Joe has procrastinated too long on this, but Joe would like to thank JoeBucsFan.com readers. Readership here has climbed steadily through the Bucs season, and remarkably, Joe’s readership is climbing even more despite the fact the Bucs’ season ended in December.

Joe was just checking the stats for JoeBucsFan.com this morning and was blown away. There were thousands of unique visitors to the site Friday, most of which came Friday night after news broke that Chucky was fired.

It’s great to know so many Bucs fans are flocking to JoeBucsFan.com when they’re hungry for news about the team.

Joe extends his warm appreciation and thanks to his readers and Joe encourages you to tell your fellow Bucs fans about JoeBucsFan.com.

Get ready for a major announcement in February. Let’s just say that Joe is confident no one in the Tampa Bay MSM will provide draft coverage that will match Joe’s.

Our readers’ dedication to JoeBucsFan.com motivates Joe even more to pump out relevant content for Bucs fans. Thanks again. And Joe appreciates your support!

Apparently, the first move by new Bucs coach Raheem Morris was to ax offensive line coach Bill Muir. That troubles Joe.

Well, it seems Raheem Morris has made the first big move of his career as Bucs head coach, and it’s a curious one. Morris — Joe presumes — canned offensive line coach Bill Muir along with other assistants. per a release by the Buccaneers.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released six members of the coaching staff: Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line coach Bill Muir, Defensive Quality Control coach Johnny Cox, Defensive Quality Control coach Ejiro Evero, Offensive Assistant coach Jay Gruden, Head Strength and Conditioning coach Mike Morris and Assistant Offensive Line coach George Yarno.

Of all the assistants remaining from the Chucky regime, Joe thought Muir was the best. Let’s face it, the most promising and productive unit on the team was the offensive line. So why get rid of the guy responsible? That makes absolutely no sense to Joe.

That is, of course, unless Muir and Morris didn’t get along.

Former Bucs QB Jeff Carlson looks for a Steelers win to give him a share of the lead in the JoeBucsFan.com picks competition

Our crack team of NFL playoff experts has been cut down to the two leading contenders: JoeBucsFan.com analyst Bob Fox and former Bucs quarterback Jeff Carlson.  

Carlson, a TV and radio personality and quarterback trainer, is 5-3 picking winners through the playoffs. Fox, who also writes for numerous sports publications, is 6-2. Not bad, guys, especially in this wacky postseason. 

The contenders are completely split for Sunday’s AFC conference title game, but agree on the Eagles to beat the Cardinals in Arizona. Carlson says Philly will take it 24-20; Fox likes the Eagles 34-24.

Fox takes the Ravens to win 20-17, and Carlson has the Steelers by the same score.

Sometimes Bucs fans can be some of the smartest fans in the NFL. Joe thinks these two dudes are very well spoken. Heck, they should have their own blog.

Allow this video also to introduce you to the lovely Erica Pitzi, some new talent at Ch. 10. She’s Joe’s favorite Ivy League graduate after Bil Bradley, and she’s far more impressive in person.

The trend in the NFL is for young coaches, even younger than Chucky.

Three of four head coaches leading Championship Sunday teams have a grand total of six years experience. Two other playoff coaches this season were in their first year, as well. This is the trend that doomed Chucky, writes Thomas George of NFL.com.

So for that reason, an experienced coach not in the playoffs should be watching his back, George suggests.

And that’s fueling the idea among owners that if they can do it, why can’t we? Owners now feel emboldened about youth in their head coaches. About change, about fresh ideas, fresh faces in attempts to reach new places.

Thus, Jon Gruden is out in Tampa Bay; general manager Bruce Allen was fired on Friday, too.

Chucky is 45 so it’s not like he’s an old man. Joe believes the Glazer Boys got tired of the soap opera surrounding Chucky without the benefits of a single playoff win since the magical Super Bowl win.

Joe also wonders whether the possibility of Carmella unable to prance amid Tampa Bay eateries and shops next season was another factor in Chucky’s demise?

BSPN talking head Mark Schlereth discusses why the Glazer Boys pulled the trigger on Chucky.

Joe wonders what secretive former Bucs QB feeds Jason Whitlock information about Chucky

Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star is one of the best columnists in the country. He apparently was lobbying for Chucky to be the next coach of the Chiefs but was talked off the ledge by both former Bucs great Warren Sapp and “a former Bucs” quarterback.

