Forget The Past

April 14th, 2014
T

Forget 2013, Lovie says.

Just thinking of last season, Joe’s stomach turns a little and generates acid reflux. Or maybe that was the Crown and Coke Zero Joe was drinking last night?

The 2013 season for the Bucs was enough to turn anyone’s stomach. Losing the first eight games, watching leaky, sleepy Rip Van Freeman go mental and try to tear apart the locker room, the MRSA, the list goes on. It was so bad it shouldn’t be forgotten.

But, per Woody Cummings of The Tampa Tribune, that’s not the way new Bucs coach Lovie Smith works. He wants the Bucs to wipe their hard drives clean of any and all information saved from last season.

He can’t erase it from the record books, but Smith has officially put the Bucs’ 2013 season behind him and wants his players to do the same.

“To me, it doesn’t really matter what happened last year,” Smith said recently. “For me, it’s all about going forward and creating the best situation and the best group of men we can for our needs going forward. It’s really as simple as that.”

For a history guy like Joe, this is troubling. You know the old cliche, “Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it?” Joe takes that to heart.

But Joe does get where Lovie Smith is coming from. The 2014 season is (hopefully) the dawn of a new Bucs era, an era that includes wins. An era that includes a playoff win, for the first time in 12 too-long years. And, hopefully, an era that includes Johnny Football.

Bucs players should learn from the past. Joe understands why Lovie wants them, however, to look forward, not backwards.

25 Responses to “Forget The Past”

  1. deminion Says:

    just win baby go bucs

  2. Mike Says:

    Joe I gotta tell ya….. You have good taste in liquor…… QB? Not so much. Lol

  3. BirdDoggers Says:

    The 2013 season was bad on so many levels that it will be hard to forget from the fans perspective. But, the players should erase the teachings from the Schiano era(error). Lovie brings a different approach. He has a track record in the league, which brings instant credibility to Lovie in the eyes of the team. It seems the players questioned Schiano’s style and ability. They players shouldn’t have that with Lovie as their coach.

  4. The_Buc_Realist Says:

    I am sure the 6 remaining players from last year roster that will be here on opening day, will not be thinking of the past.

    by the way, Glennon is still on the roster!

  5. Eric Says:

    Might as well forget about the last five years.

    Go Lovie.

  6. Mike Says:

    I’m just amused at all the QB talk. No QB in this draft is a given “franchise QB”. All have some issues in them. I’m also not sold on Glennon, but I’ll give the kid credit for what he was thrown into last season. I have just one question that I would like a logical answer to. If Tedford is a QB guru? Then why do we need to draft a QB? I don’t care if we do or don’t, but if he’s that good on QBs? Then why waist a pick on one?

  7. tmaxcon Says:

    Joe try crown and RC… less reflux issues.

    More coach speak of course he wants them to move forward and make players relaxed so they can perform at their best. It was clear not only by Freemans colossal meltdown but the demeanor of coaches and players publicly was very telling how little napoleon wore them all down.

    Johnny @ 7

  8. Architek Says:

    The the record reflect the Bucs past 6 years are and were atrocious. But you can’t deny Lovie’s urgency to move past this stink of a team.

    Dominik really failed in a major way and I’m glad he’s now being held accountable with his name and association.

  9. doc Says:

    Blame, everyone, everything and never the head coach or that sorry Quarterback,that replace Freeman.

  10. tmaxcon Says:

    Mike,

    In my opinion the bucs don’t have time even with a so called guru on staff if the qb doesn’t fit system needs. Considering Lovie’s win now mantra which I fully appreciate, it might be faster to work with a qb that fits system vs coaching up a square peg to fit a round hole.

    Before mob goes ballistic twisting my above statement no one knows publicly what system or modified previous offense system Tedford will run or who fits it. If it relies heavily Mr Glennon will be gone. If it doesn’t require mobility he has a shot at clipboard duty.

