Last night when the Jets announced that offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer resigned, it got Bucs fans in a tizzy.

With Schottenheimer’s dad, Marty, already interviewed by the Bucs and hinting at a second interview, talking like he was all excited to lead the Bucs into a new era, it seemed like a precursor of Marty Schottenheimer’s eventual hiding.

But BSPN’s Adam Schefter suggests Bucs fans hit the brakes. Speaking on the Mike and Mike Show this morning, Schefter said even if Marty Schottenheimer gets the Bucs gig, his son will not join him.

If Marty Schottenheimer gets that job, Brian Schottenheimer will not go with him. That will not be a match that will end up being made. I feel that Brian wants to be on his own. He doesn’t want to be with his dad. He wants to make a name for himself. Brian Schootenheimer wants to branch out on his own situation. Brian Schottenheimer will find a great job somewhere else. Brian Schottenheimer wants to shine in his own situation in his own job without the shadow of his father right there. That will be a union that won’t take place.

Well, so much for that idea. Joe also thought the younger Schottenheimer’s resignation with the Jets was a precursor of Marty being hired as Bucs coach.

Former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck looks at the Bucs’ concerns as the offseason begins in this BSPN video.

It will be a long time before Joe ditches the sordid memory of the Bucs — being coached by a defensive guy no less! — hacking up 42 points in 22 minutes in what proved to be the Bucs career finale for jettisoned coach Raheem Morris.

To watch the replay of that game should be like the opening moments of a graphic World War II documentary on the Military Channel where viewers are warned some scenes may be too disturbing for children.

Now that the Bucs are in the midst of a coaching search, just to hear some of the names of candidates with head coaching experience has nearly forced Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com back to his favorite watering hole, so he wrote Tuesday.

When you’re up against the likes of two Schottenheimers, Wade Phillips, and Mike Sherman, it’s hard not look like Brooklyn Decker leaning up against a jukebox. [Jeff] Fisher’s “stock” has skyrocketed in the last two months and it’s certainly not because of some new, innovative offense he’s been outlining on the beach in San Diego. …

In one fell swoop, Tampa Bay will go from a young, innovative unknown coaching entity to an old, well-traveled coaching re-tread. You know what you’re getting with a Marty Schottenheimer or a Wade Phillips. It might not be Super Bowl rings, but it’s stability, it’s a time-tested process, and for at least a few years — some order to the asylum. And for many franchises and long-losing fan bases, that’s enough.

Dominik rolled the dice on Morris in 2009, and after a 10-game losing streak to end what started a promising 2011 season, he crapped out. Now, he’ll go safe and play the penny slots. One extreme to the other. In three or four years, the pendulum will no doubt swing the other way.

In short, Schrager wonders why teams aren’t hiring up-and-coming coordinators. But like he wrote above, it’s the safe route, the best way for a general manager to save his job. As long as a team hovers near the .500-mark and competes for a division title, it’s unlikely a general manager will have to clean out his desk.

Chokenheimer, while safe, would be like a drill sergeant to the young Bucs. Drill sergeant in that if someone loafs or blows off meetings or doesn’t know the playbook, they will be drilled right out of town.

Late Tuesday night, the New York Jets announced that embattled offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will not return to the team for the 2012 season, that he turned in his resignation.

For those unaware, Schottenheimer is the son of Marty Schottenheimer, erstwhile Bucs coach.

The younger Schottenheimer was essentially the Raheem Morris of New York sports talk radio in that fans railed against him so much bonfires were nearly lit at Giants Stadium.

Jets fans were outraged over not just the Jets playcalling, but how quarterback Mark Sanchise, drafted in the same first round as Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman, steadily got worse and didn’t improve. Sanchise has sunk so low that sober minds in Gotham talked openly about getting a new starting quarterback.

So, Joe asks a few questions:

Is this a sign that the elder Schottenheimer is on his way to Tampa Bay? Schottenheimer has said he is meeting with Team Glazer for a second round of talks.

Will the younger Schottenheimer join his dad with the Bucs?

Should Freeman be frightened?

Conspiracy theorists and crystal ball types, REACT!

"You, 25, come here. Let me tell you a story."

As Chokenheimer fever sweeps the Bay area like gonorrhea through a frat house, Bucs head coaching candidate Marty Schottenheimer is fired up to teach the young Buccaneers.

The 68-year-old with 200 wins and an abysmal playoff record spoke to Stephen Holder of the Tampa Bay Times after meeting with Team Glazer and rockstar general manager Mark Dominik today. As Raheem Morris might say, Schottenheimer was vibin’ to Holder and said he’ll be talking to Team Glazer again soon.

