ConteHate Goes National
May 14th, 2018
NFL.com joins the haters.
In what Joe thought was perhaps a local phenomenon or maybe a two-city sensation but it is now official:
ConteHate is now a national thing.
For reasons that are not quite clear, Bucs safety Chris Conte makes folks wig out. Joe isn’t sure why that is. Perhaps because he is involved with a former Bucs cheerleader? Is it something more sinister than that? Joe had a hunch it is.
Look, Joe agrees Conte will never make anyone forget John Lynch. But he sure as hell isn’t Sabby the Goat either.
If not for Conte in 2016, the Bucs are not in a wild card race. Yeah, really.
So Joe was reading a column from Adam Rank of NFL.com, a throwaway column in the middle of May where he picks a likable player on each NFL roster, a guy fans should pull for.
For the Bucs, Rank typed Bucs fans should root for anyone but Conte.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: ABCC
That stands for “anybody but Chris Conte.” Conte got a lot of wind in his jaw after the Bucs beat the Bears, his former team. Why you mad at us? You were the one who let Randall Cobb score this touchdown when you were still in Chicago. Not us. (For the record, I used to defend you, even on that play, because I blamed Julius Peppers for letting Aaron Rodgers out of the box. Not now!)
So there you have it. The internet house organ of the NFL is encouraging Bucs fans to ramp up their ConteHate.
Again, Conte is no Pro Bowler, but there are lots of players with the Bucs who aren’t Pro Bowl players. And yeah, Joe thinks Conte is much-maligned.
May 14th, 2018 at 10:09 am
Conte was solid last year!
Ppl are sick.
I love you Chris! Keep working.
Ignore the words of the fat and unhealthy masses!
May 14th, 2018 at 10:09 am
I agree, I think Chris Conte is a solid player, I just think he’s had some issues staying healthy.
May 14th, 2018 at 10:11 am
Chris Conte is pretty awful, not sure what you are watching out there. He takes terrible angles and is slow to the ball.
May 14th, 2018 at 10:17 am
You get what you pay for…..we didn’t use a draft pick to attain Conte and he doesn’t break the bank salary wise…..what do you expect…..he is average….as he should be.
There have been attempts to improve…..TJ Ward, JJ Wilcox…..failed.
May 14th, 2018 at 10:20 am
I dont think he is that bad either, pretty average….He had a very bad year with Lovie, but after that he got better……
May 14th, 2018 at 10:31 am
People that think Conte is “awful” are idiots. He’s a solid player, not elite but solid.
May 14th, 2018 at 10:34 am
The media turned on Conte in Chicago after that fateful play. They dogged him until he left for Tampa, and when Conte got here he was asked about his tedious relationship with the Chicago media, and he replied with FU to Chicago. Adam Rank is a butt-hurt Bears fan who sounds like he can’t get past that one mistake and remark by Conte. Chris has made his share of good plays in Tampa, and he has made some bad plays as well. In his defense, we did have the worst defensive rush, which put him on an island way too much as the last line of defense. I think this year we will be glad we have his veteran leadership back there.
May 14th, 2018 at 10:43 am
Conte has had no pass rush and below average cb play. lets see what he can do with the new additions. he gets a pass from me because this team hung him out to dry.
May 14th, 2018 at 10:45 am
Never really been a fan of Conte. I think hes very pedestrian at the position honestly and should be at the bottom of the depth chart. If you think he’s a solid player well I strongly disagree, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.
May 14th, 2018 at 10:46 am
Conte is garbage. Nothing sinister he is a player that can help u get to 5-11
May 14th, 2018 at 10:50 am
If a Conte was just a little faster he would be an elite Safety. He is an excellent tackler, and also has gotten his share of interceptions. What irks the haters are shots of Conte right behind WRs as they are scoring touchdowns. He is trying his best but cannot run any faster. Fortunately, Whitehead has the speed to be able to reach those WRs and tackle them. He is so fast he can cover the whole field and sub for our Weak Side Safety if he is needed, but Tandy has that speed too and a lot more experience and would probably be the sub there if Evans got hurt. Perhaps Conte could improve if he studied so much film of their opponents like Tandy does every game in case he has to play.
