The Buccaneers fired coach Lovie Smith on Wednesday because the Glazer family "felt not enough progress had been made" over the last two years and "didn't want to ask fans to wait any longer for the Bucs to become a playoff team," according Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. Buccaneers GM Jason Licht during the team's press conference on Thursday said, "When you have eight wins in two years, three home wins in two years, I think [fans have] been patient enough." Licht "confirmed that Smith had been fired via phone but said that was by Smith's choice." Licht said that Bucs co-Chair Joel Glazer "wanted to meet with Smith on Thursday to fire him, but Smith called Licht on Wednesday." Licht said that their friendship "compelled him to tell Smith that the Glazers wanted to meet Thursday and that the meeting wouldn't go well." Smith told Licht that a meeting "wasn't necessary and asked Glazer to call him." Licht called Bucs offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter a "strong candidate but denied that several teams requesting permission to speak with Koetter about head-coaching openings ... had any impact on the decision to fire Smith" (ESPN.com, 1/7). Licht indicated that he "will inherit the final say on the 53-man roster and will continue to preside over the draft and free agency." In Tampa, Rick Stroud in a front-page piece writes Licht wore a "look of anguish" on his face during Thursday's press conference. The Glazer family "was scattered to parts unknown," leaving Licht, who had "never fired nor hired a head coach, to talk about how he suddenly had been entrusted with doing both" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 1/8).
PREDICTABLE REACTION? In Orlando, George Diaz writes the Glazer family used Licht "as a prop to 'explain' the firing" of Smith. It was the "equivalent of hiding behind mommy's skirt when the bullies pick on you." Smith's firing "is more of an indictment of Bucs ownership than a coach who went 8-24 in two seasons." The Glazer ownership group, including co-Chairs Bryan, Joel and Edward Glazer, "are reactionary." Diaz: "They have no patience, which leads to the predictable dumpster fires on the field" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/8). The Washington Post’s Kevin Blackistone said, “One of the hallmarks of good teams in the NFL is consistency and sticking with a gameplan. One of the hallmarks of bad teams, and this is what Tampa Bay is following, is switching coaches every few years.” ESPN’s Pablo Torre: “Impatience seems to rule the day in Tampa” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 1/7). ESPN’s Max Kellerman said, “The good and great franchises have more stability. They keep coaches around longer. They have more patience. Impulsive owners get rid of them, and those are usually the owners of bad franchises" ("SportsNation," ESPN2, 1/7). ESPN’s Dan Le Batard said, “This is kind of what the Bucs do." He added, "There's a new timetable in the NFL. You get two years” (“Highly Questionable,” ESPN, 1/7).
A NEED TO LOOK DEEPER: In Tampa, Tom Jones writes the problem with the Bucs is "not that they fire coaches every couple of years," but that they "hire the wrong ones every couple of years." Each change "is made with all the elegance and dexterity of a toddler wielding a chainsaw." For that, fans can "thank" the Glazer ownership group -- the "Moe, Larry and Curly of NFL owners." Despite "millions of reasons to keep" him, the Glazers "still gave Smith a pink slip." But other than "doing it over the phone, you have to respect that." Jones: "Maybe the firing will turn out to be the wrong decision, but you can't question the motive. It is proof the Glazers really do care about winning more than anything else. That's what you want from an owner" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 1/8).
RUN IT BACK: SI's Jon Wertheim notes there is "little to suggest that replacing an NFL coach improves the situation, that the new boss with the Bose headset will outperform the old one." One study "determined that NFL teams that fired their coach reduced their expected win total the following season by more than 10%, and the franchises' odds of making the playoffs dropped by 12%." Retaining a coach "doesn't quiet the fans, but for an NFL owner the best move is often no coaching move" (SI, 1/11 issue).