“I think they’ve got some great young players on that team,” he said. “They’ve also  got some really solid veterans. And when you see the opportunity to work  with youngsters and see them develop, that’s always very exciting for  every coach. In my particular case, I like to work with kids. I refer to  them as kids, even though I know they’re grown men. But I like to give  them the benefit of my insight as to what I’ve seen and experienced in  this business. I’m a teacher is what I am in my view.

“And to watch these young men take the information that me and the (coaching) staff  provide to them and they, in kind, combine that with the skill set that they have, I live vicariously through their play. It’s like it’s me out there doing it.”

Click on through above to read the whole piece.

As Joe has written, if the Bucs are seeking a retread type head coach, which sure seems to be the case, then Schottenheimer is the cream of their current short list.

Without hesitation, Bucs Pro Bowl guard Davin Joseph said there’s a name on the publicized list of Bucs coaching candidates that he’d love to throw his allegiance to.

Joseph is a fan of Marty Ball, Marty Schottenheimer’s brand of physical offense, so he said today on PrimeTime on WHBO-AM 1040.

“Marty Schottenheimer,” Joseph responded when asked if he felt excited about any of the coaching prospects.

“I heard his name, because I remember back when he coached in San Diego. They had the power run scheme and they were just awesome. You know, that’s when [LaDanian Tomlinson] had his better years. They were just playing some serious ball.

“Of course, their whole thing was that when they got to the playoffs, they just weren’t playing good. They just lose in the playoffs every time they got there. But I’m like, ‘Shoot, I’d like to get there.’ I’d like to get there. … You’re talking about a guy who loves to play some power football.

Joseph went on to say the Bucs are built to run a power running scheme and they’re in a brutally tough division and Schottenheimer could get the Bucs competitive. “He’s a guy that can definitely get us some wins,” Joseph said.

Also, Joseph added that LeGarrette Blount is a talent that just needs a full offseason in a system and is a running back that has all the tools, running, catching and blocking.

As Joe’s written before, Schottenheimer is probably salivating at the thought of what could happen if he got to utilize Blount.

There are a few things Brad Childress is known for. One is an inability to develop a quarterback. The other is his penchant for fibbing. Another is his frosty relationship with the fourth estate or simply lack of understanding of simple media relations.

The latter trait was reinforced yesterday when Childress hung up on Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.

Chilly chilled out and spoke with Cummings today and confessed, yes, the Bucs interviewed him and, yes, the Bucs do have some talent.

“I like Josh Freeman,” Childress said. “You know, we (Vikings) ended up taking (Florida wide receiver) Percy Harvin (22nd overall) in the draft, but if Josh had come to us, it would have been hard to pass up a quarterback like that.”

Childress expressed positive impressions of the Bucs’ young defensive line and veteran offensive line, which consists of two Pro Bowlers, right guard Davin Joseph and left tackle Donald Penn (in 2010-11).

“That group of five guys is fairly solid,” Childress said of the offensive line. “The thing they have to do there is play better as one, but they have a good element of toughness.”

Joe just cannot believe the Bucs would seriously consider hiring Chilly. Just cannot. There is no reason to hire this guy if you are trying to find someone to develop Josh Freeman.

If Chilly is hired, then you can find Joe at the bottom of a bottle of Bushmills.

Joe cannot find one guy who, after looking at the list of candidates the Bucs are interviewing to fill the hole left by jettisoned Raheem Morris, doesn’t come away aghast.

Yesterday Joe’s good friend, the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig, of WDAE-AM 620, said the known candidates “make me want to puke.”

Later, Duemig wondered aloud if the list was a smokescreen because the candidates were so outrageous. It appears Duemig is onto something.

Popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, beer-chugging Peter King of Sports Illustrated is of the belief that Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik is thieving “knowledge” from the likes of Marty Chokenheimer and Wade Phillips.

TAMPA BAY IS FACT-FINDING. THAT IS ALL. “I’m not a fan of the Bucs, and I know you said in today’s MMQB that Cincy’s Mike Zimmer was a strong candidate to replace Raheem Morris, but are they REALLY considering Wade Phillips or Brad Childress as their next coach?? Phillips has never proven himself as a head coach while he has excelled as the DC everywhere he’s gone without the Ryan fanfare. And Childress, well, he didn’t very well distinguish himself in his time with the Vikings. What can they possibly be thinking?”
— Jon Karp, Camillus, N.Y.

I actually didn’t say that about Mike Zimmer; I said I thought Mike Sherman would be a candidate. Al Davis used to have this theory about coaching interviews. Cast a wide net and steal knowledge. If you have a chance once every three or four years to bring in veteran coaches who you may have a slight interest in hiring but absolutely have a strong interest in stealing knowledge from, why not interview these guys?

