I’m sorry, I just could not take it anymore – after Turner signed and a couple of these other latest signings, I broke down and wrote an open letter.  I doubt it will get past the gatekeepers, but this is turning into a nightmare…

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March, 3rd, 2008

Joel Glazer, Vice President
Bruce Allen, General Manager
One Buccaneer Place
Tampa, FL 33607

Overnight via FedEx
Ref; Open Letter / Buccaneers Free Agency

Dear Sirs,

I’ve been one of the strongest supporters of this regime (Allen/Gruden) and the Bucs organization over the last many years.  I have fought tooth and nail with the local media over their negative bias and treatment of coach Gruden, the Buccaneer organization in general, and yourself.  But I am so disgusted with this free agency period that I’ve decided to not purchase our company’s season tickets in 2008.

Although there is still time left in this free agency period, I believe the initiative and opportunity has already been lost for the Buccaneers.

WR:  The Bucs needed a playmaker or two (2) at WR and we have watched Berrian, Stallworth, Davis, Porter, Henderson, and probably Moss (soon) already sign contracts.

DL:  The Bucs needed to upgrade the defense line at DE & DT – specifically adding more pass rush pressure and we have watched J. Smith, Kelly, Laboy, McCary with the SAINTS!, C. Williams, Starks, Sopoaga, and others already sign with different teams.

RB:  The Bucs needed to upgrade the RB position – specifically adding more speed and explosiveness, and we have watched Turner sign with the FALCONS!, Moore, Fargas, Foster, Stecker, and others already sign with different teams while we sign Bennett and consider bringing back an over-the-hill Dunn ?

CB:  The Bucs needed to add a solid CB with Kelly leaving – specifically adding a younger corner that can help us transition as Barber retires and we have watched Samuel, Gay with the SAINTS!, Florence, Reeves, and others already sign with different teams.

We’ve also stood by while players that could have helped our team like Crumpler and Briggs have been taken off the market while you bring in Wilkerson and Griese ?  …and we watch teams in our division retool - literally in front of our eyes.

The team with the most cap room in the league has not registered the signing of a top impact player or made a significant trade ?  You’ve embarrassed us nationally.

We have a solid base of talent and only needed to spend on a limited number of positions, but we DID need to spend and the players were there to meet our requirements.  We could have elevated this franchise into the top tier of teams in terms of talent and consistent playoff contention.

But you guys have completely and utterly dropped the ball.  In conjunction with your ticket price increase, I must say that the situation is pathetic and I’m done defending you guys – period.

Regards,

Mkurbo

I have been a die hard Buc fan for 20 years and I am 30 years of age. For me it is really hard to sit around waiting and hoping that we use some of that 44 million in cap space that we have, and we have not done anything to make a difference with the exception of a center. We have had a major need for a Wide out, really 2 good wide outs and a tight end and another tailback. It is real hard to read the letter you wrote as a fan because it is very true. We have waited and basically ran out of time as far as bringing in some of our needs. I really hope things work out for our team.
Signed

A nervous fan

There is sill a lotta cash left we have to spend. So in that respect the Bucs must of done this on purpose for something really big. By that I mean trade for One Grade A+ Play Maker WR?, AND trade up in draft as well for a prospect QB or DL Stud. You can relax on draft day because we do draft well. Alot of experts are calling this a deep draft at QB/CB unless I’m mistaken. That would be two pressing needs.

You sign 85 and my NFL Sunday Ticket Re-Subscription is a lock

This is the funniest thing I’ve seen in awile. Psst. ((the Bucs won’t cease to exist if they don’t win the super bowl this year))). It’s not the end of the world. There’s still plenty of off-season, the draft, and a trade deadline months down the road. The sky is perfectly fine, Chicken Little.

help the sky is falling, the sky is falling,......... oh wait that’s was just my expectations

Thanks for the interesting letter mkurbo.  The reasons you bring up are not completely laughable, but some of the things you state I wonder where you are coming from.

“WR:  The Bucs needed a playmaker or two (2) at WR and we have watched Berrian, Stallworth, Davis, Porter, Henderson, and probably Moss (soon) already sign contracts. “

This is true, the Bucs need a fast WR to replace Galloway and very soon.  I am guessing this will be addressed with the first round draft pick.  For everything else, the team is okay.  Parris Warren is unproven but will be back this fall and he looked fantastic last preseason.  Stovall and Clayton are capable players, and oldsters Galloway and Hilard will be back next year and capable as well.  The Bucs really just need one receiver who they can pick up in the draft - so not getting a major free agent is not a disaster. 

