Gerald McCoy is the unquestioned vocal leader of the Bucs defense, but it seems his likely 2014 backup won’t take after No. 93.

Joe talked to McCoy this week about undrafted rookie Euclid Cummings, the likely Bucs undertackle of the future. (more…)

The late Malcolm Glazer made plenty of relentless power plays as the Buccaneers’ owner.

Joe surely remembers all the drama of the sealed bids to purchase Tampa Bay from the Culverhouse estate. (more…)

Bucs coach Lovie Smith still won’t give many hints about his offense.

While a prominent member of the Tampa Bay pen and mic club, Chapter 813, is on record saying the current weight of the Bucs franchise is on the shoulders of offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford, no one short of someone already on the payroll of the Bucs knows what exactly will the Bucs offense be like?

Could it be a punishing run game? Could it be the “Dunkaneers?” Could it be a combination of the three? Bucs fans want to know. (more…)

The Custodian of Canton is suspicious of the knighting of Mike Glennon “quarterback of the future.”

Though many Bucs fans don’t want to read it, the words from Bucs coach Lovie Smith over some two weeks ago that backup Mike Glennon is the “quarterback of the future” still has the walls One Buc Palace rattling.

What does all of this mean? It is a thick smokescreen? Did Lovie really mean Glennon is the starting quarterback in the future? Did it mean the competition for starting quarterback this fall is open? When is “the future?” (more…)

Some great memories here of Malcolm Glazer, whose death was announced by the Buccaneers today.

Via this link, NFL and NFL Films remember Glazer, including classic footage.

Also, Derrick Brooks shared his thoughts on NFL Network, starting off by saying how “extremely sad” he is today.

Malcolm Glazer, the man who saved the Bucs from bolting Tampa Bay, who fought to have a state-of-the-art stadium for fans to enjoy, and who guided the team to its only Super Bowl championship, passed away today.

Mr. Glazer, who had been in bad health for some years, was 85.

More on Mr. Glazer’s life can be found at Buccaneers.com.

Mike James says he understands the writing on the wall

The Bucs are loaded at running back, and second-year RB Mike James knows he’s gone from shining Schiano Man to a guy fighting hard for a job.

James is battling for a role complementing Doug Martin, and Charles Sims, Bobby Rainey and Jeff Demps want the same thing. (more…)

Josh McCown explains why he must be at one with his offensive coordinator — in a hurry.

Lord X-factor of the Bucs 2014 season, offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford, has a tall order.

He’s new to the NFL and he sort of has to become the next Marc Trestman in a hurry. (more…)

Bucs defensive line coach Joe Cullen has a new fan

The biggest prerequisite for a Lovie Smith assistant coach is to be an astute, effective teacher of the game.

Teaching is No. 1 on Lovie’s list. But Lovie does not seek quiet clones of himself. (more…)

Joe’s pulling for former Bucs captain Davin Joseph to revive his once strong career, but not during Week 2 of this season.

That’s when the Rams come to Tampa. (more…)

The heat is already on Bucs offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford, says a local columnist.

Joe gets a chuckle from the neanderthal Bucs fans — the type who have this twisted notion that the Bucs would be just as well off with hobbled Carl Nicks at quarterback than a highly drafted or highly successful signal-caller.

These knuckledraggers jump up and down with glee claiming the Seahawks won the Super Bowl with defense-only, as if talented quarterback Russell Wilson is some second-coming of Deiter Brock. Defense wins championships, they claim. (more…)

No pressure, Lovie. .

Your old comrade is calling your team Super Bowl-bound on national television. (more…)

“Dr. Smith”

You have heard the cliche by now, “I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV.” Yes, it started with a TV ad.

Bucs coach Lovie Smith is a football coach, a family man, a dad, a husband, and as he self-confessed yesterday after Tuesday’s OTA, not much else. That is, until he plays “Dr. Smith,” whose specialty is hamstrings. (more…)

Here are photos Joe took at Bucs practice today during the opening 30-minute window that permits photography. Joe was using a Galaxy 4. Most photos are cropped. Joe can only get so close to the fields (yes, the Bucs use up to four fields at a time during practice) without violating boundaries. (more…)

Bucs wide receiver Chris Owusu has turned into a bit of a practice phenom the past couple of years.

The guy runs crisp routes, catches everything, has plenty of speed, and he looks the part. (more…)

Lovie is not fond of controlled scrimmages.

Some coaches are big believers that practicing against another team or, at least, someone with a different color jersey, not only gives a team a chance to see how players fare against fresh opposition, but it mentally breaks up the monotony of training camp.

It is sort of like having a fifth preseason game. (more…)