Now Joe understands this is a pure coincidence. For the debut game of rookie third round pick Mike Glennon, supplanting franchise quarterback Josh Freeman as the Bucs’ starter, the actual ticket for the game is very interesting, thanks to a catch by Jason Lisk of TheBigLead.com.

Josh Freeman was benched yesterday by head coach Greg Schiano. If you have a game ticket for this week’s home game against the Arizona Cardinals, you might just have a picture of Josh Freeman, in the orange creamsicle uniform, looking at you as you enter the game to see Mike Glennon’s first career start.

You can see that the ticket also markets this as the “Throwback Game”. That would make this ticket 0-fer Sunday.

Last week, it was announced that the Buccaneers would not be doing the throwback game this year, because of a new league policy that players should wear the same helmet all year. Switching from the pewter helmet color to the all-white background Bucco Bruce swashbuckler would have been too difficult, and the team didn’t want to go with the same helmet while wearing the throwback uniform.

Joe finds the irony funny. The Bucs want Bucs fans to move past Freeman. After all, Schiano refused to even touch the subject today, claiming he spent sufficient time discussing the issue on Wednesday. Yet there Freeman will be in the hands of thousands of fans.

And like he did with DJ Toes on the Line, the moment Freeman leaves and Schiano is asked about the transaction, Schiano will say he doesn’t discuss players that are not on his roster.

And the door to the Josh Freeman Era in Tampa Bay will be shut, slammed, dead-bolted shut.

Jason La Canfora claims other NFL teams were trying to acquire Josh Freeman last summer in a trade in this CBS Sports video.

Yesterday, Bucs players put on a good face, saying they would play hard and how third round draft pick Mike Glennon is the man. Now. Right away.

While it is difficult to believe some veterans, like Dashon Goldson, Vincent Jackson and Carl Nicks, weren’t a little bit irritated at relying on a rookie signal-caller trying to salvage their season, Bucs wide receiver Mike Williams insisted that was not the case.

“[The Bucs] made the decision for a reason,” Williams said. “They didn’t make the decision to keep losing. Hopefully it is a great decision and we will go out and try to get the rest of these wins.”

Well, maybe getting a new quarterback, even a rookie who has never taken a regular season snap, can be enough of a shot in the arm to energize the offense.

We will all find out in a few short days.

The Bucs’ big-gun receivers are banged up. Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson haven’t practiced this week.

That’s not good news for Mike Glennon, but there’s always tomorrow’s practice, or they could play a little catch on their Saturday free time if Jackson and Williams are up for it.

Jackson has a rib issue and Williams has hamstring trouble. Greg Schiano said wide receivers Kevin Ogltree, Eric Page and rookie Russell Shepard were practicing as replacements.

Joe’s got his fingers crossed that Williams and Jackson can go Sunday.

If you’re even CONSIDERING buying a new truck or SUV… pay attention. You don’t want to miss this!

GET PROFESSIONAL GRADE GMC’S AT INVOICE!

PAY THE INVOICE PRICE FOR BRAND NEW GMC’S!

WAY LOWER THAN MSRP!
LOWER THAN THE CLEARANCE PRICE!

Right now at Ed Morse GMC at the Auto Plaza on U.S. Hwy. 19 in Port Richey.

IT’S THE NATURE COAST’S LARGEST GMC INVENTORY… AT INVOICE!

2013 TERRAIN – $229* a month!
2013 SIERRA – $219* a month!
2013 ACADIA – Buy for $28,973*

PLUS GET ONE YEAR OF COMPLIMENTARY SIRIUS XM RADIO!

DON’T WAIT! THEY WON’T LAST LONG!
*See dealer for details

Injuries are limiting the Bucs’ air attack

Greg Schiano plans to rely on Josh Freeman as his No. 2 quarterback on Sunday, but the head coach refused to talk about Freeman today.

Schiano pulled an interesting tactic at his afternoon news conference; he wouldn’t talk about the landmark franchise altering decision that’s on fans’ minds.

“Yesterday I spent, like, the entire time on Josh and Mike and the quarterback change,” Schiano said.

