Honeymoon Over?

September 9th, 2014
Andrew Axleford of Fox Sports Florida believes the honeymoon for Bucs coach Lovie Smit is over after Sunday's debacle.

Andrew Astleford of Fox Sports Florida believes the honeymoon for Bucs coach Lovie Smith is over after Sunday’s debacle.

Is Lovie’s honeymoon over? Joe doesn’t think so, but what we witnessed for three quarters Sunday was the equivalent of walking in on your new bride in a compromising position with the hotel concierge.

Man, Bucs fans were some kind of livid Sunday. And Monday. And likely today. Joe hasn’t seen this kind of September vitriol in a while toward the home Pewter Pirates.

Joe, in a way, agreed. The way Josh McCown — for three quarters — played more like a panicked high school sophomore than an 11-year NFL veteran, his backyard football stunts led to 14 points by the Stinking Panthers.

The fact McCown was a hand-picked choice at quarterback by new Bucs coach Lovie Smith helped fuel the fury of Bucs fans. It has, in part, killed Lovie’s honeymoon with fans, types Andrew Astleford of Fox Sports Florida.

Smith is a realist. He’s right when he says the Bucs lost to a proven opponent in the Panthers, who should compete for an NFC South title again. Still, it’s concerning that a backup quarterback (Derek Anderson) looked better than Smith’s hand-picked starter from free agency. There were few silver linings on a dark day.

The lasting lesson is Smith’s Bucs have a long way to go. He has lived ground-level challenges before, going 5-11 in his first season with the Chicago Bears in 2004 until making the playoffs the following year at 11-5.

A similar climb likely awaits him this year, despite the Bucs becoming a trendy pick among some to reach the playoffs. Unless major improvement happens on offense, it’s difficult to see Tampa Bay scoring enough points to become comfortable near the top of the NFC South standings. The defense should be strong, but it can only bend so much each week without breaking.

Is the season over? No. Get back to Joe after the road game against the Dixie Chicks a week from Thursday. Then we will all have a better idea of how this season will go.

Simply put, McCown just cannot be close to as careless with the football as he was for three quarters Sunday. If the fourth-quarter McCown is the real McCown, then that’s a different story.

100 Responses to “Honeymoon Over?”

  1. Tom Edrington Says:

    Run this post again after the three-game road trip following the Rams game this coming Sunday.

    After these five games, we’ll get a better sense for the immediate future of the team…..can’t throw Lovie under the bus after one game even though McCown is his hand-selected signal caller.

    McCown HAS to have a serious bounce-back game after making triple-bogey last Sunday, to put it in golf terms.

  2. RastaMon Says:

    Sorry….the never was time for a Honeymoon !…no Lovie for Lovie….

  3. RastaMon Says:

    This team did not have the luxury that established teams have in preseason minimal playing time for starters…..The Bucs wasted VALUABLE time working together….yeah I get the injury thing….but OL & DL playing as units preparing for games that count…trumps the injury risk…. 0-1

  4. ColMustard5 Says:

    I guess my defense of McCown would be this, although I’m not 100% convinced on it myself. If Tedford was truly not making play calls Sunday that could be a lot of the problem. In addition for all they “Hype” around McCown I feel like a lot of people are forgetting that he had more time in Chicago to learn Trestman’s system in Chicago. So I guess as much as it sucks we do need to give the offense a little time to spread its wings in the regular season. Its a new offense for everyone..yet again so we all just need to show some patience right now and try not to completely panic

  5. Frustrated Says:

    I think Bucs fans are tired of the garbage they put on the field every year. In this day and age you should be able to turn a franchise around within a few years. We still don’t have a franchise quarterback and have never had one. Hopefully Lovie can right the ship, if not it’s going to be a long season!

  6. Skyline Crew Says:

    One thing is for sure, he won’t be able to skip out on OL in the draft next year. We need as many as we can get if you want to have a stable future. Just picking up OL from the waivers isn’t going to work every year and it isn’t working so far.

  7. Wombat Says:

    I was at the game and the boo birds were out early… Rightly so! Lovie has talked about nothing except the first game against Carolina. Don’t worry about preseason, wait till we play Carolina before you judge us… well?
    I smiled when he said Mankins leaving early in the game hurt us… Damn, he wasn’t here 2 weeks ago, and if it wasn’t for the trade the next man up was already playing there! Oops, the replacement wasn’t here before either! The whole offensive line has been a joke and if you had a year to sit in your basement and formulate a plan, well it’s not that great.
    Now the Bucs for some reason make teams that bring in back-ups look like All Pro QB’s (Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch spring to mind).
    Hopefully Lovie can right the ship, cos sitting in the sun sweating my ass off isn’t much fun. I would rather pocket the $400 I drop at each game and sit in the comfort of my home and watch the RedZone on the NFL Network!!!

