Hope
June 1st, 2019
“Ira, believe in hope.”
Hope filled the air yesterday at the spiffy, air-conditioned GlazerShed.
Despite the Bucs being the most woeful team in the NFC in the post-Chucky era, Bucs coach Bucco Bruce Arians was anything but depressed after the Bucs wrapped up an underwear football practice. Arians was asked if there was reason to hope the Bucs could have a winning season this fall, which would be only the third since Chucky was jettisoned.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt,” Arians replied. “When you’re talking about a 53-man roster and probably a 25-man turnover every year, it’s just getting the right fits. Then you’ve got to stay healthy.
“If you look at the teams that win, they don’t have 15 guys on IR (injured reserve). So, that’s a major part of it. Staying healthy and always have a little luck. But, it’s an easy turnaround anymore. It’s a field goal. If you look back at some of the games that we lost in our division last year, they were close games. A play here, a play there. Those things, when you waste those you’re a contender, you’re not a pretender.”
Joe suspects there may be something to what Arians says here about close games. Look, Joe usually dismisses talk when coaches say, ‘Hey we’re close, we only lost [x-amount] of one-score games.’ That’s what bad teams do. That’s what poorly coached teams do.
The defense for the Bucs last year was so wretched, that the Bucs could have a bad defense this year and it would still be an improvement upon last year.
If the defense is better — on paper it still looks gruesome — perhaps that is two wins better right there alone?
And for the record, the Saints had 15 guys on IR during last year’s regular season.
June 1st, 2019 at 12:34 am
@Joe
“Bucs could have a winning season this fall, which would be only the second since Chucky was jettisoned.“
Wouldn’t be the third season?
June 1st, 2019 at 12:56 am
How does the defense look gruesome?
Last year—-Mike Smith
DL—-McCoy, bad Beau, injured Vita, Vinny Curry
LB—-injured Kwon, Kevin Minter, Taylor, Bond
DB—-Brent, rookie Davis, out of position MJ, and about 57 injuries at S
This year—-Todd Bowles!
DL—-Suh, monster Vita, better Beau
LB—-White, better Spence, Shaq, Buchanon
DB—-Edwards, better Davis, VHIII, MJ at safety, maybe healthy Evans, seasoned Whitehead, Dean, Murphy-Bunting
And obvious holdovers Lavonte, Nassib, Gholston, and probably JPP fresh for the playoff run
The Blog of Depression continues
June 1st, 2019 at 1:04 am
We can do it!
June 1st, 2019 at 1:26 am
“How does the defense look gruesome?
Last year—-Mike Smith
DL—-McCoy, bad Beau, injured Vita, Vinny Curry
LB—-injured Kwon, Kevin Minter, Taylor, Bond
DB—-Brent, rookie Davis, out of position MJ, and about 57 injuries at S”
This talented POS roster was very close to becoming the very worst in the NFL. That is why it was gruesome. Giving up 400 yard games, it was a shoot out because the defense showed up only a handful of games…. you sure you watched the bucs last year?
June 1st, 2019 at 2:14 am
and probably a 25-man turnover every year, it’s just getting the right fits.
———–
Roster isn’t close to finished.
June 1st, 2019 at 3:08 am
Brutal pic of Ira. But it is hard to get a pic of him without looking like he has the mumps
June 1st, 2019 at 4:45 am
Oh Joe, you were doing soooo good, right up until you just couldn’t help yourself with “If the defense is better — on paper it still looks gruesome …”.
None of us … not even you Joe … have any idea what we’ve got right now. It’s a painting that’s still being painted; a story that’s still being written. On defense for sure. But also on offense AND on S/Ts.
BA hit the nail right on the head when he said about the roster … “it’s just getting the right fits. Then you’ve got to stay healthy”. BA was a little modest IMO in that there’s a 3rd vital element in there … exceptional coaching … and that’s why Bama is consistently good year-after-year. Saban obviously recruits very good talent, but then he he does a fantastic job of developing them & creating depth by using lots of different players each game. If one goes down, another player virtually almost as good is waiting in the wings, with game-time experience, to take his place.
The reason for HOPE right now Joe is Bruce Arians & his staff. Bucs are blessed to have BA, Todd Bowles as our DC and Keith Armstrong as our S/T coach. These guys have a plan & have successfully traveled this road before. There’s no doubt in my mind Joe that if you’d been there when van Gogh painted ‘The Starry Night’ you would’ve been the one to advise him “Hey Vinny, that sky needs more blue”.
June 1st, 2019 at 4:53 am
You both forgot Kindle Brice. Safety FA from GB was mentioned at BA presser Friday as someone ‘running with the ones.’. BA said he was playing well and he is a smart guy but his physicality is TBD.
I thought one of the best questions and interesting answers today was Ira’s last one on the O-Line. Why will it be better when there was so little done to improve it this offseason? BA said they were playing better and were cohesive group. They won’t be doing 7 step drops playing from behind. And mentioned how much money was already invested in the group but only singling the center position as an example. A dirk slight and a Jenkins fire but both very good points.
June 1st, 2019 at 5:14 am
Joe—
Can you guys do an in-depth article on Keith Armstrong to try and get inside his head? Special Teams are one-third of the equation…and it would be a great, informative read to better understand Armstrong’s approach and receive any insights he has post underwear football.