Ironically, Schiano’s response to questions about Freeman, when Freeman’s no longer is a Buccaneer, will be that he doesn’t talk about guys not on his roster.

So it seems, based on Schiano’s comments today, that Schiano already considers Freeman an outcast.

Since Mike Glennon news is all the rage with Bucs fans, Joe figured he would revisit Glennon’s episode with Chucky in Chucky’s annual BSPN series on draft-eligible quarterback boot camps.

It seems the Mike Glennon Mob will get a great chance to grow.

Team Glazer has announced there will be no more blacked out Bucs games at the Stadium on Dale Mabry Highway this season. Every game will be televised.

Joe is ecstatic for the legions of Bucs fans, especially little kids, old folks and poor drunks, who can’t get out to the stadium to see their beloved Bucs live.

Team Glazer, obviously, likely will gobble up tickets to serve the Bucs faithful and meet the 85 percent sales threshold for non-premium tickets to get the games on TV. Hopefully, the New Schiano Order will deliver a product to be proud of. Otherwise, Joe predicts alcohol sales across Tampa Bay will skyrocket.

The Buccaneers demise of Josh Freeman has former Bucs QB Shaun King hot. The St. Pete native and Tampa resident is a lifelong Bucs fan and is unhappy.

King, one of three quarterbacks to lead the Bucs to the NFC title game, is very troubled by what he perceives is the mishandling of Josh Freeman since 2009.

According to King on the Ron and Ian show today on WDAE-AM 620, “Continuity, stability and a clearly defined set of standards and expectations,” were missing from the Freeman era.

“And because I don’t think that ever existed with Josh Freeman as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I think this is an epic and colossal failure by everyone within that organization,” King said. “From the time this young man got here, that organization has been dysfunctional, there’s been turmoil, and there’s been turnover and no direction. I blame them for him failing. I’ve never as disappointed as I am with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since they fired Tony Dungy. They’ve done a disservice to this kid, continually changing coordinators, quarterback coaches, never being in an environment that’s conducive to playing winning football on a consistent basis.

“And I’m saying that to say this, I have nothing against Mike Glennon whatsoever. I want him to succeed. They’re about to do the same thing to him that they did to Josh Freeman. They didn’t make this decision because Mike Glennon played at such a substantially high level in the preseason that you had to do it. They didn’t make this decision because he’s come in and captivated everyone within that organization. They didn’t make this decision because it’s the best football move. So you’re about to put this young quarterback in the same situation that you continually had Josh Freeman in. And that’s unfair.”

Now Joe can’t buy into King’s premise on all levels. Freeman returned in 2011, after a superstar season in 2010, with the same offensive coordinator and the same experienced quarterback coach (Alex Van Pelt) and head coach. That season Freeman crumbled along with his teammates as the Bucs went from 4-2 to 4-12. So what was missing, aside from better receivers?

King went on to say the Bucs screwed Freeman by not giving him a veteran quarterback to learn from.

“I had no idea what it was like to be an NFL quarterback until Brad Johnson came to Tampa,” said King, citing him being exposed to “a disgruntled, immature Trent Dilfer” early in his career.

The cut below is arguably King’s most passionate radio appearance ever. Enjoy.

Brendon Ayanbadejo, Scott Fujita, Tim Ryan and Chris Myers discuss the benching of franchise quarterback Josh Freeman with some intelligent takes in this FOX Football Daily video.

As if this week hasn’t been bad enough starting with the terrible loss to the Patriots and the benching of franchise quarterback Josh Freeman, it nearly got worse this morning.

Per his Twitter account, Bucs defensive end Adrian Clayborn was involved in a traffic accident.

@AJaClay: Little car accident this morning. Just glad everybody is safe. I will be needing a ride until my truck get fixed. Any takers?? Come on!!!

When Joe read the first sentence of that Twitter his heart skipped a beat. Joe will try to find out more about the mishap this afternoon when players are available.

Joe’s just happy all involved are fine, best we know.

Yes, Joe’s confident Sunday’s Bucs-Cardinals game will be blacked out from local television. That means loads of Bucs fans will access dangerous unauthorized Internet feeds of the game. These feeds are loaded with viruses and all kinds of stuff that will take down your computer hard drive like Warren Sapp did quarterbacks.