  8. Buc Fan #237 Says:

    Free Agents are free agents for a reason. The other team didn’t feel that the player was worthy of market value.

  9. DallasBuc Says:

    Where are all the “true” buc fanboys that viciously attacked those few of use that brought up the obvious since March: mediocre QB, mediocre oline, no competition for overpaid, under productive FAs? I have seen them miraculously change their tune as if it has been their position all offseason or they are regrettably absent of comment which is surprising since they are “real” buc fans after all, not guys like me who dare to critisize! Calling all fanboys and fan police that have bashed me this offseason???

  10. RealityCheck Says:

    I’m so sick of hearing the excuse that this team just needs time to “gel”. How many years in a row have we heard that? “We’ll watch the film and we’ll get better. BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.”

    It was the first week of the season for EVERY TEAM. I’m pretty sure McCown had more time to gel with his starters than did Derek Anderson. Every team improves a the season goes on, but not every team is as inept as the Yucks when the season begins.

  11. Greg Says:

    There is no excuse for what we saw on sunday after preparing all off season with a hand picked QB from a experienced coaching staff.
    Lovie = Fail

  12. ColMustard5 Says:

    Derek Anderson has been playing under Rivera’s system this whole time, thats the only argument Im trying to make. McCown didnt play until week 7 last year. so thats a whole offseason, preseason, and 6 weeks of practicing a playbook. I would expect him to play better with that much time, than say an offseason, and preseason, where like everyone has pointed out, we have plugged a bunch of people in last minute. Im not saying McCown is a great QB but in defense of everyone that said he was a step up from McCown, atleast consider that time difference he had to learn the playbook, and watch film.

  13. Wombat Says:

    @DallasBuc – I am not ready to throw the baby out with the bathwater yet, just think that “our” team looked unprepared. Home opener, New Coach, New Staff… these guys are paid athletes and should have been hunting in packs like the old days. MJ90 was a huge disappointment. He was getting pushed around by TE’s!!! Maybe this is the wakeup call this team needs. Not ready to get the golf clubs out this early in the season! Will hopefully see a better display this week, if not we are in big trouble!!

  14. ColMustard5 Says:

    And atleast if we suck again this year we have a shot a Winston

  15. ColMustard5 Says:

    I agree Wombat, blows my mind we didn’t really grab a single proven starting pass rusher. Not to mention I wanted to vomit watching Olsen and Benjamin rip our D apart.

  16. DallasBuc Says:

    Wombat- I am not throwing the baby out with the bathwater…wrong analogy. Why not say this was all predictable based on what was obviously poor decision-making by HC/GM?

  17. Wombat Says:

    @DallasBuc – I just hope that our Coach and GM can turn this around, If they can right the ship with the players and staff they have, if not, then time to look elsewhere. These two walked into a pretty good deal. This team is a lot better than the product they put out Sunday, and the Buc stops at Lovie. I think the GM gets a pass because he got Lovie all the players he wanted, plus in the 11th hour gives him a pro bowl OL…. Its up to Lovie to make that work, he got him the ingredients!

  18. DallasBuc Says:

    Things that HC/GM say in front of recording devices that is complete horsesht…

    Lovie: “we want competition at all positions”. Yet McCown, Johnson, Collins, EDS, Verner, Jenkins, McDonald, Evans all were gifted starting jobs. Imagine if Morris or Schiano pulled this crap!
    Licht: “my offensive philosophy is building from the inside out”. This steamy pile gave us the signing of Meredith, Cousins, Omameh, Rishaw Johnson, Anthony Collins and a Mankins few days before the season starts! All while giving veterans like Zuttah, Penn, Joseph and Larson the boot instead if keeping players available to compete.
    I think the bloom is off the rose of do-no-wrong Lovie and his lapdog Licht! Finally.

  19. Skyline Crew Says:

    Give it some time you cry babies. We have new coaches and a new system AGAIN. It takes some time. Practice and a few series in preseason doesn’t make you completely ready. The first 3 quarters sucked, but the last quarter was promising. Now if they can take that last quarter and turn it into four quarters this Sunday then we have something. I think you guys forget that Carolina has a top 5 defense sometimes and you were expecting us to score 40+ pts. That was never going to happen. I expected a hell of a lot more out of our defense than I did our offense.

  20. ColiBUC Says:

    The honeymoon was over for me the first time I saw that offensive line in action in pre-season.

