Joe hopes the Glazers are reading JoeBucsFan.com today, or at least listening to the Buccaneers Radio Network.

Josh Freeman just confirmed that the Bucs had a crappy practice on Friday. “We had a slow day Friday,” Freeman said on 620 WDAE-AM following Sunday’s blowout loss to the Jets.

CBS color analyst Rich Gannon, during the first quarter of the game, blasted the Bucs for what he observed to be a lifeless practice on Friday. “They weren’t going full speed,” Gannon commented.

Joe feels bad for stating earlier that Gannon might have been pounding the Bucs mercilessly to indirectly prop up his buddy Chucky. (Sorry, Gannon. Joe owes you a Caybrew.)

As for the lame practice on Friday, being so weak that a rookie quarterback takes notice no less, Joe can not excuse Raheem The Dream.

So many pundits and intelligent observers keep praising the Bucs for continuing to play hard. Did the offense really play hard today?

And Raheem the Dream spouted all through the preseason that his team would practice harder than any in the league. “Because we have to, ” Raheem The Dream once said.

Shame on the Bucs for not being ready for the 6-6 Jets, and their first home game in three weeks.

* Gene Deckerhoff talking about Jets quarterback Brad Smith in shotgun formation a Wildcat. Damnit, a quarterback in a shotgun formation is NOT a Wildcat. However, Deckerhoff said every team has a version of a Wildcat. Yeah, every team but the Bucs.

* Dave Moore has said the Bucs defense played terrible against the cutbacks with Jim Bates but now, they are under Raheem the Dream. Joe is happy that Dave Moore reads Joe’s posts during the game.

* Bucs defense looks like it’s just about tapped out.

* Elbert Mack has a nice tackle on that Jets completion.

* Good thing for Clemens he can’t hit water if he fell out of a boat, otherwise, Talib would have had a pick-six on the far end line.

* If the Bucs had any kind of offense, the Jets would have just kept the Bucs in the game with that missed field goal.

* Winslow did a whole lot of running after that catch but went a whole lot of nowhere.

* Freeman should take off more often to loosen up the Jets defense.

* Damn, Mo Stovall was open. Terrible pass.

* Revis with an interception. It was just a matter of time.

* Nice job of the Bucs radio network to be broadcasting commercials during Thomas Jones’ touchdown.

* Where was this offense in the first half?

* Man, Freeman is way off target today. King of Turds was open but Freeman overthrew him by eight yards.

* Dave Moore on the Bucs radio network is really ripping the Bucs offense, indirectly Greg Olson: You are seeing things from your quarterback that after this many games you should not be seeing. Translation: Freeman is regressing and that is a reflection on Greg Olson.

* Fitting that Freeman throws an interception to effectively end the game.

* Joe always thought Braylon Edwards was a smooth-talking dirtbag. A personal foul inside the five-yard line sorta reinforces Joe’s thoughts.

* Mo Stovall with a nice catch. Too bad it’s pretty much useless.

* Bucs haven’t converted a third down all day. Beyond pathetic. 0-14 on third downs. Dave Moore was ripping Greg Olson for his play call on third down with 44 seconds left, saying you never call a crossing pattern on a zone defense.

* Brian Clark, wide open, drops a fourth down pass. There’s a reason why he was unemployed this summer.

* Game next week at Seattle will be very telling for both Josh Freeman and Greg Olson. If Freeman continues to regress next week, Joe cannot see any reason to retain Greg Olson. If your franchise quarterback is getting worse by the week, hard to continue going down that road before he’s ruined.

* This is criminal how well the Bucs are playing defense and the Bucs offense is worse than a Fredo (Jeff) Bowden offense. Seriously.

* It’s going to be tough to stick up for Raheem the Dream if the Bucs win the Ndamukong Sug sweepstakes. Joe is really impressed with the job Raheem the dream has done with the defense. In Joe’s eyes, that’s enough for a return trip next season. But the offense, good God!!! It’s not like the Bucs don’t have decent players on offense.