Joe’s friends at GetFastData.com and PascoPC.com can save your data and fix your computer. These are very reputable companies offering spectacular rates and service.

Got questions? Need help now? Call the number below or visit their websites.

Mike Glennon is close to his big brother Sean, the former Virginia Tech quarterback and longtime friend of Cody Grimm. So Joe finds the following quotes from Sean Glennon, via FOX Sports, credible and interesting.

The elder Glennon lays out the love between the Bucs’ new quarterback and their former franchise guy, Josh Freeman.

A budding friction between Freeman and Mike Glennon would seem natural. Sean Glennon said this is not the case.

“[Mike] has told me that there has been no tension between the two,” Sean said. “I’ve met Josh before and I had a couple of friends who have been on the Bucs and they’ve all raved about him that he’s easygoing and easy to get along with. Mike has said the same thing.

“He expected there to be a little tension between the two and that [Josh] might not be the nicest guy in the world to Mike, but Mike has said that he’s been great. They help each other and they encourage each other. So [Mike] has said it’s almost been oddly easy getting along with Josh compared to what he thought it might be like.

“I actually remember Josh called my brother on draft day and said welcome to the family. Josh has been really good to Mike and he’s been good in return. It seems like they have a very non-frictional relationship.”

This illustrates a point that isn’t often talked about: loads of Buccaneer love Josh Freeman. No. 5 was the guy rallying and organizing the troops for practices during the lockout. Player hung out watching basketball games and other events at Freeman’s South Tampa house. The pictures were often Twittered for all to see. Freeman was welcoming of new teammates and was friendly to media. Joe watched Freeman take a lot of time/go out of his way for a disabled kid this spring.

Now that Freeman has been benched, Joe finds this noteworthy because the Bucs are not going to be in a massive hurry to trade Freeman because there is no concern that Freeman will be a cancer in the locker room. He’s just not that kind of guy.

Yes, the Bucs want to trade Freeman, but there’s no freak out going on where the Bucs would take the first seventh-round pick offered up.

Mike Glennon played a ton in the 2013 preseason. Here is his August stats line: 33-for-70 for 397 yards with three interceptions and three touchdowns. Glennon ran for -7 yards and had a 61.4 quarterback rating.

Joe had the benefit of watching nearly every second of Bucs spring practices and training camp, and Joe can say Glennon clearly showed a strong arm and the ability to make all the throws. However, Glennon tossed plenty of picks in practice and Joe doesn’t recall any observers whispering that Glennon looked like he was ready to be a good starting quarterback.

But Glennon is smart, learning and has been working his ass off, per Greg Schiano. And Schiano, without being asked yesterday, offered an interesting scouting report on what the Glennon era will bring immediately.

“I think he’ll be accurate,” Schiano said of Glennon.

Glennon now will be throwing to stud receivers in Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams. And Michael Clayton Kevin Ogletree played with the second teamers in preseason and caught a lot of balls from Glennon, so at least there’s familiarity there.

Joe wants to see this accuracy Schiano speaks of.

The Bucs are going to run the ball relentlessly and surely will put Glennon in favorable situations. The guy’s got to throw for at least 55 percent. Joe just can’t put the minimum standards lower than that. If Glennon threw for 55 percent, then that would give Glennon the second-worst completion rate for a starter, based on current stats, just ahead of Jets rookie Geno Smith.

Woody Cummings and the Custodian of Canton, eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, discuss the benching of franchise quarterback Josh Freeman.

When it was learned that former Bucs franchise quarterback Josh Freeman was benched in favor of rookie third round draft pick Mike Glennon yesterday, it took virtually every Bucs fan by surprise.

Bucs commander Greg Schiano was so adamant when stating this week — several times –that Freeman was his starting quarterback, the timing yesterday really shocked people.

But perhaps none more so than the victim (?) himself, Freeman. That’s what WalterFootball.com’s Charlie Campbell has learned working his sources.