“He would do a fine job in Kansas City,” Sapp told me. “Why not? The thing that would really be exciting for Gruden in KC is that he’d have a strong-armed young quarterback to work with. Hell, Tyler Thigpen damn near saved Herm Edwards’ job.”

This is where I had to tell Warren to slow his roll.

Tyler Thigpen is not Kansas City’s quarterback of the future. The Chiefs need to draft and develop a franchise quarterback.

“Well, Gruden has never groomed a young quarterback,” Sapp acknowledged. “He’s turned some into head cases.”

Exactly. The former Buccaneer QB I talked to on Saturday made the same point. His contention was that Gruden is a perfect fit for a veteran team, not a young rebuilding club.

“Gruden would be great for Dallas,” the former QB said.

Joe almost is convinced now that Chucky is to quarterbacks what Dave Duncan is to pitchers in baseball. Duncan is a longtime pet orangutan/pitching coach of Tony LaRussa, who just happens to be a friend of Chucky. Given a veteran pitcher, Duncan works well with the hurler. Given a young pitcher to groom, Duncan is a butcher with few equals.

There’s plenty of evidence now to suggest Chucky is a butcher of young quarterbacks. Still, Joe would love to know the identity of Whitlock’s “former Bucs QB.”

Joe just knew it was a matter of time before Meshawn Johnson opened his trap about Chucky getting fired

Joe rarely watches NFL morning programs unless they’re broadcast on  NFL Network. Seldom will Joe learn anything from these shows unless Jay Glazer happens to pop up on the screen. (Simply put, you cannot pay Joe to watch Chris Berman).

So Joe was unaware, but hardly suprised BSPN’s Meshawn Johnson, one of the first vocal critics of Chucky, danced on his grave.

Per Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, Meshawn was predictably giddy over Chucky’s demise, calling Chucky “a used car salesman.”

Also in the same segment, Florio points out that Chris Mortensen listed the reasons the Glazer Boys unloaded Chucky and Bruce Almighty.

Mort cited: (1) an extended period of relative mediocrity; (2) two seasons of unfulfilled expectations; (3) player discontent; (4) a reluctance to draft and develop a young quarterback; (5) the early success of young quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco; and (6) a shift in the fan base, which once loved “Chucky” but more recently was ready to rid themselves of Gruden.

In short, Chucky dug his own grave.

An NFL source told SI.coms Peter King that Chucky was fired because he was Hillary Clinton. Joe can think of a lot of things to call Chucky but Hillary Clinton isnt one of them.

Joe was reading Peter King’s wrap up of Chucky’s firing when a sentence jumped right out at him:

It didn’t help Gruden that, in the words of one NFL source Friday night, “He was Hillary Clinton there.”

Joe has to be honest. When thinking of Chucky and the Bucs, Hillary Clinton doesn’t exactly come to mind. Egomaniac, yes. Overrated, sure. Con artist, maybe.

But Hillary Clinton?

Joe has to have another glass of Jameson and ponder that for a moment.

Joe was impressed with Raheem Morris’ first meeting with the Pen and Mic Club upon being introduced as the Bucs’ new coach. Morris sounded great, but he offered nothing of substance.

So there was Tiger Woods on the Bucs sidelines against the Raiders during the culmination of the 2008 collape.

He was around throughout the season, starting in training camp, cheering on the Bucs as a guest of his good buddy Jon Gruden. …If Woods’ finishing prowess had only rubbed off.

So given Gruden’s exit, is Woods still a Bucs fan? Frankly, Joe doesn’t care. And, along with Joey Galloway, Joe didn’t get how Chucky expected a golfer to inspire a team of 50-plus football players, most of whom don’t play golf.

Regardless, it would be nice to see Woods prove to be a real Bucs fan, not just a fan of Chucky.

Friday Joe detailed Bucs wide receiver Michael Clayton’s blast of Chucky shortly after Chucky’s firing. Well, BSPN now has the audio of the diatribe.

Derrick Brooks appears on BSPN and talks about the now past tense Chucky Era with the Bucs.

In case the video for whatever reason appears as “unavailable,” it’s a lie. It most certainly is available. Just click here.

Joe knows it was just one line in a say-nothing, no-substance Saturday news conference to introduce Raheem Morris. But after a few hours to reflect, Joe can’t get it out of his head.