“DL:  The Bucs needed to upgrade the defense line at DE & DT – specifically adding more pass rush pressure and we have watched J. Smith, Kelly, Laboy, McCary with the SAINTS!, C. Williams, Starks, Sopoaga, and others already sign with different teams. “

Hmm, the team just drafted a first round pick last year who got better as the team went on.  They got rid of the weakest link in Greg Spires and plan an upgrade there as well. 

“RB:  The Bucs needed to upgrade the RB position – specifically adding more speed and explosiveness, and we have watched Turner sign with the FALCONS!, Moore, Fargas, Foster, Stecker, and others already sign with different teams while we sign Bennett and consider bringing back an over-the-hill Dunn ? “

Bennett is the speed and explosiveness in place of C. Williams.  Although slow to pick up the system, he started showing flashes of that late in the season.  You think Stecker is a better pick up?  Please!  Turner is outstanding, no doubt.  Stecker???  The team is definately gambling here, but it is a reasonable gamble since Earnest Graham (an undrafted pick up of the Bucs by the way) has proven to be durable now that he has stopped fumbling the ball. 

“CB:  The Bucs needed to add a solid CB with Kelly leaving – specifically adding a younger corner that can help us transition as Barber retires and we have watched Samuel, Gay with the SAINTS!, Florence, Reeves, and others already sign with different teams. “

You are concerned about Kelly, who already lost his starting job this past season.  He was not even starting!  You are right however that Barber is not getting younger and there is a need here.  I expect to see this hole filled in the draft as well.

I think Allen/Gruden are being very strategic in who and what they pick up. Allen is known for being a shrewd manager of the salary cap, and I expect that to continue to going forward.  Instead of panicing as you appear to be doing in this letter, I think it would be better to see how the draft goes to fill the WR and CB positions, and pay close attention to the other moves the team has made.  2008 is going to be a tough year, but I think the Bucs are making some good moves to better prepare themselves for the next season.  It is my hope as the team slowly gets younger that it evetually becomes a true contender again.

We’re adding depth at positions. The draft will be where our ‘playmakers’ come from.

In general, the players being mentioned as potential FA signings for the Bucs were magnanimously overrated.....with a couple of exceptions.

Seeing alot of young guys on defense step up last year really filled me with hope for the future. We still need to look for young replacements for Brooks and Barber, as well as find a Sapp like machine in the middle, but overall our defense showed alot of promise last year.

That being said, I’m expecting us to win 6-7 games this year. The fact is we made it to the playoffs last year because our division was awful. Atlanta and the Panthers hardly even resempled a NFL team. The Saints got better towards the end of the year, but sucked badly when we played them. We were not very good last year, we got to the post season by default.

So the Saints had a huge offseason and will probably win the division next year. I don’t know what happen in Carolina last year, but I don’t see them satying down long. Even the Falcons made some good moves in their complete rebuilding process. The Bucs did nothing to improve. Does anyone really think making Faine the highest paid center EVER will make us a better team? Fact is we needed some explosive playmakers at WR and/or TE. We didn’t do it and because of that we will not be very good next year. The chances of a rookie WR coming in this year and making a huge contibution is slim and none.

I don’t mean to be as pessemist. This is honestly how I see things. I think it is important that this truth is realized because grabbing a WR with our 20th pick will be a mistake. This years draft has alot of solid WRs that will be there in the 2nd round. There is really only one or two worthy of a 1st round pick. We would be much better off in the long term to pick up a quality CB or DL.

Well, if the Falcons play so much better than the Bucs next year I will be completely stunned.  The team is in disarray, with a new GM, new coach, new QB, and new RB.  Not to mention a new offense and defense as well.  It will take time to jell at best, and may mean a complete rebuilding at worst. 

Saints should come back to win the division next year as they have the talent to do it if the defense steps up at all.  Panthers will depend on Delahnone coming back healthy next year.  Without a QB they will be at a loss.

So, in a nutshell - Bucs are probably due to falll somewhere in the middle of the division.  8-8 would not be a surprise to me (or worse, a losing record). With the Bucs schedule, a terrible season could be in the cards - I just hope not.

AcuraT - 11 April 2008 07:47 PM

Well, if the Falcons play so much better than the Bucs next year I will be completely stunned.  The team is in disarray, with a new GM, new coach, new QB, and new RB.  Not to mention a new offense and defense as well.  It will take time to jell at best, and may mean a complete rebuilding at worst. 

Saints should come back to win the division next year as they have the talent to do it if the defense steps up at all.  Panthers will depend on Delahnone coming back healthy next year.  Without a QB they will be at a loss.

So, in a nutshell - Bucs are probably due to falll somewhere in the middle of the division.  8-8 would not be a surprise to me (or worse, a losing record). With the Bucs schedule, a terrible season could be in the cards - I just hope not.

