Some f'n teaser, blkexec!

i believe stephen a smith knows ALOT of insoder basketball info...but he chooses to be a clown on that show

newyorker4ever wrote:White people can't talk about racism the way black people can or we'll be called racists.

I think you're more likely talking specifically when white people deny racism.

ESPN.com news services

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired coach Lovie Smith on Wednesday night, dismissing him after two seasons and giving him only one with No. 1 overall draft pick Jameis Winston behind center.

Smith went 6-10 this season and 8-24 over two years in charge of the team.

"After careful consideration, we informed Lovie that we have decided to make a change," Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer said in a statement Wednesday night. "I want to thank Lovie for his hard work and dedication to the Buccaneers during his time here."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter seems to be in line to replace the recently fired Lovie Smith.

The Bucs will hold a news conference on Thursday afternoon to discuss Smith's dismissal.

Smith learned of the Bucs' decision via a phone conversation, a source told ESPN's Vaughn McClure.

"You don't hire a coach over the phone, so why would you fire him over the phone?" the source said.

Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is a candidate for the head-coaching job and will be interviewed, an NFL source told The Tampa Tribune.

The Buccaneers will not exercise defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier's option for the 2016 season, according to multiple reports. As of Thursday morning, however, Frazier had not been told he was not wanted back, a source told ESPN's Josina Anderson.

According to reports, three other Buccaneers defensive assistants also were told they would not be retained: defensive backs coach Gill Byrd, safeties coach Mikal Smith (Lovie Smith's son) and defensive assistant Larry Marmie.

One Bucs coach, when contacted by Anderson, said he was surprised by the news.

"Is this true?" said the coach, who wished to remain anonymous. "We all just met with Lovie individually today. This is strange. I wonder what happened."
The Lovie Smith-led Bucs showed some improvement this season but lost their final four games after pulling into position to compete for a playoff berth. Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David was more blunt in his reaction in a tweet that has since been deleted.

"This is stupid," he wrote. "We can't even have a consistent coach, 3 coaches in 5 yrs."

Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy also said he was taken aback.

"I don't know what to think right now," McCoy said. "I'm at a loss for words. I was just out driving, out getting some gas, and my phone started blowing up.

"It's 10 o'clock at night. I don't know what is going on. I've always loved Lovie. He's always been great to me and my family. I've never had a bad thing to say about him. I'm just at a loss for words. I honestly feel bad for my coach."

Smith had replaced Greg Schiano in January 2014, agreeing to a four-year contract.

"This decision was difficult on a variety of levels," Glazer said in the statement. "I am disappointed that we were not more successful these past few seasons, but we are committed to doing what is necessary to give our fans the winning team they deserve. As we move forward, General Manager Jason Licht will oversee the process for finding our next head coach."

The Bucs become the seventh team in the NFL with a head-coaching vacancy, joining the 49ers, Browns, Dolphins, Eagles, Giants and Titans.

Smith's firing also drops the number of black coaches in the NFL to four: the Steelers' Mike Tomlin, the Bengals' Marvin Lewis, the Lions' Jim Caldwell and the Jets' Todd Bowles.

Smith's hiring had been a homecoming; he was Tampa Bay's linebackers coach under Tony Dungy from 1996 to 2000.

"He is an outstanding coach and a great person,'' Frazier said of Smith. "I don't understand what happened."

Smith became the head coach of the Chicago Bears in 2004, leading them to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2006 season, after a stint as the defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams.

The Bears fired Smith after the 2013 season after missing the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons. He was 84-66 in nine seasons with Chicago.

Former Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, a seven-time Pro Bowler who said he would have considered finishing his career with Smith in Tampa had there been a need at his position, said he was shocked by the news.

"Other coaches keep their jobs, and Lovie gets fired," Briggs said. "Lovie gets the franchise quarterback, Tampa Bay is a playoff-contending team next year, and he gets fired. I'm disappointed in the decision to let him go."

Briggs did not play in 2015 after being limited to eight games for the Bears in 2014 before going on injured reserve because of a groin injury.

"Lovie's a championship coach," Briggs said. "He's a coach that will get you to a championship. It's unfortunate he wasn't given enough time to do that. You saw a team that improved throughout that season. The record might not have reflected it, but you saw improvement. You turn on the tape, and that team was starting to put itself in position to make that playoff run."

The Bucs showed some improvement this season with Winston at quarterback and running back Doug Martin, who was revitalized in 2015. But they lost their final four games after pulling into position to compete for a wild-card playoff berth.

For the first time, the Bucs ranked in the top 10 in total offense (No. 5) and defense (No. 10), but those numbers were deceptive. The Bucs struggled to get the ball into the end zone, ranking 20th in points. They were 26th in scoring defense, allowing 24 points or more 10 times.

The Bucs gained over 500 yards twice and averaged a team-record 375.9 yards per game. Martin finished second to Adrian Peterson for the NFL rushing title, and Mike Evans had another big year receiving, with 74 receptions for 1,206 yards but only three TDs.

Earlier this week, Smith reiterated his belief that the team is headed in the right direction.

"Our football team isn't a finished product yet, but I think it's safe to say that we're in pretty good shape going forward with [Winston] leading us, on and off the field," Smith said.

