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Shelton Quarles explains
Every head coach has catch phrases, and they often come in fours.
With Raheem Morris, it was play “hard, fast, smart and consistent.”
Greg Schiano? “Toes on the line!” or “Just do your job!” [read more]
Joe joins Tampa Bay sports radio icon Steve Duemig to talk all things Bucs this evening at 5 p.m. It’s the popular Wednesday JoeBucsFan Hour!
You don’t want to miss it.
His December numbers were eye-opening
Maybe it is because Joe has not had any sleep and has to catch a flight to the frigid north in nine hours, but Joe is starting to warm to the idea of the Bucs chasing veteran defensive end Jared Allen.
(Joe better start warming to something. The temperature is hovering around 16 degrees where Joe is headed.) [read more]
Right now one of the biggest questions for Bucs fans is just who is going to be the quarterback knighted by new Bucs coach Lovie Smith. Many Bucs fans are screaming to draft a quarterback. Others believe in dumpster diving for a veteran castoff.
And then there is the Mike Glennon Mob. This outfit all but went underground after Glennon seemingly played his way out of a starting gig in the final weeks of the season. But the Mike Glennon Mob is still here, though less active, less vocal.
Thus far, Lovie has been rather coy about Glennon’s status. At times, he sounds like Greg Schiano, where Glennon is the man. But then, Lovie will throw out a one-liner to chase you off the scent, just enough to plant doubt in your mind as to which way he is leaning. [read more]
When new Bucs coach Lovie Smith came to One Buc Palace Monday for his formal coronation, he stated he hoped to complete the hiring of his coaching staff by Saturday.
Though the end of the week is not yet here, another new addition has leaked: that is former Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano. [read more]
No surprise here. Bucs icon Hardy Nickerson said on WDAE-AM 620 last month that he wanted out of coaching high school football in California and back into the big time.
Nickerson last coached in the NFL for, you guessed it, Lovie Smith in Chicago in 2007. Back in 2006, he was an analyst on the Buccaneers Radio Network. [read more]
Joe has written several stories about new Bucs coach Lovie Smith and his unprecedented power over football operations. Joe thinks this is one reason Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik was asked to clear out his desk: Lovie didn’t want interference from Dominik; he wanted his own man.
Well, Pat Yasinskas lauds the recent moves of the Bucs, including the hire of Lovie, but the ESPN Bucs beat writer is uncomfortable with Lovie wielding as much power as Bill Belicheat with the Patriots, sans the resume of Belicheat (or many other top coaches). [read more]
New Bucs coach Lovie Smith continued his massive press campaign by joining the creator, curator and overall guru of ProFootballTalk.com, the great Mike Florio, on Pro Football Live today. Watch the NBC Sports video below.
Carl Nicks’ NFL days may be done.
The Bucs had high hopes when they signed stud guard Carl Nicks as a free agent prior to the 2012 season. Then before the season began, Nicks developed a nasty case of turf toe.
That year he played seven games on the toe, which Joe saw with his own eyes; it was swollen to at least twice normal size and was cherry-red. It was gross. Even after surgery, Nicks confessed the toe wasn’t close to being back to normal and stated it was something he would deal with the rest of his life. [read more]
Devin Hester as a No. 1 receiver was one of Lovie Smith’s failed experiments, notes a Chicago scribe.
Can Lovie Smith build a championship roster and raise an offense from the dead?
Those are really the only two things Bucs fans wonder much about these days. Why? Because Lovie’s track record in those areas is questionable.
Lovie is a proven, strong head coach, far better than what Bucs fans have seen since Chucky was fired, but there should be legitimate skepticism amid the euphoria, as Chicago Tribune columnist David Haugh pointed out today. [read more]
Life wasn’t all bad under Greg Schiano. Well, maybe it was, if you just look at wins and losses, but new Bucs head coach Lovie Smith digs a little deeper.
Speaking on WDAE-AM 620 this morning, co-host Tom Jones asked Lovie to share his thoughts when he watched the Bucs during the second half of the 2013 season. [read more]
Mike Alstott weighs in
The A-Train, Mike Alstott, was among the ex-Buccaneers in the house yesterday when Team Glazer unveiled Lovie Smith as the 10th head coach in Bucs history.
Alstott had all kinds of great things to say about Lovie, and the two men, who clearly hadn’t seen each other years, embraced and talked about getting together as the crowd thinned out.
Joe asked Alstott if there was a time or moment when Lovie was a Bucs linebackers coach that let Alstott know Lovie was head-coach material. [read more]
Moments after Lovie Smith’s opening news conference, and Lovie’s intimate chat with media, Joe sat down with Buccaneers Radio Network and WDAE-AM 620 voice Ronnie Lane to talk about the new regime. Enjoy the podcast below.
Joe explains why Lovie “is a step ahead of the game.”
Peter King talked cornerbacks with Lovie Smith
So many have misconstrued Joe’s take on Darrelle Revis. Joe’s not lobbying to ditch the guy. It’s not Joe’s $1 million-per-game, and the Revis is a great player.
Offenses clearly avoided Revis in 2013, and his Pro Bowl nod this season, without a ton of fan votes, helps illustrate the respect he commands. But the question, ‘Is Revis worth it?’ will come up every offseason because Revis has no guaranteed cash in his contract. Every year is a contract year. [read more]
Steve Duemig, the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, scored an exclusive with new Bucs head coach Lovie Smith this evening on WDAE-AM 620. And Joe’s got the full audio below. Enjoy.
New Bucs commander Lovie Smith has signed off on the Bucs locking down 12 players to futures contracts, which typically go to NFL hopefuls and former practice squad players.
Here’s the list issued today by the Bucs: [read more]
A glimpse into his mindset
During a candid moment this afternoon, Lovie Smith metaphorically dropped his pants and revealed a philosophy about winning in the NFL.
It was no surprise, but it was still telling. Lovie is a defensive-minded head coach to his core.
He explained just how far a great defense can take a team.
Jeff Tedford has Lovie Smith’s confidence.
After Lovie Smith, the 10th Bucs coach in franchise history, had his introductory press conference, Lovie made his way to the press room for a more laid back and casual give-and-take with the Tampa Bay pen and mic club. [read more]
