It was a bizarre choice of words today by Ronde Barber after stating a minute or so earlier that the Bucs’ free agent signings had little to do with his decision to return in 2012.
“When I felt like that this team was going to make a push and try to win, that helped me make my decision to come back,” Barber said.
The comment begged the question, ‘Ronde, don’t the Bucs try to win every year?’
Regardless, Joe can’t quibble if Barber wasn’t eager to jump on a massive 2012 rebuilding project that didn’t include filling holes in free agency. Clearly, Barber can see the talented teams in the NFC South and knows the Bucs will need a great record to make the playoffs.
Barber went on to say he doesn’t know what his role will be and coyly said he’s too small to play safety.
Lots of great nuggets from Ronde Barber’s news conference this afternoon at One Buc Palace, but first Joe will give you Barber’s impressions of Greg Schiano.
Asked about the coaching staff, Barber’s body language said radical change is stirring.
“They have a very direct purpose, man. The ship’s a little bit tighter than it was last year. (laughs),” Barber said. “But that’s a good thing. We need direction. We got a bunch of young men that need guidance, and [Schiano’s] giving it to them. He was very direct about it, and I think that’s the way it should be. So I like the approach; I think it will work well for us.”
Barber went on to say, “when I look at [Schiano], all I see is football.” Barber says he likes that and says Schiano is brutally honest about what he knows and doesn’t know.
As for his impressions of defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan and Bucs supreme intelligence operative Butch Davis, Barber called Sheridan “great” and said Sheridan callled him immediately after he re-signed for 2012.
As for Davis, Barber said, “Butch, you don’t see him much, he sits in the back of the room and doesn’t say anything.”
While Joe’s had fun zeroing in on all things Trent Richardson and Morris Claiborne, there’s a real possibility that both players will be off the board once rockstar general manager Mark Dominik is put on the clock with the fifth overall pick in the first round.
The Vikings and Browns, in slots No. 3 and No. 4, certainly are unpredictable.
So if the Bucs face this scenario, do they dare take beastly tackle Matt Kalil out of Southern Cal with their pick? Do they snag blue chip receiver Justin Blackmon after commiting to Vincent Jackson, which Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn to roles that seemingly suit them best? Might they stretch out to snag LB Luke Kuechly?
A case could be made for any of those guys, especially with the rookie salary cap from prevents team from having to shell out gobs of cash to unproven talent.
Blackmon adds more firepower and competition to the receiving corps. A good offensive coordinator could go wild with those kinds of options. Kalil would light a virtual bonfire under Donald Penn and Jeremy Trueblood, which could only help short term and long term. And Kuechly would at least address what the Bucs desperately need most right now — talent at linebacker.
If it reached that point, Joe suspects Dominik would be saying silent prayers that his phone rings with a good trade offer for the No. 5 pick.
Fan favorite Adam Schein is outraged that the Wonderlic test results for a possible Bucs draft pick, LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, were leaked yesterday. In this FoxSports.com video, Schein details how he would prevent these leaks from happening in the future. As usual for Schein, he pulls no punches.
Yesterday the big news of the day, especially concerning the Bucs, was that LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne’s Wonderlic test score was leaked (likely by a team hoping he slips in the draft).
Claiborne scored a four. That’s not good.
But the leak of the score has sparked unrest among many, largely because Claiborne has a learning disability that is well-known in NFL circles, writes Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com.
Schrager goes on to write that this learning disability did not hinder Claiborne on the football field — Schrager believes he is the best corner to come out of the draft since Darrelle Revis in 2007 — and Claiborne never ducked this issue and continued to go to class with the help of LSU tutors.
According to Greg Gabriel at the National Football Post, Claiborne’s disability — though not specified— isn’t a secret around the league. When he was recruited out of high school, it was made clear to the various big-time college programs courting him that he’d need academic advisors and assistance in the classroom once he selected a school.
After deciding to attend LSU, Claiborne didn’t fade away and let the rigors of the college environment swallow him whole. He worked with tutors and utilized LSU’s various on-campus learning resources to get the grades he needed to stay academically eligible and compete.
Claiborne’s time in college should be celebrated. Hell, it’d make for a decent movie. Local kid defies the odds, attends the state’s university, gets enrolled in the right classes and goes on to make millions starring in the NFL. It’s as feel-good a story as you’ll get in today’s world of college athletics.
Will this taint Claiborne in the eyes of Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik? It shouldn’t. Claiborne has demonstrated again and again on the football field why he is a stud and is a no-brainer for Dominik to draft if he is available at No. 5.
It seems Greg Schiano has looked at the game film and spots greatness in Gerald McCoy.
“He plays defensive tackle the way I like,’’ Schiano said at the NFL owners meetings last week. “He’s a penetrating guy who can change direction. We’ve got to keep him healthy because I think he can be a dominant force in this league.’’
There’s really not much to say about McCoy anymore. In Year 3, he has to stay healthy, step up, and deliver like a No. 3 overall pick.
Joe suspects McCoy will deliver, but the staying healthy part is a huge and legitimate question mark. With Brian Price’s fragile health, Joe would rest a lot easier if the Bucs had scored proven depth at that position already this offseason.