Why not ask Brad Childress his opinion on what’s important in developing a quarterback, and what did he learn from Andy Reid on that? Why not ask Wade Phillips, who’s been a terrific defensive coordinator, how he raised the Texans from the 30th-ranked defense last year to second this year — without Mario Williams? Why not ask them to watch some tape of the awful Tampa Bay defense and say, “Give me your theory: What’s wrong here?” Not saying he did that, but that’s something Davis would have done.

This makes perfect sense because Joe just cannot believe the Bucs are literally serious in hiring Brad Childress — Brad Childress! — to develop Josh Freeman. Might as well hire Les Miles as the quarterback coach.

Think about it: Who was Bruce Almighty’s right-hand man with the Bucs? Dominik. Who did Bruce Almighty learn the intricacies of front office politics from? Al Davis.

This has to be the logical conclusion. For the sake of Joe’s thinly-held sanity, it must be.

As notorious winner/choker Mary Schottenheimer/Chokenheimer sits down with Team Glazer and Mark Dominik to talk all things Bucs football and head coaching today, Joe is lost in wonder at the what the history is between the rockstar GM and the head coach who consistently takes his teams to playoffs but stumbles in big games.

Dominik was a youngster entering the NFL with the Chiefs when Schottenheimer was head coach there. Joe suspects the two had some sort of interaction back in the day that left a positive, indelible impression on Dominik, who has spoken fondly of the relationships he formed in the Chiefs organization.

Perhaps it was Dominik that reached out to Schottenheimer for the Bucs gig? Joe has no clue. Perhaps the 68-year-old coach told his agent to “call the eager kid that used to fetch my game film.” Again, Joe’s just guessing.

But if the old guy wants to return, and the Bucs are set on scoring a proven leader with a pile of gravitas who can also build a coaching tree (Tony Dungy, Bill Cowher and Herm Edwards coached under Schottenheimer), then Joe’s hard pressed to think of a better candidate in that mold.

Former Bucs defensive end Steve White (1996-2001) threw a new name into the hat of potential Bucs coaches yesterday during an appearance on PrimeTime on WHBO-AM 1040.

The outspoken, analytical White said he’d give consideration to New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, whose defense revived itself in December and pitched a shutout Sunday against Atlanta in the Wild Card round.

Fewell’s an interesting candidate. He went 3-4 as Buffalo Bills head coach during an interim capacity in 2009. He’s 49 years old and must be a disciplinarian type if he’s working for Tom Coughlin, and he worked for Coughlin for in Jacksonville as secondary coach. He’s also weathered major fire in New York and has been lauded for making adjustments over the past four weeks after the Giants defense was torched by the Saints, Packers and Cowboys.

Surely a Fewell interview would get a collective “Who?” from Bucs fans. But if you’re going to interview Brad Childress, then Fewell should probably be on the radar.

Former Bucs QB Jeff Carlson says blaming the 2011 season on management is misdirected. Carlson also gives a take on the Bucs' coaching search.

Former Bucs quarterback Jeff Carlson (1990 & 1991) writes The QB Blast column here at JoeBucsFan.com. Joe is ecstatic to have him firing away. Carlson is often seen as a color analyst on Bright House Sports Network, and he trains quarterbacks of all ages locally via his company, America’s Best Quarterback. Plus, he’s a really cool dude.

By JEFF CARLSON
JoeBucsFan.com analyst

In 1990, we started the season 4-2 and by the 12th game of the season, Ray Perkins was fired and we finished the season 6-10.

Blaming the owner (Hugh Culverhouse) for falling apart in the middle of the season is kind of silly. We were the same low payroll team at the beginning, middle and end of that season and the poor play was really on the players and coaches, not ownership.

We all know that more money spent on salaries usually has a positive affect on team performance and spending more makes fans think you are trying to compete with the big boys. The Glazer family has been a low payroll team the last few years and especially recently with the lack of a salary cap, but the majority of this year’s monumental midseason collapse cannot be directed to management, but to players and coaches.

There are so many pieces of the puzzle that can accept bits of the blame to touch everyone, but the overall lack of coaching and game-planning was really evident, spiraling deeper as the weeks rolled on and the effort level of the players also got worse each week with one of the worst ever seen in NFL history in the season finale.

No outrage; No innovation

Many teams with bad seasons rally a time or two to play “spoiler,” but the Bucs rolled over each time. And the gameplans that they had each game were pretty embarrassing. Trying to stay cool through the fire instead of finding some real outrage after each embarrassing loss was a problem for coaches and players alike.