* Josh Freeman looks like Joe if someone told him a naked Rosie O’Donnell is knocking on his door.

* Three-and-out. Again. Dave Moore is suggesting this is four-down territory.

* Ronde Barber did a nice job by punching the ball out of Shonn Green’s hands.

* Getting a first down via a penalty does not count in Joe’s eyes. Bucs offense still can’t get a first down.

* Bucs pretty much have to go for it on fourth down.

* Dave Moore is ripping Gilmore for doing a lousy job of blocking.

* Earnest Graham with the Bucs first first down with 7:03 left in the third quarter. That’s 38 minutes of football without a first down. Awful.

* Brian Clark should have had that good throw by Freeman but let’s remember, Clark was picked up off the streets during the summer.

* If Cadillac had cut back on that second down play he may have had a first down. Jets defense was not filling the hole on the backside.

* A field goal? Come on Rah, you need more than that. This is nothing more than a job-saving move to try to get on the scoreboard. Simple as that.

* Joe likes the onside kick. Bucs need to pull out their entire bag of tricks, provided Greg Olson has any.

* Nice job scrambling Tito. Bucs just may get their second first down (Joe doesn’t count a first down on a penalty. That’s a gift.)

* Freeman is hacked off at someone or somebody on that timeout. Good to see some fire from the rookie.

* Winslow should have had that pass. It was a good throw.

* Dave Moore claims the Bucs should have run the ball up the middle. Joe says Winslow should have hauled the ball in.
* How the hell does a defensive tackle get called for holding on a run up the middle???

* Outstanding discipline by the Bucs defense. They are not allowing plays from the backside by filling the holes and staying home.

* Bucs defense is starting to crack. Not surprising since they’ve been on the field most of the game. Gee, thanks Olson.

"Man, you owe me, Gannon."

During the first quarter, CBS color analyst Rich Gannon blasted the Bucs for what he saw at their Friday practice in Tampa.

Gannon said he was “not at all impressed” and the Bucs were “not sharp. They weren’t going full speed” in their red zone work.

Now Joe doesn’t know what Gannon saw. And Joe leaves open the possibility that Gannon might be embellishing to make his old pal Chucky look good. (Especially now that Gannon is calling for Freeman to be pulled from the Jets game in the third quarter.)

But it’s a very troubling thought for Joe to think the Bucs might have been running a half-assed practice.

After all, Raheem The Dream talked all preseason about how his team would practice harder than any other, be more violent, etc.

When the Bucs were shut out in Week 3 at home against the New York Giants, the telling statistic was the Byron Leftwich-led Bucs failing to get a first down until 5:00 of the third quarter.

How does an NFL offense with an allegedly good offensive line not get a first down in 40 minutes of football?

Now it’s happened again.

Greg Olson again has his offense completely stoned in an entire half. Not a first down to be found.

To all who think offensive Olson is an effective playcaller …

Joe is loving this. eye-RAH! Kaufman is absolutely unloading on the Bucs via the TBO.com Bucs Twitter feed. He is mincing no words at this godawful offensive — keyword there — performance by Greg Olson’s putrid offense.

The Bucs trail 16-0 in the type of brutal performance that should prompt the Glazers to consider major offseason changes.

Later, Kaufman, one of the Tampa Tribune’s Bucs beat reporters, all but suggests the Glazers should give Bill Cowher or Mike Shanahan a call.

If things don’t turn around here in the next hour at RayJay, those Cowher and Shanahan to Tampa rumors will only intensify.

Joe will say this: The good people within the walls of One Buc Palace should certainly take a long, hard look at Greg Olson’s job. Even with a rookie quarterback and the league’s top defense, the Bucs should have more than 25 yards of offense in the first half and at least one first down.

Joe can’t come up with the proper words to use short of obscenities.

* Joe can’t remember the last time a defensive lineman made such a good play that deep on a punt return like Jimmy Wilkerson just pulled.

