“No Reason To Make Morris Squirm”
December 17th, 2010
Veteran Tampa Tribune beat scribe Woody Cummings is ready to break out Team Glazer’s checkbook and lock up Raheem Morris as Buccaneers head coach for the next three years.
In a passionate column on TBO.com, Cummings makes the case that Raheem has done enough. Here’s an excerpt:
There’s no reason to make Morris squirm through the coming offseason. Sure, he’s got another year left on the deal he signed a little more than a year ago, but that’s a club option.
The club should pick up that option now, or soon after the season ends, and throw another couple of years onto it for good measure. Morris, who so many seemed to think was in over his head a year ago, has earned it.
You don’t often say that about a coach with an 11-18 career record, but if Morris can do what he’s done this year with a collection of kids and castoffs, think what he could do with a more experienced and talent-laden roster.
Now Joe thinks Raheem has done a remarkable job this season on multiple fronts. He and Mark Dominik have crafted an extraordinary turnaround following the self-inflicted Bates-Jagodzinski debacle they dropped on Bucs nation.
But when it comes to extending Raheem’s deal, Joe’s going think like a Glazer for a moment. (Joe might even put on a Paul Scholes jersey and hate Dan Sileo, just to capture the spirit.)
Now Joe can’t think of why Team Glazer would do anything more than pick up Raheem’s option for next season.
It’s a very nice thought to toss Raheem a couple of additional years of guaranteed money, but there would be no good business reason for it. The smart move is to give Raheem 2011, see if the team keeps moving forward and see how fans react at the gate.
Raheem isn’t going anywhere. If the Bucs are knocking on the playoff door again next December, Raheem’s surely not going to turn down a handsome long term offer for a third-year head coach with two winning seasons.
Don’t expect a new deal for Raheem next month.
December 17th, 2010 at 11:50 pm
Raheem deserves an extension. What he has done with this team is quite remarkable given the circumstances.
The Glazers need to lock this man up and make a statement to the people of Tampa: Either you choose to support this team with Raheem or the team eventually gets moved!
December 17th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
I agree he has done a remarkable job.
I also agree they should wait till after next season for a long extension. See if they can contend for the NFC South, while not playing the last place schedule.
The only downside I can see is hesitation on the part of FA’s if he does not have a long term deal.
December 18th, 2010 at 12:17 am
Lock him up now. I was a Gruden lover and a Raheem hater last year but this guy has won me over. This team is playing for this guy and the Glazers need to reward him. There is no reason to think this team will not be better next year. With another draft and off season training we should be a force for years to come. Continuity is a must. If this guy can get guys responding that have never played things are only going to get better. Now we made need a new strength and conditioning coach.
December 18th, 2010 at 12:41 am
The Glazers are a bunch of p*ssys… they don’t have the BALLS to sign Raheem to a long term contract that he has earned.
The Glazers are just plain cheap.
December 18th, 2010 at 12:44 am
I’m sick of hearing this “last place schedule” B.S. Just for the record, the Bucs opponents have a combined 80-89 record. Admittedly, that’s not great, but let’s look at the record of some other playoff contenders schedules….
Chicago Bears opponents: 74-95… that’s worse than the Bucs.
Green Bay Packers opponents: 79-90
New York Giants opponents: 71-98
And here’s the real kicker….
New Orleans Saints opponents: a combined 68-101. Yep, a full 12 fewer wins than the Bucs opponents. Yet nobody is saying how they’re beating miserable teams as well.
The only difference between our schedule and the Falcons is a couple games. They’ve played the Packers and Eagles (two much tougher opponents) and we’ve got the Lions and Redskins. But even that’s ONLY two games.
The schedule you play is determined long before the season starts, it’s based on a divisional rotation. There are only two games based on divisional placement. And even those can be argued as to their advantage/disadvantage. Look at the Saints playing the Vikings and Cowboys this year. Supposed to be the two toughest teams in those divisions, but that didn’t happen. The Panthers had the Giants and Bears to make their schedule … easier???
