“I Knew He Wanted Me Bad; We All Knew That”
September 19th, 2014
Sitting in the near empty Georgia Dome press box last night, Joe watched the giant HD screen broadcasting Devin Hester’s postgame news conference where he emotionally chatted about his new NFL Record.
And Hester shed light on a historic Buccaneers personnel decision.
Hester’s chat came to Lovie Smith, and Bucs fans took another kick in the groin. Hester made it clear that Lovie desperately wanted Hester to play for the Buccaneers this season but things didn’t work out because of money.
“When I look at father’s of football, you know, Lovie Smitth he’s my father of football. That’s my dad that you know,” Hester said. “Even when [the Bucs] had opportunity, things did work out for them to pick me up this free agent [season], I knew he wanted me bad. We all knew that. Unfortunate things could be worked out. The Atlanta Falcons wanted me badder.”
Hester then went on to paint a picture of Lovie’s wife greeting him before last night’s game and weeping and not wanting to end their time together. That’s how close the Smith family is to Hester.
So what happened?
Hester signed for $3 million per year in Atlanta. The Bucs have about $7 million available under the 2014 salary cap. Lovie himself said it was senseless to not spend every nickel under the cap.
The result is an elite NFL weapon now resides in the NFC South, just north of Florida.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:22 am
Good thing we can’t put this on Lovie because he does not have final say on all personnel decisions. Oh wait…
September 19th, 2014 at 11:22 am
Hester is getting a chance to show what else he can do besides returning punts which he really never got that chance in Chicago under lovie.
Atlanta coaches utilizing him better as has been seen so far anyway.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:27 am
Hester also took a shot at Lovie…saying that he wasn’t happy his last 3-4 years in Chicago because he wasn’t be used enough.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:29 am
Glad do-no-wrong Lovie and his lapdog Licht effectively chose Herron over Hester! Yet another example of the astounding incompetence making decisions around here.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:29 am
He’s better off in Atlanta.
If he was here, he’d probably be injured anyways like the rest of our sorry squad.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:29 am
My power has been out and just came back on, did we win?
September 19th, 2014 at 11:30 am
Devin Hester didn’t come to Tampa because he knew he wouldn’t have a chance to return punts because the D can’t stop anybody and kickoffs go out of the end zone.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:30 am
Yet another genius decision right there w hiring Frazier. Tedford no nfl exp. McCown what a joke. Practicing in the heat. Firing the oline. Jesus the list goes on and on.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:32 am
Dallas
Lovie forgot to evaluate if Herron could catch. Apparently not.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:32 am
this is why when trying to hire someone you put your best offer forward if you really want them and there is competition. not saying to start a bidding war, but get it clear they guy wants the gig, and then make a fair offer.
with the hole the had at returner there is no reason other than incompetence we did not get him. licht or lovie, one is to blame, but you don’t low ball a guy and then come back with a counter offer. it’s a slap in the face and any man with character will take the offer/team that did not jerk them around.
congrats falcons. another failure on this organization. lovie IMO cause he had ultimate contact with this player and should have closed the deal himself if he wanted him!
September 19th, 2014 at 11:33 am
Screw Hester, Blah Blah Blah, who gives a flying sh!t about him or Neon prime time. They gloat for falcons, they suck. Hell, Chester the molester could of had his way with the Yucs last night.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:35 am
DWE Said:
My power has been out and just came back on, did we win?
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lol. Beat em like a drum.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:36 am
Has lapdog Licht even been spotted or heard from in the last 3 weeks? Is he in the witness protection program?
September 19th, 2014 at 11:40 am
Maybe thats why lovie thinks its ok to kick it to him, you know to say I’m sorry now go set some stat records on us, oh bonus on prime time..
September 19th, 2014 at 11:42 am
Joe, I was wondering. How many games should Roger Goodell suspend the Atlanta Falcons for that violent assault last night?
September 19th, 2014 at 11:45 am
Lightning- Lapdog Licht showed up on Bucs pregame last night making some arrogant comment about Mason Foster saying that he better watch out because if Dane Fletcher plays well enough Foster could get “Wally pipped” out of his starting spot. What a bag!
September 19th, 2014 at 11:46 am
Joe
One player doesn’t make a difference when the coaching is bad. If GMC had played, he would have been triple teamed as usual and no one would have come from the ends.
At least we had no block punts nor field goals, that is a plus.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:48 am
Dallas,
Oh OK. I agree with you though – Licht is a GM in name only.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:59 am
Lightning- wonder where the self-proclaimed genius “Buc the haters” is these days? He was one of the biggest pains this offseason with 11-5 predictions and insisting this is the best offense in football, etc!
Seen him lately?
September 19th, 2014 at 12:10 pm
He threatened Joe. Best way to get booted is to threaten Joe. Joe does not take threats lightly.
September 19th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
There are definitely fewer in the “it takes time” ranks today compared to earlier in the week.
September 19th, 2014 at 12:15 pm
I’m pretty sure that just about that entire thing was misquoted. read it over. It doesn’t make sense but I think I got the point. The point is the Glazers suck my balls and need to sell this team. Licht has not impressed me either. I was under the impression that Lovie didn’t want Hester. Now, this makes more sense and makes me want to punch Licht and out top management. Idiots.
