Tampa, Florida					Monday, September 06, 2010

Jon Gruden, All Pro on the Podium
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
TAMPA—Tampa Bay Buccaneer Coach Jon Gruden the other day held the last season summary press conference he will ever hold in the conference room of Number One Buc Place, the manger of the Bucs born in late 1975 . No one will miss it, that hodge-podge of the primary one-story building on land leased beginning in 1975 by first Buc owner Hugh Culverhouse from the late Tampa-based industrialist Jim Walter who also was the lease holder of the nearby Airport Motel (later the Hall of Fame Motel), a golf course where the International Mall now prospers, and two football practice fields, with an extension of several trailers that are offices today. Need to repeat that. No one will miss Number One Buc Place, perhaps the most lacking of work homes for a National Football League team, but at least convenient for all. No one will miss it because under construction now, and at last, is a modern facility , just northeast of Raymond James Stadium, game day home of the Bucs and simply superb. The owning Malcolm Glazer family will by August of 2006 offer its Buc Family an off the field home as classy in its NFL workplace facilities as the Glazer compound in Palm Beach. Even Coach Gruden made mention that the year-ending press conference, one well-attended, that this was the last such gathering in that lacking assembly place. Good, say we all. And Gruden, and those before him who write about him and photograph him, said sure, the Buc play was not up to standard in its losing effort of 17-10 to Washington last Saturday at nearby RJS. And, he would agree that yes, it was a woulda, shoulda, coulda game, where the visiting (all four NFL playoff games were won by road teams) Redskins won on Buc turnovers (interception and fumble) and defense while the Bucs offensively were disarmed, not to mention pretty doggone rotten, I say. Gruden also agreed the final four plays called when the Bucs had a chance were not of Hall of Fame quality. Gruden also—used them not as excuses, he said—a touchdown catch disallowed by officials was a catch, to him, a fumble called no fumble, was a fumble, that yeah, the Skins got the breaks this time, but hey, he said, we got our share of calls and breaks this year. And that was surely a fact, though it in no way takes away from bad officiating in this crucial NFL playoff game where the Buc defense and the great active crowd deserved a victory. Gruden could agree with that. Now, the fact is, Coach Gruden, and his staff, did a masterful job this 2005-06 season with an 11-5 season on the heels of a 5-11 record a year ago. Gruden and Associates did not just coach that solid season that went sour only last Saturday, but reworked the roster effectively to put the people in the slots they filled solidly on defense, just dandy on special teams, but, well somewhat disjointed on offense. Also, Gruden demonstrated in this summary commentary Monday that he is either the best of close to the best behind the mike and with the mike as any in the NFL. He’s good. He’s unrehearsed. He’s up front. He’s also photogenic, and knows it. His freckled (like his three sons), rubber face is as accommodating as funny putty. In speech, he is animated, talks in complete sentences, is original and largely free of clichés, and of extended vocabulary. He’s available always, likes a joke as well as a jab, takes no offense at questions, smiles and laughs a lot, but can scowl and express with his mouth, eyes and especially his flexible eyebrows, his emotions on a par with Red Skelton. He’s also a good man, father, son of a coach (Jim) and an award-winning schoolteacher mom and husband of the cheer-leading (Tennessee Volunteers), and patient Cindy, and, again, as good as there is at that which he had to do Monday—explain the final loss to the Skins, and speak to the 11-5 season just ended, and that which may lie ahead. Here are some of Gruden’s thoughts and comments, better heard and seen spoken, than read, but I can’t do any thing about that. On, overall Buc progress this year: Well, they acquired Rookie of the Year running back Carnell (Cadillac) Williams from Auburn, “who now can be the centerpiece of our attack and we can center our attack around. We saw the development of a young quarterback,” said Gruden. “The young lefty (Chris Simms) played great. Brian Griese played was a 5-1 starter (when he was injured). We had two quarterbacks perform well, enough for us to win a championship here in the South. Alex (tight end) is a good prospect. Joey Galloway had a career year. Michael Clayton (injured wideout) can return and do well.’’	