Gruden and Gradkowski

[DanTurksGhost]

I mean in pre-season when he played the JAX second teamers he looked no well. Basically, there wasn't enough pre-season material to make you think he should be the starter.

There was a lot of material that you (and most fans) aren't privy to. Most of it was garnered during the week, not on Saturday nights.

[ABuccs Fan]

There was a lot of material that you (and most fans) aren't privy to. Most of it was garnered during the week, not on Saturday nights.

Then why did Jon start Simms?

[mjs020294]

Then why did Jon start Simms?

He didn't want to upset you Abuccs. 

Jon doesn't like being on lists. 

[ABuccs Fan]

He didn't want to upset you Abuccs. 

He wouldn't have upset me at all if we were 4-0!!!! I have no player loyalty. I think Simms will be a good QB in this league. I could care less about any player, or any coach. Winning is what I seek. The Buccs could hire Jim Mora Jr. tomorrow. If he won the next 12 games and brought us to the playoffs He'd be my favorite. I honestly can't say that about Vick though. If he were our starting QB I'd still hate him whether he won for us or not.

[DanTurksGhost]

Then why did Jon start Simms?

There are a number of reasons, and probably the biggest one was experience. Additionally, while I may have my "ins" I certainly can't say what everyone is thinking.

Where Grads really stood tall was how he "got it" and how he "took it". While Simms still struggled with offensive terminology at TC and practice, Gradkowski digested it all and had already seemed to surpass him. Gruden tried to dish out as much grief as he could at Gradkowski and he took it all like a man.

There are plenty of people who believe/know that Simms is indecisive. There are some who feel that he is, deservedly or not, "soft". There are some who really think a great deal of Gradkowski's attitude and approach.

Combine all of those things, and you have some people who would have liked to have seen him get a shot on opening day. His biggest negative was lack of experience, and circumstances have overcome that one.

[simms22]

There are a number of reasons, and probably the biggest one was experience. Additionally, while I may have my "ins" I certainly can't say what everyone is thinking.

Where Grads really stood tall was how he "got it" and how he "took it". While Simms still struggled with offensive terminology at TC and practice, Gradkowski digested it all and had already seemed to surpass him. Gruden tried to dish out as much grief as he could at Gradkowski and he took it all like a man.

There are plenty of people who believe/know that Simms is indecisive. There are some who feel that he is, deservedly or not, "soft". There are some who really think a great deal of Gradkowski's attitude and approach.

Combine all of those things, and you have some people who would have liked to have seen him get a shot on opening day. His biggest negative was lack of experience, and circumstances have overcome that one.

While i agree that gradkowski picked up faster on the terminology than chris did as a rookie, i remember gruden saying in the preseason on how much command simms had on the system this year.  I know you are not personally calling simms soft but it doesnt make much sense to call a qb in the nfl soft. I think simms started due to experience, and i still think simms will be a good nfl qb but probably on another team. Im excited with what i saw in grads on sunday and hopefully he can develop into our long term starter.

[watson]

There are a number of reasons, and probably the biggest one was experience. Additionally, while I may have my "ins" I certainly can't say what everyone is thinking.

Where Grads really stood tall was how he "got it" and how he "took it". While Simms still struggled with offensive terminology at TC and practice, Gradkowski digested it all and had already seemed to surpass him. Gruden tried to dish out as much grief as he could at Gradkowski and he took it all like a man.

There are plenty of people who believe/know that Simms is indecisive. There are some who feel that he is, deservedly or not, "soft". There are some who really think a great deal of Gradkowski's attitude and approach.

Combine all of those things, and you have some people who would have liked to have seen him get a shot on opening day. His biggest negative was lack of experience, and circumstances have overcome that one.

DTG,
I think there was one other factor.  Simms appeared to have won over the offense and they were behind him.  Replacing your starting QB and leader with a rookie, even if he appeared to beat him out in training camp, would have possibly caused division on the team.

[ABuccs Fan]

Seems like a simple question to me...who's going to net you the best results? The answer to that question is who starts. The head coach can't be affraid to make the tough decisions. Gruden was lucky that decision was made for him last season, and I guess he was lucky that decision was made for him this season. If it is true what you say...that a lot of people "in the know" felt Grads should be the starter, then I'd be willing to bet Jon felt that way too. So grab your balls and make the tough decision. I love Jon, but the bottom line is I want the Buccs to win. I'd like Jon to be here for a long time, but he has to win, and so far 23-29 since 2002 isn't cutting it.

[DanTurksGhost]

If it is true what you say...that a lot of people "in the know" felt Grads should be the starter, then I'd be willing to bet Jon felt that way too. So grab your balls and make the tough decision.

"A lot" may be stretching it. "Some" is probably a better word.

At the end of the day, I just don't think that Coach was able to make himself completely comfortable with Gradkowski's inexperience. To be frank, there are a lot of similarities between the situation here and the situation as it happened in New England. I sincerely hope that it works out for us as well as it worked out for them.

[ABuccs Fan]

"A lot" may be stretching it. "Some" is probably a better word.

At the end of the day, I just don't think that Coach was able to make himself completely comfortable with Gradkowski's inexperience. To be frank, there are a lot of similarities between the situation here and the situation as it happened in New England. I sincerely hope that it works out for us as well as it worked out for them.

There are similarites, except Bill B. didn't wait until it was too late to make his decision. If Simms didn't get hurt and Grads truly is the answer, and Gruden felt he was the answer, then he waited too long.

[mjs020294]

There are similarites, except Bill B. didn't wait until it was too late to make his decision. If Simms didn't get hurt and Grads truly is the answer, and Gruden felt he was the answer, then he waited too long.

I agree there.  If Simms had won that game and played on, it would have been hard to drop him.

[DanTurksGhost]

There are similarites, except Bill B. didn't wait until it was too late to make his decision.

Brady played because Bledsoe was injured by Mo Lewis.

[ABuccs Fan]

Brady played because Bledsoe was injured by Mo Lewis.

What's your point? I stated in a previous post that Brady didn't light the world on fire when he was in there. The defense and special teams carried him for most of his first season. But Bill B. saw something in Brady and when the time came for Bledsoe to come back and healthy Bill made the choice to go with Brady.

[DanTurksGhost]

I'm sorry, I must be missing your point. Belichick didn't put Brady in until Bledsoe got hurt. Gruden didn't put Gradkowski in until Simms got hurt. Brady remained the starter when Bledsoe got healthy, Gradkowski is probably going to remain the starter when Simms gets healthy unless Grads completely falls on his face, which is unlikely.

[ABuccs Fan]

My point is when Bill B. didn't have nearly enough time to eval Brady, he still made the unpopular decision. If Jon felt Grads was the answer, he should have made the decision.