Raheem 'Obama' Opens Buccaneer 'Camp Hope'

"We're young, we're fast, we're physical. We have high expectations!"

    Buccaneer Head Coach Raheem Morris

Practice hadn't started. It was just after 10 a.m. and there was Raheem Morris, leaning against the plastic fence that separates his practice fields from the Buccaneer fans. He is smiling, talking to the people, his people, Buccaneer fans. Signing for them, taking pictures with them, talking about the season that will be.

He is not Raheem Morris, he is Raheem Obama and his personal audacity is the hope  and outlook that his team will be a huge surprise to many in this National Football League season.

His players joined him.

Donald Penn, Maurice Stovall,  Davin Joseph, Kelly Campbell, Aqib Talib, Clifton Smith, Will Allen, Derrick Ward, B.J. Askew, Brian Clark, Sammie Stroughter, they're all out there, smiling with their fans, signing, talking, greeting, following the lead of their head coach.

Change has come to One Buccaneer Place.

Sure isn't a Jon Gruden show anymore.

The fields are closely-manicured hybrid Bermuda—Raheem's fields of dreams. They  glisten under the hot morning sun.

All Raheem's men are present and accounted for, save Arron Sears, who will most  likely not report and will miss the 2009 season with an as yet undefined "condition."

The horn sounds at 10:15 and they go to work. Stretching, getting ready. A  second horn sounds at 10:20 and the QBs are lobbing passes to backs, receivers, even place  kickers. Fans applaud every catch. Matt Bryant makes a one-handed catch.

Crowd goes wild.

The running backs then head for a bungee  drill. They are tethered to a bungee, they run toward a marker, against the resistance. Earnest Graham's power rips the  bungee from its hitching tie.

Crowd goes wild.

The fields are set up directionally to simulate Raymond James, north and south. The offense operates in front of the west grandstands.

Luke McCown operates with the first team. He looks polished and under control. His  throwing motion is tight and accurate. It becomes clear early that Antonio Bryant is who everyone thinks he is. He is the big-play guy. He's the go-to  guy.

Talib gets beaten on a long throw from McCown to Brian Clark.

Running back Clifton Smith stands out in his "old school" knee-high tube socks.  He is fast and elusive.

Leftwich does look slow in the pocket. His "wind-up" motion is slow. Elbert Mack turns and twists in mid-air and picks off a Leftwich pass.

Crowd goes wild.

Wonder boy QB Josh Freeman completes a long pass to Bryant.

Crowd goes wild.

Raheem watches.

The defense shows up for some 11-on-11.

Passes are tougher to complete. They get knocked down, broken up.

Ronde Barber get beaten deep on a long pass from Leftwich. Ronde grabs the receiver to prevent the completion.

Not sure how this Jim Bates bump-and-run will work out.

Still it's early.

But this practice looked like a typical training camp.

No hitting today.

Special teams work brings out Rich Bisaccia's men.

He's right on top of then, watching, teaching.

Much of this team's success, if there is to be success, will hinge on how his special units perform.

Time is winding down.

It's well past noon and it's hot and humid.

The players hold up well, they look well-conditioned.

The horn sounds around 12:15 p.m. and this first training camp practice of the Morris regime is over.

The fans seem pleased.

The entire atmosphere is fan friendly.

This new team needs all the fans and friends it can assemble.

Just watch Raheem.

He's Barack in work-out clothes.

He is giving them hope.

Soon he'll need to give them wins.