Seeing as how this is a Bucs blog, I am required by the Buccaneer Blogging Code to mention that Mike Alstott has officially retired. Hurrah, Mike Alstott is/was awesome and the Bucs will never be the same without him. He is man, a man who discovered the wheel and built the Eiffel Tower out of metal and brawn.
With Alstott's retirement there is naturally talk about a) the A-Train's chances of getting into the Hall of Fame and, b) retiring #40. I don't believe there is any chance for the former to happen unless the sports writers/voters really have a hard-on for Alstott. And the latter is unlikely as it would set a precedent that would require the Bucs to retire Derrick Brooks', Warren Sapp's and Ronde Barber's numbers as well. Retiring four numbers from one team is a bit much and I can't think of any other teams which have won only one Super Bowl who have done so. If the Bucs are going to retire any numbers from that Super Bowl team they should limit the retired numbers to two: 99 and 55.
Alstott's retirement brings up a much more relevant question, why don't the Bucs have some way to honor their players of the past? This is the Ring of Honor idea which has been bandied about for the past few years. Conventional wisdom is that the Glazers have shied away from a "Ring of Honor" because they are ashamed of the past. A much more likely explanation is that with the exception of a few players there are not a lot of Buccaneers worth honoring, the players which come to mind would be James Wilder, Lee Roy Selmon, Ricky Bell, Hardy Nickerson, Doug Williams. But now with the retirements of Alstott and Warren Sapp, and with Derrick Brooks and John Lynch getting closer to that point the Bucs may finally have enough players to begin honoring them somehow.
In Defense of Jeff Garcia
Garcia's nomination to the Pro Bowl has come under fire in some quarters but ignoring total numbers Garcia put up some impressive stats. Garcia finished with the 3rd best QB rating in the NFC, and also had an impressive yards per completion average. Garcia had 11.6 yards per completion compared to 11.7 for Favre, 11.3 for Hasselbeck and 10.0 for Brees. Total yards and touchdowns can be somewhat misleading as teams which are behind more often (i.e. the Saints) will throw more often and have more passing yards. And as Warrick Dunn can attest to during his time in Tampa Bay touchdowns are not the best measurement of a player's value to a team.
2008-01-26
2008-01-23
[Insert Broken Cadillac Pun Here]
The rumor of the day, courtesy of the premier rumor mongers in the NFL, is that Cadillac's career may be over. I put zero stock in this rumor, mostly because the PFT crotch puppets have admitted that they have zero journalistic integrity. This is a website which blatantly manufactures stories to generate traffic to their website.
That being written it is very likely we will not see Cadillac for the first part of next season. The knee injury Cadillac suffered (torn patellar tendon) is much more serious than an ACL tear. Before the 2006 season Browns center LeCharles Bentley suffered the same injury (although he also had to deal with serious staph infection) and Bentley has not played since.
It will be interesting to see if the Bucs consider drafting a runningback in this draft. While the Bucs look to be in good shape with Graham as the very-down guy and Michael Bennett potentially being the big-play guy, there is a good deal of back depth in this year's draft.
That being written it is very likely we will not see Cadillac for the first part of next season. The knee injury Cadillac suffered (torn patellar tendon) is much more serious than an ACL tear. Before the 2006 season Browns center LeCharles Bentley suffered the same injury (although he also had to deal with serious staph infection) and Bentley has not played since.
It will be interesting to see if the Bucs consider drafting a runningback in this draft. While the Bucs look to be in good shape with Graham as the very-down guy and Michael Bennett potentially being the big-play guy, there is a good deal of back depth in this year's draft.
2008-01-22
Gruden and Company Might still be w/ Bucs in 3 Years
The big news out of 1 Buc Place (can we still call it that?) is that Gruden and Bruce Allen have been signed to 3 year deals. Which would be impressive if contracts actually meant anything in the NFL. If the Glazers (who are the 2nd richest owners in the NFL) really wanted to fire Gruden next season I doubt a three year contract is holding them back. Contracts in the NFL are about as meaningless as primaries in New Hampshire and Iowa SHOULD be.
That being written, Gruden and Company certainly deserved to have their contracts extended past next season. Gruden inherited an aging team, won a Super Bowl in the team's last window of opportunity to do so, and has been forced to rebuild without four high draft picks. For all the criticism thrown at him Gruden has been remarkably successful for the amount of talent he has had.
If there is a fair complaint to be throw at Gruden it is that he is a very poor talent evaluator when it comes to draft picks. He is average at best. And since Allen's real skill is negotiating contracts and cap management it might be a good idea for the Bucs to pick up a better talent evaluator to put in the front office.
ALSTOTT TO RETIRE
This isn't really much of news either, if Alstott didn't retire this season there was a good chance his head would simply fall off. The long time fan favorite should have retired a long time, in 2003 he had a vertebrae removed from his neck, replaced with bone from a cadaver and had the entire thing fused with titanium. Alstott was the NFL version of Frankenstein.
This has always been one of the things I felt uncomfortable about with the NFL, players sacrificing their long-term health for short term gratitude. We like to talk about how tough these guys are but when you see 55 year old players walking around with canes you can understand why Tiki Barber and Barry Sanders wanted to get out early.
Finally Gruden announced he has a "mystery candidate" to fill an assistant coaching slot. Currently the Bucs are looking for runningbacks and quarterbacks coaches so unless they announce Mike Alstott is the new quarterbacks coach I'm not sure which hire would "shock" me.
That being written, Gruden and Company certainly deserved to have their contracts extended past next season. Gruden inherited an aging team, won a Super Bowl in the team's last window of opportunity to do so, and has been forced to rebuild without four high draft picks. For all the criticism thrown at him Gruden has been remarkably successful for the amount of talent he has had.
If there is a fair complaint to be throw at Gruden it is that he is a very poor talent evaluator when it comes to draft picks. He is average at best. And since Allen's real skill is negotiating contracts and cap management it might be a good idea for the Bucs to pick up a better talent evaluator to put in the front office.
ALSTOTT TO RETIRE
This isn't really much of news either, if Alstott didn't retire this season there was a good chance his head would simply fall off. The long time fan favorite should have retired a long time, in 2003 he had a vertebrae removed from his neck, replaced with bone from a cadaver and had the entire thing fused with titanium. Alstott was the NFL version of Frankenstein.
This has always been one of the things I felt uncomfortable about with the NFL, players sacrificing their long-term health for short term gratitude. We like to talk about how tough these guys are but when you see 55 year old players walking around with canes you can understand why Tiki Barber and Barry Sanders wanted to get out early.
Finally Gruden announced he has a "mystery candidate" to fill an assistant coaching slot. Currently the Bucs are looking for runningbacks and quarterbacks coaches so unless they announce Mike Alstott is the new quarterbacks coach I'm not sure which hire would "shock" me.
2008-01-21
The Super Bowl is Dead to Me this Year
At the risk of 2 weeks of man-love from sports writers such as Peter King I was prepared to root for the Packers in the Super Bowl. Just about anything was better than the prospect of a New York-Boston Super Bowl featuring Tom Brady and Eli Manning. Both groups of fans are among sports most unbearable and leave me rooting against otherwise compelling teams. Boston's teams were so much better when they were the lovable losers, like the protagonist in a John Hughes movie. Now, despite having some of pro-sports best teams, Boston fans still have a massive inferiority complex.
As for the Giants, if anyone deserved to inherit the Dan Marino Mantle from Peyton Manning (best quarterback to not win the Super Bowl) it is Eli. Eli could have been the quarterback for San Diego yesterday, an incredibly talented team of players that if not for a gimpy quarterback and having their best player injured would have beat New England. The Chargers are going down as one of those great what if? teams. Considering how poorly Phillip Rivers plays what would have happened if the Chargers has drafted Eli instead? Or what would have happened if the Chargers had kept Drew Brees and drafted Larry Fitzgerald (who was drafted 3rd overall) with the #1 overall pick. If not for a few foolish mistakes by the Chargers management we could be talking about San Diego as the greatest team ever. Yet, I digress.
