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#1
05-03-2007, 08:51 PM
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No More Mortgaging Our Future...
At the dawn of the 2007 draft everyone was crossing their fingers, hoping Calvin Johnson would somehow slip down and fall right into the Buccaneers' laps... Everyone knows that was a stretch. The Lions realized they had all of the bargaining chips with that #2 pick, and Matt Millen never passes up on a top WR prospect...
With that being said, I wanted Calvin Johnson as much as the next guy, but real fans can see the big picture. I would really like for people to see it, but in light of this thread, I'm sure many will still fail to comprehend... This team is finished with the days of mortgaging its future. We all remember what happened in back in 2002. This team gave up many draft picks in order to bring in a coach, which many are still to dense to see how much that paid off. Does anyone know how lucky we are as fans, that Gruden was able to come in here and produce as a coach his first year, win over a locker room full of guys that were loyal to Dungy, and help them get to a superbowl, and win? This team was full of aging players, big contracts, and the Glazers gave up many top draft picks to bring Gruden here. This team was on a path of destruction after that superbowl, and by giving away top draft picks It was hard for McKay and Gruden/ Allen and Gruden to infuse this team with YOUNG talent. The salaries of the veterans, combined with the loss of some high picks, and disgruntled players, and questionable coaching brought this franchise to its knees. It is amazing how so many of you want to re-live these last 5 years to get one WR, that is not even proven in the NFL. The Lions were in the driver seat, and were comanding all trade scenarios involving the acquisition of Calvin Johnson. I have come to accept the fact that there are a lot of fans here that put Jon Gruden/ Bruce Allen in a lose-lose situation no matter what they do, and that is fine. It's like they are damned if they do, and damned if they don't. It's actually pretty funny, everyone complained how Gruden came in, and shredded the team and neglected the defense, trying to build an offense. As soon as he takes a backseat to the defense everyone starts biting at his ankles again... I don't understand it. He allows the team scouts along with Allen and Kiffin to go out and use the draft picks on players that are highly rated in a cover 2 type system, and everyone complains. The defense was getting old, and this team needed to address this issue with youth. I know I'm not the only one that has been reading, "Watch Gruden try to sign another retired player... Is he over 30? We should sign him now!" all over this message board. Allen/Gruden/Kiffin have loaded this team down with Veteran Leadership at every position, as well as Youth... There is depth at every position going into training camp. And Bruce Allen has managed to do this without: a) Giving up future high round (1st day) draft picks, and b) Signing players to massive contracts that will strangle the organization 3 or 4 years down the road... You see, giving up draft picks for Calvin Johnson would have been irresponsible. This team is more than a WR away from being good for years to come. "Rome wasn't built in a day." This team's most critical needs were on the defensive side of the ball. This team for the last decade has been about defense, and those players that were once dominating the field are getting old. They won't be around for ever, and Monte's defense falling out of the top 10 was all the front office needed to see to realize he needs more talent. Bruce Allen has made strides at getting quality talent for Kiffin to work with... He went out and got him a new Defensive line coach, He went and got him some system LBs, Some fast CBs like Davis and of course P-Buc, he retained Kelly and Barber, and cut the dead wieght like Juran... He goes out and acquires D-line talent like Carter, lets White go via FA, and decides to spend the 1st rounder on Gaines Adams. He grabs a couple of LBs in the draft and decides to let Quarles go... He grabs a highly rated Zone Safety in the draft... All of this to help get this team back to it's roots... Defense! But then you look at the other side of the ball. What was the difference between the 2005 offense and the 2006 offense??? The RUNNING GAME! So Allen goes out to address the needs of the offense, that was QB depth (Garcia, Plummer), Grabs Offensive line talent for every position... He goes out and gets system players like Jeremy Stevens who can block and make big plays... And retains his veteran speed WR, and possession WRs like Clayton, Hilliard, and Stovall... With the possibility of Boston reviving his career, still running low 4.4 speeds... You have a system QB like Garcia, system TE's like Stevens, a 1000 yard RB in Carnell, a Home run hitter in Galloway, and Possession WR like Hilliard and Stovall... You have a pass catching FB in Alstott, a kick returning pass catching RB in Pittman... This team is in a great position to improve, and possibly make the playoffs. Then looking into the next offseason, with the cap room is in an even better position to grab highly rated FAs... So why all the animosity toward Bruce Allen and Jon Gruden after a good draft, and great offseason?
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#2
05-03-2007, 09:39 PM
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What starters/contributors do the Bucs have from Gruden's drafts?
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#4
05-03-2007, 09:57 PM
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Will Allen Alex Smith Simms to an extent...
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#5
05-03-2007, 10:38 PM
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Sweet post, BFFA!!
If people read that and still don't "get it" about this past off-season, they never will. I know that I, myself have been very anti-Gruden in the past three years.. but in light of what has happened THIS off-season, I have stepped back from that. I LIKE the FA acquisitions, I LOVE what they did with the draft, and I applaud the fact that they didn't chase that pipe-dream of obtaining CJ for multiple draft picks.. I sincerely HOPE that Gru/Allen succeed this year. But regardless of all of that, I'm here, whether or not that success happens.