* Bucs are playing solid defense and it’s a crime the Bucs are wasting it with a pitiful offense.

* Styles G. White with the sack!! Joe hopes defrocked defensive coordinator Jim Bates has to beg for fast food lunches with the horrible job he did this year. How many wins did this guy cost the Bucs?

* Not a whole lot of protection there by the Bucs on the Jets sack.

* Oh, if Caddy cuts back on the run after the sack, he had a nice gain.

* Man, Freeman really missed on a wide open Kellen Winslow.

* eye-RAH! Kaufman of the twittered that Freeman is telegraphing passes and not looking off receivers.

* Those Bucs cheerleaders must be hot(ter) and sweaty in those Santa outfits. 🙂

* Dave Moore can’t understand why the Jets aren’t just pounding the Bucs with the run, wearing down the Bucs defense that can’t get a breather from the brutal Bucs offense.

* Nice play by Clemens as he was flushed by the Bucs defense.

* Nice play by Barrett Ruud on the attempted reverse. As great as this Bucs defense has played, it’s an absolute outrage how awful the Bucs offense has been.

* Bucs got a break because Kellen Clemens is a moron and could have run for an easy first down.

* Even though the Bucs gave up a field goal, that was overall a solid effort by the Bucs defense.

* Not a bad run by the Bucs up the middle on a strong Jets defense.

* Normally Joe would crucify Freeman but Joe has to remember what a suffocating Jets defense this is. A rookie quarterback who is regressing and who has a penchant for pickoffs against this defense, well, anyone should expect Freeman to struggle.

* Big hole there by the Jets. Dave Moore said that run by Thomas Jones was just a matter of time for the length of time the defense has been on the field.

* Do the Bucs have a first down yet?

* Solid run by Thomas Jones. 16-0 Jets. That should be the ballgame. Seriously. Why should Joe expect the Bucs to score more than two touchdowns if they haven’t had a first down with just over three minutes left in the first half?

* Through 29 minutes of football, the Bucs have run 16 plays and have 13 yards. Pitiful.

* Make that 17 plays, 11 yards.

* A complete pass and an eight-yard gain brings out a Bronx cheer. And no Dave Moore, that was not the crowd “getting excited.” They’re pissed off, as they should be. Imagine paying good money for this shit?

* Even Gene Deckerhoff is unloading on the Bucs offense. How bad is that???

* Say what you will about over-the-hill Bobby Bowden, but even an 80-year old has-been figurehead would have come up with a better offense than this we’re watching today. Shit, even Fredo (Jeff) Bowden couldn’t do any worse. Just HORRIBLE!

* Look, Joe gives the Jets defense all the credit in the world. They are damned good. But there’s no way Joe can give a pass to Greg Olson on this debacle. Not even with a rookie quarterback.

* How bad would this game be if Kellen Clemens was worth a s(p)it?

* Gene Deckerhoff just said in a roundabout way Bucs fans should resume their Christmas decorating than watching this septic tank of an offense.

* The Bucs are booed off the field at halftime and Gene Deckerhoff just said, “as they should be.”

* How bad is that when an NFL broadcasting team says live on the air the fans should boo? Wow!

Joe is upset at the Bucs offense.

Dave Moore is upset at the Bucs offense.

So too is eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune.

Posting on the TBO.com Bucs Twitter feed, Kaufman unloads on the Bucs offense.

Disgraceful effort by Bucs offense in 1Q vs. Jets: 16 yards gained in 10 snaps. Way too much pressure on improved Tampa Bay defense.

Raheem the Dream has shown Joe quite a bit as a defensive coordinator. But the Bucs offense has certainly regressed in recent games. It’s not like the Bucs don’t have offensive weapons.

* What the F! First play of the game and Olson calls a pass play which results in an interception. What the hell are they passing for with the Jets having the best pass defense in the league!? GEEZ!

* Man, the Jets got a push on the defensive front like any team got on a Jim Bates defensive front.

* Jets look dominating on defense. Absolutely smothering, just like the Bucs used to be.

