Joe can remember once upon a time when just about any car with a Florida license plate had some form of Bucs gear on it, whether that was a flag, a bumper sticker or a window decal.

Getting inside the stadium on Dale Mabry Highway was a tough task. If you weren’t a season ticket holder or you weren’t given a ticket, you had to pay through the nose for a ticket from a scalper outside.

Those anecdotes seem like another generation ago. Veteran sports columnist Gary Shelton typed a piece late last night that suggests there is a disconnect between the team and the fans.

In short, Shelton believes that there are players on the team that fans don’t like, so he wrote in the St. Petersburg Times.

Still, I have to tell you, it was puzzling that Jackson not only was active his first game, but started. And he not only started, but was introduced. And he was not only introduced, but was introduced last and carried the team flag as he entered the field. It was a hero’s return to the field, not the return of a guy who had let down his team by being suspended for drugs.

Now Joe sees where Shelton is coming from and he has some valid points. Joe, however, sees a lot of likable people in the Bucs locker room.

Josh Freeman is a helluva guy as is Gerald McCoy, Brian Price, Mike Williams, Arrelious Benn, Adrian Clayborn, Larry Asante, Davin Joseph, Donald Penn, Corey Lynch, Ronde Barber… Joe could go on and on. Every one of these guys are good people. Stand up people.

Are there a couple of bad eggs on the Bucs roster? Sure, but the few are not reflective of the whole.

As far as Tanard Jackson starting in his first game back, Joe has said it before and will write it again: That move simply demonstrated the vast hole there was on the roster at the safety position.

Now this is a headscratcher for Joe.

The Bucs today cut defensive tackle big Frank Okam, per Buccaneers.com.

Okam originally joined the Buccaneers almost exactly a year ago. He was first signed to the team’s practice squad on November 17, 2010, then promoted to the active roster one week later. He had played parts of the 2010 season with Houston and Seattle before coming to Tampa.

Initially a fifth-round pick by the Texans out of the University of Texas in 2008, Okam played in eight games over his first two seasons in Houston. With the Buccaneers in 2010 and 2011, Okam played in nine games with four starts, recording 31 tackles and a fumble recovery.

Defensive tackle isn’t exactly a position of strength, which is why the Bucs took a desperate stab at Albert Haynesworth.

Let’s see: Haynesworth, though he has played well, is not in the best of conditioning. Brian Price, while very talented, is a bad move away from missing the season with his strange, painful injury. Roy Miller… what’s the point?

This is just strange.

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Former Bucs quarterback Shaun King returned to the local airwaves after a two-week vacation Monday to join his co-host Toby David in the “too Jewish“-sounding “King David Show,” heard on WQYK-AM 1010.

King went on a rampage at Bucs management, all but saying the suits at One Buc Palace are letting Bucs coach Raheem Morris twist in the wind because of this season’s failures.

King, one of only three quarterbacks to lead the Bucs to an NFC Championship game, continued to point a finger at the Bucs for not filling the roster with ample talent for Morris to work with and, in so many words, said if the Bucs fail to make the playoffs the blame is on the front office, not Morris.

“If you don’t like Geno Hayes, if you don’t like Quincy Black, who you gonna put in the game? … Like if we had a new defensive coordinator Quincy Black would all of a sudden become a Pro Bowl weakside linebacker? … Hold on, hold on, my bad: so Myron Lewis and E.J. Biggers would be legit man-to-man corners? My bad people, I’m sorry.”

To enjoy King’s full rant, please click on the little button below.

(Oh, and please spare Joe the nonsense that because King doesn’t have a bust in Canton he doesn’t know football. Feel free to look at Sean Payton’s NFL numbers and try to claim he’s a lousy coach as a result.)

Audio courtesy of WQYK-AM. Hat tip Justin.

No, the Bucs are not out of the playoffs yet. Don’t believe Joe? Just turn on the NFL Network where they show the playoff race for the NFC. Yup, there the Bucs are.

To have a shot at the playoffs, the Bucs have to win six straight. Going 9-7 likely won’t get the job done.

