A Dumb Ass Move

You simply will not convince me that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be a better team next year without the leadership and ability of Derrick Brooks. If I were newly installed Head Coach Raheem Morris I would be very leery of letting go of the unquestioned leader of the team at a time when you are looking to turn around the franchise and get back to the playoffs. Don't get me wrong, losing Warrick Dunn and Ike Hilliard are going to hurt the team as well but Derrick Brooks is just in a class of his own. I am now more inclined to root against the team than for it and I can tell you right now that I am not the only one who feels that way here in Tampa.

Thats Yo Ass Mr Postman

The Buccaneers have finally fired Jon Gruden along with Bruce Allen. I have long argued that they were a package deal but I really didn't think the Glazers would have the balls to dismiss both of them due to the fact that they have never had to find either a coach or a GM all on their own. But something is lining up for me here and I am going to throw it out there and we can see if it happens. It has been reported since the regular season ended that Bill Parcells has the ability to leave the Dolphins if the sale of the team goes through. The Glazers have long sought after him, offering him the head coaching job behind the scenes before they had fired Tony Dungy in 2001. So I am saying he comes in as GM and shocks the world.

In the stunner of the off-season, the Bucs have fired head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen.

"We will be forever grateful for Jon bringing us the Super Bowl title and we thank Bruce for his contributions to our franchise,'' said Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer. "However, after careful consideration, we feel this decision is in the best interest of our organization moving forward.''

After failing to reach the playoffs for the fourth time in six years, the Glazer family which owns the Bucs decided it was time for a change after seven seasons with Gruden and five with Allen.

Tampa Bay was the first team in 15 years to start 9-3 and fail to reach the playoffs, losing their last four games in a row.

A Very Sad Day For Me

From ESPN:

The Indianapolis Colts have scheduled a news conference for Monday afternoon, presumably to announce the retirement of coach Tony Dungy.

Foxsports.com reported Monday that Dungy will step down after seven seasons in Indianapolis. The news conference is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET at the team's practice facility in Indianapolis, although the Colts have not given a reason for their announcement.

A source told Foxsports.com that Dungy has talked his decision over with family members and they decided it was the best time for Dungy to step down. Dungy, the source said, was at the team's complex Monday morning saying goodbyes to players and team employees.

snip

In Dungy's 13 seasons as a head coach, including six with Tampa Bay, he's put together a sparkling resume.

He has 148 career wins, including playoffs, and ranks 19th all-time in victories. He's the only black coach to win a Super Bowl, the first coach in league history to reach the postseason in 10 consecutive seasons and the only coach to preside over six straight seasons of 12 wins or more.

The NFL is losing a great man today and that is not an exaggeration. I knew Coach Dungy on a personal level for a time and whatever you have seen of him on Tee Vee still doesn't tell the tale of how genuine and strong the guy is. I remember when he was still coaching here in Tampa how idiots in the sports media would opine that because he didn't cuss that he wasn't the kind of coach who could lead a team all the way. You have no idea how much further from the truth they could have been. Its not just that he DID go all the way with Indy, although it was personally gratifying for me to see him do it. No its also the legacy that he left behind here and what he will be leaving behind in Indy.

Coach Dungy carried himself with such a confidence and calm that it trickled down to all of the guys who played for him. He in fact DOES scream but only when he deems it necessary and the words he chooses when addressing the team, while not cuss words, cut to the chase and command respect. You won't find a player who was with Tony for any good period of time who will say they didn't respect him and support him, even those who may not have neccesarily done as well under him as they would have liked. Not only that, he lives his words and his faith whether you agree with him or not. And he inspired his players to give back to the community and donate time, money and effort to help better the lives of those less fortunate than themselves.

So I am very conflicted at this news. I am saddened to know that he will no longer be shaping the lives of the young men he coached but also heartened to know that he will now turn his attention to other meaningful issues in our community like prison outreach.

Farewell Coach Dungy, and God bless you in your new endeavors!

A Great Christmas Present: Gruden Names Raheem Morris Defensive Coordinator.

This is a great move in my opinion. Raheem Morris is a smart young defensive mind and I can definitely see him as a Head Coach in the NFL a few years down the road. Now if only the Bucs could hire a better Offensive Coordinator.

From TBO.com

TAMPA - Bucs coach Jon Gruden saw to it that secondary coach Raheem Morris had a very merry Christmas this year.

Before leaving One Buc Place on Christmas Eve, Gruden told the 32-year-old Morris that he will replace Monte Kiffin as the Bucs' defensive coordinator beginning in 2009.

"It was Christmas and I wanted to give him a Christmas present," said Gruden, who informed his team of the decision Thursday. "I wanted to give him something to be excited about and to reward him for his effort and hard work."

Morris' appointment doesn't come as a great surprise. Since Kiffin announced plans to leave the Bucs for the University of Tennessee, many have considered Morris a leading candidate to replace him.

Now in the second year of his second stint with Tampa Bay, Morris has six years of experience in the Bucs' system. He also has a year of work under his belt as a coordinator, earning that in 2006 at Kansas State University.

"I'm just trying to beat Oakland right now, but I am pretty excited about this," Morris said. "It's a great accomplishment and I'm proud they're giving me the keys to drive this defense. It's awesome."