Crossroads
June 28th, 2018
Too valuable to lose?
Sober minds may want to tap the brakes.
Yeah, there is a groundswell from the loud crowd to run America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, out of town. Much of it comes from the haters who never wanted the Bucs to draft Jameis in the first place.
The other sect is folks who see last year’s win-loss record (apparently forgetting Jameis did have a winning record two seasons ago).
And the third element is from folks who are stirred up over something that did/didn’t happen related to Jameis’ hassle with an Uber driver two years ago — something that likely none of us will ever know what happened but because of his past deeds, Jameis will likely pay a toll.
Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com appears to hint that people need to calm down before making a knee-jerk reaction and toss to the curb the franchise’s best quarterback.
After three seasons, Winston has proven that he’s a dynamic player prone to turnovers. He looks like a league average starting quarterback at worst and is still only 24 years old, but he’s yet to enjoy a breakout season as a consistent difference maker. Hard Knocks shined a positive light on Winston as an engaging personality and leader, but availability is a key component to leadership. Missing the start of his fourth season puts Winston at a crossroads in his career, just as conversation about his next contract was coming.
No, Jameis doesn’t have a winning record — in three NFL seasons. As Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian pointed out recently, that’s “misleading” because the Bucs defense was so rotten to the core last year it was enough to throw a lukewarm $9 Miller Lite at a cheerleader — twice!
Four times last year the sieve of a Bucs defense coughed up a lead in the fourth quarter. Unless Jameis was playing cornerback, that’s not exactly on him. He did his job: He have the Bucs ahead late. That’s what a quarterback is supposed to do.
Throw in the circus of a kicking game the last three seasons (which cost the Bucs a win over the Belicheats), and if this team wasn’t such a joke in critical areas (defense, kicking), we are having a fully different conversation right now.
June 28th, 2018 at 9:17 am
Tua in 2020!
June 28th, 2018 at 9:19 am
Like Jameis psychological profile there are two sides….on field and off field….both are half full/half empty…only the Bucs…SMH
June 28th, 2018 at 9:23 am
“…availability is a key component to leadership. Missing the start of his fourth season puts Winston at a crossroads in his career.”
What about HONESTY???
Honesty is a key component to leadership…
Who in that locker room really trusts this guy?
June 28th, 2018 at 9:27 am
Hope the Glazers Look up the road and understand just what this team needs. A Tom Coughlin Executive type that the Glazers can trust to run the franchise. I have no names to currently suggest but This is needed
June 28th, 2018 at 9:34 am
has·sle
ˈhasəl/Submit
informal
noun
1.
irritating inconvenience.
“the hassle of losing a high security key”
synonyms: inconvenience, bother, nuisance, problem, trouble, struggle, difficulty, annoyance, irritation, thorn in one’s side
While the description of this as a hassle is technically accurate….it might be better to call it a “matter”
After all, that was good enough for our last Attorney General on the HRC “matter”
June 28th, 2018 at 9:35 am
“Much of it comes from the haters who never wanted the Bucs to draft Jameis in the first place.”
LOL! Tiresome and boring still lobbing the “haters” moniker in relation to your beloved Jaboo, even when the “haters” have been proven right yet AGAIN! All America’s Icky Licky Finger Groper does is lose – both on and off the field. What’s not to hate?
JFro, John Manziel, Jaboo – Joe knows QBs
June 28th, 2018 at 9:36 am
Bucs are at a crossroads most every year….why should this year be any different?
Sober minds would be good…..especially from “America’s QB” from this point on.
June 28th, 2018 at 9:43 am
Oh and the fact he has not had much of a running game since being here. I think production wise for what he has worked with has been awesome. Now he just needs to work on his behavior and who he puts around him off the field. I am fully confident he is maturing and will be a great leader for the Bucs. He now has a family in which will also steer him in the right direction. Forgiveness is a key factor in all of this and it’s something we should all do more of in society before just throwing someone to the wolves. Go Bucs!
