Last Place Locked Up
December 10th, 2017
Six out of nine seasons since Chucky was fired, the Buccaneers have owned the NFC South basement.
They made No. 6 official this afternoon as the clock expired on the heinous loss to the Lions at the Den of Depression.
Joe doesn’t believe in coincidences, and that much futility isn’t bad luck. It’s bad drafting and free agent signings. It’s bad coaching and bad effort. It’s bad hiring and bad attitudes. It’s stupid decisions and stubborn decision-makers.
It’s also second-rate leadership and accountability.
Raheem Morris had a great run, going 16-9 through a 25-game stretch, but his team fell apart in historic fashion. The Fighting Schiano’s were 6-4 before closing his era 5-17. Lovie Smith was perhaps the worst head coach in team history. Dirk Koetter’s team has forgotten how to win — for far too long.
Joe would type the combined records of former rockstar general manager Mark Dominik and current GM Jason Licht, but Joe doesn’t want anyone to hurt their pets.
All those coaches and GMs and coaches eventually will move on to new jobs, many in new cities. But it’s the Bucs fans who are left in pain, sticking with the team and living with the agony.
Joe feels for all of you out there.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:21 pm
How much do you think ESPN would take for Gruden? I would take going to playoffs once every few years over a “lost decade” any day of the week.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:22 pm
there is zero hope for buc fan under glazer leadership. it’s been over a decade with horrendous mistake after horrendous mistake. they simply just don’t get it and will not magically get it for next season or the next etc etc. etc… from top to bottom bucs are a joke. at least people care enough to make fun of the browns the bucs are irrelevant and escape national criticism because they simply don’t matter under the glazer clowns.
get well mccoy. big fan big fan
December 10th, 2017 at 5:22 pm
Winston should move on along with the entire coaching ataff
December 10th, 2017 at 5:23 pm
and let’s not forget history gruden is responsible for his share of BS mistakes during this current playoff drought bring him back is stupid and for the mentally weak living in the past crowd not strong enough to face change and possibly success.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:24 pm
I’d love to hear an honest account of what happened to this team. Looked like gangbusters week 2 against the Bears, and have been garbage since. With the early discord we heard from the locker room and a the early blowouts/dysfunctional efforts on the road, it sure seems like the team imploded. I know Ira says this team is not a “calamity,” but I’m not so sure.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:27 pm
Hey…that’s the inspiration for the Stick Carrier painting…entitled 3 nerds & a turd!
December 10th, 2017 at 5:28 pm
Bringing Chucky back will end up like bringing Lovie back. Stop the Gruden talk please.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:29 pm
Wow, Joe.
You should get the medal of honor for this post.
Hoping the Glazers are secure enough as human beings to take some richly deserved criticism.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:35 pm
Your problem is you did not look at the preseason
All the signs were there. But when you think preseason is just a joke but your team can not score and defense looks like carp why would you expect anything else?
December 10th, 2017 at 5:37 pm
Not the glazers fault for doing anything except hitting weaklings. The coach and gm set the team structure and the direction of a team. Dungy and gruden have a pretty good coaching tree they’ve hired successful staff that rose up in ranks. Lovie, Raheem, Schiano and dirk not so much because they have no vision and no idea how to how people to get things done, no vision no direction no true desire that drives this regime……. Soo long dirk
The crazy part is the glazers had two great coaches so they know what one looks like so I can’t understand why in the world they keep hiring weak coaches
December 10th, 2017 at 5:38 pm
No doubt Koetter’s tenure as the Bucs head coach is over. It was a minute and thirty-something seconds go in the game. It was third down and 2 Lion’s ball in Bucs territory. Kotter did not call a time. With the clock ticking away and the ball in field goal range, the Lions were going to kick a field goal, and I was certain they would make the field goal. Koetter let the clock tick down to fifty-second left in the game after the Lion converted on third down. The Lion run the ball and kick the field goal with 25 seconds left on the clock. Nothing much to be said.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:38 pm
@not there shill
Malcolm was in charge for Gruden and Dungy
December 10th, 2017 at 5:39 pm
not there yet
glazers own the team and are 100% responsible for the laughable on field product they have fielded for over a decade. dungy failed and his coaching shrub all failed as head coaches so you are using bad examples…
December 10th, 2017 at 5:40 pm
They owned the NFC South Basement in 2004 and 2006 with Jon Gruden as Head Coach.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:40 pm
tmaxcon Says:
December 10th, 2017 at 5:22 pm
there is zero hope for buc fan under glazer leadership. it’s been over a decade with horrendous mistake after horrendous mistake. they simply just don’t get it and will not magically get it for next season or the next etc etc. etc… from top to bottom bucs are a joke. at least people care enough to make fun of the browns the bucs are irrelevant and escape national criticism because they simply don’t matter under the glazer clowns.