I never thought I would see the day where I would consider skipping the Super Bowl, but yet here we are. We saw this matchup 3 weeks ago, so we already have a rough idea of how the game will play out. And the best part about the Super Bowl, the commercials, will be replayed roughly 50 million times over the year.
BACK TO THE BUCS...
In some good news Monte Kiffin has apparently resigned w/ the Bucs for roughly $2 M. This after Rick Stroud of the St Pete Times "reported" both sides were no where close to a deal after the Bucs supposedly tried to low ball Kiffin. I will refrain from commenting further as BucStats has already done so, except to say all these rumors of Monte leaving town were just that...rumors.
Speaking of rumors the Bucs are being considered as one of four teams to potentially play a regular season game in London next year. I've not been a big fan of the NFL going overseas mostly because I don't believe there is the same potential market for the sport globally as there has been for basketball and baseball. If the NFL makes the mistake of tabbing the Bucs to play in London I will go into this in more detail but the NFL is not a sport you simply export especially when you are competing against futbol.
As for the Giants, if anyone deserved to inherit the Dan Marino Mantle from Peyton Manning (best quarterback to not win the Super Bowl) it is Eli. Eli could have been the quarterback for San Diego yesterday, an incredibly talented team of players that if not for a gimpy quarterback and having their best player injured would have beat New England. The Chargers are going down as one of those great what if? teams. Considering how poorly Phillip Rivers plays what would have happened if the Chargers has drafted Eli instead? Or what would have happened if the Chargers had kept Drew Brees and drafted Larry Fitzgerald (who was drafted 3rd overall) with the #1 overall pick. If not for a few foolish mistakes by the Chargers management we could be talking about San Diego as the greatest team ever. Yet, I digress.
I never thought I would see the day where I would consider skipping the Super Bowl, but yet here we are. We saw this matchup 3 weeks ago, so we already have a rough idea of how the game will play out. And the best part about the Super Bowl, the commercials, will be replayed roughly 50 million times over the year.
BACK TO THE BUCS...
In some good news Monte Kiffin has apparently resigned w/ the Bucs for roughly $2 M. This after Rick Stroud of the St Pete Times "reported" both sides were no where close to a deal after the Bucs supposedly tried to low ball Kiffin. I will refrain from commenting further as BucStats has already done so, except to say all these rumors of Monte leaving town were just that...rumors.
Speaking of rumors the Bucs are being considered as one of four teams to potentially play a regular season game in London next year. I've not been a big fan of the NFL going overseas mostly because I don't believe there is the same potential market for the sport globally as there has been for basketball and baseball. If the NFL makes the mistake of tabbing the Bucs to play in London I will go into this in more detail but the NFL is not a sport you simply export especially when you are competing against futbol.
2008-01-16
I'm Like a Dog w/ a Bone
The Draft isn't until March and the Bucs don't pick until the 20th hole but yet here I am devoting my third straight post to the damn thing. The Draft is like Vegas, everyone goes in thinking they're going to win but you know the House is going to win. The odds are stacked against you, but everyone still get excited about it.
Scouts Inc and current ESPN Product Todd McShay (check your contract Todd, the WWL now owns your soul) has released his mock draft which has our Bucs drafting OT Sam Baker out of USC. While this isn't the only mock I've seen with the Bucs drafting Baker it does strike me as odd for the following reasons...
1) The Bucs already have two left tackles, Luke Petitgout and Donald Penn
2) The Bucs have bigger needs, notably receiver and undertackle
I'm not completely ruling out Gruden and Company drafting an offensive tackle with the first pick, based on the last two drafts it's obvious Gruden has a hard on for offensive lineman. But drafting an offensive tackle makes little sense after spending as much as the Bucs did on Petitgout unless Gruden has serious doubts about both Petitgout's ability to return next season and Penn's ability to start at left tackle. Even is the former is a likely possibility the latter is highly unlikely. While Penn is not about to make it to any Pro Bowls he was reliable at left tackle.
Which leads us right back to drafting a receiver. McShay has four receivers drafted around the Bucs pick, and most draft talk at this point has six possible receivers being drafted in the first round. The receiver crop this year appears to shake out much like it did in 2004. That was the year we saw 6 receivers drafted in the first round, including Michael Clayton. This year's potential 1st rounders include
DeSean Jackson - Cal
Malcolm Kelly - Okla
Limas Sweed - Texas
Mario Manningham - Mich
Early Doucet - LSU
James Hardy - Indiana
I've already stated my support for Manningham (the solid if somewhat overwhelming choice) but I'm starting to come around to Sweed. He was widely considered the top receiver before the season started and if not for a wrist injury could have gone in the top ten. He's one of those guys who you get the feeling that looking back in ten years could have been the steal of the draft.
Anyway, like I mentioned at the beginning, we're a long ways away from the Draft so I'm sure I will waste a few more words on the subject between now and April.
Scouts Inc and current ESPN Product Todd McShay (check your contract Todd, the WWL now owns your soul) has released his mock draft which has our Bucs drafting OT Sam Baker out of USC. While this isn't the only mock I've seen with the Bucs drafting Baker it does strike me as odd for the following reasons...
1) The Bucs already have two left tackles, Luke Petitgout and Donald Penn
2) The Bucs have bigger needs, notably receiver and undertackle
I'm not completely ruling out Gruden and Company drafting an offensive tackle with the first pick, based on the last two drafts it's obvious Gruden has a hard on for offensive lineman. But drafting an offensive tackle makes little sense after spending as much as the Bucs did on Petitgout unless Gruden has serious doubts about both Petitgout's ability to return next season and Penn's ability to start at left tackle. Even is the former is a likely possibility the latter is highly unlikely. While Penn is not about to make it to any Pro Bowls he was reliable at left tackle.
Which leads us right back to drafting a receiver. McShay has four receivers drafted around the Bucs pick, and most draft talk at this point has six possible receivers being drafted in the first round. The receiver crop this year appears to shake out much like it did in 2004. That was the year we saw 6 receivers drafted in the first round, including Michael Clayton. This year's potential 1st rounders include
DeSean Jackson - Cal
Malcolm Kelly - Okla
Limas Sweed - Texas
Mario Manningham - Mich
Early Doucet - LSU
James Hardy - Indiana
I've already stated my support for Manningham (the solid if somewhat overwhelming choice) but I'm starting to come around to Sweed. He was widely considered the top receiver before the season started and if not for a wrist injury could have gone in the top ten. He's one of those guys who you get the feeling that looking back in ten years could have been the steal of the draft.
Anyway, like I mentioned at the beginning, we're a long ways away from the Draft so I'm sure I will waste a few more words on the subject between now and April.
2008-01-09
Better Know A Potential Draft Pick: The Receivers
I mentioned in my offseason wish list that the number one priority for the Bucs should be getting a receiver. With the exception of Galloway the Bucs lack a dangerous playmaker, and their scoring suffered for it. To Gruden's and Garcia's credit, the Bucs had an efficient offense, in fact according to the Football Outsiders the Bucs had the 10th most efficient offense. But they were only 18th in the league in scoring, and might have been worse if teams figured out earlier that the key to stopping the Bucs was double-teaming Galloway.
BucStats makes a compelling argument for a few of the receivers who will be hitting the free agent market. Larry Fitzgerald and Jerry Porter are both appealing options, Fitzgerald because he is one of the best young receivers and Porter because he is the type of value player I mentioned before, i.e. someone who's stock has fallen because of personal issues. And while Fitzgerald may be too expensive for the Bucs, Porter may be a good fit, just look at how much Randy Moss's value went through the roof once he left the Raiders. Porter is one of the better receivers in this league, but you would never know it with the Raiders motley crew of quarterbacks.
