Lovie Talks Firing
March 13th, 2016
Discusses firing using an untruth as a talking point.
Former Bucs coach Lovie Smith is finally out in the open.
With his new gig at the University of Illinois, he can no longer duck the media. He has to sell his program.
Appearing on the Cowturd Show, rumored to be on Fox Sports 1, Lovie hyped up his Illini football team when Cowturd asked him about getting canned by Team Glazer. Joe won’t spoil the whole answer, as you can watch in the video below.
“I was surprised. I didn’t see it coming.” – Lovie Smith on his firing in Tampa. #TheHerdhttps://t.co/rq8xJXK9ZJ
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) March 13, 2016
Of course, Lovie also stated he needed time, that new coaches need years to get their teams on the right track. It was the same old song and dance heard from his apologists and sycophants locally, known as the Lovie Mafia.
Joe has detailed how this is nonsense.
Lovie was hired at the same time four head coaches got new jobs: Bill O’Brien, Brother of Chucky, Jim Caldwell and Mike Zimmer. All of them guided their squads to the playoffs in their first and/or second seasons while Lovie’s squad wallowed and floundered. And O’Brien (Texans) and Brother of Chucky (Redskins) inherited teams worse than the Bucs but won their division last year.
Joe will give Lovie this: He said he thought he was setting the Bucs up to win for years, and he did. He gifted Bucs fans America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
Argue with Joe all you want but the simple truth is, if Lovie didn’t want Jameis, then he wouldn’t be in Tampa Bay. Simple as that.
March 13th, 2016 at 6:07 am
Nothing said by LOVIE was a negative towards the TAMPA COMMUNITY, his answer was simple and slow enough for me to understand, he continues to take the high road. But let me be clear, when LOVIE took over as COACH of the BUCS it was the worst team in the NFL!! Now let the HATE begin!
March 13th, 2016 at 6:26 am
BigHog, we would have had the #1 pick in the draft two years in a row if your story were true. Your story is not true. Lovie took over a bad team and made it worse. This is not opinion, but measurable fact.
March 13th, 2016 at 6:38 am
Couldn’t have said it better Bill
March 13th, 2016 at 6:45 am
No big hog. The worst team in the NFL blew out Lovies team in the first game of the year, at home.
March 13th, 2016 at 6:50 am
Lovie is old news folks. If you wallow in the past you’ll never see how bright the future can be. Everyone needs to wish him well in his new endeavor and move on.
March 13th, 2016 at 6:55 am
After the Bucs beat Atl, they had a chance to show improvement, then with the season on the line, they took the day off against N.O. coming out “flat” (players words, not mine), they lost to the Rams, Bears, and Panthers. 4 game losing streak with no competitive fire at all. They regressed during the last quarter of the year and showed as much passion as Lovie does during a press conference. That will get the head coach fired. Simple as that!
March 13th, 2016 at 6:55 am
Where is the misspoken words what he was he we had a plan but if you are the boss you can do what you want which is a 100% correct. What is so wrong for you to be well liked and have people stand up for you and what you believe in. Lovie is a very faith base guy and he cant be blamed for others who voice their opinion. The man is no longer here can you tell me is Koetter selling these FA on his program. Lovie would have bagged one of the top DEs in FA
March 13th, 2016 at 7:00 am
Lol CrustyCrab, like he bagged to the top DEs in free agency the prior two years. But Lovie is a good guy, I wish him well in his new gig.
March 13th, 2016 at 7:03 am
“Lovie would have bagged one of the top DEs in FA”
Like last year?
March 13th, 2016 at 7:04 am
Nothing’s going to change the fact that TIES ON THE LINE was a JOKE, if I had played under his regime, I would have been playing for myself rather than the team!! I know that’s not all keep it coming!!
March 13th, 2016 at 7:12 am
BigHog,
Schiano sucked too. They’re both fired. What Buc fan would be distressed about either issue?
A quality NFL coach is hard to come by, I want the Bucs to find that guy.
