“Jon Sort Of Lost A Part Of The Team”
September 2nd, 2010
Just a couple of days after praising “Coach Gru” for his extraordinary innovations on both sides of the ball, Raheem Morris now explains that the heinous Jim Bates experiment was very much about him not repeating the leadership failures of Chucky.
Now that’s a great way to get kicked off the coaching tree.
As told to Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune, Morris says Chucky was too disconnected from the defense and Morris initially preferred a more unifying role as a head coach not bogged down by coordinator duties.
“Jon had an offensive coordinator but he pretty much did everything himself, and what I noticed was that Jon sort of lost a part of the team on the defensive side of the ball that way and I didn’t want that. I wanted to make sure I had the whole team’s attention right from the start here. I wanted my team to hear one voice that they knew controlled everything we do as a football team.”
Joe thinks it’s great that the Bucs’ defensive mastermind/head coach has it all straightened out now. He’s figured out that he can lead a team to success as a coordinator and a head coach. Just like the guy he threw under the bus.
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:55 am
It’s hard being the head coach of the league’s worst team. If things aren’t working, you have to make changes. Morris is learning as he goes along. You have to admit that our team was much more competitive once Morris took over as DC at the end of last season.
September 2nd, 2010 at 7:58 am
This guy never should open his yap. The stupidest things come out of it.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:05 am
yea yea, pile on Rah because its so easy. But I have said that was a flaw in Grudens style, the same way Dungy never did anything with the offense.
We need a coach who will pay attention to both sides of the ball. Nevermind the haters Rah, learn from your mistakes, move on, and get this team going!
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:16 am
Raheem knows that he has one weapon on his side that Jon Gruden never had. A weapon that can be used to keep ALL players loyal at ALL times:
The Flying Chest-bump.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:17 am
The defense was fine with Gruden as HC. It doesn’t matter how disconnected he was with them, they had a legendary coordinator in Kiffen running it and he didn’t impose on him so his point is moot and even hypocritical.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:27 am
Let me see if I can decipher this:
He got a DC to run a defense entirely unsuited for the personnel so he could spend time unifying, which turned into a disaster, and now he is going to be a coordinator and head coach just as he criticizes “Gru” for?
Not to mention that Gru had one of the best DC in history, then promoted this mastermind into the position.
Nice backstabing Rah. Learn it from Clayton?
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:35 am
@Joe, who said:
“Just like the guy he threw under the bus.”
I’ve noticed a trend forming at the end of your articles…they are starting to lean more negative. Don’t tell me you are buying into the anti-Morris movement?
As far as I’m concerned, Morris is a much better coach than Gruden. Jon simply refused to bend. It was his way or the highway, even if it had negative affects on the team.
Morris has made plenty of mistakes, yes, but he’s learned from each one and made improvements.
My son was born with a cleft lip and pallette. His gums were detached from his jaw and on the tip of his nose when he was born. After 27 surgeries, he is looking pretty normal now. And he is glad he got what most other people don’t…a custom nose, just the way he wants it. It didn’t happen right away though…it took those 27 surgeries and will take a few more.
The point it, we’re getting a custom head coach. He wasn’t perfect when he started…far from it…but each fault is being corrected over time. And we’re seeing him improve in areas of need as time goes on. Best of all, he faces things head on and makes the corrections…in himself and the team.
When all is said and done, the Fans of Tampa are going to end up with something very few teams have…a quality, customized headcoach that is built for success, just as the team is being built for success.
And Morris HAS had successes. His talent evaluations are top-notch. He’s turned Talib into a top cornerback. He’s turning the entire defense around. He’s making more progress on offense than either Jon Gruden or Tony Dungy ever did…even if they are young and inexperienced at this time.
Best of all, Morris is doing something really special for the fans of the Bucs. He is steadily rebuilding both the offense and hte defense at the same time, improving both. Most teams focus on either Defense or Offense. He’s been doing good on both.
I suspect many fans will be surprised by the success this year and next. But there will always be naysayers I suppose.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:38 am
BTW, the point of his comment was not to throw Gruden under the bus…he is simply stating that Jon focused so much on offense that he entirely ignore the defense. This is true. How many years under Gruden did it take for Monty to get a high draft pick?
