Better Be Flexible
July 6th, 2016
Flexibility.
Until the Bucs check in at One Buc Palace to report for training camp, Joe will try to get in the mind of defensive coordinator Mike Smith.
Joe will regularly deliver excerpts and/or highlights from Smith’s book, “You Win in the Locker Room,” available on Google Play and iTunes.
One thing that seems to get under Smith’s skin a little is reporters trying to pin him down on what kind of defense he will run in Tampa.
Smith will run, he says, whatever defense he believes will get the job done on a specific down. If those words don’t suggest a coach that is flexible, consider the words from his book.
“Every week you will face very difficult circumstances that are completely out of your control. There are going to be injuries that effect match-ups, the ball is not going to bounce your way, and there will be mistakes made both by players and coaches. The strategies and game plans are going to change from week to week. In the face of all this, it is your culture that will be the driving force to create the resiliency, toughness, passion, and attitude to overcome the obstacles in your way. The wildcat came and went. The spread option was hot for a year or two. Certain plays work for a while until opposing teams figure them out.”
There is that overused, if not empty word “culture.” Joe doesn’t give a damn about culture, When the chips are on the line on the field of play, culture doesn’t do squat. It is the physical ability of players, and coaches putting them in the right positions, that will determine the outcome.
But what intrigued Joe about this excerpt is how it applies to opponents figuring out the Bucs’ defense the past two seasons. A certain coach was so stuck in his ways, he had no answer. None, except to pine openly for turnovers like a child bawling in a grocery store checkout line for candy.
This was highlighted by the Bucs knowing since training camp that Kwon Alexander would serve a four-game suspension. And still, when Kwon sat out the final four games of the season, it was as if the Bucs were caught by complete and total surprise.
The fact the Bucs defense was so sorry the last four games of the season wasn’t so much about Alexander being absent, but that Lovie Smith had no clue how to adjust.
Joe guesses you won’t see Mike Smith caught with his pants down so many times. He likely will have plans for curveballs teams throw at him.
July 6th, 2016 at 6:38 am
I interpret Mike Smith’s “culture” as meaning a collective cohesion, which means putting the players in the right places with all having knowledge and trust in the system, with which translates to thriving as a whole while having fun doing it. Basically creating an atmosphere that helps players and coaches expect that extra drive from their defensive peers. Pretty much what is expected of every defense.
Joe, you seem to be defining Smith’s “culture” out like the players should be discussing aesthetics or reciting Nietzsche.
July 6th, 2016 at 7:16 am
Just run “cover 2” or “man” this always works…. until it doesn’t!
I miss Lovie already
July 6th, 2016 at 8:07 am
Lovie was clueless in adaptation
I’ve never seen a secondary so clueless, lost, and inept as Lovie’s defense
July 6th, 2016 at 8:14 am
I believe you are wrong Joe, culture=mindset, this teams mindset has been the weakest I have seen in professional sports last couple years. I remember Lavonte saying last season on opening day that first penalty blowing up the whole game. Culture is just setting the general mindset of the team, boot camp in the military is to establish a culture or mindset. Although the term is thrown around with reckless abandon, it appears Mike Smith wants his players to expect things to go wrong and overcome. This team needs a new mindset.
July 6th, 2016 at 8:14 am
One thing is certain, NO way in hell bucs defenders will be as unprepared week in and week out as they were under the incompetent lovie smith and his clown posse. Pray for the children of the corn aka fighting illini
July 6th, 2016 at 9:04 am
In all my years watching football I’ve never see a coach that refused to adjust to the mistakes he was making throught the game. He refused to pay attention to detail. The most stubborn coach I’ve ever seen. The one that points out at me the most is the slant passes that Washington ran over and over and over again to beat us, everyone knew it was coming on that final play of the drive, and everyone knew who it was going to as well, Everyone but Lovie I guess. U can’t get more ignorant than that when it comes to coaching. That’s one of the reasons belicheat is so succesful, he’s learned to adapt and make in game adjustments. A small but big part of the game us fans really dont notice while watching. I’m so grateful we finally have a coaching staff that knows what there doing.
July 6th, 2016 at 9:07 am
“Lovie and his clown possie” -tmaxcon
Lol well put my friend.
July 6th, 2016 at 10:01 am
DemBoyzFromDaBay727 Says:
Or when the Kitties threw and threw and threw to TE Olsen and never laid a glove on the guy…
July 6th, 2016 at 10:05 am
Lovie’s specialty drill was slapping the ball out of opponents hands. He was slap happy pappy.
July 6th, 2016 at 10:12 am
Joe…we’re probably just debating semantics here and most folks agree.