Against the Falcons, the Bucs did not move Josh Freeman out of the pocket on one designed rollout to give the O-Line some help. They rarely ever used any type of misdirection all season. They finally brought Josh Johnson in at WR (I have been begging for that for three years) and let him run deep once, which Freeman threw out of bounds (he was open), but never flipped it to Johnson on an end-around with a run/pass option.

There was no rhyme or reason for what the offense did the entire year. This team’s talent was never good enough to line up and play smashmouth football and expect consistent success. It just didn’t give the defense much to prepare for in any situation, playing straight into the defense’s hands without any players of extra-special talent like most teams have.

I have pointed out since last year that the Bucs’ defense lined up in unsound fronts on a regular basis, allowing offenses to outflank them to the edge on too many plays to count. If you went into a film room and dissected the game, you would see where it wouldn’t matter what the names on the back of the jerseys were, the opposing offense would have a distinct advantage before the ball was snapped. And that is one reason the Bucs set records for giving up so many yards per play and thus, a record number of points on the year.

With that said, management made plenty of its own bad decisions, but the players are paid professionals and should compete regardless, and from London on this team really didn’t, as evidenced by what Cam Newton did to this team twice (setting records in both games) and in the unbelievably poor effort in the season finale. There was really no way to justify keeping Raheem Morris after watching him direct the worst defense in franchise history and the offense really wasn’t much better, or at least one of the most boring offenses in memory.

Chip Kelly?

Now the unfortunate job of finding a new coach in a sea of lackluster candidates is upon us, and while the lack of excitement on the field was bad, the lack of any interest in most of the names being bantered about isn’t going to illicit a raised eyebrow by even hardcore Bucs fans.

The only guy that would get me going is Chip Kelly from the University of Oregon. I figure if you aren’t going to be good, you might as well be exciting and the Oregon Ducks put out an exciting brand of football that makes the defense defend multiple points of attack.

I don’t have any idea of his interest in moving up to the NFL, and I’m not sure his frantic pace would work with a limited roster of players as they have in the NFL anyway.

I do think Jerry Gray (interviewed last week) would make a good coach. He was a Pro Bowl free safety when I was drafted to the Los Angeles Rams. He was a strong leader that took his job seriously, but had a good personality and sense of humor.

Unfortunately for Gray, he is a defensive guy and who knows who he might bring in to run an offense and with Freeman as the face of the franchise. Knowing that is probably the most important thing to find out.

This team may have limited its search to guys that have been called a head coach before, but these young players just need to be motivated properly and given better schemes to work with.

Proper motivation and better schemes might not put this team back in the hunt for the Super Bowl next year, but it will get them back to competing each week and we know that if we can be competitive, Josh Freeman can win games in the fourth quarter. And that kind of excitement is really what this team and town needs right now.

Given the lackluster if not retread list of coaches Team Glazer and Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik have interviewed, or are scheduled to interview thus far (candidates we know of), clearly the coach that raises an eyebrow more than others is Marty Chokenheimer.

Chokenheimer is one of the best regular season coaches in recent decades in the NFL. But as far as postseason success, well, his teams shut down just like the regular season shuts down.

Despite the awful playoff record, Chokenheimer seems excited about the possibility of being the next Bucs coach, succeeding jettisoned Raheem Morris, so Chokenheimer told Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune.

“I think it’s an interesting situation they have there in Tampa with so many talented young players,” said Marty Schottenheimer, 68, who is slated to interview with the Bucs today in Tampa.

“When I started to look at the team a little more closely, I was amazed at all the young players they have. There are a lot of guys 28 and younger there. It’s very intriguing.”

Interesting. Joe was under the impression from some that the Bucs are barren of talent.

Joe can say one thing about Chokenheimer: If he comes to the Bucs this team will be whipped into shape. None of the nonsense that Morris tolerated if not enabled would happen under the boot of Chokenheimer.

Players that ran wrong routes, players that committed a bunch of penalities, players that regarded meetings as voluntary would either fly right from Day 1 or they would be launched without much warning.

And players that played ole’ football in the final weeks of the Morris regime, they’d likely not even make it to the Bucs first session of OTAs this spring.

The more Joe thinks about it, maybe Chokenheimer is just the right guy for this young team?

"Mike Sherman? Why, bay-BEE?"

This is what it has come to for the Bucs. It isn’t just that Team Glazer and Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik are being scoffed at by local talking heads over the known interviewees to replace jettisoned Bucs coach Raheem Morris. It is now national scorn.

First it was Deadspin, then it was PTI mocking if not laughing at who the Bucs are looking at for their new head coach. Well now, Dick Vitale has piled on.

The ESPN college basketball icon and Tampa Bay area resident took to Twitter to lambaste the talk of Mike Sherman being one of the leading candidates as the next Bucs coach.

