“Killer Blows For An Organization”
February 4th, 2012
- A Bucs beat writer says the team has taken lumps missing out on Steve Spagnuolo and Mike Nolan
Who knew the Bucs already have taken punches to the gut as they try to resurrect the franchise from the ugly depths it fell to during Raheem Morris’ final 10 weeks?
Joe was unaware the Bucs had screwed themselves in the past month. But veteran NFL scribe and Tampa Tribune Bucs beat writer eye-RAH! Kaufman is adamant Tampa Bay has made serious mistakes.
“You have allowed Steve Spagnuolo to go to a division rival. Mr. Mike Nolan to go to a division rival, who’s just a notch below Spagnuolo in my opinion as a D-coordinator. Those are killer blows for an organization,” Kaufman told Steve Duemig on WDAE-AM 620 yesterday. “The Saints don’t need a good defense; they need an average defense and look out. And with Spagnuolo, working with a young Buc defensive line, I thought that would have been a great match.”
Kaufman went on to pound his claim that rockstar general manager Mark Dominik shares the same agent as Spagnuolo and something could have/should have been worked out. It was unclear whether Kaufman was referring to Spagnuolo becoming Bucs head coach or only defensive coordinator. Spagnuolo was hired by the Saints about a week before Greg Schiano took the Bucs’ reigns.
For Joe, Spagnuolo would have been a great coordinator hire by the Bucs, but Joe’s not seeing how that could have happened before a head coach was locked up.
Kaufman joins 40 or so other choice scribes today in voting for the Hall of Fame class of 2012. In that process, he’s the lone voice from the Tampa Bay area.
Unfortunately, Kaufman said Warren Sapp’s poor relationship with media during his playing days — he didn’t talk to Kaufman for three years — will still be a factor when Sapp is eligible for induction next year.
Thougth he doesn’t hold any grudges, Kaufman said he’s talked to Hall voters recently who still carry an anti-Sapp torch and Sapp will have heavy competition in his class from “heavy names,” including Michael Strahan, Jonathan Ogden, Larry Allen. John Lynch also is eligible next year.
February 4th, 2012 at 11:06 am
thats what happens when you have the slowest decision makers running this team last team to hire a coach and who are the cordanators oh wait we dont have any yet
February 4th, 2012 at 11:16 am
I thought the HOF was about talent, not personality.
February 4th, 2012 at 11:23 am
Give me Butch Davis and I say its even. I’m guessing the problem is he wants the Bucs to match his free salary from UNC.
February 4th, 2012 at 11:32 am
No big deal. They will find someone and everything will be ok. We are not behind.
February 4th, 2012 at 11:39 am
I think we’re all in between impatient and excitement. Hopefully they’ll start to make something happen soon!!!
February 4th, 2012 at 11:42 am
Hindsight is always 20/20! Monday morning QB.
February 4th, 2012 at 11:47 am
This is just plain stupid. If you just want to pick names and you don’t care whether there is any chemistry or that the HC and the coordinators can work together with the same philosophy then sure, just get whoever but that is NOT the way Schiano operates. We’ll be fine. Just relax and let the process play out. There will be no announcements until next week.
February 4th, 2012 at 12:17 pm
Bobby’s right, it’s about who Greg Schiano would like on his staff and absolutely NOT about who “experts” and/or message board posters want. Come on.
As for some media people not voting for Warren Sapp for personal reasons? Well, if that’s the case they should be able to vote. Who the hell do these self proclaimed “experts” think they are? Ridiculous.
Warren Sapp will get in anyway, but some of these clowns need to give their votes to people who can be fair and impartial.
February 4th, 2012 at 12:18 pm
Ira is dead on correct regardless of the pewter colored glasses so many wear.
February 4th, 2012 at 12:24 pm
This is called “overreaction writing to sell newspapers” and it seems many writers in the area have a problem with this. “Kill blow to the organization”? Are you kidding me? Do people realize that Drew Brees isn’t going to play forever, Matt Ryan is overrated and defensive coordinators are going to figure out how to contain Cam Newton? Seriously people. Go jump of a bridge if it’s really all that bad. Teams go up and down. The Saints were a JOKE of an organization a few years ago. It’s how the league is. Calm down and let’s see what what this new coach can do.