But the Bucs will move ahead without Smith, the team's third coach since Jon Gruden was fired after the 2008 season. Gruden led Tampa Bay to its only Super Bowl win; none of his successors had an overall winning record in Tampa.

Information from ESPN's Josina Anderson, Vaughn McClure, ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press was used in this report.

Telling him over the phone was pure bush league.

I don't follow the team, but they were much more competitive this year, and you have to think Smith deserved another year or two to see what he could do.

Wonder if they have a verbal agreement with any big name former coach who wants to get back into the game?

WaltLongmire wrote:

ESPN.com news services

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired coach Lovie Smith on Wednesday night, dismissing him after two seasons and giving him only one with No. 1 overall draft pick Jameis Winston behind center.

Smith went 6-10 this season and 8-24 over two years in charge of the team.

"After careful consideration, we informed Lovie that we have decided to make a change," Buccaneers co-chairman Joel Glazer said in a statement Wednesday night. "I want to thank Lovie for his hard work and dedication to the Buccaneers during his time here."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter seems to be in line to replace the recently fired Lovie Smith.

The Bucs will hold a news conference on Thursday afternoon to discuss Smith's dismissal.

Smith learned of the Bucs' decision via a phone conversation, a source told ESPN's Vaughn McClure.

"You don't hire a coach over the phone, so why would you fire him over the phone?" the source said.

Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is a candidate for the head-coaching job and will be interviewed, an NFL source told The Tampa Tribune.

The Buccaneers will not exercise defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier's option for the 2016 season, according to multiple reports. As of Thursday morning, however, Frazier had not been told he was not wanted back, a source told ESPN's Josina Anderson.

According to reports, three other Buccaneers defensive assistants also were told they would not be retained: defensive backs coach Gill Byrd, safeties coach Mikal Smith (Lovie Smith's son) and defensive assistant Larry Marmie.

One Bucs coach, when contacted by Anderson, said he was surprised by the news.

"Is this true?" said the coach, who wished to remain anonymous. "We all just met with Lovie individually today. This is strange. I wonder what happened."
The Lovie Smith-led Bucs showed some improvement this season but lost their final four games after pulling into position to compete for a playoff berth. Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David was more blunt in his reaction in a tweet that has since been deleted.

"This is stupid," he wrote. "We can't even have a consistent coach, 3 coaches in 5 yrs."

Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy also said he was taken aback.

"I don't know what to think right now," McCoy said. "I'm at a loss for words. I was just out driving, out getting some gas, and my phone started blowing up.

"It's 10 o'clock at night. I don't know what is going on. I've always loved Lovie. He's always been great to me and my family. I've never had a bad thing to say about him. I'm just at a loss for words. I honestly feel bad for my coach."

Smith had replaced Greg Schiano in January 2014, agreeing to a four-year contract.

"This decision was difficult on a variety of levels," Glazer said in the statement. "I am disappointed that we were not more successful these past few seasons, but we are committed to doing what is necessary to give our fans the winning team they deserve. As we move forward, General Manager Jason Licht will oversee the process for finding our next head coach."

The Bucs become the seventh team in the NFL with a head-coaching vacancy, joining the 49ers, Browns, Dolphins, Eagles, Giants and Titans.

Smith's firing also drops the number of black coaches in the NFL to four: the Steelers' Mike Tomlin, the Bengals' Marvin Lewis, the Lions' Jim Caldwell and the Jets' Todd Bowles.

Smith's hiring had been a homecoming; he was Tampa Bay's linebackers coach under Tony Dungy from 1996 to 2000.

"He is an outstanding coach and a great person,'' Frazier said of Smith. "I don't understand what happened."

Smith became the head coach of the Chicago Bears in 2004, leading them to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2006 season, after a stint as the defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams.

The Bears fired Smith after the 2013 season after missing the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons. He was 84-66 in nine seasons with Chicago.

Former Bears linebacker Lance Briggs, a seven-time Pro Bowler who said he would have considered finishing his career with Smith in Tampa had there been a need at his position, said he was shocked by the news.

"Other coaches keep their jobs, and Lovie gets fired," Briggs said. "Lovie gets the franchise quarterback, Tampa Bay is a playoff-contending team next year, and he gets fired. I'm disappointed in the decision to let him go."

Briggs did not play in 2015 after being limited to eight games for the Bears in 2014 before going on injured reserve because of a groin injury.

"Lovie's a championship coach," Briggs said. "He's a coach that will get you to a championship. It's unfortunate he wasn't given enough time to do that. You saw a team that improved throughout that season. The record might not have reflected it, but you saw improvement. You turn on the tape, and that team was starting to put itself in position to make that playoff run."

The Bucs showed some improvement this season with Winston at quarterback and running back Doug Martin, who was revitalized in 2015. But they lost their final four games after pulling into position to compete for a wild-card playoff berth.

For the first time, the Bucs ranked in the top 10 in total offense (No. 5) and defense (No. 10), but those numbers were deceptive. The Bucs struggled to get the ball into the end zone, ranking 20th in points. They were 26th in scoring defense, allowing 24 points or more 10 times.

