Peter King Talks To Joe

April 23rd, 2010

As promised, Joe brings you today his final interview from various media types that Joe conducted during media day at the Super Bowl. Joe saved the best for last.

There are few if any reporters working today who are as plugged in or have the contacts throughout the NFL as Sports Illustrated columnist Peter King. Fortunately, King graciously gave Joe a few moments of his incredibly busy time to talk Bucs.

Some background on what a cool guy King is: At media day sitting on a bus waiting to be ferried to Joe Robbie Stadium, Joe was sitting killing time surfing on his Blackberry when Joe looked up and saw (and heard) King boarding the bus. King was greeting many of the scribes as he knew most of the reporters on the bus.

To Joe’s surprise, King sat next to Joe and struck up a friendly conversation. Joe asked if he had a moment to talk Bucs once debussing, and King agreed saying, “Look me up after the Colts session.”

(To give an idea of what a workhorse King is, while on the bus going down I-95, King multitasked by writing an SI.com column on his laptop, taking short periodic breaks to Twitter.)

Without going into detail, this is like trying to find someone at a soldout Bucs game (remember those?) without the aid of a cell phone or where said person is seated.

Later at the Media Center, Joe saw King who was doing many radio interviews on radio row. It was amazing to watch. He went from radio station to radio station, barely with time to breathe between interviews.

When Joe tried to approach him, King, in a slightly frustrating manner, said in so many words, “I’ve got too many radio interviews.” When Joe reminded him of his pledge to Joe earlier, King’s jaw dropped as he remembered Joe and said, “I’m sorry. You’re right. I promised you time. Give me a few moments. I’m very sorry.”

Later, King did give Joe time and both before and after the interview, King profusely apologized to Joe.

Here is a guy who easily could have big leagued Joe and been a total a-hole — just like a specific, significantly lesser reporter, a surly, thin-skinned Bucs beat reporter who has a terribly self-inflated ego who plays loose with journalism ethics. Joe won’t stoop to name the guy. Unlike this unnamed reporter, King is a way cool guy.

So cooperative and kind was King, Joe will pimp his book for free, “Sports Illustrated Monday Morning Quarterback: A fully caffeinated guide to everything you need to know about the NFL,” available at finer book stores and Amazon.com.

Tease: King explains in this interview who he believes is the key to the Raheem the Dream’s job security. Hint: It’s not a player.

JoeBucsFan: You wrote late in the 2009 season that you thought Raheem Morris’ long-term job security with the Bucs to be “dubious.” Can you go into a little more detail?

Peter King: If [the Bucs] are not better, significantly better this year, I doubt sincerely he can stay, especially going into a third year. There’s no way you can sell your season ticket holders coming off a 4-12 type year that you are headed in the right direction unless you are losing games really close and Josh Freeman really looks like the quarterback of the future. This is a year in which you have to show great progress and win seven, eight, nine games at least.

Joe: Many Bucs fans, despite what Team Glazer or Mark Dominik profess, are convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt the Bucs are hurting for money, which is why the team is in the shape it currently is. Many of these same fans point to Team Glazer’s financial difficulties with its English kickball team as the root of the evil. Is this the case, or are the Bucs, like other NFL teams, preparing to go to the mattresses in a labor war, thus counting their nickels closely?

King: When I have talked to Mark Dominik, he never once said there is any financial restrictions put on his team. I have to take him at his word. I just don’t think right now… who have they lost for significant money that you pine away at? I don’t think there is that guy. Now I would want to see two or three signings this offseason to show they are serious and I think they have to do that. They have saved a lot of money. They need to go and show [they] are serious about winning.

Joe: The Bucs hired Alex Van Pelt as a quarterbacks coach. He is Freeman’s second quarterback coach in as many years. How important is it for Morris to keep his job and provide some stability so that Freeman doesn’t have his third quarterback coach and third offensive coordinator and third different playbook to learn in three years, if Morris is fired, which is what happened to Jason Campbell and Alex Smith?

King: Alex Van Pelt is a good guy who gets along with quarterbacks. He’s a smart guy. He is going to play a very big role in whether this coaching staff stays in my opinion because his quarterback has to play well. I thought it was a good hire. I like him and the quarterbacks that played for him think that he helps them get better. Now he will have to” get his quarterback to play better.

10 Responses to “Peter King Talks To Joe”

  1. Eric S Says:

    King-Now I would want to see two or three signings this offseason to show they are serious and I think they have to do that. They have saved a lot of money. They need to go and show [they] are serious about winning.

    Well. I guess they failed that part. They saved all this money and they still did very little in free agency. Ridiculous.

  2. Jake Says:

    I have been as tough on this team and the Glazers as anyone. They may have a shot at redemption. Lets see what they do after the draft towards acquiring these “two or three” players that King refers to. If they rely strictly on what they have drafted going into the season then the venom will continue to flow.

  3. JimBuc Says:

    Good point Jake. In fact Dominik has specifically stated that they were focusing on draft and then players that might become available after the draft. Should be an interesting night tonight.

  4. drdneast Says:

    orrect me if I’m wrong Joe, but didn’t you just blast King not to long ago. If I’m wrong, then I apologize up front for calling you a sniveling syncophant.

  5. drdneast Says:

    FA is not over yet Eric S, it continues until the season begins. I’m not saying they will sign anymore FA’s, but I’m not making any ignorant statements based only on my uneducated ass-umptions like your are.

  6. Joe Says:

    orrect me if I’m wrong Joe, but didn’t you just blast King not to long ago. If I’m wrong, then I apologize up front for calling you a sniveling syncophant.

    LOL It’s quite possible Joe ripped King for something. Joe likes him, loves his work but doesn’t mean Joe agrees with everything he says or writes. I sent him a Twitter just this week when he said on his Sirius NFL Radio show that he didn’t understand the hoopla over the schedule release.

    Sometimes, King’s normal ivory tower living really shows through. Doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy. Also doesn’t mean Joe has to agree with him all the time.

    For example, Joe believes it was two years ago when King blasted Penn State for extending Joe Paterno’s contract. Of course, King readily admits he rarely watches college football. Two months later after he blasted Penn State, Paterno won his second Big Ten title in three years. Whoops.

    Also, be careful what he writes about the Seahawks. His daughter works for them. Not saying King is a schill for the Seahawks but you can connect the dots.

    When King talks NFL, there are few writers Joe respects more. The guy is simply that plugged in to Roger Goodell’s game.

  7. BigMacAttack Says:

    That Fran Haasch ain’t bad looking either. Can we get some pics of Fran in here bikini posted. I think it will surely help her bidness.

  8. Eric S Says:

    So clever drdneast. Ass-umptions. Wow. How long did it take your pee brain to come out with that. I realize that free agency isn’t over. But what you get now is castoffs and the like. You are not going to get any high end talent in the next few months. So you can shove your comments drdneast up your ass. Moron.

  9. Nick Says:

    Ok I have been as hard on the Glazers too. IF and thats a huge IF they can sign some FA’s of good calibre before the season I might change my mind. I highly doubt that will happen but we will just have to see. Joe, great article I have to hand it to you on this one. Its great to get the insight of one of the truly “plugged in” reporters in the NFL. To hear him praise Alex Van Pelt at least puts my mind that we do not have another “Jags” situation on our hands. Josh Freeman needs all the help he can get right now. If that Glazers can pony up for him a good veteran wide receiver somehow before the draft and perhaps one or two other defensive guys I will feel better. I can think of no reason besides money they would not sign one or two younger free agents I HAVE HEARD OF BEFORE.

  10. Joe Says:

    Thanks for the compliments Nick. Much appreciated.