Lovie Explains, “It Takes A While”
November 25th, 2014
Time is helping the Bucs, Lovie claims.
How should one view this ugly Bucs season?
Is Tampa Bay simply the worst team — with the worst quarterback situation — in what might be the worst division in NFL history?
Or are the Bucs on the rise and just jelling a little slower than Lovie Smith would like, but still jelling nonetheless?
It’s no surprise Lovie sees plenty of positives in the face of the hot mess of a 2-9 record.
Last night on Total Access on WDAE-AM 620, the Bucs head coach was asked about the toughest challenge to overcome when teaching and implementing the Tampa-2 defense.
Well, Lovie wouldn’t go there. In a calm, 70-second response, he addressed the challenge of being a first-year head coach commanding Lovieball.
“I don’t know if I can say just one challenge. I think the challenge is just a new system coming in and it takes a while And it takes a while with our offense, with our special teams,” Lovie said.
“I think when you’re new, you know, you would like for it to be playoff ready right away, but it normally doesn’t happen like that. You just have to keep working. And we’ve been in this situation before.
“This is the same defense I’ve run the entire time I’ve been in the league. So I’ve been places where we’ve had to establish putting it in, and it’s always taken a little bit of time.
“But history is on your side. And for players to know, too. Around here, of course, they have all of the former players that’s played, and they know some of the early struggles that we went through establishing our defense here. And I see a similar trend. We had a little trouble then early. We had a little trouble here, of course, early. But at the end, the guys started picking it up more and we saw just marked improvement. And that’s where we are right now. In about all the statistical categories you can look at, we made major improvements. But there’s still one that we need to take another big leap with, and that’s the takeaways.”
Joe’s really not sure how to respond. Whether “it takes a while” or not, Joe’s not seeing the real key elements of a good football team — knowing how to win, playing smart, and consistent physicality.
November 25th, 2014 at 9:53 am
Lovie is a bufoon…
November 25th, 2014 at 9:55 am
it takes about 4-5 years. about when he has his money and can retire.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:07 am
WIN NOW BABY, MAKE THAT RUN FOR THE PLAYOFFS, WERE THE TEAM OUR DIVISION AND THE NFL FEAR..
November 25th, 2014 at 10:09 am
A few days ago Walkdplank said the below
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WalkdaPlank Says:
November 23rd, 2014 at 5:53 pm
There needs to be something done about these personnel decisions. Lovie is a terrible GM, and his lapdog Jason Licht obeys his terrible command. Let’s look at some of the decisions shall we?
Traded Jeremy Zuttah for a bag of chips.
Traded Tim Wright for a washed up Logan Mankins who I guarantee you is not giving it 100% because he misses his boyfriend in New England and hates Belicheat for sending him to this dumpster fire.
Signed unproven Michael Johnson to a fat contract.
Signed backup Anthony Collins to a fat contract.
Signed EDS
Signed career backup Josh McCown and named him the starter over promising 2nd year QB.
Cut Revis and replaced him with Verner
Traded Mark Barron for a Twix bar and replaced him with Major Wright.
Signed Mike Jenkins and named him the starter over promising 2nd year CB.
Let Michael Koenen retain a roster spot.
Let Da’Quan Bowers retain a roster spot.
Drafted entirely offensive players, and has the worst offense in the league.
Did not replace Tedford even though he was ill before the season started, throwing Marcus Arroyo to the wolves.
Signed Leslie Frazier’s as his defensive coordinator.
Refusing to sign guys like Devin Hester, Dexter McCluster, or Josh Cribbs to return kicks.
What a great list of achievements by this regime, wouldn’t you say?
_______________________________
He left off not signing Incognito and cutting Mike Williams.
I am pretty sure that 40% of Joe Bucs Fans could be a better GM and Coach than Lovie and company.
Just look at the Moves Bill Belechick made near the trade deadline and you will see what an infant Lovie Smith is when it comes to being a head coach.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:10 am
If this is marked improvement for the Bucs I must of missed it. Less stinky, that’s even a stretch. The only jelling I see is wobbly like jello. Oh Lovie, ever the optimist.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:10 am
Stop it soggy
November 25th, 2014 at 10:18 am
OK fine. 11 games later and the defense is slowly catching on. But it’s only one leg of the triad.