* Bucs are playing right into the Jets hands

* Nice coverage on the screen pass. Only way the Bucs win this game is by defense and defesive turnovers.

* Nice defense thus far. If Jim Bates was still with the Bucs, the Jets would be up 14-0 by now.

* Nice call by the Jets on the fake punt. Joe has to give credit where credit is due.

* Capt. Lou Albano is going to lose 10 pounds wearing that sweater on a Florida 80-degree day.

* Joe is very impressed with the Bucs defense thus far. This is going to be a black-and-blue kinda day.

* With a running game like the Jets have, Joe understands how the Jets can get a good push for a yard and a first down on a fourth down call.

* Why can’t the Bucs use Josh Johnson in a formation like Brad Smith with the Jets? Oh, that’s right, it takes a little imagination.

* Ronde Barber with a strong tackle.

* I think Joe understands how a rookie beat out Kellen Clemens for a starting job.

* Bucs are VERY fortunate to only be down six points. VERY.

* Reavis blanketed Antonio Bryant.

* Horrible Bucs offense.

* Joe again is impressed with the Bucs defense and wonders what they could have been if they had a defensive coordinator with a clue from Day 1?

* Nice job by Stylez G. White! Forced a bad throw from Kellen Clemens.

* On first down you have 12 guys in the huddle? WTF???

* Dave Moore is just ripping the Bucs for having 12 guys in the huddle on first down. Joe agrees. Inexcusable.

* Dave Moore on the Bucs radio network is really unloading on the Bucs offense for having their collective heads up their asses with the penalties and turnovers. Joe agrees.

* Freeman appears to be forcing the ball. Joe isn’t so sure if it is the Jets defense or that Freeman is really regressing or both.

* Are the Bucs scared to throw the ball downfield now? Seems as though the Bucs just gave up on that call.

Joe has learned from all around good guy Rick Brown of the Lakeland Ledger via his Twitter feed that not only is there “a lot of green” in the stands, which indicates Jetfan came down to the game in droves, but more importantly, the Bucs cheerleaders are all in their skimpy Santa Claus outfits.

The thought makes Joe want to sit on Santa’s lap and tell Santa that not only has he been a good boy, but also explain to Santa in detail what he wants for Christmas, or before Christmas, or after Christmas, or any time.

Raheem the Dream may not be smiling if the Bucs are able to draft defensive tackle/manbeast Ndamukong Suh.

Dave Moore on the Buccaneers Radio Network just made an eye-opening comment.

Or should that be an ear-opening comment?

Moore talked about Raheem the Dream and his job status, or lack thereof. Moore said if Raheem the Dream “expects” to return for a second year, he pretty much will have to win another game.

Now Moore did not say Raheem the Dream will be canned if the Bucs finish 1-15, but he did say Raheem the Dream shouldn’t sleep soundly if he cannot win another game.

Since this is coming from a Bucs employee on a broadcast produced by the Bucs, this certainly got Joe’s attention.

What a predicament Raheem the Dream is in. Any sane football coach wants Ndamukong Suh. But to get him, Raheem the Dream will put his job in jeopardy.

Two key elements for the Bucs won’t be available today. Hence, a very uphill battle against the Jets just got tougher.

Linebacker Geno Hayes and wide receiver/return specialist Sammie Stroughter are out for today’s game. Also out for today’s game is non-factor Michael Clayton.

Hayes has a bum hamstring and Stroughter has a bad back.

Joe is very chagrin about this news and fears the worst.

