Joe Maddon Helped Recruit Bruce Arians
January 9th, 2019
Interesting nugget on TampaBay.com about high-profile Buccaneers fan Joe Maddon getting involved in the Bruce Arians hire.
The link above is a very cool read from JoeBucsFan.com columnist Ira Kaufman’s private time with Maddon in Arizona back in 2017.
Yes, the former Tampa Bay Rays manager, now with the Cubs, loves his Buccaneers and is a friend of general manager Jason Licht. Maddon, if you remember, was also close with Raheem Morris when he was Bucs head coach.
Per TampaBay.com, Licht introduced Arians to Maddon years ago and the two reconnected Friday in Tampa at Maddon’s South Tampa restaurant in a secretive manner with someone from the Bucs, presumably Licht.
Did it help sell Arians on Tampa? Maybe a little.
Regardless, it’s a cool little historical nugget to kick off the Bucco Bruce regime.
January 9th, 2019 at 9:35 am
doubt it….
folks know licht likes patch work fixes….
what sold him was the bucs were the only team to show him the $$$$$….lol….
batter up bruce….change the culture and get us to the playoffs next year…..good luck…
#DEFENSEWINSCHAMPIONSHIPS!!!!!….GO BUCS!!!!
January 9th, 2019 at 9:57 am
Like most everyone I love Joe Maddon. He obviously had to take the Cubs job if he truly loved baseball…which he does.
But I think he LOVES Tampa and considers us his real home now.
Could be wrong of course…I’m just guessing from his actions.
January 9th, 2019 at 10:08 am
It was probably The Florida Hospital that sold him. Just a joke I’ve always liked Bruce. Hope he turns this team into a team with some attitude and finally get rid of that stupid name for RJS that JBF has given them. Turn it into the “HOUSE OF TERROR”
January 9th, 2019 at 10:14 am
I love the thought of Madden talking to Arians about Tampa Bay.
January 9th, 2019 at 10:45 am
Knoxville in Joe’s words it should be the “Temple of Terror” 😉
January 9th, 2019 at 11:59 am
Joe Maddon, what a great guy. This was the only Coach in this area that give people of tampa bay something original, to feel proud of. Him let go, was my red line been a Ray fan.
Ray organization let this area down big time.
Though not right so far on the picks they made, I can’t say that for the Glazers. They want success and they pay for it. Now that is done, hope they got it right.
Go Bucs!
January 9th, 2019 at 1:44 pm
This is pretty awesome because just the other day I commented here that Bruce would do the same thing that Maddon did for the Devil Rays.
I watched the “Football Story” of Bruce Arians last night(agree with all who say it’s a must-view). Didn’t know they came from the same town. I also learned that they both seem to pocess the same trait which has made them great. Player realations. Rember Maddon saying that one thing he did was to make individual relationships which each player. Genunine relationships too, not manufactured. This is very much a skill that not everybody has.
Building relationships like these will go a long way in how this team prepares and performs. It’s something that can’t be measured.
Joe you want to talk about culture change? Player relations is what I think of. It’s just a different culture/attitude for a team that plays for somebody they respect and s a man….not as a football coach but as a man. Maybe respect is the wrong word there but I aren’t good with words.
January 9th, 2019 at 2:01 pm
Knoxville: How about “Den of Dominance”?
January 9th, 2019 at 2:10 pm
I am still skeptical. We have been down this road before with coaches. I honestly thought Lovie would be the guy. Boy was I wrong. I hope I am wrong here too but I think the name should be the “Ship of Sadness!” until proven otherwise.
January 9th, 2019 at 2:13 pm
So far I am seeing a staff assembled that appears quite competent in player development. Just what this team needs.
GOBUCS!
January 9th, 2019 at 4:42 pm
It certainly wasn’t that S. Tampa dive that sold Arians on Tampa. It sucks to the max.