Herm Edwards Likes The Mark Dominik Way
July 27th, 2010
When Team Glazer decided the Bucs needed a youth movement and said goodbye to Bruce Almighty and Chucky, Mark Dominik was handed the franchise.
Like many men responsible for rebuilding the team, he decided to go the smart route and build through the draft.
This philosophy seems to get the nod of approval from one of Raheem the Dream’s predecessors, former Bucs secondary coach and NFL head coach Herm Edwards. Twittering Tuesday morning as he is wont to do, Herm wrote about the best way to build a team.
@greiner3: what’s their best way to do it the draft or free agency?
@HermEdwardsESPN: Build your foundation threw the draft& use FA as a filler.
That’s exactly what Dominik has preached for the past year but few are listening. Dominik wants to build the Bucs like Rich McKay did: good drafts and when the Bucs get over the hump, go out and get free agents to fill holes to have a team that competes for a Super Bowl year after year.
July 27th, 2010 at 9:08 am
If you wanna win SuperBowls- that’s the ticket! Unless some of you(Eric!) think Dan Snyder is on the right track
July 27th, 2010 at 9:32 am
Why is this so hard to understand? Being very active in FA comes much later in a rebuiding process.
Not only has Herm & Dom being saying this, so have commenters on here… for months now.
July 27th, 2010 at 9:35 am
It’s the tried and true formula for long term success. Patience among fanatics is hard to come by though…
July 27th, 2010 at 9:38 am
Shhhhhhhhhhh keep this a secret, nobody else in the league has ever heard of the NFL Draft.
July 27th, 2010 at 9:41 am
We have not been saying to ” Not build thru the draft.” The true key to successful teams, is Good drafting, good coaching, and make a couple of positions more competitive thru free agency. I am not surprise that this formula is lost to the masses of fans in Tampa.
July 27th, 2010 at 9:57 am
Well first of all, Herm said Threw and not Through. And I am the last person to be considered an English major comming from Wimauma and all, LOL!
Secondly, it’s pretty obvious what he said. It’s as if Twitter has dumbed down our nation to a point of hundreds of millions of captain obvious responders within 140 characters or less.
Anyway, there 31 other teams in the NFL who also attend the draft. are they not building through the draft too?
Most teams that don’t sign free agents also can’t sign free agents because free agents have a choice!
There are annual losers who not only are trying to build through the draft alone, they have to, and those teams get to draft high every year.
To me it’s WHO is running your draft. We had Raheem and Marky D head the last two up. Didn’t they trade a 5th rounder to move upt 2 or 3 spots to draft Benn? Didn’t they draft 2 DTs, and 2 WRs in the first 4 rounds? Is this just in case one of them doesn’t pan out?
At the end of the day (as in yesterday), I liked the draft. Why? Because they made darn sure that they addressed two major positions of need, yet at the expense of other areas of obvious need.
Maybe the owners wanted these picks? DT’s are expensive. But if you draft them then they are cheap. WR’s are expensive. Drafting them they are cheap. QBs are expensive, but now Josh Freeman’s base salary is under a million bucks.
Hmmmmm?
July 27th, 2010 at 10:11 am
The problem with this “plan” is The Dream. He is not experienced enough to successfully execute such a rebuilding effort. He would have been better suited to take over a ready-built team.
July 27th, 2010 at 10:15 am
“Dominik wants to build the Bucs like Rich McKay did: good drafts and when the Bucs get over the hump, go out and get free agents”
People, there’s a big difference between the rebuilding period during the 90’s and rebuilding job being done now. Until 1996, the team had been 14 CONSECUTIVE losing seasons!!! There was a huge losing culture in Tampa. So rebuilding, and having the slow as hell progress back then wasn’t a big deal, because losing was nothing new back then. People were used to it. Now, it’s different. This has been a winning organization for over a decade. Also when Raheem and Dumbnik decided to “rebuild”, this team wasn’t even a disaster like the Bucco Bruce Pre-Dungy bucs were. We went 9-7, and the regime basically tears down the team and starts from scratch, as if we were the Detroit Lions!! Btw, they were 0-16 in 2008, and they’re at the same level, if not, further ahead than us right now!!
Dungy inherited a bad team and was pretty good in his first year. Raheem inherited a “good” team I would say (not great, but solid) and he plummets in his first year.
July 27th, 2010 at 10:18 am
I think Morris inherited a closet full of old clothes that needed to cleaned out. Its no surprise (to me at least) that none of those guys are currently on a roster.