Week 14
Jets at Bucs
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
TV: WTSP Ch. 10, DirecTV 707
Radio: Buccaneers Radio Network (in Tampa WFUS-FM, 103.5 and WDAE-AM, 620); Sirius Channel 708.
Weather: Very nice day which may work in favor of the Bucs. The Jets will be used to frigid conditions. Per Accuweather.com, temperature at kickoff is expected to be 86 under partly sunny skies. It’s possible if the Bucs can hold it close, the Jets will be sapped from the heat and the fourth quarter could be had by the Bucs.
Odds: PerBodog.com, Jets -3.5
Outlook: The outcome of this game will tell Joe a lot about the Bucs and if they are actually making any strides at all. The Jets have the best defense in the league and a punishing ground game. Since the Jets throw over 160 different blitzes at teams, Joe expects Jets coach Capt. Lou Albano to ramp up the blitzes in order to confuse  rookie quarterback Josh Freeman. The Bucs have looked better against the run since Raheem the Dream defrocked defensive coordinator Jim Bates. What they do against the Jets is of interest to Joe.
Fun facts:  The lovely lady above is Tampa’s very own, and Bucs traitor, Jenn Sterger. Since that photo, Joe has learned since this photo was shot, Sterger has taken off her filthy Jets clothes and, in a crime against humanity, reversed her enhancements. The gall! Sterger was also one of the original Florida State Cowgirls along with Fabiola, which gives Joe an excuse to link to the fabulous Fabiola. … Speaking of hot women, since the game today will be on WTSP-TV, Joe is hoping the station runs a pregame, pregame show featuring some of the station’s top talent such as Heather Van Nest, Tammie Fields and Danielle Saar.

It might be time for Joe to give a nickname to Tom Balog, Bucs beat writer/columnist for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The guy hits very hard and reckless at times, and he even breaks new journalistic ground with his commentary.

Joe’s debating calling him The Hammer, with no disrespect to real athletes John “The Hammer” Milner and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine.

Today, Balog absolutely goes off on Jon Gruden with wild assertions about Jets running back Thomas Jones, the former Buccaneer.

Here’s just a small sample:

Always trying to prove that he knew bettter, Gruden sometimes didn’t know when to leave well enough alone.

If only Gruden had kept Jones, the history of the post-Super Bowl champion Buccaneers would not be the shambles that it has become, and he might not have been fired after the 2008 season.

Balog continues:

Then again, maybe Gruden would have run Jones into the ground like he did [Cadillac] Williams, and his career would be hanging by a thread, just like that of Williams, a 700-yard back whose future after five hard seasons, will be that of a role player, as long as he can stay healthy.

There’s more, as well, as Balog outlines with wild hypotheticals how the Bucs would look if they didn’t fail to re-sign Jones after the 2003 season.

Look, Joe and every other astute football fan can acknowledge that letting Jones walk was a bad move, but it surely wasn’t the epic screw-up Balog makes it out to be. Somehow, Joe doesn’t think anyone, including Balog, was thinking about Thomas Jones last December, when the 9-3 Bucs fell apart.

Jets coach Capt. Lou Albano talked to WFAN-AM 660 host Mike Francesa about the Jets and how his team is playing. It’s good insight for Bucs fans: know the enemy.

Albano also talks about how difficult it is going from a defensive coordinator to a head coach and how he has adjusted.

Might be interesting for Raheem the Dream to listen to.

The good people of NFL Network are kind enough to provide some previews of the Jets-Bucs.

Therefore, Joe is proud to bring them to you as well.

First up is a piece produced by NFL Films.

Next up is the gameday forecast from AccuWeather.com.

Scott Smith of Buccaneers.com also has his preview of the game in the latest installment of “Buccaneers Insider.”

Joe was treated this week to a man-to-legend chat with Hall of Famer and restaurateur Lee Roy Selmon, the former Bucs defensive end.

What an honor!

Below is Part II of the interview. If you missed Part I, you can check it out here.

Joe: You played on the winless inaugural 1976 Bucs team and the 2-12 club the following year. Can you offer a sense of what the current Bucs are going through?

Lee Roy Selmon: If you’ve ever worked hard at something in life over a period of time and the results are not what you expected them to be and the goal is totally out of reach, you get the perspective of the impact on the Bucs players and coaches right now. I think that’s the best way to have the average fan to understand it. …How you repond is important. I still see the Bucs putting out great effort. I look for that. That’s critical. That addressses your character. They’ve been addressing that real well, keeping positive and focusing on the next game as hard as it is.

