Shaun King, Joe Maddon & Evan Longoria
January 3rd, 2013
“Toes on the couch for you, big fella.”
Three months ago Shaun King was pounding the proverbial drum saying Josh Freeman was in need of a sports psychologist to help him with his confidence and his troubling disappearing acts in Bucs games.
King had said Drew Brees personally told him what a great help a sports shrink had been to him, and King, one of three quarterbacks to lead the Bucs to the NFC Championship game, believed counseling could do wonders for Freeman. King repeated the take today on WDAE-AM 620.
Interestingly, Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon, a genius motivator and people manager (though what he does with a lineup card is very debatable), recently did an interview on 98.7 FM and talked about how the Rays are one of only two teams in Major League Baseball that use sports psychologists regulary and extensively. And Maddon went on to say it’s ludicrous that professional teams and players still attach a stigma to the use of psychologists.
This got Joe thinking even more about Freeman getting mental help. So Joe did some research and found many intriguing quotes from Rays superstar Evan Longoria on his sports psychologist, via MLB.com.
“What he’s done for me and for my baseball career, there’s no measure,” Longoria said. “He’s allowed me to have another tool — and not a physical tool — that’s really allowed me to slow the game down. I can think about certain things I might not be able to think about if I didn’t have that skill set from him.”
Joe learned a lot about sports psychology years ago. It was a random coincidence that in the late 1980’s, Joe’s grandmother was nursing home roomates with the mother of New York Mets team shrink Allan Lans. Joe was a Mets fan at the time and became very interested in Lans’ work, which was rather groundbreaking in that era.
Assuming Freeman is not using a sports psychologist and the Bucs haven’t yet ordered him to do so, Joe agrees with King that Freeman should pursue that avenue. No. 5, aka “Good Josh” and “Bad Josh, seems like a prime candidate to benefit. How could it hurt?
January 3rd, 2013 at 7:54 pm
Shawn King “one of the two Bucs quarterbacks to lose a NFC Championship game” may be in need of a bit of counselling himself….back off the pork chops, Shaun. I think Freeman could use a couple of good CBs to take some of the pressure off the offense. Maybe just quit staring down recievers and all will be much better.
Some adderall (legally prescribed)….maybe a quallude or two to relax.
January 3rd, 2013 at 8:11 pm
Honestly there’s a reason the same suggestion keeps coming up.
If it were one person that’s said it it could be blown off but when something becomes a widely seen perception than that’s when a red flag goes. Many people have commented on how psychologically Josh seem’s off in this past year and its obvious to anyone paying attention there’s something different about Free in that regard.
You take the most talented QB in the world and if you add in psychological problem
January 3rd, 2013 at 8:13 pm
Sorry didn’t finish.
You take the most talented QB and if you add in psychological problems their going to fail. It’s just a recipe for disaster. Hopefully he can start being seen soon for the future of his career.
January 3rd, 2013 at 8:21 pm
Your eyelids are getting heavy…..don’t fight it.
Repeat after me…
Throw it to our team……throw it to our team……..throw it to our team…..
January 3rd, 2013 at 8:29 pm
There is nothing wrong with getting professional mental help. It may just work wonders, but it sure can’t hurt to try. All the hard work, practice, and study seem to have only gotten Josh so far.
January 3rd, 2013 at 8:49 pm
Why is it that Shaun King gives a professional opinion and the immature idiots resort to bashing the guys weight as if that has anything to do with anything? Lol, its funny to read the same stupidity over and over again.
January 3rd, 2013 at 8:51 pm
@ eric
thats the funniest thing ive seen on here yet!!! seriously lmfao!!!!
January 3rd, 2013 at 8:56 pm
“Joe was a Mets fan at the time ”
GTFO
January 3rd, 2013 at 8:56 pm
@ ERIC
Frikin’ Great!
January 3rd, 2013 at 8:58 pm
How do we know that he doesn’t see one already?
