“Win Or Else”
March 23rd, 2018
“Don’t worry guys, we will get there.”
This really shouldn’t be a surprise.
The fact the Bucs went out and got Jason Pierre-Paul to maybe, finally end this ugly 12-year drought of no double-digit sacks from a defensive end was a wonderful stroke by Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht. It has completed a virtual total makeover of the defensive line in recent days.
One could say the Bucs are trying to make the playoffs next year or at least record a winning season. And one of those folks is cranky Greg Gabriel.
The former scouting director of the Bears is a highly outspoken if not entertaining grouch on Twitter. Sort of like Grandpa Simpson. And he seems to think Licht’s aggressiveness the past week is the sign of someone trying to save jobs if not careers.
@greggabe: With the moves Tampa Bay has made it looks like they are in a win or else situation
This really shouldn’t be a shock. We all know how itchy the trigger finger is of Team Glazer. And Licht is currently on the final year of his contract. We all know, of course, Team Glazer doesn’t care how many years are left on the contract of its coaches if the team doesn’t win.
So is Gabriel off base? Probably not. But thank God the Bucs actually have a guy now who might keep quarterbacks awake at night prior to a game.
To paraphrase Dirk Koetter, the only thing people give a sh!t about are wins.
March 23rd, 2018 at 12:40 am
Now get a dominant RB, don’t care who but it better be out of Barkley, Guice, Michel, Chubb, or Penny, not the time to mess around and wait for a 4th-6th round prospect, been there done that
March 23rd, 2018 at 1:05 am
The schedule is definitely difficult next year, hopefully the bucs can compete
March 23rd, 2018 at 1:35 am
Anyone that complains about the Glazers is goofy … they are NOT the Bengals owner. They spend money and even pay multiple coaches rather than just give up and let a guy like Marvin Lewis coach forever without ever winning a playoff game … the ONLY reason to ever whine about an owner is if that owner refuses to spend …
March 23rd, 2018 at 1:51 am
You’re right NFLNut, the Glazers aren’t like the Bengals owner, as the Bengals have actually been to the playoffs (multiple times) in the past decade. Feel free to show me winning percentages of the Bengals and Bucs over the past 10 years. Please. I’ll be waiting.
The ONLY team you have a right to favorable compare the incompetent children of Malcolm is the Browns as the Bucs and Browns are the only two teams out of 32 that have missed the playoffs every year since 2010.
The Glazers may not be the worst owners in the NFL (thanks Browns) but they aren’t far from it and are objectively closer to it than Mike Brown is.
March 23rd, 2018 at 2:21 am
Well I hope the Glazers get an itchy trigger finger in regards to forcing Jason to draft Minkah Fitzpatrick. I swear if we don’t draft him and see him become the next great whiff by our franchise, I’ll finally throw in the towel believing this team knows how to evaluate talent, in FA or Draft, in the defensive backfield. In the last 15 years who have we acquired besides Evans and Grimes that had a modicum of success. Barber was already here. Hargreaves: pshhh. TJ Ward: Probably high most of his time here. Dashon Goldson: Hard pass. Darrelle Revis: Biggest trade gaffe in our books. Conte: A single play here or there. Keith Tandy: Now here’s your first argument if you support our ability to gather defensive back talent (but only for four games two seasons ago). Ryan Smith: Well just ask Joe.
March 23rd, 2018 at 2:22 am
*modicrum
March 23rd, 2018 at 2:24 am
I will also add that I think Jude Adjei-Barimah is VASTLY underrated. In my life watching football, I’ve hardly seen a cornerback that can close down and pure tackle a ball carrier like him. I’d absolutely love to see him return but after his surgery he seems doomed to live in free agency purgatory.
March 23rd, 2018 at 2:34 am
@bigbucfan, how is the Revis trade a big gaffe, sure we only kept him for one season but it’s not like the 1st rounder we gave up for him went on to be a superstar, the Jets drafted Dee Milner, probably the guy we would’ve drafted, turned out to be a huge bust!
March 23rd, 2018 at 2:48 am
@AnotherBucsFanGM
The Jets actually drafted Sheldon Richardson with our pick. They drafted Dee 6 picks earlier with their own. But the likes of Eric Reid, Desmond Trufant and Xavier Rhodes were still on the board. One of which, we likely would have drafted. Instead, we drafted John Banks. A blight I failed to mention.
March 23rd, 2018 at 2:48 am
Blaming the Glazers not spending money is looking at the problem myopically. There have been bad decisions that have been made like hiring the wrong coaches and GMs which leads to wrong talent being brought in. Spending money is not the root of the problem.