Joe: What’s going to make these Bucs turn the corner and become winners? They’ve played better of late, but they haven’t figured out how to win.

Selmon: Winning in the NFL is a function of continued hard work and growth to the point where you’re making plays for success. Big plays. You can be a play or two away. Think back to the Bucs game in Atlanta, that was a one-play game that didn’t turn our way. …They must keep working hard toward another play here and another play there, and having someone stepping up to the highest level. …From what they’ve done in Atlanta and other games, take the postives toward that. They’re moving toward the right direction. …In 1978, we felt that something special was happening. We had one a few more games that year (5-11). We were so excited looking forward to that ’79 season. … We had grown to the point that we knew we could be successful.

Joe: So what got you into the restaurant business with Lee Roy Selmon’s. Is this a passion of yours?

Selmon: I’ve dibbled and dabbled in the food business for a long time. I had a had a bbq sauce for a while and my brother had a barbeque restaruant in Wichita, Kansas. …I met with the Outback steakhouse founders, and they were interested in parternering up together. We came up with the concept of Lee Roy Selmon’s. And we got it all started in 2000. …It’s been a wonderful learning experience. And I’m very excited about our future with six restaurants.

Joe:  A trip into a Lee Roy Selmon’s usually means standout service for the entire visit. It feels like it’s on a higher level than other establishments in its class. Does that focus on service come from you?

Selmon: It’s important to me personally and our partners and founders, as well. … Great food is important, but personally I pay very close attention to the care a staff provides when I’m out at a restaurant. My parents taught us that we’re no better than anyone else, and to treat everyone as best we can when we had visitors come into our home. I want to make sure that treatment moves forward in our business. … You have to enjoy serving people. We make a special effort to have our hospitality at the highest level. It’s a team effort in our establishments. That’s what I like to do, is partner up with managing partners and team members — cleanup crew, servers, bartenders, all of us are a team.  I like to shake the hands of customers and let them know how imprortant they are. … Our president Greg Lynn and our partners spend countless hours on our hospitality and our customers’ experience.

Joe: Lee Roy Selmon’s menu seems to be constantly evolving and has become a true sports-friendly atmosphere. Where is it going from here?

Selmon: We’re happy with the changes. You have to listen to your customers. Make sure they’re having a good experience every time they come in. We have lots of sports fans of all sports. It’s a great place to really watch a game. It’s a natural with me to be geared toward the casual sports fans but focused on the food. And the supreme quality of the food offerings is something we take great pride in. We continue to focus on our hospitality and the food quality. We’ve added some sliders and other items more attractive to casual sports fans yet maintaining our signature items. There’s something for everyone.

I want to take a quick moment to wish everone the best of everything for this holiday season and a Merry Christmas. We appreciate the support of our customers and look forward to them enjoying lunch or dinner with us. We’re very excited about some changes coming in 2010.

Joe once again flips around the interwebs to see how the national media views the Bucs. As one can imagine, it’s not great.

When a team is 1-11, sometimes it’s hard to find something positive to write about as evidenced by Mike Sando of BSPN who rates the Bucs. No. 30.

Here’s a bright spot: The Bucs are leading the league in opponents’ kickoff return average.

Adrian Hasenmayer of FoxSports.com has the Bucs slightly lower at No. 31.

The ol’ “Tampa Two” defensive scheme has worked well in its two-game return with head coach Raheem Morris calling the signals. Unfortunately it has come as QB Josh Freeman (five INTs at Carolina last week) remembers that he is merely a rookie learning a whole new ballgame in the NFL.

Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com is like-minded with Hasenmayer as he points out that starting a rookie quarterback comes with baggage, ranking the Bucs at No. 31.

Josh Freeman will have days like he had at Carolina. That’s part of the learning curve.

Josh Alper of Fanhouse.com also has the Bucs at No. 31.

