Gutless Myron Lewis
February 23rd, 2016
Former Bucs GM outs the immortal Myron Lewis on national radio
Good morning, Bucs fans! Joe is enroute to chilly Indianapolis to attend this week’s NFL Scouting Combine.
In the coming days, Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht will begin paring down his list of potential future Buccaneers, and it wouldn’t shock Joe if a cornerback is on that list.
From a media standpoint, the combine is simply fantastic (where else can a reporter interview coaches, general managers, scouts, NFL big shots and anyone from a pool of hundreds of potential future NFL players,which the NFL serves to the pen and mic club on a silver platter, all in one room under one roof?). But Joe believes, however, what folks watch on their HDTVs is an utter joke.
Who gives a damn how fast a guard runs a 40-yard dash, a test the NFL is discussing killing? So what if a receiver can catch a ball in shorts and a T-shirt? Big deal, a quarterback can complete a pass without any threat of a pass rush to an unguarded target!
When is the last time you saw a tackle run a cone drill in the middle of a game? As former Bucs great Warren Sapp famously said, “You don’t pump weights on the 50-yard line.” Even Bill Belicheat seems bored by it all.
It’s underwear Olympics, a glorified indoor track meet that has little or nothing to do with football. However, the two highly important elements of the combine have never, and likely never will be televised: player medical exams and interviews.
This leads Joe to a cornerback Bucs fans hold dear to their hearts: Myron Lewis, who apparently pulled off a con job in his interview with former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik when they sat down prior to the 2010 draft.
In a recent edition of “Late Hits,” co-hosted by Alex Marvez and Dominik, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Dominik, without mentioning Lewis’ name, confessed Lewis pulled a fast one on him and suggested he only cared about cashing a check from Team Glazer.
“You want cognitive examples of, ‘OK, I believe what he is saying. I understand where he is coming from,’” Dominik said. “The main thing is, the hardest thing to do yet it seems so easy Alex, is, ‘Do you love football?’ That’s it. That’s what [teams] are trying to find out.
“It’s the darn-est thing. You are trying to go all around this circle to [determine] whether this guy, if he is going to play for your football team, is he going to do the things that are necessary to make him successful?
“You have to have passion. We all have passion about certain things. You can become smart about anything that is important to you, right? Anything that is important to you, you can suddenly become smart [about it]. But you have to find out if they have the passion that they can put into [football].
“What gets a player to be a bust? Because they don’t work at it enough. They like what football brings to them, but they don’t love it. At this level, you have to love the grind.
“I hate to throw a player under the bus, but I had a kid I drafted in the third round out of Vanderbilt who had a really good junior year and came back and did not have such a good senior year. What ultimately undid him was the fact that he didn’t love the game enough. He enjoyed playing football. He went on the practice field. But you could see early on – and that is the scary thing, Alex – early on you could see, ‘Oh, no. Here we go again. I’ve got a guy who may not really love the game enough.’ That’s what he failed. That really hurt him.”
It wasn’t all gloom and doom from Dominik, however. He offered an example of a guy who had a burning desire to be a professional, which elevated him above his talent, and that was linebacker and special teams ace Dekoda Watson. Unwanted by Lovie Smith, Watson was a seventh round pick of that same 2010 draft and just finished this past season with the Belicheats.
Dominik said Watson’s drive and heart and passion to play is why he still pulls NFL paychecks. “He loves the game so much and has a desire to be on the football field.”
Joe confesses to being a Dominik fan and thinks the shrill haters are way over-the-top unfair to Dominik (if Dominik was as horrible as some would suggest, then how did two of his draft picks wind up in last month’s Pro Bowl?). However, Joe must be objective: If Dominik noticed early in Lewis’ days he was gutless and just wanted to enjoy the lifestyle the NFL brought him, why in the world was he allowed to infect the roster for so long? Why was he not jettisoned for someone motivated, or simply more talented?
One great trait of Licht was displayed when he cut the cord on The Three Stiffs after the 2014 season, Ghost Johnson, Stewart McClown and Anthony Collins. Lovie Smith’s suburban Chicago basement research told him to sign those guys (and that future Hall of Fame cornerback Darrelle Revis couldn’t play for him), decisions as a whole that blew up in Lovie’s face like Nagasaki.
Licht had previously cited the biggest lesson he learned working for Bill Belicheat was to move on from mistakes and not let them fester.
Come to think of it, Uncle Fester of the Addams Family would have been more productive than Myron.
February 23rd, 2016 at 7:12 am
Wow, how many seasons did the “Vanderbilt player” stay on our roster? It sure took Mr. Dominick a long time to cut that cord. Maybe he lost his scissors. Glad we now have Mr Licht as our GM, thanks Mr L. Smith.
February 23rd, 2016 at 7:21 am
Enjoy your weekend Joe, you lucky dog. Lokking forward to hearing from you at the combine.
