Bleacher Report - Articles by Bryan Holt

Is Josh Johnson Fighting a Doomed Battle?

Bryan Holt — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:06:59 -0400

The stage was set.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team in the midst of an intense quarterback war, sent second-year quarterback Josh Johnson out onto the field last Saturday night and he did something that might make life even tougher around One Buc Place: He shined.

The supremely athletic Johnson guided the offense with ease. He completed three of his five pass attempts and displayed his fluent playmaking abilities. He highlighted this performance with an admirable 43-yard touchdown scamper.

Now back to reality.

Johnson, the fourth man at a three-man party, orchestrated his drive against defensive superstars such as Stanford Keglar, William Hayes, and the always overbearing Larry Birdine.

When he provided his 43-yard masterpiece of the evening, he did so with 6:20 remaining in the fourth quarter in front of a handful of die-hards and 50,000 empty beer cups.

So is life for the guy who, by all accounts, seems to be the odd man out in the Buccaneer quarterback quandary. The preseason seems to offer little more to Johnson than irrelevant fourth quarter snaps and the occasional chance to take a meaningful rep in practice.

While it seems to be a foregone conclusion that Johnson is simply coach Raheem Morris' extra toy that will be discarded shortly, one question has to be asked: Does he really deserve it?

Johnson was taken in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL draft and appeared to bring with him nothing but shining promise and potential. Former coach Jon Gruden was extremely high up on the rookie quarterback, a species that the veteran-obsessed Gruden typically despises.

However, the relevance of the talented quarterback seemed to diminish along with Gruden's time in Tampa. Upon taking over the team, new coach Morris seemed to have little, if any, plans for Johnson, instead bringing in two quarterbacks to jump in front of him in line.

The most threatening of those line jumpers seems to be rookie cover boy and first round draft pick Josh Freeman. Just one preseason ago, Johnson was the prized rookie acquisition. He was the guy that could not be mentioned in cut talks and the head coach's schoolboy crush.

Now, that title belt is securely fastened around the waist of Freeman and Johnson is the football equivalence of the guy wearing No. 72 and playing third base in baseball spring training. Although his battle seems pointless, it will be difficult to make a final call until after Saturday night's game in Jacksonville.

Morris has declared that the Jacksonville game will brighten the cloudy quarterback picture. Most expect that to mean that after the Jacksonville game he will officially announce what has been apparent for awhile.

Byron Leftwich is your starting quarterback and Luke McCown is second string.

However, as fellow columnist Tom Edrington brought up earlier today, the thought of the Bucs keeping McCown around to ride the bench and eat up $4 million may be becoming less and less ideal.

If Leftwich wins the starting job and a decision has to be made on McCown, the assumption that Johnson is halfway out the door could be surprisingly proven wrong.

I have to admit that I was a loyal fan of McCown heading into camp but have been disappointed with him thus far. He seems somewhat unprepared for the most important preseason of his life and has not looked sharp in training camp or his one preseason appearance.

While I still feel that Freeman was a wasted draft pick and a very vulnerable future plan, the quarterback situation will be in better, more efficient shape if the loser of the McCown-Leftwich face-off is released.

Josh Johnson may have no future here as long as Morris' favorite Kansas State Wildcat is penciled in on top of him. However, he deserves a real chance to prove himself and time is running out on that chance.

His fate could be more evident Sunday morning if Saturday night truly clears anything up. Johnson is primed for an opportunity but whether or not that opportunity will come in red and pewter will have to be seen.

The Curious Case of Dexter Jackson

Bryan Holt — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:24:59 -0400

When the name Dexter Jackson comes up in a discussion about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the first thought that pops into the minds of most is championship glory.

They think of the Super Bowl XXXVII MVP safety who managed two magnificent interceptions in Tampa Bay's historic victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Then they remember that that Dexter Jackson is long gone and they turn their attention to last year's second round draft pick who is on the brink of becoming yet another early round wide receiver bust.

That realization is sharp and humbling.

I experienced it while sitting at the Bucs' Saturday night practice at Raymond James Stadium. As the 5'10" 185-pound Jackson sprinted down the sideline running a deep route, I remembered the seemingly wasted draft pick and was almost surprised that he bothered showing up to camp this year.

After all, his size that I listed above is a kind overstatement created by the fairy tale writers that put together Sunday programs. He seems to lack any of the physicality and toughness that it takes to be a National Football League receiver.

Jackson was drafted to be a game-changing kick returner.

His 4.27 time in the 40-yard-dash left Buccaneer scouts drooling over the premature thought of having a Devin Hester inspired figure in their arsenal. It was for this reason that they spent a valuable second round draft pick on a kick returner.

The move immediately left fans and analysts shaking their heads but this would amazingly be the high point of the decision. As the season began and progressed, Jackson was deemed useless on special teams and was replaced by undrafted free agent Clifton Smith.

The relatively unknown Smith took the job with a determined tenacity and quickly became the most explosive special teams weapon that the Bucs have had in recent memory. His electrifying touchdown in Kansas City (the second kickoff return for a touchdown in Buccaneer history) sparked the team's biggest comeback in franchise history.

As Smith continued to provide stellar performances, Jackson was cast further and further away from Buccaneer relevance. He was too undersized to take part in Jon Gruden's physical short yard passing game and his job as kick returner had been permanently revoked.

In an offseason full of coaching and personnel changes, Jackson was less than an after- thought. However, he did manage to make it to training camp which is more than many former Bucs can now say.

The most startling concept of all is that this year might actually be a chance for Smith to reinvent himself and rise from his already prepared grave. New offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski has brought with him two promises: a power running game and an offense that regularly throws the deep ball.

The latter could be a promising deal for Jackson as a deep threat offense requires speed, something that is not exactly plentiful in Buccaneer receiving options.

While Jackson may have not been adequate for Gruden's across the middle, grind through the linebackers, tough wide out role; he may be a welcomed addition to Jagodzinski's plans.

Jackson may never be a consistently reliable receiver but if he can establish himself as a deep threat for the Bucs, he may just barely be able to cling to a roster spot. In the early goings of training camp, he certainly looks much more comfortable in his new prospective role.

However, before he can worry about any aspect of his future in Tampa, Jackson must survive training camp and the preseason. It will not surprise anyone if he is the casualty of a cut day and it would not be nearly the toughest decision that the Bucs might have to make.

This is the National Football League, not Appalachian State.

There is no spread offense formula and 4.27 speed is not a cure-all for other inadequate tendencies.

Jackson could be the fortunate beneficiary of a new offense and find a niche with the team that seemed destined to dispose of him last season.

But for now, he must take everything one two-a-day at a time and approach the upcoming exhibition games like the desperate long shot that he has become.

The Countdown to Summerfest: A Review of the Worst Raw in Recent Memory

Bryan Holt — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:18:25 -0400

All right World Wrestling Entertainment, I have seen enough.

I have defended you relentlessly. I have enjoyed some of the same shows that have been bashed brutally by Internet wrestling critics everywhere.

I have no reason to come to your defense tonight.

Tonight, I settled in to watch Monday Night Raw. I know that it is no longer the tremendous wrestling show that Smackdown is and that I will often see the same stale mega stars further push back promising young talent but something about Monday nights still attracts me.

Maybe it is the glamour of the flagship show or the build-up of a live event. Whatever it is, Raw seems to create an anxious pre-show buzz that ECW and Smackdown simply do not always offer.

So tonight you started me off with Jeremy Piven and the naked Asian guy from The Hangover. I live in one of the country's tortured houses that does not have HBO, so maybe I was at an immediate disadvantage as I am not an Entourage addict as it seems the majority of the male gender has become.

Anyways, the two produced one of the most chaotic and painful openings to a wrestling show that I have ever seen. They were incoherent, unfunny, and things would only go downhill from there.

The Miz made an appearance and was quickly shut down by everybody's favorite Jonas Brother, John Cena. Miz was booked in a lumberjack match against Cena, a move that immediately made everyone watching know that Miz would continue his path as Cena's personal jobber.

Tonight's stipulation? A loss to Cena and The Miz would be banned from Raw for ETERNITY! He would also be banned from the Staples Center and Summerfest, a startling blow to his singing career as he must stay away from "The World's Largest Music Festival."

The message was conveyed early. Good guys win. Bad guys get kicked off of the show. Kids go home happy.

But back to the evening's festivities, Evan Bourne was squashed by Jack Swagger and basically used as a prop to further the off-and-on MVP/Swagger feud. I am all for a strong push for Swagger as he is one of my favorite new wrestlers.

However, Bourne has seemingly been made out to be nothing more than a charity case, a crushing blow to the push he seemed to have after defeating Kofi Kingston in a non-title match.

After the standard Diva tag match and too many movie plugs to count (seriously tonight was like a giant movie trailer infomercial), we reached the lone highlight of the show, in my opinion.

Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed the Triple H vs. Legacy handicap match for a number of reasons. The action was great, the crowd was heavily into the match, and the ending was a fresh change of pace. I had honestly almost forgotten that Rhodes and DiBiase had real-life finishers.

I think that most, including myself, expected this match to follow a certain formula. Legacy would cheat with some form of a foreign object causing disqualification, begin beating Triple H senseless, and (SURPRISE!) "Sexy Boy" hits and the Heartbreak Kid comes down to save the day and reinvent Degeneration-X.

We basically got a teaser version of the same concept but I expect creative to toy with the issue for the two weeks leading up to Summerslam to make fans think that just maybe Shawn won't show up.

The show drifted through "eh" mode for awhile (although I won't lie, I got a laugh out of Markswoggle) until everything spiked before crashing horribly at the conclusion.

Yes, the night's main event was set. Miz and Cena were in the ring awaiting the arrival of the lumberjacks. Piven was a face host, right? Surely the lumberjacks would be nothing but happy good guys that Miz had angered along the way.

WRONG!

Piven and the gynecologist from Knocked Up turned heel and brought with them an army of "bad guy" lumberjacks. My hope jumped for a split second. One of Raw's most entertaining workers lives! Down goes Cena!

Then I smacked down to reality like a bungee jumper in a third world country. Before the match even began, I knew the outcome once again. The huge hurdle placed in front of Cena only made him more likely to win, it played directly into his gimmick. Superman would win in a miraculous fashion, it was a given.

I was unfortunately correct.

Cena managed to overcome a lynching by Chris Masters and Legacy. Cena had won matches out of nowhere before but this may have seemed the most unrealistic. One minute he was getting his face smashed into the ground, the next second he was on top of Miz for the three count.

Goodbye Miz. Go crazy kids!

The show left me disappointed in a way that few episodes of Raw have. It is not close to the level of frustration of others on Bleacher Report who have declared their boycotts of WWE television. I will continue to watch because, more often than not, I enjoy the show.