  21. BucFanInArkansas Says:

    Anybody who is “down” on this regime now in reaction to Week 1 is clearly suffering from the debilitating hangover that comes from believing that this team was going to magically transform themselves into the 1970’s Steelers in one (mostly non-contact) off-season, regardless of what [insert endless list of descriptives here] Peter King or Pat Kirwan or Pete Prisco or any other talking head says. And no, L&L did themselves NO favors with their “win now” talk over the summer, but the fact that this team was 4-12 last season cannot be ignored. People (and posters on this site) get angry and irrational when the word “patience” is brought up, but gain some perspective, folks. A stable, winning program has to be built. There’s not a pill to take, or a switch to be flipped, or a dirt-bag offensive guard to be signed, or a backup QB to be inserted that will suddenly resurrect this franchise’s “glory days”. IT. TAKES. TIME. And hard work. People are furious at L&L over Week 1, but mostly because they’re frustrated by the last decade and this latest loss just compounds all that frustration. NEWS FLASH: L&L had NOTHING to do with ANY of the losses or embarrassments since Super Bowl XXXVII until two days ago.. They’re trying to fix it! I, for one, am willing to give the new regime a slightly larger sample-size than ONE FREAKING GAME against last season’s Divisional Champs before I start calling for heads to roll and questioning their intelligence or abilities. No, I’m not saying that we should accept losing. And this team needs to coach and play better. But all of this vitriol and venting is getting ridiculous and way over the top.

  22. DallasBuc Says:

    Skyline- this performance was identical to what we saw in preseason. Lesson to those of you that think preseason doesn’t matter. This was all completely predictable from a mediocre QB, mediocre oline and garbage FAs. How much time do you need to put your face in font of a pile of crap to realize it stinks?

  23. The_Buc_Realist Says:

    Funny, how if that was MG8 and only played one good 1 quarter and was the worst qb in the league for 3 other quarters, how different some of the reactions would b.

    I have seen enough of Old man mcCown! Start the Cannon!!!

  24. Nineteen87 Says:

    Orca complained on an earlier thread that some people have the audacity to call this the “Lovie Smith Experiment”.

    Well Orca when the head coach hires the GM instead of the other way around, it sure is an experiment. Many suggested at the time. That that’s not how it works and it will fail.

    “We don’t expect our fans to be patient” — Jason Licht

  25. BuccaneerBonzai Says:

    I’m actually dreading visiting this website right now.

    We lost. So what? We’re use to it. That doesn’t mean everything has to be viewed in a negative light. I have better things to do than wallow in a depressed state.

    I love my Buccaneers whether they do great or do bad. That’s the bottom line. Do I want them to do well? Of course I do. I prefer it.

    But I am certainly not going to stress out if they do not. You people take this all to personal.

    Some of us have been with the team since the start. Some “claim” they have. But you can always spot the ones that have because they are the ones that are more grateful. They know it can get much worse.

    My advice? Decide if you REALLY are loyal to the team. I’m not questioning your fandom. I’m saying to determine your state of being in regard to the Buccaneers. If they lose 16 games straight, will you stop being a fan? If so, then maybe you should stop now and save yourself the stress.

    If you can withstand 16 straight losses (as those of us with the team from the start did), then make that your mental state. I’m not saying it will happen, but if you make up your mind that you will support the team no matter what, then it will make for less stressful losses.

    And it will show through your comments. Instead of focusing on negativity, you will become a cheerleader.

    There is nothing wrong with discussing issues that need to be addressed. It’s how you go about it that counts.

    You can discuss McCowns horrible performance without being negative. I try to find positives. The offense turned things on late in the game. The defense helped them until the very end.

    Rainey will have learned his lesson on ball security, because Lovie won’t let that fly. Josh McCown, during his press conference, took full responsibility, saying that the most disappointing thing for him was that the rest of the team worked so hard, and he was the reason they were disappointed. He was humble about it. But he also said that it will not happen again.

    He said that the reason things got better at the end was because he realized he had to trust his teammates.

    And really, think back. That trust is what made the Tony Dungy defense so good.

    So understand, there are kinks to work out, but it WILL work out.

  26. BucFanInArkansas Says:

    Straight up truth from BuccaneerBonzai. My man, copy that comment and re-submit it on this site regularly, please.

  27. DallasBuc Says:

    Bonzai- no one wants to hear the positivity police preach the do’s and dont’s of being true Bucs fan. It’s so lame, especially after the Bucs were just humiliated at home. People should telling others how to feel.

  28. DallasBuc Says:

    …People should STOP telling others how to feel.

  29. DallasBuc Says:

    BucfaninArkansas- that was actually just straight up opinion and preaching, not any provable truth.

  30. Buc1987 Says:

    Sorry Bonzai I have to agree with DallasBuc on this one.

  31. Buc1987 Says:

    DallasBuc you are my hero. Keep up the good fight man. #whyfireschiano

  32. Orca Says:

    You people can keep crapping your diapers and crying on JBF all day… Or get over it and support the team with a little balance.

  33. RealityCheck Says:

    @BuccaneerBonzai – how’s the view from your high horse? Its amazing that some people are unable to grasp that saying your team sucks and put on an awful performance that left very little hope for turnaround season somehow makes you less of a fan.

