Be there! Live greyhound racing day and night, including the T.L. Weaver Memorial Challenge title tonight!

Derby Lane, on Gandy Boulevard in St. Pete, is always a great time. Dining, wagering, live racing, and the best poker room in Tampa Bay.

A newly sheared Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik joined “Total Access” last night and dropped big news on NFL Network.

Dominik said he is “fully confident” Darrelle Revis, rehabbing from reconstructive surgery on his torn ACL, will be practicing on Day 1 of training camp in full pads.

“He’s in great shape right now,” Dominik said of Revis. “He’s running full speed, he’s cutting, he’s doing all the things we’d want him to do from a training standpoint, a rehabilitation standpoint.

“We’re going to keep him at our pace, but the whole point is that he’ll walk out to the first day of training camp, he’ll have the pads on and he’ll be ready hopefully for the Jets Week 1. We’re expecting that.”

It’s great the Revis has progressed so far so fast. If Revis is ready to go full tilt for training camp, that’s a very, very good sign.

Dominik’s complete interview is included in a video embedded in the link above.

Joe knows it is popular for Bucs fans to want another tight end. They’ve seen enough of Luke Stocker to know he is not Anthony Gonzalez, and most haven’t seen Tom Crabtree play. So when it comes to the current Bucs tight ends, a large segment of Bucs fans stare into their pint of beer, shrug their shoulders and say, “Meh.”

Seems just such a Bucs fan pestered ESPN NFC South blogger Pat Yasinskas about this very subject.

John (NY)

Big time Bucs fan! Excited about the defense this coming year. It appears that the Bucs are content to go into the season with Crabtree and Stocker at tight end. Do they think Martin’s ability in the pass game negates the need for a big time tight end? Also are you sold on their back-up running back situation? Thanks and great job!!

Pat Yasinskas

Yeah, it certainly appears like they’re content to go with Stocker and Crabtree. If they were going to make a big move there, I think they would have made it by now. I get the sense they think Crabtree can be pretty good. On Martin, it seemed like they were throwing to him a lot in OTAs.

Joe knows many Bucs fans likely won’t want to read the following: the chances of Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik grabbing a top tight end for the 2013 season are about nil. The main reason is offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan doesn’t consider tight end of big-time importance.

Besides, if you talk to Bucs suits and Greg Schiano, they are cautiously excited about Crabtree. They believe he has skills other than blocking that were rarely utilized in Green Bay and that he may be a diamond found in the rough.

Former Bucs quarterback Shaun King’s failing grades for rockstar general manager Mark Dominik moved from Tampa Bay airwaves and Internet space to the national NBC Sports Network studios yesterday.

NBC NFL guru Mike Florio asked King, who is a busy analyst for NBC, to explain his harsh critiques of Dominik. King obliged. One of three quarterbacks to lead the Bucs to the NFC title game, King made it clear that he likes Dominik personally but can’t let that cloud his judgment.

“It has not been good,” King said of Dominik’s reign. King, among other takes, explained that the Bucs’ failed secondary of years past drove the Darrelle Revis trade, so Dominik shouldn’t be lauded for that bold move.

King went on to say he hears Bucs fans pounding him for his wide-sweeping Dominik criticism. “If you criticize [Dominik], it’s almost like they think you have something against him,” said King, who reminded viewers he has nothing against the Bucs GM.”

You can catch the entire interview below, which includes some impromptu rap by King.

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Is a fourth-year undrafted defensive end with zero career sacks part of the answer for the Bucs’ defense?

Cool cat Rick Brown, of the Lakeland Ledger, took a look at Bucs DE Aaron Morgan and explored that possibility.

Joe saw Morgan at practice last week playing his share of right defensive end in what appeared to be the dreaded three-man fronts. Yes, Morgan likely was there because Adrian Clayborn is proceeding cautiously to baby his knee, but Morgan was there nonetheless.

His odds are slim after the Bucs drafted two defensive ends in the fourth and fifth rounds this offseason: William Gholston and Steven Means. But Morgan was a New Schiano Order pickup late last season after Jacksonville cut him, and he’s still around, which has to say something positive.

