Defense:
Kevin Carter, 35
Ryan Sims, 28
Chris Hovan, 30
Derrick Brooks, 35
Cato June, 29
Ronde Barber, 33
Phillip Buchanon, 28

Aside from Barber, Brooks, and maybe Bryant, which of those players were potential Pro Bowlers to be excited about? Which did you think then might be on the team in 2010?

I’ll wait.

Our starting roster was filled with players who were either on their second or third team (everyone but Brooks and Barber), at the twilight of their career (Garcia, Galloway, Dunn, Brooks, Carter, Barber) or who were obviously marginal players who may not start elsewhere (Stevens, Sims, Hovan, June, Buchanon).

The only hope for the future in 2008 was Talib, Jackson, and the promising offensive line (which is still just ‘promising’). Mostly, it was ‘well, Gruden is a good coach, he’ll figure something out’.

I’d take the 2010 roster over the 2008 roster any day, not just because of talent, but also because of promise for the future, which the 2010 roster has.

But no way will anyone take that bait.

They wanna sell tickets they should get out of their own way in the ticket/front office.

So now, with all the talent in the world, the Buccaneers and Raheem Morris have no where to go but up. A couple more wins and Raheem will have proven the required progress to get a stamp of confidence from Ownership, to continue this plan of youthful exuberrance (excuse my spelling )!

That playoff game filled with Blue jerseys, really set the tone for this much needed youth movement. And there is no one more cut out for this movement than the General Manager and the current day Head Coach, Mr Raheem Morris. For these youthful leaders understand these younger athletes. They get it. They know exactly how to talk to them and not upset them. They understand them. And even though the overall record of 2009 didn’t seem promising on the surface, when you cut away the Jim Bate’s debacle, and discount some of the tougher, close loses and turn them into opportunities of improvement and promise, that coupled with winning 2 of the last 3, these young guys have these young fully prepaired to grow into NFL ready players sometime this season. The plan is in place, the youth will net us hope. And let me tell you, I’d rather have hope and close games (win or lose) than have Jon Gruden winning with no hope at all!

Why did the Ownership fire Gruden? Because Gruden wasn’t getting it done, ending a season with 4 loses, barely coaching winning seasons with teams that seemed to get older rather than younger. What is the point of winning with no hope for the future?

Why is Raheem Morris and Mark Domminic doing a great job? Because they have pieced together two great drafts, a young promising foundation that will lead the Bucs to many, many deep play off runs. This young dynamic duo are the talk of the town. Lots of people are excited about these two bright young men. They may not have won last year early, but once they were able to cut out the Jim Bates cancer, Raheem turned this ship in the right direction. Afterall, Raheem won the last 2 of 3 games last year. He beat the eventual Super Bowl champions, in New Orleans to boot. If you don’t think Raheem’s finish was far and away better than Gruden’s finish in ’08, then you are just not a fan of the Buccaneers.

Gruden’s last two winning seasons are in fact worse than Raheem’s promising season of 2009. Why? Because there now is hope. And you guys really need to let go and just trust in this foolproof plan the Ownership has in store for the Bucs. Just relax and enjoy the ride. For hope and an honest promise by the management will get Raheem the progress he needs to continue making his mark on this franchise and city.

And you’re going to tell me that when the Bucs were sitting at 9-3, you thought this was a patched together team of washed up has-beens? Please.

Chance, he said CHANCE. So you’re making a story out of a non-issue. Of course there is a chance

That being said, I think you’re probably right. 2-1 might not do it.

But you’re damn sure that a 9-3 record, with a hot franchise QB, would generate a lot more interest than the elderly, pieced-together, little-hope-for-the-future team you referenced in 2008.