Mark Dominik’s Best Move Was A “Failed” One
November 13th, 2009
Like all real men in the Tampa Bay area, Joe watched the Bears-49ers game last night on the NFL Network (don’t have the NFL Network? Then grow a pair and don’t be such a woman).
After watching bratty Bears quarterback Jay Cutler throw five interceptions, Joe slept well last night.
(Or maybe Joe’s sound sleep was due to his vivid dream about the Bucs cheerleaders?)
Joe remembers not that long ago, Bucs general manager Mark Dominik made a play for the spoiled child, Cutler. Joe feared Dominik might be “successful” and get him.
But Dominik didn’t. And the move he failed to make may just be the move that saved his career as the Bucs general manager.
The Bears foolishly gave up two first round picks and their starting quarterback, Kyle Orton, for Cutler. At the time, pundits lauded the Bears and mocked the Broncos.
Who is laughing now? The Broncos are likely playoff bound. The Bears are circling the drain, dragged down by Cutler’s interceptions and juvenile attitude.
At one point last night after an interception, Cutler took off his helmet, stared into space and scratched his head, looking like Joe when he ponders how he could somehow lure Rachel Watson into his lair.
People point to the Bucs for giving up so much to land Meshawn Johnson and Chucky and suggest the Bucs are paying for it now. But at least the Bucs got a Super Bowl out of those deals.
Joe’s pretty convinced that Cutler will not bring the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the shores of Lake Michigan.
Joe expresses his deep appreciation to Dominik for not pulling the trigger on Cutler.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
First on all Joe, Dominik couldn’t pull the trigger on that one because he got into to late. Remember it all started because we were going to send our first rounder to Den for Cutler then Den was going to send there first to NE for Cassel. Bit it all didn’t work out because NE said they already made the deal with KC.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Joe, I hope you’re kidding about real men needing the NFL Network!
The NFL Network needs us.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Justin:
Real men don’t “need” the NFL Network.
Real men “have” the NFL Network.
Only a bunch of yentas prefer an outfit that forces you to have Bay Sludge 9 and denies you the NFL Network.
November 13th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
What I find ironic is with each Chicago loss, that 2nd round pick we got for Adams gets that much better!
November 13th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Louie:
You got that right! That’s one reason Joe was pulling for the 49ers last night.
November 13th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Joe’s right. DirecTV is like a king size bed. Once you get it, you NEVER go back. Even without the NFL or other packages.
And the Bucs aren’t paying now for the Johnson/Chucky deals. They’re paying for making poor choices with the picks they did have.
November 13th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Thanks for the kind words Roadsoda and more importantly, thanks for your service!
November 13th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
This type of knee-jerk analysis of one of the best young quarterbacks in the league who had a bad game and lacks any semblance of o-line support is why this will be my last visit to this site. This used to be my first page visited each morning, but the tone and quality of analysis have both fallen significantly over the course of this season.
November 13th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Roadsoda,
Verizon Fios blows Direct TV away, I now, cause I had Direct TV for a few years. When Fios came into my area, I wanted it only if they had NFL network, which they did and I’m now happier than with Direct TV.
BTW The problem is lack of players for their new schemes, not that their drafts were all poor choices/picks.
November 13th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Eric,
I’m sorry your “one of the best young quarterbacks” is overrated and a cry baby! And definitely not worth the picks da Bears gave up!
November 13th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Eric:
Joe is sorry to see you go.
Jay Cutler has 17 interceptions in nine games, including two games of four or more interceptions, a Bears record. Cutler is on pace to set the Bears record for most interceptions in a season, and the Bears have had some godawful quarterbacks through the years.
How is that “knee-jerk?”
Leftwich/Johnson/Freeman have only combined for 12 interceptions through eight games and there were many games the Bucs offensive line leaked worse than a submarine with a screendoor.