There is little hope that our offense any gets better with McCown and this OL.
Special teams are, well, special.
The HC is back to talking about all that he knows about football. The defense. Bears fans know this.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:18 am
It seems that after 11 weeks that there are more questions than answers.
Not a positive sign
November 25th, 2014 at 10:24 am
4 weeks in the preseason, 11 weeks in the regular season.
Football doesn’t really start until December!
November 25th, 2014 at 10:26 am
When you have $20 million guaranteed no matter how horrible you are at your job, you have all the time in the world. Scariest part is giving him more time to ruin the roster even more with poor talent evaluation. He could easily leave us much worse off than when he got here.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:28 am
The Saints look like division winners to me, even after the loss to the Ravens. Looks like an easy schedule to me. At Pittsburgh, they can win that, it may be their toughest game left. They have Atlanta and Carolina at home, at Chicago and finish at Bucs. They lose one game and finish 8-8, that should be good enough in the black and blue south. 7-9 might win it too. Maybe the Bucs can be the spoiler in that last game and knock them out of contention, yeah probably not.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:29 am
Why couldn’t he play a scheme that the personnel he has could compete right away like other good coaches do and have done? He has no scheme flexibility and that’s why we are going to be mediocre. Not to mention offense is a complete and total mystery to Lovie.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:30 am
penalties and lack of discipline are a by product of a lack of intelligence….sorry but lovie hasn’t impressed me…enough said
November 25th, 2014 at 10:32 am
just say it!
you’re a MORON if you think this team is a play off team…shut up!
November 25th, 2014 at 10:33 am
Every excuse a bad coach makes in his first year:
It takes time.
No this is the NFL. Win now, there are all kinds of first year coaches who have produced winning records, or at least a respectable first year record.
Two to three wins is unacceptable.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:36 am
jo ma…hubris
lovie and his pious mentor have loads of it
November 25th, 2014 at 10:39 am
Yeah it takes a while when you intentionally hire Trash McCown to be your starter and when you have zero ability to evaluate talent commensurate to a competetive level of the league you play in. So yeah, this team will suck stinkholes for a very long time.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:40 am
Whoa, Jo Mama. Did Walkdaplank actually say the Bucs got “… a bag of chips”, and “… a twix bar”? The grease from those chips must be the problem with the offense, defense, and special teams.
The Twix bar, they can keep. The sugar-rush would probably do them some good.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:45 am
its all eric pages fault
November 25th, 2014 at 10:46 am
Wait, so now “it takes awhile”?
Was that what the Bucs were saying in the offseason? Is that what they told potential season ticket buyers?
What a joke. The failures of this new regime have been remarkable. The list goes on and on.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:49 am
And I get that Lovie looked at the roster when he became coach and said, “This is a 4 win team.”
And I was OK with them trying to retool the depth chart.
Problem is the transactions they made look to be horrendous.
Right now, I would take Revis over Collins/Johnson/Verner. Thats how Lovie justified CUTTING the best CB in the NFL. Ugh.
November 25th, 2014 at 10:56 am
Whatever happened to winning right now? Here the Bucs are in the think and thin of the playoff hunt fighting for their playoff lives and he’s saying it takes time?
November 25th, 2014 at 11:02 am
Lovie’s defense in Chicago stank without Urlacher in the lineup. So unless he’s got a transmogrifier over there, it’s going to be a long road.
We get all excited when the Bucs defense plays okay against craptastic teams like Minnesota and Washington. And I won’t say they played well against Chicago when they gave up the bootie 3 out of 3 times in the red zone.
November 25th, 2014 at 11:09 am
No need to complicate things when they are plain to see… Worst team, in worst division, with the worst QB situation, all because of having the worst HC… 11 weeks have shown Lovie to be the worst of the HC hired this season… Good HC like Andy Reed can turn a 2-14 team into a winning team their 1st year while not so good HC turn a 4-12 team into a 2-14 team…
“It takes time” is an excuse losing coaches (and fans) use to buy more time for themselves and to keep from losing the team…. Talk about decisions that set a team back 3-5 years, hiring the wrong HC will do it!