Joe is jacked up to soon roll out all the details of his blowout NFL Draft parties at Pete & Shorty’s in Pinellas Park, just one mile west of I-275.
The action will kick off at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 26.
This is going to be intense. Not only will Joe be there with jersey giveaways and screaming for the Bucs to draft Morris Claiborne, but Joe will be joined by a high-profile media partner that will turn the first night of the draft into an intense draft lovers paradise. Plus, Joe expects to be flanked by former Buccaneers and maybe even some current Bucs.
There will be beer girls, glorious girls, and a lot more. Beer specials, food specials, indoor and outdoor seating. Joe can’t wait.
And then Joe gets to do it all over again on Saturday afternoon, April 28, for Rounds 4-7 of the draft.
Save the dates! All the exciting details should be here very soon.
Blount was kind enough to express his opposition to CBSSports.com’s Will Brinson during the unveiling of the Bucs’ new jersey today in New York. “I would definitely not be happy with that pick,” Blount said.
If Blount were carrying his political correctness manual, he would have told Brinson that he wants the Bucs to draft the best players they can get no matter who they are. But Blount kept it refreshingly real — and every coach knows bell cow running backs hate sharing carries.
However, Joe hopes Blount realizes that competition is a great thing, the Bucs desperately need another talented running back, and his new offensive coordinator is a guy from a system that used two and three running backs effectively.
Raheem Morris was always involved in Bucs player personnel matters and publicly embraced the team concept of working with rockstar general manager Mark Dominik and Team Glazer, but Raheem always seemed to be Robin to Dominik clearly assuming the role of Batman.
The Bucs not re-signing Cadillac Williams and Barrett Ruud last year appeared to be strong examples of Raheem filling that secondary role, as Raheem, coming off a 10-6 season and strong consideration for NFL Coach of the Year, had stated he wanted those veterans to return.
This year with Greg Schiano might present a different decision-making dynamic, if one is to read into Schiano’s comments on NFL Network last night.
Schaino was asked how “active” he expects to be on draft day as a first year head coach.
“Very active. I mean Mark Dominik and I, we kind of go hip-to-hip with these things. I can’t wait,” Schiano said. “We had a great run in free agency and looking forward to improving our team and strengthening our team in the draft. So I’m going to be very involved.”
Joe’s just guessing, but it sure seems like Schiano’s role in the draft will be kicked up a notch from that of his predecessor.
Hopefully LeGarrette Blount won’t be seen later today on a catwalk wearing a new Nike Bucs jersey and no pants. (Joe apologizes for the morning visual).
That written, Joe has learned that Blount missed Day 1 of the Greg Schiano offseason yesterday because he’ll be participating in this morning’s Nike-NFL rollout of new game jerseys, as Nike plants its flag on its new deal with the league in New York City. Joe can suspect Blount was summoned, in part, because he’s a former member of Team Nike as an Oregon Duck.
Obviously, this qualifies as an acceptable previous engagement, as Greg Schiano referred to Blount’s absence last night on NFL Network.
What a sigh of relief for Joe, and a swift kick in the groin for all the Blount-bashers in the Bucs fan base.
Assuming it’s true, the jaw-dropper of the day comes from ProFootballTalk.com, whose creator Mike Florio is reporting that super cornerback Morris Claiborne scored a 4 on his Wonderlic exam.
“Yes. A four. Out of 50,” Florio wrote. “Six years ago, quarterback Vince Young initially got a six. Re-scoring of the test bumped it to a seven. A next-day Mulligan moved it to 13.
“Finally, Young has someone at whom he can point and laugh.”
Well, if the report is accurate, it will give new meaning to the question, Are you smarter than a fifth-grader? In Claiborne’s case that would be a resounding, No!
So does it matter? Joe’s not sure. It should matter a little bit, but this is football not elementary school math. A guy can have his strengths, and Claiborne’s surely lie on the gridiron.
Joe can’t resist. When Claiborne visits schools, do the kids read to him?
Yesterday, aside from a handful of players, it was the first time the Bucs were able to meet their new coach in person and learn what to expect from a man, who by all appearances, is a non-nonsense kinda coach.
While Schiano may not be a soulless taskmaster, it sure seems like he has no problem letting players know there will be one way to grow, gel, and yes, win as a team.
That’s the gist of what cool cat Scott Purks reported on CBSSports.com’s Rapid Reports, filed from One Buc Palace yesterday.
Coach Greg Schiano on what he told his team regarding discipline during their first meeting Monday: “What (the players will) figure out very quickly, is that there’s a right way and a wrong way as far as I’m concerned, and we’re going to do it the right way.”
Aside from Schiano’s Belichickian-like paranoia about not allowing the Bucs’ first preseason opponent the opportunity to know how much he will run a defense, Joe really likes what Schiano has to say and Joe also believes that several on the Bucs roster were in for a rude awakening yesterday.
Things are different at One Buc Palace now. For some players to adapt from the carefree style of Raheem Morris to the rigid format of Schiano, said players may be in for a long summer.
