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Gruden's Day Job Keeps Him From Rays-Red Sox

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Tribune Staff Report

Published: October 11, 2008

There is a downside to being the head coach of an NFL team, and Bucs coach Jon Gruden is experiencing it right now.

A "huge" baseball fan and longtime follower of the Rays, Gruden's day job, which often turns into a night job, will keep him from watching most of the Rays-Red Sox American League Championship Series.

That his job has kept him from keeping tabs on the Rays and some other current issues seemed to have the coach a bit down Friday afternoon.

"In some ways, I'm very disappointed in my inability to keep in touch with reality," Gruden said. "There's an election coming on here and I really haven't even gotten a chance to get to know either candidate, honestly.

"And I'm really a big baseball fan. I was a heck of a player once, too. Hit a home run one day. And I've been to so many Rays games. I think they're the greatest story in sports."

Gruden will be rooting, even if he's not watching.

"I have a lot of respect for pro sports and what it takes to get to this phase of the tournament, so I just hope they can put an exclamation point on what has already been one very exciting year for me and my kids," he said.

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