Pining For Chris Hovan’s Return
October 18th, 2010
Now Joe knows there’s a reason former Bucs defensive tackle Chris Hovan was released by the Bucs. General manager Mark Dominik wanted to go young and let the kids sink or swim their rookie season.
In short, be baptized by fire.
By that premise, the burn unit at Tampa General Hospital was quite busy yesterday afternoon because the young Bucs got third degree burns from having Division-II running back Chris Ivory torch them time after time.
It was so bad veteran St. Petersburg Times columnist Gary Shelton was wondering if there was a way the Bucs could reacquire Hovan.
For goodness’ sake, I miss Chris Hovan.
That’s how badly the Saints beat up the Bucs on Sunday. They battered them, they bullied them, and they left them looking so bewildered that any possible answer at all, even last year’s incorrect ones, like Hovan, seemed like a fine idea at the time. Anything, just so it might help stop the stampede.
Here we go again.
Shelton went on to write how the Bucs rush defense couldn’t stop a parked car.
Folks, yesterday — and the Steelers pounding — was why Peter King expected the Bucs to only win two games this year. The Bucs were (and are) determined to win or lose with young players, players who are still learning how to play in the NFL.
The cavalry is not coming. There is no one Dominik will sign off the street to help because, frankly, who currently unemployed would be any better?
The Bucs are building with youth. Games like this, especially against the defending champs, isn’t really shocking. Disappointing, yes. Shocking, no.
October 18th, 2010 at 9:56 am
No ne planned on seeing the Bucs in the Superbowl this year. The superbowl champs kicking yer butt isn’t so bad, as long as the young guys learn from it! At least there we have hope for improvement. It’s the O – line that has really depressed me the most! They should be in their prime! And they CANNOT run block- sad!!
October 18th, 2010 at 10:08 am
Capt Tim, the OL isn’t horrible but we don’t have a good RB. Caddy doesn’t have the speed to get to the outside, yet we continue to try. Huggins was just starting to get his shot and he’s out now.
We have to stop the run. We have to get a DE. I’ll bring up the idea again – Merriman at DE? Stylez needs to change his name back to Greg, he did better.
October 18th, 2010 at 10:16 am
Chris Hovan would have been dominated up front yesterday as well.
Not the Chris Hovan that we signed as a free agent a few years back…..
But the Chris Hovan who is avalilable now, would have gotten “freight trained” just like everyone else did.
fact.
October 18th, 2010 at 10:22 am
bucfanjeff:
Two points:
1) Merriman has been worthless since he’s off the roids, which is why the Chargers — the Chargers! — washed their hands of him. Once again, unless it’s a salary dump, teams don’t let go of valuable players in the middle of the season.
2) What makes you think Mark Dominik is going to sign a washed up old guy? That is everything against what Dominik does. Dominik is all about youth, not age.
October 18th, 2010 at 10:24 am
Yes,
It sucks. The D line got embarrassed yesterday. Any hope of competing into the playoffs was dashed even for the most homeric of homers.
But…
We all said we’d be astounded by an 8-8 season. That Raheem would get coach of the year if he could get this team to 8-8. That an even record would mean that the team is heading in the right direction.
Let’s not forget that, before we go writing the season off and signing would-be retirees back on to the squad.
October 18th, 2010 at 10:27 am
I’m all for changes to be made, but Chris Hovan, please. Hovan is done as a football player, wish him well, but he is done. I don’t even know why Shelton would write about Hovan. If you want to write about scheme, techniques the coaching staff is teaching the d-line is certainly more appropriate than bringing up Hovan.
October 18th, 2010 at 10:30 am
This just in……sit down everyone i know this will be shock but….
THe Bucs are not ready to compete with the Super Bowl Champs.
So if before the season people were predicting 3-13, 2-14, 5-11 then why is it a surprise to everyone when we get manhandled by one of the best QB’s and offenses in the league?
This season is going just as I had expected. They’re beating the teams they should and they’re getting their asses handed to them by elite teams.
October 18th, 2010 at 10:31 am
After the game last week in which the Bengals gift wrapped the game and handed to to us, everyone was saying how bad that New orleans was this year and the we were going to beat them. Now, Tugboat Timmie says being beat by the World Champs isn’t so bad. That statement is akin to a battered Wife claiming that “he didn’t mean to beat me”, or ” this black eye & broke arm” doesn’t hurt too much!