March 13th, 2016 at 7:16 am
@crusty
Lovie had no record of attracting top free agents in his two years here.
since the defense was so ineffective under his direction,top free agents would have been unlikely.The best free agent signing would be Clinton Macdonald,who is a pretty good football player and leader IMHO.Chris Conte also played well and we can be sure Lovie brought him in.there is a list of
other FA’s failures too long to mention that were unsuccessful.
March 13th, 2016 at 7:26 am
The guy is just too damn stubborn to admit ANY fault in any situation. He refysed to make changes on staff and would not fix his defense. There were a small handfull of games where our defense played some press coverege, or at least put the corner within 5 yards of the reciever. We won those games. Its just not possible to line up 10 to 15 yards back for 4 quarters and win on defense I dont care who is on that d line
March 13th, 2016 at 7:27 am
Lovie is right…coaches need time.
And frankly, you saying it is the same thing he always says isn’t true. Or do you forget him telling the fans they shouldn’t have patience?
Revisionist history.
March 13th, 2016 at 7:30 am
Bill they have that guy….youll see this season how drastically things will change with the effort on the field
March 13th, 2016 at 7:32 am
@big Big Hog Hayes
It was not until Lovie stepped into his basement and identified all the players he wanted
to replace with players usually worse than the ones already here,our descent to the worst team in the NFL became a reality.Hence the number one pick.
March 13th, 2016 at 7:34 am
Only 2 more years until lovie is “backstabbed” and done wrong by the Illinois Athletic Director!!!
We all know that lovie was a huge disaster as the Bucs Head Coach, No Question about it. But here is a philosophy question. Yes lovie is incompetent, But is he so incompetent that he is not aware of his incompetence????
March 13th, 2016 at 7:47 am
When u can’t stop a slant pass, and u let your D get beat by it over and over and over, u don’t deserve to be a HC in the NFL. Lovie failed to adjust too many times. His stubbornness was a big flaw of his and part of the reason he got fired. (The other part was his terrible coaching staff with his sons that never played the position they were coaching.)
I think he sealed his fate when he was up 24-0 against the DEADskins wich were in a 4 game slump I believe and found a way to lose that game.
(Again, Thx to getting beat by the slant over and over) he embarrassed this franchise pretty bad and made us the laughing stock of the league at (many) times.
March 13th, 2016 at 7:47 am
@Joe
You seem to forget that licht wanted winston too. You dont remember licht telling the story of his brother in law texting him during the draft two years ago? His question was bridgewater or your man crush manzeil? Licht’s response was winston. Licht wanted winston back in arizona. Stop acting as if lovie was alone. If the bucs had fired lovie after the 2-14 season, winston would still be the bucs qb because licht loved his competitiveness ala brady. Stop fooling yourself. Thank lovie for going 2-14 and not drafting winston.
March 13th, 2016 at 7:50 am
WINSTON is the ONLY thing we can thank lovie for. Simple as that. He embarrassed this franchise pretty bad.
March 13th, 2016 at 7:55 am
I hope that someone told lovie that when he finishes last in college year after year, that it means he does not get first choice in recruiting players!!!!
March 13th, 2016 at 8:16 am
@ Joe
Here is the article detailing how licht was all in on Winston back in Arizona. Obviously Lovie was in on him too but that came after the Rose bowl which Winston lost. I am sure you won’t mind this article as it is by the popcorn eating peter king. Stop giving Lovie all the credit for Winston. Very misleading
http://mmqb.si.com/2015/05/04/jameis-winston-tampa-bay-buccaneers-nfl-draft/6
March 13th, 2016 at 8:22 am
Can we assume 8-24 and one of the worst defenses in the NFL was “part of the plan?”
Going into last season the concern was the offense, since the defense was going to be solid because of Lovie’s Great System.
He should not have been surprised at all. Had the O been even marginal, the team would have maybe been the WORST in the league for the second year.
The Bucs upgraded by firing Lovie. He may be a nice guy and father figure, but his time was past, and his D couldn’t adapt.
March 13th, 2016 at 8:26 am
DefenseRules Says:
March 13th, 2016 at 6:50 am
Lovie is old news folks. If you wallow in the past you’ll never see how bright the future can be. Everyone needs to wish him well in his new endeavor and move on.
Can I give a Sunday morning AMEN to that!!!