You only have to look at the Patriots who are never long in the tooth for a player – if you don’t fit the culture, you’re out. They routinely draft in the bottom of each round. They usually only make a few splashes in Free Agency. They make who’s that players into household names almost casually and repeatedly.
Money is not the problem, making good football decisions is the problem. To say that an owner is not spending enough and that’s the reason why the team sucks is really a lazy interpretation. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. The Glazers are bringing the horse to the trough.
March 23rd, 2018 at 2:49 am
*4 picks earlier
March 23rd, 2018 at 2:55 am
Yeah people run your 👄
March 23rd, 2018 at 4:01 am
I’m thinking it’s every year! Licht has been listening to the fans every year. JOE please go back and look. He’s been listening and doing his best. The man is trying everything he can and doing the best he can!
March 23rd, 2018 at 4:03 am
And look at all fans and everything lichts done since he’s been here.
March 23rd, 2018 at 4:06 am
Trade up get Barkley… GG
March 23rd, 2018 at 4:27 am
For a regime that is in a “win or else” situation, they seem to be making moves with the future in mind as well.
March 23rd, 2018 at 4:40 am
Can’t a really good coach get even mediocre plays to perform over and above their abilities? It takes a great 👍 coach to bring out the best.
Keep out distractions this year and we’ll see improvement.
March 23rd, 2018 at 5:01 am
Jameis hasnt had a DECENT oline, and wr corps, outside of his heisman/national title season. The oline/run game is paramount. As much as i want derwin/barkley nelson may be the best bet for continued success. Corey Clement/James White proved this
March 23rd, 2018 at 6:39 am
LOL!
Joe, the title “Win or Else” basically sums it up for every living person on Joe Bucs Fan.
March 23rd, 2018 at 7:01 am
It is win or else. I don’t want to hear nonsense from the “Totally Confident” crowd that 8-8 or 9-7 would be a good year because they were 5-11 last year. I don’t want to hear about Jason Licht cringing at expectations again. I don’t want to hear about how Mike Smith is such a great guy. We’re all (well, most of us except those that are totally confident) tired of the excuses.
March 23rd, 2018 at 7:09 am
Agreed D-Rome. Enough already! In my opinion this coaching staff should’ve been canned for last season, that’s what a good organization would have done.
8-8, 9-7 are unacceptable unless it leads to a playoff berth. Playoffs are ALL that matters.
March 23rd, 2018 at 7:11 am
I can see the meeting with Licht and the coaches.
Licht: So I think we all know what this next year is. If we don’t make the playoffs we are all fudged. My job is based on the success of you guys. So tell me what the heck we need and ill go get those MFs.
Dirk: We need more WR. Oh and Doug Martin.
Smitty: Dirk shut up you have enough freaking WR and Doug can’t run through a green light much less a hole.
We need a new D line and can we please get a darn pass rusher. I mean lord I have these corners lining up in BFE while the QB makes a PB&J in the pocket. We also need a stud Corner and another Safety.
Licht: Oh wow, ok, is that all.
Dirk: How bout a TE?
Licht: Dirk we have 11 TE
Dirk: Ok can I at least get a RB in this draft before the 5th round? Oh and can you not draft a kicker.
March 23rd, 2018 at 7:13 am
test
March 23rd, 2018 at 7:22 am
The Glazers have spent money since 2009, The problem is the philosophy!!!!! And is it the Glazers that have the quick trigger???? Or is it the GLazers that listen to the so-called fans is why they have a quick trigger??????
If The Realist was owner of the Bucs, I would never have a GM and coaches on the last year of their contracts!!!!!!!! It effects free-agency and hometown talent resignings!!!!!!! Even if it is a show me something year, what is the most to extended the regime about 14-16 million?????? While JPP upgrades the D-line, IF a free-agent DE passed by the Bucs because of the win or leave situation and we could have kept that 3rd round pick, Then that is a obstacle the owners created for their own team!!!!!!!!
Much like the reality TV show that the owner approved That the players them selves said was a distraction!!!!!!!!!!!! Dotson even said on a podcast that “yes, It was a big distraction”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
While the sheep and joe now think that this is a playoff/superbowl roster, and they will count all the past pro-bowlers as they were in there prime pro-bowlers, will be convinced that the only thing that can hold the team back is coaching!!!!!!! and will get mad when this team does not post 14-2 record!!!!!!!!! Is this a guaranteed playoff roster?????
The D-line is brand new, and has JW3 even meet and shook hand yet with how will be handing him the ball all 2018???????? major changes folks!!!!!!!