Greg Schiano also praised Morgan’s pass rush skills last week.

Joe, though, feels uneasy that a veteran who hasn’t done anything could be part of the Bucs’ depth plans at a very critical position. That wouldn’t feel like a good sign.

The No Excuses Tour heads to Tropicana Field from Tampa Lee Roy Selmon’s locations. Click here for the schedule.

Catch the famous No Excuses Tour bus departing Lee Roy Selmon’s locations in Tampa for weekend Rays games all summer long.

Your Paradise Worldwide Transportation chauffeur is waiting — and it’s only $9.95 roundtrip!

More than 1,000 fans have enjoyed this amazing service. Don’t flush your money down the toilet on parking and gas. Ride stress-free!

Is John Lynch among the Buccaneers’ All-Time greatest four figures?

Derrick Brooks thinks so, so he said to NBC Sports Network for their Buccaneers Mt. Rushmore feature last night.

Brooks also goes on to talk about how he created a position for the “tweeners” and explains why he refused to work out at positions other than linebacker coming out of college. Brooks also takes shots at Shaun King, and gives King love for his poise as a rookie. (The full segment is below.)

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NBC Sports Network has been having fun choosing Mt. Rushmore representatives for each NFL team, and they got to the Bucs yesterday.

Father Dungy weighed in, as did Shaun King, while the fan voting tally picked the winners.

Lee Roy Selmon, Derrick Brooks and Warren Sapp took everybody’s top three spots, but No. 4 stirred some debate. Father Dungy said he felt like he needed to pick an offensive player and chose Mike Alstott because he was darn good and set the physical tone for the franchise. King pegged Father Dungy for leading the turnaround of the organization, and King also threw love at Malcolm Glazer for changing the culture from top to bottom.

The fans picked Ronde Barber as their fourth and final icon. John Lynch was fifth in fan voting. Alstott was sixth. Dungy placed seventh. And Chucky and Monte Kiffin tied for ninth place.

Joe can’t go with Alstott. Joe would have to say that Doug Williams’ place in Bucs history is more worthy of being carved into stone. Barber, in Joe’s mind, also is more worthy than A-train.

It’s a fun debate. You can catch the full NBC segment below with Dungy, King and others.

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Have the Bucs done every last thing possible to win a Super Bowl this coming season?

No, they haven’t. Joe’s not being negative. The Bucs just didn’t approach this offseason with an all-in mentality. They’re sitting on a pile of salary cap cash (about $18 million). That’s not what teams do when they’re going for broke.

Now it doesn’t always make sense to go for the ring, especially if you believe your team isn’t ready, and in this era of rolling over unused cash to the following season’s payroll. Joe suspects that in the bowels of One Buc Palace, Team Glazer, rockstar general manager Mark Dominik and Greg Schiano have talked about how 2014 is their year — following a winning season in 2013.

Pat Yasinskas and Matt Williamson, of ESPN, looked at the Bucs’ offseason and decided they could have done more.

Williamson was also critical of the Bucs for not doing more on the offensive side of the ball. I see his point. The Bucs have plenty of salary-cap room and they could have done more to surround quarterback Josh Freeman with talent.

Joe can’t buy the take that Freeman needs more talent. The guy just needs to play smarter and protect the football. He’s got a manbeast offensive line and Pro Bowl weapons. He doesn’t need more to win a Super Bowl.

If Joe were playing GM trying to win a Super Bowl now, Joe would have invested more on defense. This Bucs team would be scarier with another stud cornerback and a proven pass rusher.

The No Excuses Tour heads to Tropicana Field from Tampa Lee Roy Selmon’s locations. Click here for the schedule.

Catch the famous No Excuses Tour bus departing Lee Roy Selmon’s locations in Tampa for weekend Rays games all summer long.

Your Paradise Worldwide Transportation chauffeur is waiting — and it’s only $9.95 roundtrip!

More than 1,000 fans have enjoyed this amazing service. Don’t flush your money down the toilet on parking and gas. Ride stress-free!

Yeah, it’s early June, D-Day to be exact for Joe’s fellow history nerds. The NFL regular season is three months away.