Jamarcus Russell's Decision Making on Full Display
This looks to be a deep year at receiver for the NFL Draft, and while receivers are always dangerous picks (Exhibit A: Michael Clayton) it is worth the time to consider drafting a receiver in the first round. On to the picks.
Adarius Bowman (#25 Overall) - Oklahoma State
I'm going off the rankings found at Great Blue North Draft Report, which was updated just a day ago. I know little about Bowman other than he is tall which means Gruden is already considering drafting him.
Malcolm Kelly (#27) - Oklahoma
Another Big 12 receiver which I rarely watched.
DeSean Jackson (#31) - California
Jackson is one of the more intriguing prospects to me, he is raw as a receiver but has the speed and explosiveness to go in the first round based on potential. He could be the Ted Ginn Jr. pick of this draft, and could contribute immediately in the kick return game. Don't expect him to work his way into the starting lineup on opening day though.
Limas Sweed (#35) - Texas
Another tall Big 12 receiver Sweed was considered one of the best college receivers before the season started but injuries kept him out for much of the year. Another guy who will be drafted based on the mysterious "potential" aspect.
Mario Manningham (#37) - Michigan
Mario is one of the guys I'm leaning towards having the Bucs draft, he appears to be a complete receiver who does not excel in one area but is not lacking in anyone area either, i.e. this year's Anthony Gonzalez. While Manningham has not yet declared his new coach has mentioned that he expects Manningham to do so. Mario has missed one of the teams first meetings.
James Hardy (#39) - Indiana
Earl Bennett (#42) - Vanderbilt
Devin Thomas (#47) - Michigan State
Early Doucet (#51) - LSU
Early this late? Color me surprised.
BucStats makes a compelling argument for a few of the receivers who will be hitting the free agent market. Larry Fitzgerald and Jerry Porter are both appealing options, Fitzgerald because he is one of the best young receivers and Porter because he is the type of value player I mentioned before, i.e. someone who's stock has fallen because of personal issues. And while Fitzgerald may be too expensive for the Bucs, Porter may be a good fit, just look at how much Randy Moss's value went through the roof once he left the Raiders. Porter is one of the better receivers in this league, but you would never know it with the Raiders motley crew of quarterbacks.
Jamarcus Russell's Decision Making on Full DisplayThis looks to be a deep year at receiver for the NFL Draft, and while receivers are always dangerous picks (Exhibit A: Michael Clayton) it is worth the time to consider drafting a receiver in the first round. On to the picks.
Adarius Bowman (#25 Overall) - Oklahoma State
I'm going off the rankings found at Great Blue North Draft Report, which was updated just a day ago. I know little about Bowman other than he is tall which means Gruden is already considering drafting him.
Malcolm Kelly (#27) - Oklahoma
Another Big 12 receiver which I rarely watched.
DeSean Jackson (#31) - California
Jackson is one of the more intriguing prospects to me, he is raw as a receiver but has the speed and explosiveness to go in the first round based on potential. He could be the Ted Ginn Jr. pick of this draft, and could contribute immediately in the kick return game. Don't expect him to work his way into the starting lineup on opening day though.
Limas Sweed (#35) - Texas
Another tall Big 12 receiver Sweed was considered one of the best college receivers before the season started but injuries kept him out for much of the year. Another guy who will be drafted based on the mysterious "potential" aspect.
Mario Manningham (#37) - Michigan
Mario is one of the guys I'm leaning towards having the Bucs draft, he appears to be a complete receiver who does not excel in one area but is not lacking in anyone area either, i.e. this year's Anthony Gonzalez. While Manningham has not yet declared his new coach has mentioned that he expects Manningham to do so. Mario has missed one of the teams first meetings.
James Hardy (#39) - Indiana
Earl Bennett (#42) - Vanderbilt
Devin Thomas (#47) - Michigan State
Early Doucet (#51) - LSU
Early this late? Color me surprised.
2008-01-08
The REAL Fans Offseason Wish List
Hello to all the Bucs fans out there, my name is Big Al and I’m the newest writer at this website. I will be giving y’all a REAL fans perspective of the Bucs, not like the bunch of whining nancies who have been writing on this site. So since Ski has given y’all his offseason wish list here is the REAL fan’s wishlist:
1. FIRE GRUDEN!!!
This no talent hack has been stinking up Tampa ever since he arrived. What has he done besides winning a Super Bowl (with Saint Dungy’s players!) and three division titles? Nothing, that’s what! If the McKay’s had any brains the first thing they would do this week would be to fire Gruden and then get Bill Parcells to be the coach. The ’86 Giants were totally the BEST TEAM EVER plus the Big Tuna is a total badass.
2. Draft the Best Florida Player in the First Round!
This is a Flori-duh kind of move. Every year I argue we should draft the best college player in the state. Last year it was Jarvis Moss and the year before that Ernie Sims. Both years that dummy Gruden passed on the best player in the state. If he doesn’t draft Derrick Harvey this year Gruden TOTALLY deserves to get fired!
Derrick Harvey: Obviously The Best Player In The Country
3. Trade for Randy Moss!
This is a no-brainer. What did the Pats trade for Moss, like a third round pick? The Bucs can just up the offer and trade a second round pick for Moss. If that doesn’t work just throw in Michael Clayton as well. I don’t know why Gruden hasn’t thought of this trade.
4. Make Jake Plummer the Starter!
You know why the Bucs lost to the Giants? Besides Gruden being such a bad coach, it was because of that nancy Jeff Garcia. T.O. was right, if it smells like a rat. What do you mean Garcia is married to a former Playboy Bunny? Jake the Snake, his porn-stache, and his backwards passes are still more manly than Garcia and his “play it safe” game.
5. Guarantee Derrick Brooks a Lifetime Starting Spot!
Gruden is a moron if he doesn’t guarantee Brooks as a lifetime starter at linebacker, competition for the position be damned. Brooks is TOTALLY going into the Hall of Fame, and any player going into the Hall of Fame has to be great, right? And it’s not like players get slower as they got older, at least not great players like Brooks. Plus Brooks is a great community guy and benching him would hurt the feelings of all the kids Brooks takes to Africa during the offseason.
1. FIRE GRUDEN!!!
This no talent hack has been stinking up Tampa ever since he arrived. What has he done besides winning a Super Bowl (with Saint Dungy’s players!) and three division titles? Nothing, that’s what! If the McKay’s had any brains the first thing they would do this week would be to fire Gruden and then get Bill Parcells to be the coach. The ’86 Giants were totally the BEST TEAM EVER plus the Big Tuna is a total badass.
2. Draft the Best Florida Player in the First Round!
This is a Flori-duh kind of move. Every year I argue we should draft the best college player in the state. Last year it was Jarvis Moss and the year before that Ernie Sims. Both years that dummy Gruden passed on the best player in the state. If he doesn’t draft Derrick Harvey this year Gruden TOTALLY deserves to get fired!
Derrick Harvey: Obviously The Best Player In The Country3. Trade for Randy Moss!
This is a no-brainer. What did the Pats trade for Moss, like a third round pick? The Bucs can just up the offer and trade a second round pick for Moss. If that doesn’t work just throw in Michael Clayton as well. I don’t know why Gruden hasn’t thought of this trade.
4. Make Jake Plummer the Starter!
You know why the Bucs lost to the Giants? Besides Gruden being such a bad coach, it was because of that nancy Jeff Garcia. T.O. was right, if it smells like a rat. What do you mean Garcia is married to a former Playboy Bunny? Jake the Snake, his porn-stache, and his backwards passes are still more manly than Garcia and his “play it safe” game.