June 28th, 2018 at 9:44 am
Joe Bucs is at a crossroads too. At what point do you stop defending this jackass in every move he makes on and off the field? He has poor judgement in everything! Arm talent, when his shoulder doesn’t hurt, that’s it.
June 28th, 2018 at 9:52 am
I’m sick of this whole thing. I’m sick of it being the top Bucs’ news story every day. It’s such a non issue to me. I may bash Koetter for lousy decisions or GMC for being a clown, but I don’t have a problem with how Jameis plays. I sure hope Licht doesn’t listen to all of these perfect fans who walk on water. Yeah he needs to grow up. Yeah he made a mistake. But he’s one helluva a QB and a true competitor. So for now, keep your eyes on the prize and win some dang games.
June 28th, 2018 at 9:54 am
I agree TBBF, he needs to give up the booze for good. It can wreck your life and everyone around you
June 28th, 2018 at 9:59 am
The answer is simple. Ask JW to take a lie detector test. That should clear up the problem.
JW could stop all this controversy
June 28th, 2018 at 9:59 am
BigMac
It seems alcohol and women are the common denominators with all of JW’s problems…..you can throw in Darby if you like…
But I suspect that if you take out the women and Darby and leave the alcohol there will be other incidents.
Stop drinking if you can’t handle it, Jameis.
There are many that will support you and there are millions who have the same problem. Hopefully, you can inspire some of them to stop also.
June 28th, 2018 at 9:59 am
Grabbing a women where he is alleged to have grabbed her is indefensible — ***if*** he did that — we do not know. Throw this issue in a court of law and the woman has no chance. Joe has zero clue what happened in that Uber ride and neither do you — unless you were the driver or Jameis himself typing this comment.
June 28th, 2018 at 10:00 am
JOE
You forgot to mention the sect of Bucs fans that want to keep Winston here no matter how bad he plays, how much trouble he gets in or how much embarrassment or humiliation that he causes the franchise, simply because he is from FSU or because he is African American.
The ” he’s still a young man that does immature things” or “he’s still a young QB ” excuses just don’t fly anymore. He’s a 3 year starter in the league and 24 years old, so stop talking about him like he is 16. He is who he is on and off the field and that’s what you will always get. Makes you wonder how many other “incidents” that he has had that were kept quiet and private.
The Glazers and Licht made a huge mistake by drafting a 20 year old and immediately making him the starting QB , team leader and face of the franchise before he ever even put on a Bucs uniform. Now it’s coming back to haunt them. However, now they have to make a choice to either move on without him or keep him never knowing when his next transgressions will come. There’s an old expression that says “If you keep on doing what you’re doing, you keep on getting what you’re getting.”
Winston is what’s called a Paper Champion, meaning that he looks better on paper than in reality, with all of the garbage time and prevent defense passing yards he has built up. However, he did lead the league in fumbles and bonehead plays.
Time for the Bucs to move on and get a QB they can trust, on and off of the field
June 28th, 2018 at 10:16 am
Sorry Brianbuc you can go root on another team then because Jameis isn’t going anywhere. Remember these are athletes not people we should look up to so him being the perfect choirboy is not what I’m expecting Jameis to be. Maybe you should go on a blog about concerns or allegations against the president instead and put your efforts there…Go Bucs!
June 28th, 2018 at 10:19 am
JOe, please since when somebody becomes a hater because didn´t wanted some years ago not to draft JW? I was one….and I am very far away from hating. Even more since he has the bucs Jersey I support hjim 100% when he plays. But to be honest with you I still think he is not worth big contract because he turns the ball over a lot, that doesn´t mean he doesnt make big plays and some nombers are impressive. I don´t even care about the UBER situation, or personal issues, I just judge entirely on footbal. I think this a very important season for him, If he plays better welocome if he still turns the ball over that often…the highway and lets move on………. Again I do not hate him, and still think he is not the great player many say he is…….