However, tonight was a night where I could truly say, "that is what everyone hates so much, I understand."

Raw will certainly be less interesting with The Miz gone but he has not been used properly since The Bash anyways, so this might be good for him. I really hope he goes to Smackdown where he could possibly badger the rise of John Morrison but I sadly expect him to be buried by the WWE until they are "forced" to release him.

Whatever happens, it will be tough to look back on this night in anything other than a negative manner. I rarely rant or vent or whatever the above bloviation can be referred to as, but tonight's Raw brought it out of me.

I apologize, better luck next week.

Bucs Flashback Briefly, Then Prepare For a New Beginning

Bryan Holt — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:33:37 -0400

It is interesting how the simple game of football can sometimes provide the greatest instances of irony in an already ironic world.

On the eve of one of the more interesting and mysterious days in Tampa Bay Buccaneer history, the team traveled back to its roots and revealed the creamsicle throwback uniforms that they will be wearing for their Nov. 8 contest with Green Bay.

The Bucs seem to be diving head first into this tribute, even referring to them as the 1976 uniforms. Is that really necessary?

As the organization praised the past and talked about how excited fans were for Bucco Bruce's return, it appeared difficult to keep the minds of everyone from wandering ahead to tomorrow.

Yes, tomorrow the Bucs will open training camp with a morning session at One Buc Palace and an evening session at Raymond James Stadium. They will also unveil some of the most drastic changes in franchise history.

Nothing says new and drastic like debuting a 32-year-old head coach who was the Buccaneer secondary coach just eight months ago.

Raheem Morris' every move will be under the close, watchful eye of every caring spectator and Tampa area critic beginning tomorrow morning at 10:15.

Many fan favorites have been discarded including, most notably, the one man who actually wore a creamsicle uniform. The release of Derrick Brooks was shocking to his legions of fans in the Tampa Bay area and will leave an awkward hole in the locker room.

Add in the departures of Warrick Dunn, Joey Galloway, Cato June, Jeff Garcia, and first down machine Ike Hilliard, and many Bucs fans will be flipping frantically through their programs this year to match names with numbers.

The most common question that will bombard the Bucs this training camp is the one with the seemingly taboo "R-word." Over the next 19 days, the Bucs will dance around the rebuilding question like Emmitt Smith in a teal sleeveless button-up on Dancing With the Stars.

They will say that they are trying to put a championship product out on the field immediately and that this Buccaneer team can contend.

They are lying.

The Bucs are now officially in a full-out rebuilding mode and -- gasp -- it is long overdue.

Over the last few years, Bucs fans have been tortured by the constant short-term solutions of Bruce Allen, putting Scooby-Doo Band-Aids on wounds that need stitches and time to heal. What with the steady stream of one year contracts and washed up veterans.

"Oh we need depth at running back? I hear Charlie Garner is available."

"Sign that Tim Brown fellow up to be a punt returner and a team public relations disaster. At least he won't fumble."

What the Bucs need desperately is what they are getting right now. Not even the most casual of Bucs fans were fooled by the hopeless wild card runs and first round playoff exits with a team that was going no where. The necessary is being done right now but you will not hear anyone in red and pewter admit it.

If you think that the eye of the critics will stop at Raheem Morris and the R-word, then you must have slept through the month of April.

Josh Freeman, possibly the most despised Buccaneer draft pick since Bo Jackson, will make his big training camp debut tomorrow. Under Gruden, we had his "Raider Guys" and it now seems that under Morris we might have his "Kansas State Guys" that get the upper hand in personnel decisions.

Expect fans to have a short leash of patience hooked onto the wide-eyed rookie quarterback.

Other new faces will be much more happily welcomed. Kellen Winslow, Angelo Crowell, and Derrick Ward will certainly receive great hype from the fans attending practice sessions tomorrow.

It will be interesting to monitor the contributions of this trio along with Byron Leftwich. I personally feel that they were all pleasant additions to the franchise.

This is a season of overwhelming uncertainty.

This will be the kind of season that writers, critics, and analysts love. The season that provides the unknown, spewing storyline after storyline along the way.

Most are clueless as to what we are really going to see out of this Buccaneer team this season and that will leave many fans uneasy.

A new beginning is on the horizon and we are just one day away from its arrival.

Now, back to the creamsicles.

Florida Heat: An Afternoon at "The Swamp"

Bryan Holt — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:24:16 -0400

In all kinds of weather

We'll all stick together

For F-L-O-R-I-D-A

If there was ever a phrase that perfectly describes a game day experience at the University of Florida's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, it would be the one above. The final three lines of the traditional We are the Boys From Old Florida bring nostalgic chills to some and drunken exuberance to others.

The song is greeted by the unanimous standing, swaying, and singing of 90,000-plus rabid Gator fans and is a sign that the fourth quarter is coming and the home team is on its way to another big victory.

So is life at everyone's favorite Gainesville sporting destination. Every fall, the stadium that is still best known as "The Swamp" (one of Steve Spurrier's many remnants of influence), is a mecca for anyone whose life revolves around all things orange and blue.

An afternoon or evening at The Swamp is a strange mix of tradition, charm, and intimidation that blends together for an epic and slightly overwhelming experience.

It is an experience that begins before one ever even steps foot into the stadium.

It begins with simple actions such as maneuvering your car through the intense game day traffic. Only on Autumn Saturdays will you find the usually bland Gainesville streets packed with the chaos of New York City. Replace yellow cabs with cars that are laden with any and every form of Gator decorations and the scene is set.

After parking, your walk may take you down Lemerand Drive where you can visit the sparkling new Heavener Complex that showcases the team's three National Championship trophies, three Heisman Trophies, and an assortment of other Gator history.

After Lemerand comes University Avenue where you will be greeted by abundant tailgate parties and the shoulder-to-shoulder packed patio of Swamp Restaurant, a campus institution. You may even catch a glimpse of the Gator Walk, a new addition to game days in Gainesville.

No matter how many times you return, the electricity of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium captivates you as soon as you walk through the gate.

Crowds often gather early to make their presence felt during warm-ups and the nearly 60 years of regular expansions give the stadium a number of quirky features. Few stadiums put fans closer to the action.

The field being significantly below ground level (the stadium was built in a ravine) makes the accumulation of crowd noise and blistering heat make life nearly unbearable for visiting teams.

Opponents are always greeted with verbal hostility and the world famous chomp, a gesture that looks some what corny when performed alone but can sweep across the stadium quickly making for a unique sight.

The stadium goes silent only momentarily all day. That moment is when the crowd awaits direction for the now legendary "Two Bits" cheer. The cheer, which was initiated and carried on for almost 60 years by Gator super fan George Edmondson, will be the responsibility of Albert the mascot and the cheerleaders beginning this season.

With that comes the dramatic entrance of the Fightin' Gators, all set to an entrance video that concludes with the assertive public address system proclamation:

"The Swamp...Only Gators get out alive!"

Games are highlighted by an exciting on-field product. A product that was reinvigorated by Spurrier in the 1990s and now is a result of Urban Meyer's innovative coaching.

It has not always been this way. Veteran Gator fans will tell stories of miserable decades in which trips to Florida Field seemed hopeless.

Now Gator football is a fluent machine that approaches everything with a tremendous swagger.

Opponents make a mistake or fall victim to the Gators? They are berated with chants of "Gator Bait!" led by the "Pride of the Sunshine" Marching Band.

Momentarily forget where you are? The stadium displays numerous reminders that you are stuck in the middle of "Gator Country" or "The Swamp" or the "Home of the Florida Gators." Take your choice.

All of this high energy action brings us back to We are the Boys from Old Florida, the raucous yet subtle, boastful yet loyal anthem of Gator football fans. It is not a trip to The Swamp if you are not at your seat for We Are the Boys. It sends me home unsatisfied if it is not sung just the way I think it should be

While many game days may end in an anti-climatic manner, that is never the case in Gainesville.

After three-plus hours of standing amongst the Florida Field faithful, an obsessive fan can be caught in a vulnerable moment. For years, fans put their hearts, souls, and nerves into every painful down of Florida football and were then dismissed quietly after the whistle.

That all changed with the arrival of Urban Meyer and—finally—a postgame tradition!

Now, players head over to the band and students at the conclusion of home games for a passionate rendition of the school's alma mater and fight song.

The awkward post-thriller silence is no longer. The Florida Field experience now ends like this:

Neath the orange and blue victorious, our love shall never fail,

There's no other name so glorious, all hail, FLORIDA HAIL!

Ahh, much better.

Struggles at Ticket Office Slightly Humble Buccaneer Marketing Tactics

Bryan Holt — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:45:08 -0400

Own The Moment. Own The Tickets.

If you live anywhere near the Tampa Bay Area, you have most likely been bombarded recently by commercials bearing this slogan. Yes, the time has officially come for Malcolm Glazer and friends to tuck their tails in between their legs and begin begging people to buy season tickets, a peculiar task once reserved for the baseball team across the Howard Frankland Bridge.

After roughly a decade of ticket sales coming easily, the mixture of a shoddy team outlook and extremely high prices has finally caught up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

After all, this is the team that, as recently as 2007, flaunted its 145,000 person season ticket waiting list all around town in a Boratesque "You will never get this!" manner. This is the team that once used a lackluster 9-7 season and first round playoff exit as a reason to significantly hike up ticket prices on every seat in Raymond James Stadium. Our family season tickets are now $100 per seat, but who's counting.

A trip to the Buccaneers website now is a much more "please come watch us play" experience. There are half-season ticket packages, youth ticket pricing, and no long-term contracts. When did Oren Koules and Stu Sternberg team up to take over the Buccaneer ticketing department?

The logical question that most will ask is where did the 145,000 fans that were just dying to get a chance to see their Bucs go? To answer that, you must first assume that that figure is an artificially enhanced one and that the number was manufactured for marketing reasons.

Then you have to look at the obvious. The economy is bad, the team taking the field is very questionable, and the Glazers are not exactly known around town as the most endearing people to fans.

Their cheap ways have agitated many fans and caused many to discard their season tickets. Bucs season tickets have been in my family since 1976 and the times in which the long-term season ticket holders have been mistreated by ownership are numerous.

With many fans in doubt and local blackout threats already making the news, this may be the year that humbles the Glazers' outlook on the franchise. They have slid by in recent years but this could be the first time that they are truly in over their heads.

Attendance may not be good and, if the team is not performing, it will be worse.

There is definitely a new smell sweeping across Tampa for the Bucs and their executives and it is not a pleasant one.

How much longer until $1 hot dog days?

Glazers "Cutback" To Tampa For Training Camp

Bryan Holt — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:04:25 -0400

And so it will begin.

Saturday, August 1st will be the start of a new era in Tampa Bay Buccaneer football as Raheem Morris' team takes the field to open training camp. There will be a far less festive atmosphere, a startling lack of magic, if you will.