November 25th, 2014 at 11:26 am
I feel better about it all now. D is looking decent. If Lovie can get our d good well be decent soon. Now the only major problem I see is o-line. The qbs seem average. I keep hearing this revis stuff. We won 4 games with him last year and you wanna pay him 16 mil?? With a zone defense? He’s not a qb he’s a cb!
November 25th, 2014 at 11:32 am
So what Head Coach would all you football geniuses hire this offseason if you fired Lovie?
November 25th, 2014 at 11:36 am
you guys think it’s bad now! wait till next year, when stone face is spewing the same ole B.S. only maybe he will have a legit excuse because, if he has any sense, he will draft a QB. but probably not. I am over this coach, team and sorry ass organization. but hey we will still have the great overpaid underperforming GMC, maybe he will get 5 sacks maybe. alas another putrid season from are always inept team of woeful bucs. that we all have grown to love and expect. oh thank you lovie for all of your vast and great football experience and knowledge, in a division of losers you still are number 1. loser that is.
November 25th, 2014 at 11:54 am
Lovie is as Lovie does….
November 25th, 2014 at 11:55 am
I found the problem….
“This is the same defense I’ve run the entire time I’ve been in the league.”
November 25th, 2014 at 12:09 pm
Jesus Christ! Lovie should be in politics with all this talk of patience and things “taking time” to come around. I can say that the defense has shown some improvement as the season has progressed but the offense is a mess and special teams are a joke with the exception of the rookie kicker who has done pretty well despite some blocked kicks wich can be attributed to the poor blocking schemes….. Frieking telling us fans that “It takes a while”….. man this cat sounds more and more like Naomoli lapdog Chuck Lamar when the then Devil Rays were averaging 96+ losses a season and managers like HAL Mcrae and Lou Pinella were literally demoralized by the ineptitude of the owner and GM; I see the same thing with our Yucs except Lovie as a major part of the ineptitude prob with our NFL franchise…. Quit treating us fans like morons Lovie and at least admit that you and your GM have screwed the pooch this season and that you will have to blow up the team & offensive/special teams coaching staff this offseason and start anew.
November 25th, 2014 at 12:14 pm
It takes time
Smith Bucs
2-9 bottom of div
Zimmer Vikings
4-7 bottom of div
Pettine Browns
7-4 1st
Obrein Texans
5-6 2nd
Wisenhunt Titans
2-9 bottom
Gruden Redskins
3-8 bottom div
Caldwell Lions
7-4 2nd
November 25th, 2014 at 12:18 pm
@ft Myers Dave — he’s made his name as a defensive coach and he has no offensive coordinator all year. You have to have a good oc if you hire a defensive hc..
November 25th, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Lovie has now gone through 5 OCs in 10 years. He couldn’t find a good OC if he wanted to (and you wonder if he does want to)
November 25th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
Lovie is a liar. the worst part is he thinks we are stupid enough to believe his lies. fire the bum.
November 25th, 2014 at 1:25 pm
If we can get a really good pass rush the defense will be fine. The offense is what scares me. No qb. Over paid under performing O line. Now we either gotta live with them and there sorry play or try to trade them for next to nothing! Then of course we don’t even have an OC which technically means we don’t have an offense! Lovie needs tojust focus on building the defense with Leslie just et Licht bring in an offensive mind and tell Lovie DO NOT TOUCH! Probably what they brought Tedford in for but personally I think they should move on from Ted/Aroyo.
November 25th, 2014 at 1:36 pm
DB55 Says:
November 25th, 2014 at 12:14 pm
It takes time
Smith Bucs
2-9 bottom of div
Zimmer Vikings
4-7 bottom of div
Pettine Browns
7-4 1st
Obrein Texans
5-6 2nd
Wisenhunt Titans
2-9 bottom
Gruden Redskins
3-8 bottom div
Caldwell Lions
7-4 2nd
—————————————————————————
Absolutely true. And on top of that, Gruden is in a division with two teams at 8-3. Pettine is in a division where all of the teams have at least seven wins. Lovie is in a division with a combined record of 11-21-1, and has yet to win a divisional game, even at home.
tickrdr
November 25th, 2014 at 1:47 pm
At this point I’m just hoping (not praying because praying over a game is stupid.) that the smarter football fans who know how jacked up this franchise has been for the last 5 years will stay faithful enough to not be driven away by the idiots who think a coach can flip this trainwreck around overnight.
