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Garcia's Play Only Part Of Story

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 5, 2008

TAMPA - His 3-0 record speaks for itself, according to Bucs coach Jon Gruden, but that perfect record doesn't begin to tell the story of why Brian Griese remains the team's starting quarterback.

To learn the rest of the story you need to dig deep, beyond Griese's interception-heavy statistics and look at what it was that prompted Gruden to name Griese the Bucs' starter in the first place.

You would like to believe the decision was based solely on performance, that former starter Jeff Garcia's shaky play in the preseason and in the season opener at New Orleans simply forced Gruden's hand.

You could certainly make an argument for that. After all, whether it was the result of inactivity because of nagging injuries or something else, Garcia never showed Gruden a winning form this year.

And after losing to the Saints in the opener, the Bucs suddenly found themselves in a must-win situation against the Falcons. Going with the hotter hand, or the one he had more confidence in, there didn't necessarily lack prudence.

Still, it seems there was more behind the decision to dump Garcia and go with Griese than simply finding a hot hand at a critical time, and one of those who believes that is Garcia.

Asked this past week about the change at quarterback, Garcia said, "I don't think it had anything to do with me struggling to find my rhythm." Sadly, he might be right.

There is little doubt that Garcia's poor play sparked the move. But the Bucs' camp is crawling with people who also believe it was at least in part a result of Garcia's criticism of Gruden's offense, which he termed wordy and complex.

Some even believe the roots of change date to last season, when Garcia openly challenged some of Gruden's play calls and suggested that certain potential playmakers were being ignored by Gruden.

Again, you'd like to believe Gruden is above all that, that he can let that kind of stuff roll off his back. It's hard to know for sure, though, when he makes comments like one he made last week.

Asked about his use of the no-huddle offense, Gruden answered in part by saying he employed it because, "Everybody says our system is so verbal and so wordy that we don't have time to get out of the huddle anymore."

Whether it was meant to be or not, that remark came off as a sarcastic shot at Garcia, whose rapid decline here has been nothing short of remarkable.

Gruden was after Garcia for years, and when he finally landed him he re-energized the franchise, saving not only Gruden's job but General Manager Bruce Allen's in the process.

He helped bring respectability back to the Bucs' franchise, yet now he's an afterthought. You'd like to think it's simply because he struggled out of the box this year, and that is certainly part of the story.

It just doesn't seem to be the whole story.

A HAPPY MAN: While we're on the subject of quarterbacks, it's time to clear up a misconception that has been burning like wildfire for several months.

Contrary to popular belief, Griese is happy to be here.

The notion he was unhappy with the trade that brought him back to Tampa was circulated shortly after he returned, but it was wrong from the beginning.

"The truth is, I never wanted to leave Tampa," Griese said. "I always wanted to be here, and I'm really happy to be back."

That's not a sentiment that has grown over the past few months. Griese has long been of the belief that he works best in Gruden's offense.

He's also a big proponent of Gruden, and contrary to what one media member publicly suggested, Griese has never had a desire to "punch Gruden in the mouth."

Now, he might not be happy with Allen. After all, Allen failed to work a deal to keep Griese here three years ago. But it seems that Griese has gotten over that, too.

"For whatever reason, it didn't work out back then," Griese said of the failed contract talks that resulted in him signing with the Bears. "The bottom line is, I'm back now and I'm happy to be here."

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