When we focus on our future, it looks very bright…..I’m excited to be a Buc fan!!
March 13th, 2016 at 8:26 am
bucs4life86 Said:
It wasn’t just the slant. It was also that dead area on the sideline where the CB releases and the S is supposed to support.
All an offense needed were two pass plays: the slant & deep out.
March 13th, 2016 at 8:42 am
Schiano was fired too fast. Lovie should never have been hired, but without those two events, we don’t have Koetter and we don’t have Jameis. I’m happy with the bottom line and have real expectations of a contender in the very near future. The Glazers took waaaay too long to fire Gruden. They got it right with Dungy and Morris. I expect Koetter to retire when he has accomplished what he wants after a decade or two.
March 13th, 2016 at 8:46 am
Don’t stop now keep that Hate coming, what you gonna say when the Co/Conspirator can’t win 9 games! Toes on the line never hit so much Hate, that my brother REALIST says a lot!
March 13th, 2016 at 9:13 am
Lovie was a quieter Raheem…. with less wins.
March 13th, 2016 at 9:52 am
@Tiny Tim
Jason Licht recently admitted that he was the last one to buy in on Jameis Winston…that he had to be convinced. He said Lovie was the first.
Whatever your article says, if it implies something different, it is a lie.
March 13th, 2016 at 10:05 am
@Joes………..”Cowturd” really? I mean the guy is as annoying as fingernails on a chalkboard to me but I stopped calling names somewhere in the sixth grade. Maybe he should call your site “JillBucsFan” next time he is on air??
March 13th, 2016 at 10:05 am
Joe’s right. It does NOT take years and years to improve significantly in today’s NFL. His examples are spot on. It also does not take years and years for players to “learn a system”. Kubiak was hired January 2015 and won a Super Bowl. The primary reason for the win was the Broncos’ Defense which had a new coordinator in Wade Phillips who had to teach a new system. Sure Kubiak and Phillips inherited a better team. None the less, they installed their systems, taught it and won with it.
March 13th, 2016 at 10:06 am
If Mike Smith were our head coach, being a defensive guy, don’t you think he would draft defense?
Yet Lovie Smith did not.
Do you really believe he said “Here, Jason, you handle the draft. Draft all offense if you want” for two years straight?
Give me a break. It simply does not work like that. You people are completely in denial. It is always…ALWAYS a joint effort unless the owners give one or the other all the power.
If Lovie had all the power, he would have drafted defense multiple times in his two years. He didn’t, so that is proof he did not have the power and Jason Licht did. Licht confirmed this multiple times, admitted that he was at fault for the free agency moves, but still you people deny it.
Why?
Because to admit it is to let go of your unfairly placed hate. You want to believe Licht is better than he is so that this team can be turned around. BUT…if he was in full control, that means he screwed up free agency two years running (now three years running I bet).
The man sucks at Free Agency. It is his largest weakness. HE sucks at trades too, because he always…ALWAYS gives up more than he gets back. He’s average at Cap Management too. We would not be nearly in such a good spot if the cap had not gone up so much this year (which happened because the NFL had to put back money it stole from the cap). That gave the illusion that he’s done a good job with the cap.
So his only strong point is draft. I’ll give him that. But what happens when Winston’s contract is up and he insists on $25m per year? Given Licht’s record, will we be able to afford it? Nope. Not without cutting a bunch of good players.
March 13th, 2016 at 10:08 am
MartyB Says
“Joe’s right. It does NOT take years and years to improve significantly in today’s NFL.”
If that is the case…why isn’t this team winning superbowls? Jason Licht has had more time than Lovie Smith did. AND he had control. So why is it you people ignore Licht’s failures?
March 13th, 2016 at 10:17 am
Look Joe, Lovie is gone. So is Schiano, Rah and Gruden. Right wrong or indifferent. Its time to bury the hatchett. Lovie has his new problems at Illinois and we have ours trying to get back to respectability in the NFC south. I’m past Lovie. I WANT US TO WIN!!! I’m tired of being the laughing stock of the NFL. If we can get to even 8-8 this year, it will be a vast improvement.