get well mccoy. big fan big fan
____________________________________________________________
If what you say is true, call the Glazers and make them an offer they can’t refuse, or shut-up.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:42 pm
The Glazers promised Parcells then failed. Then Chip Kelly (which I’m not too mad about, just pointing out he was the chosen one at the time). The only time their philosophy of “pay the best coach and you’ll win” was with Chucky (look at Manchester United after Ferguson… they do really believe in this). But now Chucky is not the best coach, feels more like a smoke bomb. Good coaches don’t do this mercenary thing that much anymore, it’s clearly frowned upon because Coach rotation is dangerous for all coaches, and only having 32 pro teams makes it even riskier for everyone’s stability in the long run. So that’s why Vrabel hasn’t left, why McDaniels was welcome back, why Rivera has survived putrid seasons, why Lewis has been a Bengal for so long. Coaches have learnt to respect each other and help each other. Ask the Bucs def c if you still can’t see it. High treason for big bucks is not that common anymore, so great coaches are not attracted to an organization like Tampa’s. Koetter bet on himself to fix Lovie’s mistakes, but I bet every other coach saw it as high treason. Best thing for the team in the long run? keep Koetter for a while let the big cycle finish, let the organization heal in the long run. Best thing as a fan? Win now, big Bucs to play in January 2019… but that has let me down before so I can’t really tell now…
December 10th, 2017 at 5:42 pm
@ Lakeland
…Right about the time Malcolm retired
December 10th, 2017 at 5:42 pm
loggedontosay
reality sucks back to your bubble
December 10th, 2017 at 5:43 pm
@ loggedontosay
What do you mean by that?
December 10th, 2017 at 5:46 pm
*big bucks to play in Jan 2019
December 10th, 2017 at 5:46 pm
The only defense for the Glazers seems to be:
“How dare you, little man.”
December 10th, 2017 at 5:48 pm
It’s bad luck with a skew of bad decisions. Winners can eventually create their own luck, but there needs to be some breaks along the way to get over the hump. In the past five to six years alone the bad luck alone: Freeman’s “problem”; MRSA; Tedford; Hard Knocks; Hurricane Irma. Add this to bad decisions like Schiano’s college mentality; Lovie’s love for hiring family; Koetter’s insistence that he can be HC and call plays, and then it’s letting guys like Mike Evans who can’t lead be a team captain. It’s deeper than just not hiring the right guys; it’s letting them continue to do dumb things we ALL know are just that. Gotta get back to Licht on this one. First priority is for the owners to secretly look for a GM who can look to what to do about QB and HC. And go from there.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:49 pm
Mike Tomlin is a Dungy hire. He is doing well. In fact most of Dungy’s staff is still actively coaching. His staff from Indy is still actively coaching in the NFL too. Dungy was NOT a failure. Gruden was great for one season. He was very good for two others. Mostly mediocre after his Super Bowl win. But to be. Lear Meriocre would be better than this.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:52 pm
Ed Kerber
mike tomlin was with one year and coaches nothing like the ignorant one dimensional career playoff loser… tomin is not a dungy guy… nice try… 2 playoff wins in 6 years by dungy the clown is failure anyway you slice it. raise your standards.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:54 pm
Ed Kerber
herm edwards failed twice as head coach never accomplsihed anything
lovie failed twice as a head coach and accomplished nothing meaningful in his career
marinelli had that wonderful 0-16 with detroit
enough said. failure anyway you slice. dungy is a hypocrite fool and a complete embarrassment to the hall of fame and the members of the hall of fame who actually deserve to be there….
December 10th, 2017 at 5:58 pm
Too many Buc fans speak without any intelligent thought. You come to this site to spew your nonsense that no one else will listen to. Whatever Dirk Koetter’s philosophy and strategy are, it does not work. The offensive line and defensive line are not good enough. The linebackers over pursue their targets. The Bucs do not know what they have in regards to cornerbacks and safeties because of the issues with the defensive line not being effective and the linebackers overpursuing. Some say get rid of everyone on the team.
