Mind Games From Dirk Koetter — And Disrespect Of Him
May 26th, 2017
Dissed from the inside
Man, the Bucs put on one big fat comedy show yesterday.
So we’re really to believe that winning Bucs coach Dirk Koetter cares about the assorted nonsense, silliness and entertainment of Twitter? Really?
Koetter marched up to the One Buc Palace media corps on the field and began his news conference with the following statement:
“First, before we get started with your questions today, I want to make sure on behalf of the Bucs organization that I apologize to the Falcons for whatever that was supposed to be that went out on social media yesterday. That’s not what our organization is about. That was totally unprofessional and not smart on our part, whoever’s responsible for that. Heck, we want to be playing in the Super Bowl and we were home sitting on our butt while they were playing. We’ve got no room to be making fun of anybody that was in the Super Bowl, whether they won or not.”
Koetter was referring to the playful Twitter smack that teams often lob at each other.
You can see in the Tweet below, the Buccaneers responded to the Falcons’ jabs with a photo that displayed the “28” of Vernon Hargreaves and the “3” of Jameis — mirroring the Falcons’ blown 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl.
Koetter pounced on this and seized the opportunity to let his team know — through the media — that they haven’t accomplished anything yet.
His comments reiterated the theme of his special 2016 message, “Speak softly, and carry a big mother****’n stick.”
It’s no coincidence that yesterday Koetter later said, “Everybody’s telling us how great we are right now and we haven’t done a damn thing. We haven’t done anything. No one cares about last year, no one cares about the guys. There’s 31 other teams that got better. There’s plenty of mistakes out there every single day the coaches are correcting. I’d say we’re nowhere close to where we need to be.”
This week, Koetter is yearning to slap his team around and bring them down a peg. That Tweet uproar from Koetter? Joe is sure it’s nothing more than another chance for Koetter to send a message.
So why is Joe claiming the Bucs disrespected Koetter?
Simple.
They still haven’t deleted the Tweet! (as of 6 a.m. this morning) It’s four days after the fact! That’s the real shame here. The head coach throws around his big stick and the team didn’t back him up.
https://twitter.com/TBBuccaneers/status/866711443449794561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ajc.com%2Fsports%2Ffootball%2Fbucs-coach-dirk-koetter-apologizes-for-team-tweet-taunting-falcons%2FOfqdP7Qo2JzV2b7K5bM8YK%2F
May 26th, 2017 at 7:18 am
The Falcons started it, we finished it.
May 26th, 2017 at 7:23 am
tweet softly and carry a big mother f@cking stick
May 26th, 2017 at 7:41 am
Geez. No need to apologize for that. It was funny. If the Falcons did something similar, I would have been pissed that they did so, but only because it was funny as hell.
May 26th, 2017 at 7:51 am
Your a drama queen
May 26th, 2017 at 7:53 am
Good for Bucs brass and having some, Dirk is being a snowflake. “Unprofessional”? I’d expect as much from Sunday school Lovie Smith, but not Dirk Koetter.
May 26th, 2017 at 8:05 am
Good job by Head Coach Koetter!!! You have to keep the players in the locker room hungry!!!!! Can’t have them beating their chest, they have to be in a bunker mentality!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!
May 26th, 2017 at 8:06 am
All the Falcons need to do is remind us of that Thursday night game a couple of years ago.
Freaking Lovie disgrace.
May 26th, 2017 at 8:19 am
Meanwhile in Atlanta- Hue Douglas on 92.9 first 2 days after tweet…. Da&mn that was cold… Well played Tampa well played…..
Now after apology … See told ya all coach K and Smith was Too Soft!
Im thinking coach nailed it!
May 26th, 2017 at 8:31 am
The “Stinking Panthers”, the “Dixie Chicks”, the “Cowgirls”? You don’t win championships by disrespecting your opponents. Listen to Coach…
May 26th, 2017 at 8:32 am
I have to disagree with Dirk on this one though I will cut him some slack because I know he has ties to the Falcons organization and he also does not want give them any added motivation. That being said F*@k the Falcons, they took the first swing and got knocked the F*@k out with that big MFKN stick!
May 26th, 2017 at 8:39 am
The tweet is not worthy of the numerous attention it has received. IMO the whole thing is childish. More football and less nonsense!!!
May 26th, 2017 at 8:39 am
Everyone has their flaws. I was beginning to think Dirk was flawless. Dude is sarcastic, comedic and extremely intelligent. Until this response.
Who cares bro? You deal with unprofessional 20 somethings in the locker room every day. This was hilarious! We bodied them. Falcons are a joke of a franchise and they started it.
I wonder if it was any other team, if he would have gotten their back considering his history with them. He’s still the man though!
May 26th, 2017 at 8:43 am
So Koetter doesn’t care about the tweet but he’s “disrespected” if the tweet is left up? Fans ate supposed to make fun of opponents, but apparently only if in the “right” way? Would you rather have fans chanting “28-3” during the Falcons game this year or dead silent? Because it sounds like you’d rather have silence.
