Oversights Cost David Big
December 28th, 2019
Millions lost.
Joe doesn’t know how stud linebacker Lavonte David doesn’t flip out.
David has been one of the NFL’s best, most consistent linebackers since he came into the league in 2012 from Nebraska. Rotten coordinators, 43-fronts, 34-fronts, it doesn’t matter; David balls out week after week, season after season.
Yet for a lot of reasons (his aversion to the spotlight, playing for a futile franchise, lack of prime time games, lack of sacks because he’s not asked to rush the quarterback), folks across the country either don’t know about David or scoff at him. “How good could he be, playing for Tampa Bay?,” they ask.
Well, not only is it downright criminal David has only made one Pro Bowl in his days with the Bucs, it has cost David a sh!tload of cash.
David has bonuses coming his way if he makes the Pro Bowl. Those checks have not always been cashed and Jenna Laine of ESPN has the details of the fortune David has lost because of these irresponsible oversights.
To the folks who say it doesn’t matter that Lavonte David doesn’t make the Pro Bowl each year: he would have received a $1.2M escalator had he reached the Pro Bowl or received first team All-AP or All-NFL by the PFWA in 2019. $900K last year, $600K the year before, $300K in 2016.
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) December 27, 2019
By Joe’s (bad) math, that comes out to $3 million David has been screwed out of because Pro Bowl voters are — let’s call it like we see it — irresponsible if not shameless.
You want to know what’s sad? That’s sad!
December 28th, 2019 at 8:09 am
Joe
The shame is the “Probowl” itself!!!!
…..a damn popularity contest / social event for the players, family and friends.
Noone that I know even cares about the Probowl…..let alone watches it anymore…….it’s a joke.
December 28th, 2019 at 8:21 am
“America’s Linebacker” Pro Bowler, Lavonte David
December 28th, 2019 at 8:24 am
Need to take away the fan voting because the big market teams will always get more votes for their players. Also, why not wait for the season to actually be completed. It’s not like the Pro Bowl is the week after the regular season ends. Why the big rush to announce who balled out any given year?
December 28th, 2019 at 8:34 am
He and his agent shouldn’t have went for that. On field incentives only. He’s doing pretty well, otherwi$e. Go Bucs!!
December 28th, 2019 at 8:40 am
It’s not like his base salary sucks. Joe’s crying for a guy who’s been making over 10 million a year for years. Oh the travesty!! Joe, find something worth while to whine about.
December 28th, 2019 at 8:44 am
I don’t even bother with the pro bowl anymore.
Until the judging takes place later in the season and is more fair, it’s not even worth it.
December 28th, 2019 at 8:44 am
Anthem
Wow we agree. I too think the Pro Bowl is a sham and needs to go and along with it the NHL All Star game. Although some of the skills contests in the NHL are at least entertaining.
But having an all star game in a contact sport where millions of dollars of personal investment to the player and franchise investment to the team seriously restricts one of the major purposes of contact sports….CONTACT!…Why?
People will still want to come up with All this and All that lists…fine. I think I’m like most fans…I respect those lists very little and give most credence to those voted by players, then the coaches, then the writers, then the fans last…in fact I don’t respect fan lists at all they’re simply popularity contests and are always slanted to major market teams with more “voters”.
December 28th, 2019 at 8:57 am
If I recall correctly, the 49ers just gave Richard Sherman a $1M playing time bonus he did NOT completely meet the requirements of, but was close. Class act on the part of the 49ers.
Glazer boys?
December 28th, 2019 at 10:06 am
He signed the contract and knew the parameters, smart of the bucs for that type of structure something I doubt they’ll be able to do when he gets extended.
Who exactly should he be upset with? NFL coaches, players and fans for not voting him to the pro bowl? It’s the ultimate team sport and sacks are not the primary responsibility of a weak side linebacker in a 4-3. Hes going to get an extension at 30 so he’s valued by this organization, hell get his first playoff appearance in 2020 unless winston is in the giving mood again next year.
December 28th, 2019 at 10:09 am
It’s shameful that one of the highest paid o lines can’t open up holes in short yardage
It’s shameful that fans fork over money for a losing product week after week
It’s shameful that good defense is wasted by a turnover prone QB that refuses to learn from his over 100 mistakes in 5 years
It’s shameful that an awful GM keeps his job just because he’s friends with a semi retired coach that doesn’t call plays
It’s shameful that this is the worst decade of Bucs football in their history
December 28th, 2019 at 10:15 am
How is it that LAVONTE DAVID can make an ALL DECADE TEAM… as he recently did, and yet he is overlooked for the Pro Bowl almost every single year.
Lavonte has become one of my very favorite BUCS. Man, he busts his ass on every single play…. he plays and hits with passion…. he leads his teammates…. and he CARES. ALOT.
Much love to ya, Lavonte David, and CHEERS.
December 28th, 2019 at 10:16 am
I love this blog but it’s shameful that I wasted 3 minutes of my day reading this and 20 seconds tying this. Shame on me.
December 28th, 2019 at 10:20 am
^^ Why was it shameful, Joseph?
December 28th, 2019 at 10:35 am
Tampa Bay Demon Says:
December 28th, 2019 at 10:20 am
^^ Why was it shameful, Joseph?
It ain’t very newsworthy IMHO. The man is not making the league minimum so these numbers are not a lot cash relatively speaking, he plays on crappy team that ain’t very popular so he would have to be the very best at his position (which he is not) to get voted in, etc, etc.
December 28th, 2019 at 10:42 am
David play has always been great. What’s impressed me later is how much he’s stepped up his leadership roll. I think he loves Bowles defense maybe even as much as he did Schiano’s.
December 28th, 2019 at 11:03 am
Joseph, yea I hear you on those points. It would be nice, though, if a guy who’s play was good enough to make the All Decade Team, could get into a Pro Bowl once in awhile. He deserves it. Especially this year.
December 28th, 2019 at 11:07 am
Whats shameful is this defense has finally played well the past 5 games in 5 years and some in this fan base acts as if this defense has performed like this for 5 years all just to blame the qb. Smdh
December 28th, 2019 at 11:13 am
Love him. At least he’s still rich.
December 28th, 2019 at 11:14 am
The Pro Bowl has about as much entertainment value as the 4th preseason game. Like someone said above, big market fan bases have a huge influence on voting outcome. Actual game is mostly flag football with a lot of politicking and uninteresting interviews. I used to enjoy the old college all star game between Pros and top college prospects. So truth be known a player like David probably doesn’t lose a lot of sleep over a game designed to be a social spectacle that a lot of players decline to attend.
December 28th, 2019 at 11:17 am
The pro bowl has no validity, everyone knows this.
December 28th, 2019 at 11:30 am
Guys:
The NFL isn’t getting rid of the Pro Bowl any time soon. Why? People still watch it, meaning TV networks are willing to cut (massive) checks to the NFL for the rights to broadcast it.
If few watched, it would go away.
December 28th, 2019 at 12:25 pm
LVD has a HOF mentality.
December 28th, 2019 at 3:51 pm
What’s sad is ur inability to be objective about our bullsh!t qb
December 28th, 2019 at 8:01 pm
The pro bowl should be based on various stats for each position for the primary votes say the first 50% of players chosen, and then the players have to vote for the final 50% of players and it would exclude the players chosen in the front 50% from the list that players vote off of.That would give the best stayistical players a guarantee to make it regardless of who they play for. Fair!