Schiano Explains And Details Player Backlash
September 22nd, 2013
Joe strongly recommends you read this morning’s investigative look into Greg Schiano’s relationship with his players, penned by Albert Breer of NFL.com.
Schiano opened up to Breer, who was at One Buc Palace last week attempting to get to the bottom of the reported angst in the Bucs locker room.
Breer paints a picture of Bucs players moaning about a tough training camp, and Dashon Goldson leading a players’ only meeting to not just give players perspective of his experience under hard-ass coaches in San Francisco but gather and assess potential changes to bring to Schiano.
The idea was to create an open forum, and Goldson took the complaints to Schiano. The coach addressed the team the next morning, telling the players that he would listen, but that they needed to trust that his way would lead to on-field results.
“When you come into a place and you have to change some things, you’re not looking for a whole lot of suggestions at the beginning, because first you gotta figure out who your guys are,” Schiano said when asked about the meeting. “Now, I really know who our guys are because they wouldn’t be here if they weren’t our guys. I really appreciate their feedback. But some of the pictures that have been painted … it’s not like they’re outside the door with torches, ‘We must change!’
“It’s what I ask them to do: Give me feedback if you feel there’s anything that needs to be said.” …
“I thought it was good, it was a good meeting, getting to hear guys’ opinions on certain things,” Goldson said. “We expressed that stuff, pulling together as a team. We have a lot of young guys out here, it was expressing what the expectations should be, being a professional, and at the same time, doing what’s right.”
Players had been upset about the nature of Schiano’s second training camp with the Bucs, which some viewed as unrelenting, and that prompted Goldson to solicit feedback.Even after that, some players didn’t feel like enough changed, with one saying that, “He came into the team meeting, said you guys gotta trust me, we’re in half-pads that day, then the next day, it’s back to the same thing.”
Again, Joe advises you to read the entire piece via the link above.
First, Joe can’t sympathize too much with the Bucs players. Training camp was far, far more difficult during the Bucs’ glory years under Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden, when NFL labor laws permitted two-a-day practice sessions in pads.
As for the team having captains bring concerns and changes to the head coach? Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work?
Right now, Joe sees a Bucs team playing hard that isn’t well coached. Perhaps that is, in part, a function of players tuning out coaches. Time will tell.
September 22nd, 2013 at 10:40 am
Memo to coach Schiano :
Take the ropes off of Freeman and step out of the way. 3rd and 6 at the end of the game is a passing down . We play to Win the game we don’t play not to lose the game… Your need to have complete control over ever move has cost us several games….. # winning streak
September 22nd, 2013 at 10:40 am
Great story, but hear is by question JOE. Wins/Losses aside as we all know that winning makes everyone happy. Would this type of meeting happen in another coaches locker room. A dungy, a Belicheat, a Harbaugh, etc. Is this type of players communicating to the coach a normal thing which we BUCS fans should applaud or is this very unusual and we should be concerned?
September 22nd, 2013 at 10:43 am
The Buc’s hired a coach that never won anything in college so the player’s are skeptical that this system works, which is understandable. If they starts 0-4 or 0-5, you’ll really see the players tune him out.
September 22nd, 2013 at 10:43 am
Joe… I remember Ray Perkins and his 3 adays , that was one mean old man .
September 22nd, 2013 at 10:56 am
I just saw the live Breer/Schiano interview in the tunnel on NFL Network. This guy needs a hug or better yet a win. He’s feeling the weight of this media onslaught and potential locker room distraction.
Where is CouchFan, Bucrightoff, Lightningbuc and the rest of the Glennon Mob to provide support and inspiration at this trying time. He better win today and I hope we do because it’s not the teams fault that this off-field stuff is going on.
My last word until after the game. Go Bucs.
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:03 am
I’ve been saying it since they signed the new CBA, they have allowed the inmates to take over the asylum and its going to cost the NFL big. You cannot allow your employees to determine how, when and how long for they are going to work. Until the coaches are allowed to run their practices the way they should be run you’re going to continue to see this kind of crap.
