Lovie Smith explained how he turned negatives into positives this spring

Players not able to participate in practices, OTAs or minicamp? Fans just go absolutely bananas. “Cut him! He can’t hack it!” the fans scream.

Of course, Bucs coach Lovie Smith would want players to participate in all workouts and. Rather than dwelling on the negative if guys are sidelined, Lovie believes he can turn a negative into a positive, so he said this afternoon while addressing the local pen and mic club at One Buc Palace. [read more]

Tampa Bay has a pile of receivers on the training camp roster, 13 to be exact, make that 14 if you count the man who could be the best receiver on the roster.

But general manager Jason Licht only served up three names when asked a question about the competition for the No. 3 receiver position. [read more]

Lovie Smith says Carl Nicks is excused for personal reasons today, the start of Bucs training camp. Things come up in life, said the head coach. “It doesn’t concern me,” Lovie said.

This surely comes as a surprise. [read more]

It was right about dawn and Joe wasn’t sure if Gerald McCoy had just gotten out of bed or was being gangsta when he showed up at One Buc Palace in a stylish red robe. Somewhere, Joe Namath was jealous.

Bucs players made the long, tortured walk from their cars and white team-sponsored passenger vans to One Buc Palace, knowing what the end of the walk means. [read more]

The dubious countdown is over. And the winner/loser was known for playing very, very scared.

After a couple of weeks of clobbering Tampa Bay fans by dredging up their worst nightmares of the past 10 years, Joe is finished.

Final judgment day is here.

[read more]

Bucs GM Jason Licht spoke about the status of G Carl Nicks yesterday.

Yes, the subject of the week is Carl Nicks and that ugly toe of his. This even seemed to surpass the fact the Bucs were reporting for training camp.

Yesterday, after his town hall meeting hosted by Joe’s good friend, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig, heard live on WDAE-AM 620 and held before a studio audience at Clear Channel Tampa headquarters, Licht spoke to reporters about Nicks’ status. [read more]

Da’Quan Bowers was candid and confident this morning reporting to training camp

Fresh off playing good citizen for an intoxicated lady, and getting called out by his general manager, embattled Bucs defensive end Da’Quan Bowers was one of the early arrivals to Bucs training camp this morning.

Always a pretty mellow guy, Bowers was talking a big game at One Buc Palace. [read more]

Josh McCown offered a take on Bucs fans this morning.

Sun was rising at One Buc Palace this morning as the latest edition of the Buccaneers, Lovie Smith’s Buccaneers, arrived to start the 2014 season.

Team leader and starting quarterback Josh McCown was among those who spoke to Joe and assembled media. [read more]

Bucs players are filing into One Buc Palace this very moment. Of course Joe will have updates as you can expect.

As we find out today if Carl Nicks still has two feet (and presumably, 10 toes), the memories of the Nightmare on Dale Mabry Highway, otherwise known as the rancid 2013 season, are finally fading away.

A new era is about to dawn. Where this leads us, who knows? [read more]

Akeem Spence hasn’t “taken his foot off the gas,” says the Bucs GM, who was not referencing Spence’s recent ticket for driving 100+ miles per hour.

Now this is interesting. Damn, Joe is fired up for training camp.

Lovie Smith is on record saying his nose tackle must be a pass rusher first. Run-stuffers need not apply on Lovie’s watch. [read more]

Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht sat down for an hour this evening to talk all things Bucs. [read more]

Bucs GM Jason Licht issued Da’Quan Bowers a blunt challenge if not a frank warning

When Bucs defensive end Da’Quan Bowers was called out by his position coach Joe Cullen near the end of OTAs, it raised all sorts of red flags.

For a position coach to openly mock a player for being out of shape — in June, no less — coming off a knee surgery of unknown severity, wow! That showed the new regime was no longer going to baby Bowers and that his Tampa Bay days could very well be numbered.

That point was hit home big time this evening. During a townhall meeting with Joe’s good friend, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620, broadcast live before a studio audience at the Clear Channel headquarters in Tampa, Licht, in no uncertain terms, let it be known that Bowers has arrived at his career crossroads. [read more]

The Bucs’ GM loves his Pro Bowl defensive tackle

The Bucs want to give Gerald McCoy a big fat new contract.

The only question is when and how much. Jason Licht addressed that this evening on WDAE-AM 620. [read more]

Bucs general manager Jason Licht is proud to say he’s not a salary cap guy. He’s a film junkie, a scout at heart.

But Licht spoke tonight about how he’s transitioned in recently years into a numbers lover. [read more]

Oh, the pride is oozing.

Nobody works harder than this Buccaneer, says Lovie Smith.

Lovie even told a national audience yesterday. [read more]

Former Super Bowl quarterback Rich Gannon was outraged that Tiquan Underwood was a No. 2 receiver for the Bucs

Why is Lovie Smith the Tampa Bay head coach and Jason Licht their general manager? Simple, said former Super Bowl quarterback Rich Gannon. It was the thin roster last season.

Yesterday, Gannon, co-hosting “The Blitz” with Bruce Murray, heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio, did a drive-by shooting of a preview of each NFC South team. He went off on the Bucs. [read more]

A former teammate of Tampa Bay starting quarterback Josh McCown, and a man quite popular among Bucs fans, says the Bucs’ new QB has all the skills — on and off the field — to become an epic success story.

With training camp just two days away, optimism is everywhere. [read more]

Don’t mess the enlightening fun this evening when Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht — for an entire hour — joins the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Steve Duemig, for a Town Hall style sit down featuring questions from fans and Duemig. The action starts at 5 p.m.

Click below to listen live.

Jeff Tedford’s up-tempo offense may soon be the NFL norm

One of the great mysteries of the 2014 Bucs, aside from whether guard Carl Nicks can practice or suit up for games, is the Jeff Tedford offense. The Bucs are treating his offense as if it is the Manhattan Project.

Tedford, who has never stepped on an NFL field as an NFL employee of any sort, was a college football guru whose only experience in professional football was the CFL variety. What his offense may look like is akin to wondering about the whereabouts of D.B. Cooper. [read more]