June 28th, 2018 at 10:20 am
Amen TBBF, well said. Rah!
I think this team is going to have a great year. I think they are going to destroy the Saints with defense. I think Fitz is going to be like a kid in a candy store with this offense. Jameis is so competitive that not being on the field will drive him to be better. Anyone who thinks Jameis isn’t talented and can’t play football well has their head buried in the sand.
June 28th, 2018 at 10:25 am
I have never turned my back on or probably ever will to this team. However the closest I will ever get is if you ignorant, dumb*** fans influence ownership to do something drastic with Jameis over this.
This is certainly about morals but this does not qualify a death sentence for our first franchise QB in 42 years.
I’m seriously getting tired of most of your poor analysis and judgement. If he did something extremely bad then I will agree but this does not warrant cutting the guy.
Hate me.
June 28th, 2018 at 10:26 am
Good to have at least a few posts with some optimism…
I am….but not blindly like last year……we certainly look like a much better team and we lost some close ones last year.
One of the areas to research is the offense….not the defense late in games….yes we gave up some 4th quarter leads…..but how many times did the offense fail to run the clock or have several 3 & outs at the end of games….or turnovers?
Yes, our defense was weak late….but our offense helped to contribute.
A running game would go a very long way to stopping that.
June 28th, 2018 at 10:30 am
Its a crossroads. Do we get 5 articles a day on this, learning nothing more, or at some point can we talk about someone else on this team?
June 28th, 2018 at 10:36 am
87
You have always been much more of a Winston fan and FSU fan than you have been a true Bucs fan. Maybe you should move to Tally
June 28th, 2018 at 10:37 am
@Joe … “As Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian pointed out recently, that’s “misleading” because the Bucs defense was so rotten to the core last year it was enough to throw a lukewarm $9 Miller Lite at a cheerleader — twice!” Here we go with the excuses again Joe. Seems odd that what you DIDN’T MENTION is that our only winning season (2016) since 2010 came about because the Bucs’ DEFENSE played well above their talent level in the 2nd half of that year. But hey, once again, it’s all about Jameis.
June 28th, 2018 at 10:43 am
Tampabaybucfan, so funny, I put the same definition of hassle in the previous post. And I further defined it there as being like losing your keys, or being accused of sexual assault by an Uber driver. It’s a bit of an insult to use the word hassle for the latter. But of course it’s also a bit of an insult to keep stubbornly referring to JW as America’s quarterback.
June 28th, 2018 at 10:43 am
You’re missing the 4th group. Those that see Jameis’s decision making as entirely questionable and don’t want to wait 3 more yrs to watch the team crater over and over because he’s impulsive and lacks the discipline to stop trying to force the ball into a tight window, Literally in his game and figuratively in his personal life.
June 28th, 2018 at 10:45 am
Today, Jameis the player is exactly the QB he was at FSU…so is Jameis the person. To steal from the late, great Denny Green, Jamies, is who we thought he was.
He has proven them right on all counts. When he’s hot, he’s up there with the best QBs in the game. When he’s cold, he’s a marginal starter at best. He plays with lots of passion, emotion- leading to great plays and terrible decisions. He keeps plays alive, but is prone to turnovers. He is fun loving and a nincompoop. He is football smart and at times lacks situational awareness on and off the field. He makes you proud and disappoints you.
The team was willing to accept this when they made him the #1 overall selection. They enabled him. Empowered him. Promoted a wholesome narrative about him and his deeds- all in the hope that he could be molded, matured into the face of the franchise- They made themselves believe they could trust him.
…and there’s the rub. I think the team views Jameis the player, the investment, seemingly too valuable to discard, when weighed against Jameis the person. They want to believe that all of this is salvageable. Whether it is or isn’t is up to the facts as they know them (from the league’s investigation) weighed against Jameis’ candor (or lack thereof).
