The Mad Twitterer, the master of agent-driven speculation, who doubles as the St. Pete Times beat writer, is now delivering powerful speculation of his own.

Or, as he implies, it comes right from the mouth of Greg Olson.

In a Friday interview with Steve Duemig, on WDAE-AM 620, the dean of Tampa Bay sports radio, Stroud explained that Byron Leftwich won’t get up early and workout with Josh Freeman, therefore the Bucs won’t want him to return as a backup in 2010.

The Bucs, Stroud claims, want a veteran who will show Freeman how to have A+ work habits.

“The one thing I’ll say about Freeman, He’s willing to work,” Stroud said. “And that’s the biggest thing in this league at that position. He’ll come in there at 6 o’clock in the morning. Now they’ve got to find him a veteran quarterback who will go with him. That’s why Leftwich probably won’t be back, because he’s not that guy. What’s funny is, the guy that would do it is [Luke] McCown and they traded him. He’s the kind of guy that will be in the weight room, be in the meeting rooms, take his role. …Bryon was great. He’d could talk to you like Dr. Phil, but you were never going to get him in the weight room.

“I think they need that guy. And I’ve talked to Greg Olson about this,” Stroud continued. “Those guys that do what we’re talking about play about 10 years. Those guys who don’t play about six. If you’re not starting and you’re making big money and you’re not working hard, you’re gone. They need a guy, and I’m not saying it will be McCown but someone like that, that will work that way. So that Freeman has got those habits.”

Joe finds it interesting that Stroud claims the Bucs were down on Leftwich’s work habits. When did that start? And why hasn’t Stroud detailed all this on his beat?

Leftwich came to the Bucs slimmed down and known for strong work habits up in Pittsburgh, and he won the close starting quarterback job derby against McCown.

Surely, part of Leftwich’s job description when the Bucs signed him was to set an example for Freeman and be a bit of a mentor. So who misjudged his work habits? Mark Dominik? Raheem The Dream?

The Bucs had just paid McCown a fat signing bonus last offseason yet they bring in a guy, Leftwich, who won’t hit the weight room and set the example they want for their prized rookie?

Joe suspects Stroud is wrong about Leftwich and the weight room. And Joe also suspects Leftwich would be pleased to return to the Bucs with the stipulation that he hit the gym at 6 a.m. Who wouldn’t be?

Joe’s also is suprised that Olson, an offensive coordinator, would be so candid with a beat writer about the Bucs’ desires at a position before entering free agency.