TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Gruden: No Such Thing As Rebuilding
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: April 2, 2008
PALM BEACH - Don't use the dreaded R-word around Jon Gruden.
Tampa Bay's seventh-year coach bristled Wednesday when a media member used the word "rebuilding'' during the NFL owners meetings.
"I don't think you ever use that word, man,'' said Gruden, who has led the Buccaneers to three NFC South titles. "There's no such thing as rebuilding. We were $40 million over the cap four years ago, now we're $40 million under the cap. We had no draft choices there for a while. We won a couple of division titles in the last few years while we were adjusting things. You hire the right people and you sign the right players and the guys on the field will turn it around. The players will get it done.''
Gruden said Tampa Bay depth at quarterback should provide stability if starter Jeff Garcia is sidelined for an extended period.
Veteran Brian Griese returned to Tampa after a two-year absence and Chris Simms has declared himself fully recovered from a spleen injury that kept him off the field for most of the past two seasons.
Simms has chosen not to participate in Tampa Bay's offseason workout program.
"We've got five quarterbacks that have all won for the Bucs as starters,'' Gruden said. "If he (Simms) volunteers to be there, we'll work with him. If he doesn't, we'll work with the other quarterbacks. Chris is under contract and we expect him to compete. I like Brian. He's smart. Above the neck, he's rare and I'm happy to have him back. He'll compete. He'll make it interesting. Luke McCown has shown some promise. If he can eliminate some of the boneheaded plays -- turnovers deep in our territory, taking a couple of sacks he didn't need to take – he'll improve. Luke helped us win a championship last year.
"It's hard to accommodate everyone's wants and wishes. We paid Chris Simms $7.5 million. We want to win. He's part of our plans and we want him to compete. We're going to keep our best quarterbacks, I promise you that. Right now, we've got five quarterbacks and he's one of them.''
Gruden spoke with optimism about the rest of Tampa Bay's offense.
"We hope Cadillac makes progress and we know Michael Bennett can run fast. In fairness to Mike, our offseason program will help him learn the offense. Warrick Dunn still had 800 yards rushing last year and caught the ball effortlessly. Inside of him, there's a war daddy. He's one of the great NFL men we have in the league. He is a threat. He can run it, catch it, pick up a blitz and I love him. We've deepened our backfield. B.J. Askew is a force for us. I consider Askew as good a fullback as there is in the NFC.
"Hopefully, one of our young receivers can step up. We're going to need somebody to start hitting the ball out of the park consistently. We've added Antonio Bryant. Garcia played with him, McCown played with him and I did a lot of research on him. He's got a lot of talent. He had a 1,000-yard year in Cleveland and he averaged 20 yards a catch with the 49ers in 2006. He's had his problems sticking around, but he's a talented, big player. He could be a really good player if he gets confidence and he trusts us. I'm excited to have him.''
Gruden was asked about a blossoming offensive line, which added center Jeff Faine as a free agent from New Orleans.
"Jeff's 26 and we think he's a heck of a center,'' Gruden said. "He makes all the calls. To have him in there with Davin Joseph and Arron Sears gives us an inside three that can rival anyone in the league. I don't know about his contract, the highest salary ever for a center. I just hope he doesn't start acting like a quarterback.''
Gruden looks back at the 2007 season with pride.
"I don't have any regrets, really, other than we didn't win the Super Bowl,'' he said. "We had a lot of injuries. I don't make excuses, but we had legitimate injuries. Ike Hilliard still can't practice today. Joey Galloway isn't ready to go. Cato June was hurt and he won't practice in these OTAs. Cadillac Williams and Luke Petitgout … those are real injuries. Jeff Garcia got hurt. Sears was hurt in the playoffs. I don't regret what we did, I regret how we finished. I regret the fact we got hurt, but that's football. I like our team. I like what we have. I like the nucleus and I'm excited abut the upcoming season.''
Post a comment
(Requires free registration.)
* Keep it clean
* Respect others
* Don't hate
* Don't use language you wouldn't use with your mom
* Use "Report Inappropriate Comments" link when necessary
* See Member Agreement for details
Reader Comments
Posted by ( northfla ) on April 2, 2008 at 3:18 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Coach, no second guessing here.
You've got some weapons, so I'm excited about the upcoming season. Already bought be one of them new fangled plasma TV's.
Go Bucs!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( MrP ) on April 2, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hey Gruden . . . rebuild this!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( DarthRandall ) on April 2, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
"Gruden: No Such Thing As Rebuilding" - Maybe that's part of the problem....... Maybe if he would re-build we wouldn't go from first-to-worst-to-first-back-to-worst. I get seasick looking at the guy's record.....................
