Top Secret Preparation Plan In Place
January 27th, 2011
So the NFL’s youngest roster will be locked out of One Buc Palace and the structure of a team offseason program in March, if the NFL owners can’t get a new labor deal done with players in about six weeks.
One would think young, relatively immature professionals might struggle to stay dedicated to their bodies and craft without team oversight, versus a more veteran group of players. But Mark Dominik doesn’t buy that, so reports Woody Cummings, of The Tampa Tribune.
“The fact that we have so many young players here who stay in great shape and stay healthy is a plus for us,” he said. “All of those things I think work in our favor.”
Young players do need guidance, however, and Dominik said the Bucs have prepared for the possibility that those players may have to work out for weeks or even months without supervision.
“We’ve got our own plan mapped out,” he said without getting into the specifics of that plan. “I’m sure every club does but I’m also sure that every club doesn’t want to tell each other how they plan to do it.”
Joe disagrees with Dominik’s notion that the lockout scenario combined with the Bucs’ youth works in the team’s favor somehow. Please. Joe was once 24 with a pile of hard-earned money and understands what comes with freedom from authority.
Speaking on WDAE-AM 620 weeks ago, Bucs icon Derrick Brooks spoke at length about how the inability for players to train at One Buc Palace and stay connected to staff will be a major obstacle to every NFL club, especially a young one like Tampa Bay. And Joe’s heard Raheem Morris and Dominik speak at length about how many valuable teachings and lessons were delivered during the 2010 offseason program. (And they weren’t referring to Ronde Barber and other veterans.)
While Joe’s confident the Bucs have a great secret plan to foster team unity and focus without the leadership of coaches and official rules, Joe believes a lockout will hurt the Bucs more than most teams.
That said, Joe sincerely hopes Josh Freeman and the other captains find a way to get these informal workouts available to the public. A heck of a lot of money could be raised for charity through modest admission fees.
January 27th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Joe,
You think it’s possible that if there is a lockout, it could be just for part of the season? Maybe there can still be a 2011 season but the year would just be shortened.
January 27th, 2011 at 5:03 pm
I’m hoping for some scab autographs!
January 27th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
Joe here,
@Patrick- There’s a lot of disagreement here at the JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters about how the lockout will shake out. …This Joe (there are two) doesn’t believe the actual season will be affected. Just don’t think the players have the organizational strength and true desire to stick it out.
January 27th, 2011 at 5:15 pm
I would love for Freeman to get Stroughter, Briscoe, Williams, Parker, Spurlock, & Benn (if healthy enough) together for some work outs and route running.
They should plana few of those and open 1 or 2 to the public.
While they are at it, they should have the LBs do some tackling drills 🙂
January 27th, 2011 at 5:27 pm
I think our scab team went 2-1, lead by Ray Perkins and i think John Reaves and maybe Jim Zorn played some QB.
Not very well attended.
January 27th, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Freedom from the team doesn’t necessarily mean freedom from authority.
I’m sure guys like Freeman, Faine, Winslow etc will be keeping tabs on all the guys during any time off.
January 27th, 2011 at 5:34 pm
Actually Joe I wouldn’t be surprised if the teams full of veterans have a harder time keeping it together during a lockout. I think more than a few veterans who are tired of brutal training camps year in and year out will be the guys who are more tempted to laze around and take a break. The young guys are still full of energy and relatively healthy compared to some aging vets. It could work out either way. Hopefully we won’t have to learn the answer to this question.
January 27th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
Joe here,
@d-money Keeping tabs on all those guys is not realistic. Some will rally together, sure. But it’s going to be almost impossible to duplicate what the team does.
Jeff Faine: Hey Lumpkin, I texted you this morning and didn’t hear back for 15 hours. Never mind that. This workout report your agent faxed me doesn’t make any sense. Did you “shit” last night or “sprint?” I can’t read it.
Kregg Lumpkin: Who’s this?
Faine: It’s Jeff Faine.
Lumpkin: Oh, yeah. I did both. It’s all good. I’m in good shape.
January 27th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
Ah yes, the Year of the Scab! Eric, you are correct on all three counts!
BTW We actually had a decent draft that year: Testeverde, Mark Carrier, Ricky Reynolds, Ron Hall, and Bruce Hill.
January 27th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
I mean who do you think is really more likely to come back after a lockout fat or out of shape? Guys in their early 20’s or guys in their late 20’s to 30’s? The Bucs are so young that the majority of their roster should still be in relatively decent physical shape pretty much by default.
January 27th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
@oar,
Wow that was a good draft, especially Carrier.
Shortly thereafter, however, Perkins panicked and traded a number one to the Colts for Chris “concussion” Chandler.
January 27th, 2011 at 5:46 pm
Joe here,
@ gitarlvr – Would take the older guys who have a track record of knowing how to take care of their bodies and probably appreciate the paycheck more than a bunch of younger guys. … But the learning aspect has to factored in. OTA’s aren’t going to do much for Earnest Graham, but Erik Lorig would be at a disadvantage without them. Just one example.