    This loyal fan talk is so dumb. Loyal means sticking with your team no matter what. It doesn’t involve being peachy positive after your team got beat down.

    I’ve been to every single game for the last 20+ years and my family has had tickets since day 1. Preaching positivity doesn’t change the reality of the situation, it just makes you delusional. But I mean you told us it WILL work out so now I’m totally confident. Not like there’s a decade worth of proof that says otherwise.

  34. Orca Says:

    ^^ There’s a way to remain positive without being delusional. It’s called BALANCE and PERSPECTIVE. Being a complaining d!ckwad doesn’t help anybody, including yourself.

  35. DallasBuc Says:

    Orca- calling people names for expressing their dislike of the product put on the field Sunday is hardly positive, balanced or helpful. Maybe you should check yourself and your perspective before you start preaching to others. There’s an accurate word for people that accuse others for doing the very thing they themselves do!

  36. BirdDoggers Says:

    The expectations were higher this year with key talent in place and many new hand picked additions. Lovie and Licht have both suggested that they want to win now. This is not supposed to be a rebuilding effort. The only real weaknesses on paper is the offensive line and QB situation. These two areas happen to be the keys to success in todays NFL. Having a good defense is great and will certainly help to win games, but an offense that can score is just as important. It’s way too early to tell how the season will shake out. If it turns out to be a disappointment, it will probably be due to the offensive line and journeyman QB.

  37. RealityCheck Says:

    Lol Orca what are you talking about? Do you even know what those words mean? What am I supposed to be balanced about? There are more negatives than positives with this team. And perspective is just another word for point of view. My PERSPECTIVE is that I’m tired of seeing my team suck and I’m tired of the excuses. If you have any actual evidence to convince me that this team will be good, please share. Otherwise, simply stating that things will work out and to stay positive (with zero evidence to support that claim) is in fact delusional. I HOPE we make the playoffs, but because I live in the real world, I can see that for now, we suck.

  38. Orca Says:

    ^^ I didn’t say I don’t have issues of my own, but I’m not doing the same thing as the complainers. I’m not bashing the Bucs with a complete lack of balance. So, it’s not the same thing at all. The irrationality of the level of complaining is astounding. If you have an issue with someone calling that out, well… that’s your issue. If I go over the top with my critique of the reactions here by calling names, that’s on me. But I’m not wrong in my assessment of the extreme lack of balance among the complainers.

  39. Orca Says:

    BTW, I never said reasonable criticism is unwarranted. But those calling for Lovie’s head already… well, that’s just nuts.

  40. Buc Fan South Tampa Says:

    Maybe its time for Joel and Bryan to sell the team. I think the old man knew more about football than those two chuckleheads.

  41. mpmalloy Says:

    @ Buc Fan South Tampa

    Agreed. But it’s not that they’re incompetent or
    lacking knowledge, it’s that they could care
    less about American football. They did what
    any huge soccer fan would do in their situation:
    Lie to the fans for as long as possible while
    siphoning money to your soccer franchise.

  42. Orca Says:

    ^^ Another overreaction that bears no relation to reality.

  43. james west Says:

    I just overdosed on ( LSD ) lovie smith debacle, did not like the hire. can not take that pathetic look of ineptitude when his team is getting their teeth knocked out like their in an elevator with ray rice, and he stands there tightlipped and honestly looking like he is holding back tears!!! S O S did not work in chitown lovie, and personally after 30+ years of watching the same fucking dog and pony show I am sick of it. don’t we as paying fans deserve better? why is it we cannot have an offense, that strikes fear in the opponents minds the night and week before the game!!! and lovie if I see another team laughing and yucking it up on the sideline and you don’t show some cahones and fire you’re boy’s up to put a stop to it, by playing some smashmouth football. I will not attend or buy another damn ticket to see your uninspiring lame coaching ass again. and by the way your FA’s and QB and Oline suck!!!!!

  44. Soggybottom Says:

    See what loosing does to people..

  45. Orca Says:

    One game and the sky is falling.

  46. DallasBuc Says:

    Orca- I don’t see people on here calling for his head. I see people like me calling him and his lapdog to account for the poor offseason decision making. Start with QB, oline and RDE. All could have been improved and while they were addressed they were certainly not improved. Before long we may fund out that all the transaction in these 3 areas ended up making them worse! Quantity over quality. Look objectively and hold them to account. That’s all most of negativity peddlers are trying to do.

  47. Buccfan37 Says:

    I don’t care if you are a one day or a lifelong Bucs fan, your opinion still has merit to me. Rave on Buc fans, it’s all good.

  48. DallasBuc Says:

    Soggyass- “loosing” seems to make people upset and start asking critical questions. Is that what you are referring to?