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#6
05-03-2007, 11:18 PM
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#7
05-03-2007, 11:26 PM
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I am pretty happy about this FA and draft. From a management perspective, we handled this offseason quite prudently and successfully. I'll be twice as happy if/when Gruden's coaching mentality is raised... and if/when our playbook is opened up.
But if half of our acquisitions become a success, we should be in for a strong future... not just 2007 either.
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#8
05-03-2007, 11:26 PM
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And if Adams, Sears, and Piscitelli are all starting by years end as expected, that would equal 11 starters from the last 4 drafts which is an entire side of the ball!
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#9
05-03-2007, 11:32 PM
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#10
05-03-2007, 11:41 PM
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You mention QB depth; one of the two players we added has retired, the other is in his first year with the system and isn't guaranteed to start. Stevens has never started 75% of a season, Carnell's success is predicated on a line with at least 2 new starters, Galloway is our one legit receiving target, Boston didn't make the squad last year, Hilliard and Stovall are either too old or too young, "pass catching FB Alstott" had 85 reception yards, Pittman scored 1 TD last season...I could go on. And outside of Stevens and Garcia, everyone you mentioned is a returning player from the second to worst offense in the league last season, with no change of offensive coordinator, system, or head coach. I pray Simms/Garcia is awesome, else we're done for.
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#11
05-04-2007, 12:51 AM
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#12
05-04-2007, 01:02 AM
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We can't rebuild the offense, because it was never in Tampa to begin with... But the defense falling out of the top 10 was my main concern. The defense is what ultimately got the team to the superbowl, and the team won it... And for the past 3 years it seemed like the defense was being neglected... But this is more than what I hoped for, in one off-season... Allen avoided the rush for talent, let the market shrink and picked up some great value players for reasonable contracts. Even though I predicted a 13-3, I didn't really believe the team would win more than 9 games... But realistically speaking, this team had the player to get to 10 wins... If everything comes together the way it is supposed to... There is depth at almost every key position, this should be an interesting season. I still stand by my 13-3 prediction... 
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#13
05-04-2007, 01:14 AM
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Stevens won't have to start, because of the depth at TE, he simply has to come in to play a role. With the hopefully improved Offensive line, Carnell Williams will be back on track to keep the offense moving... Let's not forget most of the offensive players on the roster are from the 2005 playoff team... That was ranked 14th in the league in rushing, and 7th in the NFC in rushing... This team has an Identity and that is with the defense. I will be happy if Monte gets the Buccaneers back in the Top 10 in defense... and possibly the playoffs... I think Gruden can put together some good games with the talent he has on offense.
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#14
05-04-2007, 01:39 AM
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I think one of the greatest off-season moves this year has been the addition or Larry Coyer and Raheem Morris. It just feels right, can't explain it more than that.
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#15
05-04-2007, 01:44 AM
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#16
05-04-2007, 10:32 AM
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#17
05-04-2007, 11:09 AM
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I think gruden is a good coach, and I hope he sticks around another 5+ years.......although I don't see it happening
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#19
05-04-2007, 11:56 AM
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plain and simple we got back to our roots... and that is not a good thing... because the root of this team was originally built upon losing... NOT DEFENSE
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#20
05-04-2007, 02:34 PM
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This is the best post I have read on the board in a very long time, so I thought I should say so. There is nothing I can add to this. Thanks!
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#21
05-04-2007, 02:43 PM
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#22
05-04-2007, 05:42 PM
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Great post.
Who are the Buccaneers? What are we known for? Defense. Finally we move towards strengthening that area again. And people still complain. What a joke.
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#23
05-04-2007, 05:54 PM
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Anyways, in my post I referred to the team's identity for the last decade being rooted in the defense... And when Kiffin's defense fell from the ranks of the top 10 the management of the team knew what needed to be done. The defense needed to be addressed...
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#24
05-05-2007, 05:02 AM
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Last edited by BucFanFromATL; 05-05-2007 at 05:02 AM..
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#25
05-06-2007, 06:19 AM
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This gets my vote, dib, or whatever. Well done BFFA.
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#26
05-06-2007, 06:20 AM
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#27
05-06-2007, 06:40 AM
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I hope more people read it...
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#28
05-06-2007, 06:40 AM
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We were playing for the NFC championship in 1979, only 4 years after we were franchised. Before the franchise or expansion draft, what other team made it that deep into the playoffs that quickly? We started losing when the Buccaneers got on the new coaching carousel and couldn't find a winner for more than a decade until Tony came along. We regressed because we lost John McKay and because the lack of financial support from the ownership compared to what the other clubs were spending. We also regressed because the club had some real bad luck. We chose Ricky Bell over Tony Dorsett and Ricky got sick and was out of football in 4 years, dead in 5 or 6. Who figured that? Dorsett is HOF. Then we get involved with that idiot Bo Jackson and that cost us our pick and a lot more too. The Bucs had alot of losing seasons, but there is a rich history here to be proud of, if you are a Buc fan. If you don't know anything about it, you should just say nothing. jmo
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Last edited by BuccoBruceski; 05-06-2007 at 06:44 AM..
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#29
05-06-2007, 01:24 PM
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Absolutely brilliant post! Keep them coming!
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#30
05-06-2007, 02:46 PM
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