Veteran Ch. 10 News sportscaster Dave Wirth is back with his JoeBucsFan game previews, this time with a look at tonight’s Ravens-Bucs preseason opener.

Among other topics, Wirth talks about how Greg Schiano’s preseason “wound” from 2012 may not be healed. Enjoy below.

Another rollercoaster season from Josh Freeman will be good enough to get him a fat contract somewhere, says senior CBS writer Jason La Canfora.

Cool cat and a friend of Joe’s, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, appeared on the “Ron and Ian” show yesterday on WDAE-AM 620 to talk NFL and the Bucs. After spending time talking about the mess that is the Philadelphia Beagles, La Canfora turned to the Bucs.

La Canfora loves how Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik upgraded the in the past two years and he believes the Bucs and Dominik would be foolish to let Bucs franchise quarterback Josh Freeman walk after the season, even if he goes all Six Flags again.

“The quarterback situation will be touchy,” LaCanfora said. “It’s clear that Schiano is not ready to commit to Freeman as his guy long-term. I can tell you this, though, if Josh Freeman has another Josh Freeman year where he’s okay for four weeks, he’s a world-beater for six weeks, he’s brutal for you know five weeks, there will be somebody out there that will pay him good money to be their quarterback.”

To hear the entire interview with La Canfora, click the arrow below. Audio courtesy of Joe’s good friends at WDAE-AM 620.

Joe has a hunch that outside linebacker Lavonte David is going to blow up this year. Last year, as a rookie, he not only called defensive plays for the Bucs, but led the NFL’s top run defense in tackles. Again, as a rookie.

Now with a year of experience, David should be as fearsome as ever.

“Oh, it’s a lot different,” David told reporters Tuesday after practice. “I have one year under my belt for this defense and I’m learning more about it. I’m learning not only my position, but other guys’ positions around me, so that’s helping me a lot, too. I took that approach coming into this year so I’m sticking with it.

“I mean I feel like I’m still a young guy learning, but if somebody needs guidance, if somebody needs help, I’m there for them. That’s what a teammate [does].”

David, a perfectionist, was troubled by goof ups he believes he had last season, and he sweated all offseason trying to make sure he doesn’t repeat the same mistakes.

“Yeah, just not getting calls to everybody and not being all locked in, you know, worrying about what everybody else is doing instead of doing my job and I end up messing something up,” David said. “So that’s one thing I wanted to focus on coming into this offseason, getting the calls out quicker [and] making sure everybody [is] understanding them and not just knowing their job, but knowing my job as well.”

David could be the next Derrick Brooks or perhaps better, as much as that sounds like heresy. David is a special, special player and man, what a steal by Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik in the second round.

To hear more of David, click the arrow below. Audio courtesy of WDAE-AM 620.

As is the new Wednesday tradition at 5 p.m., Joe sits down for the “JoeBucsFan Hour” with the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig, live on WDAE-AM 620.

Joe dove into all things Bucs, as well as JoeBucsFan.com history on Joe’s fifth birthday. Enjoy.

Joe often hears the comparisons of Bucs franchise quarterback Josh Freeman and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Crows.

Flacco’s former teammate Qadry Ismail, a color analyst for the Crows, appeared on the “Ron and Ian” show to discuss the quarterbacks’ similarities and differences this morning on WDAE-AM 620.

“Obviously, Josh Freeman is a tremendous talent,” Ismail said. “But the consistency he has to display this year is going to be paramount, if he desires to have that Joe Flacco like year… if that’s going to be a good thing for him as far his motivation, great.”

Joe just doesn’t see the analogies of Freeman and Flacco at all. In fact, Joe thinks they are polar opposites. Flacco may be the most clutch quarterback in the NFL. He has a playoff record of 9-4, including a Super Bowl ring, and he’s led the Crows to the playoffs every year he’s been in the NFL. That’s damned good. Freeman has yet to lead the Bucs to the postseason.

To hear Ismail’s full interview, click the arrow below. Audio courtesy of Joe’s good friends at WDAE-AM 620.

Chad Ochocinco and Geno Hayes never made good on public pledges to reimburse Mason Foster for the fine he got for this crushing (and ridiculously illegal) hit on Chad Ochocinco

Two years ago, then-rookie Mason Foster had only earned a few nickels in the NFL when he was smacked with a $20,000 fine by Roger Goodell after an August hit on Chad Ochocinco during his preseason debut in Tampa.

The fallout from the hit didn’t mess up his head, Foster told Joe yesterday. However, it was a wake-up call, something new Bucs rookies can learn a lesson from before tomorrow’s preseason opener.

