Lovie Indirectly Discusses Incognito
August 11th, 2014
While not speaking about him directly, Bucs coach Lovie Smith all but stated a player like this Richie Incognito will not be a Buccaneer on his watch
Hardly a day goes by that Joe isn’t asked why Lovie Smith and Jason Licht have not signed the notorious roidhead/locker room hand grenade known as Richie Incognito.
The former Rams and Dolphins guard has been virtually run out of football, all by his own actions. Two lousy teams, the Bills and the Rams, got tired of his antics and kicked him to the curb.
Then, he all but destroyed the Dolphins locker room before being banished from the team, all but ruining a teammate’s NFL career with vile harassment and racial intimidation.
When the Dolphins unloaded Incognito, he responded in his normal, reasoned, delicate way by destroying his Ferrari with a baseball bat.
When asked directly if he has considered bringing in Incognito, Lovie answered indirectly. He refused to discuss Incognito but did discuss his philosophy of bringing in free agents. In short, Bucs fans pining for Incognito are living in an Alice in Wonderland world and should turn the page and begin grousing for someone else.
“All players that are available, we look to see if they fit into our program,” Lovie said. “All players. I will leave it at that. If we are really interested in someone, we will bring them in. Again, we are looking at everyone constantly, not just now. Every position.”
When pressed to elaborate on Incognito, Lovie again refused but again talked of his philosophy. It doesn’t take an MIT scientist to fill in the blanks to determine how Lovie feels about poisoning his locker room with ilk like Incognito.
“We consider everything,” Lovie said when evaluating a player. “The total player and what he brings. Off the field; on the field, the total package comes into play. Every player we draft; every player we sign. It is very important that a player fits in the locker room. If a player doesn’t fit in the locker room, we have to go into another direction, it is as simple as that. You have to be accepted in there.”
There you have it. This just reinforced what Joe believed Lovie stood for all along. If Lovie was going to run off a productive starter for having a mattress for a lawn ornament and taking a blade to the thigh, then there is a reason why this Incognito is walking the streets when 3/4 of the NFL is crying out loud for a guard.
August 11th, 2014 at 8:28 pm
The man wasn’t even a starter anymore in Miami, was he? Just another case of Tampa fans wanting a quick fix and making dumb choices in an attempt to get them.
August 11th, 2014 at 8:31 pm
He didn’t say no !!! You reporters should be camping out at TIA
Lets get some attitude up in here!!!
Who wants to be the nicest 3-13 team around.
August 11th, 2014 at 8:34 pm
Thank you! Now I hope people will stop the ridiculous chants to bring him in. I know fans are desperate for O-Line help, but signing him is just suicidal.
August 11th, 2014 at 8:34 pm
Joe let Mike Will go man. He was way overpaid, and the Bills can’t get him to play well either.
August 11th, 2014 at 8:35 pm
Danimal – I hope that’s sarcasm.
August 11th, 2014 at 8:36 pm
Lovie is right! We don’t need another bad boy on this team, that does not have good sense.
August 11th, 2014 at 8:42 pm
@joe
mike williams would cost us 8 mill per year!!!
August 11th, 2014 at 8:48 pm
Funny thing is…most people pining for Incognito didn’t know who the hell he was before the scandal…he was an AVERAGE player who is horrible in the locker room. Not worth the risk.
August 11th, 2014 at 8:55 pm
TRADE FOR ALEX BOONE!!!!
August 11th, 2014 at 8:56 pm
Well, that pretty much settles it….I now agree with you Joe, that the Bucs will not be attempting to acquire Incognito. Have no doubt, some other NFL Team will though and I predict that Incognito will go on to an NFL Team that is not dressed out in Red & Pewter, his remaining days as a pro football player being productive. It’s a shame, and I am convinced that most of this bias against Incognito was fueled by the media in some Politically Correct Attempt at being the NFL Moral Police:
http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/cbssportsnetwork/315175491878/0/richie-incognito-still-without-a-team
August 11th, 2014 at 8:56 pm
Not signing him is probably for the best. Be patient people, they are obviously aware of the problem and know the importance of it. They’ll get it straightened out.
August 11th, 2014 at 9:01 pm
Can’t fix 19 spots in one off season.
August 11th, 2014 at 9:03 pm
For those of you who are attempting to paint Incognito as some lower tiered Offensive Lineman, Incognito started 100 out of the 102 games he’s played in, and was selected to the 2012 Pro Bowl. Here’s his stats:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/I/IncoRi20.htm
August 11th, 2014 at 9:05 pm
Yea we dont need any bad boys who can play, we should stick with the guys who are horrible. Thats a sure way to have a winning season.
August 11th, 2014 at 9:07 pm
Kinda like dirty players and dirtbags lol
August 11th, 2014 at 9:13 pm
Yes, he was a starter.
His signing would give the Bucs a proven backup center and average/slightly above average left guard. That would be a massive improvement.
August 11th, 2014 at 9:23 pm
he was an AVERAGE player who is horrible in the locker room. Not worth the risk.
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Average would be a considerable upgrade from the horrible players we got at guard now.
August 11th, 2014 at 9:26 pm
Why can’t Lovie just say “no.”?
