Lovie Smith: “Jameis Doesn’t Need A Mentor”
July 31st, 2015
Lovie Smith fired off intriguing words this afternoon at One Buc Palace.
Oh sure, the message was simple, “Jameis Winston doesn’t need a mentor,” Lovie said.
But the words explained plenty. First, they illustrate why Lovie didn’t keep his trusted, inspirational (to Lovie) friend Josh McCown on the roster. McCown seems like an ideal team-first mentor type and backup quarterback. But Lovie is so confident in America’s Quarterback, 21-year-old Jameis, that he had no use for any veteran QB.
It’s also noteworthy because Lovie has raved so much about having Logan Mankins around to rub off on the rest of the offensive line. Heck, during the spring, Lovie said he expects Mankins to be named team captain, which is voted on by players. Hmmm, so Lovie sees the value in Mankins as a mentor for his two rookie offensive linemen, but Jameis needs no such mentoring.
On the defensive side of the ball, Lovie brought in leadership types like Chris Conte at safety, and others who were familiar with his style of defense. In part, those guys are here to help mentor players less familiar.
But Jameis? He is so good he doesn’t need a mentor. Heck, the Bucs didn’t even acquire a camp-meat backup quarterback who played for Dirk Koetter, someone who could ease the transition to Koetter’s terminology.
Jameis was named the Day-1 starter this afternoon and that got Lovie a little animated in Jameis’ defense.
“I would never put a guy in that position if he wasn’t ready for that,” Lovie said. “A lot has been said about Jameis and mentors and different things. Jameis doesn’t need a mentor, alright. Jameis is ready to take the reins and go with it. The mental part, the physical part and just being a quarterback in the NFL and being able to take the criticism that goes with this; I think he is ready for that.”
Man, if Lovie didn’t move all in on Jameis when he drafted him, he certainly went there today — in mind, body and spirit.
This might just be Lovie’s smartest move of the 2015 offseason. Joe just hopes Lovie lets Koetter “take the reins and go with it,” like Lovie said Jameis can do.
July 31st, 2015 at 4:36 pm
Jameis doesn’t need a mentor, he needs an offensive line and a running game….
Simple as that
July 31st, 2015 at 4:36 pm
Imagine if Josh was still on the team and Lovie named him the starter!!!
July 31st, 2015 at 4:44 pm
Jameis never needed a mentor. All that crap was silly. It’s says alot when a common sense move can be construed as your “smartest move” of the off season…
July 31st, 2015 at 4:46 pm
Maybe incompetent Lovie Smith and his little lapdog GM needs a mentor
July 31st, 2015 at 4:48 pm
CrabShack- you talking about McCown?…there would be pitchforks and torches at the gates of OBP
July 31st, 2015 at 4:57 pm
The one thing I do respect about Lovie is unlike Dungy he is a dog lover and surrounds himself with lapdogs to protect him.
July 31st, 2015 at 5:03 pm
I’m sure MG8 is Winston’s mentor.
July 31st, 2015 at 5:07 pm
The mentor thing has always been absurd. Now if we’re talking about advice on how to handle himself offfield I think DB55 and others have already weighed in.
Bajakian and Koetter will be Fameis’ mentors.
July 31st, 2015 at 5:15 pm
Agree…..coaches Bajakian & Koetter are all Jameis needs….they are pros an adults….Lovie will absolutely let Koetter run the offense…..mark me down for that easy prediction……Koetter commands respect and the autonomy that goes with it.
July 31st, 2015 at 6:05 pm
If the Glennon Mob wants to watch their favorite QB they need to be touting all the baloney they have been saying on this site to other teams and get them to trade for “the Cannon”! I think the Bucs will take a first round pick for him. We can find better backup QBs on the waiver wire, and we can sure use an extra 1st round pick next year.
July 31st, 2015 at 6:08 pm
So I guess Joe is suggesting… – what?
That the Bucs should have kept McCown at $5.25M this year????
