ESPN's John Clayton rips the Bucs.... ho hum

[jerseybucsfan]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=5921713

A topic we have worn out on these boards, but ....

It's really bothering him that the Bucs still have a shot at the playoffs. Easiest schedule in football? Read the poster who examines strength of schedule, exposing Clayton. Wow. Pretty weak job.

[BerubesBucs]

Eh... dude is the crypt keeper.

"Gerard McCoy"... is it really that hard to get his name right? It's Gerald...................... Gerald...................... Good god. Whatever though. These media figures have been doubting us since August and all this team has done is prove folks wrong.



BTW- our losses have been to the Falcons, Ravens, Saints and Steelers... anything jump out at you from that list? Yeah, all super bowl contenders...... The last time we were blown out was in the beginning of the season. He can't stand to see the Bucs do well.

[BerubesBucs]

What's funnier is that it shows us as "playoff hopes shrinking"... if anything, they got bigger on Sunday. Spin it how you want, though, ESPN.

[Captain Hindsight]

GERARD MCCOY!

Isn't he a "reporter" rather than an "analyst"?

[ktownbuc47]

What he says is factual, we are playing a weak schedule, we haven't beaten a team with a winning record, Rah might end up a finalist for Coach of the Year and we have a young team with a great young quarterback that is a lot of fun to watch. You can't win a Superbowl unless you get in the playoffs and personally I could care less what the circumstances are that get us there, as long as we get there.

[jerseybucsfan]

Strengh of schedule tells you how tough a schedule is, not strength of teams you beat. If the Bucs overall have played a tougher sked than some others by RECORD, then their schedule isn't really easy. What their schedule actually is not BALANCED. They play either elite teams or lousy teams, but few middle-of-the-road teams (really only St. Louis). So you really don't know what they are. Since they have no losses against the bad teams, you should give them more credit than this.
Does one win against an elite team have more value than two losses vs. bad ones?

[Legend]

Hey you remember that time. Where the SB winning Steelers NEVER beat a team with a winning record during the regular season. Yeah I remember that.

[Bucpride5]

All these media types are the same, they all predicted 3 or 4 wins, and now look pretty stupid when the Bucs have 8 wins. So they are trying to justify their Pre Season predictions by tearing the team down for not beating a team with a winning record. Instead they should be commending a young team, that never gives up and looks to have a very bright future. But that doesn't fit the agenda of some of these so called experts, they'd rather tell their readers/viewers "I was right" than report the facts about a good, young, exciting team with loads of potential.

[Morgan]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=5921713

A topic we have worn out on these boards, but ....

It's really bothering him that the Bucs still have a shot at the playoffs. Easiest schedule in football? Read the poster who examines strength of schedule, exposing Clayton. Wow. Pretty weak job.

Come on. Everything Clayton wrote is absolutely correct. 

This is the time of seasons to separate the contenders from the pretenders.   The Bucs aren't as good of a team as their 8-5 record. They benefited from beating opponents with a combined .279 winning percentage. 

They were beaten and sometimes blown off the field three times by the NFL's better teams (Steelers, Saints, Falcons, Ravens).

He's given Morris and Freeman their props. 

Look, I'm not hater, but you've got to be realistic about the Bucs turn around season. 


"It's bothering him" -----he couldn't care less either way about our success. He's just reporting what he sees. Why do my fellow Buc fans always think the sports media is always out to tear them down.

[Morgan]

Hey you remember that time. Where the SB winning Steelers NEVER beat a team with a winning record during the regular season. Yeah I remember that.

are you saying the Bucs are as good as the SB Steelers?

[ufojoe]

Yep, it's a factual article. I look forward to Clayton's article on the Jets and how their record is a product of them playing a lot of bad teams. I think they beat one team (Pats) with
a winning record and that was in the 2nd game of the year when the Pats were trying to find their way.

[dbucfan]

Yep, it's a factual article. I look forward to Clayton's article on the Jets and how their record is a product of them playing a lot of bad teams. I think they beat one team (Pats) with
a winning record and that was in the 2nd game of the year when the Pats were trying to find their way.

You will need to show the patience of a clam...

[Morgan]

Yep, it's a factual article. I look forward to Clayton's article on the Jets and how their record is a product of them playing a lot of bad teams. I think they beat one team (Pats) with
a winning record and that was in the 2nd game of the year when the Pats were trying to find their way.

The Jets are getting a lot of bad press from ESPN and reporters like Clayton.

Don't know where this paranoia about the media hating the Bucs comes from.

Once you start winning consistently and beat good teams, then comes the respect.

[DiSalvo]

I'm enjoying this season , but face it folks , this team is not for real yet . They a young confident team benefiting from an easy schedule, but that is it. You want the media to lie and say we are true contenders??

 If we did make the playoffs, whe'd get routed in the wild-card and be one-and-done. ( especially with all these injuries ) . Get over it. The fact that some of you get upset that they would actually speak the truth outside of the Tamba Bay area is ridiculous....

[Morgan]

well stated...although a playoff appearance would be great - it might be ugly.