The Offseason Shake Up Hits the Bucs Fast

I hate this time of year, the Buccaneer's football season is over, my fantasy football season is over, 11-3 (great season for the Cutthroat Pirates, but no Super Bowl. Anyway this is the time of year that we must face change. As always I try to bring my readers first hand news. I have my source and I am scared that next years team is going to look different. Starting with coaches.


1st change, Mike Tomlin the 5 year defensive backs coach with the Buccaneers is headed to Minnesota to be the Defensive Coordinator. Another great Bucs coach headed out to keep the Monte Kiffin tree alive. Minnesota Vikings just hired Brad Childress as their head coach and he is making change already. Watch the announcement on Tomlin come this week.

The Kansas City Chiefs hired their new head coach Herman Edwards, with this will come the hiring of Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Rod Marinelli. You must remember that Edwards and Marinelli both came from the Dungy Era and are close friends. Marinelli has been TampaÂ’s Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Line Coach. Marinelli has been with the Buccaneers for over ten years. It is amazing to me that he is the Assistant Head Coach over Monte Kiffin, but Marinelli has been a hot committee of several years now and rightfully so should be an NFL Head Coach, but he has been blocked in the past by the Bucs and not allowed to interview for head coaching jobs.

Both of these coaches deserve a chance at being a defensive coordinator on any team to even being a head coach in the NFL. It just shows what kind of talent the Buccaneers Defense has had for coaches over the past ten years, with Herman Edwards, Lovie Smith, Monte Kiffin, Rod Marinelli, and now Mike Tomlin. This just sucks for our team because we lose two great coaches that played a factor in us having the number one defense again this year.

"Buccaneer GM Bruce Allen was reportedly meeting Sunday night with defensive line coach Rod Marinelli, the thought being to get a new deal done before Marinelli takes another job. New Chiefs head coach Herman Edwards may want Marinelli as his defensive coordinator, reports the Tampa Tribune, but Marinelli denied those rumors in the Kansas City Star. The St. Pete Times reports that Marinelli will interview with Detroit for its head coaching position though he'd be a longshot for that job."



I feel like crying, I have been a Bucs fan since the 1979 season and I have never seen a player like Mike Alstott. I have learn to love this guy who wears number 40. I have met Mike on number of occasions and he is a class act. I have been on the field with him after the game, I have been to special events where he is at. I once even was at a non- public event, (Rank has its privilege) hung out with Mike. I have several autographs of my all time favorite player. He truly is the man. However, it is being reported everywhere that he is thinking about retiring. I listened to his radio show tonight with Steve Deumig and it was a sad sad day. He says he is not sure if he is going to retire, but the writing is on the wall. If Mike decides to retire, it will be a sad day in Buccaneer history, but it has been the best ten years a Buccaneer fan could ever have wanted. Besides number 63, (Lee Roy Selmon) for those who don’t know, Mike is the next best player and person to ever where a Buccaneer’s uniform. We will truly miss you Mike, PLEASE GIVE US ANOTHER YEAR.


In other NFL news, ESPN and NFL are reporting that Chris Simms is the Hottest free agent out there. This is not good news for the Cap heavy Bucs. I hope the Bucs can keep Chris, and we don't have another Steve Young situation.


Now for a real story........ Coach Gruden when asked to comment about reports that the Bucs may be interested in Terrell Owens, predictably Gruden declined, reminding the reporter that talking about acquiring a player currently on another team is tampering.

However, a shit storm is starting to surface after today when Eagles gave Drew Rosenhaus permission to shop T.O. The Buccaneers where reported at the top of T.O.'s list. Gruden declined to directly address the possibility of the Bucs attempting to sign troubled All-Pro receiver Terrell Owens, as recent reports had suggested.

"He's still under contract (with the Eagles)," Gruden said. "It would be tampering to even discuss his situation."

I think some talking might be going on and GOD help us. First how could we ever afford T.O. and must we remember Keyshawn Johnson. T.O. would help this team on the field, but he would destroy it in the locker room. For more info read this story from ESPN:http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2283783