But Martin Fennelly of the Tampa Tribune isn’t convinced this will happen, despite how 2010-ish the Bucs played at Lambeau Field Sunday.

We have no idea. We really have no idea which Bucs will show up on Sunday, though with five losses in six games we’re beginning to get a sneaking suspicion.

They’re an inconsistent team, often an undisciplined team, riding emotional waves with their coach, one crazy ride.

I don’t think the Bucs have the talent or the discipline to run off six straight wins, though the schedule, by some accounts, now turns easier. But those games with Carolina suddenly don’t look very easy, not since we learned Cam Newton can play . As for Jacksonville, since when does 4-6 get to look down on 3-7?

Could the Packers game be a springboard for the Bucs to run off six straight?

Time will tell, of course, but who saw the Rays in the playoffs in mid-September? Who saw the Cardinals winning the World Series in August?

Last year the Bucs shocked the football world when, coming off a pathetic three-win season, Bucs coach Raheem Morris boasted the Bucs were in a “race to 10” wins.

And the Bucs did just that, winning 10 games but losing in a tiebreaker to the eventual Super Bowl champion Packers.

This year things haven’t been as rosy. But all hope is not yet lost. Frank Pastor of the St. Petersburg Times documents that Morris wants a return to the “Race to 10.”

Morris said Sunday’s 35-26 loss to the unbeaten Packers, in which the Bucs were as close as two points with four minutes remaining, as well as wins over the Falcons and Saints earlier this season show that his team “can compete with anybody.”

And, despite squandering a 3-1 start with losses in five of their past six games, Morris believes the Bucs’ goals remain in reach.

“We’ve got six more (games) and we’ve got to go out there and knock off one at a time,” Morris said. “There’s still time to get hot. We can still finish with the record we had last year.”

To have a prayer for the playoffs the Bucs cannot lose another game. Sadly, the Bucs do not have key tiebreakers against teams ahead of them, including Detroit and Chicago.

But there may be an opening. Bratty Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is out for the remainder of the regular season with a broken thumb. The Lions are proving to be beatable and have a rough schedule the rest of the way.

If the Bucs gave the Packers a scare at Lambeau Field, the Titans on the road shouldn’t be that difficult of a task.

Bucs fans have agonized through this heinous losing streak trying to figure out whether the Bucs’ problems are more related to coaching or personnel decisions. Some think it’s neither, simply players failing to execute in the face of a tough schedule.

Joe’s been adamant that the struggles rest heavily on the coaching staff. Raheem Morris and company simply haven’t found how to get the most out of their team consistently, which is the essence of their profession.

Interestingly, Raheem explained last night on The Raheem Morris Show, heard locally on WDAE-AM 620, that his yungry bunch is handcuffed by the new labor agreement that significantly limits physical practices. The Bucs used a rare opportunity last week to have two practices in pads and it made a major difference for the receivers, Raheem said.

“We put our pads on, had those guys go out and really fight for the balls in practice and have the DB’s really compete with those guys,” Raheem said. “And you see it show up in a game. Mike Williams was able to go up and make some of the dynamic catches that he made last year when the practice habits were a little bit different. 

“You know, we got the collective bargaining agreement and we couldn’t put on pads as much and some of those things. But last week we pulled our mulligan, we had our two padded practices, got those guys to compete again. Mike Williams practiced hard all week and it transferred into the game, which was great for us.”

A glass-half-empty fan hears that from Raheem and calls it an admission that he can’t find a way to get his receivers to bring their A-game regularly within league rules. An optimist might say the young Bucs are just growing together and only now are overcoming lost development time because of the asinie lockout and softer practices.

Regardless, time is up and the why isn’t all that important.

The 4-6 Bucs need to win at least five out their next six to salvage a respectable season after soundly beating the Saints and Falcons en route to a 4-2 start. They’ve only got two games out of six against winning teams the rest of the way. A “yungry” team on the rise wins at least four of those games.

Longtime JoeBucsFan.com readers know that Joe would never waste an opportunity to post a photo of Carmella Garcia, lovely wife of former Bucs QB Jeff Garcia.

That hasn’t changed.