We are not in Lake Buena Vista anymore boys and girls.

After a seven year run, training camp will no longer be held at Walt Disney World's Wide World of Sports complex. Owner Malcolm Glazer and friends have decided to pack up their mid-summer caravan and take it back across Interstate-4 to Tampa's sparkling One Buccaneer Place training facility.

There will be no more family days at Magic Kingdom, no more team slumber parties at the Mayfieldesque Celebration Hotel, and no more "Mickey Mouse runs practice" days (okay, that never happened).

For many Buccaneer fans, this will bring back memories of blistering hot days at the University of Tampa's Pepin-Rood Stadium. I myself vividly remember the joy of only having to drive 20 minutes to watch Errict Rhett, Casey Weldon, and Kenny Gant trot around in the paralyzing August heat.

The Glazers are quick to explain this move in the name of all things fan friendly. For Tampa residents, it will indeed be nice to catch an early glimpse of their favorite team without the arm-and-a-leg price tag of an overnight stay at Disney.

As it was at Disney, admission will be free but will require a ticket as the Bucs will only be able to allow 4,000 fans inside for each session. Tickets can only be acquired in advance to fans who sign up for the new "One Buc Club," a free task that can be done on the Buccaneers website. For days in which tickets are not sold out to One Buc members, tickets to practice can be picked up at the gate.

The fan friendly proposition is one that is being tossed around and snarled at by a number of Buccaneer sources and critics. It seems too convenient that this decision happened in the midst of a major roster and salary clean-out.

The Glazer family's investment in the Manchester United Soccer Club has piled up a debt of over $1 Billion. A recent NFL.com study revealed that the Bucs have been the league's lowest spenders in terms of salary over the last five years.

All signs seem to point to a team on one of the National Football League's tightest budgets. The Bucs are in drastic need of a rebuilding effort but to many this offseason has seemed more like a garage sale than an attempt at rebuilding.

While Buccaneer public relation specialists will preach fan friendliness, most will assume that this decision was done due to a shortage of spending money. Much like Derrick Brooks, Joey Galloway, and Cato June, training camp at Disney World looks like the casualty of an ownership group that is in shambles right now.

On the field, there is only one proponent that seems much different from training camps past. Coach Morris is apparently not the morning person that Jon Gruden was as morning practice sessions will begin about two hours later than Gruden's did. Morning practice hours will typically begin at 10:15 this year.

This will be refreshing for fans who dreaded getting up early to watch Gruden and his permanent scowl take the field but will also submit players and fans more to the intense summer heat.

Aside from the negativity that surrounds the franchise at this juncture and the questioning of the motivation behind the training camp move, it is impossible to say that the new One Buc Place is not a fine location to hold training camp. It is arguably the nicest and most plush training facility in the league and training camp will only showcase it more to the football world.

The place is a palace compared to the run-down trailer that the Bucs once called home. The original One Buc Place was referred to as "The Woodshed" by Gruden and a unanimous hell hole by every player that ever stepped inside of it.

So it is that the new rendition will get its time to shine as it is opened to the public for the first time. There is nothing wrong with that.

Just do not underestimate the intelligence of the fans and try to fool us when we ask why training camp is being moved there.

Raw is Seth: A Firsthand Account

Bryan Holt — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:35:07 -0400

On Monday night, I took a much overdue step in my professional wrestling fanhood and attended my first ever live World Wrestling Entertainment event. Until this point, my live wrestling experience had started and ended with a live developmental show here and there. Florida Championship Wrestling had served as a filler for a gaping deficiency.

I was in for a treat.

As I stepped into Orlando's Amway Arena, my anxious excitement quickly turned into a youthful fascination. The entire mass production that is an episode of Monday Night Raw now seemed strangely personal.

I sat anticipating the action as I took in my surroundings. The last time that Raw was in this building, Ric Flair gave his emotional retirement speach after losing his epic Wrestlemania matchup with Shawn Michaels on the previous evening.

Now, during any down time or temporarily quiet moment, fans filled the arena with Flair's trademark "WOOOO!" as a celebratory tribute.

It all began with a dark match between Drew McIntyre and Sheamus. This was the only match of the night that the otherwise vocal crowd treated with indifference.

On the other hand, this was a match that I truly enjoyed because I feel that these two have bright futures as stars in this industry. Sheamus is beginning to get his push now, hopefully McIntyre's is soon to come.

Sheamus won the match and seemed to be working as a face. This was interesting to me as Sheamus has worked almost exclusively as a heel during both his time in FCW and now his early days on SyFy.

As the live broadcast of Raw began (I will not spoil the Superstars taping for the anti-insider site types), the primary curiosity that filled my mind was how Seth Green would fare as the guest host. Hearing of the move a few days earlier, I had at first detested the decision and thought that it might lead to absolute failure.

I could not have been more wrong.

Green brought an interesting spark to Raw with his efficient humor and ability to just be himself. Even better, he managed to bring back the sarcastic and witty side of Triple H that has been gone for far too long as his "Cerebral Assassin" gimmick grows stale.

Some of Green and Hunter's humor even grazed the boundaries of the line between TV-PG and TV-14, a decision that was not favorable amongst a number of the Beaver Cleaveresque families in the audience.

Green's effective comedy seemed to run contagious amongst the Raw roster. There were numerous funny segments, a pleasant metamorphosis from the usually poor attempts at comedy.

The skit that began with Santino playing with action figures, and ended with the sudden comedic genius of John Cena, was great and had the crowd rolling in laughter. The look on the face of Chris Jericho when Mark Henry started hinting that they were not going to be tag team partners was priceless.

I know that many people will complain about Chavo getting buried, but I honestly enjoy the Hornswoggle segments now that Goldust is gone. Not to mention, a solid half of the crowd was kids under the age of 13, and Hornswoggle seems to be ridiculously popular amongst them.

If the young demographic is that prevalent at every show, then it wouldn't be wise of WWE to do away with someone like Hornswoggle who is way over with the little kids.

Speaking of the crowd, I have read many reports about how lively and vocal last night's audience was. The fans in attendance seemed to be overwhelmingly casual wrestling fans. I heard a good amount of people ask where Batista was, and many seemed shocked when the news of Edge's injury was announced.

With that said, I must say that it was an extremely refreshing pro wrestling experience because of the crowd.

Watching at home, I tend to look further into a wrestling show than I probably should and become over-critical. Here, I found myself watching each match like the 9-year-old that got hooked on wrestling during the Monday Night Wars. It was a nice change of pace.

I was entertained, and that was my primary concern. The energy of the raucous crowd spread rapidly and I found myself sucked into every match. I saw the Big Show wrestle three times and enjoyed each match, there was definitely something strange in the air.

Regardless of my sudden return to the fourth grade, I still couldn't stop myself from questioning the upcoming main event. The writers would surely do something awful with this match. Nightmares of Seth Green mysteriously beating Randy Orton rushed to my mind. Green had been great, but this could end abruptly if the main event suddenly became David Arquette Part II.

Once again, I was proven wrong (I sense a pattern here). The booking in the main event was tremendous.

Green was given his brief moments of rather pathetic and comedic offense which drew huge pops from the crowd. However, it was all handled to keep him as a humorous figure and refrain from making Orton look like a paper champion, which was nice to see.

The no-contest was a good way to end the match, and we even had a slight moment where it looked like Triple H might take out John "Superman" Cena, which sent the young ones into a brief panic-ridden hysteria.

It all ended with a short dark handicap match which included an Attitude Adjustment to the Big Show to send the kiddies home smiling.

I found the show incredibly entertaining. I learned that Kofi Kingston is way over with the crowd and got some of the biggest pops of the evening.

I also learned that I was the only person in attendance who likes The Miz (shocking development). I was verbally unloaded on by armies of third graders for daring to cheer on the purple feauxhawked one. The Miz is too talented to be wasted, and needs a storyline soon.

Some will say that last night didn't build up to Night of Champions enough to be praised as a successful show. I think that they lightly touched on that issue but, knowing that next week would be all NoC promos, the WWE shied away from it, and went for a simple entertaining Raw instead.

For me, it was a long-awaited and excellent experience.

Smackdown comes to town December 20th...

Baseball and The Spectacle of Duration

Bryan Holt — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:49:43 -0400

I can remember sitting in class as a 3rd grader at Lake Magdalene Elementary School. As the class was surely learning something important such as their multiplication tables or cursive, I sat reading my Amazing But True Sports Stories book which promised "More than 80 Stories with Lots of Photos," a seemingly perfect concept for a simple-minded 8-year-old.

Out of the numerous tales that filled the book, there was one that always stood out to me and kept me re-reading it like an eager grad student. The story was of a 33 inning International League baseball game that took place between the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings.

The game included future baseball superstars Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken, Jr. and lasted an astonishing eight hours and 25 minutes (it was halted at 4:07 A.M. on April 18, 1981, and was finished on June 22). I can vividly remember envying those who were able to witness the extravaganza. I could not understand those that left or fell asleep in the stands. If I was there I would have cherished every second, every pitch, every nerve-racking inning of it, I thought to myself.

I offer this flashback because tonight, as I do most every week night, I flipped on television's baseball offerings at around 10 P.M. (EST) and skimmed the evening's Major League Baseball landscape.

I turned on ESPN's broadcast of the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals. As the game entered the 10th inning, I experienced a natural reaction that has entranced me for as long as I can remember, the mental captivation of extra-inning baseball.

Ever since I knew what baseball was, the possibilities of an extra inning game have fascinated me. A game entering the 10th inning can take on an endless amount of outcomes.

The game could become an instant classic, a marathon, the baseball equivalence of cinema's Citizen Kane. It can also be taken away from you quickly, leaving another forgettable contest amongst the 162-game scuffle.

To this day, I still feel a slight bit of disappointment when an extra inning game takes the latter course after loading my mind with thoughts of a Pawtucket/Rochester recreation. This case is the most typical, as was evident in my latest prospect tonight when Colby Rasmus belted a walk-off homer into the Busch Stadium night in just the 10th inning.

The dream does not just apply to baseball. No, over time the fascinating obsession has carried into college football, basketball, and playoff hockey. I often find myself never wanting games to the end.

I have often wondered why I have such interest in the art of a never-ending game. Why will I sit up until 4 A.M. watching a west coast baseball marathon? Why have I sat and watched the entirety of a meaningless NCAA FBS game simply because it went into seven overtimes?

It is not because these games are better than a game that ends in regulation. There have likely been thousands of nine inning games better than the 33 inning contest that graced McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket.

No, I have found that it is because games that seem to last forever become more than a game, they become a spectacle.

If there is one thing that can be said about the majority of sports fans it is that they absolutely live for a picturesque spectacle, a moment that becomes larger than life. You could take the two worst teams in the National Hockey League, place their contest in a football stadium for the "Winter Classic" and it will sell-out and be a top story every time.

