Raheem Has It Under Control
May 21st, 2011
Joe knows there are several things to worry about with this asinine lockout, orchestrated by NFL hatchetman Roger Goodell, as it meanders its way through the summer.
What will the Bucs play like when it ends? How haggard will the team look? Will there be injuries due to lack of practice time?
All valid questions, but several Bucs players waive their arms in the air, dismissing such notions. To a man, who spoke with video star Anwar Richardson of the Tampa Tribune, have any doubt: Raheem Morris will lead them out of the shadow of darkness.
“It’s kind of sad that we having an offseason where we can’t work together, but Raheem is a great coach,” Bucs left tackle Donald Penn said. “I don’t think we’re going to miss a beat when we do get back. We have a great staff.”
Morris and his staff motivated the youngest team in football to finish 10-6 after a 3-13 season in 2009. Tampa Bay narrowly missed the playoffs last year, but Morris has been unable to work with his team this offseason because of the lockout.
The Bucs players have a very salient point: Few if any sober NFL fan last year would have predicted the Bucs to have a winning season in 2010. But they did!
Many of these same prognosticators also predicted Morris would be on his way out.
Not only was Morris retained, the Bucs nearly found their way into the playoffs.
If Bucs fans have learned anything from last season, it is not to lay money against Raheem.
Hence, the Bucs have faith in Morris.
May 21st, 2011 at 10:52 am
Raheem, was given a job that was set up to fail. ownership hired hs O-cord and his D-cord, neither one of them worked out for morris. Glazers got lucky with this hire. they got him on the cheap and he has ended up being a coach who is better than many thought he was, and is only getting better as a HC. Public speaking skills do not matter in the gridiron. if you have a problem with the way he communicates with the media or to the public that is a personal problem you have with the man. yes, his defense last year was not all that, but it was better than having bates run what ever he was trying to do.
Joe, by the way i sold out and got DTV and will have the nfl network finally! brighthouse can eat a big one!
May 21st, 2011 at 11:02 am
Hector- no, it didn’t happen like that.
The Glazers got tired or seeing the Herm Edwards, Lovie Smiths, and Mike Tolmins leave here and succeed elsewhere. It was obvious, watching and talking to the players, that they responded beautifully to Raheem. The first thought was to make him defensive co-ordinator, but it was apparent that Gruden had lost all control of the team. So- why not.
Sure looks like a great choice now, doesn’t it.
May 21st, 2011 at 11:06 am
Capt, either way anyone looks at it. i am happy he is the HC.
May 21st, 2011 at 11:19 am
The packers were the youngest team in the nfl. Morris turned a 9-7 team into a 3-13 team with horrible decisions- going with lefty, making phillips a lb, cutting matt bryant, derrick ward and mike clayton, etc etc. Firing both coordinators to cover his ineptitudes. Last year appears to me to be the gift of a soft schedule of horrible qbs and they still finished 3rd out of 4.
May 21st, 2011 at 11:36 am
There goes the fool twisting facts. The pack might have been the youngest by average age of the entire roster but I bet they didn’t start as many rookies as us.
Keep on babbling fool. U will have nothing left to say after we make the playoffs this year.
May 21st, 2011 at 11:37 am
Thomas, I remember you predicting a 2-3 win season last year even with this “soft schedule”. Rah and Dom took a completely purged team full of 1st and 2nd year guys and made them respectable in 2 seasons. Oh, and the Bucs were the yougest team in the league last year and started more rookies then any other team. The Bucs had a franchise record 7 game turnaround last year because of excellent coaching and drafting. The players have enormous respect and confidence for the new regime and that’s what really matters!
May 21st, 2011 at 11:46 am
Morris is the man and definitely has the pulse of his young team despite some dumb setbacks during the off season. He has this club growing in the right direction and this trend should continue. Despite the 3-13 season what happened during this season was a coach that recognized mistakes and adjusted accordingly. His players never stopped playing for him. He deserves all the credit for drafing Freeman that will solidify this team for years to come. I for one who have stated in many posts that I hated Morris in his first year but any knowledgeable football fan can not only see this as a team on the rise but can also see they are building this team the right way. Yeah we missed the playoffs but we were the youngest team in the NFL and had to overcome many injuries to key positions. Building a team that will compete every year is a process and one the team is doing correctly. Morris being considered coach of the year should have been enough to win fans over. Of course there are still some idiots that can’t see the growth of a team that will make the playoffs and contend for the Superbowl in the next few years. Go Morris. You have won me and many other FANS over. I loved Gruden and will always give him credit for doing something I never thought I’d see happen in my lifetime. But anyone can see that Morris and Dominic are doing a phenomenal job in rebuilding a team that will last for years to come. That was something Gruden could not do and even I could see this after I took a step back and looked at the big picture. Now the Glazer boys need to get on board and allow this team to add some key free agents to contend now instead of later.
May 21st, 2011 at 11:49 am
H.C. Raheem Morris is starting to figure things out and i believe that he will be right coach in the long run. The players respond to him and that is a huge key for the players who believe in their coach will always play hard. As far as the cordinators are concern I do remember that he didnt have a huge say into hiring both of them but at least he realized that and made the right choices by replacing them both.
Hector- yea i cant imagine being a first year coach in his situation and not getting a lot of help but he did lobbyed for Freemen and that in itself makes that 3-13 season worth it.
Capt.- point well taken sir, Gruden lost that locker room.
Thomas 2.2- The Packers were the sec. youngest in the league but they finished with the same record 10-6. they had the Lions & the Vikings…C’mon really? We have the Falcons and the Saints to deal with every year. As far as the scedule goes…aint our fault who we play!
May 21st, 2011 at 11:55 am
Regardless of how “soft” or “hard” the bucs schedule may have been, or appeared to be, 10-6 is a good year for a team, especially the youngest or 2nd youngest, whatever. The first year with Raheem was a wreck, no doubt. But they did turn some things around this year and improved, which is better then some other teams. I will agree we had an easy schedule, at least when you look at it on paper and after the end of the season. But that shouldn’t discount the improvement of the team overall. The bucs schedule seems tougher this year, so we will see if we can continue to improve. Still, with such a young team and a winning (if not great) record last year you have to be a little excited to see what this team can do and is made of
May 21st, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Hector- yup, me too buddy!
Marcus, thanks! And good post!
Thomas2.2 (Gilligan) lol, totally wrong again Lil buddy!
May 21st, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Thomas is hibernating ole great glossing one.
May 21st, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Lol, apparently the skipper has need of his “services”
May 21st, 2011 at 1:19 pm
Who would have thought Thomas would chime in with some more of his thoughtful insight? His fingers have an orgasm whenever he sees an article with Raheem or
GMC in the title.
May 21st, 2011 at 2:00 pm
Thomas:
Find me a head coach with a winning record on hisrookie season. Very few if there are any! He keeps getting better. Where are all the hatred now. GO BUCS!
May 21st, 2011 at 7:36 pm
raheem the dream and mark the rockstar yeah I said it…
May 22nd, 2011 at 1:35 am
this just in…thomas is an idiot!!! you just know he was the last kid picked for any sport, what a loser
May 22nd, 2011 at 2:09 pm
You guys should join me in OARS suggestion…Ignor Thomas, he just trapps everyone into responding to him.