June 28th, 2018 at 10:46 am
The element missing in the article is those who gave Jameis a chance and benefit of the doubt about his past, who see that the media reports that if true, means a massive con-job from Jameis…lying to the world, including those who gave him the chance and his team and his fan base. It is the element who cannot trust him any more and are sick of the baggage. And all of this is was THIS year.
That element.
June 28th, 2018 at 10:48 am
@Joe
You write a blog. Its not necessary for you to defend anyone. Call a spade a spade, or as I try, a fu**king shovel. If the powers to be don’t like what you say, tough because if you go at it hard, your readers will love you for it. I think thats all that counts.
June 28th, 2018 at 10:48 am
@Fire the glazers
Are you insane? Did you really just say what about honesty?
This is football and you sound really naive talking about honestly among millionaires and billionaires. You think athletes are more honest than anyone or have an obligation to you? Sorry but everyone lies, I’m not sure how old you are but hope that doesn’t hurt your feelings or anything. Not everyone that claims to have Christian values is truly Christian. Did he like yes did he likely do something yes. Will the truth ever come out hopefully not because I’d rather hear speculation and accusations than facts at this point. Gmc is the leader of the Bible revival and I watch the bucs because I want to see wins, let goodell and the law worry about illegal things and protecting the shield
What’s wrong with some people it’s getting outraged about players kneeling for the flag while your in your kitchen grabbing another beer before kickoff… Get over yourselves the glazers need to make a football decision not based on moral of other immoral people. Maybe your not a crutch grabber but you’ve got something you want to hide as we all do
June 28th, 2018 at 10:54 am
It is important to not underestimate the issue of broken trust that happened last November and perhaps more THIS year If the JW con-job cover up is confirmed A final violation of trust, another slap in the face to Team owners, would be if they give JW the benefit of the doubt again, and he is signed up for big contract of say, $110M/7 years with say $30M guaranteed–and then he opts out to do something else–or screws up yet again.
June 28th, 2018 at 10:57 am
Oh and thanks TBBF & BigMacAttack for seeing something positive in what the Bucs are building here. Joe revels in bashing Scapegoat Smitty & most of the other defensive coaches, but I’m hopin’ & prayin’ that this year’s defense makes him eat every negative word he’s ever written about this coaching staff & the Bucs’ defense.
Always brings a chuckle to me when Joe focuses on how many YARDS Jameis (and oh ya, the rest of the offense) compiled, and how many YARDS the defense gave up (which in his eyes always costs poor Jameis a victory). POINTS SCORED and POINTS ALLOWED always seem coincidental to any analysis of why the Bucs won or lost.
This Bucs’ defense is starting out behind the 8-ball … many new starters & a very young (and inexperienced) Secondary. Opening up again 3 playoff teams with a combined 37-11 record last year doesn’t help matters, but in one way it might be a blessing in disguise. If this T-E-A-M can pull together as one it can survive this & do quite well this season.
OK, now off to the cooler I go. Or is that the Pit of Misery.
June 28th, 2018 at 10:58 am
@JoeBlahak…are you the real one? Or just a handle?
I remember that dude…Bucs pre-season roster from 2006. Forget the position…think it was LB or DB?
June 28th, 2018 at 11:00 am
The NFL is full of actors, all by design. The people that run the NFL indicate to the players that they need to act as if they aren’t thugs. The people that run the NFL don’t want the truth to be known. It’s too late. The cat is out of the bag
June 28th, 2018 at 11:07 am
Joe – Grabbing a women where he is alleged to have grabbed her is indefensible — ***if*** he did that — we do not know.
Does that mean if JW is no longer with us next year you will add Jameis to the:
the Bucs get rid of player for no good reason like Bennett?
Specially, if Winston becomes the next ex-Buc to win a Super Bowl within the next 5 years with the Patriots maybe….hmmm
Joe DID YOU CALL A CODE RED?????