September 19th, 2014 at 12:16 pm
Then this bad decision has to fall on Jason Licht…who else?
September 19th, 2014 at 12:21 pm
Apparently Goodell doesn’t suspend players for curb-stomping, seal-clubbing, b!tch-slapping (never mind, he does suspend for that) or playing your starters with a 42 point lead. Maybe teams and coaches should be suspended for lack of effort. How about tying your salary or at least part of it to winning. You do it for the playoffs. I don’t see why (other than the current contract forbidding it) you shouldn’t be expected to win your games. Lose the game, lose 25% of your pay. Players, coaches, trainers, everybody.
September 19th, 2014 at 12:33 pm
LightningBuc- I’m here. It takes time. Not sure why some people don’t get that.
September 19th, 2014 at 12:35 pm
If this goes south, and from the looks of the team being totally unprepared that it’s heading down the crapper fast, the owner’s hiring the head coach first, will come back to bite them in the ass. But hey, they’ll still make tons of money, while fielding a piece of crap team (which they should be used to by now, at least).
September 19th, 2014 at 12:49 pm
Lovie “give my buddy 5 million”
Licht “all he does is return punts, we’ll try for 3 million”
Lovie “he gets 14 yards a return”
Licht “eric page gets 11 and we only have to pay 500,000 and he is a 2nd year guy”
Lovie “Hester only fumbled once”
Licht “EP only fumbled once”
Lovie “fuck EP and fuck you watch me wreck your team”
ENTER SOLOMON PATTON 2 fumbles 2 games and chocking worse each game.
ERIC PAGE got screwed and so did you BUCS fans
September 19th, 2014 at 12:59 pm
Wow. What a surprise that is.
Like Malloy has been trying to explain to the Glazer-fearing,
intellectually-challenged for sometime now: It’s not Lovie’s fault.
It’s not Schiano’s fault. It’s not Rock stars fault (well, maybe a little).
It’s not Raheem or Grudens fault and it’s certainly not Dungy’s
fault. It’s our owners fault. Plain and simple. Google the wiki page
on Raymond James Stadium for more insight.
September 19th, 2014 at 1:01 pm
Hester made it clear that Lovie desperately wanted Hester to play for the Buccaneers this season but things didn’t work out because of money.
Hester signed for $3 million per year in Atlanta. The Bucs have about $7 million available under the 2014 salary cap. Lovie himself said it was senseless to not spend every nickel under the cap.
September 19th, 2014 at 1:08 pm
Everyone asking for Lovie’s head after 3 games is an idiot. the Bucs were 4-12 last season, 4-12!!!!!!!!!!
The chiefs went from worst to first last year and are M.I.A. this year so far. Endure people, Rome wasn’t built in a day- I’ll take a terrible season to get winston or mariotta next year and draft upgrades. It took carolina time, it new orleans time (they sucked) before Drew Brees, and the Falcons were not the same after Vick until Matt Ryan SO CHILL Buc fans G** D@m
September 19th, 2014 at 1:10 pm
Joe Says:
September 19th, 2014 at 12:10 pm
He threatened Joe. Best way to get booted is to threaten Joe. Joe does not take threats lightly.
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Wow.
One really must not have a shred of a life to do something like that.
Joe certainly earns his money.
Too bad the Bucs don’t work so hard.
September 19th, 2014 at 1:11 pm
@D-Rome.
He (commish) should suspend the Falcons for the next game against the Bucs. lol
September 19th, 2014 at 1:14 pm
Curse of Eric Page
September 19th, 2014 at 1:16 pm
I remember a guy name Bobby Hebert who wasn’t half bad. TB=sux 90s Saints=pretty good
September 19th, 2014 at 1:27 pm
NewBucsFan, if I had any confidence L&L would draft a franchise Qb with the first overall pick in 2015, I’d root for 0-16 at this point since I believe the likelihood of making the playoffs now is “almost” impossible. However, I doubt they would. No 1st round Qb is ever guaranteed to pan out, but there were several potential this year and they passed on every one they had a chance to get. It appears to be a glaring mistake now. Time will tell.
September 19th, 2014 at 3:19 pm
Yeah…Hester costs 3 mil a year and Vjax is making HOW MUCH AGAIN???????
September 19th, 2014 at 5:06 pm
Another bad over site if that’s really the case which I am sure it is. Oh well at least the Falcons wanted him badder.
Don’t understand all the I told you so I’m right Bucs suck gloating. Instead you should hate that you were right about some of your predictions. There are a number of highly paid professionals that had them making the playoffs or a good year as well.
I thought we would be pretty good, not dreadful so I was wrong.
September 19th, 2014 at 8:08 pm
Salt in the wounds – no point to this story, The Bucs need a lot more than Hester to save this season. Bucs need only four things: offense, defense, special teams and coaching.
September 19th, 2014 at 10:39 pm
Basically Lovie wanted to sign Hester and GM Licht didn’t. Licht in an interview on TV in pre-season said Smith wasn’t thrilled about Solomon Patton because he palled in comparison to Hester. That is what happens to an organization when the GM doesn’t hire the coach, division in the ranks.