On the two quarterbacks’ future with Tampa: “I hope so (that they will be back). We are going to do all we can to go to camp with four quarterbacks. I think Tim Rattay was a good addition. Luke McCowen is a young quarterback with talent.’’ On Simms being a starter next year and is he No. 1 now: “I am sure we will have some kind of an announcement for you, we want to work on some kind of a depth chart. Right now we feel good about our quarterbacking situation.’’ On WR Michael Clayton’s injury status: “We expect his toe, his knee, his shoulder, his whole body to be healed by March 20,’’ early camp time. On offensive tackle Kenyetta Walker, want him back? “Yeah, we want him back. We’re obviously faced with salary cap issues. We’re not using that as an excuse. I know the reality of it. And we are going to try to keep Kenyetta Walker here, yes.’’ Veteran offensive lineman Walker has said he wants an extended contract. On team’s priorities for free agency: “My hopes are obvious, I hope. I am hopeful we can keep these guys around. I like it. I like 300-pound guys that love football. I am a big Chris Hoven fan. He knows that. If you are listening, we want you back.’’ On the veteran fullback, Mike Alstott: “If Mike Alstott retires, he is going to retire having played one heck of a season. I hope he does not retire. I will do all I can. If any of our efforts matter, we will see him on our team. He’s a fine football player and he is a great team man. Mike will decide his future when he decides it is his time. We will just be there for him.’’ On being the number one defense in the NFL again: “It’s hard to lose when you have a great defense. I am a firm believer that you have to have great defensive players to win in this league. Although I like to think of myself as an offensive coach when I am driving home, I am just a football coach that wants to win games.’’ On the Edell Shepherd non-catch, by ruling, in the Washington end zone that would have led to a fourth quarter tie at 17, then more football for the hungry crowd at RJS that electric day: “I disagreed with the call. I challenged it. I believe a touchdown reception is looked at differently than a regular reception. I believe a reception is two feet down for a touchdown, period. There were some other plays I challenged. I thought (LaVar) Arrington fumbled the ball back to us. It was officially unchallengeable because it was a quick whistle. I thought Marcus Washington was touched down (before taking a Williams’ fumble for a Skins TD) not by one player but two. I thought Simeon Rice’s sack was a sack, and a fumble. But it wasn’t challengeable because it was ruled an incomplete pass. We didn’t get those calls but no matter how you feel, you have to get over it and go on.’’ On the not infrequent batted pass attempts of Simms by onrushing linemen. Can that be fixed? “Yes. I think the more Simms plays he’s going to be more sensitive to the passing lane, more creative ways to get the ball through traffic. Our protection will get better, too. But Chris is six-foot-five and batted passes should be minimized.’’ With no really high pick in the college draft does free agency become more important? “Having a pick in every round (23rd in the first) I’ve come to look forward to the draft after last year and our success there. We not only got players for the future but who played at such a high level we won the NFC South.’’ On having defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin back: “He’s one of reasons I came here. He’s a great coach, and a great developer of coaches. You can go on and on about his accomplishments, but I think what’s very underestimated is his ability to develop young coaches. He’s helped me.’’ Oh, Coach Jon-Boy said plenty more, including plenty about how disappointed he felt for his Buc fans, “the best, simply the best,’’ and being in his role he is. The future of the Bucs seems so strong now, despite the loses of some more assistant coaches and executives who learned their lessons well and will advance elsewhere, as others did before them, somehow unaffected by the aging, inadequate digs at Number One Buccaneer Place. Seems to some of us that with the new, fancy-dancy, up to top scale environment of the New One Buc Place up the street, and Gruden on the course he is on, well, it’s too early, I guess, to think another, a bit more successful NFC championship and Super Bowl run in 2006 Eh?
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