March 13th, 2016 at 10:20 am
Jason Licht has had more time than Lovie Smith did. AND he had control. So why is it you people ignore Licht’s failures?
………………………………………
Hey Bonzai I have much respect for you but how did Licht have ‘more time’ than Lovie? They both had 32 games and Licht didn’t actually coach any of them. Lovie had full control over roster moves. Licht didn’t coach us into the worst Defense in the NFL, because after all he was a defensive Guru. It’s been TWO Friggin years man!!!! Lovie is out of the way bro, give Licht a chance before bashing him huh?
March 13th, 2016 at 10:28 am
I think lovie might have sleep apnea!!!! That could be a reason why it seemed nothing got done during training camp and during the week when the team was supposed to prepare!!!
I remember last year’s draft combine with video’s of lovie sleeping!!! I just hope he get the medical care he needs!!!!
March 13th, 2016 at 10:46 am
BigHogHaynes Says:
March 13th, 2016 at 8:46 am
“Don’t stop now keep that Hate coming, what you gonna say when the Co/Conspirator can’t win 9 games! Toes on the line never hit so much Hate, that my brother REALIST says a lot!”
You are right out of your effing mind if you think Lovie got more hate than Schiano. I had season tickets that season. It was worse than hatred. The game I always refer to as the “Evil in the Air” game was Panthers at Bucs on Thursday night. There was so much evil in the air towards Schiano that night that I feared for his life. I actually felt bad for the guy. That was just at games. You could find maybe 2 whole fans that wanted to keep Schiano on this site and that was by week 5 of 2013.
It’s one thing to have an opinion, but your opinion is DEAD wrong.
March 13th, 2016 at 10:49 am
Seriously the rest of you that were here.
Who was treated more badly on JBF Schiano or Lovie?
I say Schiano and it’s not even close.
March 13th, 2016 at 10:51 am
Hog…by week 4 of 2013 billboards were erected that said “Fire Schiano”. Week 4.
Lovie got it easy and a lot of money to boot.
March 13th, 2016 at 10:53 am
I love it when a word or two will bring the HATE out the woods! But we’re all Buc fans!! Go BUCS!
March 13th, 2016 at 10:55 am
@buc1987
Coach Schaino had it way worse!!! they were chanting in the stands to get rid of him, On local sports radio, and the worse was the call in show they made Coach Schiano do!!!
littledavidbucsfan and OneLove errrrr I mean Bighogheinous and mike johnson’s feeling are just hurt, because they back a guy with no class!!! He stunk up the joint and was THE worse coach in recent Buc History!!!! And then NFL GM Licht took out the trash!!!! No class lovie got what he deserved!!!!!!
March 13th, 2016 at 10:58 am
Lovie set us up to win for years by losing, getting us Jameis Winston, and then leaving LOL !!!
March 13th, 2016 at 11:02 am
I leaned over a railing on the Bucs sidelines and yelled as loud as I could. (Poor woman and her 2 kids below)
“Hey Schiano you f-ing suck!!!”
March 13th, 2016 at 11:03 am
Good morning 87. I see Hog got you upset this am.
March 13th, 2016 at 11:07 am
It’s not surprising that Joe loves a classless football wife and mocks one of the smartest guys in sports media.
March 13th, 2016 at 11:14 am
@ Bonzai
If you provide proof that Licht was the last to buy in on Winston then we
can decide for ourself what is a lie.Untl lthen I believe the story.
March 13th, 2016 at 11:29 am
As bad as Schiano was, I liked him better than Lovie in every regard. And Schiano is a better coach.
March 13th, 2016 at 11:41 am
Wow………why did that Schiano support post get bozo’d? There were no cuss words…………? Hmmmmmmmmmm
March 13th, 2016 at 11:44 am
I just typed a well written ( If I may say so myself) comparison of Lovie’s 2 yrs juxtaposed against Schiano’s 2 yrs. And it was somehow autobozo’d. Sux
March 13th, 2016 at 11:46 am
Lovie will always be wishing he was Monte Kiffen
Now it is time to go fishing.
