Something tells Joe this guy won’t be watching the Super Bowl come Sunday… sober.

In Mel Kiper’s first mock draft, he wrote how the Bucs will choose Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman in the first round. Kiper explains the pick in this video. Bucs talk begins about the 3:30 mark.

It appears the Bucs have lured away Patriots tight end coach Pete Magurian. But Joe doesn't know is if he was hired as a coach or to pat down hot chicks entering the CITS on game days.

It appears Raheem the Dream has hired a new coach. Joe just isn’t sure what position said coach will fill.

Eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune reported Friday the Bucs were talking with Patriots tight ends coach Pete Mangurian. Since then, Mangurian has left the Patriots, so reports Mike Reiss of the Boston Globe.  Reiss suggests Mangurian is headed to Tampa Bay, and not just to party.

Mangurian, 53, is expected to hook on elsewhere – with Tampa Bay, joining the staff of new Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris.

What is curious is that no one is reporting for what position Mangurian was hired. Kaufman suggested Friday Mangurian is not a candidate for the Bucs open offensive coordinator position.

With Super Bowl week upon us and parties and festivities all over the Tampa Bay area, Joey Johnston of the Tampa Tribune takes a look back at the lone Bucs Super Bowl win.

Though it occured seven years ago, it seems like ancient history the way the Bucs finished the 2008 season, and lost their Super Bowl-winning coach, Chucky.

The MVP of that Super Bowl, (the good) Dexter Jackson remembers what that win meant for a number of his teammates.

“I’m not sure I understood the full magnitude of the moment. I’m looking at Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp and John Lynch, just seeing their faces. I’m seeing offensive tackle Lomas Brown bawling like a baby because he finally won the Super Bowl in his 18th year. I can still see it. I wish I could freeze that moment forever.”

Jackson also remarked how Chucky owned Tampa Bay that day. He quickly went from being loved to loathed.

NationalFootballPost.com suggests the Bucs will pick Mississippi defensive tackle Peria Jerry in the first round.

While mock drafts are a total guessing game this time of the year, they are still fun. So Joe will bring them to you from time to time.

NationalFootballPost.com has its mock draft updated just prior to tonight’s senior bowl. Unlike other mock drafts so far that have the Bucs picking a quarterback or a wide receiver, this mock draft has the Bucs picking for need, specifically Mississippi defensive tackle Peria Jerry.

With head coach Raheem Morris now at the controls of the defense, expect him to try to infuse talent along the defensive line. The Bucs’ defense wore down toward the end of the season, and a young, penetrating tackle like Jerry would be a great fit. Perry is very underrated at this stage, but after a strong Senior Bowl performance, expect him to be the second DT off the board in April.

This is more like it. So long as the Bucs lock up Antonio Bryant they don’t need a wide receiver drafted that high. Joe isn’t sold on quarterbacks either in the first round. The Bucs need a defensive lineman in a terrible way.

Herm told Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com he only wants to be a head coach or a defensive backs coach. Hey Herm, Joe knows where there's an opening for a defensive backs coach. Please come home.

There is no NFL reporter who gets more scoops than Jay Glazer of FoxSports.com. Even when he’s not trying he gets scoops he comes up with a gem.

Sure, Adam Schefter of NFL.com breaks all sorts of stories but remember he’s an employee of the NFL front office so he’s being fed 95 percent of his “scoops.” Still, Schefter is solid.

But in Glazer’s story about Kansas City coach Herm Edwards being fired yesterday, Glazer noted that if Edwards returns to the NFL sidelines it will only be as a head coach or a defensive backs coach.

“I’m going to take until after the weekend to decide what I want to do next. I need to talk to my wife and see which direction I want to go.”

Edwards said he will decide between taking time off, doing TV, and being a defensive backs coach, a job he truly enjoyed before becoming head coach of the New York Jets. Edwards said he does not want to be a defensive coordinator.

This warms Joe’s heart. Joe has made so secret of his mancrush for Herm. Even when WDAE-AM’s Steve Duemig informed Raheem the Dream of Edwards’ firing live on the air yesterday. The Dream said he would call Herm.

Joe only hopes that phone call included a job offer.

Herm Edwards brought Raheem Morris into the NFL

Joe mentioned yesterday how Raheem Morris might talk Herm Edwards into coaching the Bucs secondary and possibly giving him an assistant head coach title, if Edwards were to lose his job as Chiefs head coach.

Well, Edwards was then fired an hour later. And informed of the development on the air with Steve Duemig, of 620 WDAE-AM, The Sports Animal, Morris said, “I’m going to call [Herm} here right now.”