The Los Angeles Coliseum drew 115,300 fans for a glorified spring training game.

Never underestimate the power of a spectacle.

I probably would not be extremely willing to watch a standard nine inning game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals. Make the game a 30 inning masterpiece and I would likely watch every second and tell my future grandchildren about it.

The fascination will most likely never go away. For as long as I see baseball games go into extra innings, I will think of Wade Boggs going 4-for-12 or Dave Koza's walk-off single in the 33rd inning to give Pawtucket a hard earned victory.

I will think of a 33 inning classic that I never even saw but has stuck with me for years.

That is, unless somebody plays 34...

Pessimism Is Killing The Professional Wrestling Community

Bryan Holt — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:03:36 -0400

On a daily basis, it serves as a depressing stain to an otherwise enjoyable page.

It is nearly impossible these days to click on the link to the wrestling community and not be overwhelmed by an unusually high amount of pessimism. The desperate complaints litter a typically stellar gathering of work.

If something occurs on World Wrestling Entertainment television that is completely unexpected, it is immediately trashed as "bound to fail" or "too far-fetched." If the more reasonable and expected action occurs, stones labeled with "predictable" are instantly launched at the evil empire of sports entertainment.

We have a perfect example of this in the current Donald Trump storyline. For months now, WWE fans have been begging for some major change, some sense of urgency to spark Monday Night Raw. When the change of pace finally came, it was attacked with more venom than a Randy Orton punt to the head.

Is the Trump storyline somewhat quirky? Sure. But name a scenario that would have truly made the world of Internet wrestling critics happy.

New General Manager: Ric Flair? Too predictable.

New owner of Raw: John "Bradshaw" Layfield? See above.

New owner of Raw: Stone Cold Steve Austin? That brings me to my next point.

The most common group of pessimists in the wrestling community are those who relentlessly dream of a return to the Attitude Era. You could just sense them clinging to their television sets, praying to the creative writing gods last week when ownership of Raw was waiting to be announced.

They surely begged for a Stone Cold-type figure to take over their once favorite show and return Monday nights to the glory days of profanity-laden promos and evening gown matches.

The Attitude Era was a tremendous time when WWE put out an edgy product. They dominated the 18-35 male demographic and gave the 5-12 demographic sneak peaks at Torrie Wilson and The Rock while their parents were not looking. However, what most do not seem to understand is that it was an era and not a permanent revolution.

By purchasing World Championship Wrestling, the WWE acquired the audience of a more family-friendly product. Without a more tame alternative, young wrestling fans have been given the options of either watching WWE or being excluded from wrestling fanhood.

It is an understatement that it would be the death of professional wrestling to ostracize the 5-12 demographic, the time when most kids initially get hooked on wrestling.

This has led to the arch-enemy of many Bleacher Report writers, the PG-Era. In my opinion, this era is a result of two things:

First, it has created more advertising dollars. The more diverse your audience, the more sponsors you will find knocking at your doors.

Secondly, a new loyal fan base must be established. The Attitude Era was only possible because the little kids that got hooked on the WWF watching Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant in the 1980s had grown up.

The WWE knows that appealing to the kids is a money pit. The 18-35 market becomes stale after a while, and if you can not appeal to younger generations, you eventually have an over-the-hill industry.

Vince McMahon can be described with many unkind adjectives but dumb is not one of them. Like the Attitude Era, this is simply an era and not a permanent change. In 10 years, when the kids that got hooked cheering on John Cena, Jeff Hardy, and Rey Mysterio are more mature, the product will likely be altered to suit them.

Speaking of Mysterio, one of the things that pushed me over my pessimism tolerance limit was a piece declaring that the upcoming match between Mysterio and Chris Jericho is a lose-lose situation.

The piece stated that the match will either prematurely end Jericho's Intercontinental title run or destroy Mysterio's career by de-masking him. The article used Mysterio's experience losing his mask in WCW as proof for the latter.

It goes without saying that the Jericho-Mysterio feud is one of the best if not the best thing going in the WWE today. Their matches are breathtaking, and the feud has been run well in all areas. I expect Jericho to retain his title and Mysterio to lose his mask at the upcoming Great American-er-The Bash.

I was at the peak of my youthful wrestling fanhood when Mysterio lost his mask in WCW, and I have a rather opposite view of how it went. Was Mysterio pleased with having to give up his mask? No, behind the scenes, he was extremely upset about being unmasked.

However, the move put him over as one of the biggest faces in WCW, especially amongst younger audiences. The crowds sympathized with Mysterio's loss, and he became more of a real-individual in the ring rather than a masked luchador.

The move will work in WWE as well, while igniting the Mysterio-Jericho feud to an insanely high and entertaining level.

Although I am critical of the constant pessimism, I am also very willing to admit that some of the criticism is deserved. I wrote a piece a couple of weeks back about how a lack of competition was hurting the WWE. I feel that the product has picked up sufficiently in the last few weeks, but there are still a few glaring problems.

Legacy has been booked terribly.

Stables are supposed to link veteran stars with younger names and, in the process, prepare those younger names to progress into individual superstars (see Orton in Evolution). That has not been the case here as Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase, Jr. have seemingly digressed due to their time in Legacy. Their stock as future superstars seems to be declining each week as they tend to Orton's needs instead of chasing individual mid-card gold.

I also have a problem with most any scenario that includes either Santino/Santina or Goldust. These two just simply seem to waste Raw's precious time and feed us with filler material.

I do love that the writers allow The Miz to call out guys like Goldust and Cena on actual facts. Regardless of what people thought of the Miz/Goldust/Hornswoggle promo on Raw last week, it made kids go berserk and further elevated the recently magnificent heel run of The Miz.

Overall, I honestly feel that the WWE has been putting out a solid product lately, but it still often falters in the perspective of many. As long as people compare these shows to Attitude Era shows, they will never be happy. Last week's Raw was a great show with stellar wrestling.

It proved that it is still possible to put on a good PG show, but it is still obviously going to come off with a different vibe. The nit-picky arguments must stop as more people need to learn to accept this era for what it is.

It is unlikely that the WWE will attempt a "please-all" stunt any time soon but there are possibilities. They could maybe take one of their weekly shows and make it more adult-oriented, leaving the other two for the younger generation that they're trying to grasp.

Until then, credit should be given where it is due. Criticism is perfectly effective in moderation but it is beginning to take the fun out of a simple source of entertainment

Gator Arrests: Pointing the Finger at Those Who Point the Finger

Bryan Holt — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:16:53 -0400

The offseason is a nagging withdrawal that haunts everyone whose life revolves around the spectacle of college football. The absence of football on Saturdays negatively affects college towns, fans, and, most heavily, college football writers.

It is during this time of year that otherwise irrelevant events such as lawsuits, the resignation of Florida State's president, or Troy Aikman finally earning a degree in sociology crack the college football headlines. It is also a time when bored beat writers and college football analysts dig deep for attention-getting feature stories. This seems to be the case recently at the Orlando Sentinel.

On May 30, 2009, Florida Gators cornerback Janoris Jenkins was arrested and charged with fighting and resisting arrest without violence. The arrest sparked an investigation by the Orlando Sentinel into legal problems within the football program during coach Urban Meyer's tenure.

The detailed arrest stats have been heavily advertised. For the next week, America was shown the astonishing figures. The hottest program in college football, the defending champs, have had 24 arrests in the past four years.

"The Question" was asked abundantly and flooded newspapers, radio call-in shows, and sports television.

Are the Gators out of control? Is Urban Meyer simply turning his back to team legal issues?

To truly look into a logical response for these questions, one must first look past some inflated statistics and grasp an understanding of the actual circumstances. The list is highlighted by players such as Jacques Rickerson, Ronnie Wilson, and Jamar Hornsby who have all been kicked off of the team by Meyer. In fact, any player that was convicted or accepted a plea was punished by Meyer and often kicked off of the team.

There are numerous cases where charges have been dropped due to, among other things, a lack of evidence. Most of the players who have received this outcome have been punished very little, if at all.

It would, after all, seem unjust to punish players who have no real charges against them, or convict them of something before the law agrees with your decision. I see many people wanting these players judged in the court of public opinion, rather than through the law, and suspended before they are ever proven innocent or guilty.

Closely inspecting the actual records should shut down the notion that Meyer is turning his back to these issues. Meyer has generally stood behind his players until they cross a line but been extremely stern with them after that point. One only has to remember back to the 2006 season for a clean example of this.

Marcus Thomas was a dominating force at defensive tackle that year and one of the best players on Florida's defense. Through five games, Thomas had 26 tackles and four sacks.

Though he was never arrested, Thomas' struggles with drug tests became well-known by mid-season and Meyer kicked him off of the team for "failing to meet responsibilities and obligations." The decision was not a given. Many star players have gotten away with much more and received little or no punishment (see Peter Warrick). However, Meyer took a stand on what he felt was right and it set a tone for the remainder of his first National Championship season.

In contrast, to say that there are not apparent problems in Florida's football program would be a blind and ignorant proclamation. Whether or not the charges are truthful, the headline "Florida Player Arrested" does not emanate a positive image for University of Florida athletics.

While I have stated that I believe Meyer has done an efficient job in the discipline of players on the team, I also feel that recruiting character has been his downfall.

By achieving extremely high recruiting rankings on an annual basis and parading his poster boy prospect Tim Tebow all over the national stage, Meyer has been able to throw a mask on some low behavioral standards. Ultra-talented recruits such as Percy Harvin have brought plenty of delinquent baggage along with their 4.3 40-yard dash times.

Many colleges may have turned down a prospect such as Harvin, who was suspended from high school athletic competition permanently half-way through his senior year for, among other things, his involvement in a large basketball game scuffle and making contact with a referee. Meyer seems to have few restraints on character when it comes to recruits as he simply closes his eyes and goes after the most talented kid on the block.

Reporting the issues of the Florida Gators football team is necessary but it must also be done fairly. Any legal problems could likely be solved by paying closer attention to the background of the players that are being recruited.

Besides that, most of these offenses are petty misdemeanors that a number of kids experience during their tenure in Gainesville or any other college town. Meyer's treatment of current players is not what should be getting belittled.

Records need to be observed under the same microscope that the national champions are being thrown under before allegations rapidly fly.

Until then, the hysteria around this ordeal will remain more "out of control" than the Gator football team.

Remember Hockey? ESPN and the Demise of NHL Relevance

Bryan Holt — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:50:58 -0400

Friday night will bring one of the most magnificent spectacles in all of sports. Game Seven of a championship series is a rare phenomenon that can draw in the most indifferent of casual fans and thrill spectators everywhere.

For the NHL, the scenario is remarkably refreshing.