Asked about his plans for the direction of the team, Morris said he will “Stay The Course.”

Now Bucs fans know that the 2008 “course” wound its way into a crap-filled ditch where the Bucs died a slow death, losing four straight to miss the playoffs. 

Sure, Morris wanted to send a message to his current players that he believes in them. That he believes the 2008 team was more the 9-3 squad that entered December, versus the 0-4 December team that brought disgrace to the franchise. But “Stay The Course” was just the wrong answer.

Morris could have laid out a rough idea of what a Raheem Morris team looks like for the media and fans. After all, there never has been a Raheem Morris team – ever. He could have made the effort to look like a coach who was more substance than winning smile.

Joe likes Morris. And he looks forward to him showing his cards, showing what made him a strong candidate for the Denver job after interviewing there. Hell, just show anything we can sink our teeth into.

Bucs fans are hungry for hope. And Morris didn’t offer even a mouthful in his debut.

By BOB FOX

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Bob Fox takes a weekly look at the playoff picture. He write for numerous sports publications and brings an insightful take on the road to the Super Bowl. Fox has picked six of eight winners in the playoffs.

There is a decent shot that Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa will host at least one Wild Card team, as well as a chance TWO Wild Card teams will play each other for the first time in history. That would happen if the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens win this weekend. 

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Bob Fox says Ben Roethlisberger will not raise the Lombardi trophy for the second time in four years

Wild Card teams are 5-4 in the Super Bowl.  Actually, one could really say 6-4, as the Kansas City Chiefs were not a divisional champion in 1969, before the merger of the NFL and AFL in 1970, and before they upset the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. 

The exclusive club of Super Bowl winners from the Wild Card ranks are the Oakland Raiders (XV), the Denver Broncos (XXXII), the Ravens (XXXV), the Pittsburgh Steelers (XL) and the Giants last year.

So big history could be made this weekend.  In fact, I think it will.

NFC

Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals

Who would have thought that when the Cardinals and Eagles squared off on Thanksgiving night in Philadelphia, it would be a warm up for the NFC Championship game, this time in Arizona.  I am not surprised to see the Eagles in this game, but the Cardinals have shocked me for two straight weeks.  First the Cardinals beat the Atlanta at home and then upset Carolina on the road. Unlike the regular season, the Cardinals are running the ball well now behind resurgent Edgerrin James, and defensively they are stopping the run effectively. Plus, the Cardinals still have a great passing game behind QB Kurt Warner and maybe the best WR in football, Larry Fitzgerald. The Cards expect WR Anquan Boldin to return Sunday, after Boldin missed last week due to a hamstring strain.

The Eagles hope they can have the same success that they had in the regular season matchup when the Eagles whipped the Cardinals 48-20.  That probably won’t happen, but the Eagles are still very dangerous. Quarterback Donovan McNabb is playing exceptionally right now. RB Brian Westbrook has been a little banged up and hasn’t been as effective in the playoffs as he was late in the season. But he is still  dangerous, as the Vikings found out in the first round of the playoffs, when Westbrook scored on a 71-yard screen pass. Westbrook also has a very capable back up in Correll Buckhalter.  The receiving corp is led by DeSean Jackson, who also is an explosive kick returner, and by a number of other options like Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant and others. But it is the Philly defense that will make the difference in this game with all of their exotic blitzes. The Eagles didn’t sack Warner in the regular season, but they did pressure him into throwing three interceptions.

Bottom line, I think the Cardinals will play much better this Sunday compared to the game on Thanksgiving. A Cards win wouldn’t shock me. Still, I like the Eagles to come out to the desert and win. I would not be surprised if the Cardinals win, they have given me my only two losses in the playoffs thus far. Philly will be able to make the big plays when needed both offensively and defensively. 

AFC

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers

Division rivals Baltimore and Pittsburgh meet for the third time this season. The previous games came down to the wire; one was an overtime game and the last one was determined in the last few seconds with the help of a VERY controversial call by the replay booth. Pittsburgh won that one and the division title. This game will rival any playoff game ever in terms of the hatred these two teams have for each other.  The other fascinating reason why this game will be enjoyable is the dominating presence of BOTH defenses. The Steelers and Ravens were ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in total defense in the NFL this regular season.