January 27th, 2011 at 6:00 pm
I agree with you on the learning aspect but I think its just nature that all the guys in their early 20’s will have an easier time staying in top shape without team oversight. Obviously their are vets like Ronde who will stay in top shape in the offseason no matter how old they get but its just common sense, to me, that for many guys, the older they get the harder time they will have staying in top physical shape away from organized football. I think you underestimate the amount of older vets who use training camp as their way to get back into football shape after letting themselves go a little in the offseason, while the guys in their early 20’s dont necessarily need to do that much in the offseason to stay in halfway decent shape. I think its a double edged sword. For instance if there were little to no training camp I highly doubt that older guys(especially your 30 plus year old o-lineman and d-lineman) would start the season in better football shape but obviously the Bucs rookies next year would not be ready to see the field knowledge wise to start the season.
January 27th, 2011 at 6:01 pm
eric,
Funny how Chandler, Deberg(Chandlers back-up), Dilfer, and Young all made it to the Super Bowl after their stints with the Bucs. The latter two actually won it.
January 27th, 2011 at 6:54 pm
It is an advantage to have young guys. They are young, they get in shape much faster than old vets.
If this season will ultimately be a wash, then it again favors the Bucs and the young team. Why? Because they are young enough to burn a year. If we had a bunch of aging vets, their window would close so fast while their salaries are high… it’s just an advantage all around to have a young team in the face of a lockout.
Perhaps, this was all part of the Glazer’s grand plan anyway, because they knew that they were gonna play hardball in negotiations.
January 27th, 2011 at 7:02 pm
I forget, who was the moron that trading Steve Young to San Fran?
January 27th, 2011 at 7:31 pm
Eric- I remember Leeman Bennett saying that Steve Young was never going to make it as A QB, and had him practicing at Fullback. True story! Lol
January 27th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
@Capt.Tim
Wow, I’m so glad I wasn’t born yet back then. That had to be terrible seeing Young get traded and then he becomes a HOF QB. Bennett was an idiot LOL. Really, the Bucs should not have been bad for so long. If Culverhouse would’ve spent some money, gotten some decent coaches, etc, the team could’ve at least been average or respectable for many years.
But then again, we would not have had Lynch, Brooks, Sapp, Dungy, or even the Glazers here.
January 27th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
Not much can beat losing the overall number one pick in the draft to the Royals!
Couldnt get a good nights sleep for weeks over that one!
January 27th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
Lol- Bo Jackson broke the heart of the entire city. It was tough, Patrick. The hardest part was watching Players try so hard to win, just absolutely playing their hearts out, only to lose all the time. We had some great players come thru here over the years. One guy I always think about was Ervin Randall. He wanted to win here so bad. First player to campaign changing team colors and Mascot. Thought “Bucco Bruce” didn’t really strike fear in our opponents! Lol
January 27th, 2011 at 9:27 pm
DUH! The old steel trap is more like aluminum foil! I forgot Doug Williams! I sure hope Freeman doesnt do that and gets us one!
January 27th, 2011 at 9:31 pm
If there is a lockout I wonder if some of the draft prospects like clayborn will fall further in the draft due to the amount of unsupervised time the lockout with cause. That would be nice to get him in the second round.
January 27th, 2011 at 9:35 pm
Draft will happen as scheduled and Freeman will hold the team accountable.
I thought is was really cool to get to go to bucs training facility and watch practice. I would pay a couple of $$ to see a few more.
January 27th, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Hello joebucsfans. I doubt that this bucs team fall off together as a whole. With saying that, i often think of a few guys that might because of success and maturity blend. Free prove otherwise last year. Give love for Raheem the Dream for speaking goals early on defeat.
January 27th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
Your right Captain Tim, it was rough. But then again, all the sweeter when it finally turned around. To me, it was confirmed when we beat the Jimmy Johnson coached Dolphins on a Sunday night game. I think Mr. Dunn scorred on a screen pass to seal it. We werent the same old buccos no more!
January 28th, 2011 at 12:32 am
I trust in Dom. Not worried and agree that we have the advantage with the young roster.
January 28th, 2011 at 12:59 am
A little off topic, but let me state what I think we should do about our DE situation. I think we should get a proven DE in free agency and then maybe get one in the 2nd round of the draft. Maybe Ray Edwards and then the best DE available by the time we pick. A proven star DE mixed in with a developing franchise DE on the learning curve next season will be good for a team that’s trying to make a playoff push.
January 28th, 2011 at 7:32 am
Eric- I remember that time like it was yesterday! Finally, you could watch “Sportcenter” and” Inside the NFL” without being ridiculed or embarrassed! It was good times!
January 28th, 2011 at 7:46 am
agree with gtrlvr. I did a little amatuer boxing when i was younger. I watched alot younger guys earlier on in their career without all the trainers/managers, work harder due to thier hunger to make a name, ego and something to prove. Most older fighters later in their careers really get lazy and let themselves go. Could be misplaced confidence or simply just dont have the desire they once had, or their only fighting for a paycheck(joes point of vets appreciating paycheck more). Young guys with something to prove, thats what these bucs are…
January 28th, 2011 at 8:21 am
I have faith that Freeman will meet regularly with the WRs to continue their rapport.
I have doubts about Blount learning protection schemes, the young OL learning blocking moves, and the entire defense learning anything.
Only time will tell…