A seemingly forgotten organization, the NHL is forced to crave opportunities for exposure. The unified sense of apathy that the mainstream American sports world typically showers hockey with makes the Pittsburgh Penguins' and Detroit Red Wings' quests for a Stanley Cup incredibly important for the sport.

The NHL has been run into the ground for a number of reasons. It has experienced some of the worst league management in professional sports, hurt its product through unnecessary rule changes, and expanded too far away from its core fanbase. However, the NHL continues to suffer most from a disastrous 2005 divorce.

On May 29, 2005, ESPN notified the NHL that it would not exercise a contract option to televise games for the 2005-06 season. The announcement was a life-threatening blow to an already crippled league. The NHL was forced to limp backwards to a cable television deal with the then-Outdoor Life Network—a major step down from the "Worldwide Leader in Sports."

The effect this move would have on the NHL seemed rather obvious.

ESPN has become something of a synonym for American sports. With no real national competition, they have the unique ability to direct the American sports fan toward what sports are "important" and what sports are not. It is no surprise that the leagues with which ESPN is affiliated with are promoted much more heavily than others.

By retreating to the station that is now known as Versus, the NHL has become the only trace of a major American professional sports league that is not in some way under contract with ESPN. This not only leads to the obvious absence of hockey games on the most watched sports network, but also to an extremely limited amount of hockey programming or mention of the NHL on ESPN.

There is no more NHL 2Night or ESPN National Hockey Night, and NHL highlights on SportsCenter have been reduced to a short segment with Barry Melrose quickly running through the scores and showing clips of the occasional fight. Most NHL stories that gain exposure are negative and about how badly the NHL is failing.

The constant bad press has led to an even steeper decline for the league.

This is primarily a result of the NHL falling out of favor with the convenient sports mega-corporation that is ESPN. Hockey's television performance has been far surpassed by newer ESPN clients such as NASCAR, ESPN's latest hot free agent.

The television struggles of the NHL have crept into the arenas where attendance is often sub-par, and many are questioning if the NHL is still part of the "big four" of professional sports leagues in North America.

Even the occasionally classic Stanley Cup Finals are overshadowed by the concurrent NBA Finals. Chances are, unless you are a die-hard hockey fan, the Magic-Lakers series has been on your mind much more in the last week than anything to do with the Penguins and Red Wings.

This feeling is only increased when you turn on SportsCenter at night and see 30 minutes of NBA coverage, compared to a brief analysis skit by Melrose.

Unfortunately for commissioner Gary Bettman and friends, the future looks almost as dim for the NHL as it did four years ago. Versus has failed even to resemble the major cable network that Bettman once prayed it would become, and the NHL looks to be just another struggling program on NBC's flailing prime-time lineup.

While the NHL can only hope for some form of positive change, the constant in this equation is definitely ESPN. As long as there is a male gender and a demand for 24-hour sports coverage, ESPN will lead the way in bringing all leagues together in one unified place.

Even those who complain about this will likely end up tuning in, and ESPN knows this. They have built a dependency for the everyday sports fan.

All the NHL can do is attempt to overcome this, or find their way back into the good graces of Bristol, Connecticut. Otherwise, they can expect to continue being left out of the elite club of successful North American sports leagues.

The Death of WCW and Its Impending Scar on WWE

Bryan Holt — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:32:53 -0400

It does not take a pro wrestling pessimist to question the entertainment value that World Wrestling Entertainment is providing these days.

Especially on Raw, WWE's "flagship" brand, fans are being fatigued by stale storylines and the misuse of several key superstars. The topic of "what can the WWE do to fix this" is one that is discussed daily here on Bleacher Report and solutions stretch from John Cena heel turns to Hart Dynasty man crushes.

My solution is slightly more peculiar but a rather simple concept: WWE needs World Championship Wrestling.

No, I do not mean this literally. Disaster would be the primary expectation if Eric Bischoff and Ted Turner got back together and decided to rekindle their love for "wrastlin'" on Monday nights at the Georgia Dome.

By WCW, I mean the WWE simply needs some form of worthy competition or else we are going to continue to see bland shows and an unsatisfying company.

Fans of mainstream wrestling are cornered right now and being force-fed the options of watching an indifferent program or not watching wrestling at all. This is in sharp contrast to the glory days of the Monday Night Wars.

Yes, the Monday Night Wars are well-documented and, therefore, do not require much background information here. For nearly six years, wrestling fans were treated to a weekly battle between two mega-companies.

The WCW nearly put the then-WWF out of business, the WWE succeeded in putting the WCW out of business, and in between, fans were provided with two innovative shows full of gripping material.

There were stables such as the New World Order and Degeneration-X that changed the face of pro wrestling and wildly entertaining personalities such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and Kevin Nash, that kept fans switching frantically between TNN and TNT.

There were consistently fresh storylines, the "Attitude Era," and—gasp—major title matches on weekly television.

Today, turning on a WWE telecast reveals little more than mildly entertaining promos, stagnant storylines, and boring, repetitive matches. Legacy, a stable with great potential, is forced to collaborate with boring faces and has had its more memorable moments when slated against a 60-year-old retired wrestler.

They seemingly run the same segment every week, opening the show with a Randy Orton "you people" promo and ending it with a handicap match and a punt to the head.

The truth is that the personalities who are destined to shine are being weighted down by "fat" that would never be on the roster if there was company competition involved. Could you imagine how fast channels would have changed to WCW if the WWE tried to air a Santino-Vickie Guererro segment ten years ago?

With all of the young talent waiting in the ECW and on Smackdown, why is Goldust given a contract to waste Raw's precious time?

The answer is that WWE is distributing an inferior product now simply because they can. They have gotten generations of followers to take their bait and now have the luxury of being the only dealer on the block.

I do not think that it comes as a surprise that TNA is no where close to being any form of competition to the WWE yet and also needs major renovations if it ever plans to be.

What Vince McMahon and the WWE have achieved is a sports entertainment monopoly. Unlike traditional sports leagues, pro wrestling is an industry that thrives off of competition between companies.

Without the presence of the WWF, Hulk Hogan would have never made the most famous heel turn in history and without the presence of the WCW, there would have never been an Attitude Era.

For the fans sitting around watching Raw and waiting for something monumental to happen, there is no real guarantee that that marquee moment will come. Unlike before, the decisions will be made out of preference instead of necessity, making every move less vital.

The pleasant news is that, if handled correctly, the future of the WWE can be absolutely tremendous.

In names like John Morrison, Jeff Hardy, and Evan Bourne, the company has a surplus of young talent that must be utilized efficiently. I read an article on here earlier today discussing the possibilities of future matches and it was difficult to not be excited by it.

However, we are still forced to question the storylines and runs that these stars will be given and that can make a promising future seem nerve-racking. If there was still a "WCW" around to lock the WWE into an arduous competition, this would not be a concern.

New Blood: A Look at the 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneer Coaching Staff

Bryan Holt — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:10:18 -0400

To say that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had a turbulent offseason is a vast understatement.

While some turmoil was expected upon the announcement of long-time defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin leaving for Knoxville, few were prepared for the utter chaos that would take place after head coach Jon Gruden was fired.

With the promotion of a new head coach and general manager from within, it was a given that the coaching landscape would completely change in Tampa.

New coordinators and position coaches were brought in to parallel the mass arrivals of new personnel to create a very new and fresh Buccaneer atmosphere.

As we are now in the middle of OTA's, I see now as a proper time to provide both an introduction to and analysis of the current Buccaneer coaching staff.

Head Coach: Raheem Morris

Nobody symbolizes the strange offseason that the Bucs have had quite like new head coach Raheem Morris.

Just one year removed from being the defensive backs coach for the Bucs, Morris received two major promotions this offseason without coaching a single game. Announced as Monte Kiffin's replacement at defensive coordinator in December, Morris would be promoted to head coach just one month later when Jon Gruden was fired.

Just 32-years-old, Morris has the unique circumstances of running an NFL team before ever serving as an NFL coordinator. His highest authority experience was his one season as defensive coordinator at Kansas State in 2006 and his only head coaching experience came during a college spring game.

Along with new general manager Mark Dominik, Morris has quickly brought in his own rounds of players and coaches that will truly make this "his team" right from the start.

Offensive Coordinator: Jeff Jagodzinski

One of the few popular offseason moves made by the Bucs was the acquisition of new offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski.

Head coach last year at Boston College, the Bucs benefited by attaining a guy that many viewed as a prospect for an NFL head coaching job. With experience as an offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers and college head coaching experience, some may argue that he is more qualified to lead the Bucs than Morris.

He promises to bring a more simple, power-run based offense to Tampa that will be much more player-friendly than what Gruden had in place. It will be interesting to see how Jagodzinski handles his time in Tampa as this seems to be a short-term stepping stone for him until he can garner a job as a head coach.

Defensive Coordinator: Jim Bates

The addition of veteran defensive coordinator Jim Bates is a somewhat peculiar move by the Buccaneer front office.

Fresh off being a key part of a notoriously bad Denver Broncos defense, Bates does not seem to be a hot commodity right now to say the least. His scheme, which focuses heavily on plugging the middle with defensive tackles and containing the run, officially brings the departure of the "Tampa 2" scheme that made the Bucs defensive icons.

Morris claims that he will be able to lay back and allow Bates to have full control of the defense. However, I am still curious of how well the two will work together. I'm sure Morris had things drawn up after he was declared defensive coordinator in December that he is dying to contribute.

Morris may have trouble keeping his defensive ideas to himself if Bates' defenses begin to look more like what he left in Denver than the Miami defenses that he made his name coaching.

Special Teams: Richard Bisaccia

One of the few remains from the Gruden era, special teams coordinator Richard Bisaccia, is becoming a Buccaneer mainstay and it is well deserved.

For many years, the Buccaneer franchise was haunted by absolutely horrific special teams play. This is no longer the case as special teams now appear to be one of the few sparkling bright spots in Tampa. Bisaccia has earned the franchise's loyalty by creating the best special teams unit that the Bucs have ever seen in 2008.

Bisaccia played a huge role in ending the kickoff return curse and that alone should be worth an extension of a few years. Able to work with talent such as kick returner Clifton Smith, kicker Matt Bryant, and punter Josh Bidwell, Bisaccia has a stable core to build his unit around.

He seems to take great pride in his portion of the Bucs on-field product and he has become an extremely valuable member of the coaching staff.

Position Coaches

Morris and Dominik have brought in a fairly anonymous mix of position coaches. Included are coaching veterans such as new offensive line coach Pete Mangurian and NFL rookies like new running backs coach Steve Logan. Being somewhat inexperienced himself, I do find it intriguing that Morris has gathered a mix of knowledgeable veterans and men that are closer to his experience level.

