I have been a die hard Bucs fan since week two of 1979…and I've followed the team with a passion since then. Never have I seen such drama as we are experiencing at One Buc and in Tampa Bay like were seeing these days. It just seems to get worse, and you wonder when it will stop. It has gotten downright childish.
More important, you wonder who is right?
For the record, Ive assumed Freeman was using recreational drugs too, and I apologize for jumping to that conclusion based mostly on the events of my own life. I was going to write a big article on it today, but in light of the revelation that its only ADHD meds, and he is tested regularly, that there is probably zero chance that is the issue.
I guess its just good old fashioned immaturity then.
Lets look at each party, what they've done, probably done wrong, and what gives.
JOSH FREEMAN- Fact..Freeman is acting immature, he is missing team events and is late, and that is not acceptable for a leader. Other QBs, better QBs, have had these problems. Instead they act with class and dignity, I'm sure Brad Joshnson didnt like being benched by his Super Bowl winning coach 2 years after winning the big game. Of course we dont know if he didnt, tis is so bad that we dont even know who to believe anymore.
Josh freeman is a good and likable guy by everyones account, and its possible the Bucs behind Schiano are trying to smear freeman to cover the stench of the coaching staffs own problems. There was no Freeman on the field yet the same outcome happened.
Up in the air is Freemans Captaincy. Was it taken from him, or did players really vote him out? I find it hard to believe he really won the vote. I think its crazy to think he is innocent of all counts. Josh Freeman played just as poor as Glennon, but with 4 years of experience behind him. I dont buy Pewter Reports assumption the game plan was designed to make Glennon look like it was all Josh's fault. Glennon looked better for 3.5 quarters, Freeman would have looked better the half of a quarter. Ill go with hope over pipe dreams that Freeman will get his 2010 self back.
GREG SCHIANO- He controls everything. But is that a bad thing? Is it the losing that is causing that? If you believe Pewter Report, Schiano has lost the locker room. I dont see that in a team that is playing as hard as they are. Im sure Tom Coughlin wasnt liked that much. He made a change and the Giants became Super Bowl material. Of course, now look at them!
Does he control too much? maybe. But if the team was winning, we would be talking about how its a great formula. Seems to me Schiano could have thrown Freeman under the Bus many times, but didnt. He stuck with Josh all the way until the day before he was benched. He never blamed Josh. Its not the Coaches fault the player shows up late, misses important events, and doesnt act the role of a Leader that the team requires him to be.
Only time will tell if Schiano is the problem, but this team plays close games and the team simply needs to get over the hump. No one ever said this was a great team yet. We wanted it to be, but obviously our expectations were higher than they should have been.
Mark Dominik- When Freeman is gone, so too will be EVERYONE from the 2009 draft. Picking players has turned around since Schiano joined the team, but is that Greg and staff or Dominik coming around? As the GM he has the ultimate responsibility, save the Glazers. How do you not have a veteran presense ready instead of drafting someone who falls under the very exact same mold Freeman was coming out of K State!
Pewter Report does make sense when they point out these leaks are going to national media outlets, not local reporters. That smells of a regime that is boardering on the paranoia. I have a friend who is a control freak, and If Schiano is anything like him, he needs to be removed immediately. But will Dominik go with him? Never I think has Dominik been so close to being on a hot seat as he is after game 4. Stressed again, the team is losing close games. 10 of 13 games decided by less than one score. That means they are on the verge of a comeback, doesnt it?
PR pointed out the Bucs have cut ways with talent, Talib, Blount, Winslow Jr, TJack, Price, but where are these guys now? K2 helped a little against the bucs, but Price is nowhere, TJack is doing nothing, in fairness, we wanted a lot of these guys gone.
The only thing to do now is let this run its course. See if the team can turn it around. If it can, then they should be back next year to turn this around when it counts. But if this blows up and gets worse, which I keep saying cant get worse but always seems to, then it may be time to clean house completely, and that includes Dominik.Go out and hire a new GM , or keep Dominik as a capologist, but bring in a new talent picker. then get a coach that is less specifically designed to fix one issue.
Schiano was brought in to fix the Morris Mess. But that may have backfired as it may have overcompensated with a control freak.
The talent is here. Figure out if you have the right guys to lead the team or you need to bring in someone new, but dont wait until the end of the year when all the options are gone.
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