Morris, on the other hand, has addressed both sides with high draft picks. I see no hypocracy here at all. He’s been woreking on BOTH elements.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:43 am
I do not see this comment as “throwing him under the bus”. It seems like he was giving an explanation of why he did something. We all know Kiifin ran the defense, and had a great deal of influence. He said he did not want to have a disconnect like Gruden did, but it did not work and he changed direction. Big deal.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:45 am
That was something (the ‘ignorance’ of the defense) by Gruden that always bothered me a bit. You could tell from the players that they didn’t really care as long as Monte had their back.
Gruden and Kiffin had their egos to deal with and the best way forward was for each to have their ‘half’ of the team.
Gruden could not of done what he did for our franchise without that Defense and in that sense – it wasn’t the best way to deal with things. When Monte announced his departure our defense had no heart… primarily for this reason (I believe…) and we go 0-4 in the final quarter of the season… #*$&%^#
I can imagine that Bruce Allen’s only role was to keep both of the “HC’s” happy.
Morris is a work in progress for sure, but he learns quickly and knows football and what it takes to motivate players.
If the decision is ever made to let him move on – I truely believe that will be a mistake of Steve Young proportions.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:53 am
@Not A Rocket Surgeon
Very well said.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:55 am
Pete,
“This is true. How many years under Gruden did it take for Monty to get a high draft pick?” Really?????? Sorry, but in 2003 our first pick(a 2nd rounder) was DeWayne White a DE. Then in 2005, our 2nd rnd pick was Ruud. Then there was Adams(1st rnd) and Sabby(2nd) in 2007. Although later, don’t forget Talib(1st). Not to mention the lower round Tanard, Black, Hayes, and Dre Moore. Looks like a lot of high rnd defensive picks to me, considering we didn’t have 2 1st round and 2 2nd round draft picks!
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:00 am
Gruden and Kiffin were friends, well before Gruden was brought in. One of the things Gruden did was LEAVE THE DEFENSE ALONE and KEEP KIFFIN. He knew it was great, so why change or get rid of it. Hmmm, strange Morris would feel differently about our top 10 defense and get rid of it altogether?! Then get props, for going back?!
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:08 am
I personally like the direction the Bucs are headed in now. You Rah haters need only to look at the state of the Bucs and the Raiders after Gruden left. Both teams needed total rebuilding. I will be the first to say no Gruden , no Superbowl ! But the man does not ever think of the future .
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:31 am
The team would have been better off if they left Jon as HC, Raheem as DC, and only can Bruce Allen. When those final 4 games were lost, it was Gruden that took responsibility for the defensive collapse, not Monte. Monte wouldn’t fall on a sword, he was only thinking about his greener pastures. Gruden took 100% of the blame. Jon Gruden is a better coach than most in the NFL including Raheem’s entire staff put together.
I’m sure Monte has rethought his decision 1000 times following his POS kid around ruining his reputation. Now he gets to flounder around in Reggie Bush & Pete carroll’s mess, while Pete Carroll headed for the hills. Pete’s first sign of real adversity and he bolts. I’d look for Lane to do the same, but there are no more bridges for Lane to cross. All blown up.
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:39 am
Gruden turns around a 4-12 Raider team to SuperBowl contenders, and its his fault they are re-building? Maybe it’s been their PISS POOR drafting or the fact they’ve had 5 DIFFERENT headcoaches, since Gruden was gone No, no, it’s got to be Gruden’s fault!
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:42 am
@ Joe
Context is everything Joe! Rah’s comment certainly wasn’t complimentary of Gru but there wasn’t a hint of malice that I could hear. He was simply explaining the reasoning behind hiring Jim Bates and why he was a little gun shy about having a coaching hierarchy similar to Gru’s. Heck, the guy had a front row seat to view the rise and the fall of the our Bucs under the “two HC” dynamic.
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:43 am
Just keep talking Rah, regular season is just around the corner. You are just about out of excuses.
We shall see if you can make a pimple on Jon Gruden’s ass in terms of coaching.