5. Guarantee Derrick Brooks a Lifetime Starting Spot!
Gruden is a moron if he doesn’t guarantee Brooks as a lifetime starter at linebacker, competition for the position be damned. Brooks is TOTALLY going into the Hall of Fame, and any player going into the Hall of Fame has to be great, right? And it’s not like players get slower as they got older, at least not great players like Brooks. Plus Brooks is a great community guy and benching him would hurt the feelings of all the kids Brooks takes to Africa during the offseason.
2008-01-07
The Best Bucs Blog Offseason Wish List
If you caught yesterday’s playoff game then you know the Bucs are about as close to winning a Super Bowl next season as Ron Paul is to winning the White House. Hindsight being 20-20 it’s pretty obvious the Bucs benefited from a weak schedule and an even weaker division. If they had played in the AFC this would have been at best a 6 win team.
The following list are the top three things I think the Bucs need to do in order to be considered Super Bowl contenders next season. I am assuming the Bucs keep most if not all their starters, and to be honest I have no idea which players will be free agents this offseason.
I have my doubts that Gruden and Company will make any dramatic changes seeing as how Gruden’s modus operandi has been to shy away from changing personnel unless he could potentially lose his job. Gruden stuck with Chris Simms after the Skins playoff loss even though the offense looked anemic during the game. I’m not suggesting the Bucs dump Jeff Garcia (although it wouldn’t kill the Bucs to finally get rid of Simms and Gradkowski) but there are some wholesale changes which should be made.
1. Get a Receiver
This is the one thing on the list I have the most faith in Gruden to accomplish considering how much he wanted to draft Calvin Johnson last year. The Bucs have no receiver depth behind Joey Galloway, and their two leading receivers are both over 30. If
On the other hand the Bucs two young receivers, Michael Clayton and Maurice Stovall, have shown little promise. It’s safe to label Clayton a bust at this point and write him off as a cautionary tale of drafting receivers early. I’m not advising against keeping Clayton, he serves a valuable role as a third receiver, but he has failed to produce when needed and finished sixth on the team in total receptions. Stovall could turn out to be a good second receiver but much like Clayton appears to be a better special teams player than a primary receiver.
There are two obvious ways to get a receiver, through the draft and free agency. If the Bucs draft a receiver I hope they go after somebody who is already developed as a receiver (Mario Manningham, Andre Caldwell) as opposed to an unpolished receiver with a lot of upside (DeSean Jackson, Limas Sweed). I have no idea who the free agent candidates are at receiver but you typically don’t find good, young receivers in free agency. My suggestion to the Bucs is to make a stab at trading for Chris Henry, who for reasons I will get to in the next section has a lot of value for the Bucs.
Trading For Chris Henry Couldn't Possibly Backfire, Right?
2. Find the Value Player(s)
The key for any championship team is to find players which other teams undervalue. BnB pointed this out a few days ago but the Spurs built a championship team by drafting foreign born players with good fundamentals at a time when foreign-born players were undervalued. The
The Bucs have done a pretty good job of this so far, both Jerremy Stevens (DUI) and Phillip Buchanon (poor coaching) had been undervalued until they were picked up by the Bucs. Gruden has never shied away from giving players a second chance, and for the most part the strategy has worked out well for him. Chris Henry, the receiver for the Bengals fits this bill as the Bucs would probably not have to give up much and roll the dice with the hope Henry doesn’t get convicted a fourth time. Actually on second thought I’m not so sure about trading for Chris Henry.
The other position which has been undervalued in the NFL is kick returner, although I feel that tide is starting to turn. Devin Hester is the Bears only offense and was a late second round pick. The Steelers were forced to kick away or punt the ball out of bounds against the Jaguars this weekend because they were concerned about Maurice Jones-Drew (who was also a late second round pick). So far the Bucs have given little thought to the kick return position as evidenced by handing the position to a player who was on the practice squad for half the season (Micheal Spurlock).
Spurlock: Suddenly Expendable
3. Obtain Another Pass Rusher
While the Bucs pass rush got better as the season progressed the d-line never resembled the Bucs d-line’s of old. Monte Kiffin should be congratulated for generating as much of pass rush with this rag-tag bunch of misfits as he did but the lack of talent on the d-line was exposed by the Giants. Gaines Adams looks like he will turn out to be a very good pass rusher the Bucs defense has worked best when they have had two pass rushers (a la Sapp and Rice).
Preferably the Bucs will pick up an undertackle, seeing as how Jovan Haye has not been impressive this season. This may be the most difficult position to fill since there are such a small number of players with the skill sets required to play the position. A pass rushing defensive is also a consideration although the Bucs have a few players who fit the bill (Greg White, Kevin Carter) already.
Got any suggestions for changes you would like to see? Leave ‘em in the comments.
2008-01-06
Gameday: Giants @ Bucs
A Sticks preview chock full of more goodies than usual can be found here.
As far as predictions go I've been seeing a lot of love for the Giants but most writers are predicting a win for the Bucs (and the last one is sure to get a rise out of all the Dr. Z haters in the house)...
Bill Simmons - BUCS
Peter King - BUCS
Ron Jaworski - BUCS
Clark Judge - BUCS
Paul Zimmerman - GIANTS
While I don't agree with Dr. Z's prediction I do agree with his assessment. The Giants d-line is just plain nasty and the Bucs o-line has a long way to be considered one of the best in the league. Jeff Garcia will get hit today and the Giants will be a tough out for the Bucs.
One last thing before I head over to my buddy's place (who is a Giants fan) to watch the game, for all the talk about the Bucs resting their starters they for the most part played all their defensive starters over the last two weeks. Sure, in the third and fourth quarter they did pull a lot of the defensive starters but the Bucs defense will be ready to play today.
NEW YORK 24, TAMPA BAY 14
To quote Rays Index that game stunk like a baby diaper full of Indian food. With the exception of the first quarter the Bucs were outplayed by the Giants and Tampa Bay had no right to even play in that game. Most people are going to break down everything that the Bucs should have done but here's the secret to what went wrong for the Bucs............................................THEY DIDN'T SCORE ENOUGH POINTS.
This Bucs offense is pathetic and Trueblood was dominated by Strahan all day, as a result Garica couldn't throw it deep without throwing an interception. The Bucs need a lot of help to truly be Super Bowl contenders but I have little to no faith in Gruden and company to make the changes that need to be made.
Look for my offseason wish list to be published tomorrow.
As far as predictions go I've been seeing a lot of love for the Giants but most writers are predicting a win for the Bucs (and the last one is sure to get a rise out of all the Dr. Z haters in the house)...
Bill Simmons - BUCS
Peter King - BUCS
Ron Jaworski - BUCS
Clark Judge - BUCS
Paul Zimmerman - GIANTS
While I don't agree with Dr. Z's prediction I do agree with his assessment. The Giants d-line is just plain nasty and the Bucs o-line has a long way to be considered one of the best in the league. Jeff Garcia will get hit today and the Giants will be a tough out for the Bucs.
One last thing before I head over to my buddy's place (who is a Giants fan) to watch the game, for all the talk about the Bucs resting their starters they for the most part played all their defensive starters over the last two weeks. Sure, in the third and fourth quarter they did pull a lot of the defensive starters but the Bucs defense will be ready to play today.
NEW YORK 24, TAMPA BAY 14
To quote Rays Index that game stunk like a baby diaper full of Indian food. With the exception of the first quarter the Bucs were outplayed by the Giants and Tampa Bay had no right to even play in that game. Most people are going to break down everything that the Bucs should have done but here's the secret to what went wrong for the Bucs............................................THEY DIDN'T SCORE ENOUGH POINTS.