Under Raheem the Dream, Timmie, our defense is giving up 367 yards average. And couldn’t stop a high school team. You can’t blame Gruden anymore. Nor do we have Kiffin’s Tampa 2 or players to rely on after firing the DC. In short, Raheem the Dream is on his own and the “Dream” is turning into a “Nightmare”. Raheem is nothing more than an Amateur playing at DC & HC and he is proving that point each and every week. We have some very good young talent. But until a “real” coach comes in here to teach them their positions we are going to ony get worse. High-fives & Chest-bumps are great for fans after a win. But it takes way more than that to be a good field General. And it takes more than an amateur to build a team onto a winner. I think the players might just be realizing that!
October 18th, 2010 at 10:38 am
Tampa2, I completely agree with you!! I said it before and I’ll keep saying it till I’m proven wrong……. as long as Radio is the head coach and Dominik is the GM, this team WILL NOT be any better than what we’re seeing now.
October 18th, 2010 at 10:52 am
The reality is that last season many on here thought the bucs defense was improved after Rah took over as DC. They pointed to the Saints game as evidence.
Many of us pointed out that the Saints didn’t care much about that game.
We all saw what happened yesterday when they did care. The allegedly “improved” defense is not improved and Rah had all training camp to implement his Tampa 2.5. No disruption is occurring.
October 18th, 2010 at 11:05 am
Watching that yesterday was sad, I’m still hoping for 8-8 but was thinking about so much more.
Relax haters, lets see how this team responds. If we lose to the Rams, then we are now losing to teams we are supposed to beat. Then we can jump off the bridges.
And Shelton didnt mean Hovan literally, just that we actually have to sit and think which Dline is worse, this years or last years, which is pathetic. Rookies or not, they should show some improvement next game or we are going to suck again!
October 18th, 2010 at 11:07 am
The Bucs line is what it is young and inexperienced. The same cannot be said for our Middle Linebacker who has had too long in this league to be so soft against the run. Did I hear Raheem say he wanted a more physical and violent team this year? How can you have a middle linebacker as soft as Rhud and utter that statement????? Apparently Raheem is looking the other way every game as Rhud gets bowled over by each and every running back the other team has to offer. If Raheem does not make a change I hear the name Bill Cowher in our future.
October 18th, 2010 at 11:10 am
if we are getting better,than we shouldnt be getting the hell beat out of us. O.K every once in a while it happens,but not every time you play a good team. improvement means being able to compete with the other (better) teams. maybe not winning, but having a chance. we didnt have a prayer yesterday.
October 18th, 2010 at 11:18 am
“if we are getting better,than we shouldnt be getting the hell beat out of us”
Nicely put Bux76.
October 18th, 2010 at 11:28 am
If the Bucs are serious about winning.. Shouldnt they trade for albert Haynesworth he will help both our run D and the pass rush immediately. I think this is a move the bucs front office should be heavily considering. what do you think joe?
October 18th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Gavster:
This year has been about building the team, winning, shockingly, is secondary. They are looking long-term, not short-term.
The Bucs got off to such a good start Joe thinks it surprised a whole lot of poeple inside One Buc Palace.
But the Bucs are not going to trade for guys like Haynesworth or sign Merriman. The Bucs are going to sink or swim this year with what they currently have.
October 18th, 2010 at 11:34 am
Nick & Bux
Very well stated and I completely agree!
October 18th, 2010 at 11:36 am
To play like that at home is taking 10 steps backwards! Not saying we should have or would have won, but being competitive is what the team is striving for and that was the effort of a team mentally beaten before the first snap. SAD
October 18th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Three years now teams have run the ball down our throats. Over 500 yards on the ground the last three games. First time since 1993 we allowed three (3) running backs in a row gain 100 yards a game.
Why should we not beat or even be competitive against a team that had only 378 rushing yards (with one more game played) before yesterday? Our pass defense gave up two big plays early in the game. How about tackling? Same problems as last year.
I am looking and wondering where the improvement is? Besides Freeman, Williams (the wide receiver variety) and Winslow this team has taken a step backwards in everything. I know we are young but tackling should not be a major problem. Good tackling would be a huge improvement, one that I could live with even if the players are young and get out of position sometimes.