Both teams have VERY good players defensively.  The Steelers have NT Casey Hampton, LB James Harrison and S Troy Polamalu among others. The Ravens will counter with players such as NT Haloti Ngata, LB Ray Lewis and S Ed Reed. This game will probably be won by the team that forces the most turnovers. The Ravens have created nine turnovers in just two games thus far in the playoffs. Safety Jim Leonhard was in on three of them last week against Tennessee, as he forced an errant interception with a blitz, caused a fumble and recovered a fumble.  Plus, Leonhard returned a punt for more than 20 yards to set up a Ravens field goal.

Offensively, the Steelers will ride behind Big Ben Rothlisberger and his arm, as he tries to connect with Himes Ward, Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller and others. The ground game was definitely ignited last week by the performance of Willie Parker, who ran for 146 yards against the Chargers. The Ravens will be led by rookie QB Joe Flacco, who has not turned the ball over once in the playoffs. Flacco also likes throwing to deep threat WR Derrick Mason and TE Todd Heap, as well. The Ravens ground game is led by Le’Ron McClain and Willis McGahee; both can break off a big gainer once in awhile. Just ask the Dallas Cowboys.

Bottom line, I see the Ravens shocking the Steelers in a very close game in Pittsburgh. Flacco has played a lot older than his years since Day 1, and I think he will continue to be smart with the football. Like the first two games against each other, this one should come down to the wire. The Ravens seem to be in the groove defensively creating turnovers, and that is where I see the difference in this game.

Joe understands Chucky might be returning to his Hooters roots, where he onced toiled in the kitchen as a teenager. In fact, Chucky was dining at a local restaurant upon learning of his demise. …Joe will offer more on that another day.

For the record, Joe cannot take credit for the photo. It is the handiwork of Mike Florio’s worker bees at ProFootballTalk.com.

The St. Pete Times is reporting Broncos offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates could run the offense for his good friend Raheem Morris

Look for young Broncos offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates to join the Bucs staff, along with fired Saints defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs to land in Tampa as an assistant head coach.

Those are the hot rumors from credible sources linked above. …We’ll see how it shakes out.

If Bates can bring Mike Shanahan’s proficiency of running the ball and his own experience of developing a young quarterback like Jay Cutler, Joe likes the Bucs’ potential behind their offensive line.

Joe can’t wait to hear what Morris and Dominik plan to do at the quarterback position.

Of course, Joe has video of what the NFL Network talking heads say about Chucky’s firing. Of course Roger Goodell won’t offer embed codes.

The first video displays Rod Woodson’s downright anger of how Chucky was fired. Let’s just say that Woodson is no friend of the Glazer Boys.

The second video is of NFL Network’s Adam Schefter discussing Chucky’s firing. The third and final video displays Rich Eisen and Schefter discussing the aftermath.

Bucs WR Michael Clayton raked Chucky over the coals in a radio interview shortly after Chucky's firing was made public.

The news of Jon Gruden’s firing may have pleased many a Bucs fan but no one seemed more ecstatic than Bucs wide receiver Michael Clayton.

Speaking with Nancy Donnellan of ESPN 1040 AM Friday, shortly after the news broke that Chucky (and Bruce Almighty) was fired, Clayton pulled no punches in describing how players were treated by Chucky.

In fact, Clayton trashed Chucky like few players Joe has ever heard, including Meshawn Johnson.

Granted, Clayton has had an erratic-at-best career with the Bucs. But that didn’t stop him from tearing Chucky to shreds. He noted how Gruden essentially treated injured players as third-class citizens, no matter how serious or legitimate the injury. If a player was injured, said Clayton, he was automatically in Chucky’s doghouse: a target of constant vulgar ridicule and scorn.

“You don’t treat people that way,” Clayton said.

Please note Clayton also played for a guy by the name of Nick Saban at LSU, who isn’t exactly a choir boy. Given Clayton’s tirade, that doesn’t say much for Chucky.

When Donnellan asked him if he would be interested in returning as a Bucs receiver, Clayton acknowledged he had a great deal of interest in staying to Tampa Bay and that he loved the area. Weeks ago he talked like a man dying to leave town.

When Clayton was asked if he would have considered resigning with the Bucs with Chucky as head coach, “an hour ago,” Clayton flatly stated, “No!”

Clayton was so descriptive and emotional in his dressing down of Chucky, that at the end of the interview, Donnellan thanked Clayton for “being so candid.”