This Bucs offense is pathetic and Trueblood was dominated by Strahan all day, as a result Garica couldn't throw it deep without throwing an interception. The Bucs need a lot of help to truly be Super Bowl contenders but I have little to no faith in Gruden and company to make the changes that need to be made.
Look for my offseason wish list to be published tomorrow.
2008-01-04
Sapp Will Be the 2nd Buc in the HOF
For those who have been living under a rock in a cave without access to television or the internet (kinda like I have the past week) our man Warren Sapp has announced his retirement. It would have been nice to have seen Sapp ride off into the sunset last season after he led all defensive tackles in sacks as opposed to this season when Sapp managed to garner three personal fouls in a minute. Sapp was the player every opposing fan loved to hate, but hated to admit they would want Sapp on their team.It's a testament to Sapp's dominance that he is a lock to get into Canton (only one other Buc, i.e. Derrick Brooks, can make the same claim). Let's look at Sapp's credentials:
'99 Defensive Player of the Year
7 Pro Bowls
96.5 sacks over 13 seasons (7.4 sacks a season)
'03 Super Bowl Champion
By comparison Lee Roy Selmon was elected to six Pro Bowls, won Defensive Player of the Year in 1979 and recorded 78.5 sacks over 9 seasons (8.7 sacks a season).
Sapp's critics will likely point to his "controversies" with Mike Sherman when he was the Packers head coach and skipping through the Steelers warmups, overlooking that in both instances Sapp was not the one who initiated the confrontations (Sherman approached Sapp over a block which Packers player Chad Clifton admitted was clean and the Steelers Lee Flowers had taunted the Bucs as Paper Champions before the game). Even replays of the 3 personal fouls against Sapp a few weeks ago show he never touched an official.
By the way, gotta love Sapp's announcement at his website, QBKilla.com.
2007-12-30
Gameday: Panthers @ Bucs
No Sticks preview this week because 1) this is basically an exhibition game, and 2) I'm exhausted from mountain biking all day yesterday. I have muscles I wasn't even aware of which are sore.
The Bucs are wise to rest almost all their starters this week. Just look at the Giants last night who played their starters the entire game, only to lose in the closing minutes of the game. New York will very likely come out flat against the Bucs next week for two reasons: 1) teams tend to play flat after an emotional game, and 2) the Giants have to go on the road. I understand the Giants were playing for pride last night but that decision will likely come back to bight them in the ass.
Anyway, I off to the game which in all likelihood will be even uglier than last week's San Francisco debacle. Until I get back from the game I leave you with this image from the Onion titled "Vinny Testeverde Touchdown Dance Hopelessly Out-Of-Date."
CAROLINA 31, TAMPA BAY 23
This game had a definite exhibition game feel to it, there wasn't close to as much energy as the crowd would normally have, or will have for next week's playoff game against the Giants. On offense the backups all started at quarterback, runningback and receivers. On the defensive side of the ball the second stringers received starts at middlebacker and strong safety. And about the time the Panthers pulled away from the Bucs Gruden was playing mostly second- and third-stringers.
No POSITIVES/NEGATIVES for this week for the same reason as last week, this was little more than an exhibition game. But I think we need a new definition for Clayton:
Clay - ton
1. A first round draft pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (noun)
2. To come up big when it does not matter (verb)
With the exception of his rookie season when the Bucs were headed for a losing season Michael Clayton has failed to produce. And today Clayton didn't play well until the Bucs had almost certainly lost. Clayton had 3 catches for 45 yards after Carolina scored their final touchdown, putting the game out of reach.
Since I don't want to leave this post on an entirely negative note I will also give praise to Alex Smith, who made only one catch but made it the best catch of the day. With four defenders half a second from hitting him Smith went up and caught a hanging ball from McCown that should have been intercepted. Considering the injuries in the receiving corps Gruden will likely use his tightends in the receiving game often, which should give Smith a chance to excel in the playoffs.
The Bucs are wise to rest almost all their starters this week. Just look at the Giants last night who played their starters the entire game, only to lose in the closing minutes of the game. New York will very likely come out flat against the Bucs next week for two reasons: 1) teams tend to play flat after an emotional game, and 2) the Giants have to go on the road. I understand the Giants were playing for pride last night but that decision will likely come back to bight them in the ass.
Anyway, I off to the game which in all likelihood will be even uglier than last week's San Francisco debacle. Until I get back from the game I leave you with this image from the Onion titled "Vinny Testeverde Touchdown Dance Hopelessly Out-Of-Date."
CAROLINA 31, TAMPA BAY 23
This game had a definite exhibition game feel to it, there wasn't close to as much energy as the crowd would normally have, or will have for next week's playoff game against the Giants. On offense the backups all started at quarterback, runningback and receivers. On the defensive side of the ball the second stringers received starts at middlebacker and strong safety. And about the time the Panthers pulled away from the Bucs Gruden was playing mostly second- and third-stringers.
No POSITIVES/NEGATIVES for this week for the same reason as last week, this was little more than an exhibition game. But I think we need a new definition for Clayton:
Clay - ton
1. A first round draft pick for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (noun)
2. To come up big when it does not matter (verb)
With the exception of his rookie season when the Bucs were headed for a losing season Michael Clayton has failed to produce. And today Clayton didn't play well until the Bucs had almost certainly lost. Clayton had 3 catches for 45 yards after Carolina scored their final touchdown, putting the game out of reach.
Since I don't want to leave this post on an entirely negative note I will also give praise to Alex Smith, who made only one catch but made it the best catch of the day. With four defenders half a second from hitting him Smith went up and caught a hanging ball from McCown that should have been intercepted. Considering the injuries in the receiving corps Gruden will likely use his tightends in the receiving game often, which should give Smith a chance to excel in the playoffs.
2007-12-23
Gameday: Bucs @ 49ers
You know the deal, you can find the Sticks Buccaneer preview here.
I would be expecting the Bucs to come out flat based on their recent performance on the West Coast but I'm sure Jeff Garcia has a chip on his shoulder and will put up big stats (220 yards, 3 TDs). It looks like the Bucs will have some favorable weather (50's, slightly cloudy) so they have no excuse, this is a game they should win.
SAN FRANCISCO 21, TAMPA BAY 19
Today's game was ugliness personified, and had more mistakes than the Spears family. I guess when I pretty much guaranteed a victory I probably should have considered that Gruden wasn't going to play the starters for most of the second half. The Bucs came out flat, which was to be expected as the team flew some 3,000 odd miles.
I'm skipping POSITIVES/NEGATIVES for this week but Michael Clayton was a huge negative this week despite his 5 receptions for 71 yards. Given a chance to shine with Galloway out Clayton dropped passes and made a dumb mistake at the end when he landed with his foot out of bounds while catching the 2 point conversion which would have tied the game. With the exception of his rookie season Clayton has been a colossal bust who shows no signs of becoming a reliable receiver.
I would be expecting the Bucs to come out flat based on their recent performance on the West Coast but I'm sure Jeff Garcia has a chip on his shoulder and will put up big stats (220 yards, 3 TDs). It looks like the Bucs will have some favorable weather (50's, slightly cloudy) so they have no excuse, this is a game they should win.
SAN FRANCISCO 21, TAMPA BAY 19
Today's game was ugliness personified, and had more mistakes than the Spears family. I guess when I pretty much guaranteed a victory I probably should have considered that Gruden wasn't going to play the starters for most of the second half. The Bucs came out flat, which was to be expected as the team flew some 3,000 odd miles.
I'm skipping POSITIVES/NEGATIVES for this week but Michael Clayton was a huge negative this week despite his 5 receptions for 71 yards. Given a chance to shine with Galloway out Clayton dropped passes and made a dumb mistake at the end when he landed with his foot out of bounds while catching the 2 point conversion which would have tied the game. With the exception of his rookie season Clayton has been a colossal bust who shows no signs of becoming a reliable receiver.