We want the TRUTH!!!!lol
June 28th, 2018 at 11:08 am
@NotThereYet…no, the Glazers need to make a business decision. It includes all things football and more. The football part is indeed the largest piece…but that’s not all, especially with the face of the franchise, team captain, and QB.
June 28th, 2018 at 11:09 am
Crossroads? More like a fork in the road…..Bear left. Right, frog?
June 28th, 2018 at 11:16 am
how about a dirt road. A broken road. A washed out road. Feels like Friday but it is not.
June 28th, 2018 at 11:17 am
Why would you throw a beer at a Cheerleader?! Twice?! That is abuse!
June 28th, 2018 at 11:23 am
Maybe we are at a crossroad. . .. but perhaps it involves some of the coaching JW has been getting and some of the playcalls/game plans and some of the mindset of our coaches as well
Maybe its time for a new head coach and a new staff. . . maybe some coach that is not soooo stuck in his ways and can find a scheme that puts the players we have (Off and Def) in better positions to win some games. . . AND willing to kick some butts to get it done. just a thought
June 28th, 2018 at 11:40 am
Throw this issue in a court of law and the woman has no chance.
you dead wrong joe…..Winston has no chance…..she was working & reported the incident….
Winston was partying and was drunk as hell……
and with his past history and the company he was with that night….c’mon joe…..your smarter than that…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!….GO BUCS!!!
June 28th, 2018 at 11:40 am
When the opening game starts it will be 2 suspensions in 10 games and 2 years out of 4 years he has missed a game due to suspension. And he was suspended at FSU. Getting to the point that I root for the logo/team and not the player.
June 28th, 2018 at 12:28 pm
Unless there is dashcam or audio, SHE HAS NO CHANCE. LOL
You know nothing about the legal system 813 and your attempt to condescend someone for KNOWING otherwise is comical.
June 28th, 2018 at 12:43 pm
All this bs over an allegation that can’t n won’t ever be proved is stupid AF. Does he need to mature n stop drinking yes (probably already did) this was 2 1/2 hrs ago but yeah dump the best an n only franchise an we’ve ever had. Look if we did that GMC probably well be gone next yr or the yr after so if we drop Winston what will u so called fans have to biatch about. Many of u aren’t happy unless u got something to complain about with the bucs. Go be a browns fan or STFU. God I hope ownership doesn’t make a mistake n do something based on what u bandwagon fans want. That crap is why we’re still in the cellar n it’s called bucs love SMMFH
June 28th, 2018 at 12:44 pm
Cove
June 28th, 2018 at 12:45 pm
I said the same thing above Rodney.
This reaction from our fan base is pathetic. We’re all stressed but they acted like he killed a girl. Unbelievable.
June 28th, 2018 at 12:56 pm
Best piece written on this site Period! They didn’t want him here to begin with and have been jump at any opportunity to criticisise Jameis.
June 28th, 2018 at 1:01 pm
Joe I believe there is another group. The folks who where ok with Jamis and now feel lied to and deceived. I would be less upset if he was honest with the fans. I love the Bucs but would rather loose with character than win with a liar.
June 28th, 2018 at 1:02 pm
Joe, there are some fans who wanted JW to be drafted in the worst way. I believed the reports about him being a team player, football smart, and a better person than the villain that the media portrayed him as while at FSU. I believed he would prove all the haters wrong and would be a model citizen and a great QB for Tampa for a dozen or more years. I don’t need the league to spell out what he did or didn’t do. The fact that he and Darby came up with a scheme to deceive the league and the team is all I need to know. He is a liar and almost certainly guilty of what he is alleged to have done in that car that night. I wanted to believe in him when he came to town but with these new revelations I now want him gone. Would we ever rest easy during the offseason with this guy as our QB? They would be wise to simply move on now.
June 28th, 2018 at 1:12 pm
I totally wanted Mariota but JW is our QB. I got over it quickly. We don’t always get our way. The so what is: Get over it!