Morris is winning with the schedule he’s been given. Next year looks to be the NFC North (GB, Chi, Det, Min) and the AFC South (Ind, Jax, Hou, Ten). That would be for ALL the NFC South, not just the Bucs based on record. Morris will have to win with that schedule too. I’m not saying the team should go out and give him the extension now. He’s done well, but that’s up to the Glazers. If they want to see one more year first, that’s their prerogative. Just like with Free Agents in their final year, you can sign them now for cheap, or let them finish their contract and if it’s a really good year, you better be willing to pay.
December 18th, 2010 at 1:16 am
Good stuff Bam Bam!!!
December 18th, 2010 at 1:47 am
Ive yet to personally meet coach Morris. But when I do…Im shaking his hand and apologizing to him. I was WRONG!
December 18th, 2010 at 1:49 am
Re-sign Raheem! Re-sign Raheem!
Come on Glazers… OPEN UP THE CHECK BOOK AND HOOK em UP!
The Glazers should pay him 3-5 million a year. Come on Glazers! The Tampa Tribune LOVES him. He is what you want in a coach, remember, that hidden champion you saw in him when you promoted him to Head Coach!
Come on Glazers, sign the man! Come out and show your support!
December 18th, 2010 at 1:50 am
I cant believe Buc You is saying Raheem deserves a new contract now. Did hell recently freeze over?
Brad- a new strength and conditioning coach? How about Sal Alosi? He should be available soon? Would have loved to have him in the last game against Atlanta!!!
December 18th, 2010 at 1:54 am
Nevermind the fact that since Raheem came into the head coaching ranks, he most likely has caused deleted for racist-based theory from Raymond James. He is winning. And he is proving the Glazers right. So they need to bring the wheel barrel full of gold for Raheem as a huge signing bonus.
DO IT GLAZERS!!! This is EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANTED IN RAHEEM, he succeeded. It is time to PAY THE MAN HIS DUE!
Don’t be cheap Glazer boys.
December 18th, 2010 at 1:56 am
Buc You:
Joe enjoys many of your rants but you’ve crossed the line. Just know if you refer to anyone’s ethnicity or religion in a negative light again, you’re done here. There are plenty of places you can find on the internet to spew that kind of venom. This isn’t one of them.
December 18th, 2010 at 4:01 am
I’m as big of a Raheem supporter as anyone, but I have to agree with Joe and Eric on this one. As a business owner myself, I totally understand why the Glazers would just pick up his option for next year and just wait until the following year to give him an extension. Granted, it may piss him off, and rightfully so, but some of my best decisions I have ever made in business pissed people off. Sometimes you have to make decisions that are the best for the company, not for everyone’s feelings. I don’t see the rush from their side. The only problem for them to wait is if we go deep in the playoffs next year, the price will go way way up. However, I see that as a very good problem.
I do think there is another solution that may make both parties fairly happy, and my guess is this is what will happen. Pick up his option and give him a nice raise for next year, basically as a pat on the back for a job well done. It still gives them the option to move on if we tank next year, but it also shows Raheem that they are grateful for what he has done so far and they are willing to pay him if it continues. Raheem is not going to love it, but I don’t think he will hate it either (who would hate getting a big raise?). As the season progresses next year, I would slowly begin to work on an extension, but waiting until later in the season to actually make the deal.
December 18th, 2010 at 5:13 am
Buc You…The Glazers are not pussies, as proven as when they fired both Dungy *&* Gruden, right after they had hit their coaching ceilings with this team. Huge b*lls to do that. Plus, being cheap is is not firing Gruden while they still had to pay him…
December 18th, 2010 at 10:47 am
Any Raheem supporter against him getting a big pay raise and contract extension are obviously not true Raheem supporters.
They must be part of team Ari, you know, the paid pumpers that the Glazers went out this off-season and hired to vehemently support the youth movement.
Real raheem supporters would be rattling their key boards all but demanding Raheem get a nice contract extension, bonus and long term deal.
Its pretty transparent what’s going on here.