Few times in Buccaneer history have been more uncertain than the upcoming season. Most are not sure what to think and that can be expected with an almost entirely new coaching staff in place.

Regardless, Morris and Dominik have already made some firm decisions that will have a significant impact on how long they are granted to stay in Tampa.

NASCAR: Coca-Cola 600 Victory Gives David Reutimann a True Arrival

Bryan Holt — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:17:39 -0400

In modern-day NASCAR, where prima donnas and dramatic feuds are abundant, David Reutimann is something of an outsider.

A blue-collar driver, Reutimann has never been an 18-year-old phenom or an open-wheel superstar using his fame to cash in on a Sprint Cup contract. Despite numerous opportunities, he has never verbally trashed his pit crew in post-race interviews or threatened to "put somebody in the wall" next race.

Cliches be damned, Reutimann is a dying breed. In today's NASCAR, sponsors want the edgy celebrity driver who will garner them as much publicity as possible. Bombastic personalities such as Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, and Juan Pablo Montoya benefit heavily from this. David Reutimann? Not so much.

A simple guy born into a racing family, Reutimann finally garnered his first taste of Sprint Cup gold on Memorial Day at the age of 39. A true journeyman of each level of racing's progressions, the Coca-Cola 600 victory was the result of a very long road for Reutimann.

Billed from Zephyrhills, Florida, Reutimann is the product of a family that is notorious at many short tracks around the country. His father, Buzzie Reutimann, is enshrined in the Dirt Motorsports Hall of Fame and made an appearance in one NASCAR Race in 1962, finishing 10th. Now 68, Buzzie still races open wheel modifieds, primarily at East Bay Raceway in Gibsonton, Florida.

Much like his father, David Reutimann began his career racing modifieds and late models on many of the same dirt tracks that his family's previous generation had graced. He then began a six year run in the then-Slim Jim All Pro Series, winning Rookie of the Year in 1997. He would continue this ride until he received his first big break in the business, a contract to race for Darrell Waltrip Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series.

Reutimann became a quiet success in the truck series. He was an occasional driver in the Busch Series before getting his ride with Michael Waltrip Racing, a team making its Nextel Cup debut in 2007. Reutimann would run full time in both the Nextel Cup Series and the Busch Series in 2007, finishing second in points in the Busch Series but struggling badly in the big show.

His unsuccessful 2007 campaign would spark a series of sponsorship troubles for Reutimann. Discarded by Burger King and Domino's Pizza, he would take over Dale Jarrett's UPS car, only to be ditched yet again, this time in favor of David Ragan.

Through all of this, team owner Michael Waltrip stood firmly behind Reutimann and was able to muster a half-season sponsorship out of Aaron's for his 2009 season. Waltrip was eventually successful in extending the sponsorship to a full season deal as Reutimann showed clear improvements on the track.

As the rain-out verdict was officially announced in Charlotte, the joy of victory could be seen beyond David Reutimann. The loyalty of Waltrip and the gamble by Aaron's had finally paid off.

To truly understand Reutimann's character, it is important to look back at the NASCAR Nationwide Series 2008 Kroger On Track for the Cure 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park.

With the final laps approaching, Reutimann found himself in second place behind Carl Edwards. With just enough power to get to his bumper but not quite enough to cleanly pass Edwards, Reutimann was left with two choices, one of them painfully tempting.

Bump Edwards out of the way and enjoy the rewards of victory or show the leader more respect and settle for the runner-up title. Uncharacteristic of the modern driver, Reutimann chose the latter. Being urged to move Edwards by his pit crew and having to face the frustrations of losing a winnable race, Reutimann's inner-nice guy prevailed.

"It came down to the last couple of laps where I could have easily had gotten into his back bumper, moved him and gone on," Reutimann said, "but that's not the way I like to do things. It's not the way I was taught to race. Hopefully it will come back someday, but now it just feels lousy to lose."

Edwards was both shocked and impressed by the classy manner in which Reutimann approached the situation.

"My crew was telling me his guys were getting on him to bump me," Edwards said. "I'd go down low, and was waiting for the contact. To be honest, I'm not sure how I would have reacted before today if I were in his position. But from now on, he's got the free pass from me. David really earned my respect."

With new exposure surrounding Reutimann and his recent improvements, it will be interesting to see where his career goes from here.

I am definitely not a fan of telling people who to root for. However, if you stand firmly against Kyle Busch slamming his pit crew after a loss or drivers with no stock car experience using their name to jump to Sprint Cup, then David Reutimann just might be your guy. A throwback to a time when competitors were hard-working veterans who approached the sport with respect, one can only hope that Reutimann can become a more prominent figure in NASCAR.

For fans that believe that NASCAR has become too commercial and gotten away from its roots, Reutimann just may be a figure that can bring them back to the track.

Changes in Offense Bring "A New Day in Tampa Bay"

Bryan Holt — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:13:41 -0400

Jon Gruden was the ring leader of a technicality-littered offense that offered more entertaining sound bites than highlights. His play calling was often the football equivalence of—to steal a line from the creators of South Park—"building a sand castle with a bulldozer."

Plays that began with mass motions and audibles often ended in failed short screen passes, or procedure penalties.

An offense that was designed to mentally batter opposing defenses often resulted in disarray for the offense and frustration for the strained quarterback. Gruden wore this confusion as a badge of honor, almost flaunting the fact that few could master his extensive terminologies and concepts.

Jeff Jagodzinski, the man who will now take over the remains of Chucky's offense, is nothing like Gruden.

Jagodzinski preaches a magical term known as simplicity. He is a strong believer in limiting terminology and using fewer words to convey the same messages to his offense.

His background shows similarities to that of Gruden. Jagodzinski was brought up under the same system in Green Bay that influenced Gruden's offense heavily. While Gruden became strongly engaged with the style and took it to another level once getting an offense of his own, Jagodzinski took small pieces of what he learned and only allowed it to lightly affect his future decisions.

Jagodzinski's philosophy is rather basic. He plans to strongly utilize running back Earnest Graham and rely on his power running style as a breaking point for other plays. From there, he hopes to establish a passing attack that will be much more player friendly and effective than the one that his predecessor had in place.

He also plans to enact a zone blocking scheme that will be new to the Buccaneers and change the way that lineman such as Davin Joseph and Jeremy Trueblood approach run blocking. J

Jagodzinski will push for notable offensive production out of tight ends and fullbacks, positions that were often used more strictly for blocking under Gruden.

The playbook revolution will not come solely from a major shift in coaching. The Buccaneers have been extremely active in personnel decisions this off-season, adding names such as Kellen Winslow, Byron Leftwich, and Josh Freeman to the offensive equation.

Many moves have been deemed controversial and unpopular by numerous fans and analysts. The Bucs now have an apparent surplus of quarterbacks that reminds many of the Gruden days and have yet to do anything to replenish a lackluster core of receivers.

Jagdozinski has played the customary "we have what we need" role so far and has avoided pointing out true weaknesses in his options on offense. With Winslow, he has a play making threat at tight end that could compliment his play calling identity.

However, Jagodzinski also claims that he has the personnel to stretch the field and use the running game to set up big passing plays. With the exception of Antonio Bryant, last year's pleasant surprise, it appears unlikely that there are any highlight-reel weapons at wide-out.

There is always a degree of uncertainty in how a playbook will look under a new coach. All we really know about Jagodzinski so far are the few characteristics of his offense that he has publicized and the fact that he plans on considerably shrinking Gruden's playbook, which resembled a copy of War and Peace.

One can watch film from his Boston College teams or his 2006 Green Bay Packer offense and attain a clue of how things will look. You can not be certain that the same look will transpire to these Bucs. Every team is obviously different and Jagodzinski has an array of personnel challenges to battle through in Tampa.

One can only hope that the offense will be as clear and concise as it seemed when Raheem Morris discussed it briefly in his introduction press conference. When asked about offensive schemes, Morris gleefully exclaimed that "we're going to score touchdowns."

As unthoughtful and naive as this sounds, after an era of ultra-confusing play calling that brought more bad than good, it may be a welcomed train of thought.

It may no longer take three years to learn the Buccaneer offense and that is a promising sign for the future of the franchise. As Tampa's football-loving population is clouded with a chaotic off-season and a mysterious future, a simple man such as Jeff Jagodzinski may be a refreshing change.

In an organization that has made many detested decisions recently, Jagodzinski may be the guy that can make everything seem alright.

A One-Sided Interview With Luke McCown

Bryan Holt — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:52:58 -0400

Few players in the National Football League have been met with the whirlwind of confusion that has been levied against Buccaneer quarterback Luke McCown this offseason.

It started with the Bucs signing McCown to a two-year, $7.5 million contract which seemed to be a message to fans that McCown was finally the starting quarterback for a team headed in a new direction.

Entering his fifth season as a Buccaneer, it seemed to be an opportunity that the 27-year-old truly deserved. However, coach Raheem Morris and general manager Mark Dominik would then go on to spend the next few months referring to the Jon Gruden-style book of acquisitions and loading up their roster with questionable quaterbacks.

The first strike of uncertain lightning came in early April when Byron Leftwich was brought into Tampa with a contract identical to the one McCown had signed. Most assumed that this deal would dismiss the idea of the Bucs going after Kansas State quarterback prospect Josh Freeman in the upcoming NFL Draft.

The resounding thunder would come when Freeman was indeed chosen by Tampa Bay with the 17th pick in the draft. Morris and Dominik had thrown common thinking out of the window and gone with Morris' guy from his Kansas State days.

Morris has been quick to title Freeman as the "future" of the Bucs without ever seeing him take an NFL snap. This has led McCown into a paranoid defensive state throughout early offseason workouts. He refuses to give up the job that he has worked so hard for.

The following are my questions for a Luke McCown feature interview:

After being born and raised in the college football-rich state of Texas and watching your older brother Randy play quarterback for Texas A&M, was it disappointing to play your college football on a smaller stage at Louisiana Tech?
When most people think of Louisiana Tech football, they immediately envision Terry Bradshaw. What kind of influence, if any, does he still have on the program, and were you ever engaged in football discussions with him?
After just one season in Cleveland, you were traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What was that quick change in scenery like, and what was your outlook upon heading to Tampa?
Between Brian Griese, Jeff Garcia, and Bruce Gradkowski, how difficult and frustrating was it for you to sit back and watch other quarterbacks continuously leap over you into the starting job during the Gruden era?
What is your overall opinion of the Gruden era? What was your personal relationship like with him, and how did you feel about his obsession with veteran quarterbacks?
What were your immediate feelings about Raheem Morris when he was first announced as Tampa Bay's new head coach?
Did you view the Byron Leftwich signing as a legitimate threat to your job or as more of an insurance pick for depth at quarterback?
The selection of Josh Freeman in the draft left many across Tampa speechless and in a confused and angry state of shock. What was your reaction to hearing the news of the Freeman pick?
How hard was it to sit back and hear coach Morris happily exclaim that Freeman is "his guy", and that he is the direction that this franchise is headed?
With Morris' apparent preference for Freeman as quarterback, do you feel that you will even have a fair chance to retain the starting job for any significant amount of time?
Has Morris actually sat you down individually and gone over this entire situation with you?
How much of your motivation for performing well in the upcoming season comes from a desire to showcase your abilities for a possible trade?
To be completely honest, most fans have very bleak expectations for the upcoming season. Season ticket sales have rapidly decreased, overall fan interest is dwindling, and many are already angry with the new leadership. What do you feel is the biggest misconception about this Buccaneer team, and why do you think people should look at this season in anything other than a negative manner?