Until I hear the owners at the owner meeting next week say it is a “must win” I will not be in the “playoffs or bust” mob!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 23rd, 2018 at 7:35 am
The problem with the Glazers hasn’t been their spending money….the evidence is clear that they have…..the problem is with their hiring decisions….in particular Mark Dominick……Dominick’s drafts were horrible….that is undeniable. Licht’s have been better but not spectacular.
I think them pulling the plug on coaches too early has been a problem….I believe they realized that this year and kept everyone in place. Let’s hope that pays dividends.
March 23rd, 2018 at 7:54 am
AND…. there’s the Realist once again making excuses. The blueprint is there and teams with far more distractions have accomplished more than 5-11. Guess what Realist, there are personnel changes EVERY SINGLE YEAR on EVERY TEAM! So, we just give the Bucs carte blanche since we’ll have a “new RB” or “new DL”?! Man, please. Just stop already.
You were “commander-in-cheif” to run Lovie out of here and he had far less talent. Now you want to give one-year-pass renewals every year to a staff that showed nothing short of incompetence last year! Sheep who?!
March 23rd, 2018 at 7:59 am
Bucs need an RB like stated above a top flight one and then some guys on the backend of the defense then the ball is in Jameis, Koetter and smittys court to win now, otherwise, its a brand new day in tampa in 2019…love the ira podcast but that other stick carrier one is a joke
March 23rd, 2018 at 8:07 am
@bucsfanman
I like to fix the largest problems and remove obstacles for the team to be successful!!!!! the incompetent one took the bucs to the lowest low we have ever seen!!!!!!!! Where was all the outrage then!!!!!! Where were the cries for accountability with that clown!!!!!!! If he had less talent then that was just one of many reasons to fire that no class fool!!!!!!!! He was the Veteran coach that was supposed to know what it looks like!!!!!!!!!
While we do not have the best GM and Coaches in the league, they are average to above average with the team talent growing !!!!!!! For the first time in many years we finally had depth at 2 to 3 positions on the team!!!!! I want to see more of that while the young inconsistent talent becomes mature, productive talent!!!!!!!!!!
Sheep who you say??? you know who, cause they always answer when called!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!
March 23rd, 2018 at 8:07 am
Well, shut my mouth. Licht is making good progress in FA. His job has been hard since Lovie gutted the O-line. You can’t do everything overnight. I do see progress, yes, and probably due to job saving. That’s ok. At least this team will be competitive, perhaps a playoff team. We’ll see.
March 23rd, 2018 at 8:08 am
Win or else = NFL
Especially for a GM entering his fifth season.
That is more than enough time to build a winner. If you are capable.
March 23rd, 2018 at 8:18 am
Glazers are less than average owners at best. #3 has been waiting in the winds for the NFL to make an uber decision. The NFL did the Bucs wrong by not deciding before FA. It hurt the clubs ability to plan.
Nelson or Chubb. RB in round 2.
March 23rd, 2018 at 8:27 am
You’re a trip Realist!
There WAS outrage, and he was deservedly fired. As bad as it was though, it wasn’t as bad as it was last year.
Look, I don’t mind you calling out Lovie, but, you need to hold this staff to the same standards. They’ll get a 3rd year unlike their predecessor, undeservedly, and they better perform.
It takes a sheep to know a sheep! Baaaahh!
March 23rd, 2018 at 8:31 am
Team glazer???I haven’t seen them boys since we held the Superbowl trophy up many years ago.are they doing ok??
March 23rd, 2018 at 8:49 am
This is a tough division. The NFC is a tough conference. This is what you need to compete, but win or else shouldn’t be the motto here. Every team in the NFC has a franchise QB except Arizona. But JPP is going to help, but there are still holds to fill especially in the Defensive backfield.
March 23rd, 2018 at 9:08 am
Licht still has all draft capital for 2018-2020, minus the 3rd in 2018, but we do have at least 2 player trade chips in DJax and LVD. WE NEED to complete the “win or else” Glazer publicity-making hay with the most effective use of draft capital in SA-QUON, Say-gone Barkley!!
And maybe worth a look on Da’Norris Searcy at Safety, should be cheap enough now sitting out there, and Bucs liked him just 2 years ago I think, when they were in on his bidding with Buffalo. He has to be a moderate upgrade over Conte/Tandy, but who knows…it appears that the Bucs are strictly evaluating their FA acquisitions on PFF rankings?!?…those have let the Patriots and other teams down plenty of times in a vacuum.
Go Bucs!