Talk to any coach and he will tell you how the foundation of a good season is built in the offseason. If that axiom is true, Bucs safety Dashon Goldson is helping erect one helluva house

After OTA practice Tuesday, Goldson talked long about how he believes he has a responsibility to help out his younger teammates in June in order to win games in January. It’s why he and Darrelle Revis spent a long time after practice with Leonard Johnson and Danny Gorrer working on tipped balls and ball-handling drills.

“During, after, I think is important for the secondary,” Goldson said of the extra work with his teammates. “I’m trying to teach the guys the ropes. Extra work is always good.

“That has been something in me since I was young. I was always a motivated guy. I was always looked at myself as to try to lead out there. I know this is a young crowd out here. I’m just trying to help out and show some of my experiences with them. Show the work that I have [put in] and it is always OK to ask questions. Shine a little light upon them. I have played in the postseason; I have played some good teams and some bad teams. I have some experiences.

Also, Goldson loves the fact he is practicing each day against one of the top receivers in the game, teammate Vincent Jackson.

“Going up against guys like that, it does nothing but enhance our defense,’ Goldson said. “Don’t forget Mike [Williams], he’s a good football player too. Going against those guys will make us a better football team on Sundays. This is like a gametime atmosphere coming out here and competing. We have one goal: to win.”

Seeing Goldson and Revis putting in extra time with younger teammates is not an accident, Goldson explained.

Bucs coach Greg Schiano “brought us in to be good leaders and show the way<” Goldson said. “Communication. A lot of breakdowns in the secondary happens because of a lock of communication. Definitely being on the same page and playing fast. Know what you are doing. Preparation is the key.

“Communication is what it is all about. Learning in the [class] room. Understand why we do certain things and be confident.”

Now this is not a knock on Bucs legend Ronde Barber whatsoever. Barber was sort of a quiet leader. He was more to himself, but never shied away from helping a teammate if they came to ask questions.

Revis and Goldson are much more hands-on. It’s like they enjoy approaching others to explain how things are done the right way so the little things turn into big wins in the fall.

Joe snapped a few photos between raindrops of Bucs mingling with Clearwater youngsters at the ribbon-cutting of the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers Field, located in the Greenwood neighborhood of Clearwater next to Jack Russell Stadium.

Bucs co-chairman Bryan Glazer and Josh Freeman share a laugh with some Greenwood neighborhood youngsters at the ribbon-cutting of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Field in Clearwater adjacent to Jack Russell Stadium.

Leonard Johnson, who grew up just one block from the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers Field in Clearwater, was all smiles for the jewel of his neighborhood Wednesday.

Bucs center Jeremy Zuttah gives a youngster some one-on-one tips as he and a few Bucs worked out with NFL hopefuls at the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers Field in Clearwater.

Bucs left tackle Donald Penn offers encouragement to a young football player running through the ropes, working on his footwork at the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers Field Wednesday.

Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman keeps a close eye as a young football player jogs through dummies at the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers Field in Clearwater.

Leonard Johnson could have jumped for joy he was so excited when he learned Darrelle Revis was coming to the Bucs.

Joe wrote yesterday that it was cool that both Darrelle Revis and Dashon Goldson, the big-time offseason additions to the Bucs’ secondary, were putting in extra work with Leonard Johnson and Danny Gorrer, doing tip drills and loose-ball drills after Tuesday’s OTA practice.

Joe hoped the two All-Pros would do that for the younger defensive backs, much like Vincent Jackson did last year for the Bucs’ young receivers, be a big brother and demonstrate what it takes to be elite.

Johnson said Wednesday that is exactly what Revis and Goldson are doing with the young DBs. Johnson said he has already seen a difference in the Bucs’ secondary.

And it is only the first week of June.

“It’s exciting to be out there. We are making a big improvement in the secondary. We are more supportive among the guys,” Johnson said at the christening of the new Tampa Bay Buccaneers Field in Clearwater. “I’m excited to get back into football shape and fine-tuning your craft and competing.”

A lot of the new attitude is coming straight from Revis and Goldson, Johnson noted.