Of course, Joe owns this page and could post a Carmella photo daily, but Joe does try to keep it related to the Bucs somehow. So Joe was giddy to see a Twittering from BSPN NFL insider Adam Schefter that 41-year-old Jeff Garcia recently had a tryout with the Texans as they struggle to replace injured Matt Schaub.

@AdamSchefter – Gary Kubiak told reporters Texans worked out Jeff Garcia, Trent Edwards, Brodie Croyle, Kellen Clemens. But also said might not sign any

Garcia’s return to the limelight means his former football coach father Bob is talking to the small town California media again. This time saying his son is fit and healthy.

Joe almost feels like he owes the old man a cold one. Keeping track of the elder Garcia’s musings in the Gilroy Dispatch (he did a regular Q&A session with the sports editor) really gave Joe some juicy material during the early days of this site.

(Quick story: Joe recalls asking Jeff Garcia about some of his dad’s more controversial comments, and Garcia explained to Joe that he would never try to shutup his father, nor would he ever stop being completely open with his dad. Garcia said if Chucky or others didn’t get that, then he couldn’t help them.)

Ahh, fun memories. Joe wishes Garcia well.

As Joe has written, Albert Haynesworth has six more games to continue playing well and being an upstanding citizen in order to stick the Bucs in a pickle.

Haynesworth, per national reports, has a contract for 2012 for $7 million. Injured Gerald McCoy comes back next season and also is under a fat contract. The two play the same position.

Raheem Morris isn’t thinking about all the money potentially tied up in one D-line spot. The head coach wants both Haynesworth and McCoy on his roster, so he explained on The Raheem Morris Show on WDAE-AM 620 tonight.

“I can’t wait to see these guys [Haynesworth and McCoy] battle for spots, and battle for playing time and go out there and maybe play together a little bit,” Raheem said of competition next season. “Albert, what he’s been able to do for us has been really good in these first two weeks. … He’s been productive. He’s been disruptive. Some of the stuff that Gerald gives us is initial quickness. Albert gives us size and girth. … I don’t even know if he’s getting double teamed. He’s just so big. He just knocks people over and he gets in the way.

“And it seems like he causes so much disruption with his big body that he creates openings for other people. … Don’t take this the wrong way. He’s making some mistakes as well. But, you know, we all are. We’re learning on the run and we’re getting better. He’s doing a great job for us.”

Fans of drama and intrigue like Joe might actually shell out few Bucs just to see those two guys battle in training camp and fight for a starting job. Who knows what would/could happen in that scenario?

Joe can’t blame Raheem for wanting a roster full of talent, but what a challenge it would be to enter training camp with two of your highest played players fighting for the same job.

Let’s be honest here: The Bucs offense this season has been largely — to be polite — sluggish.

Mike Williams struggled in his second season. Josh Freeman struggled in his second season as a starter. For reasons unknown, offensive coordinator Greg Olson seemed more intent on using Arrelious Benn on end arounds than pass plays.

And of course, the coaching staff seemed to have a fear that if LeGarrette Blount — this season without question the best Bucs best weapon on offense — got more than 10 carries that somehow an outbreak of the Ebola virus would spread through One Buc Palace.

Yesterday against he Packers, the Bucs had their best offensive showing this season, and Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune documented the feat.

The last time the Bucs had a 300-yard passer, 100-yard runner and 100-yard receiver in the same game was Dec. 2, 2007, against the New Orleans Saints.

On that day, QB Luke McCown completed 29 of 37 passes for 313 yards, RB Earnest Graham ran 22 times for 106 yards and WR Joey Galloway caught seven passes for 159 yards.

Well, Joe can explain the reason for this and just about anyone rolling out of a bar after a three-hour drinkfest can figure this out. It’s as obvious as Rachel Watson’s… um, er, features:

The Bucs gave LeGarrette Blount the damned ball. With Freeman struggling all year, with the receivers among the league leaders in dropped passes, Blount is clearly the Bucs best weapon.

When he gets the ball, defenses have to adjust and that frees up the passing game. The Bucs have a completely different offense when Blount is involved.