Joey Johnson, of the Tampa Tribune explored the relationship between Edwards and Moris recently. It turns out Edwards gave Morris his start in the NFL.

Morris was coached during his playing days at Hofstra University by Joe Gardi, former Jets defensive coordinator during the Sack Exchange years. Morris later became an assistant coach at Hofstra and Gardi recommended him to Edwards, who was then head coach of the Jets.

One day, Jets coach Herm Edwards, whose team worked out on the Hofstra campus, was out for a jog. Gardi called him over.

“Look at my guy,” Gardi said, motioning to Morris, who was coaching the defensive backs. “Now he would be a great pro coach.”

A little later, Edwards found Morris. In a fast-talking, rat-a-tat-tat exchange, a career path was forged.

You want to work with us?

Yeah, let’s go.

Morris was given an NFL minority internship. Gardi later recommended him to Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, who needed a quality-control coach.

“Monte later told me, ‘Joe, after seeing how Raheem works and how tenacious he is, you just send the next one on because anybody you recommend is solid with me,'” Gardi said.

Joe has no idea whether Edwards wants to return to Tampa, where he was the secondary coach for five season under Tony Dungy? But he’d sure be a valuable addition and a key mentor to Morris.

New Bucs coach Raheem the Dream spoke with the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio Steve Duemig Friday afternoon. The interview in its entirety can be found on “The Big Dog’s” page on the station’s website.

The Dream didn’t say a whole lot but spoke in a lot of cheerleading cliches. He seems to be a likeable fellow but it’s hard to judge someone who doesn’t offer much to say.

Joe did notice that his voice inflections remind Joe of Steve Spurrier.

Aside from saying defensive backs coaches make the best NFL head coaches, the most interesting thing Dream said came near the end of the interview. Duemig informed him that former Bucs defensive backs coach and Kansas City head coach Herm Edwards was fired. The Dream then said, “I’m going to call him here right now.”

Offer Herm a job Dream!

Joe just got a phone call from a great source who played college football with a pair of former Steelers.

Apparently the NFL has Tampa Bay mixed up with Detroit or Miami. Seems the former Steelers received a letter from the NFL warning them of how Tampa Bay is such a “high crime area.”

In fact, the NFL informed the players that if they plan on coming to the Super Bowl Feb. 1, that the NFL “cannot guarentee their security” and that if the players want to avoid getting lead in their backside they should only appear at NFL sponsored events next week in the days leading up to the Super Bowl.

Joe smells a rat. This is the NFL’s version of coercing players into avoiding events that haven’t paid the NFL for the right to use the three-letter acronym.

Tony Soprano would be proud!

If the Chiefs cut ties with Herm Edwards, would he ponder a return to the Bucs?

Joe has always had a soft spot for Herm Edwards. Jets fans may recoil in horror and Chiefs fans may curse aloud but Joe thinks Herm is a good coach and a damned fine man.

Herm was a solid coach with the Bucs under Father Dungy. And if Peter King’s educated guess is accurate, Herm could be had by the Bucs. And not as part of a Chucky-like trade either.

Since Scott Pioli was hired to be the Chiefs new general manager, rumors and speculation has become rampant that Herm could lose his job in Kansas City. Sort of makes sense: A new general manager would want to hire his own coach, especially when the team that just hired him has one of the worst records in the NFL.

King, writing today on SI.com, is reading the tea leaves and predicts Herm will get the pink slip soon.

New Kansas City GM Scott Pioli allowing Gunther Cunningham to leave the coaching staff with a year left on his contract to be Detroit’s defensive coordinator tells me Herman Edwards is in his final days at the helm. Why let a trusted guy walk if you’re not planning a change?

Not sure if Herm would want to be a lowly defensive backs coach after years of being a head coach. But Joe assumes if Herm could get a lofty title such as, “Royal Knighted Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs Coach” that may take some of the sting out of such a step down.

Well, that and a boatload of Benjamins.

Just play to win the game Herm!

[UPDATE: The Chiefs fired Herm late this afternoon.]

[UPDATE II: While finishing his interview with Raheem the Dream on WDAE-AM 620 this afternoon, Steve Duemig informed The Dream of Herm’s firing. The Dream said, “I’m calling him right now.” Let’s hope The Dream offers him a job in the phone call. Come home Herm.]

Joe isnt overly impressed with the list of finalists for the Bucs offensive coordinator position. After some research, Joe is of a mind to just give the job to current Bucs quarterbacks coach Greg Olson.

If various reports are to be believed, the Bucs have narrowed their search for a new offensive coordinator to six candidates. Joe’s going to take a look at each.

