Vincent Jackson talks about one of Lovie’s edicts

Mild mannered Lovie Smith is well known as a players coach, but some common football traditions are not appreciated, encouraged or respected by the head coach. [read more]

If you listen to the savvy film gurus who follow the Buccaneers and study their offensive line, you hear a steady theme: Donovan Smith is struggling at left tackle. [read more]

Joe won’t back off a request for a game prediction. And Joe delivered just that during his weekly, rapid-fire Friday segment with the Ron and Ian show on WDAE-AM 620. [read more]

Lavonte David must turn a corner

In these unsettled times of devastating Bucs losses, constant change and growing pains, Joe thought it would be wise to bring back THE OPTIMIST.

THE OPTIMIST is Nick Houllis, a Bucs fan and an accomplished writer whose steadfast allegiance to the Buccaneers goes back to the 1970s. Houllis is the founder, creator and guru of BucStop.com, a place Joe goes to get lost in time via Houllis’ stunning video collection.

THE OPTIMIST will shine that positive light in your eyes. Some will love it. Some won’t. … Of course, THE OPTIMIST’s opinions are his alone and are not influenced by Joe. [read more]

A win today over Houston would be vindication for Gerald McCoy and his Bucs teammates.

Joe remembers a time not that long ago when the Bucs were so good, playoffs weren’t a hope. They were demanded.

In fact, the Bucs were so dominant, not reaching an NFC Championship game was considered a failed season. [read more]

Bucs CB Alterraun Verner strongly hints NFL referees look the other way on Texans’ misdeeds.

Interesting words from second string (?) cornerback Alterraun Verner earlier this week.

When talking to the Tampa Bay pen and mic club Thursday, Verner not so subtly hinted the Texans are not on the up and up. [read more]

Will America’s Quarterback be smiling tomorrow night?

Yes, Joe is already in Houston prepping for tomorrow’s high noon (Texas time) showdown between the Bucs and Texans.

(Houston has a very nice, easy-walking, clean downtown with — can you imagine? — light rail, too! It is a big downtown with lots of new skyscrapers being built, which tells Joe there is money flowing.) [read more]

V-Jax opens up.

All that talk about the mentoring of Vincent Jackson, but what wisdom is he really imparting? [read more]

You asked for it, you got it. It’s the TV map for tomorrow’s game between the Bucs and the Texans, live from the heart of the Lone Star State in Houston. [read more]

Now here’s a good reason why the Buccaneers offense should look a lot different in Houston on Sunday. [read more]

Who outside of Cleveland is better qualified to weigh in on the Browns’ quarterback controversy than Mike Evans? [read more]

You want on-field chemistry? You want a quarterback whose mind is as big as his arm?

You might want to listen to Mike Evans. [read more]

Lovie Smith put his proverbial foot down this afternoon at One Buc Palace.

He’s tired of hearing talk of the 0-2 Texans with their backs against the wall, a team on the brink desperate for a win against the Bucs on Sunday. [read more]

It’s official.

Jameis Winston earned his first NFL award. [read more]

It seems the brain of the Texans’ deep threat has healed

Joe’s not about to root for a guy to be in bad health, but it sure would have been nice if stud Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins decided to rest his injured brain a little longer. [read more]

Lovie Smith is proving this season he doesn’t care about how much a player earns.

It appears that will be highlighted by cornerback Alterraun Verner riding the bench to start the game Sunday. [read more]

Bucs still learning to win, CB Alterraun Verner noted.

Until the postseason arrives, no games are bigger than division games. To win a division one must play well within the division, no?

Well, Bucs cornerback Alterraun Verner is of a different mind. [read more]

When you preach takeaways and scoring on defense, you sometimes find that your defense will improvise to get the job done — even if coaches might frown upon the attempt. [read more]

Yes, Joe had a busy radio week, Of course, Joe did his weekly in-studio, steel cage jousting match with his good friend, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620. But there was more.

Part of Joe’s weekly duties is to drop knowledge and one-liners on the “Jeff Cameron Show,” heard on ESPN Tallahassee 97.9 FM. Cameron, the pride of Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, wanted the lowdown from Joe of the Bucs win at New Orleans, and how that can carry over to Sunday’s game at Houston.

Joe even worked in a Rosie O’Donnell reference, so you know this is must-listen radio. [read more]