Joe’s been sold on LeGarrette Blount ever since he dragged Troy Polamalu at will in his debut last year. Give this guy the ball and good things happen over and over again.

And Joe’s convinced Blount would fare on third down at least as well as Kregg Lumpkin, not to mention the uncertainty Blount gives a defense just by being in the game on third down. Joe hates to jinx it, but Blount even has gotten over his fumbling issues of last year and his receiving hands look good to Joe.

So this is why Joe bangs his head against the wall when Blount isn’t fed the ball.

It seems Aaron Rodgers feels the same way. Relayed by Blount to Joe Smith of the St. Pete Times, Rodgers gave Blount some of the highest praise possible and said he can be an all-time great.

“He told me he thinks I’m one of the best backs in the league,” Blount said Monday. “He told me I have a chance to be one of the greatest backs in this league and he said he doesn’t just say that to anybody. He feels like me and one other guy have the potential to stand out and be two of the best running backs to ever play the game…
“Coming from Aaron Rodgers, it makes me feel amazing.”

The FOX-TV cameras picked up Rodgers and Blount chatting during the game yesterday during a break in play, so Joe suspects that prompted Smith to ask Blount about their conversation.

Joe can’t disagree with Rodgers. Blount’s proven an awful lot with limited opportunities. He’s averaging 4.9 yards a carry, primarily running up the gut on first and second down when everyone knows what’s coming. (Joe almost fell off his couch when Greg Olson called a pitch to Blount yesterday.)

Hopefully, the Bucs will decide to get the most of their biggest weapon and he’ll live happily ever after in a Bucs uniform.

So for the last three games, Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow has been penalized. Yesterday it costs the Bucs points.

Winslow was whistled for pushing off, pass interference on a touchdown pass. Yeah, Joe could see where Winslow pushed off but Joe has seen many, many other examples of receivers pushing off much more blatantly and there are no yellow handkerchiefs lying on the grass.

It is starting to make Joe wonder if Winslow is targeted by the zebras.

Joe still cannot get it out of his head when the Bucs had a playoff berth stolen from them last year when Winslow was called for pass interference on a touchdown when he was the one who got drilled. The Bucs had to settle for a field goal and lost to the toothless Lions in overtime.

Thinking of last year’s robbery and yesterday’s flag, Joe’s pretty convinced Winslow is marked man by NFL warden commissioner Roger Goodell’s henchmen.

Today Raheem Morris dropped major love on Aqib Talib for his performance yesterday.

Tasked with covering Pro Bowl Green Bay receiver Greg Jennings, Raheem said, Aqib Talib shut him down. The final line on Jennings was two catches for six yards.

“Might be Talib’s best game I’ve seen him play,” said Raheem, who praised Talib for playing man-to-man nearly every snap and recording three knockdowns.

But in what surely qualifies as big time Monday morning quarterbacking, Joe has to wonder why Talib wasn’t moved away from Jennings in man coverage at some point after Jennings was injured during the game.

“He had a shin bruise, something there we were looking at. He was going in and out,” Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy said of Jennings during his postgame news conference.

Obviously, Talib couldn’t have covered completely for both Myron Lewis and E.J. Biggers, who hardly had their best days. But as much as the Bucs were gambling yesterday, Joe’s a bit surprised that they seemingly didn’t make Jennings prove he was healthy against another cornerback in the second half.

Week 2 of the Albert Haynesworth experiement is in the books and Raheem Morris likes what he sees, so he said at his afternoon news conference today.

“He gets off the ball,” Raheem said. “He really elimates people.”

Raheem went on to say the Bucs need a better plan for Haynesworth in the pass rush and praised Haynesworth for his push in the pocket. “He really collapses it,” Raheem said.

Clearly Haynesworth was hurt early in the game with what looked like a nasty neck stinger from friendly fire.

As Joe has written before, all reports have Haynesworth under contract for 2012 at $7 million. It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens if No. 95 gives his all over the next six games.

Chris Carter offers a take on the Bucs in this BSPN video, including that the Bucs can’t use the young excuse or take much from the loss yesterday.

