Garv; it's great that we all are now on the same wave length again and looking forward to a winning team.
Horse - fans are on the same page now...only because they are not divided over who is coaching the Bucs - not to mention who will be running the show as the GM. Once that comes to light, fans will once again be divided until the team begins to win again. Its been and endless cycle of wash, rinse repeat around. Lets not forget there will be plenty of belly aching and moaning once the Commissioner announces the names of players the team drafts...I would consider myself an astute football fan with a fair level of football acumen. And I, myself think we have one of the most fickle fan bases of all NFL teams. There is hardly every a wait and see approach or an allowance to let coaches or players go through growing pains.As I've typed previously I think the instability and lack of continuity really hurts this team.When you look back to 2001 when McKay wanted to hire Marvin Lewis but was overruled by the Glazer's and what he has been able to do with the Bengals basically rebuilding that team twice in to a playoff contender - granted they opted for Gruden who guided the team to a Superbowl win, which no one is more elated than me that they did. But ultimately its as if they sold their souls to the devil to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. But sometimes the grass is not always greener on the other side. In this day an age its like owners, fans and the media want instant gratification and if not the pitchforks are out at the first sign of trouble. I was indifferent on Schiano returning for 2014 ultimately I was one who thought Dominik was the bigger problem and that Dennis Hickey should be right behind them on the unemployment line as he had a significant hand in the drafting of Brian Price, Sabby, Josh Freeman etc... For all the fans who gave Dominik a pass - the drafting under his oversight was horrendous before Schiano and Butch Davis arrived on the scene and he had major whiffs on re-signings and free agents lets not forget he had input in both the Morris and Schiano hirings.
You make some persuasive points about Dominik, Yucc, speaking as one of those fans who gave him a pass.
Horse - fans are on the same page now...only because they are not divided over who is coaching the Bucs - not to mention who will be running the show as the GM. Once that comes to light, fans will once again be divided until the team begins to win again. Its been and endless cycle of wash, rinse repeat around. Lets not forget there will be plenty of belly aching and moaning once the Commissioner announces the names of players the team drafts...I would consider myself an astute football fan with a fair level of football acumen. And I, myself think we have one of the most fickle fan bases of all NFL teams. There is hardly every a wait and see approach or an allowance to let coaches or players go through growing pains.As I've typed previously I think the instability and lack of continuity really hurts this team.When you look back to 2001 when McKay wanted to hire Marvin Lewis but was overruled by the Glazer's and what he has been able to do with the Bengals basically rebuilding that team twice in to a playoff contender - granted they opted for Gruden who guided the team to a Superbowl win, which no one is more elated than me that they did. But ultimately its as if they sold their souls to the devil to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. But sometimes the grass is not always greener on the other side. In this day an age its like owners, fans and the media want instant gratification and if not the pitchforks are out at the first sign of trouble. I was indifferent on Schiano returning for 2014 ultimately I was one who thought Dominik was the bigger problem and that Dennis Hickey should be right behind them on the unemployment line as he had a significant hand in the drafting of Brian Price, Sabby, Josh Freeman etc... For all the fans who gave Dominik a pass - the drafting under his oversight was horrendous before Schiano and Butch Davis arrived on the scene and he had major whiffs on re-signings and free agents lets not forget he had input in both the Morris and Schiano hirings.
Count me as one who would NOT have been upset if Coach Schiano had stayed. I too like continuity and feel that much of this year's troubles could be traced to Freeman and MRSA. But what's done is done and I only hope the new hire does bring stability. And a QB. I believe Lovie when paired with the right OC can do that. Having typed that I'm not sure it's a good idea to hire a coach BEFORE hiring a new GM. We need a strong experienced GM whom the Glazers respect enough to make the right hires. And it has to happen soon IMO.As for fan bickering........... It got so bad on the Insider's board I left after we got to 0-8. It was not worth it and I certainly did not feel good about being a part of personal attacks on people I don't really know. That's a bit nuts and not good for the soul.The ONLY thing that can really unite ALL Buccaneer fans is winning another super Bowl and even that is short lived as we all know. Maybe right now there's a brief period of hope, the unknown can bring that. Especially after everything that has happened since Jon was fired. But we do, IMO, have a lot of very good players on this team. The right HC and QB could make for a quick turnaround. Give Mike Glennon some top notch competition, draft well....etc.But for now......clean slate and NO excuses for personal attacks. Lets make that last!
Garv & Yucc; I know that I have had a lot of patients with past coaches such as McKay, Dungy, Gruden and never wanted them to be fired because they were proven winners during some seasons; unfortunately, the rest have been very unproductive in TB. The one exception was Morris who won his first year then went down hill because of his lack of maturity and inexperience.