December 18th, 2010 at 11:12 am
Buc You…you truly are a racist POS…I feel sorry for your family.
December 18th, 2010 at 11:24 am
I agree with Hawaiian, let next season start to play out and go from there. If he continues his upward swing then pay the man. The future is bright.
December 18th, 2010 at 11:31 am
‘White Flight’??? Maybe you should start watching more hockey. That might make you feel a little a less hateful.
December 18th, 2010 at 11:36 am
Joe here,
Buc You – The race stuff isn’t going to fly, even though that wouldn’t qualify has hateful. Go another direction.
December 18th, 2010 at 11:58 am
I can’t believe how gulible most of you are.
Sure coach Morris has done a good job THIS YEAR. But let’s see what next year brings shall we?
How come these coaches and players all get this pot of gold contracts based on PAST PERFORMANCE? Becuase that’s the way is has always been right?
Well the Glazers are BUSINESSMEN and not sports fans. As a businessman myself I’m not giving my employees anything unless they earn it. Raheem earned another year – that’s it.
Now if he gets the Bucs into the playoffs this year and they actually win a game – THEN I’d be a little more generous.
December 18th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
Dangle the carrot for another year. If Raheem is successful. Pay him. To many times coaches and players are rewarded early on. Then they lose sight of the prize.
December 18th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
There are two Hot young head coaches in the NFL right now, Steve Spagnuolo & Raheem Morris. They are both paying dividends to their owners and I think they are indispensable.
December 18th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
I believe the Glazers have spent plenty of money in the past. To stereotpye them [no need to go there gitarlvr] hateful is just ridiculous. They are smart with their money, not cheap. Perhaps Buc You would prefer the wastrel that is Daniel Snyder to own the Buccaneers.
December 18th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Of course I should have known that the only reason that the likes of Buc You would drop his racist hatred of Raheem would be to express his racist hatred of the Glazers. I hate it when people play the race card and thought it was unfair when people started assuming that the last few stragglers bashing Raheem were only doing so because they were racists, but Buc You just provided proof straight from the horse’s asse’s mouth. Of course i’m sure Thomas the zero will maintain his innocence since he has yet to be as stupid as Buc You and let slip an open admission as to his real motivations.
December 18th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
HEY JOE!!!
Buc You said-
@gitarlvr, there is nothing more amusing than to put a J on the spot, making him feel uncomfortable, all but backing him into a corner to OPEN UP THAT CHECK BOOK!
PAY UP GLAZERS! You have no choice now!
————————————————————————————-
By J he means Jew , in case you didn’t know.
HOW IS THIS NOT HATE SPEECH JOE?? I am assuming you may have missed this comment at first.
December 19th, 2010 at 9:29 am
I also said Raheems presence was the cause of white flight from Ray Jay.
That’s not racist. That’s an observation based on attendance, based on the meaning of white flight. Are all the white people who leave thug neighborhoods racists because they want a better life away from thugish behaviors?
Its all debatable. Joe can ban me, I don’t give a damn. But if pointing out observations is racist here among the Joe Buc Fan apologist fanbase, then you can count me out.
December 19th, 2010 at 9:49 am
Buc You:
So you have the demographic figures to show less white people are going to Bucs games now? Really? What’s your source?
Joe’s leaving this up so others can see how you are showing your ass. But Joe will give you a small piece of advice (your writing is starting to come across very much like Radio Mushmouth’s):
There is zero reason to even remotely bring up the subject of race or religion on this site. Why? This is a football site devoted to the Bucs. The subject of race or religion on this site is as relevant as the cost of seal oil in Alaska.
Just know the next comment you have about race or religion, no matter how benign, on this site is your last.
What you choose to do is your call.
December 19th, 2010 at 11:52 am
Buc You says White Power. I say Buc Power! Bucs 31 Lions 10
December 19th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Go ahead and ban this character Joe.
December 19th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Buc You, its easy to be an *anonymous* tough-guy d-bag…But, Im certain if I ever ran into you and we met face to face, you would not be singing the same toon. Your racism is nothing more than fear, you COWARD!