Everything, aside from the team's record, seems to be all smiles for Raheem the Dream and the Bucs since defensive coordinator Jim Bates was defrocked.

There were whispers in recent weeks that maybe Raheem the Dream had lost his team, that his players may have tuned him out.

The tone of the speak on the various players radio shows was getting more bleak if not dark. Joe heard it plain as day.

But Woody Cummings of the Tampa Tribune is of the mind that not only is the notion that Raheem the Dream lost the locker room nonsense, but Raheem the Dream solidified his standing with the team by defrocking defensive coordinator Jim Bates.

Q: At the beginning of the season I asked if you thought that there was a chance that Raheem would be fired and Bill Cowher hired as coach. You said only if Raheem lost the locker room and it appeared that he was clueless as to what was going on. Aren’t those conditions in place?
Lester Patrick, Hiawassee, Ga.

A: I don’t think Raheem has lost the locker room at all. In fact, I think the decision to go back to a one-gap scheme has probably won him some fans that may have been on the fence over the original defensive switch. And don’t underestimate the power Raheem has a hands-on coach. He’ll be even closer to these guys now. As for being clueless, Raheem is definitely learning on the job and his game-day coaching needs some work. How he fares as a coordinator will say a lot about his future. At this point, it’s still too soon to know what Raheem’s future holds.
— Roy Cummings

Just listening to the voice of various players on their radio shows in the last two weeks, you can tell it’s as if a weight has been lifted from their shoulders, specifically the defensive players.

Just watching the Bucs play last week at Atlanta, despite the outcome, any Bucs fan could tell how hard they played.

No, if there is any mutiny, it wasn’t coming from players who were between the lines last Sunday.