GMC Selection Exonerates Mark Dominik
December 27th, 2012
Joe often remarks how Bucs fans must have someone to hate. Whether it is Sabby the Goat or Myron Lewis, Barrett Ruud or Quincy Black, Raheem Morris or Jim Bates, Bucs fans seemingly are not happy if they cannot scream about a player/coach to perfect strangers in a bar or at producers fielding phone calls at a sports radio station.
For two years, Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy was roasted by many fans, and in connection, so too was Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik.
“He can’t draft, look at McCoy,” Dominik’s detractors would bellow to no one in particular.
Never mind that GMC was always hurt; hardly no fault of any general manager. But, lo and behold, the first season GMC is healthy, despite being constantly double- and triple-teamed after Adrian Clayborn went down with an injury, GMC made the Pro Bowl yesterday.
Isn’t it interesting that the Bucs had the worst run defense last year, and with virtually the same cast of characters (with the addition of another Dominik pick, Lavonte David), the defense, with coaching for a change, becomes of the best run-stopping crews in the NFL? All within one season!
Perhaps the Dominik haters should find another target now that GMC is cemented as one of the NFL’s elite?
December 27th, 2012 at 9:09 am
Bucs #1 in NFL vs. the run = McCoy to Hawaii. Yes!!! What’s Ian Schmeckle gonna say????????
December 27th, 2012 at 9:14 am
Joe…I think the defense of Dom is somewhat overstated.
Who, at that position in the draft, wouldn’t have chosen McCoy? As I remember, most considered him the best player at that position in the draft. Almost every “expert” had us picking him as well.
I’ll admit that the last draft or two has looked better. But the real measure is the 2nd through the 4th round picks and the FA’s. If you bomb on the first round guy, you aren’t “average”…you are bad. Aren’t most those high picks supposed to be above average starters relatively quickly? And the FA signings and resigning contracts are a big part of the equation. I think the “jury is out” on those decisions.
I hope he turns out to be the guru you seem to think he is. And I guess we will know in the next few years….especially if we are good enough to be drafting later in the rounds and not in the top 10 or 15 every year.
December 27th, 2012 at 9:26 am
Ok the guy selected one pro bowler in the draft over four years, the 3rd overall selection. Nice pick.
Now, about that 23-40 record with no playoffs.
Or the last place finish three out of four years.
Or the 7, 10, and 5 game losing streaks.
Or the Bucs record for points allowed.
Or the worst pass defense since the advent of the sport.
One pro bowl selection exonerates? Ha!
December 27th, 2012 at 9:30 am
@Eric, come on man…that’s coaching and\or injuries. Mark is doing his part.
December 27th, 2012 at 9:43 am
Dominik had a good off-season and draft last year. Remember the Cupboard was left pretty bare thanks to Bruce Allen. We have exactly two Veterans from his tenure one of whom is Jeremy Trueblood (who probably won’t be with the team much longer). Most half way decent teams have more veterans than 2 one of whom could very well not start or even be out of the NFL next year.
Dominik was hired in January 2009 and I guess to some fans in 4 years we should be in the Superbowl or the GM sucks – LOL. Next year he really earns his chops as does Schiano. The BUCS are close I think but really should be able to get into the playoffs next year or be 9-7ish.
We need some Defensive Backs for sure, as well as D-Lineman and an offensive tackle wouldn’t be a bad idea either. Throw in a big tight end and a slot receiver worth a darn and we could be really good. Also a late round QB wouldn’t be a bad idea.
As far as the pass defense I blame that on a combination of no talent or young talent at corner, bad defensive scheme (Sheridan), no pressure on the QB. How come the BUCs aren’t playing more zone instead of running blitzes that never work ?? Either design better blitzes or stop. Does anyone realize Sheridan was fired after one year with the Giants for doing almost exactly what he is doing with the BUCS.
December 27th, 2012 at 10:02 am
Still a GM who assembles a roster that loses. He should be on the hot seat next year if they don’t win.