Luke McCown is a player that I feel deserves much more respect than he is getting. It will be interesting to see where his football career takes him from here. I really hope that I am wrong, but his future as a Buccaneer seems extremely dark.

The 1997 Buccaneers: The Team That Changed It All

Bryan Holt — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:37:30 -0400

When choosing the most important team in Tampa Bay Buccaneer franchise history, it is easy to go with the 2002 team that owns the Buc's first and only Super Bowl title. However, I have always been a fan of foundation. I am enthralled by the team that establishes the path of which future generations take advantage.

With that said, I have always been fascinated by the Buccaneer team of 1997.

It had been a trying time for loyal Buccaneer fans to say the least. The team had not reached the playoffs in 15 years and was only a few years removed from a legitimate threat of leaving Tampa for Baltimore. Now owned and operated by the Glazer family and led by Head Coach Tony Dungy, a change of mentality was drastically needed to keep supporters interested.

What the city of Tampa got in 1997 was a surprising dose of team swagger that likely had not been seen since Doug Williams and Lee Roy Selmon prowled Tampa Stadium in 1979. From the debut of the red and pewter uniforms to the freshly arrogant style that the Bucs now played with, everything suddenly seemed different around the franchise.

The team that once hung their heads and mumbled through post-game interviews now danced on the sidelines, had flashy player introductions, and used the press as an avenue of promotion.

No faction of the team embraced this swagger quite like the defense. Led vocally by Warren Sapp and Brad Culpepper and strategically by Derrick Brooks and John Lynch, the Buc's defense initiated a style of play that would follow the franchise for years to come. "Buc Ball" was based around hard-nosed, aggressive defense and Defensive Coordinator Monte Kiffin thrived off of it, making his Tampa 2 concept the envy of the league.

Starting the season with a 5-0 record, the Buccaneers conquered the city of Tampa, sending residents into "Pewter Power" hysteria. The popular slogan that year was "We Believe" and it adorned nearly everything around town: restaurant signs, car windows, billboards, articles of clothing, you name it. Just one year after basking in complete obscurity, the Bucs were small-market rock stars.

Their frantically hot start did not completely hold up but by season's end they were 10-6 and qualified for a spot as an NFC Wild Card. A home playoff game against the Detroit Lions was on the horizon and Tampa played along with a playoff fever that had not been experienced in far too long.

Set to be the probable final hour for Tampa Stadium, which had now been renamed Houlihan's Stadium due to the Glazer family's ventures into the restaurant business, the environment at that Wild Card game was something that I'll never forget. While not a thrilling contest (the Bucs won 20-10), the game entranced the city of Tampa and all of those in attendance into a childish euphoria. I do not remember ever sitting down during the game but I do thoroughly remember the deafening noise and extreme joy and nostalgia that filled us all as we walked down that exit ramp for the final time.

The Buccaneers would go on to lose the following week at Lambeau Field in the Divisional Round, but the impact of the 1997 team would be felt far beyond that afternoon. The Bucs would move into the sparkling new Raymond James Stadium the following season and embark on a five year journey that resulted in 2002's Super Bowl victory over the Raiders.

That incredible mini-era for Tampa Bay fans began in 1997 with a team that surprised America by simply being relevant. Their shadow still reigns over the franchise as it has changed what it means to be a Buccaneer for many years to come.

Memo to Urban Meyer: Florida Football Is Bigger Than You

Bryan Holt — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:23:26 -0400

In the world of college football, Urban Meyer is a modern genius. He is constantly profiled as a brilliant recruiter, strategist, and motivator and has quickly made himself an iconic figure in the history of Florida Gator football.

He is also known for his tendency to get under the skin of and annoy most anyone whose rooting interests do not revolve around Gainesville, Fla.

However, if you are a supporter of Florida football, then Meyer has recently done something that should probably get under your skin a little bit as well.

In his latest almighty booster club rant, Urban Meyer has denounced any former Gator who publicly disagrees with or "speaks out" against a current player or coach. The main target of this action has become former Florida quarterback Shane Matthews.

Mathews, who simply suggested last season that he was frustrated that the Gators did not take better advantage of single coverage on their receivers in the Ole Miss game, is now the target of an angry speech in which Meyer basically calls him a traitor and bans him from the Florida football office.

The Meyer venting session included charming phrases such as "you're either a Gator or not a Gator," and "if you want to be critical of a player on our team or a coach on our team, you can buy a ticket for seat 37F."

This is Shane Matthews.

While not hailed in the same breath as Gainesville royalty such as Danny Wuerffel, Emmitt Smith, Steve Spurrier, Jack Youngblood, or Tim Tebow, Matthews was a key component on teams that ushered in a new era of Florida football.

As Steve Spurrier's first quarterback, Matthews played a major role in establishing a prominent program that had been dead for years and sparking the tradition that Urban Meyer now has the privilege of using as leverage in recruiting.

Shane Matthews was the quarterback of Florida's first ever SEC Championship team in 1991, a feat that brought interest to Gainesville and attracted a huge increase in recruiting. He was an instrument in Steve Spurrier's rapid creation of a powerhouse that would change the face of college football for years to come.

What's next? Will Meyer ban Spurrier from future Gator functions for (gasp) coaching against his Alma Mater?

The point is that without names like Matthews and Spurrier, Florida football would be absolutely nothing like it is today. There would be little national interest in the program, recruiting would be a strenuous process, and Meyer would probably be at his "dream job" in South Bend instead of wasting his time with an average and underachieving SEC team.

Urban Meyer will likely go down as the most successful coach that the University of Florida has ever seen and his name will forever grace the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium "Ring of Honor" five years after he leaves.

However, to take away the right to an objective opinion of some one such as Shane Matthews, who has worked so hard to make Gainesville the football haven that it is just oozes with wrongful disrespect.

Before questioning the loyalty of others, Meyer better be sure that his loyalty to the University of Florida will never falter.

If it ever does, do not be upset when AD Jeremy Foley denies you access to the Florida football office and tells you to buy a ticket for seat 37F if you would like to see a game.

My Thoughtless Journey into Buccaneer Fanhood

Bryan Holt — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:09:59 -0400

Choosing an NFL team can be be an utterly tedious and bitterly defining moment for a sports fan. I always pitied those that were faced with that decision. I never had a choice.

When you are born to a family that schedules weddings, Christmases, and other family functions around Tampa Bay Buccaneer games, picking an NFL team is not exactly a democratic process. When Grandpa is a passionate fan who has had season tickets since the team's 1976 entry to the NFL and has only missed two preseason games since, you do not objectively evaluate options and decide which team you like the most.

Being a Buccaneer fan was a de facto title placed upon me at birth. I happily played along.

With some of my earliest memories taking place at Tampa Stadium, my childhood Mecca which has now become a grass parking lot, I idolized an ever-changing group of NFL misfits while rooting full-heartedly against legends such as Barry Sanders, Brett Favre, and the late Reggie White.

While horrendous attendance figures proved that other Tampanians were discontent with the Bucs, I thoroughly enjoyed watching my creamsicle orange-clad heroes that included Paul Gruber, Kenny Gant, Hardy Nickerson, and a very young Mike Alstott.

Game days were often painfully predictable: unless Green Bay or Chicago were in town, the stadium would be nearly empty and the game would almost always end in a Buccaneer loss. It was a big occasion if Coach Sam Wyche led the team to a victory but there was really no surprise or disappointment after a loss.

Mentality would change when the hard-nosed but less fan-friendly Malcom Glazer took over ownership of the team in 1995. Tony Dungy was soon brought in as coach for the 1996 season and, seemingly out of nowhere, in 1997 loyal Bucs fans were finally rewarded with a winning season. The team would make it to the divisional playoffs that year and I became further mesmerized by the Bucs when I experienced the final game in what had now been renamed Houlihan's Stadium, a 20-10 Wild Card victory over the Lions.

The 1997 season sparked a newer, much more highly profiled and successful era for the Bucs. Our philosophies as fans were completely changed as every game now seemed meaningful and trips to the new Raymond James Stadium were intense and nerve-racking. It was a place that was fully embraced by the stereotype-following new fans who acted as if the Bucs had always been playoff contenders and took victories for granted.

For me, it seemed surreal that the team that was once irrelevant and that I was constantly ribbed for cheering for, was suddenly a notable NFL franchise.

There were numerous stories throughout the time. Some of them were incredibly joyful such as Alstott's many punishing runs or Shaun King's rise to home town prominence during the 1999 campaign. Others were heart-wrenching and nauseating like the loss of new fan-favorite Joe Jurevicious' infant son or the simple mention of "The Bert Emmanuel Play" in the 1999 NFC Championship Game against St. Louis.

The crowning moment as a fan came obviously in 2002 when the Bucs reached Super Bowl XXXVII and defeated the Oakland Raiders to become NFL champions for the first time in franchise history. Although I still think that I got more of a thrill out of watching the Bucs finally pull through against the Eagles in the NFC Championship on Veterans Stadium's final football evening, the Super Bowl gave tremendous closure to the best football season that we had ever witnessed.

The franchise has been on some what of a chaotic decline since their pinnacle moment in 2002. The Jon Gruden/Bruce Allen regime drew much disapproval from fans, including myself, in the years following Gruden's major breakthrough as coach. They tested the loyalty of their followers by dismissing Tampa mainstays such as John Lynch and Warren Sapp without any form of grace or understanding.

It has been a trying time for the franchise in the last couple of years. Due to a mix of public criticism and a struggling local and national economy, Buccaneer fan support seems to be dwindling. The owners that once bragged about their season-ticket waiting list reaching upwards of 150,000 are now being forced to resort to the "buy season tickets, please" commercials and "come pick your seat" days that were once reserved for the baseball team across the bay.

However, with the foundation that was laid during my early youth, there is no doubt where my NFL fan support will continue to lye. For better or worse, the Bucs are all that we have and whether it is creamsicle orange (which is making a return for at least one game this season) or red and pewter, our support will be firmly behind the team on the field.

After all, I do not have a choice.

