Diner morning news: Glazers have a plan

[yuccaneers]

Mark Dominik, the general manager of the Tampa Bay Bucs, has been in the news of late. First, he makes a comment on whether his first-round pick, Josh Freeman, should start, and now he’s justifying his strategy in the free-agent market. Here’s a recent comment from Dominik: “The hardest part about free agency, and one of the biggest problems you have in free agency, is determining something of value, especially when the person from the other team is not on your roster. Then understanding that you could be bidding against two, three, five or six teams. You don't know.�

Did I read that right? That’s not the hardest thing about free agency – that’s just your job description. That’s what you’ve been trained to do: evaluate, value, place a dollar sign on the evaluation and improve the team. It takes talent to evaluate talent, it takes experience to value players and, most importantly, it takes an understanding of what pieces are vital for building a championship. Like any other business, it requires a plan, attention to the plan and discipline within the plan.

Tampa Bay BuccaneersAPFrom left: Raheem Morris, Josh Freeman, Mark Dominik

People would often ask me what qualities a GM needs to be successful. I equate the job to being a loan officer at a bank. Evaluate the asset, value the asset and make a loan according to the asset. When the asset underperforms, it’s like a bad loan � you have to clear the books and take the loss. When it over-performs, you feel satisfied and fortunate. It’s a constant ebb and flow of valuing and re-evaluating.

The reason for Dominik’s comments was a report from NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora that the Bucs have been one of the lowest-spending teams in the past five years. Some may look at the Bucs’ spending habits as being cut back, while others may ask, “Who’s worth overspending for?� There are very few players who are worth going to the limits for when dealing in free agency, so not spending the cash is sometimes a very good thing.

Being prudent with your spending is not a signal to the fans that you’re being cheap, just as spending wasteful money is not a signal to the fans that you’ll win. Look at the Washington Redskins under owner Daniel Snyder. They have always spent money, but oftentimes on the wrong things. If the ‘Skins would put a tenth of the money they spend on free agency into having the best evaluators of talent on their staff, they would save money. Major companies always place money in research and development, but most NFL teams try to save money in this area, which results in costing them a great deal more money.

The NBA is starting its free-agency period right now, as most teams are concerned with the luxury tax, which limits their movements. However, the greatest hindrance to making moves is all the bad deals (or loans) that clubs have made in the past. The NBA is like the subprime lending business, creating too many bad loans, which then forces teams to be stagnant and unable to make moves. Too many teams are stuck in the mud of mediocrity because of all the bad deals, and unless they get lucky, they never can escape. Most teams in the NBA confuse hope for a plan.

Derrick WardAPFree agent acquisition Derrick Ward

How does this all relate to Dominik and the Bucs? No, the Bucs have not been spending as much money, but they have tried to remodel their team after the one that won the Super Bowl. There comes a cost with winning a Super Bowl � a long term cost. In the NFL, maintaining excellence is the toughest challenge, especially when you’re attempting to win without a young quarterback. The Bucs are six games below .500 (45-51) since their Super Bowl victory and have made the playoffs only twice in that time � both home playoff losses.

The Glazer family, which owns the team, has spent money in the past, but they’ve learned that money doesn’t always buy results -- in any business. They spent a ton to get Jon “Love You Bro� Gruden, not only in draft picks but in hard dollars, which resulted in a Super Bowl but not the long-range success they initially thought. Giving Gruden the keys to the shop was right at the time, they believed, but it proved to be incorrect.

From my perspective, the Glazers have set a plan in place � their plan � which they in turn want Dominik and new head coach Raheem Morris to put into place. It’s a plan, I’m sure, that’s based on the Glazers watching how successful teams in the NFL operate. The Glazers are the type of owners who observe and learn � they’re successful in their other businesses for a reason. They entered the NFL with an idea of how things operate, but they’ve adjusted their plan now that they’ve learned how things really operate.

This new plan cost them some serious initial cash because they had to get rid of their high-priced coach, but in an effort to install their new plan, they had to make tough choices. They’ve been aggressive but not careless in the free-agent market. They’ve been sticking to their plan -- unlike many NFL and NBA teams.

I admire the Glazers’ willingness to make a plan -- and their willingness to learn, to change and to understand that in the NFL, it’s not always about spending money. It’s about spending wisely.

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Diner-morning-news-Glazers-have-a-plan.html

[SarasotaBuc Fan]

money needs to placed into evaluating?  the money isnt going there at all.

infact, our evaluating is horrible.

evaluating could be the reason we miss out on so many draft picks and value free agents so low.

if the plan is to evaluate talent, then the money should be going into that.

there is no doubt, that if they put money into getting good, proven evaluators, they could pay them less yearly salary then what dexter jackson and gaines adams make combined.

the article is good at pointing out our horrid evaluators, it offers some insight to a plan that could be had.  but we are not acting on that.  we are very inexperienced in the front office, and you can see it already in this offseason.

[Feel Real Good]

the article is good at pointing out our horrid evaluators, it offers some insight to a plan that could be had.  but we are not acting on that.  we are very inexperienced in the front office, and you can see it already in this offseason.

Why would you say the Bucs aren't acting on it? What exactly have they done that doesn't adhere to the plan?

Good article...

Plans take time to develop...


What I can't understand is the fans that expect instant results...  Unrealistic at best. 

[Feel Real Good]

Good article...

Plans take time to develop...


What I can't understand is the fans that expect instant results...  Unrealistic at best. 

