Buccaneers to “Hard Knocks” would be Just Fine with Dirk Koetter
Contrary to the thinking of most, Dirk Koetter would be fine with the Buccaneers appearing on “Hard Knocks”.
We have been waiting a long time for the Buccaneers to return to being relevant. There has been a whole lot of losing to watch since the Super Bowl victory. Since 2002, and heading into the 2016 season, the Bucs had posted a mere four winning seasons. It harkened back to prior to 2002, when losing had been more the norm in Tampa Bay.
It’s amazing how quickly things change when a quarterback is added to the mix. Coming off of a 2-14 season in 2014, the Bucs selected Jameis Winston. Over two years, they have improved by seven games to a 9-7 record, barely missing the playoffs in 2016.
Now the Bucs are relevant once again.
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They are so relevant, in fact, that they are being considered for the program Hard Knocks. In fact, according to Cameron DaSilva of FOX Sports, the Bucs are one of four remaining teams being considered, the others being the Saints, the Bears, and the Titans.
Fans typically enjoy the inside look, but among players and teams, there is often a stigma that goes with the appearance. Some reference the cameras as an unwarranted distraction. There is worry that players will act differently in front of the cameras, making training camp seem less authentic. There is the fact that the show doesn’t often lead to playoff seasons.
For what it’s worth, head coach Dirk Koetter does not have similar concerns. In fact, he would be just fine with the team making its Hard Knocks debut (per Jenna Laine of ESPN):
"“The NFL is the greatest game in the world,” Koetter said Wednesday at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix. “I have no fear of our guys — there’s always gonna be guys who act different with the cameras on and some of that stuff can get a little corny, but our mission is the still the same, to figure out how to win the division and try to get in the tournament.”"
Koetter believes it could be a positive:
"“I think it could be good,” Koetter said. “I think when a team has not been one of the main faces of the league for a while, I think it can contribute to that, but the No. 1 thing that contributes to that is [to] win football games.”"
Well, he is dead on about the NFL being the greatest game in the world, am I right? But in all seriousness, the reasons why many might disagree with Koetter are evident. Cameras can be a distraction, and moreover, they can show something you might not want seen. After all, Rex Ryan earned the wrath of his mother when she heard all of the swearing on the Jets edition of the program.
For the Bucs, however, it could work out well. We have all wanted them to get national attention. This would do the trick, and we would get an inside look on how our leaders work. We could see how Winston inspires with his speeches, Kwon Alexander interacting with young teammates, and the list goes on. I just don’t see Dirk Koetter allowing it to become a problem.
Next: Breaking Down the Bucs Running Back Position
How do you feel about it Bucs fans? Would you like to see your team do Hard Knocks? Comment with your thoughts.