February 23rd, 2016 at 7:44 am
@Joe
All of your questions of “Why” is because the pop-star protects his draft picks!!! Just see Myron and all his DE draft picks that he protected and cleared the field for!!!
How did the popstar draft 3 pro-bowlers in 5 drafts??? The same way Matt Millen draft a Hall of Famer!! He picked high enough in the draft!!! the other 2 Buc pro-bowlers DM22 and LVD54 was because Coach Schiano and Butch Davis told him to!!!!!
February 23rd, 2016 at 7:46 am
“if Dominik was as horrible as some would suggest, then how did two of his draft picks wind up in last month’s Pro Bowl?)”
Can I play?
If Matt Millen was as horrible as some would suggest, then how did he draft a HOF, one of greatest ever at WR, Calvin Johnson?
February 23rd, 2016 at 7:58 am
Actually another player like Watson is Keith Tandy……6th round pick and has played on ST & backup safety for 4 years…..
Mark Dominick is proof of the saying….”Even a blind pig”
February 23rd, 2016 at 8:14 am
I saw Myron giving up on plays all the time. Drove me nuts.
February 23rd, 2016 at 8:22 am
Mark Dominick is like the political figure who looks good, talks good and is cool….but fails miserably at his job.
I think Joe has been smitten by Dominick’s personality instead of performance.
And, for those who are bothered by the analogy….notice that I didn’t name the political figure….so, “if the shoe fits”
February 23rd, 2016 at 8:44 am
Yep when Licht started cutting he didn’t know where to stop…………cut LOVIE up pretty damn good!
February 23rd, 2016 at 8:48 am
basement level decisions have hurt this team.Now the o line put on field in 2014 was a collossal mistake.Penn and Zutah were still playing well enough to
keep on team. Overall the players brought in remind me of the replacement
players when The Nfl locked out the real NFL players.
February 23rd, 2016 at 8:51 am
I think the DOM needed another year or 2 to learn before being GM. Pretty good but had a little too much on the job training. I’m sure he learned from his mistakes and will be a good gm somewhere else
February 23rd, 2016 at 8:54 am
Myron Lewis had all of the physical traits to be Richard Sherman, but…..
February 23rd, 2016 at 9:09 am
Again….the best predictor of future success is past success. Lewis should have had red flags all over him!!!
had a really good junior year and came back and did not have such a good senior year.
Interviews are a joke. You can perhaps tell if a guy is stupid is as stupid does, but these guys are now even coached up for the interview process. There’s plenty of video of their college performances and due diligence demands some research with their coaches, not just HC’s, and perhaps even teammates.
While I largely agree with Joe about the underwear olympics there is some value.
1.)Speed! You can’t coach speed…a guy either has it or he doesn’t..and so WR’s and DB’s can show that aspect of their game. I still miss Joey Galloway.
I would love to have a burner to take the top off of the defense.
2.)Measurables…at least we’re going to find out how tall Vernon Hargreaves really is…and how light some DE candidates might be.
February 23rd, 2016 at 9:10 am
@Mike
you could give that clown shoe 10 more years and he still would not get it!!! He has no vision, no conviction for “the plan”!!! That is why we all heard after the season each year a different speech and change in philosophy!!! He is reactionary!! He always drafted need first!!! He is so bad as a GM no coach had a chance under him!!! I can only hope that he really scooped and texted Joe some really good info, otherwise I see no reason why Joe likes this clown shoe that took the Bucs to the basement!!! ( and some how the next GM (lovie) found and built a cellar under the basement!!!) I dare anyone to try and name 2 worst GM’s in a row than the Popstar/lovie combo!!!!
February 23rd, 2016 at 9:55 am
If you know Tampa Bay History and its fans, those three picks were easy…
Warren Sapp was a legend, obvious choice at the draft position you were at was GMC, Derrick Brooks was a legend, who might be the guy with a skill set like that, go get LVD. The other was Martin and that was because he reminded Schiano of Ray Rice. I give the guys credit for maneuvering to get those guys, but they were just playing copy cat, same thing for Mark Barron, trying to get a John Lynch legend type. That’s why you gotta like what Licht and Lovie did in the draft, they are trying to forge a new identity but also maintaining some of what Tampa Bay fans love, since we love to compare eras
February 23rd, 2016 at 9:59 am
Unfortunately, Lovie was terrible in the free agent and coaching position, Dom didn’t do to bad with FA
February 23rd, 2016 at 10:58 am
“…if Dominik was as horrible as some would suggest, then how did two of his draft picks wind up in last month’s Pro Bowl?
Because the team was so bad from his drafts that they kept getting high picks?
February 23rd, 2016 at 12:25 pm
If Matt Millen was as horrible as some would suggest, then how did he draft a HOF, one of greatest ever at WR, Calvin Johnson?
even a blind squirrel finds an acorn occasionally.
