Because of traffic around Glendale and the constant security around the University of Phoenix Stadium, Terry Bradshaw was 10 minutes late for his sit down with MVP Tom Brady. But Brady didn’t mind and seemed to enjoy the down time before facing Tuesday’s 2,000-plus reporters and TV crews on Super Bowl media day.
Read the rest of this story »To Patriots owner Bob Kraft, Fox Sports is sort of like a good-luck charm. Yes, his Patriots lost their first Super Bowl with Kraft as the majority owner on FOX, but the man understands that the Green Bay Packers were better on Jan. 26, 1997. Of course, Kraft hasn’t forgotten that former coach Bill Parcells made Troy Brown inactive for Super Bowl XXXI in favor of special teams player Hason Graham, who couldn’t tackle MVP Desmond Howard, who had a record 244 of punt-kick return yardage in that 35-21 loss.
Read the rest of this story »It's that time of year again when we take a look at every player and every position on the team, evaluate them for depth and need, and tell Bruce Allen how to do his job. For the sake of credibility, I will also review last year's edition and see how good the predictions came out. In the cases where I appear to be wrong, a wizard did it.
Read the rest of this story »Since there is little to talk about on the Buccaneers front, I’ve decided to break down the positions for the Buccaneers. I will look at the 2007 roster, and review each and every player. Let’s break down the 2007 Bucs offensive line first:
Offensive Line
LT Donald Penn- A little less than two years ago, Donald Penn was trying to earn a spot on an NFL roster by playing on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad. Penn signed as a free agent to play with the Bucs in 2006. The undrafted free agent was injured in 2006, but came in because of an injury in 2007. Starter Luke Petitgout was lost for the season, so Penn came in to start, making a huge impact for the Bucs O-line. Penn fit in exactly where he needed to be.
LG Arron Sears- After being drafted in the 2nd round of the 2007 draft, Sears came in and won the job of guard at training camp. As a rookie, he started every game at left guard, something that is rare for the Buccaneers. He was a consensus All-Rookie selection around the league, as he did a phenomenal job protecting his quarterback and opening up holes for his running backs.
C John Wade- The veteran on a young offensive line, Wade provided the leadership needed for the rookies and sophomores. Since joining the Bucs in 2003, Wade has remained healthy, playing in every game. He was part of a Bucs O-line in 2006 that played the same starters for all 16 games, the first time in franchise history that’s happened. Always persistent, Wade rarely lets anyone through to get to his quarterback, and is known for his good hands, rarely fumbling a snap.
RG Davin Joseph- Coming off of an injury plagued 2006 season, Joseph came back in 2007 to the starting spot he won as a rookie. Playing on a talented young line, Joseph is perhaps the most talented of them all. He started every game in 2007, staying healthy. With his outstanding performances, Joseph is proving that even at a young age, he is one of the premier lineman in the league.
RT Jeremy Trueblood- As a rookie in 2006, Trueblood earned his starting spot in the fourth game of the 2006 season, staying there ever since. As one of the top offensive lineman coming out of college in 06, Trueblood has proved that he is no bust. He was the sparkplug on this line, firing up his men and even getting in squabbles with opponents.
We already knew tight end Jerramy Stevens had some skeletons in his past, but there are some very startling accusations made by an alleged victim and police in a riveting story published Monday in the Seattle Times.
A reader pointed me to a huge article in the Seattle Times about Jerramy Stevens and his legal problems. Did I mention this article is huge? It starts when Stevens was in high school and covers, in sometimes graphic detail, the rape charges, the hit and run, the DUIs, and what happened behind the scenes to get Stevens the lightest punishments possible or, in some cases, no punishment at all. It paints Stevens as a real piece of shit and the King County prosecutors as tools of the University of Washington and the Seattle Seahawks.
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With one of two position-coach openings now filled, there's a chance the Bucs might fill the remaining vacancy soon.
The Bucs are scheduled to have Earnest Byner in on Tuesday for an interview for running backs coach, a colleague at the Washington Post tells me.
Byner joined the Redskins' staff in 2004 but was one of the franchise's most accomplished running backs during his playing career. The Post reports that Byner was offered a chance to return despite the Redskins' coaching search being incomplete. But Byner was tendered only a one-year contract, which seems to have prompted him to look for a better situation elsewhere.
Read the rest of this story »We told you last week that former Rams offensive coordinator Greg Olson was likely to be named to the Bucs' quarterbacks coach, and it appears the decision has been made.
The Olson hire is expected to be announced soon, though the Bucs still haven't commented. His hire leaves the Bucs Bucs with just one remaining opening on its coaching staff.
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