@DickieV: BUCS may hire Mike Sherman. y is he on their radar? They say offensive genius.25-25 @Tex A&M fired by Green Bay that doesn’t = GENIUS!

Later, Vitale used Twitter to please with almost-Bucs coach Steve Mariucci to leave the NFL Network desk to run the Bucs.

@DickieV: @SteveMariucci Comeback to coaching – my BUCS NEED U! U can always get back into tv.

Joe will have more on “Mooch” tomorrow. He recently was in St. Petersburg and was kind enough to talk to Joe about the Bucs.

The list of coaching candidates currently on the Bucs’ radar has left Bucs fans cold if not bewildered. From Mike Sherman to Wade Phillips, many a Bucs fan is hoping these are just wild rumors.

But no, they are not. It sure appears the Bucs are looking for a guy, an older guy, who has head coaching experience, perhaps ignoring what type of success said coach had.

So here’s the good news/bad news of the momment, courtesy of Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune via Twitter.

Marty Schottenheimer says he’s slated to interview for Bucs HC job on Tuesday. He follows Brad Childress, who is in today.

What does Joe consider good news? Marty Chokenheimer. Given the list Joe has seen of Bucs coaching candidates, he is without question the best choice.

The bad news? Chilly.

"Tavaris Jackson can vouch for me. I can develop Josh Freeman."

Many Bucs fans are rolling their eyes at the list of candidates rumored to be interviewed by Team Glazer and Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik to replace jettisoned coach Raheem Morris.

It seems the common denominator is head coaching experience and being one step from retirement.

Now some have speculated that the Bucs interviewing former Minnesota coach Brad Childress — BRAD CHILDRESS! — may not actually have been for a head coaching gig, but as a coordinator.

Now, Jason La Canfora of the NFL Network has added fuel to that fire claiming the Bucs have a package deal in mind, so he Twittered today, stopping just short of writing Mike Sherman is the Bucs’ top target.

@JasonLaCanfora: Bucs interviewing on road, not at team headquarters. In the end package of Sherman, w/ Childress and Mike Nolan as coordinators, may be it.

Sherman makes Joe yawn. Joe just cannot believe Sherman is the best head coaching candidate out there. What other teams have interviewed Sherman if he is so valuable? Case closed.

As far as Childress, please explain a quarterback he developed? Sure, he was with Andy Reid when Donovan McNabb was the Eagles quarterback but Joe is convinced that was all Reid.

Yeah, Childress really developed Tavaris Jackson, didn’t he?

Joe is OK with Nolan. Solid coach, solid defensive guy.

Joe never thought he would write the following: Please, Marty Chokenheimer, please come to Tampa Bay.

Joe read the venom on this very site. Heard the rage in fans’ voices on sports radio.

Joe cannot remember the last time he ever heard a fanbase so outraged at the team, and in particular soon-to-be jettisoned coach Raheem Morris.

How PO’ed were fans at the Bucs after the team turned into a glorified practice squad, getting pistol-whipped each and every week as the season grew to a close? Baseball fans like to say World Series and hometown hero David Freese will never have to buy a drink or a cheeseburger in that river city again. In the Tampa Bay area, Joe’s guessing Morris would be hard-pressed to find someone who would pick up his tab for a cocktail.

Well, after reading popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, beer-chugging Peter King of Sports Illustrated this morning in his must-read Monday Morning Quarterback, King seemed like one of the tens (hundreds?) of thousands of jilted Bucs fans as King lashed out at the Bucs, and in particular Morris.

I think, and I’m sorry for continuing to dump on the Bucs, but how on earth did a team with that much recent defensive drafting and a defensive head coach and a solid core allow 31 points a game? I don’t recall such a blatant and incredible collapse on defense. Seven times the Bucs allowed 35 or more points in a game — and that’s with four picks in the top two rounds of the last two drafts being used on the front seven. Seven! Twenty-two sacks, with some of the best and the brightest pass-rushers to come out of the draft in recent years! Utterly, absolutely, stunningly pathetic. What was that coaching staff doing? Where was the defensive discipline?

Peter, many Bucs fans were asking the same. It was one of the worst chapters in franchise history, documented by the franchise-record number of points allowed.

Also in the link above, King mentions how the Bucs “like” Mike Sherman, and not in a Facebook sort of way.

Quoth King, “I think Mike Sherman would be a perfect fit — today, for what the Bucs are and need right now.”

Bucs beat writer Rick Stroud says money is an issue in the Bucs' head coaching search. Stroud also is no fan the Bucs' current list of candidates.

Looking for a guy thoroughly disgusted by the Bucs’ head coaching search? Joe’s got one for you, beat writer Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times.