I have my doubts. 3 dash 13 so far, and the ledger begins again in a few days.
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:43 am
Also, as eric will attest, truth is an affirmative defense to defamation. Simply put, the Big Tank at the end of Gru’s regime corroborates Rah’s statement: Two voices = Disharmony. Gru put himself/was put in a position where he was became the offensive mastermind/head coach by not paying sufficient attention to the defense. What are the logistics of Gru pulling that off? I have no clue.
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:50 am
I suggest everybody read Roy’s article. It’s very inciteful and shows one of the reasons I genuinely appreciate Rah over Gru. The guy has no filter and he really lets us in to his thought processes.
The article also puts into words what many have been saying: Rah made the defense marketed better in the final 6 games of the season and has improved it again this preseason.
Look at what Ruud said about Rah, “Raheem is so much more involved with the defense now and I think that’s really a good thing for us,” middle linebacker Barrett Ruud said. “Last year, we literally didn’t know what was going on sometimes…But now, the defense just revolves around what he says. He’s directly involved with it and he’s so much more hands on, and I think that’s what’s best for everybody. It just seems to work so much better that way.”
September 2nd, 2010 at 9:52 am
Uh, pulling it off?
Super Bowl, two more division titles, winning record three out of last four years.
And what has Rah “pulled off”?
Didley squat…………………………with more squat to come.
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:03 am
Rah gets bashed for everything. No matter what Gruden did to the team it was always going to be just good enough to see the light at the end of the tunnel and then fail miserably. When Kiffin parted he left a huge whole on the defense and we had a bunch of old guys set in their way who failed as soon as they got word of Kiffin leaving. And we all know Gruden would never do a youth movement to try and res erect this team. Rah gets my vote. No way he is throwing Gru under the bus. Though he is calling it the way he sees it, and Gruden WAS quite disconnected both O and D. I think as time goes on we will see more and more of this, and the Gru lovers will always bash Rah for it.
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:08 am
and he certainly realizes it…
From the article –
“…”Look, I realized that no matter who was calling the defense, it was all going to fall back on my lap at the end of the day anyway,” Morris said. “So I decided to call it, and I’m glad I did.
“Hey, I want to be known as a guy who runs into the fire, not away from it. I’m always going to stand up and try to drive the boat instead of jumping off of it, so it was the right thing for me to do.”
that’s what we want a leader to do in my mind…
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:14 am
Eric, Rah has been the HC one year. Thats one year of rebuilding almost an entire team. Gruden was handed a Super Bowl team and he dismantled it. Almost any head coach in the league could have done what Gru did here. Rah is simply cleaning up the Gruden disaster. He needs more than one year to be judged.
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:17 am
Ahhhh . . . nothing gets the juices flowing on this site more than a Gruden v. Morris deabte. Love to watch Eric pull out his favorite, slanted, nearly-delusional line:
“Super Bowl, two more division titles, winning record three out of last four years.” —– Eric (aka Gruden’s love child)
Eric, why do you say “winning record three out of the last four years”? What happened in that other year? Oh yeah . . . wait . . . Gruden only had one more win than Morris. LOL. This was Gruden, with Kiffin and with a few Pro Bowl/HOF players and only four years removed from the SB, right? One more win than Morris. REakky? In Gruden’s fourth year with Kiffin and Brooks and the rest, Gruden only won ONE MORE GAME than Morris won (in an obvious transition year)? That’s correct isn’t it Eric?
How about those division titles Eric? They were 9-7 right? How did we do in the playoffs? How were our division rivals in those years? In 2007, for example, every other team in the division had a losing record. The Falcons were one of the worst teams in football. So, in 2007 we were “division champs” because we were the best of the worst, as evidenced by the way we were CRUSHED in the playoffs.