“They love that they have younger guys eager to learn,” Johnson said. “Revis is phenomenal. I already have a relationship with him and Dashon. Words cannot explain how I feel about them in terms of what they do on the field and the steps they take to get their game to where they want it to be.

“I am just trying to follow in their footsteps.”

Some young players wouldn’t be so eager for a team to acquire a player at their position, largely considered to be the best in the league like Revis. That wasn’t the case with Johnson when he learned of rock star general manager Mark Dominik’s trade for Revis.

“I was very excited,” Johnson said. “Very excited.”

Mike Williams is one of many Bucs who plan to shave their heads in support of youngsters fighting cancer. But what about re-growing his old Grady Wilson beard?

Last week, Joe brought the message that in an effort to raise funds for pediatric cancer, Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik was going to shave his head.

Since, several other Bucs have jumped on the bandwagon and will shave their heads to help raise monies for such a worthy cause. Below, per the Bucs, is a list of players (so far) who have pledged to go hairless up top for the youngsters.

Connor Barth
Ahmad Black
Jonathan Casillas
Andrew Economos
Mason Foster
Josh Freeman
Ka’lial Glaud
Cody Grimm
Michael Koenen
Dan Orlovsky
Mike Remmers
Cody Wallace
Mike Williams

Joe wonders if Williams’ pledge to his head will spark him to re-grow that nasty Grady Wilson nest he grew last offseason?

At least Freeman will have about a six weeks or so to grow back his ‘fro before training camp starts.

Members of the Bucs, including Bucs co-chairman Bryan Glazer, as well as Clearwater civic leaders, post at a ribbon cutting for the new “Tampa Bay Buccaneers Field” Wednesday.

What once was a parking lot for a decaying Florida State League ballpark on the western edge of Clearwater is now home to two state-of-the-art youth fields, one replete with football uprights.

And a good chunk of that is thanks to the Bucs. The Bucs kicked in $100,000, about a third of the cost, and the rest came from the NFL and various sources.

Adjacent to the old Jack Russell Stadium, which for decades was the home to the Clearwater Phillies and spring home to the Philadelphia Phillies (and after partial-demolition is now home to the baseball academy “The Winning Inning” and the Clearwater High School baseball team) is now the shining new “Tampa Bay Buccaneers Field.”

On hand for the ribbon-cutting yesterday was Bucs co-chairman Bryan Glazer along with Josh Freeman, Donald Penn, Jeremy Zuttah, Ted Larsen and Leonard Johnson.

Johnson knows the rough Greenwood neighborhood well. He lives there. In fact, he walked home after the festivities. Johnson, who couldn’t wipe the smile off of his face during the entire program, grew up a David Rivers interception return from the new field.

“This is wonderful,” Johnson said, looking at the pristine fields. “I can come back home and know that there are other adults out there who care about the community and giving back to the community. I never had anything like this growing up.

“For the kids, I am excited for them that they can play on an NFL [condition] field.”

Greenwood will never be confused with Avila or Treasure Island. It is a rough part of town where crimes sometimes outnumber success stories, like that of Johnson’s. The Bucs’ cornerback believes the generous donation by the Glazer Family will go a long way to foster success for local kids and cut crime.

“Oh man, this will help [local youths] out tremendously,” Johnson said. “It will help keep them out of trouble and keep them in tune with football and have something for them to look forward to all year round.”

Johnson played in the Greenwood Panthers football program from age 7 before shining as a four-year starting quarterback at Largo High School. Four of Johnson’s coaches with the Greenwood Panthers were in attendance (still active in youth football) as were several civic leaders, youth football players and youth cheerleaders along with a couple of Bucs cheerleaders.

Glazer smiled nearly as much as Johnson did.

“This field will give the kids a chance to get out there, practice their football skills, practice their life lessons and maybe, we can get a Buccaneer player out of it like Leonard Johnson, which is fantastic,” Glazer said. Buccaneers’ outreach projects are “a very important part of our team and each year it gets better and better and I really do appreciate it.”

Tampa Bay electronic media czar J.P. Peterson cranked out a nice video package largely dealing with Darrelle Revis’ comeback from ACL surgery and how he and Dashon Goldson are fitting in with their new team in this TampaBaySportsCentral.com piece.