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Camaraderie Is A Big Part Of Bucs' Success

Tribune photo by JAY CONNER

Bucs QB Jeff Garcia celebrates RB Earnest Graham's touchdown in the 2nd quarter against Seattle Seahawks.

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By ANWAR RICHARDSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 25, 2008

Updated: 10/25/2008 12:14 am

TAMPA - The Bucs' biggest accomplishment will never appear on their stat sheet.

Once a week, Tampa Bay's offensive linemen dine out together, with the check rotating among the unit.

Every morning, quarterback Jeff Garcia picks up tight end Jerramy Stevens, whose license is suspended, and drives him to One Buc Place.

Defensive linemen Greg White and Gaines Adams have friendly disputes at each other's homes about who has the better dog.

Many attribute Tampa Bay's 5-2 start to its strong defense or balanced offense, but as the Bucs prepare for Sunday's game at Dallas, players credit camaraderie for their success.

"I often talk to my buddies in the league and ask them, 'How often do you hang with your teammates?' and I don't think anyone comes as close as we do," right tackle Jeremy Trueblood said. "In the offseason, instead of going home and doing things in your own town, our offensive linemen were together and holding beach parties every Saturday, or having barbeques at people's houses.

"To me, this feels like an extension of college, as far as it being a fraternity. I think it's pretty special."

Tampa Bay's special closeness infiltrated its locker room last season, and it has become the norm in 2008.

While many NFL locker rooms have cliques or players with indifferent attitudes toward each other, Tampa Bay prides itself on unity.

"It's definitely a different type of locker room in Tampa," said cornerback Phillip Buchanon, who previously played for Oakland and Houston. "All the guys look out for each other. They will help you out any way you need it. It's a better vibe that you get from the players. Not saying Houston or Oakland wasn't the same, but when you're winning, it definitely helps.

"Tampa is a good system team, and they let you be you. When I was in Oakland, they let you be you, but too much of you. They let you get away with too many things. Houston was too strict. Tampa is just right."

Having tight-knit friendships is not only right for Tampa Bay, but also required for success.

Being so close, players said, makes everyone on the team accountable to each other. No defensive player wants to give up a touchdown and put its offense in a hole. Conversely, going three-and-out when Tampa Bay has the ball is considered a disappointment.

"You don't want to let down the guy playing next to you," center Jeff Faine said. "You don't want to go back to the sidelines and see the defense after you let them down after they've played so well. Every time we get the ball, we want to score and really help out."

Who scores for Tampa Bay also is irrelevant.

Stevens recently spoke with fellow tight ends Alex Smith and John Gilmore, and said this year's team reminds him of Seattle's 2005 Super Bowl team, on which he played. The main similarity: unselfishness.

"You're OK if the team is successful even though you're not getting your individual stats," Stevens said. "You're happy for the guy catching the ball. You're eager to make a block so your running back can get out.

"Everybody is pushing forward in the same direction. It's not about guys saying, 'I need to get mine so I can get my money and be out.' We all say, 'Let's get this ring. We want this championship,' because when you win a championship, everybody gets paid."

By comparison, Dallas began the season as a Super Bowl favorite, but is renowned for turbulence and disharmony. Tampa Bay has five wins and is on the rise, while Dallas has four wins and is in a tailspin.

"I have been in situations where the locker room has not been so stable, and that becomes a difficult work environment," Garcia said. "When you're trying to come together and create a winning edge, it needs to be like a team. It can't be a bunch of individuals making a bunch of individual plays out there on the field.

"There are going to be some great individual performances, but those are going to happen because their teammates were working with them and allowing those things to happen."

Reporter Anwar S. Richardson can be reached at (813) 259-8425.

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