The Buccaneers have played close games in the last two weeks against divisional foes, but have come up short. Mark this down as a sign of slight improvement but remember that the team is still losing football games and the Panthers and Falcons were two opponents not playing their best football.

Vacation Man of BSPN.com believes Antonio Bryant's days with the Bucs are numbered.

In a recent NFC South chat, former Bucs beat writer and current Tampa resident Vacation Man of BSPN.com dropped a couple of bombs that will sure to get Bucs fans talking.

Vacation Man is of the belief there will be some shakeups with the Bucs in the offseason, and Raheem the Dream will not be among the changes.

In short, don’t be shocked if offensive coordinator Greg Olson is either demoted or canned, and rookie quarterback Josh Freeman will be throwing to another No. 1 receiver.

JP (Inverness, FL)
Pat will the bucs have a new head coach, OC, or both next year?

Vacation Man 
At this point, I’m thinking Morris stays. But good chance there’s movement at OC.

Then, Vacation Man has this about Bucs receiver Antonio Bryant.

ac (orlando, fl)
Do you think Antonio Bryant will stay or leave Tampa Bay?

Vacation Man 
Gone, not necessarily by his choice.

Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune has noted on more than one occasion that Olson was never interviewed for the offensive coordinator position so why should anyone expect that Olson would have any job security?

That written, Joe would like to see him remain as a quarterback coach because there is certainly a bond between Olson and Freeman.

A lot of football fans, both at Derrick Brooks alma mater Florida State, as well as Bucs fans, have made no secret of their wish that future Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks would come back to FSU/Tampa Bay and coach in some capacity.

Brooks usually snickers and politely declines any interest in coaching, despite the fact Brooks was considered one of the most intelligent football players to buckle a chin strap.

Once, Joe heard Brooks reply to a question if he would ever consider succeeding Bobby Bowden at Florida State yelp, “Lord, no!”

Those who are intimates of Brooks have always insisted Brooks had higher goals than just football. Janet Zink of the St. Petersburg Times seems to agree as she is floating a rumor — that Brooks didn’t exactly deny — that he will run for a seat in the Florida state senate.

Imagine the horror of uber-sports fan Jim Norman if he beats Kevin Ambler in the GOP primary for the District 12 Florida Senate seat and then has to face former Buccaneer Derrick Brooks in the general election.

Some Democrats are hoping for just that scenario. When asked if he was being courted by the party to run for the post, Brooks said this: “I’m not at liberty to talk about that right now.” When pressed, he said that ever since then-Gov. Jeb Bush appointed him to the FSU Board of Trustees, people have questioned him about his political aspirations. If he ever does decide to run, he said, it won’t be a secret. “I’ll let everyone know.”

Eric Jotkoff, spokesman for the Florida Democratic Party, said chairman Karen Thurman hasn’t talked to Brooks, but “his name has come up in internal conversations.”

It isn’t just Dems who are courting Brooks. It was former Florida governor Jeb Bush who appointed Brooks as a trustee to Florida State. When asked who among the Bucs current governor Charlie Crist would want to run for public office, Zink reports his answer was Brooks.

Roughly two years ago, Joe heard St. Petersburg native and Brooks’ former teammate at Florida State, William Floyd, speak. Like Brooks, Floyd also has a Super Bowl ring. Joe vividly remembers Floyd referring to Brooks — with a broad smile on his face — “my good friend the politician.”

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Is Rex Ryan keeping Mark Sanchez home because he thinks the Bucs defense stinks?

Joe is a connoisseur of quality sports radio.

Sometimes there’s nothing better than passionate, back-and-forth debate, sort of like when Jenn Sterger and Rachel Watson might fight for Joe’s affection.

Uh, back to sports radio, Evan Roberts and Joe Benigno, of WFAN-AM, in New York, had a spirited discussion about the Jets-Bucs game.

Among other topics, they float the theory that the Jets aren’t playing quarterback Mark Sanchez because the Jets are overconfident.

Enjoy.