Brian Schottenheimer

The Jets offensive coordinator may not be in New York for long as he just interviewed for his current (temporary?) position with new Jets coach Rex Ryan. Schottenheimer, son of Marty Chokenheimer, keeps getting hired but Joe isn’t sure why. Let’s look at his resume:

Offensive assistant with St. Louis in 1997 (the Rams stunk out loud).

Offensive assistant with Kansas City in 1998 (the Chiefs were bad).

Quarterbacks coach with Washington in 2001 (Redskins were 8-8). Schottenheimer should get hazardous duty pay for working with Jeff George, Tony Banks and Kent Graham.

Quarterbacks coach with San Diego 2002-05 (Chargers were good). Nice job tutoring both Drew Brees and Philip Rivers.

Offensive assistant/coordinator with the Jets 2005-08 (Jets were up and down). Not bad. Didn’t have much to work with but seemed to do OK.

[UPDATE: Schottenheimer will stay with the Jets.]

Scott Linehan

Linehan had an impressive resume before he took over the Rams. Linehan improved the Dolphins 29th in the NFL in total offense in 2004 to 14th in 2005.

As the offensive coordinator with the Vikings, then-quarterback Daunte Culpepper enjoyed his best seasons. The Vikings’ offense ranked second, first and fourth respectively under Linehan.

But Linehan became one of the worst coaches in NFL history with the Rams and his ugly side showed through. He often quarreled with players on the sideline, most notably a major meltdown with stud wide receiver Torry Holt when Linehan screamed at Holt after the All Pro suggested a play, “Sit down, I call the plays.”

Linehan also turned quite nasty with the pathetically soft St. Louis media, often picking fights with the glorified cheerleaders (reporters) there. If a coach starts feuds with those lapdogs, for Joe, that speaks volumes. Despite his impressive pre-St. Louis resume, Joe is leery of Linehan.

[UPDATE: Well, it appears Linehan is the Lions’ problem now.]

Rob Chudzinski

The former Browns offensive coordinator has a weak resume. His offense was nothing to speak of in Cleveland and previously, Chudzinski had only been a tight ends coach for various teams. The last time the Bucs hired a tight ends coach for offensive coordinator was Mike Shula.

Also, former Bucs offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen, before he served as a Bucs quarterback coach under Father Dungy, was also a tight ends coach for the Bucs.

Does Joe really need to write any more about Chudzinski?

Chan Gailey

Joe was somewhat impressed with the job Gailey did as the Steelers offensive coordinator for two years in the mid-90s. He tried to turn a wide receiver into a quarterback (Kordell Stewart) and somehow got the team to the cusp of the Super Bowl in 1997. Since, Gailey has done nothing of substance.

Joe just can’t shake the fact that Gailey, as head coach of Georgia Tech, had one of college football’s greatest receivers in Calvin Johnson and still Gailey and his offensive coordinator Patrick Nix couldn’t, or wouldn’t, throw the ball to Johnson. You mean to tell Joe that Gailey was either so stubborn or shallow he couldn’t sit down in a meeting with Nix and diagram plays to take advantage of Johnson? That’s really weak.

Ken Zampese

The Bengals quarterbacks coach has to work with malcontents, hoods and injury plagued players. Still he ran a decent offense if not a good offense, sans this past season. Zampese also logged time with quarterback guru Mike Martz with the Rams in a previous life.

At least Zampese believes in an attack-style offense. Even though the Bengals offense was a mess this year, Joe chalks that up to all the injuries, off-field distractions and headcases Zampese had to babysit.

Greg Olson

The current Bucs quarterbacks coach comes with a pretty good resume. Most important may be his history with Jeff Garcia back with the 49ers when Garcia was at his finest (despite throwing balls to that coach killer of a wide receiver).

With the exception of stints with the Lions and Bears, wherever Olson has been the team has had a decent offense. Joe can’t blame Olson for that. Joe isn’t sure Bill Walsh could mold a quarterback from those two franchises.

Olson was even a quarterbacks coach at Purdue. The quarterback there was some guy named Drew Brees.

Given the collection of (mostly) stiffs that are rumored to be in the mix for the new Bucs offensive coordinator position, Joe is inclined to hand it over to Olson. It’s not as if Chucky ever listened to him.

"Hey, everybody forgets we finished 9-7. That's right, 9-7 two years in a row, even with lots and lots of injuries. ...Did I mention injuries?"

Well, well, well, we’re all going to find out this year whether Raheem Morris can finish 9-7 with Chucky’s players.