I am a Gruden fan, but take out the SB win in his first year — with an incredible all-drafted Dungy defense and a good all-Gruden offense, for which he deserves huge credit –and you will see a gradual decline to the 9-7 season in 2008 with a 4 game collapse at the end. After the SB, Gruden was below .500. He had a few good seasons (Eric always recalls those) but also a few horrific seasons (one more win than Morris and 2 more wins that Morris — with Kiffin, Brooks etc). On this that all but the most delusional (Eric, Thomas etc) will admit is that Gruden left the team in way worse condition than he found it. Some of that is lack of picks, but some of it is Dexter Jackson, Gaines Adams, Alan Zemaitis etc . .
Gruden is a GREAT “x’s and o’s” coach and there is no comparison between Morris in year 1 versus Gruden in year 10 or 11 (or however many years he had been a head coach). It is just a stupid, nonsensical comparison made even more stupid by delusional people.
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:18 am
First of all Morris didn’t “criticize” Gruden. If a person makes an observation why does it have to be a critcism. That’s just like if you saw a person step in a pile of dog crap, you are not going to step in it you are going to try to avoid it. You are not blaming the person for stepping in it, you are just observing and making the necessary adjustments not to do the same thing. He was a part of the defense so he would know how the defensive players felt. Just because Kiffin was there does not mean the players wanted to be ignored by the head coach. There was an obvious problem, Morris was not the only person who said this. I am so sick of you “so called fans” attacking Morris, he is a coach on an NFL team. If you think you are better coach then go take his job instead of typing comments all day and sounding ignorant. Go Rah!! Go Bucs!!!
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:03 pm
There is no Gruden vs Morris debate. The people who have common sense are trying to explain to the morons hyped up on the kool aide that there is no comparison from a 100 win career coach to a 3 win career coach. Like comparing peas and watermelons, with Raheem being the tiny, little, insignificant black-eyed pea and Gruden being the Watermelon.
When it comes to he NFL, Gruden is far more well know and respected in than Raheem Morris.
And to even claim what you morons are claiming about Raheem speaks volumns to your ignorant bias.
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:14 pm
I just want to come out and say, I have had it up to HERE with the delusions about how well Raheem has been doing.
From this day forward, let there be NoMoreDelusionsBoutRah.
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:00 pm
JnW — REALLY??!??
You want to compare the total number of wins in TEN seasons verses ONE season? That’s not a fair comparison in any way. A guy who has ten seasons better have more wins than a guy with only one season.
Jimmy Johnson won one game in his first year. He won 89 in 9 seasons.
Tom Landry won ZERO games his first year. He won 270 in 28 seasons.
Chuck Knoll won one game in his first year. He won 209 in in 23 seasons.
Bill Walsh won two games in his first year. He won 102 in 10 seasons.
Mike Ditka won three games in his first year. He won 127 in 14 seasons.
Jeff Fisher won one game in his first year. He won 141 in 17(and counting) seasons.
Does Rah belong in that group? Who knows, only time will tell. But by the logic of some people, a team that was predicted to be bad and actually was bad, but showed improvement as the year went on is a reason to fire the head coach. Thank God Dallas, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Chicago and Tennessee’s owners all didn’t agree with that type of thinking.
I AM NOT saying that Rah is in that league of coaches, just saying that it took more than one year for those guys to show what they were worth, and some fans aren’t willing to give time.
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Ish, you are wasting your time with RahDom . . . err . . Javier, as he goes by these days. Now, if you want to have an enlightening discussion about race, well Javier . . .err . . . RahDom is your man. 🙂
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Ish:
You know Joe could pull out five other coaches who won three or fewer games their first year and are still largely regarded as putrid beyond words.
What Rah did his first year doesn’t mean he will be a Hall of Fame coach or garbage. It’s what the coach does his second and/or third year that determines his fate.
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Joe, I think your point is the point Ish is trying to make…
It looks like Zero has a new name…nomredel…ah…too long.
September 2nd, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Joe, I agree, and spent the last two paragraphs of my post making that point. My point, as McBuc says, I’d the same as yours– we still don’t know of Rah rocks or sucks.
We need to give him time.
September 2nd, 2010 at 3:28 pm
That’s B.S. Morris has had all the time he deserves!! If he does not go -0 to start the season, fire him!!!
September 2nd, 2010 at 3:48 pm
JimBuc, Leave the humor to the funny ones, please!
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:18 pm
Eric…how is this making up excuses?