  11. Mike Says:

    I’m shocked I got an unbiased answer from you tmaxcon. I just don’t see the point in drafting a QB with all our other needs. I’m with many that say a game is won in the trenches. We’re rather week in OL and don’t get me started on WR. I understand a lot of the moves from a financial standpoint, but I feel some may have been to quick. What I’m saying is, without an OL and some weapons, well it doesn’t matter who is under center. Better hope the D can hold em to zero

  12. Mike Says:

    Weak*

  13. tmaxcon Says:

    Mike

    don’t get me wrong I’m still not a Glennon guy and feel his best value is trading him now. I have been highly entertained by the creative mathematics and excuses for Glennon being deserving of a shot regardless if he is a fit for system or not. To me that’s just wasting time that a team with a win now philosophy and 12 long years of misery can’t afford. Yes drafting a qb is very risky but if he is a better system fit to me that is worth gamble.

    I am concerned more about o line than any other positions.

  14. Bucfan#37 Says:

    If you have been a fan of the Bucs from the teams onset, the past seasons have piled up an ugly win-loss percentage, with a few good seasons thrown in, enough to forget most of past efforts. Amnesia or alzheimer’s has’nt set in yet here, but the past including last year might as well be ancient history. In a throw away society, what old Bucs?

  15. Orca Says:

    waste of space… excuse to say something and end up saying nothing… nice post joe.

  16. Kirk Says:

    My God man! Joe….Crown and coke zero? Lite beer? Dude, your taste in alcohol is even less sophisticated than your writing skills. Come on man, you just have to playing around. No one in their right mind would ruin Crown Royal by mixing it with coke zero? No wonder that gal you keep slobbering over won’t give you tumble. Geez.

  17. Vincente Says:

    I will forget but not forgive. The past ten years have been miserable. I was 15 when the bucs last won a superbowl, and twenty the last time they have been to the playoffs. I Have graduated college got married and have two kids since then. Please Tampa get something done fast! I’m getting old dammit. (Ok I’m only 27)

  18. Jim Says:

    The Bucs have been snake-bit December 8th 2008.

  19. TheShaz Says:

    The defense should be vastly improved from last year. It is the offense that has me worried. With one single off season and draft, can’t redo both sides of the ball.

    Until the new OC and QB ‘ S prove otherwise… I am expecting a early Dungy era type of performance. Low scoring, FG’s and Special Teams making the differance

  20. ElioT Says:

    Crown and Coke Zero? #WEAK!

    Go Bucs!

  21. Joe Says:

    Crown and Coke Zero? #WEAK!

    Actually, it’s quite smooth. Was turned on to it last fall. Hooked.

    Bushmills is the only whiskey Joe will sip and nurse straight.

  22. Manzielski Says:

    “I’m still not a Glennon guy and feel his best value is trading him now”

    Holy Moly, if the Bucs traded Glennon now they would be telegraphing their 1st pick. It might cause a virtual panic of teams behind them needing QB, like Minnesota.

    Just draft Manziel and then unload Napoleon Dynomite for a draft pick and use the pick on a guard.

    Bud Light, Crown and Coke Zero, you my friend, are a light weight. I wouldn’t drink that crap if it were free and Rachel Watson was serving it up in her belly button.

  23. Buccos Says:

    Joe-
    It sounds an awful lot like you are an alcoholic to me. But don’t worry it’s not the end of the world. You just need to quit drinking and go to some AA meetings. Your whole life will change! You will start to notice things that you never saw before. Life will drastically change. Perhaps Rachel Watson would even give you the time of day. Anyone that talks about drinking as much as you do is probably an alcoholic. Just because you are a writer does not mean you have to be a drunk. Give it a try…

  24. Joe Says:

    It sounds an awful lot like you are an alcoholic to me.

    LOL!!

  25. BoJim Says:

    We’re fixed at QB this year. However, I see one in the later rounds.