I look at the “culture” of a team as it’s personality. Individuals have personalities teams have cultures which have characteristics like a personality.
And so if the culture is lazy…disrespectful of coaches…self centered…not good attributes. But if a culture is team first and focused, disciplined play good things can happen if the team has the talent.
I think the Bucs now have the talent to make good things happen and I believe they have changed their culture from losers to winners…from lazy to intensely motivated…team first. The “culture”/”personality” of this team seems to have changed dramatically for the better.
July 6th, 2016 at 11:31 am
I think you’re totally wrong about this “culture” stuff Joe.
The fact is this organization has had a losing culture and a losing mindset for too long. We saw that starting to change last year with the influence of our rookies. I believe they will be building the NEW culture at one buc, a culture and mindset that does not accept losing.
And dirk Koetter and Mike smith are the perfect coaches to help this team transform. It’s not an empty word Joe, you just have to actually instill it.
July 6th, 2016 at 12:12 pm
Joe doesn’t know squat if he doesn’t recognize that there’s a difference between a winning culture and a losing culture. Consistent winners become that way because the organizational culture expects to win and guys hold each other accountable. Culture isn’t empty, Joe’s head is.
July 6th, 2016 at 12:31 pm
Culture: the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization.
Hmmmm … Seems pretty relevant to me. As in what are the defenses shared attitudes, values, and goals when you get a penalty on the first play of the game? Do you have a culture that allows you and those around you to pout and quit? Or do you have a culture, a set of beliefs if you will, that says, ok men, that one didn’t go our way, so what? Lets make that rookie eat dirt! We sure know what last years culture was.
July 6th, 2016 at 3:57 pm
“The fact the Bucs defense was so sorry the last four games of the season wasn’t so much about Alexander being absent, but that Lovie Smith had no clue how to adjust.” – Joe
Or…
…lacked the talented players to adjust. I wonder why you don’t ask this question:
“Why did Jason Licht not bring in an ILB of suitable skill to fill in for Kwon during his suspension?”
After all, Jason Licht knew it was coming as well.
Perfect example of how Lovie gets all of the blame, even though Licht was a part of it too.
July 6th, 2016 at 3:58 pm
Culture is everything.
The Bucs Culture started changing last year. I believe Lovie was her for that.
July 6th, 2016 at 4:00 pm
For a perfect example of culture, look at the Patriots.
Their players consistently say “Losing games is not a part of our culture.”
July 6th, 2016 at 4:03 pm
I could not disagree more. Team culture is VERY relevant because the daily activities of a team within that culture determines what they will do on game day.
Ask guys who have played on consistently winning programs what “culture” is: high expectations of behavior and excellence in performance. Ask guys from losing programs about their “culture”: a general tolerance of low expectations.
I’ve been in both and know first-hand the difference.
Look at what Tony Dungy instilled into his guys: accountability & leadership. Look at what Gruden instilled: same things (which is why he liked veterans-they “got it.”). In fact, when Gruden benched Meshawn, it showed me he was serious about culture, and no one guy, regardless of who, was better than the team.
Then look at what Morris and Schiano did: excuses, finger pointing and tolerance of failure and low character.
Night and day.
Culture matters. And it’s the team leaders who enforce the culture, not coaches or the front office. Players.
I like the direction this Bucs team is heading, and look forward to how it translates to the field and scoreboard.
July 6th, 2016 at 4:14 pm
BuccaneerBonzai Says:
Yes, culture is everything, but totally disagree about Lovie.
IMO, he was destroying it.
Look, players KNOW who is good, who performs well and what’s going on at the player level. It’s clear reading between the lines that many on the D side of the ball weren’t particularly motivated and knew the best players were not playing. It was clear Lovie had his pet players and coaching staff of spawn and hangers-on. And it was clear he was clueless on O in 2014. Seriously: after credible performances by Glennon, he puts McClown back at QB? I can only imagine what players were saying to themselves every time McClown ran like a victimized chicken before throwing a bad pick.
Lovie insisted on a system that didn’t come close to working, the players KNEW it, yet Lovie insisted on using it without changes. There was NO culture of excellence and intolerance of poor performance because Lovie didn’t believe it himself. And it showed on the field.
Funny how O players immediately cheered for Koetter, and it only took like 5 minutes for D players to get over Lovie being gone and happy with Koetter. The lack of true remorse is all you need to know.
Lovie Smith: nice guy, no doubt, but an outdated NFL dinosaur in 2014. And players knew it.
July 6th, 2016 at 6:22 pm
I could give less than two thirds of a .am about culture. All I know is the Bucs had better win. Get it done. If not, we have fresh reels and rods complete with tackle boxes ready for both Mr. Koetter and Mr. Smith. Now Hype..that!