“…”Look, I realized that no matter who was calling the defense, it was all going to fall back on my lap at the end of the day anyway,” Morris said. “So I decided to call it, and I’m glad I did.
“Hey, I want to be known as a guy who runs into the fire, not away from it. I’m always going to stand up and try to drive the boat instead of jumping off of it, so it was the right thing for me to do.”
It seems like Morris sees mistakes, takes responsibility, and does his best to fix the issue.
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:22 pm
@ ish
Great examples of good to great coaches with terrible starts and how they turned it around.
@Javier
Its funny how u call out ignorance. Anybody with sense knows u can’t compare Gruden and Morris. I wonder were Dallas would be have they fired Jimmy Johnson after a 1-15 season while Morris went 3-13. Why do u comment?
@ Joe
U need 2 ban Javi from posting just on stupity alone.
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:28 pm
@Joe
“You know Joe could pull out five other coaches who won three or fewer games their first year and are still largely regarded as putrid beyond words.”
Of course you could, Joe. What bugs me is the trend for so many to lean toward the negative possibilities and their refusal to acknowledge that it could well go in a positive also. At this point, we just don’t know.
I can acknowledge that it’s possible the Bucs will win less than 4 games this year, while at the same time, it’s my opinion that they will go 8-8 for the season…or better.
But for most here, they lack the ability to acknowledge they could also be wrong.
And the same holds true for Raheem. Let’s everyone be honest here. Most of the whiners were actually wanting Gruden out of here as well…and before that they wanted Dungy out of here. Because some people just have to whine and complain, hate and blame.
They would rather have someone like a Bill Cower, who would really put us into ultra rebuilding mode, tear the team apart and start from scratch because the current players don’t fit his system.
I admit, I’ve had issues with Raheem Morris, especially last year. This team was a shambles…an embarrassment. That said, in the off season, the man worked to turn things around…and he made appropriate moves to do so.
Morris is here for this year and next most likely. We know he’s here for this year, and since there is no football the following year, the Glazers won’t spend MORE money to sit a new coach.
So, people, get your heads in the game and look for the positives. They exist…and there are a bunch of them…and that includes Morris, who two years from now you complainers will change your names and claim you were supporting him all along.
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:38 pm
@Javier n Wimauma, Who said:
“There is no Gruden vs Morris debate. The people who have common sense are trying to explain to the morons hyped up on the kool aide that there is no comparison from a 100 win career coach to a 3 win career coach. Like comparing peas and watermelons, with Raheem being the tiny, little, insignificant black-eyed pea and Gruden being the Watermelon.”
Response:
Well, of course. No one here thinks Morris is more successful than Gruden. That’s just your refusal to pay attention. What people ARE saying is that Morris has the potential to become a better coach than Gruden when all is said and done. And he certainly is already a better talent evaluator than Gruden, Allen and Kiffin combined.
You said:
“When it comes to he NFL, Gruden is far more well know and respected in than Raheem Morris.”
Response:
Again…of course. Gruden has much more experience and exposure. But take your blinders off, this isn’t about popularity.
You said:
“And to even claim what you morons are claiming about Raheem speaks volumns to your ignorant bias.”
Response:
Amazing. You insult people, you say they are biased…yet YOU are one of the biased ones. Do you feel like a bigger man by talking tough, insulting people and claiming you are never wrong? (or rather never admitting you are wrong)
You bring nothing but opinion to the conversation, no factual data…except the obvious stuff. At least Oar backs up his words with data.
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Mushface — you are a class act to the end.
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:12 pm
LMFAO!!!
Didn’t I say there is NO COMPARISON?
Then gals attack me saying I compared the two? Only to turn around and compare Raheem to even better coaches?
WOW!
Sounds like a whole group of gals just drank from the same suicide juice at the Raheem Morris ‘will be’ Great Cult.
Look, we just had kickoff, reality will be here in a week, the proof will be in the gameday pudding.
Unless that is, The RMGC has already started making excuses for Raheem’s present day failure.
September 2nd, 2010 at 10:39 pm
B.I.O.G- Blame it on Gruden!