  49. RealityCheck Says:

    This isn’t a reaction over just one game. This is a reaction for a decade of being losers and coaches always promising that the win now Bucs are just around the corner. The sky fell a long time ago. Lovie fielded a team that was embarrassing. They deserve the criticism and I hope they learn from all of the mistakes and get better.

  50. RastaMon Says:

    Orca please forward your email so you can proof read my posts for “balance”…as you deem it

  51. Soggybottom Says:

    I think for the so called not needed prep talk before the game the player’s should watch the tape of the panthers side line laughing and joking at the bucs and remember it was in our house.. I know It makes me all fired up.. Oh Ya.. Get em going Light a fire under them there bucs

  52. RastaMon Says:

    Orca…let me guess you are a Dem/liberal….knowing best how to tell others how to act and what to think…..at the risk of being called out and put down

  53. Soggybottom Says:

    @ DallasBuc, no I mean start winning, and you can stop with the sooggyass DalasSuc

  54. buctebow Says:

    New Year, SAME OLD BUCS. Yeah McCown lost us that game and the team looked bad all over. Yet, I still have hope that it will improve over the season. I want a win every game, but I am not really expecting that, just some wins please. 8 wins would be sweet this year…that would be good progresss. To expect playoffs is setting yourself up for disappointment, it is just not likely. If it happens then great. Lovie expects to win by getting field position and turnovers, not by having an offense that can drive 80 yards time after time. That is not the team he is building. He is a scrape a win guy, not a dominate offensively to win and never will be.

  55. Buc Fan South Tampa Says:

    Hey, I can stand sitting in a 100 degree stadium with thunderstorms coming over by the half to drench me and my wife to then dry out in steamy heat by the 3d quarter IF I happen see a competitive football game during that time. But sitting through game after game knowing we are going to lose is not my idea of a great fan experience. Maybe its because Tedford wasn’t there, or they should have ditched the run game for passes earlier (sounds like a repeat from the Schiano years). Whatever it is, just win the freaking games.

  56. SeanyMac in SC Says:

    @ BucFanInArkansas and BuccaneerBonzai, I agree with the both of you! Well said and thanks for posting. I think there is a silent group of fans that feel the same way, they just don’t bother posting comments.

  57. DallasBuc Says:

    Soggyass- you mean losing makes people start winning?…that doesn’t make any sense. Please explain what you think losing does to people?

  58. RastaMon Says:

    “Lovie expects to win by getting field position and turnovers, not by having an offense that can drive 80 yards time after time. That is not the team he is building. He is a scrape a win guy, not a dominate offensively to win and never will be.”….this is very troubling….if then Lovie is like the last 5 year old standing playing musical chairs !……that strategy is living in the past…without a wizz bang pin ball offense to go get the free points the NFL has left as the low hanging fruit….Lovie is doomed !

  59. Soggybottom Says:

    @DallasSucs, Man are you stupid, I said see this is what loosing does to people, brings out the cat claws if you can understand that. meaning start winning and shut everybody up..

  60. DallasBuc Says:

    Soggyass- first of all “loosing” isn’t a word so maybe you should stop using it. Second, if you expect people to understand what you are saying you might want to put together complete and cogent thoughts. Finally, name-calling is not the first weapon of choice for smart people so you may want to read my first 2 points then ask yourself who looks stupid!

  61. ToesOnTheLine Says:

    Ironic that the posters who spent all off season bitching and whining about Glennon as a QB and stroking ‘Pineapple McCown’, Lovie, and Licht are now the same ones calling people out for complaining that the Bucs were outplayed and out coached for 3 full quarters by a team with a backup QB, gutted Oline, and questionable secondary. Amazing how that works.

  62. Soggybottom Says:

    DallasSucs Soggysss

  63. DallasBuc Says:

    Soggybottom Says:
    September 9th, 2014 at 12:28 pm
    DallasSucs Soggysss

    Wow! So maybe debate isn’t your strong point. Might want to take break from posting and take some time to brush up on basic reading/writing.

  64. Soggybottom Says:

    @ DallasSucs, Ya just like you should on your football knowledge. If you can understand that or do I have to also explain that to. You Suc

  65. DallasBuc Says:

    No Soggyass, please explain? Your attempts to communicate amuse me!

  66. Soggybottom Says:

    Well if you don’t get it you never will, Your football thoughts suck.. I got better things to do than argue with you so this my last response to you =You Suck at giving football advice so just stop..

  67. DallasBuc Says:

    Ok Soggyass, thanks for playing!

  68. Orca Says:

    DallasBuc Says:
    September 9th, 2014 at 11:59 am

    Orca- I don’t see people on here calling for his head. I see people like me calling him and his lapdog to account for the poor offseason decision making.

    I did see someone comment yesterday that they should clean house immediately, and he was serious. Not everybody is quite that extreme, of course.