Hey, Chucky did it two years in a row.

Fans better be expecting at least that much from Morris. He’s got to be held to a standard.

And if he’s going to “Stay the Course” and just do some fine tuning and inject chest bumps and rah-rah crap with a few new free agents, then he better go 9-7 or better.

Raheem the Dream deserves no slack. The only rope he’ll get from THE PESSIMIST is if he and Mark Dominik find a hefty set of balls and start Luke McCown or a draft a quarterback in the first round and throw him into the fire. But if they go with Garcia, or some other veteran, then why shouldn’t they finish 9-7?

Yeah, the Bucs needed a new direction. But that direction needs to jack the team up, not down.

This isn’t Tony Dungy taking over the Yuks in the ’90s. This is a 9-7 team with a fair share of young players.

By BOB FOX

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Bob Fox takes a look at Jim Bates’ success as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. Fox writes for numerous sports publications.

Brett Favre was among those lobbying for Jim Bates to be named head coach in Green Bay after the 2005 season, writes JoeBucsFan.com analyst Bob Fox

Jim Bates is a guy who gets the most out of his players. Bates proved that in Miami where he led one of the best defenses in the NFL and also in Green Bay where he turned around a defense ranked near the bottom and made them one ranked near the top.

Can he do the same in Tampa Bay? It will be difficult because of the legacy of Monte Kiffin. But the 2008 Bucs defense was not the same late in the season, especially defending the run. I bet Bates will figure out how to improve the defense, based on his track record, especially looking at the job he did in Green Bay in 2005. After that season, many in the Packers organization were calling for Bates to be named head coach.

The Packers finished 4-12 in 2005, but it wasn’t the fault of Bates.  A very bad year by Brett Favre, who threw 29 interceptions, plus the loss of key free agents and key injuries doomed the Packers. Bates established a defense that year that was a major improvement over the defense of 2004. 

A little history: 

In 2004, former Packers coach and GM Mke Sherman then brought in Bob Slowik to be the defensive coordinator on the heels of two consecutive NFC North titles but a major collapse in the 2003 playoffs; the Eagles beat the Packers 20-17 in overtime thanks to converting a famous 4th-and-26 play late in the game. That loss cost Ed Donatell his job as defensive coordinator. Somebody needed to be a scapegoat after that, and it wasn’t going to be Sherman.

The Packers still won the NFC North in 2004, but the defense was torn to shred at times, especially in the passing game. The Packers were 25th in total defense that year in the NFL, as well as 25th in passing defense. Slowik was shown the door after the 2004 season.

Bates then took command in 2005, and he also brought a couple of defensive assistants with him from Miami, Bob Sanders and Robert Nunn. Bates had the defense ready to play EVERY week. The defense improved to 7th overall in total defense, including being No. 1 against the pass.

Ted Thompson took over as Packers GM in 2005 and after the season he decided to make a change at head coach. Bates was one of the favorites for the job. The players absolutely loved him and his high energy, and most players (including Brett Favre) lobbied on his behalf to Thompson. Thompson also interviewed coaches Mike McCarthy, Sean Payton, Wade Phillips, Maurice Carthon, Ron Rivera, Russ Grimm and Tim Lewis.

McCarthy got the job, and Bates was stung by not being named head coach. There had been strong speculation that he would be named head coach, and when he wasn’t, it hurt a lot.  McCarthy thought so highly of Bates, that he wanted him to remain. But Bates decided to move on, although he still kept a home in the Green Bay area.

McCarthy ended up hiring Bob Sanders, one of Bates’ good friends that he brought to Green Bay from the Dolphins. 

Bates in the NFL: Bates started his NFL coaching career with the Cleveland Browns (1991-1993 and 1995) as a defensive line coach.  Bates moved on to the Atlanta Falcons as defensive coordinator (1994), the Dallas Cowboys as linebackers/defensive line coach (1996-1999), the Miami Dolphins as defensive coordinator/interim head coach (2000-2004), the Green Bay Packers as defensive coordinator (2005) and then as the assistant head coach/defense for the Denver Broncos (2007).

Chucky has kept his mouth pretty tight since he was canned last week. It would be nice if Chucky would open up to Joe and help ailing children.

This season saw the end of four Super Bowl-winning coaches’ jobs. One of those four (a young, blonde-haired lad) was largely touted as being a potentially tremendous analyst by those who cover the comings and goings of the electronic media.

Two of those four coaches (Father Dungy and Mike Holmgren) were hired by NBC to provide commentary on the Super Bowl. The third of those four coaches, Mike Shanahan, had a press conference dealing with his exit from the Broncos.