The Bucs and Saints schedules are virutally identical. The Falcons simply will not have much of a team next season. The Panthers could be better.

Too much is made of the Bucs not picking up the big names that everyone was looking for in FA. With the exception of one or two players most of them may not have even been upgrades to what the Bucs already have on the roster. Jeff Faine is a solid center who is much better at this stage of his career than John Wade and should provide better protection and more running lanes for the Bucs this season.

Gulf Shore Steve - 12 April 2008 04:28 PM

The Bucs and Saints schedules are virutally identical. The Falcons simply will not have much of a team next season. The Panthers could be better.

Too much is made of the Bucs not picking up the big names that everyone was looking for in FA. With the exception of one or two players most of them may not have even been upgrades to what the Bucs already have on the roster. Jeff Faine is a solid center who is much better at this stage of his career than John Wade and should provide better protection and more running lanes for the Bucs this season.

True, the schedules are virtually identical because they are in the same division.  The difference is the Bucs will play Dallas, Green Bay, and Seattle because they won the South - the other teams did not.  Two of those games will be on the road.  If the Bucs win any of them I will be pleasantly surprised.

New Orleans will play Washington, Detroit, and the Rams (or was it the Cardinals who took second)?  Not quite the same level of competiton.  Carolina in third will have it easier.

I don’t care about the big name (or lack thereof) of the “big name” pickups.  Gruden and Allen have made a living at picking up surprising no names.  Think Arena League surprises and other team cast-offs - even just this past year.  What I am more concerned about is that Tampa will have a schedule of a first place team - playing the first place team of other divisions.  In the AFC that means the Patriots, Steelers, San Deigo, and Dungy’s Colts.  None of those games are easy.  OF the seven I listed, if the Bucs can win three I would be estatic.  Two would be great.  Only one would not be surpising.  A winning record of those seven is probably not going to happen.

I am not kidding myself - I love this team but their competition is tough next year.

AcuraT - 12 April 2008 09:37 PM

Gulf Shore Steve - 12 April 2008 04:28 PM

The Bucs and Saints schedules are virutally identical. The Falcons simply will not have much of a team next season. The Panthers could be better.

Too much is made of the Bucs not picking up the big names that everyone was looking for in FA. With the exception of one or two players most of them may not have even been upgrades to what the Bucs already have on the roster. Jeff Faine is a solid center who is much better at this stage of his career than John Wade and should provide better protection and more running lanes for the Bucs this season.

True, the schedules are virtually identical because they are in the same division.  The difference is the Bucs will play Dallas, Green Bay, and Seattle because they won the South - the other teams did not.  Two of those games will be on the road.  If the Bucs win any of them I will be pleasantly surprised.

New Orleans will play Washington, Detroit, and the Rams (or was it the Cardinals who took second)?  Not quite the same level of competiton.  Carolina in third will have it easier.

I don’t care about the big name (or lack thereof) of the “big name” pickups.  Gruden and Allen have made a living at picking up surprising no names.  Think Arena League surprises and other team cast-offs - even just this past year.  What I am more concerned about is that Tampa will have a schedule of a first place team - playing the first place team of other divisions.  In the AFC that means the Patriots, Steelers, San Deigo, and Dungy’s Colts.  None of those games are easy.  OF the seven I listed, if the Bucs can win three I would be estatic.  Two would be great.  Only one would not be surpising.  A winning record of those seven is probably not going to happen.

I am not kidding myself - I love this team but their competition is tough next year.

Your understanding of how the schedule works is wrong:

The Bucs, Saints, Falcons and Panthers all play exactly the same schedule with the exception of two games.

The Falcons play the Eagles and Rams
The Panthers play the Cardinals and Giants
The Saints play the 49ers and Redskins
The Bucs play the Cowboys and Seahawks

Other than that the NFC plays each other twice and Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Kansas City, Green Bay, Minnesota, Oakland, San Diego.
These things are hard to predict but I can see the NFC East sweeping the NFC South particulalry since they are all road games and while the 49ers may appear to be an easier opponent than the Seahawks will be for the Bucs, that game is at RJS. So I’m not sure there’s really any difference in the schedule.

I forgot the South plays the old Bucs Central division this year - so all those games they all play each other.  Besides that, I got it right I believe.  There are the two games that are different. 

The 49ers at home are as good as Seattle on the road?  Please.  The 49ers record did not show that last year at home.  Still, as you say, it is only two games that are different, not three.  That AFC West this year is going to be a problem for the NFC South.  The NFC North - not as much.  I think that interconference battle could be more even than we think (forgetting Atlanta which is probably a lost cause).  Considering the coaching staff of Chicago and Detroit has a number of former Bucs coaches, those games will probably be close for Tampa since the playing styles are similar.

It will be an interesting season nonetheless.