    I think the whole “lapdog” thing which I’ve seen you call Licht on numerous occasions is a little unfair. I don’t think it represents the way they actually do things over there.

    As for the decision making, I still think harsh criticism should be reserved for a little while. It’s only been one game. I’m not on here pimping McCown, but people who criticize that signing don’t usually address the fact that he was the best FA option available. I still have some hope he will settle down and play well, but I do think they need to look for a QB in the 2015 draft. I was kinda hoping they would draft Carr this year, but it didn’t happen. I don’t really have the desire to criticize and I’m waiting to see how the people they DID draft turn out.

    I’ve seen a lot of over-the-top snap judgements ever since the preseason started. I just don’t see the point of getting so upset so quickly. I also think people need to put the past seasons in the past, and leave it there, judging this team and Lovie and Licht on what they do from here on. I also think there needs to be some acknowledgement that it may take a little time – that’s reality. You can’t always fix everything in one offseason.

  69. bucrightoff Says:

    This Sunday is pretty huge for Lovie. Losing to…whoever the Rams throw out there would be so bad, and it would present an 0-6 start in the face. I mean what’s the difference between 0-6 with Lovie and 0-8 with Schiano? Schiano’s a dick and Lovie isn’t?

  70. Skyline Crew Says:

    Our offense put up more yards than Green Bay did. If you were a Packer fan would you be saying that they suck and they are headed the wrong way and the season is over and they sky is falling and we are all going to die? Didn’t think so. I think a lot of you had unrealistic hopes before the season started.

  71. BuccaneerBonzai Says:

    DallasBuc Says
    “Bonzai…People should telling others how to feel.”

    Isn’t that what that very statement is doing. You are telling me what I should not post.

    As a matter of fact, it happens all the time here.

  72. BuccaneerBonzai Says:

    RealityCheck Says
    “@BuccaneerBonzai – how’s the view from your high horse?”

    Supporting the team is now considered a “high horse”? Wow. You need a reality check.

  73. BuccaneerBonzai Says:

    Buccfan37 Says
    “I don’t care if you are a one day or a lifelong Bucs fan, your opinion still has merit to me.”

    And yet…you criticize me for saying what I said? There is a word for saying something and doing another. Hmmn.

  74. bucrightoff Says:

    The Packers also played an elite defense, the Super Bowl, champs no less on the road, with a horribly flawed game plan. The Bucs lost to Derek Anderson. We aren’t actually comparing those are we? Cause if we are it’s gonna be a long season of reaching for excuses for poor play.

  75. BuccaneerBonzai Says:

    Here is the truth. After one game, you twits are throwning the owners, Team and coaches under the bus.

    Nothing says bandwagon better than that.

    You can insult, complain, try to negate my words all you want. It doesn’t change the truth.

    Watch where you land, that ground is hard sometimes.

  76. Orca Says:

    RastaMon Says:
    September 9th, 2014 at 12:08 pm

    Orca…let me guess you are a Dem/liberal….knowing best how to tell others how to act and what to think…..at the risk of being called out and put down

    Whatever my political beliefs might be are of no consequence here, and it kinda makes you a dick to try that tactic. You people might want to read what I’ve said. I’m not a positivity pimp. I’ve just been critical of the extraordinary level of overreaction to one putrid game. I think it’s unreasonable to go all apeshit and crap your diapers after 1 game. Being insulted for asking people to be reasonable makes you guys look bad, not me.

  77. Orca Says:

    RastaMon Says:
    September 9th, 2014 at 12:08 pm

    Orca…let me guess you are a Dem/liberal….knowing best how to tell others how to act and what to think…..at the risk of being called out and put down

    Whatever my political beliefs might be are of no consequence here, and it kinda makes you a d!ck to try that tactic. You people might want to read what I’ve said. I’m not a positivity pimp. I’ve just been critical of the extraordinary level of overreaction to one putrid game. I think it’s unreasonable to go all apesh1t and crap your diapers after 1 game. Being insulted for asking people to be reasonable makes you guys look bad, not me.

  78. Skyline Crew Says:

    bucrightoff Says:
    September 9th, 2014 at 1:39 pm

    “The Packers also played an elite defense, the Super Bowl, champs no less on the road, with a horribly flawed game plan.”

    Sounds like you are making an excuse for them, but can’t accept the fact that we went into a game against an elite defense (Top 5) and had no OC and had a flawed game plan.

  79. Joe Says:

    This Sunday is pretty huge for Lovie. Losing to…whoever the Rams throw out there would be so bad, and it would present an 0-6 start in the face. I mean what’s the difference between 0-6 with Lovie and 0-8 with Schiano? Schiano’s a dick and Lovie isn’t?

    Just looked at the schedule for next six weeks. Ouch.