Go Bucs
March 13th, 2016 at 11:51 am
@ buccboazoi
That was koetter who said he was last. Your facts are severly incorrect. But you are used to that. Thank lovie for 2-14 and not winston. Obviously you did not read the article and all the other articles written on this topic.
March 13th, 2016 at 11:58 am
It’s a moot point to look for the needle in the hay on this.
Lovie simply wasn’t the right hire and the owners swung and missed. I don’t fault them for trying and I tip my hat to Licht for being a professional and being man enough to evaluate the organization as a whole on and off the field to argue that Lovie may not be the best fit.
That said, Lovie deserves credit for standing on the table for Jameis but that’s about the most praise I will give him as far as coaching.
His loyalty to his son as a professional and the lack of development of a defense broke the China.
It’s just that’s simple.
March 13th, 2016 at 12:17 pm
Joe, why is Lovie playing the patient card when he told fans in year one that the fans have been patient enough??
March 13th, 2016 at 12:21 pm
Patience card rather
March 13th, 2016 at 12:24 pm
@ Bonzai
google Jason licht’s bold plan pewter report.Multiple sources with the same story.not here to beat you up but keep an open mind and read the articles.
March 13th, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Bonzai
The bottom line is the Problem (failure) is gone Lovie smith. The person they kept is part of the solution and will either produce results fast or be gone too. This is Licht’s first year as gm in my opinion. Can’t count having to provide Lovie with system specific has beens that never were with injury histories as scouting players to fix an issue.
Lovie had full control and must accept full responsibility and blame for the failure that was the lovie smith experiment. On a positive note Lovie gets to look up at Raheem and Schiano on the all time wins list.
March 13th, 2016 at 2:30 pm
It was Schiano’s fault..and it was Lovie’s fault right? Well..Guess that makes the fans feel good. Having a scapecoat you can point to. The mob action justifies bringing in ..fresh meat. Fresh hope. But answer this? When is it ever going to be..the players fault?
March 13th, 2016 at 2:44 pm
Tiny Tim:
Joe has written countless times, and it is well-documented from other publications as well, Lovie had final control of the roster. If Lovie didn’t want Jameis, no matter how much Jason Licht did, Jameis would not be here.
There simply is no way to spin this. And for that reason, Joe will forever thank Lovie.
If you want to believe otherwise, feel free to return to your chess game with the Easter bunny.
March 13th, 2016 at 2:47 pm
Think you are mixing things up. Licht was zeroed in on Jameis when he worked with the Cardinals back in 2013. However, Joe is confident Licht is referring to the security background check on Jameis that he spearheaded.
March 13th, 2016 at 2:50 pm
The same guy that throws out racist rhetoric?
The same guy that purposely tried to crash websites, a form of cyber vandalism?
Yeah, real class guy.
March 13th, 2016 at 3:11 pm
@ joe
Lovie had final say on the final 53 man roster. Lovie did not pick all 90+ players that went into training camp. Thats what a GM is for. You can think otherwise, and you can return to looking like a teenage groupie by following miko on instagram. As I stated with or without lovie, winston would be here. Its as simple as that.
March 13th, 2016 at 3:22 pm
@ joe
And if lovie had all the say in personnell as you say, then why dont you give him credit for the drafts the past two years? You seem to tell the readers that licht is a draft guru. Which one is it? Is it licht behind the draft or was it Lovie as you implied in your response to me? You cant have it both ways.
March 13th, 2016 at 3:48 pm
Why do we still discuss Lovie? He is gone. Koetter is here. Get with the program. Focus.
March 13th, 2016 at 3:59 pm
if you were Licht you would want your head coach to buy in on your first round pick.That is documented in the article Jasonon Licht’s bold plan at pewter report.When Licht,Robinson and staff zeroed in on Jameis they then went to lovie to get him to buy in.And Joe is right that Lovie signed off on it.
So he does get credit for that and the hiring of Licht and koetter in my book.
The head coach is in the war room when draft is ongoing but if he relied on scouting staff for no 1 pick he probably did for all other picks.
My reasoning here is that Lovie did not seem to be a superior judge of
talent on the field.Mike Jenkins and Josh McCown are prime examples.
March 13th, 2016 at 6:52 pm
It’s almost like Joe just hates black people.