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A new deal now?
New Bucs general manager Jason Licht made it clear that if he is going to target free agents, then they will be free agents that deliver value, not necessarily the best player at the highest ransom. So when Bucs fans ask Joe if Licht is going to get, say, player-X, Joe offers words of caution. [read more]
Joe follows several Pro Football Hall of Fame voters on Twitter and was a bit shocked that this year broke a record for the smoke to clear. It was a eight-hour, 59-minute meeting, the longest in Pro Football Hall of Fame conclave history.
Per Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer, every Bucs fan’s favorite player, Mr. Derrick Brooks, was not the culprit. [read more]
What a clusterf@ck this has been. Instead of NFL Network broadcasting the official announcment of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2014, live as they have for every winter since the network launched, the announcement is being broadcast on tape on Fox at roughly 8:30 p.m.
Instead, NFL Network is going E! Network with a red carpet preview show with chicks not showing leg talking about some schlock awards show. [read more]
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is usually as secretive as the Vatican when it comes to its annual election of future inductees into Canton. So it comes as a surprise to Joe that everyone’s favorite (former) player, Mr. Derrick Brooks, twittered he has been elected as part of the Class of 2014.. [read more]
For a guy who desperately needs to repair his reputation before the free agency bell rings next month, Josh Freeman was noticeably absent on Radio Row at the Super Bowl this week. [read more]
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John Lynch explains
Bucs icon John Lynch was on New York sports radio this week talking about the Monte Kiffin/Rod Marinelli Cowboys defense, which is Lovie Smith’s defense — the one Tampa Bay hopes will return it to the promised land.
It’s an expensive defense, Lynch explained. [read more]
Bucs icons Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Father Dungy could all be Hall of Famers tonight. The long-awaited vote on the 2014 finalists goes down this evening.
Brooks is a slam dunk, but there’s been plenty of healthy debate surrounding Dungy and Lynch. [read more]
It’s great to know the human armoire, Carl Nicks, isn’t stuck in bed riddled with the nasty MRSA infection that helped poison him and the Bucs’ 2013 season.
And it was great to learn yesterday that Nicks is “rehabbing” daily at One Buc Palace, per the Twittering of beat writer Roy Cummings. But the ugly news is that Nicks is doing any kind of rehab in late January, 10 weeks since he had surgery to remove the recurrence of MRSA in his foot. [read more]
Seahawks lightning rod cornerback Richard Sherman is never one to keep his feelings to himself. He’s had two memorable shouting incidents in as many years, once going after Tom Brady after the Seawhawks beat Brady and the Patriots last season and, just two weeks ago, Sherman went all Rowdy Roddy Piper with Erin Andrews and blasted 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree for being “mediocre.” [read more]
Yes, today is the day — annually, the day before the Super Bowl — where the 40-some voters for the Pro Football Hall of Fame gather to kvetch and whine and holler over just which five of the 15 finalists get into Canton.
One of those men is eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune. Kaufman, known in NFL circles as the “Custodian of Canton,” will be presenting three men with Bucs connections: Derrick Brooks, Father Dungy and John Lynch.
Though the proceedings are supposed to be kept confidential by Pro Football Hall of Fame bylaws, Kaufman gave Joe’s good friend, the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, “The Big Dog,” Steve Duemig of WDAE-AM 620, a peek into how he will argue for all three men. In Joe’s eyes, the best odds of being introduced as a member of the Class of 2014 will be Brooks. [read more]
Gill Byrd has strong opinions on off-the-field behavior
What a treat to meet new Buccaneers cornerbacks coach Gill Byrd this week. The 52-year-old former Pro Bowl cornerback for the Chargers is a fun, intense, cerebral and somewhat candid cat.
Joe talked to Byrd a lot about his coaching philosophy and what makes a great player. [read more]
Joe’s pastrami sandwich from the famous Katz Deli in lower Manhattan. It was as good as advertised.
So Joe apologizes for being a bit late on this diary of his few days in frozen Gotham/Jersey but he had a dinner engagement Tuesday evening and with no direct flights from Newark to Tampa, Joe spent most of Wednesday in airports. Thursday Joe was busy.
* Joe stayed in Jersey where his Hilton lodging (third time staying there) has a free shuttle service to a nearby bus station that goes straight into the Port Authority bus/train terminal right in the heart of Midtown. Yeah, Joe could have paid $280 a night for a hotel in Midtown, but instead chose $150 a night with a roundtrip bus fare for less than $10. Feel free to do the math. [read more]
Barber says he was once the greatest in the game and won’t argue with Sherman’s proclamations
One thing amazing about this year’s Super Bowl is how loudmouth Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman has thieved the spotlight from Peyton Manning.
How refreshing.
Endless Manning blubbering would have bored Joe thoroughly. Sherman loves to pound his chest and proclaim himself the greatest. Bucs icon Ronde Barber weighed in on that yesterday during the national Jim Rome Show. [read more]
Kurt Warner understands the pressure on Mike Glennon
Mobile quarterbacks don’t just buy time on the field — they also buy time for their careers. That was the word from potential Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner.
Warner and Joe talked about quarterback play at Super Bowl Media Day on Tuesday. Warner deeply feels the challenge facing immobile young QBs like Mike Glennon. Warner says he was that guy. [read more]
Warren Sapp went on a long rant to Joe about one of the changing states of the NFL this week.
In case you missed it:
“Defenses don’t win championships. The last No. 1 defense to get to the Super Bowl and win was me. That’s 11 years ago. So the thing about it is defense gives you a chance now, but offense has to win it for you,” Sapp said. [read more]
Yesterday, PewterReport.com had an explosive article that claimed Mike Williams was on the brink of being cut had former Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik and former commander Greg Schiano survived for another season.
Why? Williams had become lazy, per Pewter Report, and was not just channeling leaky Rip Van Freeman but was also getting deep into rap music. [read more]
Yes, Joe was at Media Day at the Super Bowl earlier this week and took loads of photos. It was freaking so cold that morning in Newark, Joe thinks he has just now warmed up back home in Tampa Bay. Hope you enjoy some of the sights of Media Day. Joe will have a diary of sorts of his trip to Gotham and Jersey tomorrow.
The Rutgers marching band entertained folks at Media Day just prior to the first session. No, Greg Schiano was nowhere to be found.
TV Azteca never disappoints at Media Day.