December 27th, 2012 at 10:07 am
Joe, this could be the new trend, hate the player and he makes All Pro, so who should we hate now for next year so he can be All Pro? Doug, Lavonte, Clayborn? Oh wait, we have a herd of potenials or for reals on the IR, lets think of Doug and Mike Smith with the All Pro guards back? What about the DEs back and GMC and Roy Miller? And the LB crew with expericence? Our DBs were torched at times, but they are learning – what did we expect from people that were not on any team at the start of the season? I, being old, have noticed that coaches learn also. Oh, we do have a draft coming up, I don’t have a clue who is available and good, but Joe that is you and your pals job and you do a good one, just like free agents.
Yes I would have liked a winning season, but this is better than last year regardless of Sundays game. A loss is higher drafting, a win feels better.
Hope you and yours, including Rachel, had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
December 27th, 2012 at 10:17 am
I actually like Dominik and think he’s done a pretty good job for the most part. You have to admit though that the fans on this site have done a great job picking out the players who shouldn’t be starters on ANY NFL team. Not one player who’s been called out by the fans in this area has gone on to be a pro bowl player or even a productive one. Ruud; who all the experts claimed to be the back bone of the entire franchise can’t get starting gig.
December 27th, 2012 at 10:18 am
One Pro Bowler in 4 years. An alternate too. And a top 5 pick. Hardly finding that gem in the rough. Top 5 picks are SUPPOSED to be Pro Bowlers.
You can put the cat in the oven. That doesn’t make you a chef.
December 27th, 2012 at 11:11 am
Some Buccaneers fans just SUCK!!!
December 27th, 2012 at 11:51 am
It’s downright ridiculous that some who writes about the Bucs, for a living, would even consider, “exonerating” Dominik because he’s had ONE draft pick, #3 overall, make ONE probowl as an altermate. Talk about settin the bar real low. This might be a story if we had a 4th, 5th or 6th rounder make a PB, but besides, Mike Williams, excluding this years draft, becasue they’ve all been inactive ,we have VERY few of Dominiks picks still on the team. I’m not saying Dominik is a complete failure, but he’s certainly no “rockstar”. IMO, he’s been below average as an NFL GM, and our team shows it. Hard to coach when you have ZERO depth at all positions, and NO CB’s who would make any teams active roster.
December 27th, 2012 at 12:04 pm
JOSE summed it up.
Being critical is one thing….. being constantly negative about EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAPPENS like a few people on here is just….. ignorant and annoying.
If they cannot see the loads of young talent emerging on this roster then they are flat out ignorant football fans.
Sure you can point at some busts…. I can look at New Englands drafts the last 6 years and find more than half of them busted too… it is the nature of the game.
December 27th, 2012 at 12:31 pm
I’m not a GMC hater, nor have I been. Thought he was a great pick and a great player. However, this hardly ‘exonerates’ Dom. The secondary alone should have him on the hot seat.
December 27th, 2012 at 12:33 pm
Agree with JOSE and Dave – we do have a lot of young talent there are almost no quality veterans from the Bruce Allen tenure. That is unacceptable I think what Bruce Allen did.
Dominik needs more time he only got here in 2009. There are some things you can criticize obviously but anytime you are judging prospective talent it is hard to predict who will perform in the NFL and who won’t obviously. If it were so easy Tom Brady would’ve been drafted the first pick in the first round instead of the 6th round, right ??
Also there are some people who just like to straight complain about everything. I understand passion but come on. Has anyone done anything positive?
Charlie Casserly a great GM and now consultant for NFL.com. Thinks Schiano and Dominik have both done a great job in his opinion, but hey what does he know he just helped build 3 Superbowl Champion teams with the Redskins using 3 different Quarterbacks. I will have to agree with a 16 year NFL GM before the Jamokes on this site. Dominik and Schiano are both keepers.
December 27th, 2012 at 12:36 pm
David alone is responsible for a lot of the improvement in Run D.He has the second-most solo tackles in the league; according to PFF, he made one out of four stops on Rams’ run plays.