  80. Buc1987 Says:

    I think the Bucs are going to lose to the Rams this Sunday, IMO. Then what?

    @Skyline Crew you are exactly right a lot of the fans that keep complaining to us negative thinking fans had GIANT expectations for the season. Only some won’t admit it on here.

    Some of the “complainers” like me did’nt have much hope for the season after the 1st pre-season game. Then we saw the debacle of an UNPREPARED non-Schiano run team dragged all over our homefield by an undermanned (no Cam) Panthers team and that just galvanizes what we’ve been thinking for a while now. This team is lost.

    Before everyone jumps on me for this thinking. Watch the Rams game first and come back and jump on me then. Watch what a 3rd string Rams QB does to Lovie’s defense this coming Sunday. Then come back and tell me I’m complaining too much. Or I’m not that big of a Bucs fan. ME? Ha ha ha ha.

    That’s laughable.

    That your not a fan crap has to stop. I did it all the time last summer before the 2013 season and it’s wrong. Some people just need to learn I guess. It’s almost disrespectful to some of us to read or hear those words directed at us.

    “You’re not a real fan”. STOP IT!

    What I saw on Sunday was a Bucs team that Schiano’s Bucs could have beaten. The team is going backwards. I don’t know what the rest of you saw and I don’t really care actually.

    I can tell you this if Schiano was at the helm of that debacle on Sunday. 95% of you would be in here lambasting him today.

    Our GM told us what? “We don’t expect the fans to be patient”. Well I didn’t buy that crap. It might backfire on them too. I wonder how many people bought that crap and bought tickets to see it? Do you think they will renew their tickets if it does not come into fruition?

    @Bonzai there was a time when you were skeptical about L&L too and it was not that long ago. Like what a month or so?

  81. Buc1987 Says:

    Joe now would be the perfect time to allow my last post to go through. lol

  82. BucFanInArkansas Says:

    Well. THAT escalated quickly.

    [In other news, welcome back to say goodbye again, James West!! I thought you were serious when you quit this team/site LAST week!]

  83. bucrightoff Says:

    Skyline Crew Says:
    September 9th, 2014 at 1:48 pm
    bucrightoff Says:
    September 9th, 2014 at 1:39 pm

    “The Packers also played an elite defense, the Super Bowl, champs no less on the road, with a horribly flawed game plan.”

    Sounds like you are making an excuse for them, but can’t accept the fact that we went into a game against an elite defense (Top 5) and had no OC and had a flawed game plan.
    ___________________________________

    None of that changes losing to a very poor QB, and frankly allowing him to pick apart the Bucs D. If Lovie was here to fix the D week 1 was a pretty crappy indictment otherwise. Derek Anderson…for real? On August 1 if I went to Vegas to prop bet Derek Anderson carving up the Bucs, I would have gotten 15-1 odds. It cannot happen, it should not happen.

    The Bucs brought in an allegeded defensive genius and lost to the 40th best QB in the league (and he might be closer to 50th best). The Packers lost to a defense who has destroyed every great QB in the last few years. Not comparable.

  84. Buc1987 Says:

    Where’s all this upgrade in talent? This team would have LOST to Schiano’s Bucs with 1/2 the talent. Ha ha ha ha ha. How’s that for over-reacting?

    Thanks Joe.

  85. Skyline Crew Says:

    Bucrightoff, I said last year that our team was terrible and Defense was the main part. However, I was written off because people wanted to go in to the whole we had the 32 ranked offense bit. Our offense could stop a run, but could never stop a pass. It still can’t stop a pass. I’m pretty sure any QB any day of the week will be able to throw on us at will unless Lovie figures something out. Our defense is not elite by any means so I’m surprised that you thought a backup QB couldn’t throw on us.

    Just remember 16 teams lost last week. Some of them were far worse than the Bucs were. We have a long way to go, but all this talk about people need to be replaced and we are going to be 0-16 has got to stop. It was one game. New offense. New coach. It takes more than a few months to get it together. The Bucs have a new coach every other year. When will we finally stop changing out coaches?

  86. Buc1987 Says:

    Skyline Crew says :

    “Just remember 16 teams lost last week. Some of them were far worse than the Bucs were. ”

    That’s great advice man. Except I can’t get out of my head what the score would have looked like had there been a healthy Cam lined up at QB for the Panthers.

    Next up the Lambs and their guy they probably signed off the couch to beat the Bucs at RJS. I hope not. But can I realistically think otherwise after what I saw on Sunday?

    Then we get a healthy Matt Ryan 4 days later. Oh Joy!

    Stay positive Bucs fans Jason Licht says “we don’t expect our fans to be patient”.

  87. BUCSLEGENDS Says:

    I’m with you Bonzai !!!!!!! As for some of you others I’m just REALLY thankful that I will NEVER have to watch a Bucs game with you !!!!!!! What a fun and wonderful game day experience it must be !!!!!! SMDH !!!!!!! GO BUCS !!!!!!!