Breaking Down The First Month of the 2009 Tampa Bay Rays Bullpen

Bryan Holt — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:44:56 -0400

It goes without saying that one of the primary components for the magical 2008 run of the Tampa Bay Rays was their exceptional bullpen. With that said, it can also be noted that the bullpen was likely the one aspect of the Rays that truly played over the heads last season to an ability which may be nearly impossible to match again.

Many have kept an investigative eye on every pitch of last year's super stars through the opening month of the 2009 campaign. The following is a player-by-player analysis of the Rays bullpen so far this season.

Grant Balfour

One of the more surprising entities in the Tampa Bay bullpen last season, Balfour went from being an average-at-best reliever to a hostile, intimidating hurler who used his fastball to attack hitters with a fierce intensity. As could be expected, his dominance has leveled off thus far this season.

He has experienced some control issues with his fastball, walking 10 batters in 9 1/3 innings of work. Balfour still lacks a true off-speed pitch as attempts during spring training to add a curve ball to his repertoire failed miserably.

GRADE: B- It would be complete wishful thinking to picture Balfour having a season equivalent to his performance last year. However, he is still approaching the mound with great confidence, his fastball has lost nothing, and once he can get his location back on point, he will become an enforcer again.

He has still been effective in clutch situations this year as most of his struggles have come during games that were already out of hand in which he was likely working on adjustments.

Lance Cormier

New to the Rays this season, Cormier has been a pleasant addition to the bullpen. Taking over the long reliever role that was occupied by Jason Hammel last season, Cormier has definitely been a versatile upgrade. While not in a glorious position on the staff, Cormier has done an efficient job during his often "junk time" opportunities.

Often coming in during games in which the starter has struggled, Cormier has shown terrific control of his change-up, fastball, and curve ball and has gotten games moving, pitching as many as four innings in an April game against the Twins.

GRADE: A- Although it is not the most noteworthy job, Cormier has taken care of business when called upon. For a pitcher in his situation, there is not much more that you can ask of him.

J.P. Howell

The most adjustable pitcher in the bullpen, Howell made a name for himself last season but was the likely the single Ray most devastated by their loss in the World Series. While his mechanics are still effective, Howell seems to have lost some of his mental stability this season, faltering in three clutch situations already this year.

His command is still generally on and he still holds a wide array of efficient pitches including a splitter, change-up, and a deadly curve ball.

GRADE: C While Howell's numbers are better than Balfour's, he has not been the reliable clutch reliever that gave him his name last season. His mental toughness will surely be tested more as the season progresses and how he reacts will be telling of whether or not his last season was a fluke.

Joe Nelson

Through the first couple weeks of the season, Nelson was undoubtedly the hottest reliever in Tampa Bay. However, since then, Nelson has cooled off considerably and has been vulnerable in some key situations recently.

With a solid splitter and fastball, Nelson has the potential to be a key part of the bullpen if he can become more consistent. So far, when he has been off, walks and the big hit have hampered him.

GRADE: C It is important for the Rays bullpen that Nelson become a reliable option to turn to. As of now, he has not quite been the guy that the Rays were looking for when they brought him in, but it is still very early.

Troy Percival

The man that gives fans all over Tampa Bay stomach ulcers and defines the old cliche "bends but doesn't break." I am one of the many who wishes that the Rays would nurture a younger, more explosive closer.

However, for now Percival is what they have and he is still finding ways to use his experience and command to garner saves that "don't always have to be Mona Lisas," as Joe Maddon says.

Percival has blown one save situation so far this year and it is hard to believe that he won't reach his same fate from last year and spend September/October watching from the DL.

GRADE: B- Like it or not, Percival has almost always gotten the job done although it can be painful to watch. Durability is still his biggest issue as he probably will not be around come season's end.

Brian Shouse

A veteran left-handed specialist brought in to replace Trever Miller, Shouse has been adequate in his spot as a situational pitcher. His ability to keep the ball low in the zone has worked well to nullify the numerous big bat lefty hitters that the American League possesses.

Shouse has featured a sinker that works well against left-handers but, as proven by Kevin Youkilis, should never be attempted against a righty.

GRADE: B; Shouse has shown dedication to his role as a specialist and has served well as a veteran presence in the bullpen. He seems to be a reliable option in the correct situations.

Dan Wheeler

If there was one pitcher last season who it appeared was starting to lose his pitching magic, it was Dan Wheeler. A rocky end to last season has carried over to 2009 as Wheeler has been completely hit or miss in big situations this year.

It is always a mystery if his slider will destroy batters or if he will leave his control in the clubhouse and serve up batting practice. A pitcher that Maddon loves to rely on, Wheeler's performance is vital to how Tampa Bay fares this year.

GRADE: C- His good appearances have been over-shadowed by his huge collapses against the Yankees and Red Sox. Not the guy most care to see in clutch situations.

It has been apparent that the Rays bullpen has fallen into a funk of mediocrity in the early going of the 2009 season. Middle relievers will always be something of a wild card and that is a lesson that is being taught in St. Petersburg this year.

However, it is still far too early to label this first month as prophetic for the remainder of the season. Things seem to be picking up in the last week and there are still numerous options and additions that will assist the cause in the coming months.

For instance, Chad Bradford, whose submarine style was a huge late season addition for the Rays last year is still awaiting a return from the DL. Also, highly touted pitching prospect Wade Davis is waiting in the minors and could bring a key bullpen role with him to the majors later in the season much like David Price did last year.

Other options could include moving current fifth starter Jeff Niemann to the bullpen when Price is ready to be called up or giving veteran reliever Jason Isringhausen a chance.

Whatever moves are made, the bullpen is not a real weakness for the Rays as it once was. While not yet stellar, the bullpen is also not giving fans any real reason to panic.

Lane Kiffin Has SEC Fans Itching For September

Bryan Holt — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:15:45 -0400

Brought in to ignite a fallen college football giant, Lane Kiffin has spent nearly every waking hour since being hired as head coach at the University of Tennessee straddling the line between enthusiasm and ignorance.

Kiffin has started verbal feuds with the biggest names and most dominant programs in the Southeastern Conference which have led to numerous public apologies and embarrassing situations for himself and the program. His outlandish and immature actions have put a target on the back of each and every one of his players for this upcoming season.

Targets are usually reserved for the reigning heavyweights of a league. Never before has a team coming off of a dismal 5-7 season drawn such hatred and anger from division rivals. With trips to places like Tuscaloosa and Gainesville on the schedule, Kiffin has likely thrown his still talent-deficient team into a whirlwind that will punish them severely all season.

It did not have to be like this.

Kiffin could have easily come in, lit an intense fire into his team that has simply not been there through the latter parts of the Fulmer regime, kept his mouth shut about other programs, and gotten just as positive of results in the recruiting arena.

After all, Tennessee is not currently the powerhouse program that has leverage to push publicly at other administrations or bully rivals into a corner. In the world of southeastern football, they are no Alabama, no Florida, no Georgia, and lately are not even comparable to LSU, South Carolina, or Ole Miss (where Houston Nutt is quietly building a seriously commendable team).

What would have been the harm in waiting a year or two, gaining some respect on the field, and then being more vocal in your opinions of other schools?

The answer is that the idea of a humble approach is simply not Kiffin's style. From day one, he wanted to make a splash and draw publicity, whether it is good or bad, to the team, but more specifically, to himself.

Maybe it was their similarities that made Lane and Al Davis such a horrible match after all.

Kiffin wants the fire back in Knoxville that many felt was lost during the friendly, mediocre Phillip Fulmer era. However, what he has instead done is light a fire in all of the wrong places. His fire quickly fled to places where rabid fans and teams that are still physically superior to his own will be waiting. Not too bad of an accomplishment for someone who already has more NCAA violations (four) than wins at the college level.

College football is an addiction in the south and feuds like we have seen this off-season are the football equivalent of throwing a bottle of Jim Beam in front of a recovering alcoholic or a cigarette to a recent quitter. For football-starved citizens of Columbia, Tuscaloosa, Gainesville and Athens, the season is still a dreadful five months away, but the thought of getting to finally stick it to the new guy with the big mouth just makes the build-up that much sweeter.

Josh Freeman Pick Leaves Coach Morris Smiling, Buccaneer Fans in Disbelief

Bryan Holt — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:44:42 -0400

The collective moan and sigh of disapproval could seemingly be heard across the attentive stretches of the Tampa Bay area. The move that was already an unpopular concept before the signing of Byron Leftwich two weeks ago had been made, Josh Freeman was chosen seventeenth overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and fans were left searching for answers.

The reasons for concern are rather obvious. On a team that has recently discarded defensive names such as Derrick Brooks and Cato June and carries an arsenal of defensive tackles with names such as Chris Bradwell, Greg Peterson, and Dre Moore, the offensive side of the ball seemed like something that should be held off until later rounds.

Freeman apparently impressed the googly-eyed Bucs with his Daunte Culpepper physique and his terribly inflated numbers which one can argue are the result of the Big 12's arena football quality of defensive play.

However, where Freeman truly won over the new regime's hearts is in the simple title of his Alma Mater.

Nothing was going to stop Morris from going after "his guy" as he proudly stated later in the day with the grin that used to seem innocent and exuberant but over the last few months has quickly begun to seem devilish and nerve racking.

Having coached there in 2006, Morris considers himself a Kansas State guy, often talking about his experiences there with the nostalgia of a 90 year-old man. With this in mind, Morris' pursuit of Freeman, Kansas State's former wonder boy, was not going to be slowed by anything.

By anything I mean the fact that the Bucs, who are supposedly trying to be fiscally conservative, have spent $14.5 million over the last two months on resigning Luke McCown and bringing in Byron Leftwich or that Morris and GM Mark Dominik are continuing the Gruden/Allen tradition of shunning the hard-working McCown who deserves a shot as much as anyone.

This all seems to go unnoticed by Morris who gleefully exclaimed "[Freeman] is the long-term decision. He's the direction we're going."

The best years of McCown's career are being wasted by coaches who always seem to have an agenda in which he is never included. Sorry Luke but you have lost yet another competition without ever getting your chance to compete.

The positive about today is that the draft is not a complete lost cause, yet. As I write this the Bucs have drafted defensive tackle Roy Miller out of Texas who seems to be exactly what new defensive coordinator Jim Bates is looking for.

A big man up the middle is what Bates had asked for and now he will get a new toy to play with.

Freeman might go out and somehow prove the city of Tampa and myself wrong. He could become the franchise quarterback that the Buccaneers have never had and thrill fans every Sunday for years to come.

However, if he does not, the backlash upon Morris and Dominik could become unbearable for both of them.

The logical choice for a first round pick seemed to be going after a quick linebacker such as a member of the USC trio to fill the void that has been left.

Instead they went with the unpopular choice which could be fatal for a franchise currently struggling with fan support and a lack of true leadership.