November 13th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
oar,
I don’t know Fios, so I’ll take your word for it. Although I’ll remain loyal to DirecTV. And you’re right on the scheme, but they did have some (read: not all) poor choices. Either poor because of evaluation/value or poor because of bad luck, but poor nonetheless (Adams & Jackson come immediately to mind).
As for Cutler, I liked him at Vandy and haven’t cared for him since. Not unlike Rivers. They’re just hard to root for if you’re outside of those cities.
November 13th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Joe,
I don’t even have a TV. And for the first time, I learned a new word from visiting your site: yenta.
You’ll also see from my IP, that even if I had a TV, I would never be able to get Bay News 9.
My point was to show that companies need customers, not the other way around.
And finally, when I do watch games, I go to a bar, and proudly display my gear. Again, from my IP, you’ll see why that does indeed make me a real man. Especially during baseball season.
November 14th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Hi Justin:
Trust me Justin, you are not missing anything. That is unless you are fond of reports of new swingsets in a city park regurgitated 18 times a day.
November 14th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
It is knee-jerk because other great quarterbacks had similarly bad interception numbers to start their careers (see Peyton Manning with 28 interceptions his first year in the league and 23 in his fourth; Roethlisberger with 23 in his fourth season; Bradshaw with five 20+ interceptions; ). And other great QBs continue to throw lots of picks (see Brett Fave with eight 30+ interception seasons).
The problem is your arguments assume (based on eight games (really two bad games)) that he will keep up this interception pace over the next eight games and for the rest of the career without taking into account how truly awful that Bears team (especially the O-Line and WRs) he currently plays on is. That is just one more example of exactly the kind of alarmist, short-sighted analysis that has begun to characterize this site (see almost every Dominick, Ward, and Glazers post of late).
November 14th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Eric:
If you do an archives search, you will see that months ago Joe was against the Bucs trading for Cutler for the very reasons Cutler is imploding with the Bears.
November 14th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Joe here,
Eric – Laughable to compare Roethlisberger, Favre and Manning to Cutler. …Cutler’s never even posted a winning season.
Roethlisberger, Favre and Manning were all winners extraordinarily quickly. Cuter had a losing record as a starter entering this season and has one again.
November 14th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
You can’t look at wins-losses only because that takes into account the entire team’s skill level. Cutler was 7-1 in games in which his defense in Denver last year gave up less than 25 points. But, more importantly, here are some more stats comparing Cutler and Manning’s first two seasons:
Cutler: 20-14-3497 and 25-19-4526
Manning: 26-26-3739 and 26-15-4135
Not so far laughable, huh? The problem is that I am talking about where things will be in the future and you are focused on two bad (admittedly very bad) games. To say you are glad the Bucs don’t have Cutler (and as a result have some guy named Josh Freeman instead) is absurd. It was absurd when you were against it before and it is equally absurd to say see, look, based on two bad games I am right.
I am not a Cutler homer, nor a Bucs apologist. But my point is let’s wait a little while before saying condemning Cutler. I loved your coverage of my beloved Bucs because it was so hard to get up here in DC. And you were above the mindless and not thought out attacks launched by those on BSPN (Schlereth, etc). But the Cutler stuff is a little over the top when you sit back and think about it. I just expected better (and used to receive it) from Joe.
November 14th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Joe here,
Sorry Eric, of course wins and team performance are important when assessing the quarterback. It’s all one big package.
Manning’s Colts were the No. 2 seed in his second season, and he very much was responsible for turning around the franchise.
Here on JoeBucsFan.com we offer a take in a quick-read format, almost like one you might hear on sports radio. The simple take in this post is as follows:
1) Cutler had a nightmare game
2) Cutler may be overrated
3) Cutler’s showing signs that he might have a serious attitude problem.
4) Right now it sure looks to be a feather in Mark Dominik’s cap that he didn’t get the Cutler deal done.
That’s it. If you think this is knee-jerk and foolish, so be it.
But it’s a relevant and hardly mindless take on Cutler, who dominated Bucs news for a while this offseason.