October 18th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Raheem gives a bad name to the Tampa 2. He’s not coaching a Tampa 2, he’s coaching a Raheem Morris style defense and he is calling a Raheem Morris game plan.
Raheem Morris does not equal Tampa 2 or Tampa 2.5 for that matter.
So please keep the comments about his defense soley on his shoulders, don’t ruin the Tampa 2 name. even if raheem is TRYING to run a Tampa 2, he’s running it POORLY at best.
October 18th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Amazing how people change their opinions so completely from week to week. If we win next week, we’ll be 4-2, and everyone will be proclaiming this a playoff team again. We used the same strategy as before. Shut down the pass, hope they don’t have the patience to beat us running the ball. Unfortunately, Bree’s could still pass. They also had plenty of patience running the ball down our throat! Guess that’s how you get to be world Champions. We are rebuilding! Hopefully a win next week, and this game is forgotten
October 18th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
OKay so after calming down a bit i have come to the conclusion that we are still growing and will be taking are beating like we should be against teams we should be outmachted.
So with my new philosophy we should beat the Rams…right?
So we should:
Rams – W
Cards – L
Falcons – L
Panthers – W
San Fran – L
Baltimore -L
Falcons -L
Wash – L
Lions – W
Seatle – L
Saints -L
OUCH!
October 18th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
Yeah, we looked like the Vikings last year, in the playoffs. Except Freeman avoided the Pressure better. The Saints are the World Champs! The Steelers are the best team in the league. They make good times look pathetic! If we knew this team was a playoff contender, and very talented, we would blow this game off! I remember Sapp, Brooks, lynch etc taking a horrible, lopsided beating from the raiders! It was a lot worse than yesterday! We all knew it was an fluke , and immediately dismissed it. We are decent, but the great teams make us show our age. They make alot of teams look stupid. Quit acting like a bunch of panicky women, running around with your hands in the air, crying it’s the end of the world! ACT LIKE YOU HAVE SOME DAMN SENSE!! Our really young team got Beat up by the Champs! We discovered a great line can run on us at will, and shut our run down completely! Yeah, that sucks. I’m sure Brett Farve thought it Sucked when the Saints embarrassed him last year! But unlike some of you pus%?*, at least he didn’t think the whole damn world ended!!! Jesus!! It’s 16 games people! We are barely a 1/4 of the way there! If we win the next two, the haters will be gone agian back under their rock, and the rest of us will be talking about how great this team is. The saints and the steelers will get their butts kicked by a Buccaneer team! Just not this one . Not yet . .
October 18th, 2010 at 3:06 pm
Ho who? Hovan? He’s on IR. Oh, Shelton didn’t literally mean Hovan? It’s all so confusing!
October 18th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Uh Captain Tim,
Didn’t the Vikings have the game vs. Saints pretty much won till the late INT?
You are comparing the bucs performance to that?
C’monnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
You are correct about the season being young. But, gonna be hard to win much with 32nd rush defense and very poor running game. Does not compute. Might get a couple of more gift wrapped victories.
October 18th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
please no to Hovan lets stick with the young guns. We cant give up on our d line already. I still think Price and Mccoy will come along
October 18th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
They are 1 to 2 drafts away from being a true contender, lets be honest! If Raheem can get 3-4 more wins, rebuilding through draft takes time. Need LT, LG, C, RT, MLB, RDE, LDE, FS, SS, CB, RB, FB, and true Nose Tackle (Price and McCoy are undertackles) I mean a guy about 6′-6″ about 350 pounds to anchor line of schrimage. So patience people. 6-10 or better will give Rah a new contract so, have a nice day!
October 18th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
to northernbucsfan: Sorry to disagree, but McCoy probably will not make it as drafted. He is not strong enough for the position and at 6’4″ easy to block. If they don’t want a semi bust on their hands, the should move him to end. Price will end up being better at the under-tackle. The no. one need is a middle line backer. Ruud is just plain bad. He is not bad at pulling guys down from in back, but head on he hits like a kicker.
October 18th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
passthebuc d tackles never do much there first year. MCCOY WILL GET STRONGER HES ONLY A ROOKIE