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:12 am
Let’s not celebrate the end of the sack streak just yet…jPP himself hasn’t had double digit sacks in almost a half decade
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:32 am
Go ahead and lose to set the table for Tua 2020~!
March 23rd, 2018 at 10:41 am
Rhealist says:
“The Glazers have spent money since 2009”
Get your Bucs history straight Mr “Expert”. 2009 was the apex of the “No Spending” decade.
In fact – they coldly released Brooks that offseason when he wanted to play another year. Along with decent QBs Garcia & Griese, Dunn, Galloway, Hilliard, Cato June and Matt Bryant(SMH).
Bucs had THE LOWEST PAYROLL IN THE NFL FOR EIGHT STRAIGHT YEARS – 2004>2011. Fans should never forget that fact – nor “forgive” the Glazers for slamming their wallets shut and then running Chucky out of town when he couldn’t field a playoff team every year because his hand picked GM couldn’t draft his way out of a wet paper bag and there was no $ to spend on decent Free Agents.
Just because the Glazers are finally spending $ again now (league mandated) doesn’t mean they should be forgiven for putting the fans through the last decade plus of mostly crap and puke football because of their bad hiring decisions and refusal to spend $ for such a long period of time.
We are still to this day feeling the repercussions of that Allen/NoSpending/Dominik/Morris/Schiano/Lovie decade++ of disaster.
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:08 am
****************
TOM S.,
Owners don’t win games, they sign checks. The Glazers are infinitely more willing to sign said checks than the Bengals owner is, period.
That the Bengals have had better GM’ing and Coaching over the past has nothing to do with the owner … however, remind me how many SB’s the Bengals have won since Mike Brown became owner?
****************
March 23rd, 2018 at 11:22 am
@pickgrin
you need to review the 2009 free agency class!!!!! In talk show host dominik handed out signing bonus left and right to some that did not even take a snap on the field (angelo crowell)!!!!!! The signing bonuses to , clayton, ward, the other mccown, nuggent and others was the whole reason the Glazers don’t hand out signing bonuses and put Mike Greenburg in charge of contract structures!!!!!!!!!!
Go Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 23rd, 2018 at 12:11 pm
I don’t think the double digit sackmeister drought is over, sorry Joe.
JPP will definitely help us as a team, but I would count on him getting 10+ sacks. Just the reality.
March 23rd, 2018 at 12:45 pm
Rhealist – a few signing bonuses doesn’t change the fact that the Bucs had the lowest payroll in the entire league in 2009 and ’10 and ’11 (and’04,’05,’06,’07,’08).
Its actually not very hard to believe the rumor that the “spending floor” implemented and approved within the 2011 CBA was affectionately nicknamed the “Glazer Clause”.
March 23rd, 2018 at 3:21 pm
WIN..or Fire the whole lot! No excuses. We fans are sick and tired of them!
March 23rd, 2018 at 6:43 pm
Daddy Glazers would’ve fired his sons long ago for their ineptness.
Until we get a real Prez in here…expect more of the same. The three stooges will never win anything.
March 23rd, 2018 at 9:21 pm
Nfl,
There is two separate sides being argued. One is the ownership spending levels.
The other is not as defined but generally points to accountability.
If companies could be improved by simply spending more then there’s a lot of companies that still would be open. Furthermore, the odds on favorite to win the chip would be the highest spenders.
The idea that lovie was treated differently or held to a higher standard is completely irrelevant. It’s an opinion that I would expect from a child. Not mine, but children who haven’t been taught that life is seldom if ever fair.
To make a case against the ownership based on a child’s understanding of the world is …heck I’ll just say it..it’s f ing retarded and the imbeciles who advocate this cat in hat level of knowledge should be arrested and sent to a reeducation camp in north Korea.
The Glazers have failed to lead. They haven’t set the team in a strategic position
that plans for success. They have made a move then reacted to the original move
In most cases by moving opposite of the first decision. The Glazers aren’t cheap owners, they hold people accountable, they are a victim of their own lack of leadership and the long long trail of bad decisions followed by more bad decision.
Now, if they were able to accept that the team is in the condition it is strictly because of them and be able to swallow a ton of pride and hubris then the next move would be clear…restructuring of the team’s management starting at the top. Hire an expert in reorganization and restructure the team with a very specific and detailed plan that lays the foundations for future decisions and crises.
It’s almost shocking how badly this team has performed in the w l column. Gross mismanagement from the CEO. But the Glazers haven’t reacted in the way they do in other areas of team. If their red zone experience failed over and over They would not be so amenable to failure.
If they put Marcy in charge of the team, Holy he’ll would break lose. But what follows is wins.