Garv, I am a Bucs fan, through and through. That said, I have been saying for awhile now that this team, this fan base and this city need stability and continuity. I HATE the turnover of front office, coaches, players, schemes, etc. All I am asking of the Glazers is that they hire the best personnel possible and STAY the course.....please. I don't need a Super Bowl every year (would be nice but impossible). As a fan, what I would like to see is a very competitive team, week in and week out, that shows a steady progression of players skills and depth at all positions. I think Tampa Bay is a great sports area and will gladly support the team, IF the franchise can stay the course. Sports leagues are full of mediocre teams that are historically good enough to go 7-9, 8-8, 9-7 or worse every year. They change the coaches, et al, and we fans end up with NO HOPE, just false promises. After watching Gruden, Raheem and now Schiono get the boot, the fundamental question is, who is to blame? Somehow, I think if the Glazers don't get it right this time, the fan base will get turned off for a LONG time. JMHO!
Garv, I am a Bucs fan, through and through. That said, I have been saying for awhile now that this team, this fan base and this city need stability and continuity. I HATE the turnover of front office, coaches, players, schemes, etc. All I am asking of the Glazers is that they hire the best personnel possible and STAY the course.....please. I don't need a Super Bowl every year (would be nice but impossible). As a fan, what I would like to see is a very competitive team, week in and week out, that shows a steady progression of players skills and depth at all positions. I think Tampa Bay is a great sports area and will gladly support the team, IF the franchise can stay the course. Sports leagues are full of mediocre teams that are historically good enough to go 7-9, 8-8, 9-7 or worse every year. They change the coaches, et al, and we fans end up with NO HOPE, just false promises. After watching Gruden, Raheem and now Schiono get the boot, the fundamental question is, who is to blame? Somehow, I think if the Glazers don't get it right this time, the fan base will get turned off for a LONG time. JMHO!
Ditto. I think stability is probably worth more than an incremental improvement in coaching. Let's hope they get it right and then leave it alone.
Garv, I am a Bucs fan, through and through. That said, I have been saying for awhile now that this team, this fan base and this city need stability and continuity. I HATE the turnover of front office, coaches, players, schemes, etc. All I am asking of the Glazers is that they hire the best personnel possible and STAY the course.....please. I don't need a Super Bowl every year (would be nice but impossible). As a fan, what I would like to see is a very competitive team, week in and week out, that shows a steady progression of players skills and depth at all positions. I think Tampa Bay is a great sports area and will gladly support the team, IF the franchise can stay the course. Sports leagues are full of mediocre teams that are historically good enough to go 7-9, 8-8, 9-7 or worse every year. They change the coaches, et al, and we fans end up with NO HOPE, just false promises. After watching Gruden, Raheem and now Schiono get the boot, the fundamental question is, who is to blame? Somehow, I think if the Glazers don't get it right this time, the fan base will get turned off for a LONG time. JMHO!
Ditto. I think stability is probably worth more than an incremental improvement in coaching. Let's hope they get it right and then leave it alone.
Agree with you both. Problem is the Glazers seem to "listen to the fans" when these days the loudest ones are always unhappy. I hope we wake up soon to having solid, qualified and proven talent at GM and HC. Guys that other players and coaches respect enough to want to play here, to coach here. When coordinators and position coaches only leave to better jobs, not after being fired. Guys that implement systems that are consistent yet flexible enough for today's ever changing game, rules etc. How nice it would be to find a REAL franchise QB who was connected to this team and it's HC! Players that played together for years, took in new players and showed them how it was going to be, in season and off-season.That takes consistency and that takes having the right men at the top. And right now it's ALL on the Glazers to get that done. I really hope they're talking to some smart football people as I type. This is extremely important and I certainly agree another failure would be absolutely disastrous.
Garv, I agree with absolutely EVERYTHING you just "typed"!!!
Garv, I agree with absolutely EVERYTHING you just "typed"!!!
Thanks and a hat tip my friend. That means something! I do think the Lovie Smith hire is smart. He's the kind of man who WILL bring consistency to the organization. He'll bring in solid assistants and I believe the players will love and follow him. Watch for the defense to be outstanding right away. I'm that positive.The one question mark is at QB. What will he do, what WILL he do? Certainly the Jeff Tedford hire tells me Lovie and the Buccaneers take the position as seriously as we do. Finding a QB to succeed in today's game is paramount to our happiness! So who do you like in the draft, assuming we go that way?