2007-12-20
Why No Buc Was Snubbed (and other useless info)
I have a bit of catching up to do seeing as how the real world has kept me busy the last few days so let's get right to it...
- The Pro Bowl rosters have been released and not a single Buc has been named to the starting or reserve roster. For those expecting a homer response look elsewhere, 'cause I have no problem with the lack of local representation heading to Hawaii. The Pro Bowl is an individual honor not a team honor so it doesn't matter that the Bucs have the second best defense in the NFL. Just look up the road at Waffle House USA aka Jacksonville where not a single Jaguar made the Pro Bowl. About a month ago I made an argument for a few Bucs to make the Pro Bowl, notably Jeff Garcia, Joey Galloway, and Ronde Barber. Garcia has been banged up the last few weeks so his stats don't compare to Hasselbeck's, whose Seahawks have the same record as the Bucs. Ditto for Galloway sans the injury. The best argument can be made for Barber who should at the very least should have been the reserve over Terrance Newman, who has been injured for much of the season.
Additionally, one of the things which bothers me the most with snubs lists is that the people who write them never mention who should NOT have made it to the Pro Bowl. This happens every year where people talk about who was should have gotten in but then don't mention who should be taken out. A Pro Bowl nomination isn't like your 3rd grade tee ball awards, not everyone gets one.
- I mispelled Micheal Spurlock's first name in the previous post and for that I offer a million apologies to Spurlock. I am an idiot.
- It now looks like the Bucs will play either the Giants or the Vikings for their first playoff game, based on these rough stats from Sports Club Stats (via Buc 'Em). Between the two I'm still not 100% sure who the better matchup is for the Bucs although I'm leaning towards the Giants based on their recent playoff failure under Eli Manning. The Bucs typically play better against passing offenses (i.e. the Giants) which their defense is designed to stop. Adrian Peterson and that outstanding Vikings offensive line would have me concerned if I was the defensive coordinator facing them, even if Minnesota has no passing game.
- The Pro Bowl rosters have been released and not a single Buc has been named to the starting or reserve roster. For those expecting a homer response look elsewhere, 'cause I have no problem with the lack of local representation heading to Hawaii. The Pro Bowl is an individual honor not a team honor so it doesn't matter that the Bucs have the second best defense in the NFL. Just look up the road at Waffle House USA aka Jacksonville where not a single Jaguar made the Pro Bowl. About a month ago I made an argument for a few Bucs to make the Pro Bowl, notably Jeff Garcia, Joey Galloway, and Ronde Barber. Garcia has been banged up the last few weeks so his stats don't compare to Hasselbeck's, whose Seahawks have the same record as the Bucs. Ditto for Galloway sans the injury. The best argument can be made for Barber who should at the very least should have been the reserve over Terrance Newman, who has been injured for much of the season.
Additionally, one of the things which bothers me the most with snubs lists is that the people who write them never mention who should NOT have made it to the Pro Bowl. This happens every year where people talk about who was should have gotten in but then don't mention who should be taken out. A Pro Bowl nomination isn't like your 3rd grade tee ball awards, not everyone gets one.
- I mispelled Micheal Spurlock's first name in the previous post and for that I offer a million apologies to Spurlock. I am an idiot.
- It now looks like the Bucs will play either the Giants or the Vikings for their first playoff game, based on these rough stats from Sports Club Stats (via Buc 'Em). Between the two I'm still not 100% sure who the better matchup is for the Bucs although I'm leaning towards the Giants based on their recent playoff failure under Eli Manning. The Bucs typically play better against passing offenses (i.e. the Giants) which their defense is designed to stop. Adrian Peterson and that outstanding Vikings offensive line would have me concerned if I was the defensive coordinator facing them, even if Minnesota has no passing game.
2007-12-16
Who Is Michael Spurlock?
Our longtime local sports nightmare is finally over, after 1884 attempts the Bucs finally returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Much like their former losing streak in cold weather games this was a streak which haunted the Franchise in every game they played as announcers felt obliged to rub it in the fan's faces. There is even a website dedicated to the former streak. And Tampa Bay has the the formerly unknown Michael Spurlock to thank for finally erasing that historic streak.
But who is Michael Spurlock?
If you do a Google search for "Michael Spurlock" the first result turns up this guy, a Doctor of Nutrition at Iowa State.
And the second result turns up a slightly closer although still wrong result, a former linebacker for the Memphis Tigers. While the Bucs kick returner may not be the best known Michael Spurlock on the intertubes he is certainly one of the best players to come out of the state of Mississippi.
The Buccaneers Michael Spurlock played quarterback at Gentry High School in Indianola Mississippi, a town of 12,000 whose claim to fame is that is was the hometown of B.B. King. During his high school career Spurlock passed for a state class 5-A records of 3,348 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2000. Spurlock also set a state record for points in a game when he three for 9 touchdowns, ran for 2 touchdowns AND kicked all of his team's extra points...accounting for all 71 of his high school's points in the game. He also lettered in basketball and baseball, and was voted the baseball team's MVP and Best Defensive Player three times.
Spurlock started out playing quarterback at Ol' Miss, and in 2003 was behind Eli Manning on the depth chart. He started seven games at quarterback in 2005 before being moved to, and starting at, runningback for the last game of his college career. Spurlock was recuited by former Ol Miss assistant Richard Bisaccia, who is now the Bucs special teams coach.
Spurlock went undrafted out of college and was signed by Arizona last season. Spurlock played in only one game for the Cardinals and caught four passes, in addition to spot kick return duties.
Spurlock started the season on the Bucs practice roster and was not promoted to the active roster until the week of the Cardinals game, which was the first week of November for those keeping track at home. Spurlock returned kickoffs for the Bucs that Week 10 but up until last weekend's game at Houston was splitting kickoff return duties with Michael Clayton and Phillip Buchanon.
Before this week's game local newspaper Florida Today interviewed Spurlock and asked him about the possibility of returning a kickoff for a touchdown. Spurlock's response was an uninterested, "I don't see why not. We'll see what happens." It was not even a sure thing Spurlock would be active for today's game, although credit Stephen Holder of the Times for arguing the Bucs should make room on today's roster for Spurlock.
So kudos to Michael Spurlock for being the First Player in 32 years of Tampa Bay Buccaneer history to return a kickoff for a touchdown.
But who is Michael Spurlock?
If you do a Google search for "Michael Spurlock" the first result turns up this guy, a Doctor of Nutrition at Iowa State.
And the second result turns up a slightly closer although still wrong result, a former linebacker for the Memphis Tigers. While the Bucs kick returner may not be the best known Michael Spurlock on the intertubes he is certainly one of the best players to come out of the state of Mississippi.
The Buccaneers Michael Spurlock played quarterback at Gentry High School in Indianola Mississippi, a town of 12,000 whose claim to fame is that is was the hometown of B.B. King. During his high school career Spurlock passed for a state class 5-A records of 3,348 yards and 35 touchdowns in 2000. Spurlock also set a state record for points in a game when he three for 9 touchdowns, ran for 2 touchdowns AND kicked all of his team's extra points...accounting for all 71 of his high school's points in the game. He also lettered in basketball and baseball, and was voted the baseball team's MVP and Best Defensive Player three times.
Spurlock started out playing quarterback at Ol' Miss, and in 2003 was behind Eli Manning on the depth chart. He started seven games at quarterback in 2005 before being moved to, and starting at, runningback for the last game of his college career. Spurlock was recuited by former Ol Miss assistant Richard Bisaccia, who is now the Bucs special teams coach.