That leaves one coach who is still in hiding, except for uttering one word. That coach is Chucky.

Come on Chucky, pick up the phone and help some sick children. Joe knows you have received his letter. Joe won’t bite. Matter of fact, he’ll even pick up the tab for some Hooters wings and a couple of cold brews.

New Bucs general manager Mark Dominik called in to the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig, Thursday afternoon on WDAE-AM 620’s The Big Dog Show. He had a few things to say about his hiring, today’s Jim Bates hiring, the process of hiring new coordinators, his relationship with Raheem the Dream and his team philosophy.

It’s been a busy few days. It’s been fun to get things started off with Raheem.

It’s been busy for Raheem and myself. Obviously this close to the Senior Bowl we had to get together and sit down and talk about what direction he is looking for with coordinators and coaches.

We have had a chance to work before for six or seven seasons, talk philosophy and what he likes and coaches he likes. That really helped our communication quickly here.

We developed a game plan to talk to a lot of talented football coaches. When we think we have found the right guy, we made the move.

On new defensive coordinator Jim Bates:

He has a great energy and that is something we have had for a number of years. He has a different wrinkle and some different philosophies that Raheem is comfortable with. You talk to him and hear his passion, you can understand why his teams are ranked in the top 10.

We talked about players and how they fit into this system. He is excited.

On speaking close to the vest in his press conference debut as Bucs general manager:

Every individual candidate is a little different. Bates is familiar with our defense. I think Jim has been a fan of the Kiffin Tampa-2 theory. He had a relationship with Raheem I was not aware of.

You can feel the chemistry between those two and that was important. Fans want to see an aggressive, attacking defense. I’m excited about what coach Bates will bring and how our players can mesh with what he is going to implement.

We can always find and are always looking to improve the talent on this football team.

Is the league changing (in relation to younger coaches)?

Maybe so. I see it on individual clubs. With Raheem and his excitement and enthusiasm to spark the club. We wanted Raheem to be comfortable with a coordinator he is excited to work with.

Each team is different. [The Bates hire] seemed to make sense for us. We want to build a team and provide quality coaches as much as possible from Raheem to the coordinators to the assistants.

We are going to have comfort. That is what we are looking for. Whatever Raheem is comfortable with and to make sure we have the right hire [for offensive coordinator].

Raheem I think does have a look [for the offense] the way the interviews are going. When we get a chance to sit down with a coordinator and a coach and to hear what they think, and then if it feels like it matches, then we need to dig deeper in the interview process.

On the quarterback quandary:

It’s a very important position, we realize. It’s an important area of the team we will address. Once the position is secured, then we will look at the players we have under contract and look at the four guys we have and then move forward.

On how he would describe himself:

I think I have developed trust with members of the front office and the coaches.

When Morris crafted his defense at Kansas State, he turned to the Buccaneers archives for guidance

Joe’s been working hard to learn as much as he can about Raheem the Dream. There’s not a lot out there.

In the weeks before the Morris hiring, it was a crying shame the local scribes didn’t put more effort into talking to Morris about his head coaching philosophies when he was a candidate for the Denver Broncos job. Were they lazy, or did nobody think he had a legitimate shot to run a team?

Back then, just a few weeks ago, Morris probably would have opened up to the media. But now he’s joined the ranks of the tight-lipped Glazer clan. Of course, he’s added that trademark, don’t-worry-be-happy smile.

But with today’s hiring of Jim Bates as defensive coordinator, we’re finally getting a better feel for how Morris will approach the defense. It’s clear more aggressive play is coming. And Morris will stick to the core principles of the Monte Kiffin era.

Joe found a story In the Kansas State college newspaper about Morris’ defensive philosophies. In 2006, The Dream was defensive coordinator there before bailing to return to the Bucs.

The article states Morris snatched the following 10 core principles of defense directly from the top of the Bucs 1998 playbook and used them for his Kansas State unit. Below are the top-10.

1. Mental preparation

2. Fundamentally sound

3. Be a physical defense

4. Hustle

5. Quickness

6. Consistency

7. Physical Toughness

8. Be disciplined

9. Gang tackling

10. Team unity

It sure sounds like Morris is a true Monte Kiffin disciple. Nothing wrong with that, but let’s hope Morris and Bates can improve Monte’s system and tweak it successfully for the 2009 Bucs.

As big a legend as Kiffin is, Morris and Bates still inherit the stain of the Bucs’ December collapse, a crappy pass rush and a defense that shockingly forgot how to tackle with the season on the line week after week.