Doug Martin Violation Still Cloudy
December 20th, 2017
Mystery continues.
Bucs coach Dirk Koetter continues to clam up when it comes to running back Doug Martin being a healthy scratch Monday night, the second time in less than a year.
Martin violated an unspecified team rule and was deactivated for the Dixie Chicks game, Koetter stated Monday night and yesterday in his postgame pressers. Koetter refused to speak any further on the subject yesterday.
“I’m not going to say anything about it,” Koetter said. “It was a violation of team rules, he was inactive for this last game. And as I said last night, it’s over and we are moving on. That’s that.”
This tells Joe it has to be a personal issue. Joe will let his readers speculate what that may be. Of course, with Martins’ recent history, Joe knows how many will connect dots.
Koetter is a loyal guy. Bucs fans should know this the way Koetter constantly refused to bench Martin for poor production. If this violation really was something insignificant, like being late to a game, being late to a team meeting, not buying a round when it was his turn, we’d know it by now.
The Bucs are hiding something for a reason and Joe senses it is a personal or off-field issue with Martin.
December 20th, 2017 at 4:41 am
If it’s a drug issue, he’d be suspended and we’d find out. If it’s something like missing a meeting, mouthing off to a coach, or fumbling, we’re never gonna find out unless Martin shares that.
Speaking of fumbling, Barber cost us the game….
December 20th, 2017 at 6:36 am
It’s still unbelievable to think that after Martin screwed the Bucs over in year one of a new, lucrative contract…they retained him at full price even though they had a golden opportunity to get out of the contract free and clear.
December 20th, 2017 at 6:37 am
Western buc nailed it
It’s probably just a late to meeting. Martin has gotten so much hate this year (deservedly so) and is dead man walking that Koetter isn’t gonna shovel more dog crap his way. Think he cares about Doug Martin cause he seems to be good kid. Just not a good player anymore.
ASJ was such a non likable guy (captain Morgan) that koetter had no problem throwing a dog turd (an ASJ) his way.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:09 am
I dont like this guy. All we here is how amazing he is in practice, and come time for the game, he plays like all he can think about is snorting lines off of a hookers stomach… get him the eff outta Tampa. I’m tired of his overpriced Arse.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:12 am
Why don’t you ask Ian Rappaport to find out? He has inside info, plus he is a journalist, so he gets of his ass and asks questions…..
December 20th, 2017 at 7:25 am
I’ll say it just like many bucs faithful fans:
Doug Fresh should’ve been cut last off-season.
He should never got that contract regardless of the year’s previous performance.
He shouldn’t even be in the league the way he’s performed period!
————————————————————————————
His burst is gone…..his explosiveness is gone……his speed is average
…..and he still fumbles the ball
This completely fall on the GM for not addressing the RB situation from the Draft…..and don’t give this “Jeremey McChicken” crap from boise……cause you see where that ended up at.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:27 am
Koetter should have been fired beginning of the year for bringing back druggie and wasteing 5 million
Culture? Winning accountable culture? Klueless knows nothing about what that is. Winning teams would have cut this fool immediately
December 20th, 2017 at 7:39 am
@ Son of Kobe Faker
Hey, I’m all for giving a guy a second chance…….but let’s take the drug suspension outta the equation and evaluate the performance.
Douggie Fresh Performance has been nothing short being “Sporadic”. He hasn’t consistently put together good seasons for a back.
Since he’s been here since 2012…..average BELOW 500 yards with exception of his rookie year and then in 2015 he had 1402 yrds…….and this year is looking like another 500 yd season again.
WTF chuck?????
December 20th, 2017 at 7:49 am
Agreed
Koetters blind fatal attraction with druggie will 1 of his reasons to be fired
Absolutely worst player evaluator of his own roster
Do yo know that if licht beer drafted amara or hunt, klueless would have him guaranteed backup drug martin and play gunner at special teams?