December 27th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Joe…you just can’t win with the haters no matter what you say. When there were no pro bowlers the haters were shouting about it. Now that GMC is in the pro bowl the haters are shouting, “Only one pro bowler!”. Next year when there are two or three the haters will be shouting, “Only two or three pro bowlers!”. Then when the Bucs make the playoffs next year they’ll shout, “Only one playoff appearance!”.
And on and on and on and on it goes. Haters gonna hate. Stupidity knows no bounds with Bucs fans.
December 27th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Joe,
When will Dom be held accountable for putting together a winning team?
One “All Star” appearance in his tenure is pathetic.
Derrick Ward, Mike Nugent, re-signing Quincy, and other moves have all been brutal.
The 2012 draft may have been Dom’s best yet. If Dom can get rid of the dead weight and spend on some more FA’s, then we may have found a remedy.
Until then, having a GM for 4+ years and only having 1 probowlers is lousy. That means under Dom’s watch, The Buccaneers have a 0.25 Probowl appearances per year.
What I find more impressive the way we lose, we are praising a GM and QB that have not delivered. 10+ game losing streak last season, and a chance for a 6 game losing streak this year.
Right now, our QB and GM have been more impressive for their losing efforts….
December 27th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
RamDog,
Did either Harbaugh brother “need more time” with their respective teams? The answers is firmly NO. Because both the Ravens and 49ers have a GM that can identify and collect talent.
All I have to say is, if Dee Milliner is gone with our 1st pick, then we BETTER draft the best player available.
We better not pass on: Manti Te’o, Star Loutiui, and other talented players in order to pluck the 2nd bast CB off the board.
If we pidgeon hole ourselves with having to take a CB, when there are more talented players on the board, then we wil be doomed to finish last in the NFC south 3 years in a row.
December 27th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
If Milliner is gone I think Dominik goes with a DT, OT or DE. Johnthan Banks is simply not a top ten pick (although he is a top twenty). I could see Lotulelei, Richardson or Banks at DT; Werner or Jordan at DE; Jockel or Matthews at OT. I think we see Milliner or one of these guys in a Bucs uniform come April.
December 27th, 2012 at 2:11 pm
^typo on the DT’s above…I meant Hankins, not Banks
December 27th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
@ STEVEK
Are you not aware of the teams that those to coashes had when they got there?? The truth is that Mark D. and Raheem got nothing as far as talent in this team when they got their respective possitions. Chucky and Bruce were trying the win now mentality with second tear free agents and gutted the team and were both completely awful drafting and singning talent to this team.Mark D. and Shiano are just starting to build this team from the ground up and make NO mistake about it thats were this team was, in the GROUND. That’s why I have no time for ignorant fans that want to win now without knowing what it takes to win and build a dinasty. Look at teams like the Pats,Ravens ,Steelers and Giants just to name a few of the teams that at one point had to gut the team and go thru a rebuilding mode for a few years and are now and have been contenders for years reguardless of what stupid fans and media was saying. They did not send their QB away and fired their coach those teams are consistant and stick with their players and coaches.Fans want teams like the ones mentioned above without being patient and putting in the work or being SUPORTIVE…
December 27th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
The number 1 defense is a direct result of selling out the pass to stop the run… but we did this against the top 10 QBs in the NFL 🙁 … not exactly a good idea was it? Nice record.
December 27th, 2012 at 4:43 pm
SteveK;
General rule of thumb in the NFL is a general manager gets two coaching administrations to turn things around. What Joe doesn’t know is if Raheem Morris was forced upon Mark Dominik. If that is the case, Dominik may get a third coaching administration.
Joe knows that Team Glazer likes Dominik and, in their own words, “trust” Dominik.
December 27th, 2012 at 7:11 pm
I wish Mark Dominik would try and go after Jarvis Jones. It would fill 2 holes with Pass rusher and an OLB. I know we need CBs, but I feel we could find one in the 2 round and pick one up in FA. Mabey even negotiate Wrights contract. If we could get to the QB more any CB will look better.