May 14th, 2018 at 10:54 am
I live in Chicago and the Randle Cobb play was not his fault. I came out later Zach Bowman blew the coverage. Conte also saved a touchdown by picking of Rodgers that game. The bears had a terrible coaching staff then and the worst front 7 in NFL history. He is a solid player
May 14th, 2018 at 11:13 am
This dude isn’t worth the characters I’m about to use. You complain about Mark Barron but coddle Conte. Darn shame really. It’s almost like you don’t want to win games
May 14th, 2018 at 11:21 am
Joe agrees Conte will never make anyone forget John Lynch. But he sure as hell isn’t Sabby the Goat either
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What kind of logic is that when describing the most loved and hated buccaneers of all time basically saying he’s somewhere in the middle. He is more sabby than Lynch because Lynch played for a great defense and was one of its leaders
Maybe you can’t see it because you cover football but don’t know football as well as you think. Hating is reserved for people LeBron or the golden State warriors not below average athletes, give us all a break. If he was so good they would have locked him up long term.
Oh he’s not good but he doesn’t suck either lol who wants to describe a starter on their team that way?
May 14th, 2018 at 11:24 am
Conte is a solid player. It was pretty obvious the Bucs had awful corner play last year and the worst defensive line in the NFL.
May 14th, 2018 at 11:27 am
It must be such a great job to be a sports writer / analyst for a huge corporation, especially for the NFL and draft.
You can be completely wrong 70 – 80% of the time and still keep your job (which is usually very well paying too).
Probably the only job where you can be even more incorrect and keep on working is a weatherman.
May 14th, 2018 at 11:27 am
Conte is always good for one screw up a game. That’s why nobody is a huge fan of him.
May 14th, 2018 at 11:31 am
This type of thing is what to now expect from the juvenile personalities of digital sports media.
May 14th, 2018 at 11:44 am
Good safeties are hard as hell to come by and teams aren’t willing to pay them what they deserve. That’s why we have so many mediocre safeties working in rotational safety defenses around the league. Safety has always been extremely important in my eyes.
May 14th, 2018 at 11:56 am
Chris Conte is paid $2.5M.
He is a capable and experienced Safety who represents a borderline starter/very solid back up level talent. No More – No Less.
With a good pass rush up front – Conte will make more big plays than terrible ones.
Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue to try and upgrade the position – but nobody should “hate” the guy for being what he is – A lower tier NFL starter/high end back-up who will never be a star but is more asset than liability.
May 14th, 2018 at 12:02 pm
He is a very polarizing player why? He is sort of bi-polar in how he plays. Very good versus the pass and very poor versus the run. He seems to diagnose the run plays exactly like Kwon, rather than playing off of him. Two heat seeking missiles go to the same spot and often that is where the offense wants them to be.
Funny Sabby story. I was at the Carolina game that Josh Johnson started… comedy of errors. He was warming with Winslow. They were doing this chest shove thing to fire each other up or something. Sabby is bouncing on his toes and in the air when Winslow shoved him. Fell square on his back. Hopped up, like “I hope no-one saw that.” Hilarious moment, and oh so Sabby.
May 14th, 2018 at 12:05 pm
Those hating Conte are mostly upset he is the best we got. They want a upgrade at his position.
If we can’t get a new starter can we please PLEASE get somebody to play SS in goalie sets. Conte gets absolutely run over in short yardage plays and it’s demoralizing.
May 14th, 2018 at 12:17 pm
The Buc’s could bring in FA’s Tre Boston or Kenny Vaccaro for a visit but they seem confident with Tandy, and Conte as their veteran backfield.
May 14th, 2018 at 12:28 pm
Jimmy Jack hit the nail on the head. “Conte Hate” isn’t about him as a person or to question his work ethic or character.. it’s just that he’s not as talented as other players in the league or coming out of college (Derwin James Jr.)… adding that he’s the best option now when another option was available to be drafted doesn’t help his case (Derwin James Jr.) But let’s be honest, that ABCC is a bit ridiculous considering there were a bunch of other men who could’ve been picked and got some positive press.
May 14th, 2018 at 12:42 pm
Keith Tandy isn’t very good either while we are discussing bad safety play.
May 14th, 2018 at 12:51 pm
What about Eric Reid? If he’s willing to stand for the anthem, he should be considered.
May 14th, 2018 at 12:59 pm
Follow up thought… by signing Reid, he would need to drop his collusion case against the NFL. We would be doing them a solid in exchange for a quick and favorable resolution on Jameis. Plus, we get a decent safety out of the deal.
Worth exploring.
May 14th, 2018 at 1:39 pm
Not sure how this dud has an NFL job, it’s truly puzzling.
May 14th, 2018 at 1:47 pm
Conte had alot of issues when he was with the Bears- that’s why the fans and press there have a “good riddance” attitude toward him.