Joe knows it was “voluntary” meeting sessions for Buccaneers at One Buc Palace today, the first day of the Greg Schiano era when he could finally talk football with his players and coaches could get them in a classroom. But Joe has to raise an eyebrow at any player that didn’t show up.
LeGarrette Blount was one of those guys, so Schiano said on NFL Network tonight.
Yeah, Joe realizes that players have real lives, and families, and life gets in the way sometimes. And Blount also was one of a small handful of Bucs in attendance at Schiano’s introductory news conference back in January. But Joe has to file this Blount absence away as a possible red flag.
Apparently, Blount wasn’t injured and off rehabilitating somewhere.
“He had a previous engagement. So he was unable to be with us today, but he informed me of that,” Schiano said.
Video mastermind Scott Smith, via Buccaneers.com, characterized attendance as a “full house” and “almost the entire roster” was there. And Adrian Clayborn told Smith of Day 1, “I think we just missed a couple of the guys on defense and it’s real good to know that everybody’s going to start to buy into what they’re talking about.”
Joe hopes Blount is there tomorrow learning the ropes from Earnest Byner and keeping Mossis Madu company, the only other running back on the roster.
Joe finds it very impressive at 5:24 p.m. that there’s not word anywhere revealing what Buccaneers did not attend Day 1 of the Greg Schiano regime at One Buc Palace this morning.
Schiano was asked and would not name names to the throng of scribes assembled, and it seems like nobody was talking around the bowels of the complex.
Attendance was voluntary, but it sure would be interesting and telling to know what Bucs couldn’t make it. For Joe, this is significant. Joe is quite sure beat writers were sniffing around as best they could but got nothing.
Schiano clearly got the message through to the Bucs how tight his ship will run — or perhaps he shocked the crap out of the team and they couldn’t get their lips to move. Regardless, Joe’s already feeling a major culture change on Day 1.
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Players were back at One Buc Palace today and able to work with coaches for the first time and talk football. Greg Schiano talked to the media at 12:30 p.m. and here are Joe’s highlights:
*Greg Schiano said he was “flying out of bed” this morning raring to go.
*Schiano said some guys were not there and reminded media this was voluntary attendance for players today. Schiano did not get into specifics on who was there and who wasn’t other than saying Josh Freeman was front and center.
*Coaches can not be on the field with players but can do everything else. Strength and conditioning staff can work with players on all kinds of thing.
“Good to have those eyes looking back at you,” Schiano said of being in front of his team. Schiano didn’t get too specific about his messaging. “What I took from it was a group of guys that are willing and want to,” Schiano said. Now it’s about leadership, Schiano said.
*Overall, Schiano said he was encouraged by the “attentiveness” he saw from players today.
*Schiano said establishing his staff took longer than he wanted. Schiano said philosophically he’s on the same page with his staff yet he’s still learning to work together with them. Schiano said he will not micromanage but he will have non-negotiable points mandated by the head coach.
*Asked about how he will instill discipline, Schiano said we have to regain [fans] trust — on the field and in the community. … An interesting response.
*Goal is to implement all schemes two times through offseason.
*Schiano said there were “no red flags” regarding players coming back from injuries. He was asked specifically about Michael Bennett, Cody Grimm and Aqib Talib.
The Commish has the Bucs snagging the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year with the fifth pick of the second round.
36. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mychal Kendricks
MLB – Cal 5’11” – 239 lbs – 4.47
Comments: Toss a coin between Kendricks and Lavonte David for this pick. I go with Kendricks because I still feel Mason Foster might be better at outside linebacker, which was his original position.
Now Joe’s more of the mind that the Bucs would grab a running back in the second round, assuming they don’t get all wacky and take Trent Richardson in the first round. But who knows what will be on the board come Round 2?
If the Bucs nabbed Kendricks, that would mean they would have taken three Pac-10/Pac-10 defensive players in the first three rounds of the 2010 (Brian Price), 2011 (Mason Foster) and 2012 drafts. That would be a somewhat interesting stat.
It was a bizarre choice of words today by Ronde Barber after stating a minute or so earlier that the Bucs’ free agent signings had little to do with his decision to return in 2012.
Lots of great nuggets from Ronde Barber’s news conference this afternoon at One Buc Palace, but first Joe will give you Barber’s impressions of Greg Schiano.
While Joe’s had fun zeroing in on all things Trent Richardson and Morris Claiborne, there’s a real possibility that both players will be off the board once rockstar general manager Mark Dominik is put on the clock with the fifth overall pick in the first round.
The self-proclaimed Geraldini, everyone’s favorite 
Another wise Bucs fan joins Joe in not wanting the 
Hopefully LeGarrette Blount won’t be seen later today on a catwalk wearing a new Nike Bucs jersey and no pants. (Joe apologizes for the morning visual).
Joe knows it was “voluntary” meeting sessions for Buccaneers at One Buc Palace today, the first day of the Greg Schiano era when he could finally talk football with his players and coaches could get them in a classroom. But Joe has to raise an eyebrow at any player that didn’t show up.
Calm down. This is a just a mock draft.