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( ohboy ) on April 2, 2008 at 3:42 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I think at the minimum, a new stadium is in order.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( McX ) on April 2, 2008 at 3:43 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Changeing the front end of "one Buc PLace" might help, it seems that always stays the same; but they always blame the palyers and coach etc. Funny they leave the Buc's and win, win, win; Buc's loose, loose, get worse, get realy bad.....etc, etc, etc.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Things_gotta_change ) on April 2, 2008 at 3:57 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
This guy is a piece of work for real I wish Tony would return he is a class act.On top of that Mr.Gruden won a Super Bowl with his team funny he hasnt done that good since.I love my hometown team just not the people running it.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( specialtimes ) on April 2, 2008 at 3:58 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I don't see the buc's in the running for a superbowl but they can be right up there with the big boys. They just need to get more time for the young line to grow. I just hope they can find a QB before the rest of the team goes down hill.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( dglover09 ) on April 2, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
new stadium? you shouldn't even access to a computer.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( ohboy ) on April 2, 2008 at 4:06 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Well, once again it's been a productive day. Time to go home now....
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( tebowisgod ) on April 2, 2008 at 4:58 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I think Gruden and staff did a great job last season, maybe the best of his tenure. The Bucs are also having a solid off season, although wide receiver and cornerback still need to be addressed IMHO... I am really looking foward to the 08' season.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( billbyrne ) on April 2, 2008 at 6:35 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Some people should not be allowed outside let alone access to computers!
John Gruden has done a great job.....
GO BUCS!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( sanders ) on April 2, 2008 at 6:39 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Great job? LMAO
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( mr_hanky ) on April 2, 2008 at 6:44 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
LMFAO!!!!!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( cbrick ) on April 2, 2008 at 7:01 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Lets face it. Dungy was a good coach and he is a terrific person, but he couldnt get us over the hump. Gruden came in, inherited a great defense, and gave us just enough offense 2 win the Bowl. I dont like everything he does, but the man deserves respect. Name another Bucs coach that can say he won 3 division championships. As long as he's here, I'm behind him. I'm just not paying 4 my season tix anymore, seeing as how they have more than doubled in the last 10 years. GO BUCS! From my couch.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( CoachShreve ) on April 2, 2008 at 8:57 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Good job Gruden keep it up. You've done
a good job on the bumpy road we have been on. I hope he has his eye on the reciever that is coming out of the university of Houston his name is Avery.
They say he is Joey Galloways clone.
He is 5'11 192 lbs. He ran the 40 in 4.32 seconds. And has great hands.
I would take this kid over D. Jackson anyday.The difference in him and Joey is he is
14 yrs. younger and he is not afraid to go across the middle. He would be a great pick up at WR.
I can't wait for the draft and the season to start. "LET'S GO BUCS"!!!!
Let's make something happen.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( Buc_Fan_Scotty ) on April 3, 2008 at 3:09 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I am so tired of hearing the "Gruden won the Super Bowl with Dungy's team" comments. Let us analyze that theory a little more closely. Many could truthfully say that Dungy couldn't even GET to the Super Bowl let alone win it with his own Tampa team. I think that theory is much more realistic. Yet all of the Gruden haters seem to want to dwell on the 'Dungy's team' theory.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( drdneast ) on April 3, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Tony who?
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( chopperzen ) on April 3, 2008 at 9:46 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Dungy's team? You want Dungy back? Gruden has a Superbowl win and 3 Division Championships with Tampa. How many times did Dungy get the Colts to the playoffs and no further before making it to the Superbowl. Then "up-down" back to just getting to the playoffs again. You like dungy so much? Start bein a Colts fan in stead of a Buc! You all make me sick. You're so stupid it's rediculous. Do you know what injuries do for a team? GO BUCS!!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( KBA ) on April 3, 2008 at 1 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I'm glad that we have a young group of guys on the O-line that should be a solid group to open up the line and more consistently over the next 6 to 7 years. I think this will help what ever young QB we get to replace Garcia when he hangs it up. I think Gruden & Allen are making the right moves in rebuilding what was an aging team but it takes time. I look at the decisions of many other teams and am very happy to have Gruden & Allen. Last year proved that to me when they still won the division even though they had a dozen guys on IR due to injury. Go Bucs!!!!!!!
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( doozer ) on April 4, 2008 at 12:31 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
All you people who criticize Coach Gruden don't realize how really hard it is to win in the NFL.If I thought that I could do a better job than Coach Gruden, then I would criticize him too but I know I can't so GO BUCS.
Report Inappropriate Comments
Posted by ( AcuraT ) on April 4, 2008 at 1:11 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
From the comments here it is obvious that Chris Simms is not on the same page as Gruden. His days as starting for Tampa may be over. Then again, with Brett Farve available (as posted online today although he denies it), you never know what Gruden will do when it comes to QB.
Report Inappropriate Comments