“I didn’t realize how big it was until later on. And then you realize when you’re fined a bunch of money,” Foster said. “But it really didn’t affect me at the time. You learn things. Welcome to the NFL. You gotta play smarter. All the way around you can learn from stuff like that. I thought, ‘Oh, it’s my second game. I’m a rookie. They’re not really going to fine me that much money. I haven’t even gotten that kind of money yet.’ They don’t care. You learn that quick.

“I still play football the only way I know how to play, that’s fast and hard. At the same time you don’t want to get anyone hurt, but you can’t change the way you play. It’s a fine line.”

At he time, Ochocinco went public saying he would reimburse Foster personally because he disagreed with the fine. Geno Hayes also told Joe that he and other Bucs would help Foster pay the fine as a show of support. But that financial assistance never made its way to Foster.

“No. Nobody helped me out with that,” Foster told Joe yesterday.

Joe replied to Foster, “that wasn’t cool.” And Foster replied, “Exactly.”

A tackling machine in college and the leading NFL rookie tackler in 2011, Foster said New Schiano Order tackling teachings have helped him improve and potentially avoid fines.

“I’ve definitely learned a lot about tackling since Coach Schiano came in here, pressing the hip, you know, taking better angles and what tackles to use in different in situations, ” Foster said. “So it’s made me a better tackler. And we work on it every day.”

Pat Welter of TBO.com and Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune discuss how Thursday’s preseason opener against the Baltimore Crows is really important for quarterback Mike Glennon in this TBO.com video.

Five years ago Joe fired up this website and never turned back.

Today, Joe turns five — five full years obsessing 24/7 about all things Bucs on these here pages.

It all started with a laptop and a dream. About two years before JoeBucsFan.com was born, Joe hatched a plan to cover the Buccaneers in a way that would entertain and interest Joe, something edgy and fresh and unlike the stale traditional media. A defunct site called JoeNetsFan.com was the inspiration for the name and the spirit. But Joe decided to bring a different angle, the whole third-person “Joe” thing.

Joe pounded away for months on these pages writing passionately for almost nobody. Traffic grew while Joe endured endless personal attacks, the result of rattling the cages of Bucs fans, the Bucs organization, and Joe’s media brethren.

But Joe pressed on, confident that fans were buying into Joe’s unique brand of journalism that continues to be like no other.

Thankfully, Bucs fans kept coming. Yesterday, JoeBucsFan.com enjoyed about 20,000 actual visits, a rather typical day. Joe’s traffic continues to rise, up about 30 percent from last August, and it’s reached the point where Joe now is the No. 1 destination for legions of Bucs fans.

The ride has been wild (Joe could write a book about the bizarre sh*t he’s experienced), and Joe appreciates all his readers. While Joe has wacky daily commenters, the typical reader around here only comes once a week or so, and Joe is thankful to all of you.

In the birthday spirit, Joe is seeking donations/gifts to help fund his obsessions with the Bucs, and babes and beer. Joe would love to travel to more Bucs games this year. Thanks in advance for those who choose to give Joe a birthday gift. Your cash will help drive Joe to new heights, or new lows, depending on your perspective.

In a high-cholesterol moment that surely sent the Bucs’ team nutritionist into convulsions, Dashon Goldson used his fat wallet to further establish himself as a leader of the Buccaneers. Goldson surprised teammates with a pizza party at One Buc Palace last week.

“One day [Goldson] asked me what type of pizza I liked,” rookie Akeem Spence said yesterday. “I told him. Then I think after our meetings, the next thing I knew, hell, like there were 40 or 50 boxes in the lounge. I was like, ‘Man, that’s crazy. I wish I could do that, but I can’t.’

“Dashon, man, he’s a good guy; he likes to do things for people. Coach kind of laid back on us in practice that day, and [Goldson] thought it was a good idea. Some team camaraderie stuff.”

Was the pizza any good, Akeem? Domino’s?

“No. It was Pizza Hut. It was fine.”

Ahmad Black said that while the pizza was “just a small bone” Goldson threw, “we have to make that up to him both on and off the field.”

Greg Schiano has praised Goldson and Darrelle Revis for their focus on leadership, which Joe has seen extend to helping young player in the secondary after practice.

Goldson, obviously, is taking things a step further to build fast bonds.

Veteran wideout Derek Hagan’s got a career in broadcasting ahead of him if he wants it. Joe had his first chance to chat with Hagan yesterday.

