How many years before the Bucs are back to their 2008 level?

[Badabing]

well if we dont spend money this year, as Peter King seems to think after talking with Dominik...then you best be damn well we will be awful next year.  We weren't going in the right direction under Allen either..but my god...if we dont spend money this off-season, forget about it....its got to be ownership.

[Blaze688]

We fired Gruden because mediocrity wasn't enough.  I doubt we'll tolerate sub-mediocrity for more than two seasons.

I'm optimistic, though.  I don't think Jeff Garcia was the difference between a 9-7 squad and a 5-11 squad last season.  We have a solid team with a few holes to fill.  I see no reason why we can't be 8-8 next season, especially if two teams in our division flop next season (which seems to be the trend).

[jizzy_22]

thats crazy talk..there not as bad as ppl make them out to be..they was 9-7 with alot of injurys and a chemistry problem at the end of the yr..with alot of the same talent and a few changes in the offseason and we are back in it..i would think

15 views before anyone responded..... i figured it'd go higher.

[Badabing]

15 views before anyone responded..... i figured it'd go higher.

funny i knew he was being sarcastic...but theres no question..if we dont add talent to this roster we will be awful next year.  Plus, I dont know how anyone could get excited for this team if we don't.

[dalbuc]

Ok dalbuc, let me clarify for you (since you like to put ridiculous spins on things).  When will this team have a record as good as 9-7 again?

If all you care about is being mediocre then next year isn't an unrealistic point. 9 wins? Who knows but  7,8,9 wins are all about the same in the bag o' rocks middle of the league so I'd think 9 is possible. Good is a whole other issue and being competitive is again another one. Sorry you find that "ridiculous" but I'm not concerned about "living up" to the standards of 2008 anytime soon.

[RatDog]

our offense is made up of a bunch of mediocre players (not including o-line and �#89)

How is the offense made up of mediocre players when you don't include the majority of them? And is Graham a mediocre player also? Think he was averaging close to 6 ypc before he got moved to FB.

What has Graham done to solidify his status as an above average running back? He's not going to single handedly win a game for us. His pass blocking and pass catching are both very mediocre. Just an ok runningback that opposing defenses aren't very scared o

our offense is made up of a bunch of mediocre players (not including o-line and �#89)

How is the offense made up of mediocre players when you don't include the majority of them? And is Graham a mediocre player also? Think he was averaging close to 6 ypc before he got moved to FB.

Graham must be the only one that you could think of, and he's nothing special. He's barely above the title of medicore.

Let me include some of the Bucs mediocre offensive players..........

Clayton
Alex Smith
Stovall
Griese
McCown - soon to be on this list
Dexter Jackson

This is a list of a bunch of so-so players who are all MEDIOCRE if not WORSE (d-jack)

[Badabing]

15 views before anyone responded..... i figured it'd go higher.

funny i knew he was being sarcastic...but theres no question..if we dont add talent to this roster we will be awful next year. Plus, I dont know how anyone could get excited for this team if we don't.

While we may very well suck next year, I'm of the opinion that it would be due to the team's lack of talent rather than our new HC... who is clearly the object of Java's latest jab.

I agree that it would be towards our lack of talent.  I think Jon Gruden is a better coach than Raheem Morris.  But then again, I can't really judge Raheem Morris yet.  He hasn't coached a game yet.  The guy was nothing more than a secondary coach before this year so i could see people for being a little wiery of him.  I also wasn't impressed with his press conference, however, I like how he surrounded himself with some good coordinators.  Bates should keep the D good and Jags should be good on O.  I am a firm believer, however, in that coaches can only do so much.  The players will be the ones that perform on the field, and as I think Gruden is a better coach then Morris, that doesn't mean it wasn't time for a change.  No excuse for 9-3 to 9-7 and out of playoffs.

Anyway, I think I may have to wash my hands with this team if we don't spend money in free agency and by spend money I mean go out and get impact players.  We will overpay for them, but guess what, that is what you have to do.  Haynesworth should be a must considering alot of players are being locked up prior to free agency and the way we got gashed in the run game at the end of last season.

Coaches only do so much, its the players that need to play and we don't have talent to go far currently.  We need to add players and it sickens me when people try to rationalize and say that guy costs too much anyway.  It happened all the time with Bruce Allen.  Sometimes the moves dont work out, but other times they do.  We are a 9-7 team and now we have Johnson and McCown currently competing for the starting QB job.  If you dont think that is a downgrade, then you are blind(not personally attacking you meaning anyone that thinks McCown can duplicate 9 wins is HOPING.)  Not saying Garcia was the answer, but McCown can only hope to be as good as Garcia was here(and he wasn't even that good)

Going to be a long year in Tampa if we dont upgrade this team.  And that has nothing to do with Morris, unless he just a horrible coach, but with an O coordinator and D coordinator, what exactly will Morris do during gamedays anyway?  He should be fine and needs to be a motivator which he will probably be great at.

[techstar25]

I expect this team to be better than 9-7 in 2009.

I always think about last years' Falcons, Dolphins, and Ravens. All in "rebuilding" years after horrible 2007 showings. All made the playoffs in 2008. The difference between us and them, is that we actually have much more talent all over the roster (we were 9-7 and the only "big name" we're losing is Garcia).
One might argue they they were good because of solid, and surprising QB play, but we have plenty of time to find our Joe Flacco or Chad Pennington.

And for those who still think we'll be rebuilding next year, think back to the last time we changed coaches (from Dungy to Gruden). We won the Super Bowl.
My expectations aren't that high, but come on, anything's possible.

[SnookAU]

I'm more concerned with how many years before the Bucs are back to their 2002 level.

Amen.

[GameTime]

its funny to me, posters have been making excuses for gruden for 6 years.  and its already started with raheem.  is it too hard to just look forward to the season?

[rowdie]

"Addition by Subtraction" - is that like taking medication to relieve a shoulder ache and getting a rash and anal leakage?

Sticking with your medical analogy; Addition by subtraction would be cutting out the cancer that's killing you, thus improving your health.

[Feel Real Good]

I'm more concerned with how many years before the Bucs are back to their 2002 level.

[rowdie]

But then again, I can't really judge Raheem Morris yet. He hasn't coached a game yet.

That says it all right there. We've seen 7 yrs of Gruden mediocrity and a 57-55 record...  yet some don't even want to give our new HC an OTA before bashing him.

Hate, when did you're reading comp skills leave?  Maybe mine have left, can you point out what part of that quote was a bash?

15 views before anyone responded..... i figured it'd go higher.

funny i knew he was being sarcastic...but theres no question..if we dont add talent to this roster we will be awful next year. Plus, I dont know how anyone could get excited for this team if we don't.

While we may very well suck next year, I'm of the opinion that it would be due to the team's lack of talent rather than our new HC... who is clearly the object of Java's latest jab.