December 10th, 2017 at 5:58 pm
The shere HORROR..of being a Bucs fan.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:01 pm
tmaxcon Says:
December 10th, 2017 at 5:42 pm
loggedontosay
reality sucks back to your bubble
I take it that you are the new owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
December 10th, 2017 at 6:01 pm
TO BREAK IT ALL DOWN AND IT COMES TO BAD JUDGEMENT ON HIRING COACHES , IT’S LIKE BUY A CAR FOR THE MONEY YOU WANT TO SPEND, AND GET A SECOND HAND CAR THAT HAD LOTS OF TROUBLE IN IT’S PASSED, AND NOT KICKING THE TIRES , AND LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD OR UNDER THE CAR OR DRIVEN IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT ,, IT’S ALL UP FRONT FIRST , KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING IN HIRING A VERY GOOD COACH, REMEMBER THIS GLAZERS BEFORE YOU TAKE A HEAD COACH, OR SELL THE TEAM TO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO PICK A GOOD COACH………………..
December 10th, 2017 at 6:04 pm
TOOTHPICK CARRIERS!
December 10th, 2017 at 6:05 pm
@logged
It’s over, bro.
There’s nothing left to defend.
Your pompous attitude is embarrassing you at this point
December 10th, 2017 at 6:12 pm
List of Coaches of Manchester United (Glazers bought this English Soccer team in 2005 for like a billion USD), since Alex Ferguson quit in 2013 (there for 27 years of constant success)
David Moyes – Up and coming disciplinarian coach that ended up failing (Similar to Schiano)
Ryan Giggs – Part of the old staff was given a chance when they failed to hire a high-profile coach (Raheem anyone?)
Louise Van Gaal – Quiet guy in front of cameras, had success years ago, sticking to his old ways no matter what, failed miserably (Doesn’t it sound like Lovie???)
José Mourinho – He’s exactly just like Chucky with the Raiders. They are hoping he wins the big title for them next May. We’ll see.
I can’t really quite say what is the real pattern here, I don’t mean to compare sports or even teams, but the managerial style by the Glazers might be something to look at to understand the fate of our dear ol’ Bucs, some mistakes or good decisions might come from other organizations they own…
December 10th, 2017 at 6:12 pm
@Joe
Bad drafting Joe? Don’t know about that. It’s actually been quite good. FA does suck.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:22 pm
Vico
i’ll tell you the pattern it proves regardless of what continent the glazers are hiring on they can’t get it right
December 10th, 2017 at 6:24 pm
Gruden luvs it where he is. Nice accomodations and very little stress. Big Money. Why would he leave? gruden is a different Bird. He loves coaching deep down inside. its like that skin itch you go to your dermatologist to treat. He’s the kind of guy if offered the job just might..take it. And he’s said over and over again, He wants to see his Bucs rise again. Plus..he’s learned quite a bit from his experiences and observations. When asked if he would do things differently again. He said, HELL YEAH! So he might just, could be..Improved from his last stint. I say..Why Not? Koetter and Smitty ain’t takin us nowheres but to the..Toilet bowl..year after year. Yes, they might get close..Just like they did in Atlanta before Arthur Blanks gave’em their walking papers!!
December 10th, 2017 at 6:24 pm
tmaxcon, I know…. it’s just so funny how the profiles kind of match. I wish I could certainly say what is it they are missing in their hiring processes.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:28 pm
tmaxcon Says:
December 10th, 2017 at 6:22 pm
Vico
i’ll tell you the pattern it proves regardless of what continent the glazers are hiring on they can’t get it right
I was under the impression that you bought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from the Glazer.
December 10th, 2017 at 6:47 pm
Why would a lifelong fan who criticizes blatantly bad ownership be “acting” like he owns the team?
I don’t see it at all. It’s a false analogy.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:13 pm
We should picket and trash the glazers in front of one buc. THEy need to be held accountable. LOCal press doesn’t do it enough.
December 10th, 2017 at 8:27 pm
We have to build in the draft because FA don’t want to come here unless they get overpaid. So draft picks are a premium, and we normally never get supplemental picks, or a boatload of premium picks with a trade. Normally we get hosed on any in season trades. Like the million dollar a year CB that played one year and sucked. Jets unloaded a garbage contract and got picks to boot. Again premium picks. Some gifted FA would sacrifice some of their pay for a chance to go to a Super Bowl with a storied winning franchise. The Bucs hold the dubious record for having the most double digit losing seasons in a row. Now a team that was supposed to gotten better than last year with a stud cast of offensive weapons are 4 – 9 …so disappointing