Spurlock went undrafted out of college and was signed by Arizona last season. Spurlock played in only one game for the Cardinals and caught four passes, in addition to spot kick return duties.
Spurlock started the season on the Bucs practice roster and was not promoted to the active roster until the week of the Cardinals game, which was the first week of November for those keeping track at home. Spurlock returned kickoffs for the Bucs that Week 10 but up until last weekend's game at Houston was splitting kickoff return duties with Michael Clayton and Phillip Buchanon.
Before this week's game local newspaper Florida Today interviewed Spurlock and asked him about the possibility of returning a kickoff for a touchdown. Spurlock's response was an uninterested, "I don't see why not. We'll see what happens." It was not even a sure thing Spurlock would be active for today's game, although credit Stephen Holder of the Times for arguing the Bucs should make room on today's roster for Spurlock.
So kudos to Michael Spurlock for being the First Player in 32 years of Tampa Bay Buccaneer history to return a kickoff for a touchdown.
Gameday: Falcons @ Bucs
As usual, you can find my Sticks preview here.
The Falcons are like that crazy ex-girlfriend who at one time was a catch but has let herself go and is an absolute mess now. Sure she has potential and could be a winner but more likely than not she will self-destruct.
Huge line for this game as the Bucs are favored by 13 points. I'm not 100% sure that's the biggest line of the year for the Bucs but it's damn close. I'm expecting Graham (who has quietly had an outstanding season) to put up big stats today.
GET THE MONKEY OFF THEIR BACK!
BUCS SCORE THEIR FIRST EVER TOUCHDOWN OFF A KICKOFF RETURN! COURTESY OF MICHAEL SPURLOCK! I CAN'T STOP USING EXCLAMATIONS MARKS!
TAMPA BAY 37, ATLANTA 3
COMPLETE. ABSOLUTE. DOMINATION.
And Tampa Bay didn't even get a good game from Garcia or Galloway, which bodes well for the team going into the playoffs. Tampa Bay may be the team nobody wants to play this postseason, they have the best defense in the NFC and a balanced offensive attack.
POSITIVES
+ Michael Spurlock, 1883 kickoff returns w/o TD before Spurlock made History (HT to BS)
+ I'm 90% sure Trueblood leads the league in fights started, this is a borderline positive
+ Ronde Barber making a very strong case for both Hawaii this season and Canton eventually
+ Clayton with some tough catches
+ Greg White
+ Earnest w/ his 2nd game as both the Bucs leading rusher AND receiver
+ Gaines Adams finely getting comfortable, racks up a sack and a forced fumble
NEGATIVES
- the second fight w/ about 4 minutes left, completely unnecessary
- Garcia who looked rusty today
Run To Freedom Mr. Spurlock! Run To Freedom!
The Falcons are like that crazy ex-girlfriend who at one time was a catch but has let herself go and is an absolute mess now. Sure she has potential and could be a winner but more likely than not she will self-destruct.
Huge line for this game as the Bucs are favored by 13 points. I'm not 100% sure that's the biggest line of the year for the Bucs but it's damn close. I'm expecting Graham (who has quietly had an outstanding season) to put up big stats today.
GET THE MONKEY OFF THEIR BACK!
BUCS SCORE THEIR FIRST EVER TOUCHDOWN OFF A KICKOFF RETURN! COURTESY OF MICHAEL SPURLOCK! I CAN'T STOP USING EXCLAMATIONS MARKS!
TAMPA BAY 37, ATLANTA 3
COMPLETE. ABSOLUTE. DOMINATION.
And Tampa Bay didn't even get a good game from Garcia or Galloway, which bodes well for the team going into the playoffs. Tampa Bay may be the team nobody wants to play this postseason, they have the best defense in the NFC and a balanced offensive attack.
POSITIVES
+ Michael Spurlock, 1883 kickoff returns w/o TD before Spurlock made History (HT to BS)
+ I'm 90% sure Trueblood leads the league in fights started, this is a borderline positive
+ Ronde Barber making a very strong case for both Hawaii this season and Canton eventually
+ Clayton with some tough catches
+ Greg White
+ Earnest w/ his 2nd game as both the Bucs leading rusher AND receiver
+ Gaines Adams finely getting comfortable, racks up a sack and a forced fumble
NEGATIVES
- the second fight w/ about 4 minutes left, completely unnecessary
- Garcia who looked rusty today
Run To Freedom Mr. Spurlock! Run To Freedom!2007-12-12
Vegas Knew It Was a Trap
I briefly mentioned before kickoff that the Texans game had the whiff of a trap game to me, and it appears Vegas figured this out well before I did. From Dr. Z's power rankings today comes this bit of info...
What is the lesson learned? Beware the trap road games the week following divisional road games. Especially when the opponent has Andre Johnson.
On Sunday evening, the week before the game, I set my logical price at Bucs favored by three. They had beaten New Orleans on the road, Houston had lost to Tennessee by eight. The first line posted by Vegas, the opening line Sunday night, was Texans favored by one. It varied from mine by four, so it was a slam dunk formula pick. Go their way and take Houston because Vegas obviously is begging for Tampa Bay money. Sure enough, the opening line, also known as the "outlaw line," stayed up very briefly, and was quickly bet up to Bucs minus 3 ½. Vegas caught a lot of fish when the Texans won.I had to read that twice just to fully comprehend what it meant, but essentially the Casinos knew this was a trap game for the Bucs and purposely set a low line to fool bettors into losing money on it. Which they promptly did even though, as the Football Outsider guys point out, the Bucs mostly outplayed the Texans during the game.
What is the lesson learned? Beware the trap road games the week following divisional road games. Especially when the opponent has Andre Johnson.
2007-12-11
Not A Good Time To Be A Falcons Fan
First, Vick goes to Federal-Pound-You-In-The-Ass Prison.
Then, your team loses on national television (even though nobody watched the game).
And now your coach is leaving for the Arkansas job.
I'm taking the ESPN report with a grain of salt, they have a history of getting these things wrong (just look at supposed Miles to Michigan rumors before the SEC Champ Game). If this is true, how much egg does Arthur Blank have on his face after telling the MNF Crew that he had Petrino's back through thick and thin?
A Few Updates:
- Upon further reflection, what does this say about the Falcons job that Petrino finds a job where the previous coach had to deal with fans who sued to make his cell phone calls public, spread rumors about his infidelity, and generally chased out of town a coach who averaged 8 wins a season and just last season was in the SEC Champ Game? Are the Falcons really in that bad of a position to make dealing with the Arkansas faithful the more appealing alternative?
- I should have mentioned this before but Roddy White has to be the front runner for next year's Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year right? I mean if making a weak show of support for a former teammate who has admitted his own wrong doing doesn't qualify as a heroic act what does? The guys at KSK have an excellent take on Roddy's heroism.
(Also, file this under "shit to random to believe" but the Falcons Director of Marketing is also named Roddy White)
Then, your team loses on national television (even though nobody watched the game).
And now your coach is leaving for the Arkansas job.
I'm taking the ESPN report with a grain of salt, they have a history of getting these things wrong (just look at supposed Miles to Michigan rumors before the SEC Champ Game). If this is true, how much egg does Arthur Blank have on his face after telling the MNF Crew that he had Petrino's back through thick and thin?
A Few Updates:
- Upon further reflection, what does this say about the Falcons job that Petrino finds a job where the previous coach had to deal with fans who sued to make his cell phone calls public, spread rumors about his infidelity, and generally chased out of town a coach who averaged 8 wins a season and just last season was in the SEC Champ Game? Are the Falcons really in that bad of a position to make dealing with the Arkansas faithful the more appealing alternative?