  88. Buc1987 Says:

    BUCSLEGENDS… you would LOVE to sit next to me at a game. When the D is on the field I don’t stop making noise the whole game long. No matter the score most of the time.

    I’m the guy by the escalators before the game at the north endzone entrance trying to get everyone fired up and loud before them game. I do it about a 1/2 hour before kickoff. It’s only become an opening home game thingy for me.

    Some of you act as if you’ve NEVER heard anyone complaining at Bucs games. If that’s true then you don’t even go to the games. It happens all over the place.

  89. Buc1987 Says:

    Bucslegend don’t you live in Cali anyways?

  90. bucrightoff Says:

    ^^^Sorry but the Bucs suffered the worst loss of week 1. Christ people had the Bucs going to the playoffs this year. And I can guarantee you all of them revoked that pick after losing Sunday. Sunday’s loss was as bad or worse than last year’s opener to the Jets, and that loss derailed the whole season. The Bucs defense didn’t improve despite everyone here and elsewhere saying that’s what Lovie would do. Except it looked like Schiano out there again. Same problems (no pass rush, mediocre secondary) were on display.

    Yes, it’s one game, but it’s also losing to a very bad QB, with a lot of roster turnover. Lovie has made this team his own, it’s not like he has the exact same roster. For the most part this is the team he chose. 1987 said it but it would have been a slaughter with Cam playing, easily a 31-7 or worse loss.A loss this week and there’s nothing to say except who are we picking top 5 next year? Like last year a bad start + tougher schedule to come = Lost season.

  91. Buccfan37 Says:

    Bonzai… I’ve always enjoyed your comments. Criticism works both ways. See?

  92. james west Says:

    I overdosed on (LSD) lovie smith debacle when they hired him! I am sick and tired of this one trick pony show year in and year out. SOS it will take 3-4 years to build the defense the way lovie wants it. all the while we will be shuffling in and out the next has been, mediocre veteran QB FA that lovie trusts! GMC will test the market and be gone next year, I would want some love and respect nationally with a winning team also. tampa had the 7th pick and I know we needed help at receiver, but damnitt man you got to have at least an above average QB to move the chains and keep your team in position to score, and maybe put the team on his back and win 1-2 games on his strength of play alone. yea you got mankins but incognito would come cheap,and damn sure shore up that farce of a line on the right side, and maybe keep this mclown from getting put in the dirt!!!

  93. james west Says:

    and another thing, what the hell is going on when your opponent is on the sideline laughing and yucking it up, and you set there with that pathetic uninspiring – stoneface- non emotion look, yea keep it up while the other team is knocking your teeth out like your on an elevator with ray rice. man at least fire your boy’s up and play some smashmouth football and wipe the grin off their stinking faces. if we got to lose damnitt, at least grow a pair and make em hate playing in tampa.

  94. Skylinr Crew Says:

    James west, what QB was worth a 1st rd 7th pick. None, that’s the answer.

  95. BUCSLEGENDS Says:

    Buc1987, WELCOME BACK !!!! Yes I do live in Cali and I stand by my statement. All I have to go by is what I read in these pages and some posters are constantly negative. I’ve been a Bucs fan since the day I heard John Mckay was leaving SC to coach the Bucs. I’ve heard enough trash talking about the Bucs over the years to fill 2 life times. Hell living in Cali in didn’t meet another Bucs fan until I was 40,… after we won the Super Bowl. I’m sorry if I come off a little harsh and I understand the frustration. I want to win as badly as the next fan. I just think there’s a better way to voice one’s opinion. GO BUCS !!!!!!!

  96. Tgregs Says:

    I watched the Falcons/ Saints game and it was at an entirely different level than the Bucs.

  97. Buc1987 Says:

    Thanks Legend. It’s nice to be back home. Those other sites are cold and dark. I can get responses from a few people here and there at the other sites, but nothing like JBF.

    We’re just frustrated man. I’m usually very positive about our team. To me oddly as this may seem though I’m starting to wonder whether or not L&L really know what they are doing.

  98. Buc1987 Says:

    @Joe thanks again I’ll try and behave.

  99. Buccfan37 Says:

    Welcome back 1987. You’ll be more positive on the Bucs in the future. Clemson gonna beat FSU? The noles look a little shaky to me.

  100. Buc1987 Says:

    Thanks 37. Well to tell you the truth I haven’t seen too much of Clemson play yet. How’s there QB play and WR’s? Do they look like they miss Boyd and Watkins?

    Having only seen the Noles play OK State and scare the crap out of me the entire game, I’m still going to say yes. Being that it’s at the Doak.

    Ask me if I think they will repeat? Right now I’d say no way in hell.

    Oh and Go Bucs.