Btw, Hargreaves is coming back on fire. The kids a baller and in the slot he will thrive and thump with those BA LBs along side. It’s going to be good guys. We’ve waited a long time for this and I can’t wait for it start. Prop up your feet, grab a cold one and enjoy the show. It’s coming oh it’s coming Big Time!!! Bam!
June 28th, 2018 at 1:14 pm
Do I have some Bi-Polarity? Yes and get over that too. Bunch a dang whinebags. Stfu 😂
June 28th, 2018 at 1:56 pm
Listen, I was all about drafting Winston (Gator Fan) but really could have gone either way. With that said, Winston has won me over. The fact that people want to run him out of town over a three game suspension is NUTS!! Can you image if Pit fans did that to Big Ben or Pats Fans did that to Brady over their suspensions; No, no you can’t. I remember the days of watching Freeman stand in the pocket and wondering if it was going to be complete. I watch Winston stand in the pocket, and for the most part think “he has time, this is complete.” The simple fact is, we have not had this talented of a QB in Tampa, maybe ever!! Everyone, eat a chill pill and see how this plays out. He isn’t even suspended yet for goodness sake!
June 28th, 2018 at 2:01 pm
@Joe
…he just pleaded guilty. You guys still gonna go on with the Americas QB crap? …and defend him endlessly. Get rid of this crap QB. I don’t care if we’re 0-16. This team is one curse after another 🙁
June 28th, 2018 at 2:42 pm
Buccernut,
Do you believe that no one until very recently has been tried and convicted of sexual assault ( or any number of acts ) because the prosecution lacked dash cam and or audio evidence? Dash cam is relatively new and isn’t widely used same for audio recording. So how or why is there so many people in jail say 10years ago for the same charges ? These cases rarely happen in public w witnesses .
the “Its He said vs she said, we will never know” or “unless conclusive proof is……” triangulation that allows believers to never admit that they were wrong and it’s really Goodell..fill in the blank..while in the real world every day of the week people are tried, convicted and sent to prison without ever meeting the standards you myopic self deluded cleat worshippers demand for someone who you don’t know at all and never will. I hope you cultists don’t sit home and think “today jameis is coming to see me and tell me how he loves me and….” I just hope your mommy’s keep telling you tomorrow he be here tommorow ……
June 28th, 2018 at 3:01 pm
He did it. He lied about it.
He has officially apologized.
He will pay the penalty (not to mention a career without any major endorsement possibilities).
Now the Bucs know. No excuses.
Bring in another QB to battle Fitz and possibly push Jameis.
Status quo brings only woes.
Licht, be smart. Go get another QB while he still has time to learn.
Play to win, not to tread water.
June 28th, 2018 at 3:52 pm
Duke
I’m sorry did you just correlate THIS instance to the history of criminal charges?
I’m referencing the facts pertaining to this case. Not every court case preceding today lol.
There are no facts and he would not be convicted. PERIOD.
The rest of your post is just emotional, a little strange, and not worth addressing.
You know little.
June 28th, 2018 at 4:00 pm
Gotta love all the hate Winston that is spewed on this site every day. So many of you act like all the problems revolve around Winston…
Last year the Bucs went 5-11
Of the 11 losses, missed fg cost them the Patriots game, D gives up late lead against the Bills & Packers, then give up tie game against the Lions. Another missed fg causes Bucs to lose to Falcons, then another D collapse late against the Panthers. That right there is 6 games the Bucs could have won… Should have won at least 4 of them.
If the Bucs went 9-7 last year, you guys wouldn’t be crying near as much. Jameis isn’t a bad qb. He makes some boneheaded decisions on the field at times, but at least he wants to win the damn game. Beats the hell out of players out there just collection paychecks trying not to screw up.
And for all of you people calling for his head over this Uber nonsense, get a grip. If what he did was earth shattering or anything of that nature, there would have been some sort of police investigation and charges would have been filed. What Peyton Manning did at Tennessee was WAY worse than this. Get a grip and get over your FSU/Winston hatred.