Freeman Talks About Bucs’ Mental Deficiencies
December 17th, 2011
There’s no good explanation for the depth of the Bucs’ demise, but Josh Freeman stood tall and tried to offer some insight during The Josh Freeman Show on WDAE-AM 620 Wednesday night.
Freeman said last year’s team was much better despite largely the same roster. Penalties and losing got in the team’s head this season, Freeman said.
“Honestly, it might have played on our confidence a bit. Guys for whatever reason couldn’t get over that hump,” Freeman said. “It’s cost us ballgames, you know, and really that should never be the case. You kind of gotta put each week behind you and get prepared for the next week.”
It’s sad to Joe that the Bucs lack the necessary mental toughness that’s led to this heinous seven-game losing streak. If the coaches and the small handful of veterans can’t get through to the team very quickly, then Joe’s not sure what the 2012 fix is other than bringing in the right free agents and gutting the coaching staff.
December 17th, 2011 at 11:02 am
pathetic, what a leader
December 17th, 2011 at 11:16 am
I don’t know if there is any short term “fix” Joe.
December 17th, 2011 at 11:20 am
I’ve gotta nagging feeling Freeman may be following Morris out the door in the not too distant future. I cannot believe how mentally WEAK this team is! What is really sad is that we hear Morris constantly talk about “We’re Not going to be mentally weak!” Well, Rah…..You and your team are proving to be just that and that is ALL on you!
If Freeman ends up being as bad @ QB as Morris is at coaching, this team has taken about a 5 to 10 year leap BACKWARDS!
December 17th, 2011 at 11:38 am
Freeman will be fine. Howie Long, who is smarter and knows football better than anyone who post here, nailed it. He said that the lack of an offseason hurt this team far worse than others. This team is primarily 2nd and 3rd year players. That’s critical years to spend studying film. The league has a book on you, you have to add new chapters. No off season, no chance to add facets.
Howie also mentioned that we didn’t have Vetern leadership, to guide the youngsters thru bad times. That lands squarely on “bad Plan” Dominick. No one else.
December 17th, 2011 at 11:45 am
hey joe do you know if brightthouse will have the game on tv or not
December 17th, 2011 at 11:48 am
Here’s my question.
Who here at the ages of 21-24 were being paid hundreds of thousands of dollars? Who here had to work under the pressure of being paid like that at that age with no one to show you what to do or how to act?
Yeah Dom blew it by not bringing in more veterans, but the what to and how to act portion is coaching, or lack there of.
December 17th, 2011 at 11:54 am
@Capt.Tim – I think it falls on Raheem. Who wants to get advice from a cheerleader? Would you go to a cheerleader to help you understand the mental mistakes you are making, the flaws in your decision making process? Well, I wouldn’t. A coach like Dungy would have helped this team during these tough times better than Raheem can dream to doing. I’m not advocating Dungy’s return, just comparing his ability to focus a team and mentor players. Raheem’s a cheerleader, not a leader. I’d rather he go cheer for some other team.
Freeman’s comments support my comments on other posts about this young set of players need for mentoring, a leader that can straighten out their thinking and right their emotional ship! It’s a crucial time in their development and they are going to have to struggle through it without help from Raheem, unless they want to go through a cheer together!
December 17th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
a gutting of entire coaching staff and front office is needed.
only way to restore credibility.
changing faces with the same bs plan wont cut it. glazers should come out and aplogize to fans.
then state they are going on nationwide search for best possible candidates for gm and coach with money no object. promise to utilize free agency.
fans would rally around that immedoately.
December 17th, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Eric is correct. Howie was searching for a reason not to say this coaching is horrific, those guys are careful not to call for a coaches job.
Also, if I were a fan of another team I would be searching for excuses to keep rah and dom around too.
The lack of team OTAs (not the entire offseason as is suggested bc they had a near full training camp and player OTAs) means nothing. It effects everyone the same unless you have a horrible coach.
Btw, you sheep and Joe were previously arguing how the no OTAs was an advantage to the bucs bc their leadership was organizing practices that mimmicked what they do with the team.
I think that you all were correct.
December 17th, 2011 at 1:06 pm
howie is right about freeman though and joe has said it all season long. Often times rookies can come in and play well or you get guys who are 26 or 27 who finally get a chance play well for a year or two then fade out again. This is like a pitcher in baseball. When you have new guys they come in and play really well but as soon as their tendencies are studied one of two things happen, they add a new pitch to arsenal or they get shelled every other game. The tricks to the bucs offense were found out in the off season and due to the lockout and lack of leadership, and BAD COACHING this offense was not able to step it up.
we would have 3 or 4 more wins if we simply gave blount the ball more often. Yes the defense is horrible but you can still win games with a horrible defense even if they are off the field more often. How many games have we seen blount not get the ball for several series or inside the redzone, almost all of them. I put the most of this blame on OLSON
December 17th, 2011 at 1:27 pm
eric, im guessing the plan was sent down from ownership to build this team young. dominik has done just that. i would say dominik at least is worth one more year to evaluate. morris is a goner though and with him goes most of his staff.
December 17th, 2011 at 1:45 pm
Drafting Josh Freeman never shouldve hapened in the first place, but well, after a one year wonder he’s back to earth now I guess
December 17th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Cappy, I think you nailed it, but I don’t like excuses and it is one of many things combined IMO. On PFT they reported the Bucs will likely keep Raheem and hire him a DC, which we all know needs to happen. I also think Olie is on his way out. Whatever the case, I’m totally pumped up for the game tonight, unlike so many. I think the Bucs will play hard for their lives tonight and possibly have their best game, short of a full roster. Either way, it should be a little chilly and great football weather. There will be plenty of beer to go around at the Stadium, and I’ll toast one for ye bro.
Go Bucs!!!
December 17th, 2011 at 1:50 pm
Hey Thomas, this sheep has a big horn for ya. Hahaha, hater.
December 17th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
DC = Spags, OC = Turner
December 17th, 2011 at 2:18 pm
will Josh ever take responsibility and stop calling his teammates out? probably not. some leader he is.
December 17th, 2011 at 2:22 pm
I’m seeing other young teams handle the lockout better than us , so what gives?
December 17th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
@BigMacAttack
Yes…Turner as OC!
Spags would be good, but I was also thinking maybe Herm Edwards as a possibility?? He’s very familiar with Tampa 2 and did great here as an assistant coach back in the day.
December 17th, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Oh, don’t get me wrong, there is some bad coaching going on here also. There is blame for both Raheem, Dom, and some players.
Freeman, Clayborn, Bowers, and McCoy not among them
December 17th, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Didn’t Dom and Morris already try the “new coordinators” route in 2009? I remember them crowing after landing Jag and Bates.
That resulted in a 3-13 season after both were “jettisoned”. (they werent given endless time like Rah and Dom need apparently). What makes anybody think these guys can pick good coordinators – even if one actually would agree to take the job?
As a matter of fact the Glazer boys mettled with Dungy and brought in a new offensive coordinator a time or two. Never worked. Offense stayed the same.
So why try it again?
And if our defensive minded head coach DC can do no better than flirt with an NFL record for yards per play given up what good is he?
Makes no sense at all.