Mike Pettine is doing well because Chudzinski did well the year before. People were outraged over his firing after one year, and the owner is lucky that move didn’t blow up in his face.
The pessimism around this fanbase makes me sick.
November 25th, 2014 at 3:42 pm
Tickrdr
I was just being sarcastic. I don’t think it takes that much time to take a team that won 7 games under a first time head coach to at least 8 wins under a super bowl caliber coach. When you account for all the poor decisions and his 2002 playbook it’s like omg this chit is atrocious. But what do I know, obviously not much.
November 25th, 2014 at 3:50 pm
Don’t matter what I think the facts speak for themselves. I like to think we were like the lions at the beginning of the year. We have talent but can’t put it together. In come numbnutts and just throws our talent away then says it takes time to win. Meanwhile Caldwell is in first place.
One thing I can’t get out my head is how come more bears didn’t sign with Lovie? There were like 5-6 bear Fa that didn’t come with smith. I wonder why? They all claim to love him and we have cap room. Just a curiosity I have figured out yet.
November 25th, 2014 at 3:53 pm
I still think they are getting better with each game, but I don’t expect any wins unless all phases of the game happen to click one Sunday. We are bad, really bad this year. I think with Lovie in charge it will improve for next year, but certainly don’t think we will be good next year necessarily. With his process, it will likely take longer than that….heavy sigh.
November 25th, 2014 at 3:54 pm
I think following the Orlando magic is less depressing
November 25th, 2014 at 7:55 pm
Lmao- all of you geniuses questioning Lovie.
How many Superbowls have you losers coached an NFL. Team to??
Then shut up- you have no clue what you are talking about
All these players you are crying about him getting rid of- how many playoff games did they lead us to????
Maybe they sucked- and you are too stupid to know it!
Lol
November 25th, 2014 at 8:19 pm
Lovie the Liar!
November 26th, 2014 at 3:02 am
this ownership the glazers has no clue how to put a winning product out on the field! and if lovie is picking are offense in the draft we are doomed for failure!
November 26th, 2014 at 5:40 pm
the bucs suck THIS YEAR and all our loyal fans are predicting we’re gonna stay that way for years to come because they know so much about football. the media and fans especially JOE want the bucs to have a loser team fan approach to the season and say hey this season is a wash lets pack it in, your paid to win, your paid to play and they players don’t sit back and they oh we just need Winston and we can win a superbowl, no one looks at rookies that way. YES it sounds stupid to listen to lovie say “We’re only 2 games out” but seriously unless you think like a fan and are waiting for the draft what do you expect the guy to say. the defense has gotten better and that is proven but what do you expect with mike glennon, and josh mccown and one of the worst lines in football? buc football is putrid and unwatchable and ive given up on the season and im pissed I paid for nfl rewind yet again and have no desire to watch my favorite team but if I don’t look for signs of improvement or expect they are or will get better then really whats the point of watching football, it’s like complaining about everything in the world but being afraid to die…..we got this and this team will win despite lovie’s weak scouting and coaching abilities
November 26th, 2014 at 5:48 pm
but I tell you what hate having the eternal optimist leading this team, he’s like an old toothless dog chasing after a cat, you caught it now what? get it together lovie but me I can afford to be cool calm and patient because im saving money, I refused to buy tickets ever since we cut derrick brooks like he was nothing yet and still we have daquan bowers, johnson and johnson taking up roster spots, Dominick gutted this team to retool and see what we have and this team hasn’t recovered….I don’t like what I see so why would I pay for it but I do see packed stadiums in the future, near future who knows but it’s been a sweet deal tailgating at home with friends and family…even though you’d have plenty of time to get up with fantasy points watching this team on sundays