Back in the starting lineup yesterday after his wakeup-call benching, Geno Hayes appears to have headed right back to the doghouse.

Adam Hayward was on the field to start the second half in Green Bay — Hayes wasn’t — and Joe didn’t see Hayes return. Whoever the sideline chick was for FOX said on-air that Raheem Morris had been chewing out his linebacking corps.

Raheem may explain what happened to Hayes today at his noon news conference. Joe’s hoping Hayes isn’t hurt beyond a beating to his pride. For Joe, it’s just more evidence that Hayes won’t be in Tampa next year after his contract runs out.

Unfortunately, Adam Hayward got run over by FB/RB John Kuhn when the two met up the gut on a Packers touchdown.

These are tough times for Bucs linebackers. Joe thinks the Bucs have to go out and buy a good one in the offseason, or invest a first-round pick there.

Yesterday Joe watched the Bucs-Packers game from the comfort of his leather couch. The first time Bucs coach Raheem Morris used an onside kick, Joe raised his mug of coffee (no beer, it was a very long Saturday night).

The onside kick didn’t work but Joe was OK with it. It was a nice bold move.

The second try at an onside kick didn’t seem as smart. Not to Joe and certainly not to veteran St. Petersburg Times columnist Gary Shelton who wondered if Morris had gone cat crazy.

Hey, I like bold. We all like bold. For most of the years, the Bucs have been far too conservative as their season has landed far short of expectations. Too many 4-yard passes on third and 8. Too few throws into the end zone when within sight of the goal.

On the other hand, aggression is no good unless it is wrapped inside of reason. You can run an end-around on fourth and 17 and call it aggression, but that’s just another way to describe silliness. Hey, the Titanic was aggressive. Amelia Earhart was aggressive. Spartacus was aggressive. And we all know what happened to those guys. They didn’t make the playoffs, either.

Yeah, Jordy Nelson roasting Myron Lewis on that bomb on a short field after the botched onside kick sealed the Bucs fate.

It would have been interesting to see what the Bucs would have done if they made the Packers work for a long drive.

Joe has yet to see anyone rag on Morris for the first onside kick.

Joe has yet to see anyone praise Morris for the second onside kick.

At least Raheem Morris won’t have to toss and turn tonight because his team didn’t give him effort. That was the message from the head coach during a postgame locker room interview on the Buccaneers Radio Network today. 

“We played the style we wanted to play. ..You can sleep with that effort,” Raheem said. 

For Joe, the quote captured a lot of what many Bucs fans are feeling: While the Bucs have an unacceptable record at 4-6, at least they played a solid game after three clunkers and gave the undefeated champs a run.

But the above quote from Raheem doesn’t mean he was anywhere near satisfied with the Bucs’ loss. In fact, click here to check out Raheem’s postgame media conference here. This may be the most ornery Joe has seen the head coach following a game.

As Ronde Barber said on the radio after the game scoffing at anyone that would call the Bucs’ loss a moral victory, “This is a bottom business.”

Raheem knows that, too. He surely has cash incentives in his contract that are slipping away. And nothing good comes from losing four in a row. Just ask Chucky about December 2008.

Joe was peeved when Mike Williams all but gave up on a route today and nearly cost Josh Freeman an interception — in the red zone no less.

Troy Aikman was all over it. Josh Freeman seemingly was on Williams. And the replay made it clear that Williams had no interest in getting decapitated over the middle. Nobody will confuse Williams with Keyshawn Johnson.

That written, Williams had a strong day in Green Bay.

It almost seemed like Greg Olson eyeballed least year’s film during his preparation. The Bucs took advantage of man coverage on Williams by giving him opportunities to use his body control and leaping ability. What a concept!

Williams even caught a TD, his first since opening day.

Joe was adamant that Williams isn’t the next Michael Clayton and/or an overhyped talent. He’s not having a great season, yet he’s on pace for 73 catches and he’s got several shaky defenses yet to face over the final six games.

Joe can only hope today was a bit of second wind for Williams. Obviously, from the above photo, he’s energized when there’s a chill in the air.