True Character is defined by how you handle adversity.....

[wolfet]

...and plenty of folks on this board have shown they are spoiled by the winning and their true colors.  I was around for I think 14 consequtive losing seasons and will be here next year.  If you want to pack it in then go away.  As for the coach he can come back.  NEW FLASH...HE HAS MEDIOCRE TALENT ON THIS TEAM RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!  We do not have any pro bowl'ers last year and two this year because we have a very talented team.  I am not saying their is not hope in this young nucleus, but remember 9-7 won the division last year.  Bruce needs to spend some of that cap room next year at skill positions and couple it with a great draft.  Apparently, many of the folks on here listen and act like the Dummeg.  If you told me 6 weeks ago that we would score 24 against San Diego and 23 (I think) against Carolina, I would have told we will win both games.   The players have to take accountability.  Gruden is a good coach and Kiffin an outsanding DC.  Think about this.  Hovan has one sack, Haye I believe has no sacks still, GA needs to use an inside move. Brooks is having a good year, but not even close to the player he once was, Cato June? (Remember him, he still plays for us).  Ruud, Adams, White, Wilkerson are the only four playmakers on the front seven.  Jackson, Barber ( a bit heckel and jeckel), Sabby, Talib are all good players for us.  Our defense needs a make over at DT and OLB, as do our QB and WR positions save Bryant.

If the Titans are stupid enough to let Hanesworth hit the market, go get him and couple him with a 1st day DT draft pick.  Add some FA OLB's to compet with Black and FSU draft pick this year (name escapes me).  Go get Matt Cassell and retain Luke Mccown,  find a franchise QB, it has to be a mission.  For next year.

There are plenty of more talented teams than the Bucs with worse records.  Everyone should be asking themselves, would it be worse without him.  Not saying he is the second coming of Vince Lomardi, but he is a good coach.

[Buc31]

Gruden is a good coach....but he's not getting it done here. That Superbowl had nothing to do with him and even if it did...what has he done after that?

[cyberdude557]

That Superbowl had nothing to do with him

[BucsGuru]

The funny thing is that Gruden is attempting to bring in veterans to play in Tampa like Belichick does in New England.  What's the difference?  People WANT to play for belichick, very few people want to play for Gruden.  Sure, we brought in Bryant and Stevens who had ugly pasts and gave them a chance, but we have not ever attracted big name veterans to Tampa since Gruden arrived.

NEWS FLASH: If this team has mediocre talent, then look no further than the coach that brought them in here and was supposed to develop them.  name me a player in this league that will give credit to Gruden for teaching him more about the game and then went to another team and performed well?  That is the sign of a great coach; one that develops the talent given to him, rather than run them out of the league if they cannot comprehend his offense.

TIME FOR A CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cyberdude557]

Would help if the Glazers would spend the money needed to get free agents.

To say no one wants to play for Gruden is stupid and based only morons such as Duemig's sources.

[ufojoe]

very few people want to play for Gruden..

Very few people want to play for him? Suuuuuuuure.

Looks like you need to stop listening to WDAE and start thinking for yourself.

[ufojoe]

Would help if the Glazers would spend the money needed to get free agents.

To say no one wants to play for Gruden is stupid and based only morons such as Duemig's sources.

You beat me to it.

A QB and a few rushers and we're a very good team.

Gruden's plays had Bryant wide open deep, three times today. Not his fault Garcia only hit one. And the
one he hit was underthrown. Not his fault. He just doesn't have the arm.

[BucsGuru]

I don't listen to local radio!  I live 250 miles from local radio!

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the big name veterans would like to go elsewhere, rather than have to play for Gruden.  To hear some of you guys talk, Gruden is the most beloved person in the NFL and everyone is in love with him like the Tampa fans are in love with their Chucky Dolls. 

The proof is in the pudding.  He ran off Simeon Rice, Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Keenan McCardell, Keyshawn Johnson, etc.....
Now tell me who would want to come in and play for this guy after what he has done to these guys??

[cyberdude557]

-Rice was finished. After we cut him he went to 3 other teams and all 3 cut him.
-Keyshawn has gotten into battles with every coach he's ever had.
-Sapp is interesting. I dont know the whole deal with him but he has no love for Monte Kiffin. They were talking with him on Inside the NFL and he didnt have all that many nice things to say about Kiffin. He claimed he liked Marinelli more. So Im not quite sure his problem was with Gruden.
-McCardell was a money thing and had nothing to do with Gruden.

We made a mistake releasing Lynch, I'll give you that one...

[BucsGuru]

The 2002 Superbowl squad was pissed that their coach, Tony Dungy had been fired.  Their whole attitude that season was just going about business.  They were tired of being called paper champions.  Did Gruden have anything to do with the defense scoring so many points that season?  Everyone in the entire league knows that the Bucs won that championship with their defense, not the offense. 
Oh I forgot, Gruden ran off Brad Johnson as well once he threw another 1,000 plays at him after the SB year to learn. 

[DavyJonesLocker]

Would help if the Glazers would spend the money needed to get free agents.

LMAO.......WOW.

[cyberdude557]

Are you saying Dungy shouldnt have been fired?

If the players were pissed over Dungy being fired, they had only themselves to blame.

[Badabing]

haha wait your questioning our character.?...

I can't imagine the character of our team who has lost 3 straight and 2 of them being must wins...

got to love the character of our team..


also we started 9-3....for us to not make the playoffs means that somebody must be held responsible for this titantic meltdown.  Has that every happened before?

I know San Diego started out 8-4 in 2002 and ended up 8-8 out of the playoffs.  The Jets started 9-4 in 2000 and lost 3 straight to miss playoffs.

Can anyone research the last 9-3 start though to miss out on playoffs....

[cyberdude557]

Someone in the AFC East may very well go 11-5 and miss the playoffs.

[Badabing]

true...but like I said, 9-3 should equal playoff team and at the very least 11-5, in which we'd have a shot at #2 seed in NFC....and atleast a playoff spot.

now we are looking at a 1-3, 0-4 finish to the season and no playoff spot.