January 3rd, 2013 at 9:20 pm
Josh Freeman has the skills to take us to the Superbowl. Shawn King “one of the two Bucs quartebacks who lost a NFC championship” has the benefit of a defense that gave up only 11 points. The other NFC Championship loser had a defense that gave up 9 points (three field goals).
We need a defense like those and the one that won our SB.
I shouldn’t joke about Shaun’s weight…I’m sure he can’t help it. As far as his “professional” opinion…..that is something to joke about!!!
January 3rd, 2013 at 9:26 pm
Going on 5 years…
Dang Josh, thanks for the SuperBowls.
Oh wait… Nvm we haven’t even made the postseason yet. Crap
January 3rd, 2013 at 9:27 pm
Get this guy a mentor. Call Dungy to the rescue!
Make Lovie DC yesterday, c’mon Greg, you need a Defensive Coordinator, bro!
January 3rd, 2013 at 9:29 pm
Bring in Mike Vick.
January 3rd, 2013 at 10:30 pm
I remember during the 49ers hey day, yes the Bill Walsh years the team had a sports psychologists Harry Edwards, he was even on the sideline during games. Shaun maybe on to something, Heck, maybenSchiano could use him to bounce things off of.
January 3rd, 2013 at 10:48 pm
King also later said it wasn’t a mental issue for Freeman, but a mechanical issue.
King is too hypocritical to take away anything of worth from his words.
January 3rd, 2013 at 11:01 pm
If only it was just King that thought it
January 3rd, 2013 at 11:20 pm
My posts arent going through for some reason.
January 3rd, 2013 at 11:37 pm
Josh Freeman has the skills to take us to the Superbowl. Shawn King “one of the two Bucs quartebacks who lost a NFC championship” has the benefit of a defense that gave up only 11 points. The other NFC Championship loser had a defense that gave up 9 points (three field goals).
We need a defense like those and the one that won our SB.
—————————————————-
So why is it that a dominate defense can take us to a super bowl with a sub par offense but yet… Freeman, with all these great records that you all seem to hold so dear cant even sniff the playoffs with a sub par defense? He has nothing on his resume but 1 winning season that wasnt even that good.
January 3rd, 2013 at 11:37 pm
Hmm try changing the phrasing or the length.
January 3rd, 2013 at 11:39 pm
Nvm I see u resolved that haha
January 3rd, 2013 at 11:44 pm
If Freeman really did have the skills to lead us to a super bowl then we wouldnt need a dominate defense. Would it help? Of course but it wouldnt be a necessity. But it is a necessity right now because Freeman is horrible. Dont contradict yourself. You’ll end up looking like one of these blind homers.
January 3rd, 2013 at 11:44 pm
Lol I had to re type my post about 50 times before it would let me send it.
January 4th, 2013 at 12:01 am
5 years huh?
3…and a couple games in 09 is more like it.
Is it his fault we didnt go in 2010? 25/6 We were 10-6..screwed on Kellens PI or we make it.
Nobody played well last year, nobody.
2012 Top 10 numbers 27/17 4000+ 7-9…defense lost at least 4-5 games…10-6 would of got us in the playoffs…lets say Washington, Philly and Giants…if the defense had held in the 4th and in Philly/Washington the final minute of the 4th…we make the playoffs
you haters r blind to the truth
January 4th, 2013 at 12:06 am
I agree with Shaun King, Freeman should seriously consider a sports psychologist. Dr. Tom House is the psychologist that treats Drew Brees and Tom Brady. Brees swears by it and the last time I checked both Brees and Brady were pretty good QBs. Brees recommended that Alex Smith go see him and regardless of what has happened recently in SF, last year Smith got better. There is no stigma attached to this. He helps with the mind, body, mechanics connection. He teaches leadership and what we know as a QB “getting in the zone” and playing on automatic. I’m no expert but I think Josh would be helped by this.
http://www.patspulpit.com/2012/5/13/3018030/tom-brady-worked-with-former-mlb-pitching-coach-in-march
January 4th, 2013 at 12:13 am
Bwall all im hearing is excuses… oh and of course name calling such as “haters” oh and my fav, “we are blind” even though we’ve admitted time after time that our defense is horrible. And I havent seen one person say otherwsie.