Stroud said the Bucs’ current candidate list of older retread types is one that would have no interest to other teams around the NFL.

“It just slays me how organizations overreact, overadjust and go to the polar opposite of what they had,” said Stroud, speaking today on The Dan Sileo Show on WDAE-AM 620. “You had a young coach, never been a head coach, yungry guy, relates to players, you know, and when you don’t win that means you’re not disciplined. Now you’re going to go to the oldest head coach you can find, a guy that’s been there multiple times, you know, elder statesman. …

“And it just seems like a bridge to, I don’t know, to somebody else some day, you know, to get the train kind of back on the tracks. They want someone to come in here, be organized, be able to put together a staff, make it look like the NFL again.”

Stroud went on to say the Bucs have seemingly “pigeon-holed” themselves looking at only longtime veteran coaches.

“Where are the young coordinators?” Stroud asked rhetorically. “Todd Haley, same thing, too close to what [the Bucs] just had.”

Stroud also questioned Team Glazer’s willingness to spend money, just a week after Team Glazer said they’ll spend “whatever it takes.”

“Let’s not ignore the elephant in the room. What kind of salaries are [the hot candidates leaguewide] going to ask for?” Stroud asked, implying that the older veteran coaches will take less money to get another shot at head coaching.

Stroud also said Jeff Fisher wasn’t interested in the Bucs job, in part, because the Bucs wouldn’t spend freely.

Joe’s hardly feeling so negative at this point. It’s still early in the coaching search. Loads of names could emerge this week.

For many Cheesehead-related matters, Joe will seek insight from longtime Packers analyst Bob Fox, also a frequent Tampa Bay sports radio caller who uses the stage name Green Bay Bob. Joe recently asked Fox for some thoughts on former Packers coach Mike Sherman, who appears to be the early favorite to replace Raheem Morris. Fox was kind enough to pen a take for JoeBucsFan.com readers.

By BOB FOX

Jason La Canfora of NFL Network seems to think Mike Sherman is the frontrunner to become the next head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In fact, he thinks a decision could happen soon.

So why Sherman?

Sherman most recently spent four years at Texas A&M as head coach before he was fired weeks ago after posting a 25-25 record. But I would like to concentrate on his tenure in Green Bay.

In 1999, the Packers and Ron Wolf hired Ray Rhodes as head coach after Mike Holmgren left for Seattle. But Rhodes was fired shortly after the 1999 season, as the Packers fell to an 8-8 record following four consecutive season winning 11 or more games. The biggest reason for Rhodes being fired was the way he allowed the “inmates to run the asylum,” as the saying goes. Players were late for meetings.  There was little or no team discipline. Wolf saw enough and pulled the plug on Rhodes after only one season.

Sherman was next in line.

Sherman had been the tight ends/assistant offensive line coach under Holmgren in Green Bay in 1997-98, plus was offensive coordinator under Holmgren in Seattle in 1999. One of the biggest reasons that Wolf hired Sherman was to restore discipline to the Packers. In many ways Sherman did just that, including notoriously installing digital clocks in meeting rooms to make sure players knew what the time exactly was.

In 2000, the Packers were 5-7 and looking at their first losing season since 1991, but Sherman lit enough of a fire underneath the team to see the team finish 9-7. Bucs fans might remember the last game of the 2000 season. The Bucs and Packers were tied at 14-14, when Martin Grammatica lined up to attempt a 40-yard field goal with just 14 seconds left in the game. Grammatica missed wide right and the Bucs lost 17-14 to the Packers in OT.

Before the 2001 season started (after the 2001 NFL draft), Ron Wolf decided to resign as GM. Packers President Bob Harlan decided to give the GM duties to Sherman, which he would later regret.

Sherman was a decent coach in his tenure in Green Bay, but his decisions as GM were largely awful. More on that later.

In 2001, Sherman and the Packers finished 12-4 and were a Wild Card team in the rough NFC North sandwiched between the playoff-bound Bucs and Bears. The Packers beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-15 at Lambeau Field in their first playoff game and then were shredded by the St. Louis Rams 45-17 a week later, as Favre threw six interceptions.

From 2002-2004 the Packers won three consecutive NFC North titles under Sherman.  However, the Packers did not fare well in the playoffs.

In 2002, the year the Bucs won it all, the Packers had a chance to be the No. 1 seed in the NFC. All the Packers had to do was win their last game of the season against the New York Jets in New Jersey. The Jets bombed the Packers 42-17 and the Packers ended up the No. 3 seed in the NFC, with the Philadelphia Eagles being the No. 1 seed and the Bucs at No. 2. Then the Packers lost their first playoff game ever in Green Bay as Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons beat the Packers 27-7 at Lambeau Field.