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:06 am
I think it may be Freeman who is crying about training camp being to tough and now he’s out to get Schiano fired. Thats my conspiracy theory
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:06 am
Skelly Says:
“Would this type of meeting happen in another coaches locker room.”
Yes. Keep in mind that this was in August. Not after game one as some media outlets reported. Goldson also said the meeting was really called as a sort of pep rally going into the season. While they were meeting, they also got some input.
The thing to remember is that we don’t know who complained about what. Certainly the starters are buying in. All the starters feel comfortable going straight to Schiano. Their effort alone shows they have bought in.
Another thing to keep in mind. The meeting was BEFORE final cuts. A lot of those guys are no longer with the team.
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:08 am
Complaining because your boss asks you to take training classes to improve your skill set? Goes, come on guys, do your job!
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:19 am
Schiano and the Bucs lost 2 games by a total of 3 points. Schiano coached up against Rex Ryan and Sean Payton. 2 NFL coaches with plenty of NFL success. Again 3 points in 2 games froma former college coach. Fans keep giving Freeman the benefit of the doubt after nearly 4 years as starting QB, but somehow can’t look past Schiano’s 1 yr and 2 games. That’s not my problem, that’s their problem.
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:20 am
Sorry Couch Fan,
Can’t have it both ways. This easy talking Michael Jackson like inconsistent QB wouldn’t hurt a fly. Seems to me I recall Ronde Barber even though he had kind words to say about Schiano, he also said “even though you tried to kill us”.
Actually those calling for Glennon,like me, may be trying to get Schiano fired. Lol.
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:28 am
“Actually those calling for Glennon,like me, may be trying to get Schiano fired. Lol.”
Splengo…yes and some of us will want Schiano fired if he does not bench Freeman soon.
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:29 am
Oh thats just what he wants you to think! He’s really an evil genius. He might even show up today and play well all in an attempt to prolong the inevitable benching. His evil genius plan is to play as long as he can and win around 7 games this year so he can leave next year and we are once again screwed out of a top QB prospect.
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:34 am
flmike ,yep. Employees always prefer an easy boss who doesn’t make them work.Today’s players have no idea how good they have it.
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:35 am
I’d like to be a fly on the wall while Sully watches the game tape of Freeman’s play. He has to pull his hair out daily without question.
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:39 am
Some people wonder how I could turn on Freeman so quickly. I say because I’m not blind, my last name is not Magoo.
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:39 am
Tough training camp? These guys make me laugh. Their season consists of around 7 months, and just a couple hours a day of that are outside. Most is video watching inside air conditioning. Most of these athletes have never worked a day in their life – they’ve had their butts wiped for them since they became a star in high school. It’s hard to imagine anyone would actually want to coach these “men”.
September 22nd, 2013 at 12:14 pm
trust that his method would result in on feild results? where were those results in the sorry Big East?
Ive learned not to trust anybody who says “trust me”.
Just win Bucs, and get this team on track. Keep losing? Then those player complaints will stack up and could cost Schi his job.
This article at least proves that there is already some doubt in the locker room. Maybe this is why Dom is keeping his distance. If the team implodes, Schi is out. The Glazers wont get rid of Dom who has played his cards pretty damn well rebuilding so that we can have all the talent we have. Dom goes back with the Glazers since the mid 90s. Schi’s only been here a year and a half, and his team isnt getting better from last year.
Just win dammit.
September 22nd, 2013 at 12:18 pm
How well the Bucs defense played last week proves the team has bought in to Schiano.
September 22nd, 2013 at 12:29 pm
Why cant the Glazers pay for some shade!?
September 22nd, 2013 at 1:01 pm
“How well the Bucs defense played last week proves the team has bought in to Schiano.”
Those guys are playing hard because of Lieutenant Goldson, more than they’re playing for General Schi. Joe mentioned how they follow him around like a bunch of baby chicks behind their mother goose.