Except draft position. We need players… Players make the system. Starting over again is ridiculously stupid.
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This is unquestionably the single worst line of thought to keeping Lovie there is. Starting over what exactly? The previous coach went 7-9, 4-12. The current coach is likely going 2-14, 4-12. That would be called going backwards. You Lovie defenders are acting like the base to a dynasty is in place and if we fire Lovie it’s back to square one. Except we’re not even at square one yet.
Any average coach with this roster would be 4-2 at worst right now, and probably 5-1. Instead we’re 2-4 staring at another 4 win or less season. Wake up Lovie defenders, we could fire him now and promote Leslie and it’d be the same team, not worse.
October 27th, 2015 at 9:43 am
“You Play To Win The Game”
October 27th, 2015 at 10:02 am
The Glazers care about fan opinion. But fan opinion hasn’t righted the ship as of late. The Glazers were up front about staying the course. If you’re a season ticket holder, they are not upset about you leaving because they feel that success will bring you back. Organizations have to make tough and unpopular decisions sometimes and this will be one of them. Lovie is here to stay. If you’re not happy about it, that’s life.
October 27th, 2015 at 10:08 am
24-7. Not pushing at the end of the half was the one right decision Lovie made that day.
October 27th, 2015 at 10:29 am
“Behold the Turtle. He only makes progress when he sticks his neck out.” James Bryant Conant
October 27th, 2015 at 10:49 am
“I didn’t think we needed it” wow.
It’s unfortunate that field goals aren’t even good enough for us to win. We must score 7 because the defense WILL allow 7 everytime.
October 27th, 2015 at 10:52 am
poor jameis & kwon. going from coaches and programs that accept nothing less than winning….to playing for this guy. i hope as they grow, the team takes more of their mindset rather than them beginning to reflect this passive coach who plays not to lose but doesn’t seem to mind if he does.
October 27th, 2015 at 10:55 am
on the few occasions where we haven’t lost in blowouts, we have lost by blowing late leads. in almost all of those close losses we CHOSE to leave points on the field. how does lovie still feel like points are not worth reaching for?
October 27th, 2015 at 11:06 am
Its gotta be on game planning, execution and passion. I don’t see our Defense playing with that passion. Remember when we had it with Brooks, Sapp, and Lynch once upon a time. Sapp use to say to the offense..Give us anywhere from 10 to 17 pts and WE the defense will win the game. With our current Defense, We need at least 50 pts. Then pray we win with Offense. Gut that secondary Lovie. Or else? Go fishing on the St Pete Bay bridge with Schiano.
October 27th, 2015 at 11:10 am
Not a good coach. Not a good coach at all. The team plays as complacent as Lovie in a presser.