I guess because of a couple of games against Kansas City and Chicago- Joe thinks he’s a decent starter- the reality is he’s a nickel package defender and backup – not a playoff caliber starter
You fans that love him so much – I guess you like 5-11…
May 14th, 2018 at 2:14 pm
Joe doesn’t know why the hate is there…
Conte is a walking 4th quarter Murphy’s Law. If there is a play to be blown at the end of the game Conte will blow it.
May 14th, 2018 at 2:30 pm
He’s fine as a no3 or 4 safety! There’s nothing wrong w that. But if he’s starting you’re in trouble. He WILL be in the wrong place more often than others. He will get burned. He will get boxed out. It’s not hate, it’s reality. He’s a pro football player. He’ll make plays. But to say we were in the playoff chase because of him is a red herring of epic proportions
May 14th, 2018 at 3:17 pm
Conte ain’t bad, but when you have HORRIBLE corners like Hargreaves III and Smith then the safety gets blamed for their bad play!!! Hargreaves may be adequate if he fills the 4th or 5th CB spot!! Definitely not starting CB or Nickle
May 14th, 2018 at 3:23 pm
Maybe Hargreaves should spend less time smoking the reefer and more time in the gym, track and film room
May 14th, 2018 at 4:47 pm
Conte is literally the worst starting safety in football, and it goes well beyond that, he’s one of, if not the worst safety in football, starter or not. Football Outsiders has some of the best player evaluation and stat tracking out there and they consistently have Conte graded out as the worst safety, including once again in 2017. Also, it’s of note that Ryan Smith is of course on that same list as the 2nd worst corner in football, not starters, second worst overall.
Here’s what they said about Conte after 2016 when he was also on the worst safety list, “It’s rare for one safety to make that big a difference, but Chris Conte is no ordinary safety. Kind of like Earl Thomas, only in reverse.”
Also PFF, who I don’t really respect, also has Conte as one of the worst safeties in the league – again, not one of the worst starters, one of the worst overall.
May 14th, 2018 at 5:42 pm
I hated that article. I read it and immediately regretted it.
The whole part about the Bucs was a slam fest on Conte, and felt lazy, like the writer didn’t know what to contribute for the Bucs, so they just spouted bull crap.
Poorwriting and an even worse dig on a pretty good football player that keeps getting work year after year.
May 14th, 2018 at 7:18 pm
The guys a big bears fan and from there I think. He is salty conte talked smack after they beat bears. No biggie. Is kinda messed up he is putting that on nfl.com tho over a personal beef. I’d root for conte over him any day. Conte at least mans up. Like u said no lynch but tough as hell and the best we have at that position. Until someone beats him out he will be the starter. Get used to it people
May 14th, 2018 at 8:57 pm
Based on the fact that they continue to sign free agent safeties and draft safeties, I’m pretty sure the organization wants to replace him.
May 14th, 2018 at 10:58 pm
Daniel…..The article is on Conte and you don’t have a clue. Tandy should be starting because when he does Bucs win!! When he watched Conte, Weed Whacker Ward and Evans because Smith like you doesn’t have a clue the Bucs lose! Better hope Tandy starts this year or our Bucs might go 5 & 11 again in 2018!!!!! I may be wrong but I may not.
May 14th, 2018 at 11:49 pm
Conte is no where remotely close to Lynch and he’s not Sabby. Neither of which makes him good or bad. I think fans are going way overboard saying Conte is a good player. He’s a SS and opposing runners constantly at least getting 8-10 yards before he can get to them. And we were the worst defense and secondary in the NFL 2017. Other than Grimes and rising rookie J.Evans, we didn’t have ANY good players, soo… Good depth.
May 15th, 2018 at 9:21 am
Conte was pretty terrible. Even when we played the Bears in 2016 and beat them up. Conte was really high on himself for having two INTs that game, one of which he returned for a TD. Even though it was against Jay Cutler and a terrible Bears team, I don’t take that away from him. But literally in the same game Jay Cutler threw a long Hail Mary at the end of the first half, which Conte leaped up over all our Bucs defenders to tip with his hands right to Bears WR Meredith. It was unbelievable. Such a bonehead play. He should’ve just batted it down. And to me it completely negated his INT/TD. Turn to social media and even after that game, fans were still coming at him. And Conte was so mad. He had a lot of areas that he needed to tighten up on. And I do think he has gotten better. But those bonehead plays were in abundance. And that was 2016 we’re talking. When we almost made the playoffs.
May 15th, 2018 at 10:50 am
Like I said. The guy keeps getting a contract.
He plays well when he is motivated by frustration and hate.
I’d like to see him play with the same fire all year that he does when he plays the bears.