"Look, I heard you the first time, Joel. I know. I have to hire Raheem as my defensive coordinator."

Joe’s going to stroke himself a moment and remind readers that JoeBucsFan.com was the only outlet to report Jon Gruden himself implied he was no longer wanted in Tampa back on Christmas Eve.

It was a rare slip of the tongue for Chucky. And, perhaps coincidentally, it came just one day before Raheem Morris was named defensive coordinator. 

Gruden made his admission to the Oakland media while talking about quarterback Josh Johnson.

““I don’t know if they’re going to give me enough time to develop him,” Gruden said.

Back then Joe wondered what Chucky knew. Perhaps he was forced into hiring Raheem by the Glazers and was feeling like he had lost his power?

Joe hopes one of the local Bucs beat writers will get to the bottom of this when Raheem Morris is introduced to the media as head coach.

Yes, it’s meaningless at this point. But it sure would be fun to know.

Joe says the Bucs will now make sure Jermaine Phillips returns in 2009

Let’s not forget new head coach Raheem Morris returned to coach the Bucs’ secondary in 2007, after his one-year stint as defensive coordinator at Kansas State.

The Bucs quickly went from 19th against the pass to No. 1 in the NFL. The guy is a teacher and a motivator.

And one of his best students has been strong safety Jermaine Phillips, who was by far the best of the Bucs’ secondary in 2008. Limited by injuries, Phillips was performing at a Pro Bowl level, and there was a noticeable drop in peformance when Sabby Piscatelli filled in.

Frankly, Phillips, 29, was the only guy on the Bucs’ defense who brought his A game and hit hard on every Sunday he played.

(Maybe the Bucs even hold that 10-point lead against Oakland with Phillips in there, and Chucky would still be in his office plotting more dump-off passes to John Gilmore.)

Regardless, Joe is confident that Morris and new GM Mark Dominik will make signing Phillips a major priority. He becomes a free agent next month.

It’s a critical move to keep one the Bucs’ few strenghts – the secondary – in tact.

Current BSPN NFL talking head and former Bucs QB Shaun King all but predicted Raheem Morris would be named head coach

Joe is ready to proclaim former Bucs quarterback and current BSPN talking head Shaun King a mind reader. Either that or the guy has unbelievable sources.

Appearing on a special edition of “The Blitz with Justin Pawlowski” on WDAE-AM 620 Friday night, King all but predicted the Bucs would name Raheem Morris as Chucky’s successor.

“I’ve got an inkling it’s not going to be a big name,” King, a former Gibbs High School quarterback, told Pawlowski. And King wasn’t very complimentary toward his former Bucs coach. The Bucs “have already had a Hollywood profile coach and it didn’t work out in the long run.

“I think the Bucs are going to want someone young. They’ve seen what’s happening in Pittsburgh with Mike Tomlin.”

King appeared on Pawlowski’s show roughly two hours before Steve Duemig broke the news of Morris’ hiring.

Former Bucs QB and JoeBucsFan.com analyst Jeff Carlson says the Gruden-Allen era wiped out the Bucs' talent

Why did the Bucs’ owners fire the coach and general manager?

After seven seasons, the cupboard of talent on this team is almost bare and that is nothing but the result of poor management.

Jon Gruden said he wanted Jeff Garcia back as the starting quarterback at 39. Earnest Graham is the only running back with potential. Antonio Bryant is the only quality receiver on the team – and he’s a free agent. The defensive front is questionable. Barrett Ruud is a stud, but Cato June is a question and Derrick Brooks should be a reserve. Ronde Barber is going to the Pro Bowl, but should be a situational nickel-back. Most of the role players don’t have upside (future starter) potential.

Make no mistake that pro sports is an entertainment business. And as I watched the final game of the season against the Raiders from the back of the Club section (sparse crowd in that area), there was no entertaining going on.

Gruden’s offense hasn’t offered much in the way of entertainment since the playoff run that ended in the Lombardi Trophy. Plus the defense hasn’t been able to get within arm’s length of the opposing quarterback in some time.

The Glazers need to sell Pewter Partner sponsorships and luxury suites and, as Jon Gruden likes to say, that takes some “juice.” His players don’t have any juice, as witnessed by the December meltdown.

You can bet that in this country’s economic meltdown, sponsors weren’t going to pour juice into the Glazer’s coffers anymore with Gruden running the team.