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We've seen a lot of crazy rumors regarding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the past two weeks, but the craziest one that keeps popping up is the vague idea that somehow, somewhere, Greg Schiano is forcing Josh Freeman to be a bad quarterback so he can sit him and start Mike Glennon.
This is complete nonsense.
Greg Schiano cares about one thing above everything else, and that is winning games. Sabotaging Josh Freeman means losing more games, and if there's one thing Greg Schiano can't use it's losses. His job security depends on wins, and he will do what he thinks is best for the team to win games.
Maybe Schiano's wrong about what is best for the team. But if Freeman wasn't the best option for the Bucs to win games in Schiano's mind, Freeman would not be starting. If the way they're using Freeman wasn't the best way to win games in Schiano's mind, they'd be using him differently. It is truly that simple.
If Greg Schiano wants to start Mike Glennon, he can do so. He's the head coach. He determines who starts and who doesn't. Sure, Mark Dominik wouldn't be pleased and I'm sure he'll see resistance. But he can do it, if he wants.
Greg Schiano just wants to win some games. Every NFL coach wants to win some games, because if NFL coaches don't win some games, they get some fired. Yes, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are turning into a circus. Sure, they've lost two straight games. Absolutely, they've looked inept on offense. But Greg Schiano isn't doing that on purpose, and he isn't trying to get Josh Freeman to play badly.
If all the rumors of tension between Schiano and Freeman are true, and it does seem that way, then the Buccaneers have some issues. But a player doesn't have to love his coach -- he just has to play hard. A coach does not need to love every player -- he just needs to use them to the best of their ability. Both Greg Schiano and Josh Freeman realize this, because they're too intelligent not to. And both of them will work just fine together as long as they can win together.
The Buccaneers really do have to get a start on that whole winning business, though.