Questionable decisions

That was painful to Packer fans, but it got much worse in the postseason in 2003 and 2004. In 2003, the Packers won their first playoff game by beating Seahawks at Lambeau Field 33-27 in OT. If the Packers could beat the Eagles next in Philly, Sherman and the Pack would be playing in their first NFC Championship Game since 1997. The Packers should have beaten the Eagles. Green Bay lead 17-14 with less than two minutes to go in the game. The Packers had the ball and a 4th-and-inches at the Eagles 40 yard line and Philly had no timeouts.

The Packers had rushed for 210 yards that day, with Ahman Green getting 156 yards himself.  So…what does Sherman decide to do? Go for the throat and end the game right then and there behind an offensive line and running attack that had been gashing the Eagles?

No. Sherman punted, which led to the famous 4th-and-26 play when Donovan McNabb hit Freddie Mitchell. The Eagles won in overtime.Many have said, myself included, that was probably the day Sherman lost the team because of his decision-making.

In 2004, the Packers won the NFC North but lost once again at Lambeau Field in the playoffs. By then, President Bob Harlan had seen enough and he hired Ted Thompson to become GM of the team, while Sherman was kept on as coach only for the 2005 season, which would turn out to be his last in Green Bay.

Solid coach, poor GM

As GM of the Packers, Sherman made a lot of poor decisions. In the draft, he started out well enough in 2002, as he plucked WR Javon Walker, RB Najeh Davenport and DE Aaron Kampman in his first ever draft as GM.

That was his high water mark. In his 2003 and 2004 drafts, the only players of significance that played well with the Packers were LB Nick Barnett, DT Corey Williams and C Scott Wells. Otherwise, the drafts of those two years were absolutely horrible.

Sherman wasn’t much better in free agency, although he did sign former Buccaneer Hardy Nickerson to play MLB for the Packers in 2002. But even then, most folks knew that Hardy’s best days were behind him.

The biggest free agent bust in the history of the Packers had to be the signing of DE Joe Johnson, formally of the New Orleans Saints, also in 2002. Sherman signed Johnson a six-year, $33 million contract, but Johnson only played a total of 11 games in two injury-shortened seasons. At least Johnson contributed two sacks.

Favreitism

Then there is the way Sherman handled Brett Favre. For a disciplinarian, Sherman sure gave away the keys to the kingdom to the face of the franchise.

First, Favre was allowed to have his own shower/locker room away from the other players. Favre was also given his own office. Finally, Favre was allowed to park his vehicle underneath Lambeau Field, near the locker room, right next to Sherman’s vehicle. All the other players used the players lot in front of Lambeau Field. I’m sure this type of favoritism did not sit well in the locker room.

Anyway, in 2005, the Packers finished 4-12, had their first losing season since 1991 and Favre had his worst year ever in the NFL. Thompson fired Sherman and hired Mike McCarthy. Thompson also drafted a QB by the name of Aaron Rodgers in 2005. The rest, they say…is history.

Now I’m sure Sherman learned from his mistakes. If indeed Sherman is hired by the Bucs to be the next head coach, it wouldn’t be the worst decision that the Bucs would make. Sherman is well liked and has a good reputation among his peers.  Sherman was 57-39 as head coach of the Pack, but was also 2-4 in the postseason, including the first two postseason losses at Lambeau Field in team history.

Bottom line, there are a lot of qualified candidates that the Bucs should look at before they decide on their next head coach. It should NOT be a quick decision.

Sherman could indeed be the next coach of the Bucs. Signs seem to be pointing that way. However, don’t expect Warren Sapp to visit One Buc Place too often if that happens. However, Sapp might visit occasionally, but only if Sherman “gets a jersey on.”

Friday afternoon, eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune made an appearance on “Primetime,” co-hosted by Ronnie Lane and Tom Krasniqi heard on WHBO-AM 1040.

The majority of the conversation was about the Bucs’ coaching search and Joe, as you can expect, took notes.

“As with most coaching searches, it’s easier to find out who [Team Glazer is] not interested in than who they are interested in,” Kaufman said.

“The more [Team Glazer looked] at Jeff Fisher’s resume, the more holes and chinks you can see in it. They are not interested. They don’t seem interested in Brian Billick for whatever reason. They don’t seem interested in Mike Mularkey. They have yet to contact Mike Zimmer.

“It doesn’t mean [Mike] Sherman will get this job, he is no lock to get it but there are compelling reasons to get him. You can argue you want Mike Sherman as an offensive coordinator [more] than head coach. Joe Philbin is getting a look at from some teams. Tom Clements has done a nice job.

