Posted on 01/04/2014 7:07:59 AM PST by 4Runner
The first rule of public relations disasters is to change the narrative as quickly as possible. With that in mind, I’ll give Family Glazer a cookie for their rapid response in turning the 4-12 stench that was sooooo last season into a Loviefest.
Well done.
New coach Lovie Smith is a proven winner with local ties, and having a team that competes for the playoffs every year would certainly be refreshing.
Call me jaded, though, on at least one big point. I’m not sure even winning automatically will fill Raymond James Stadium every Sunday and beyond. I think fans are going to cheer with their hearts but stay skeptical with their wallets, at least for a while.
(Excerpt) Read more at tbo.com ...
I’m a Steelers fan, I’m also a realist that doesn’t let emotion get in the way. The reality is Lovie has had a couple of good seasons that show he might be able to bring a team to the promised land. He’s also had some not so good seasons, but even his not so good seasons aren’t that bad. His rookie was his worst year at 5-11, other than that 7-9 is his bottom, 3 playoff seasons, one SB appearance and another conference finals. It’s not a magical career, it won’t get him confused with one of the greats, but it’s not a bad career, and it’s a better career than a lot of highly regarded guys (look at Jeff Fisher’s record, a lot of folks think he’s one of the best .531 win percentage and a lot of missed playoffs).
Hiring Lovie isn’t affirmative action, he’s got potential. Unfortunately the Bucs have a systemic problem, no coach is taking them anywhere without some serious changes in the basic character of the team at all levels. This is a team with MRSA in the locker room, a field that disintegrates in the first quarter, and they’ve never given a QB a second contract, the team is a mess. The ghost of Lombardi couldn’t lead them to the promised land, they might as well bring the creamsicle uniforms back because that attitude has taken hold again.
I’m also a realist that doesn’t let emotion get in the way.
Ditto, and I let the FACTS speak for themselves. What you didn't see because you're not in the Chicago market was how Lovie Smith was allowed to always blame others for his failures (sound familiar? Just like the idiot in the White House.)
Lovie Smith changed offensive and defensive coordinators, blaming them for losses, etc.. I'm an "accountability starts from the top down" kinda guy. Lovie Smith was never held accountable until the very end.
As for the Bear's super bowl appearance under his reign, I'd say once again, go back and look at the Bears schedule for that year. They had an easy schedule, every Bears fan knew it. They got a few lucky breaks in the playoff's. The proof of how bad they really were that year was the butt whooping the Patriots gave them in the Super Bowl.
You say Lovie Smith's got potential? If the Buc's ownership is as screwed up as the Bears is (and it sounds like they are ...) I'd say Buccaneer's fans are in for a repeat performance, "Lovie Smith Part Deux in Tampa.
For all the ragging on Smith I do, the one thing he did with the Bears that I really liked was with the Defense. The Bears Defense learned how to score on turnovers. It was always fun to see Tillman for example get a pick and watch the Bears D score six as the Defense went into "offense" mode, set up blocks, etc.. That was classic Lovie Smith from his days with the Rams as Defensive coordinator. As much as I don't think he's head-coach material, I think he'd be a hell of a defensive coordinator.
BTW Lovie Smith's worst year (his rookie year) wasn't his fault -- we get to thank Dick Juaron for that. I think every new head coach gets at least two years to put their fingerprints on a team and own the results. Certainly their first year they're trying to figure out what they have, who's good/who's not and implement their system. So to me any new Head Coach's first year is likely a "write off" unless they inherit a heck of alot of talent (which Smith didn't.)
Part of your problem here is you want to give him all the blame and none of the credit. You insist every single loss was all on him and every single win was all on the opponents. You’ve made it personal and it’s making you silly. The FACTS do speak for themselves, and they say you’re wrong:
He’s got an over 500 record
3 trips to the playoffs in 8 years
2 trips to the conference finals
1 trip to the Super Bowl
He’s got better stats than half the coaches in the league. A lot of eyebrows were raised when he got fired, a lot of folks thought it was a mistake on the part of the Bears (who just finished a worse season than Lovie got fired for), and nobody expected he’d wait long for another job.
If Lovie’s performance in Tampa is a repeat of his performance in Chicago it will be a marked improvement over what they’ve been doing since the Pirate Bowl. They have 2 trips to the playoffs since then, both 1 and done in the Wild Card. They’re 73 and 103 since winning the SB, .414, if you can’t see why they’d look at .556 Lovie as an improvement you’ve allowed whatever he did to your cherios to destroy all logic.
And did they even come close to repeating?
They have continued to have negative issues and it was evident when Gruden left faster than how he came.
Bucs were interested in Bill Cowher, Jon Gruden before hiring Lovie
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.