The Bucs gained over 500 yards twice and averaged a team-record 375.9 yards per game. Martin finished second to Adrian Peterson for the NFL rushing title, and Mike Evans had another big year receiving, with 74 receptions for 1,206 yards but only three TDs.

Earlier this week, Smith reiterated his belief that the team is headed in the right direction.

"Our football team isn't a finished product yet, but I think it's safe to say that we're in pretty good shape going forward with [Winston] leading us, on and off the field," Smith said.

But the Bucs will move ahead without Smith, the team's third coach since Jon Gruden was fired after the 2008 season. Gruden led Tampa Bay to its only Super Bowl win; none of his successors had an overall winning record in Tampa.

Information from ESPN's Josina Anderson, Vaughn McClure, ESPN Stats & Information and The Associated Press was used in this report.

Telling him over the phone was pure bush league.

I don't follow the team, but they were much more competitive this year, and you have to think Smith deserved another year or two to see what he could do.

Wonder if they have a verbal agreement with any big name former coach who wants to get back into the game?

totally agree about firing him over the phone - that's pathetic and bushleague. that's as bad as riley faxing his resignation.

newyorker4ever wrote:White people can't talk about racism the way black people can or we'll be called racists.

YES...lol. its called a "double standard". lol. can we (black people) at least have something? ANYTHING? lol. i dont want to turn this into a political/racial thing but ive always hated that response. no - two wrongs dont make a right - im not advocating for that. but it would be nice if black people could get "some" privileges here. lol. "some double standards" wont hurt...i promise you it wont hurt. oh how about this? wanna trade positions? i can have your double standard reverse racism problems and you can have my - umm actual racism problems. lol (i got interrogated by cops last night in nyc for taking out my xmas tree - UGH! smh)

#rantOver

PS - i dont know what SAS said about coach smith. nor do i usually advocate or support what steph a smith ever says

Basically, he is pointing out a systemic problem that could result in fewer and fewer black coaches. They also pointed to Herm Edwards saying some owners are circumventing the Rooney Rule by interviewing token candidates who they are not considering. It puts A-A coaches in a tough predicament of choosing to take a 0.1% chance so they want get railroaded by owners after they see 3+ failed interviews on their resume making them even more unlikely of a candidate.

Sidenote listening to Mike and mike they pointed out that Tampa Bay total D improved from 24th to 100th.

blkexec wrote:

callmened wrote:

newyorker4ever wrote:White people can't talk about racism the way black people can or we'll be called racists.

YES...lol. its called a "double standard". lol. can we (black people) at least have something? ANYTHING? lol. i dont want to turn this into a political/racial thing but ive always hated that response. no - two wrongs dont make a right - im not advocating for that. but it would be nice if black people could get "some" privileges here. lol. "some double standards" wont hurt...i promise you it wont hurt. oh how about this? wanna trade positions? i can have your double standard reverse racism problems and you can have my - umm actual racism problems. lol (i got interrogated by cops last night in nyc for taking out my xmas tree - UGH! smh)

#rantOver

PS - i dont know what SAS said about coach smith. nor do i usually advocate or support what steph a smith ever says

I like people in the media whos not afraid to ruffle the feathers on sensitive topics. Personally I think this world needs more people like Stephen A Smith to bring sensitive discussion to light. Just like an infected cut....you can't clean it until you open it and expose it.

No I'm not related to SAS..but I wish this world can one day have a healthy debate about sensitive topics without both sides calling each other a racist.

Smith was not fired for being black....that's not the discussion or debate SAS was addressing. Hm and Herm Edwards both agreed on the system being the problem not this black vs white debate that most people try to turn these debates into.

Trump is another example of a loud mouth that brings up sensitive debates most are afraid to touch. He's not fit to be president but he's not afraid to bring up sensitive debates.

What they did to Smith is wrong. And the nfl system of interviewing and hiring is broken. And this system doesn't just exist in football....Its also in corporate America, police gangs, etc.... That's all he's pointing out. Don't let the loud mouth and big words that he doesn't know blind you from the facts he speak of.

Barkley is another person in this category that most hate. But I like guys like this not afraid to talk about the stuff most people most people are afraid to talk about even if it threatens their employment or credibility.

i dont follow SAS, but i am curious...
has he brought up such issues when non-black coaches are let go either this offseason or in the past whether football or basketball?

His hiring of the QB coach as OC last season after his OC got sick/quit was a joke. The kid was an OC in college briefly and showed nothing. On top of that Lovie hired his two sons as coaches with no experience, maybe not coincidentally the team sucked in the areas they coached.

Not surprised the Glazers fired Smith the way they did, they have shown themselves to be scumbags. Not long after the Bucs won it all, the Glazers bought Manchester United and then proceeded to gut the Bucs for a decade to help cover their expenses, no one had more unnused cap room over that stretch.

The Glazers suck, but it was 8-24, poor preparation, passionless leadership to go along with a losing streak to end the season that did him in. Was happy to see Lovie hired, thought he would bring stability after the craziness of Schiano. Lovie brought all his guys in, players from Chicago, he built the team he wanted and it got us 8-24. Next.....