December 20th, 2017 at 7:57 am
I have no clue what Licht and Koetter were thinking banking on Doug. We ALL said this was a mess, and just like the pass rush/D Line, they tried to bank on players you can not count on. I will give N Spence somewhat of a pass, but another short season due to injury is bad. Then Jaq Smith was with the team for how long then they let him go too. We all talk about Licht and his good draft picks, but man when he misses, he misses big.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:09 am
@ thunderchunkyPA
very true indeed
December 20th, 2017 at 8:23 am
Well, we know it wasn’t that Martin groped an Uber driver with Icky Licky Fingers, cause that doesn’t get you suspended by the team.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:25 am
Belichick tells a story about when he first took over as the Pats head coach. His first ever team meeting a former first round pick showed up five minutes late for the meeting. The player walks in says sorry coach, and Belichick says so am I, leave, and don’t come back! That’s why the Pats are winners, and we’re losers. They deactivate him for the game, and we still have to see his sorry ass on the sidelines during a nationally T.V. game. They should’ve showed him standing on the unemployment line. Joke of a coach, making us more of a joke franchise.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:25 am
I’m in no way defending Martin, but if we’re going to point to production lets look at the whole picture. The offensive line struggled all year and everyone knows it, whether they care to admit or not.
The “resurgence” of our run-game is not coincidence. What’s different up front? Here’s a hint, there are now 3 new starters on the o-line, 2 from the week prior. Couple with Peyton’s fresh legs, the run game has come alive.
The Bucs had to have been making arrangements for Doug’s departure long before this year. Paying him in full may have been a mistake, in hindsight, but I don’t think anybody saw this trainwreck of a season coming.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:36 am
@ Bucsfanman
The biggest difference is the back.
Peyton Barber wasn’t bad at Auburn.
We’re all seeing from PB:
1. Patience and vision
2. Explosiveness
3. Power
………….those three attributes has been missing from martin all season long
December 20th, 2017 at 8:53 am
Anthem- I have to somewhat disagree. Play-calling and poor line play led to many plays where defenders were in the backfield right as the RB received the ball.
I would state that the back-up linemen run-block better in addition to Barber’s skill. Even Martin was running better behind the back-ups.
Look I’m OK with moving on from Martin. I just want the conversation to be fair in regards to the overall production of our rushing attack. I seriously doubt that Barber would enjoy the same success given those conditions. My opinion!
That said, I love the physicality that Peyton brings. I’m an “old school” football fan! Love me some smash-mouth!
December 20th, 2017 at 9:20 am
Ira Kaufman said the team rule that he violated was averaging less than 3 yds. a carry.
December 20th, 2017 at 9:25 am
Good thing Licht grabbed a competent quality RB like kamara or hunt or cook or any of the 50 RBS available as opposed to the one who hangs with snoop dog, but that has been lichts MO the entire time as GM, and it continues with him with the doug martin thing to the sweezy/marpet move…time to get someone to build this team in a correct manner like building the OL/DL trenches and look at the Saints draft as to why they are in contention for the super bowl and licht has the bucs going to the toilet bowl
11 CB M Lattimore
32 OT R Ramczyk
42 FS M Williams
67 RB A Kamara
December 20th, 2017 at 9:29 am
Hhhmmm… Don’t recall Rapoport specifically reporting why Doug Martin was suspended. Have a link?
December 20th, 2017 at 9:46 am
I think martin stood up in a team meeting and said,” dirk, you don’t know sh!t and we know it”…and walked out….lol….GO BUCS!!!!
December 20th, 2017 at 9:49 am
Does it matter that much what the violation was?
The fact that he was given a 2nd chance and still slipped up is all I need to hear.
December 20th, 2017 at 3:10 pm
It doesn’t even matter why.he’s done in Tampa, he’s no longer relevant to us, he’s failed the squad AGAIN AND AGAIN. Let it go Joe find something relevant to discuss
December 20th, 2017 at 3:40 pm
This is nothing more than Dirk trying to create excuses so he doesn’t get fired. He makes up some BS team “violation” then whines about how he’d have done better if he had everyone playing. Classic cover your rear BS.