Defense Rules—
What’s your profession if you don’t mind me asking? Like JA, I presume you’re an author? A teacher? Your writing is impeccable. Always enjoy reading your posts. I can’t determine, though, who is more articulate…you, TMax or Louden. 😂
June 1st, 2019 at 5:47 am
Generally speaking, the teams with the least amount of players on IR have good seasons.
That’s because no team has a roster that’s 65+ players deep.
June 1st, 2019 at 5:53 am
Same song, different tune. Prove it. Talk is cheap around here.
June 1st, 2019 at 5:57 am
So Arians says you turn over about 25 players every year.How many players have we released already from last years squad Joe?May give us hope for more dead wood to set adrift
June 1st, 2019 at 6:21 am
People talk as if the season has already been played.
June 1st, 2019 at 6:28 am
Better in game and clock managment 2 games
Better defense -2 games
Better playcalling – 1 game
Making field goals and better special teams – 1 game.
I look at those and see an EASY 9-7 season
June 1st, 2019 at 6:32 am
Defense—
No, ‘The Starry Night’ needs more yellow! Ha!
Personally, I prefer the heavily criticized by his brother Theo, ‘The Potato Eaters’ and think ‘Road With Cypress and Star’ would have topped his output had he omitted the two walking men.
Thanks for memory rekindled …
Nice break from Ndamukong Suh …
June 1st, 2019 at 7:01 am
There “Ain’t No Hope in Football “
June 1st, 2019 at 7:15 am
We have gotten younger and much faster with the exit of Grimes, Curry, Fitz, Conte, Djax
Speed on defense is noticeable…….White, Bunting, Dean & Edwards….
Our special teams should be much better.
June 1st, 2019 at 7:19 am
JA … And here I thought that I could slip the ‘blue in the night sky’ right past y’all.
BucEmUp … Won’t be anything “EASY” about this season, although I do think that 9-7 is POSSIBLE. Of course anything’s possible … in May.
@DB55 … “Roster isn’t close to finished.” And THAT’S the key.
June 1st, 2019 at 7:24 am
It will still come down to getting non blitz pressure on the QB and OL play…all else is making up for weakness which other teams will recognize and counter measure….Talent > Coaching %90 of the time
June 1st, 2019 at 7:33 am
LOL.!!!..good one ! GlazerShed….
June 1st, 2019 at 8:10 am
I’m very optimistic that this can be quick turnaround…
It’s not like BA’s playoff Cardinals were loaded with big names…Imo this Bucs team has more talent now than those teams BA took to the playoffs in Arizona had at the time…
They didn’t do us any favors with the schedule but if we get off to a fast start the back end of our schedule is set up perfectly for us to make a run…
June 1st, 2019 at 8:19 am
Christopher Schiefen
“This year—-Todd Bowles!
DL—-Suh, monster Vita, better Beau
LB—-White, better Spence, Shaq, Buchanon
DB—-Edwards, better Davis, VHIII, MJ at safety, maybe healthy Evans, seasoned Whitehead, Dean, Murphy-Bunting”
Not that I’m not optimistic of Defensive improvement with Bowles and players improving. But your post is all conjecture. But I hope it all falls that way.
June 1st, 2019 at 9:52 am
One could say not enough. Koetter used to say a third of a roster changes each year. So it’s in the same ballpark.
June 1st, 2019 at 10:03 am
Christopher Schiefen,
Such a Great Post my friend. Thank you for that breath of fresh air…
And it’s So True too.
We are WAY better on paper this year than in previous years.
June 1st, 2019 at 10:30 am
@Christopher Schiefen: Without including LaVonte David, your “analsys” reeks of casual fan.
June 1st, 2019 at 1:10 pm
Defense Rules….Amen brother!
In BA I Trust!
June 1st, 2019 at 1:29 pm
Saints where a better coached team on top of a stacked roster with a Hall of Fame QB. But that was last year. Key injuries Joe. Bit it dosent matter if the coaching sucks. I mean come on. The coach says I dont know how to fix it. Koeter and staff where out of there league. Period
June 1st, 2019 at 1:49 pm
its like my man Mike Tyson said, Everybody has got a beautiful plan…..
Until they get Hit. lets see how this new and improved team reacts when
they get…punched in the mouth. Show me beyond paper baby.
June 1st, 2019 at 2:55 pm
Hope is not a strategy!
June 1st, 2019 at 3:24 pm
Howard hates to be happy when thinking about the Bucs because he knows the glazers are simply ridiculously bad owners……
….but…..
Man! the ir and the vibe around one Buc seems so much more honest and fresh and legit and hopeful since McCoy left.
Tmax was right and he was miles ahead of the curve.
It’s like a cloud of glazer-fueled entitlement has been lifted since 93 left.
You know that’s the real deal: McCoy had a free pass from the glazers and had the power to force coaching changes if the ice cream wasn’t cold enough.
This shows 2 things:
1.) How careless the g’s were to enable McCoy for so long.
2.) What a great thing it was that they finally had to sleep iin th ebed they made and hire BA who promptly put 93 in the doghouse where he should have been 5 years ago.
June 1st, 2019 at 3:24 pm
*air
June 2nd, 2019 at 7:06 pm
The good news is the Bucs have a ton of DB’s. The bad news is they are all just average at this point.