Battling for a gig in Bucs training camp, Hagan is eager to prove his value tomorrow night in the preseason opener. Hagan acknowledged he’s here because Mike Sullivan wanted him.

“Sully, he was my receivers coach when I played for the Giants for a few years and, you know, we had a good relationship and I know the offense,” Hagan said. “Once Steve Smith retired [in Bucs spring camp] it gave me an opportunity to come in and fight for a job.

“It’s pretty much the same offense [we ran in New York].”

Yes, Hagan appears to be on the outside looking in among the wide receivers corps, but his known special teams prowess shouldn’t be overlooked.

“I’m able to come in and move the chains on third down, or if they need me on punt, kickoff, kickoff return, anything. I’m just there to do it.  I just look at myself as being complete receiver because most receivers don’t want to play on special teams, and I’m actually one of the few who wants to do it,” Hagan said.

Free-agent pickup Kevin Ogletree has gotten the majority of the reps at No. 3 receiver in training camp. Chris Owusu is unproven but very impressive in practice, and Tiquan Underwood has been battling hamstring issues. Hagan, with 129 career catches and a history with Sullivan, does have a chance, and there’s always a shot the Bucs keep six receivers.

Remember, rockstar general manager Mark Dominik kept seven receivers to open the 2010 season — Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn, Sammie Stroughter, Preston Parker, Micheal Spurlock, Maurice Stovall and Reggie Brown.

A major concern for the 2013 Bucs is the tender toe of Bucs stud left guard Carl Nicks. The roadgrader had a shortened 2012 due to an ugly, gross-looking turf toe injury that required surgery.

After being spotted with a “heavily bandaged” toe when he reported for training camp, Nicks has had limited practice time, though he logged quite a few plays Monday.

Initially, the Bucs waved off concern saying the bandage was “precautionary.” Schiano had a more cautionary tone Monday, saying this could be a season-long issue, noting Nicks was in “discomfort” on the field.

“Well, guys, when you have certain surgeries, sometimes it never goes back,” Schiano said. “Just like us, right? I mean something’s fixed, it’s fixed, but it may never feel as good as new. They tell you it’s going to, but in this case I think Carl’s going to always play with some discomfort but that’s life being in the NFL.”

Asked to clarify his comments Tuesday after Nicks did not practice as much during 11-on-11 drills, Schiano insisted Nicks didn’t take a step back.

“No, not a setback,” Schiano said. “He went really pretty hard yesterday. I think we all would have been shocked if he wasn’t sore. That’s the first time he’s done that since November, October, whatever it was. You anticipate when you go that much that it’s going to be sore the next day, but the good thing is he gets to condition all during that rehabbing condition. That’s one of those things we need to do. We need to get in better cardiovascular shape when you’re coming off something like that. Now, there’s no substitute for playing football, don’t get me wrong, but I think a good mix for him is going to be perfect.”

Now Joe has no clue if Nicks will have another toe-shortened season again, or if his play will be hampered by this nasty toe. But this is an issue that bears monitoring. Nicks is a key element of what could become the best offensive line in the NFL.

All of Schiano’s remarks yesterday can be heard by clicking the button below, audio courtesy of Joe’s good friends at WDAE-AM 620.

What happens when you put Tampa Bay sports radio icon Steve Duemig and Joe in the same studio to talk all things Bucs for an hour?

Find out at 5 p.m. on WDAE-AM 620. The new, Wednesday “JoeBucsFan Hour” rolls on this evening. You don’t want to miss this.

Fans going to Thursday night’s game at the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway, when the Bucs open preseason play against the Baltimore Crows, will see quite a bit of second-, third- and even fourth-team players.

Stars like Doug Martin, Gerald McCoy, Dashon Goldson or Vincent Jackson? They will get enough snaps in to break a sweat and not much else, Bucs coach Greg Schiano noted via WDAE-AM 620 Bucs reporter Tom Krasniqi.

Don’t expect to see a whole lot of Doug Martin, Vincent Jackson or Gerald McCoy. With the rash of injuries taking place around the league, the Bucs will not put their star players at risk. Thursday’s game will provide an opportunity for those fringe players who are trying to make the roster. “I want to see how some of the 2nd and 3rd and 4th team guys compete. How do they compete when the lights come on….Can they do what they’ve been doing out there [at training camp}? Can they do it in the stadium against another team? Those are the things that are important. And can they do it for a sustained period of time…can they stay focused for a 3-hour football game and stay in the game and not have a mental lapse,” said Schiano.