Or perhaps that despite having a top 5 back up QB – the Bucs should bring in a 3rd QB to compete for the backup spot -a “mature” QB who has been around but never succeeded anywhere. Someone who can “mentor” Jameis and teach him how to be a scrub hanging onto a spot in the league by a thread…. LOL
Koetter, Bajakian and Glennon are doing a fine job bringing Jameis along – evidenced by the fact that Lovie has enough confidence to name Winston starter before camp has started.
There’s no room on the final 53 man roster for a 3rd QB when you have the 1st pick in the draft and Glennon as your 1 and 2. 3rd QB will be on the practice squad. So what’s the point of bringing one in? There isn’t one.
July 31st, 2015 at 6:25 pm
Jameis doesn’t need America’s Mentor!
July 31st, 2015 at 6:28 pm
Just like I said back during the Jameis Watch days. All this talk about Jameis and mentor or someone to watch over him is shear nonsense, not going to happen.
July 31st, 2015 at 6:46 pm
Ok………..Dumbest thing I have Ever heard Lovie say and that includes “Were on the Verge” Everyone in Life needs a Mentor. ESPECIALLY a Number one overall pick with off field judgement problems! Can he survive without one? Probably or maybe at least but the need of a Mentor in life is crucial in retrospect.
July 31st, 2015 at 7:56 pm
Buc…he’s 21 years old. Wth does he need a mentor for at that age?
July 31st, 2015 at 7:56 pm
and BTW what off the field problems?
July 31st, 2015 at 8:06 pm
He doesn’t need a babysitter and quite honestly if someone were to tell me that I needed one at that age. I probably would have bi**h slapped them.
July 31st, 2015 at 8:11 pm
I think it’s a mistake to put him in before the line at least begins to gel…because of injury risk.
July 31st, 2015 at 8:18 pm
Jameis is a mentor.
A natural born leader and winner.
July 31st, 2015 at 8:24 pm
87 you obviously don’t understand the meaning of the word Mentor. It doesn’t always mean that someone needs a teacher. A Mentor is someone you trust, look up too, and go to for advice. You guys all get your panties wrapped in a wad when you THINK someone is saying that JW is not ready to play in the NFL. I am SMDH at some of you guys. I was a Huge Tebow fan when he was at UF. But I never stood on a platform and Screamed at people for doubting him. I doubted him myself. Not him but the system he needed to succeed. Point being is that a KID because he just turned 21 and many people think that Automatically qualifies you for manhood, who just got Millions of dollars, and will be in the Highest of Public Lighting, needs a Mentor. This is why I put retrospection in my last post.
July 31st, 2015 at 8:27 pm
Buc…so your saying that every rookie on the team needs a mentor?
July 31st, 2015 at 8:27 pm
And FYI 87, mentors don’t babysit. They lead by example and they only give advice when sought.
July 31st, 2015 at 8:30 pm
I am saying that Everyone in Life should have some type of Mentor. If not then the chances of going astray are much greater.
And If you read again you will see that I said that he is in a Special position of being a No.1 overall pick with lawsuits etc and will be in a bigger spotlight than ANY rookie on Any team much less some rookies on our team that will never be a household name.
Why is this so hard to understand???
July 31st, 2015 at 8:38 pm
Buc…what if the mentor is not very good at mentoring?
July 31st, 2015 at 8:41 pm
Did Andrew Luck need a mentor?
Did Tom Brady need a mentor?
Did Cam Newton need a mentor?
July 31st, 2015 at 9:22 pm
Hey Buc A New, maybe Lovie means he doesn’t need any new mentors with respect to football. I am quite sure with all that he has been through that he has someone he looks to for advice. He knows how to play QB and he’s delt with more intense media attention than probably most of the NFL QB’s in the league.
July 31st, 2015 at 9:32 pm
Treat a rookie like a rookie and they’ll play like a rookie. Jameis has the talent and the desire to be one of the really good ones. He doesn’t need a mentor… he needs average to above average offensive line play, a fast-paced “moderately aggressive” game plan from Koetter and just enough of a threat from the running game to keep defenses honest. If so, cannons will fire and many wins will be there for the taking.
Extremely optimistic and pumped to watch it unfold!
July 31st, 2015 at 9:51 pm
I am sorry Joe.
Did i swear in the post that just got erased? I didn’t think I did.