Blind would be making excuse after excuse for a horrible player and dismissing any credible facts against him with more excuses… who does that sound more like? You or me? Lol. Pretty positve it isnt me.
January 4th, 2013 at 12:37 am
I’m not sure who could use the psychologist more, Freeman, or all the fans that root for the Bucs. At least Freeman shouldn’t need the other kind of doc he is causing most Buc fans to have, a cardiologist.
January 4th, 2013 at 12:44 am
“a horrible player”
do you know how stupid you sound….he has top 10 QB numbers you dumb ***….you people don’t even know what your talking about
January 4th, 2013 at 12:57 am
Read what I wrote
Is it hard to comprehend???
“Going on 5 years”, does not mean 5 years genius. It means exactly what it says.
He is about to start his 5 year THIS year. It’s not that difficult…
And if you wanna talk specifics he started 9 games his rookie season. More than a couple 😉
So yes, since week 9 in his rookie season Freeman has been the anointed starter.
Again, going on 5 years and nothing to show for it.
Also In those games that you mentioned
If Free would have been able to lead the offense into closing them out with their last possession on offense instead of giving the ball back to the other team, the defense would have never had to be in the position they were in to lose those games in the first place. *GASP* Who woulda thunk it???
January 4th, 2013 at 1:00 am
Draft a QB or go down with Freeman.
January 4th, 2013 at 1:04 am
Do you know how stupid you sound???
Freeman is performing BELOW average as of the last 6 weeks of this season.
Breaking a few records for a team that has never had an impressive history at the QB position in the first place and gloating about it as if it were some amazing achievement is really sad lol. It says a lot about our history at that position that a QB that was as inconsistent and inaccurate as he was this season and performed poorly for as long as he did was still able to break those records lol. Sad indeed
January 4th, 2013 at 2:45 am
Lol, more name calling. I shouldn’t be surprised. That’s what immature little boys do when they have nothing else to fall back on.
Yes he has top 10 numbers once again. We all know this. However, if you take the blinders off and watch the games you will see that Freeman doesn’t show up for much of the first half. And if you break down his yardage by quarters I guarantee you will see most of his great stats come in the 4th quarter. Why? Because we are usually trailing late in games because he stunk it up for the most part and the defenses just play prevent and let him do whatever he likes. I’m done arguing with a fool, who is so blinded by statistics he can’t even watch a game and use his own brain.
January 4th, 2013 at 2:53 am
@PR
I think Freeman has performed below average for most of his career not just the last 6 games. He very rarely ever starts out a game well. His first full season I remember Joe harping on the fact that they never score in the first quarter. Last season… well, you already know about that. And for the most part they had the same issues this season. I just dont see how you can call a QB who only plays have a game good. Or even average. To me thats horrible. Free is who he is. Looks great on paper but in reality not a good QB.
January 4th, 2013 at 4:10 am
Yes I agree, i just thought id give specifics for his latest downward spiral for *BS up there cause no doubt he’d yap on about the 5 week span in which “good josh” briefly appeared.
January 4th, 2013 at 8:02 am
Schiano should tell Freeman that he has already scheduled an appointment to see a sport p
January 4th, 2013 at 9:34 am
Shaun “Burger” King has a point. John Smoltz did it and it helped him. Why not do it ?? It can’t hurt. He seems to implode once he makes a mistake. If you remember during the 10-6 season he lead numerous comebacks and even was impressive against the Panthers. So he has the ability just he cannot freak out when he makes a mistake and let it lead to more mistakes.
January 4th, 2013 at 12:55 pm
Does state law allow us to have Freeman committed?