May 26th, 2017 at 8:53 am
@Eric
But that is how a head coach handles the situation and locker-room!!!!! This is the same as when a team stomps another team, and right after the beatdown they take to the podium and say that we respect them, they are a good/ well coached team, even though they won by 3 touchdowns!!!!!!!!!
Trash talk/ twitter wars are for the fans, nothing more!!!!!!
May 26th, 2017 at 8:54 am
Football is entertainment. Part of the problems in our country is so many have lost their sense of humor. We all need to laugh more and lighten up a bit.
May 26th, 2017 at 8:54 am
For a “joke of a franchise” at least they have been in the playoffs and to a Super Bowl in the past 10 years. The coach is right. This team has done Nothing yet!
May 26th, 2017 at 8:56 am
Um, I saw this yesterday and I was laughing. It was such a subtle jab, I don’t see the harm in it. But he does have Atlanta ties but c’mon man, this team HAS to have swag. You don’t rock a big stick opening doors and being polite. We need nasty back. Whoever on the Bucs put up that tweet, mad props. That was a finishing move with no chance for a Falcon recovery. Loved it. There’s only 2 teams that make it the Superbowl, that doesn’t mean that everyone else has to kiss butt. They got there, good for them. But, they choked and there’s no 2 ways about it.
May 26th, 2017 at 9:07 am
Falcons never could talk good smack. Has something to do with their lower intellect.
May 26th, 2017 at 9:09 am
DBS Says
“For a “joke of a franchise” at least they have been in the playoffs and to a Super Bowl in the past 10 years.”
At least we WON a superbowl…
…our time is coming so long as Koetter keeps the players heads right…and that’s what he’s doing.
May 26th, 2017 at 9:18 am
Buc Realist
I respect that good answer.
However you know what is better than both, ignoring it and letting the fans deal with it.
and yes at least they have been doing something lately. However, a 52 year franchise with no rings, barely any hall of famers, and a losing record to us of which they call the worst franchise in the division is laughable.
They are joke until proven otherwise. Atlanta fans are obnoxious as well.
F*** them and anyone that disagrees. I respect them today, but f*** them.
May 26th, 2017 at 9:27 am
Why is Dirk reading nonsensical Twitter buffoonery anyway?
May 26th, 2017 at 9:35 am
Tend to think that Coach Koetter was simply using this as another opportunity to get his key message across to the team (and maybe to us fans): “Everybody’s telling us how great we are right now and we haven’t done a damn thing … I’d say we’re nowhere close to where we need to be.”
Keep ’em focused Coach, kept ’em focused. Lots of work yet to be done to build a champion.
May 26th, 2017 at 9:41 am
Koetter appeals to the players, the bucs twitter appeals to the fans. It’s as simple as that!
May 26th, 2017 at 9:57 am
Koetter acted out of weakness. Sad
May 26th, 2017 at 10:03 am
Teams, particularly in the heat of tight standings race or toward the end of a long season, will seize on anything for motivational purposes. Slights by another team whether perceived or real, whether said in jest or earnest, whether contemporary or from the distant past have always been a huge motivator for coaches to use and players to seize upon to “get fired up.” Given the NFL’s competitive nature, it’s best not to hand your opponents any extra motivation. I completely agree with Dirk Koetter the Bucs should keep their mouths shut and their fingers off Twitter and do their talking on the field.
May 26th, 2017 at 10:17 am
The only way we can have a better season than last years Falcons is to win the Super Bowl.
Therefore, we got no credibility to tweet.
Why the coach would make public comment about it I have no idea.
May 26th, 2017 at 10:30 am
This ish was so funny. I’m still dying inside.
May 26th, 2017 at 10:32 am
Koetter’s just sending a message to his locker room… stay hungry. Doesn’t want the attention to get to their heads.
May 26th, 2017 at 10:34 am
Steve Spurrier was greatest trash talkler and also top 5 greatest college head coaches of all time so, koetter should let the social networkers throw zingers in every now and again if there is an opening its good stuff and knocks down the opponent and means nothing, until the bucs can do it on the field spurrier was the master and it makes the rivalries fun: “You know what FSU stands for, don’t you? Free Shoes University.” Cant spell Citrus without UT…thats gold jerry
May 26th, 2017 at 10:36 am
Also, I don’t think anybody realizes that we’re not tooting our own horn. We are simply making fun of a team that collapsed. The whole world is entitled to that opinion and it’s irrational to think that if we’re taking a jab at them, that we’re puffing our chest. That is why I disagree with koetter for the first time since he’s been here.
May 26th, 2017 at 11:25 am
quit being soft dirk….its only social media…”sticks and stones may broke my bones but words will never hurt me”…lol…GO BUCS!!!!GO BUCS!!!