- I should have mentioned this before but Roddy White has to be the front runner for next year's Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year right? I mean if making a weak show of support for a former teammate who has admitted his own wrong doing doesn't qualify as a heroic act what does? The guys at KSK have an excellent take on Roddy's heroism.
(Also, file this under "shit to random to believe" but the Falcons Director of Marketing is also named Roddy White)
Comment of the Day
Not from this blog with its barren field of non-comments but from the St Pete Times Rays blog in discussing the proposed Rays stadium...
NFC South and Conference Playoffs Recap
TAMPA BAY: 8-5 (DIV) 4-0
NAWLEANS: 6-7 (DIV) 3-3
CAROLINA: 5-8 (DIV) 2-3
ATLANTA: 3-10 (DIV) 1-4
While the Bucs have not yet technically clinched the division you might as well wrap up the division title in Christmas paper for the Bucs. All Tampa Bay needs is a win against one of three losing teams: Atlanta, San Fran or Carolina.
DALLAS: 12-1
GREEN BAY: 11-2
SEATTLE: 9-4
TAMPA BAY: 8-5
NEW YORK: 9-4
MINNESOTA: 7-6
*WASHINGTON: 6-7
*ARIZONA: 6-7
*DETROIT: 6-7
*NEW ORLEANS: 6-7
(* - outside looking in)
Five of the six NFC playoff spots are pretty much locked up leaving only the last wild card spot up for grabs with the Vikings in the driver's seat for that spot. Although based on the way recent NFC playoff races have worked out I'm sure we will see a dark horse team come out of nowhere to sneak into the playoffs a la Washington in '05 which won it's last five games to barely get into the playoffs.
Maybe this should be colored under wishful thinking but I'm starting to think the four seed will work better for the Bucs than the three seed. The Bucs matchup better against the Giants than the Vikings. And assuming the Bucs win their home playoff game they would travel to Dallas instead of Green Bay. As over-hyped as the Bucs record is in cold weather there is some truth to the statistic, the team is not designed to play in cold weather especially the speedy defense.
NEW ORLEANS 34, ATLANTA 14
With Reggie Bush likely out for the season and the Saints still in contention for the playoffs we can expect to see Drew Brees throwing the ball early and often. Which is great if you have Brees on your fantasy team but turns the Saints into a one dimensional offense. It doesn't bode well for the NFC that there is only one playoff team which isn't one dimensional, i.e. the Cowboys. Every other team either depends on their passing game (Green Bay, Seattle, Tampa Bay, New York) or their running game (Minnesota).
JACKSONVILLE 37, CAROLINA 6
This may sound crazy but if I'm Jacksonville I would draft Tim Tebow in two years (assuming he's available in the draft). I think Tebow, much like Vince Young in Tennessee, would be a great fit for a defensive team with a run first mentality. I know Garrard is having an excellent season but he strikes me as more of a place holder a la Trent Dilfer on the Ravens.
NAWLEANS: 6-7 (DIV) 3-3
CAROLINA: 5-8 (DIV) 2-3
ATLANTA: 3-10 (DIV) 1-4
While the Bucs have not yet technically clinched the division you might as well wrap up the division title in Christmas paper for the Bucs. All Tampa Bay needs is a win against one of three losing teams: Atlanta, San Fran or Carolina.
DALLAS: 12-1
GREEN BAY: 11-2
SEATTLE: 9-4
TAMPA BAY: 8-5
NEW YORK: 9-4
MINNESOTA: 7-6
*WASHINGTON: 6-7
*ARIZONA: 6-7
*DETROIT: 6-7
*NEW ORLEANS: 6-7
(* - outside looking in)
Five of the six NFC playoff spots are pretty much locked up leaving only the last wild card spot up for grabs with the Vikings in the driver's seat for that spot. Although based on the way recent NFC playoff races have worked out I'm sure we will see a dark horse team come out of nowhere to sneak into the playoffs a la Washington in '05 which won it's last five games to barely get into the playoffs.
Maybe this should be colored under wishful thinking but I'm starting to think the four seed will work better for the Bucs than the three seed. The Bucs matchup better against the Giants than the Vikings. And assuming the Bucs win their home playoff game they would travel to Dallas instead of Green Bay. As over-hyped as the Bucs record is in cold weather there is some truth to the statistic, the team is not designed to play in cold weather especially the speedy defense.
NEW ORLEANS 34, ATLANTA 14
With Reggie Bush likely out for the season and the Saints still in contention for the playoffs we can expect to see Drew Brees throwing the ball early and often. Which is great if you have Brees on your fantasy team but turns the Saints into a one dimensional offense. It doesn't bode well for the NFC that there is only one playoff team which isn't one dimensional, i.e. the Cowboys. Every other team either depends on their passing game (Green Bay, Seattle, Tampa Bay, New York) or their running game (Minnesota).
JACKSONVILLE 37, CAROLINA 6
This may sound crazy but if I'm Jacksonville I would draft Tim Tebow in two years (assuming he's available in the draft). I think Tebow, much like Vince Young in Tennessee, would be a great fit for a defensive team with a run first mentality. I know Garrard is having an excellent season but he strikes me as more of a place holder a la Trent Dilfer on the Ravens.
2007-12-09
Gameday: Bucs @ Texans
My Sticks preview can be found here.
Just saw on ESPN that Luke McCown is the starter for the Bucs today. Which may not be a bad thing considering the way Luke played last week. Plus it gives Jeff Garcia another week to get fully healthy.
This has the smell of a trap game for the Bucs as they are going on the road following a big division game. It also doesn't help that this is the second straight road game for the Bucs.
TEXANS 28, BUCS 14
We didn't learn much about the Bucs today we didn't already know. They need Jeff Garcia to have a chance in the playoffs. And even in the playoffs they would be lucky to win a road game (the Bucs have a 3-4 record on the road this season). With more time I would dig into the stats but the Bucs seemed more mistake-prone when they are on the road, with the Detroit loss and today's game serving as the best examples of their weak play on the road.
POSITIVES
+ Greg White was a beast w/ 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles (although his aggressiveness led him to overplay a few runs)
+ Graham & Galloway again having solid games for the Bucs w/ 193 total yards & 2 TDS between them
NEGATIVES
- Luke McCown, it's difficult to fault the backup quarterback for being average but I will do so anyway, there were plays he could have made (missing a wide open Galloway for a TD) but failed to
- Bucs secondary, which continues to struggle against big, physical receivers
Just saw on ESPN that Luke McCown is the starter for the Bucs today. Which may not be a bad thing considering the way Luke played last week. Plus it gives Jeff Garcia another week to get fully healthy.
This has the smell of a trap game for the Bucs as they are going on the road following a big division game. It also doesn't help that this is the second straight road game for the Bucs.
TEXANS 28, BUCS 14
We didn't learn much about the Bucs today we didn't already know. They need Jeff Garcia to have a chance in the playoffs. And even in the playoffs they would be lucky to win a road game (the Bucs have a 3-4 record on the road this season). With more time I would dig into the stats but the Bucs seemed more mistake-prone when they are on the road, with the Detroit loss and today's game serving as the best examples of their weak play on the road.
POSITIVES
+ Greg White was a beast w/ 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles (although his aggressiveness led him to overplay a few runs)
+ Graham & Galloway again having solid games for the Bucs w/ 193 total yards & 2 TDS between them
NEGATIVES
- Luke McCown, it's difficult to fault the backup quarterback for being average but I will do so anyway, there were plays he could have made (missing a wide open Galloway for a TD) but failed to
- Bucs secondary, which continues to struggle against big, physical receivers
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Starting right now the Times is having an online chat with Rays prez Matt Silverman on the new stadium, which based on the comments (which the above one mocks) is sure to raise the mis-informed ire of Tampa Bay's best and brightest.
I am still waiting to hear a rational reason why the City should NOT approve a new stadium.