February 4th, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Totally agree with Picked Off! I know that the Glazers and Dominik have made there share of mistakes and cause for distrust, but can we at least wait and see what happens now that we have a new coach and lots of money to spend! It was obvious that the ownership did not make the committment to Raheem Morris that they are making to coach Schiano. The NFL is a very unpredictable league. You can be on the bottom one year and 10-6 the next (Remember!) I truly believe that people are going to be suprised by how well this turns out starting next month in Free Agency. Go BUCS!
February 4th, 2012 at 12:47 pm
Also agree with Picked Off and Alan B. Is there a possibility that we could get an Al Saunders here. The guy is a brilliant offensive mind and the Chiefs chose a different OC. Not a lot of gigs left. I would think Saunders would be interested enough considering we do have some pieces on offense for him to work with.
February 4th, 2012 at 12:54 pm
If Spags was that talented the Rams would not be picking ahead of us in the upcoming draft.Also the Giant defense is just as good without him.
February 4th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
1) None of those names are “bigger” than Butch Davis.
2) Warren Sapp never quit on the field, sports writers are bigger idotstha kickers, why do we care if sports writers are still miffed at Warren? Sapp did mrethan enough to be elected on the first ballot. That’s what the fans expect.
February 4th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Well said Bobby. Pretty sure we learned our lesson of forcing coords on a HC with the Bates/Jags experiment. I’m actually a little interested in watching Spags this year. He did great with the Giants but to be honest I wonder how much of that was talent on that dline more than coaching.
February 4th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Seriously Sapp is hands down without even blinking an eye way greater than Strahan.
February 4th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
First,
You can’t compare Sapp to Strahan adequately bc they play 2 different positions.
Warren and really the Kiffin Tampa 2 dispelled the myth that you shouldn’t expect sacks from the defensive tackle position.
Sapp had as many as 16 while Brad Culpepper was in double figures as well.
Strahan was dominant for a decade at end, is considered by many as a top 3 all-time pass rushing end and should end up a first ballot hall of famer
February 4th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
shame on Coughman if he lets his personal relationship with Warren Sapp override his professional responsibility…
February 4th, 2012 at 2:07 pm
It will all shake out,lots of talent still looking for work.you don’t want a stop gap fix for oc who is going to be gone in 2years.free needs the right guy and guys like whipple,saunders and such are out there.davis is out there,.we don’t want to be like the colts who rushed to get a dc(manusky)who is horrible just to have a warm body fill the chair.it will be fine buc fans
February 4th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Ridiculous. Spags is a decent coach but couldn’t fix the Rams defense in the three years he was there. We heard the same thing when Greg Williams went to New Orleans. How did that work out?
February 4th, 2012 at 2:51 pm
Sapp should get in the HOF before any of the listed players. He’s the only one on the list that earned/won the NFL MVP award.
February 4th, 2012 at 2:55 pm
I believe that we probably already have assistants hired but it just wont be mad official untill after the SB. Thats the only reason we havent hired any assistants i can think of…
February 4th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
I just can’t wait till we get more than a couple stories a day. The lack of information has to be extremely annoying for everyone.
February 4th, 2012 at 3:41 pm
Uh…so what…
February 4th, 2012 at 4:24 pm
This why Ira is an idiot.
February 4th, 2012 at 4:24 pm
Kaufman has never had the slightest clue of what he is talking about IMO.
local hack.
doesnt even realize Spags was hired before the bucs had a HC. And the man praised Rah all the time, till it became professionally rediculous to continue.
dolt.
February 4th, 2012 at 5:26 pm
Yesterday is history. Concentrating on what can be vs. what might have been is the only way to move forward.
February 4th, 2012 at 5:30 pm
Kaufman is a 2nd rate writer on a 3rd rate newspaper. The fact that he has a vote is surprising.
February 4th, 2012 at 5:51 pm
according to espn pj fleck has been hired as our wr coach
February 4th, 2012 at 6:24 pm
Bucs hire former Rutgers Wr coach P.j Fleck as Wr coach. At least its something!!
February 4th, 2012 at 7:26 pm
Don’t really care about the WR coach. We just better get the best damn offensive coordinator we can get!! They better get Butch Davis too…….c’mon…2 super bowl rings! How the hell would he not be a good option?