Well the fans who pay above average prices for season tickets have a genuine gripe. Bucs tickets shouldn't cost what they do if that's all the money the owners are going to spend. But as I'm not a season ticket holder I have no problem with what the Bucs are doing from a competition standpoint.

[dalbuc]

Good article...

Plans take time to develop...

Except for the part about this being a plan. There was no "plan" to have a suck level of talent. You figure Caddy and Clayton work out and the Glazers have to lay out another $40m in real money between them in salary and bonuses which puts them about middle of the pack on that list.

[SarasotaBuc Fan]

the article is good at pointing out our horrid evaluators, it offers some insight to a plan that could be had.  but we are not acting on that.  we are very inexperienced in the front office, and you can see it already in this offseason.

Why would you say the Bucs aren't acting on it? What exactly have they done that doesn't adhere to the plan?

well if the plan is to draft well, they are not sticking to the plan by not putting money into it, instead they have laid off a bunch of people.

[CyberDilemma]

the article is good at pointing out our horrid evaluators, it offers some insight to a plan that could be had.  but we are not acting on that.  we are very inexperienced in the front office, and you can see it already in this offseason.

Why would you say the Bucs aren't acting on it? What exactly have they done that doesn't adhere to the plan?

well if the plan is to draft well, they are not sticking to the plan by not putting money into it, instead they have laid off a bunch of people.

They actually recently hired several new scouts.

[SarasotaBuc Fan]

the article is good at pointing out our horrid evaluators, it offers some insight to a plan that could be had.� but we are not acting on that.� we are very inexperienced in the front office, and you can see it already in this offseason.

Why would you say the Bucs aren't acting on it? What exactly have they done that doesn't adhere to the plan?

well if the plan is to draft well, they are not sticking to the plan by not putting money into it, instead they have laid off a bunch of people.

They actually recently hired several new scouts.

are they any good?

[The Q]

If they have a plan, why don't they tell the fans what it is? It's simple, the cheapskate Glazer boys want to keep all the money. Fans of the BUCS be damned.
Dom and Rah was not the way to go....and it will be proven in the future.

If they have a plan, why don't they tell the fans what it is? It's simple, the cheapskate Glazer boys want to keep all the money. Fans of the BUCS be damned.
Dom and Rah was not the way to go....and it will be proven in the future.

Lol, the glazer plan is...... Make money hand over fist with the Bucs to try and keep creditors off there back in Europe. Give the team just enough to make it appear to kool aid drinking fans we are on an even playing field (saving money by, as MD coined it, "Wise" moves), charge unbelievable ticket prices, and skimp wherever they can, including coaching staff, management, support staff, player contracts (sign a few guys to fat contracts to make the ownership dreaded salary cap floor), and training camp facilities.

There is the plan guys! Enjoy!!!

[CyberDilemma]

If they have a plan, why don't they tell the fans what it is? It's simple, the cheapskate Glazer boys want to keep all the money. Fans of the BUCS be damned.
Dom and Rah was not the way to go....and it will be proven in the future.

Lol, the glazer plan is...... Make money hand over fist with the Bucs to try and keep creditors off there back in Europe. Give the team just enough to make it appear to kool aid drinking fans we are on an even playing field (saving money by, as MD coined it, "Wise" moves), charge unbelievable ticket prices, and skimp wherever they can, including coaching staff, management, support staff, player contracts (sign a few guys to fat contracts to make the ownership dreaded salary cap floor), and training camp facilities.

There is the plan guys! Enjoy!!!

Your don't like go buy your own team.

[tatmanfish]

If they have a plan, why don't they tell the fans what it is? It's simple, the cheapskate Glazer boys want to keep all the money. Fans of the BUCS be damned.
Dom and Rah was not the way to go....and it will be proven in the future.

Lol, the glazer plan is...... Make money hand over fist with the Bucs to try and keep creditors off there back in Europe. Give the team just enough to make it appear to kool aid drinking fans we are on an even playing field (saving money by, as MD coined it, "Wise" moves), charge unbelievable ticket prices, and skimp wherever they can, including coaching staff, management, support staff, player contracts (sign a few guys to fat contracts to make the ownership dreaded salary cap floor), and training camp facilities.

There is the plan guys! Enjoy!!!

just enough to appear they are on an even playing field? what about the division titles and the SB? did they skimp on a multi million dollar OBP? why go somewhere else? if they are paying gruden, allen, morris and dominic salaries how is that skimping on the coaching staff? paying two GMs and 2 HCs? the ticket prices are high, but you could always drive to miami, jacksonville or atlanta to catch a game. guessing the trip would make the bucs tickets cheaper with the price of gas. it is dis-heartning to see the bucs at the bottom of the spending list, but they have produced. "how about them boys," and their massive spending. look at all the playoffs theyve made. look at all the games theyve won in the playoffs. when the talent level sinks to the equivelant of the chiefs or lions for more than a year, you can say the spending, or lack of is destructive to the franchise. thats tough to back up after back to back winning seasons, even if this one looks less than spectacular.

[Lynch47]

Yeah the plan is to not spend money

[DailyRich68]

the article is good at pointing out our horrid evaluators, it offers some insight to a plan that could be had.� but we are not acting on that.� we are very inexperienced in the front office, and you can see it already in this offseason.

Why would you say the Bucs aren't acting on it? What exactly have they done that doesn't adhere to the plan?

well if the plan is to draft well, they are not sticking to the plan by not putting money into it, instead they have laid off a bunch of people.

They actually recently hired several new scouts.

are they any good?

Won't really know until the players they've selected have actually played games, you know?