February 23rd, 2016 at 12:32 pm
Measurables are going to be a hot topic at the Combine with the number two and three cornerbacks in this years draft. Vernon Hargreaves III is listed at 5-11 190 while Mackensie Alexander is at 5-11 195. Some have said Hargreaves is closer to 5-9 than 5-11? Of course their 40 yard dash will time will be just as important. Compare them to Ronald Darby Bills, who is 5-11 193 and ran a 4:38 40 time. Questions abound how Hargreaves or even Alexander for that matter, will be able to handle the heighth advantage of NFC South Receivers? I can’t wait to see how fast both are but I bet the edge goes to Alexander. If our defense is ever going to become dominant we have to address the secondary just as much as DE. Elite CB are special players and you don’t get a shot at drafting one very often. First round Mackensie Alexander all the way.
February 23rd, 2016 at 12:40 pm
So, basically from day 1 he knew myron was a bust. Yet he kept him on the roster for 3, 4 years? That is why the fans loathe him. His decision making and drafting were terrible. 3 good picks in 5 years is a joke. He had his time to put together a good roster, but could never get all the pieces to fit. And he would not admit his flaws and mistakes.
Im sure he learned a lot and could be a good GM again some day. But he was a flop in Tampa.
February 23rd, 2016 at 12:43 pm
Also Joe, the combine is more than just seeing who can cach the football. It is also to see who CAN’T catch a football. If you can’t catch a football in underwear, then you probably can’t do it on a football field. If a lineman has the slowest 3 cone drill of the group, he probably isnt very athletic. (Aka he won’t be a very good pulling guard.
The good players should ace these tests. The bad players will be exposed. And knocked off draft boards.
February 23rd, 2016 at 12:46 pm
“if Dominik was as horrible as some would suggest, then how did two of his draft picks wind up in last month’s Pro Bowl?)”
Wow. Two first round picks made the Pro Bowl. That’s a shocker because it never happens.
GMs don’t make their bones in the 1st round. They make it in the middle rounds…. and Myron Lewis is a prime example, as is trading up for Luke Stocker.
February 23rd, 2016 at 1:04 pm
We get it Joes, Dominik has pictures of you…
This guys is was a horrible GM, hence the reason why at such a young age, he’s never gotten another shot and is stuck in B-Level broadcasting.
Rock star my a**…
February 23rd, 2016 at 1:14 pm
Since Joe has been properly and universally schooled regarding the actual and historical effectiveness of his perpetual man-crush – Dom (the GM that Joe formerly dubbed “rockstar” who more appropriately should have been nick-named “Milli-Vanilli)…
I will just add this.
If Mark Dominik had even resembled a semi-decent General Manager – surely he would have SOME type of job working in the NFL again after being fired 3 years ago – Right?
February 23rd, 2016 at 1:48 pm
@Joe
We need to ask the real question, and settle this once and for all!!! Its time for another JBF Poll!!!!
Who was worse for the Bucs Franchise??? The Popstar or Loser Lovie?????
February 23rd, 2016 at 2:29 pm
The Buc Realist
Who was worse for the Bucs Franchise??? The Popstar or Loser Lovie?????
Of course it was Loser Lovie…. He came in with 9 years of head coaching experience and ran the team like a pop warner coach. Every decision Lovie failed with the exception of Jameis Winston.
Dominick missed on some hires but once again Loser Lovie takes the cake with his Friends and Family unqualified coaching staff.
Lovie back-stabbed the fans every press conference with his BS on the verge crap and we are really a better team crap…
Lovie created more dead money in 3 deals than dominick had in his entire tenure. Like I have said before even George W and Obama were impressed lovie could waste so much money so fast…
February 23rd, 2016 at 2:43 pm
@Tmaxcon
All great points!!! Both are the “Titans of Terrible” when it comes to the Bucs!!!
Do not forget that the popstar ran off Doug Williams so he could appoint his best friend Dennis Hickey!!
While Lovie holds the title for dead money. Think of the popstar tried and almost got albert Haynsworth!! then later did!! Bad FA of the popstar, Mike Nuggent, luke mcCown, Angelo Crowell, Derrick Ward, Lb Niko Koutouvides, Dirk Johnson, Eric Wright, Carl nicks!!
someone needs to add up all that wasted money!!!
I am telling you, Its the Battle of the “Titans of Terrible”!!!!!
February 23rd, 2016 at 3:05 pm
Titans of Terrible… Love it!
I think the tie breaker is the fact Lovie destroyed 2 teams rosters in 5 years and had 9 years more experience than Dom so that makes Loser Lovie the sole Titan of Terrible but it’s a close call…
I forgot some of those names you mentioned above wow… we have had some terrible acquisitions over the years.
February 24th, 2016 at 4:13 am
think the tie breaker is the fact Lovie destroyed 2 teams rosters in 5 years
you were horrible when lovie got there and was in the playoff hunt until late in the last season . Chicago went to the super bowl but lovie cannot coach?