“You can’t go with the unproven route after what has happened with Raheem Morris. But I do find Clements intriguing.

“There are mitigating factors in Buffalo for Mularkey. He resigned. He has some high integrity but I do not feel there is much interest from a Bucs standpoint.

“This will take at least another week. Whoever is brought back for a second interview is probably the guy. They are not taking the weekend off.

“Look, after [Dungy] was fired and they got Gruden, it took 35 days.

“It’s very ominous about the candidates. My feeling is, based on their past, they go the opposite of what they just had. You look, they went from Dungy to Gruden and from Gruden to Raheem and based on this failed experiment with Raheem, you figure they will go with the old school disciplinarian with head coaching experience.

“Rich Bisaccia, I’ve heard people bring up his name but I don’t put much stock into that.

“There are guys we haven’t mentioned which we don’t know about could be looked at. Can they come back with a guy with a wow factor?

“If it takes $2 million dollars you go out and get Steve Spagnuolo [as defensive coordinator]. He can work with young defensive lines. I want that man running my defense. I don’t care if he is rumored to be joining Andy Reid, you go get him!”

Team Glazer’s promised no-stone-unturned search for a head coach will take a wild turn this week when Brad Childress, Wade Phillips and Marty Chokenheimer are expected to get hard looks and/or interviews, per various media reports.

So much for “yungry.”

Veteran Tampa Tribune scribe Woody Cummings even talked to Chokenheimer, who seems quite excited.

 “I think my agent called them, and (while) nothing has been finalized, I am interested in the job,” Schottenheimer, 69, said. “I think it’s an interesting situation there. I should know something (more) in the next 48 hours).

Joe’s not quite sure of what to make of this virtual dead head coaches society booking flights to Tampa. At least these guys will make Mike Sherman look like a fresh face. Maybe the Bucs will interview Newt Gingrich during his next campaign stop in Florida?

Obviously, these are all savvy football men who will know how to interview and come prepared to dazzle Team Glazer. Joe can only imagine how fired up Chokenheimer will be, maybe even giving one of his famous speeches or emotional pleas.

Joe’s really enjoying the post-Raheem madness.

What’s Bruce Coslet up to these days?

When Joe first learned that Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik was interviewing former Packers and Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman to fill the void of jettisoned Bucs coach Raheem Morris, Joe wondered, “What would Warren Sapp say?”

In case Bucs fans have a short memory, Sapp, the greatest defensive lineman to play for the Bucs since Lee Roy Selmon, and Sherman, then the Packers coach, nearly came to blows after a close Bucs win at home when Sherman approached Sapp and called him a cheap shot artist, among other unpleasantries.

Sapp, who had to be restrained by several people from tackling Sherman himself, yelled at Sherman to “put a jersey on” so Sapp could crush him like bug.

Now, that same coach seems to be just a step or two away from coaching Sapp’s beloved team and the quarterback killer was none too pleased as he took to Twitter earlier today.

@QBKilla: Mark Dominik Hiring Your Agents Client (Mike Sherman) Is Not Da Way To Win Football Games!! #WhereTheyDoThatAt … 25-25 At Texas A&M?? … How Can a General Manager That Leaves Work Everyday At 4pm! Hire a Head Coach?? #HireAFriend

Now Joe has no idea where Sapp is getting the “leaving at 4 p.m.” stuff from, but let’s say Dominik did do that. Does anyone really believe Dominik can’t get the same work done at home at night that he can in the office? What, Dominik doesn’t have broadband cable at home? Can’t use an iPad because his house doesn’t have a wireless router? Dominik doesn’t have a smartphone, can’t access his office voice mail? Please.

Later, when Sapp’s co-host of NFL Gameday Morning, Rich Eisen, relayed to Sapp Jason La Canfora’s report that the Bucs were hours away from interviewing Brad Childress, Sapp had this reaction.

Who could question NFL.com senior writer Jason La Canfora’s sources? The man works for the mother ship, for goodness sakes.

So Joe paid close attention this afternoon when La Canfora wrote that former Packers head coach Mike Sherman impressed during his interview with Team Glazer and rockstar general manager Mark Dominik last week and could be named to lead the Bucs in a matter of hours.

League sources continue to indicate that Mike Sherman is well-positioned to be named the next head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a decision that could be announced this week.

Sherman interviewed for the position last week , and it went well, according to sources.

Sherman went 57-39 in six seasons in Green Bay from 2000 to 2005 and led the Packers to three NFC North titles. He was fired after posting a 4-12 season in 2005.

Of course, BSPN is reporting the Bucs still have other candidates, like Marty Chokenheimer, to consider. But perhaps Sherman already has wowed his way into the job.