It was something that was inevitable; Freeman’s off-the-field issues aside, he had been playing terrible football. His inability to read defenses and be consistently accurate was alarming. I just thought Freeman would be benched after the bye, so I’m a bit surprised by the timing of it. Freeman was as well. According to Charlie’s sources, Freeman was “blindsided” by this.

So, is Glennon an improvement? Perhaps he could be in the future. Glennon isn’t mobile at all, but he has a big arm. Unfortunately, he doesn’t use it. He settles for checkdowns way too often, which will undoubtedly frustrate Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams in the short term. Oh, and speaking of Jackson, he suffered a rib injury last week. Adam Schefter indicated that Jackson could play in this contest, but there’s always a chance he won’t be 100 percent. Considering that he has to deal with Patrick Peterson, it’s safe to assume Jackson won’t produce much in this matchup.

Considering that Jackson is hurt and Glennon is making first start, the offense will be extremely limited. The Cardinals are seventh versus the run (3.4 YPC), so even Doug Martin won’t be able to generate much.

Maybe Freeman was taking Schiano at his word Monday like the rest of the Tampa Bay region?

It was only after watching more film Monday evening and then consulting with Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik and Team Glazer that Schiano then made the decision to make a move

And to “blindside” Freeman.

Credible and non-credible media types have been buzzing publicly for days about “off-the-field” negative behavior by Josh Freeman. And now they’ve escalated that talk to imply Freeman’s behavior has led, in part, to Freeman’s benching and the franchise changing course to Mike Glennon.

Joe is extraordinarily confident that whatever Freeman is or isn’t involved in “off the field” ultimately had no impact on the football decision to go to Mike Glennon yesterday. Joe’s got an excellent handle on what’s going on behind the scenes, and Joe is not going to get involved in rumors on these pages.

Yes, Freeman played poorly. But trust Joe, if the Bucs aren’t 0-3 on Monday, or if Freeman played well in New England, then Freeman would still be the Bucs’ starting quarterback today. Every One Buc Palace insider Joe talked to yesterday agreed. Freeman was victimized by late-game collapses that had nothing to do with him, senseless penalties, and he also was hurt significantly by dropped passes. Collectively, those were the knockout blows to Freeman. That’s life in the NFL.

Frankly, that’s all that matters to Joe.

Sort of lost in the wake of the benching of franchise quarterback Josh Freeman for rookie third round pick Mike Glennon is that not just Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik signed off on the move. Team Glazer also gave Schiano their blessings.

So who are bitter Freemanites going to blame, the entire organization? From Schiano on up, the Bucs suits, by all accounts, were on the same page.

Still, the Curator of Canton, eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, believes the visit by Dominik and Schiano to Team Glazer’s office must have been a stunner for Team Glazer, so Kaufman told the co-hosts of “Movin’ the Chains,” Pat Kirwan and Jim Miller heard exclusively on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

“I think they are aghast. I haven’t used that word in about five years and I bet Pat you haven’t heard that word used on your show in about five years,” Kaufman said. “These guys used the words “franchise quarterback” repeatedly over the years. And I am not going to be a hypocrite. I have to be honest. After 2010, I thought he was going to be the next great young quarterback. With a team, guys, that was a lot less talented than this one. A lot less talented. They haven’t done a great job of developing this kid.

“As far as ownership is concerned. I think after Dominik and Schiano got together [Tuesday], I think Schiano did a lot of talking, and Dominik did a lot of listening. They did run it past the Glazers. A move of this magnitude, you have to get them involved. They are not involved on a daily basis but they want to be involved when it is important.

“You know what guys, [Team Glazer] could have stopped it. They could have said, ‘You are not changing quarterbacks.’ And that would have been the way it is. They have seen it as the head coach’s decision. I think you can say this is a Greg Schiano decision. It was certainly not something Mark Dominik wanted to see, his first round draft pick placed to the side.”

For all the hand-wringing and kvetching, it is telling to Joe that, again, every person from Schiano up on the Bucs food chain signed off on the move.

Team Glazer may have been upset. Dominik may have been upset. Hell, Schiano was probably upset about making the move. But no one above Schiano nixed the decision.