May 26th, 2017 at 11:27 am
Hey joe, someone else is using my username? ^^^
May 26th, 2017 at 11:37 am
I like it and Koetters dead on the money. If your’re 9-7, you should not be critical of those teams who had better ecords cause You’s trying to get there!
The Falcons were there..giving it their all while our Bucs were..blowing bowls with Sweezy! falcons were the better team last year. Lets make sure they are not this coming season.
May 26th, 2017 at 11:39 am
The tweet was everywhere. Players talking about it on radio shows and what not. So Dirk responded. I actually don’t think anyone can sting them as much as that SB loss did. I think that loss will sting them for a long long time. The fans? Good God those poor bastards. No not the obnoxious Falcon fans. Being a long time Buc fan, I would have been devastated had the Bucs lost theirs. I’m talking about the Falcons fan up into his 70’s that’s waited and waited and waited. That poor bastard. I’d think I’d be depressed the rest of my life.
May 26th, 2017 at 11:56 am
ya I agree buc1987. That’s a really really sad experience. I live in nc and have lots of die hard panther friends that experienced the same thing last year, but they’re all like 30. They may see one later.
May 26th, 2017 at 12:16 pm
Completely back you up on your argument here, Joe. Social media manager should not have more clout with the org than the HC, he should be backing the HC up.
There’s a SM manager who needs to maybe get some time in on the practice field as a blocking dummy.
May 26th, 2017 at 12:21 pm
Careful Joe, This article feels like a submission by our good friend by the initial TJ… Don’t go fishing for controversy. The simplest answer is probably the right one, and you had already said it, Coach Koetter does not care as much as he is trying to make a statement to his team. Decisions like keeping that tweet up after a comment by Coach are made by higher powers.
May 26th, 2017 at 12:30 pm
I love the tweet … mind games on soft serve Matty Ryan …
May 26th, 2017 at 12:35 pm
I thought the twitter response was creative and funny. Definitely not something to “apologize” for. That’s weak! Disagree with coach on this one. Should have just chuckled when he saw it like the rest of us and then left it alone.
May 26th, 2017 at 1:10 pm
Or …… Coach saw an ‘Opportunity’ to announce to the Players what he thinks in an indirect way ….’We ain’t done nuthin’ yet’ He knows the benefit of that Mentality & he wants his players to hear him loud & clear. Attn: Players …. all that matters is what Coach Thinks.
As for the ‘Apology’, meh.
May 26th, 2017 at 1:51 pm
I’m not a fan of apologizing here. That response by the social media guy was solid gold. The home game against the Falcons the Bucs should announce prizes constantly for fans sitting in section 283 or make that the Falcons section during the game.
May 26th, 2017 at 2:30 pm
I think the apology was one part showing respect to a former employer and two part trolling. To even make a public statement about it brought more attention this. Koetter shrewd, he knows what he was doing.
May 26th, 2017 at 4:15 pm
I found the tweet to be very funny…however Koetter is right…we are in no place to be goofing on Atlanta…or anybody. We have been one of the worst teams in the NFL over the past 10 years….we last won a playoff game in January 2003…that is pretty sad. I love the stick carriers…but we need to speak softly and back it up
May 26th, 2017 at 6:40 pm
This is yesterday’s news. Saw nothing here on it so thought no big deal. This hogwash about disrespecting Koetter is silly. Koetter is silly. The bucs social media guys are getting major kudos for the slap-down. Koetter is just mad because of his ties with the falcons. Any other team and he would say squat.
The bucs social media team carried the big stick after falcons PR team started ish.
Koetter went from carrying a big stick to a big tissue!
May 26th, 2017 at 10:56 pm
He is keeping the Team humble and focused. They are the champs of the NFC south
We aint. Save the jabs, until we take the title
Im glad they did, then Im glad the Coach reminded them that they havent accomplished anything yet. No position to be arrogant.
It was hilarious, but in the words of the immortal Rick Flair,
“You wanna be the man, You gotta beat the man!!”.
Koetter doest want the Team talking like “the Man”, until they’ve proven that they are”The Man”
Bravo to whoever posted it. Then Bravo to the coach- for reminding the team that they need to let their actions do the talking
May 27th, 2017 at 12:19 am
Lame. Why should Koetter be so weird about this? Who cares? It’s so unrelated to football, him even caring about it, much less commenting on it, and so passionately at that, is embarrassing.
May 27th, 2017 at 1:03 pm
I guess Koetter mentioned this because he must have heard the players talk about it. Otherwise he has no business apologizing to the Falcons, the Internet is a Jungle and I’m glad we have a good Community Manager.
May 29th, 2017 at 10:19 am
If you read mike Smith’s book, it talked about how the ENTIRE franchise needs to be on the same page. If what the twitter folks are posting for the bucs goes against what koetter and the team are saying, then it is a small issue. The entire team including social media needs to be on the same page. Koetter doesn’t want to run a fun house. He wants a badass football team. Using a played out joke is fun for little girls, but koetter wants his team far above that and focused on winning. Not childish games.