Thursday’s game is a lot more important for the likes of Rashaan Melvin, Steven Means and Chris Owusu. Players like them who have flashed during camp and are fighting for roster spots. The coaching staff wants to see it translate over to game action. Thursday night will be their opportunity to showcase their talents.

This is the smart way to go. Why the hell would you risk some of your best players in a glorified scrimmage? The important game to get ready for is Week One of the regular season in the New Jersey Swamplands.

If Joe were Schiano, the starters would play one series. That’s it.

Earnest Graham talks about preseason games and shares a take on how Warren Sapp may have saved his career

Who better than the Bucs’ former Mr. August, Earnest Graham, to dive into what players and teams need to accomplish in preseason.

Graham offered great perspective explaining how preseason is time for a player to state his case, and Graham revealed rare Bucs history in this interview below from the Ron and Ian Show on WDAE-AM 620.

Graham recalled that he fumbled in his first exhibition game in Japan following the Super Bowl victory. And a certain No. 99 sat him down for a long discussion about how confident No. 99 was in undrafted Graham’s ability and how a Buccaneer Man needed to respond to adversity.

“Warren did a lot for me in my first preseason game. So sometimes those types of things are set out in the preseason games, who’s going to respond to the current culture in the locker room,” Graham said. (Enjoy the audio below.)

NFL Network, the Man Channel, sent longtime Giants center Shaun O’Hara to One Buc Palace today to study all things Josh Freeman and more at practice.

O’Hara took to the airwaves after practice and showered Freeman with positive scrutiny. Catch the full video here.

Former Saints DB Darren Sharper, the man who nicknamed Freeman “Six Flags” for his rollercoaster play, also chimes in the video and calls Freeman a franchise quarterback who just needs to minimize interceptions.

So much love for Freeman and his practice habits and production. There’s really no excuse for him to not be successful in his fifth season. The whole no-excuses nature of 2013 really has Joe jacked up for opening day.

In 2011, the Bucs linebacker unit was no less than disgraceful. For every play Geno Hayes made, he blew three. Rookie middle linebacker Mason Foter was not only playing out of position at the time, he was also overwhelmed. Quincy Black was lost.

Things began to change last year when rookie Lavonte David almost single-handedly turned the Bucs into the most fearsome rush defense in the NFL. There was no question David, even as a rookie, was the best linebacker on the roster, and one could argue he was the Bucs’ best defender.

Greg Schiano thought so much of David, as a rookie no less, David called defensive plays from Week 1.

Impressed by David as a rookie? Well, hold on. He should even be better than last year.

“Without a doubt,” Bucs linebacker Dekoda Watson said after practice today. “He is a lot smarter than he was last year and that’s not to say he was dumb or anything. He is way ahead of a lot of us. He is still climbing that ladder. He is a phenomenal player.

“He is our leader. He is the leading tackler on the team. When he speaks, people listen. He doesn’t speak a lot but when he does, it is meaningful. So he is definitely a leader.”

Even Bucs coach Greg Schiano simply gushed about David during his daily post-practice press conference.

“Well, I think Lavonte is a really good football player,” Schiano said. “You can see improvement in his game, which I thought he played very well last year. But, he’s better now than he was any time last year, which is good for us. Physical, can run, smart, loves the game, studies the game. Those are pretty good traits to have.”

Joe never in his life thought he would see the next Derrick Brooks. But the second-year linebacker out of Nebraska seems to be a Brooks clone. He has every quality Brooks possessed. Though it may be heresy, David may just be the second coming of Brooks.

Bucs fans will see an awful lot of Mike Glennon Thursday night in the preseason opener. Joe would be surprised if Josh Freeman got more than two offensive series.

But how much of the playbook can Glennon handle? Joe chatted to Glennon about that today, and Joe walked away feeling like Glennon, as he’s said previously, is still deep in a learning curve.

“I’m sure they’ll call plays to my strength, plays I’m comfortable with as of now,” Glennon said.

What kind of plays, Mike?

“Just plays that I’ve run for a long time dating back to college and plays that I’ve had success with here in training camp,” he said.

Glennon’s parents are flying in for his professional debut and he’s excited to learn from the experience.

Joe sure hopes the Bucs’ second-team offensive line holds up for Glennon. Running for his life is not Glennon’s strength. He’s a giant target with pulling-guard speed.

Joe noticed something new the past couple of days (no, not just the upgrade in Bucs cheerleaders this season). Monday and today, Joe noticed several designed rollouts by Bucs franchise quarterback Josh Freeman.