July 31st, 2015 at 11:11 pm
Testing 1 2 3
July 31st, 2015 at 11:17 pm
Buc…as I was trying to say before Joe’s site went to hell and a hand basket.
It’s my opinion and not yours.
Scroll up you’ll see that I’m not alone in this opinion.
You talk about your step dad being your mentor, well Jameis DOES have a father.
It’s been exactly 319 days since Jameis had an “off the field” incident.
Then again why do you care? Do you work for TMZ? I sure don’t care what Brad Pitt or Jameis Winston does in their free time.
What exactly is Glennon going to do for Jameis as far as mentoring him or for that matter Derrick Brooks? I don’t even know why I’m asking this question as I really don’t care, but fire away.
July 31st, 2015 at 11:21 pm
A mentor would help of course. But Incompetent Lovie said Jameis doesnt “need” a mentor. Which is accurate in my opinion.
July 31st, 2015 at 11:28 pm
Ask any successful professional who their mentor is/was, and most times you’ll get a name.
July 31st, 2015 at 11:33 pm
Willy D Buc…any?
Do you mean mentor or who they looked up to? Because that’s 2 different animals.
July 31st, 2015 at 11:36 pm
Mentor :
1. an experienced and trusted adviser.
2. advise or train (someone, especially a younger colleague).
July 31st, 2015 at 11:37 pm
Examples of MENTOR. The young intern was mentored by the country’s top heart surgeon.
July 31st, 2015 at 11:40 pm
The young QB was mentored by one of the NFL’s top QB’s Mike Glennon….
I’m sorry…I don’t get it. Who are they going to bring in to mentor Glennon? Joe Montana?
July 31st, 2015 at 11:41 pm
I bet these people don’t think the great and powerful Marcus Mariota needs a mentor because is perfect right?
July 31st, 2015 at 11:46 pm
ndog…oh know they do think so. (sarcasm)
You and I know DAMN well what they mean by saying Winston needs a mentor. They mean all his “off the field” incidents. Some fans can’t put that behind them. Even though the last one happened on Sept 16th 2014. 319 days ago.
July 31st, 2015 at 11:49 pm
Examples of MENTOR. The young intern was mentored by the country’s top heart surgeon.
The young Jameis was mentored by one of the NFL’s top QB’s Mike Glennon….
Because if that’s what they mean. That is friggin laughable.
July 31st, 2015 at 11:58 pm
I couldn’t even get through it at all but skimming down to the bottom seeing you dorks hash out some semantics about mentors and Winston. Too much time on your hands!
August 1st, 2015 at 12:04 am
LOL Dallas yes too much time on my hands at 12:00 in the morning.
August 1st, 2015 at 12:06 am
And as you can see I’m basically just talking to myself anyways…lol
August 1st, 2015 at 12:17 am
I’m ready for some football!!
August 1st, 2015 at 12:20 am
Couch I 2nd that. Seeing how I don’t watch baseball anymore, and can’t stand the fake NBA these days. I’m craving it. The closer we get the more nuttier I get as you can see in the above posts. lol
August 1st, 2015 at 12:27 am
It has nothing to do with the hot QB mentor debate but I have a rare opportunity to hit training camp tomorrow with my son. Really hoping the rain clouds back off for a few hours.
August 1st, 2015 at 9:48 am
^^^good luck with that. At some point this organization must build an indoor facility.
August 1st, 2015 at 10:22 am
I see the”Animosity Amigos”at the top are full effect. What up guys.
August 1st, 2015 at 11:40 pm
It’s funny these two clowns who keep calling Lovie Smith incompetent. If he was incompetent Tony Dungy would have never tabbed him to be on a hall of fame type defense. If he was incompetent the owners of the Rams would not have made him their defensive coordinator and if he was incompetent the Bears would not have made him their head coach and you can try to argue about their competency but Bucs owners wouldn’t have either. Jon Gruden could not evaluate talent or up coach up a rookie qb to save his life but I bet these clowns would never call him incompetent even though he is in those two aspects of coaching. Coach Smith has proven abilities over the course of his career. Like these mental midgets can do better.