August 11th, 2014 at 9:29 pm
Attention Bucs fans,
We spent tens of millions of dollars on O-Line already. The key to longevity is to let the guys you got develop. I was hoping for them to pick up another high priced guy but, now not so much.. Lets see if any of our rookies or udfa can step up when times are tough. I believe as of right now we will have an improved year.. Then next year we get that stud Olineman or a few !
August 11th, 2014 at 10:37 pm
danimal you are spot on…. get incognito it aint a church league…. our OL sux lovie staring at 2-14
August 11th, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Incognito has been kicked off of 4 teams goino back to college. Do you know how hard that is to do? In a game full or arse holes, let it sink in how big of an arse hole you have to be to accomplish that. Read up on all the things he has done. Guys don’t need to be choir boys, but are you really interested in bringing in a guy that could potentially destroy a team, or even worse, hurt someone outside the field? Do a little research, because I can’t think of anything more potentially catastrophic than bringing in that lunatic. I’d rather have Michael Vick throwing to Terrell Owens.
August 11th, 2014 at 11:15 pm
It was a terrible display on offense, but it was just one game. I promise you bringing in the roid head isn’t going to help us anywhere near as much to make it worth the risk.
August 11th, 2014 at 11:29 pm
Seriously do you think he will destroy a team….sign the only all pro Ol we could have… if he is a turd cut him… again4-12 is looking like 2-14 everyday
August 11th, 2014 at 11:45 pm
Look, to me saying “we will pick up some o-line help next year”. And if we go 8-8 thats an improvement. Is unacceptable they did not only charge me half price for my tickets because they are only trying to win 8 games.
They should make every effort to make the playoffs. The problem with the guard situation is not a matter of geling, it’s a matter of talent. THERE IS NONE.
August 12th, 2014 at 12:01 am
“…begin grousing for someone else…”
Yeah, because there are so many alternative out there. Oh, wait, lets just coach up the ‘talent’ we have. Shoot, thats who played Friday, right? Ok, lets wait and pick up that Panthers/Texans/Raiders castoffs.
August 12th, 2014 at 12:09 am
@Brian Says:
“…most people pining for Incognito didn’t know who the hell he was before the scandal…he was an AVERAGE player…”
I would say its the other way around; people who make comments like “…he was average…”, not sure if Incognito was a starter, etc. – they are the ones who “didn’t know who the hell he was…”.
Incognito is one of the better guards in the NFL. When he first signed with the Dolphins he was very well behaved in the locker room until the end. The Dolphins did not/do not have the leaders in the locker room that the Bucs have; that crap would never happen here. But whatever, its easy to criticize without offering any better suggestions. Lets just keep things as they are and we can go 6-10, maybe 7-9 if the D can score a lot.
August 12th, 2014 at 2:27 am
Incognito is not going to make that big of a difference, even if he’s the greatest guard in the league!!! First of all, last time I checked, most teams have 2 guards. Correct me if I’m wrong on that one. Second, to the person who said to just cut him if he’s a turd – he already is a turd, so why bother signing him in the first place? He’s been a turd everywhere he’s gone.
Regardless, you fools can continue to bring up his name over and over again, you’re wasting your time. I’m going to put this is all caps : HE’S NOT COMING HERE!!! If you don’t like it, sorry, but too damn bad. Not if he’s the last guard available and he’s willing to play for free. You can cry and threaten to not buy tickets, not watch the games, or whatever else you want to say, but he’s not coming to Tampa unless he wants to visit Busch Gardens. Not sure how much more simple I can make it for you.
August 12th, 2014 at 6:10 am
BuccaneerBonzai Says:
August 11th, 2014 at 8:28 pm
The man wasn’t even a starter anymore in Miami, was he? Just another case of Tampa fans wanting a quick fix and making dumb choices in an attempt to get them.
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He started all the way up to the suspension. I see a lot of claims that he was an average player, he was a little above average. Strong at the point of attack, tenacious, played to the whistle. His feet were average at best though and he doesn’t have the greatest frame. The problems in the lockerroom, notwithstanding, his signing would bring immediate media scrutiny, and Lovie won’t have that.
August 12th, 2014 at 7:59 am
The guy is productive, but at what cost? He rubs every sensible human being the wrong way. Plus according to the texts between him and J. Martin, the dude is a freakking cokehead! Can’t have a guy that’s supposed to be vet poisoning your young players. The first chance he gets he’s going “party” on an off week. The guy has had locker room issues everywhere he’s been. Things like this can’t be overlooked just because he can help you on the field.
August 12th, 2014 at 9:36 am
Based on the texts between Incognito and J Martin, I saw nothing to infer he was a cokehead. There was however, a center on that team that multiple drug references were directed at him. Just commenting based on the information I saw (not supporting or condemning the Cog).
August 12th, 2014 at 11:57 am
Sure, he was a top guard at one point, and sure, the initial Dolphins thing was blown up with PC whining. But, with the pattern of being dropped from subsequent teams, along with his history before the Martin incident, it’s obvious there’s something wrong with the kid. There are enough dirtbags in Tampa without importing one into the community with the money, ego, and public spotlight to do real damage. I appreciate Lovie and Licht having the sense to consider character. I saw the o-line too, and it was bad enough to make me consider Incognito seriously for a moment, but it’s really not worth it.