Last season, Bucs coach Greg Schiano all but forbade Freeman to roll out, for twofold reasons: Schiano didn’t want to see Freeman hurt, and Schiano was desperately trying to cut down on Freeman’s picks from the previous hideous season, in which Freeman played Santa Claus way too often.

So Joe had to chance to chat with Bucs offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan after practice and asked if the rollouts are a new wrinkle this year, or if they were already part of his playbook, just not utilized last season.

“It is in [the offensive package] and we had some success when we moved the launch point of him whether it is a pure sprint out or we are actually faking the ball, or have him naked and move it around,” Sullivan said of Freeman’s rollouts. “It is such a great complement, especially if you can run the ball. Any time you don’t set up in-between those guards, the defense always talks about getting to them off the spot. Well, if we can beat them to the punch and take them off the spot it helps. It is something we have done and we will continue to incorporate that into our package.”

Bravo. The season Freeman blew up, 2010, he often rolled out and hit receivers, Mike WIlliams, Sgt. Winslow or Arrelious Benn, for big gains. Home runs. It was almost as if Freeman was more comfortable throwing on the run than staying in the pocket.

Freeman has serious wheels for a big quarterback. Why not try to utilize those skills to generate some offense? Joe believes this is a smart move by Sullivan.

Here are some news, notes and highlights of the Bucs’ last public practice before Thursday’s preseason game against the Baltimore Crows at the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway.

* Whistle blows play dead as there was a jailbreak on Mike Glennon. Markus White would have buried him if hitting QB allowed.

* Glennon (!) scrambles for a four-yard gain.

* Michael Adams nearly has pick of Glennon over middle.

* JF5 pass short to MW19 along left sideline and Rashaan Melvin breaks up pass.

* Under pressure, Freeman throws ball at feet of RB. Same fan earlier hollering for Glennon barks at Freeman for not throwing pick.

* JF5 rolls right, perfect pass to MW19 right sideline.

* JF5 screen over middle to Crabtree who is lit up by Lavonte David for short gain.

* JF5 to MW19 to left. Pressure from Te’o.

* Some two-minute drilling with fake crowd noise blaring.

* Fake crowd noise!

* A Michael Smith sighting. Glennon hands to Smith who stops before hitting line and throws a pass over the middle to Danny Noble for TD.

* Glennon hits Tiquan Underwood in back of end zone for about a 20 yard TD.

* Glennon patient in his progressions and hits Peyton Hillis to the left side

* Freeman throws a rare incompletion and some fan in stands starts hollering for Mike Glennon. 🙁

* Lotta chatter about Chris Owusu, Rashaan Melvin and Mike Williams in camp. Deservedly so. But Doug Martin is really sticking out as well.

* Wrong route? Freeman throws bomb and no one home. Leonard Johnson an easy pick.

* Leonard, meet Lavonte David. That is a two-yard loss.

* JF5 rolls left and nails Mike Williams in numbers along left sideline.

*Da’Quan Bowers is rushing inside a lot on passing downs. Lots of Stephen Means outside. Little Akeem Spence in pass rush.

*Kevin Ogletree is repeatedly the No. 3 wide receiver.

*Dashon Godlson breaks up a fourth-down throw to VJax in a two-minute offense period. Goldson is excited.

*Holding offense!

* Mike Williams goes low to grab JF5 pass.

* JF5 screen over middle to Tim Wright. Pass hits Wright in numbers. Normally, short passes like that are JF5’s Achilles.

* Sorry for repetition: Doug Martin is in mid-season form.

* Kicker hopeful Derek Demke mises 53-yard field goal wide right with Greg Schiano on the field observing. It had the distance, though.

* Glennon low pass over middle to Derek Hagan for first down. Dimke runs out to kick a roughly 38-yard field goal. It’s good! Horn blows twice signaling practice is over.

I think he’s been like this, on the rise. I think he’s getting better every practice. You can see the command and control that he brought back into this training camp. And then quickly after a couple of practices when he shaked the rust off, the throws started happening, with all the receivers. Not just Vincent and not just Mike, all the way down to the fifth, sixth receivers, I think we’ve been throwing the ball efficiently. Today, a couple of stops on third down ended drives. But overall I’m pleased. — Greg Schiano, after being asked to assess Josh Freeman’s training camp performance today.

You can almost hear the excitement in Schiano’s voice, as delivered on the Ron and Ian show on WDAE-AM 620. (Audio below).

Also asked to name a camp standout, Schiano’s lips quickly moved to WR Chris Owusu. No surprise there.