This is a different approach to rebuilding for sure (for a lot of different reasons). The result of this season will go a long way to seeing if it’s working.
As a fan, I certainly hope it’s successful.
July 27th, 2010 at 10:23 am
Why not a comprehensive approach using all available assets? When restocking the team through the draft, and a good FA or RFA comes available, why not sign him? Or a trade for a young player.
Why turn off the faucet on signing some guys with experience? Won’t that just help the rookies develop and learn, and have everyone mesh together? Perhaps help out your franchise QB?
I think Rich McKay believes that, and I do not recall him stating any theory of rebuilding exclusively through the draft model, ignoring FA’s and trades in the process, and later add FA’s. If he did, why bring in Hardy? Furthermore, why did Dom sign Ward and trade for K-2. What happened between 2009 and 2010 where thisavenue for improvement was all but abandoned?
The premise is faulty. It also re-writes history, and is nonsensical.
Why is it being implemented? Follow the money.
July 27th, 2010 at 10:29 am
Patrick — you hit on the core issue that divides most people. You actually think this:
“This has been a winning organization for over a decade.”
Actually, it has been a team with a losing record over the last 6 Gruden seasons, right? And a team that never successfully replaced any of the players that won the SB. Maybe you did not notice the decline because of Gruden’s coaching, but there is no doubt the team has been in decline since the Super Bowl.
You also think this is true:
“Dungy inherited a bad team and was pretty good in his first year. Raheem inherited a “good” team I would say (not great, but solid) and he plummets in his first year.”
You must be following a different team in a different universe. Dungy struggled out of the box with a team that included Sapp and Brooks and Lynch and Hardy Nickerson.
Morris did not inherit a “good team.” I guess you think that because the Bucs were 9-7 the year before. Maybe you missed the 4 game collapse at the end and maybe you missed the fact that 9 veterans from that team were purged (most never played inthe NFL again, by the way). Maybe you missed the lineup loaded with first time starters or the fact that Monte Kiffin was not standing on the sideline.
Morris and Dom were the direct reason for some of the losing. Bad choices with coordinators etc. But let’s not get crazy and say Morris inherited a “good” team.
July 27th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Eric — the Bucs did not “turn of the faucet.” The CBA turned off the faucet. More than 200 UFAs became RFAs. League-wide event. Few exceptions, but overall little or no free agency activity. Let’s see what happens in 2011. Oh wait . . . the NFL is going to cease to exist after this year. Forgot about that. Nevermind. 🙂
July 27th, 2010 at 10:38 am
@ Eric.
You may (or may not) have a point…
but one must also consider that the entire league is doing the same thing to one degree or another due to the CBA issues… (except the Bengals and Bears- Bengals are peaking in the cycle, Bears regime is trying to save their jobs.)
July 27th, 2010 at 10:39 am
“But let’s not get crazy and say Morris inherited a “good” team.”
The Dream inherited a 9-7 team and if you count close loses, it was much better!!! 🙂
July 27th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Um, Mr. Gruden’s last 4 years with the team went like this:
9-7
9-7
4-12
12-4
And yes, as I have read earlier, when you count close losses as you guys stated yesterday, then those losses in the 9-7’s and 4-12’s years can be painted anyway you please to paint them right?
July 27th, 2010 at 10:50 am
One last thing, if Raheem can put together 4 seasons like this, then everyone should be happy, right? Raheem, sir, it’s on you!
July 27th, 2010 at 10:57 am
@Louie
“The Dream inherited a 9-7 team and if you count close loses, it was much better!!!”
Don’t forget that we were 9-3 at one point either. I know the record at the end of the season is what matters, but 9-3 says something.
July 27th, 2010 at 11:05 am
YEA! And, the only reason they lost those last 4 games was because Monte announced he was leaving!!!!
…that should get the sheep to stampede! 😉
July 27th, 2010 at 11:11 am
@JimBuc
“Morris and Dom were the direct reason for some of the losing. Bad choices with coordinators etc. But let’s not get crazy and say Morris inherited a “good” team.”
And another thing. Everybody knows that the defense was the reason for the collapse in 2008. A lot of people blame Gruden, Allen, etc.. But people forget that Raheem was DEFENSIVE backs coach on the 2008 Bucs. Other than Kiffin, he was the guy most responsible for the collapse. And I found it kind of weird that the Glazers promoted him to HC after the defense’s performance during the last 4 weeks of the season.
July 27th, 2010 at 11:15 am
I do blame Kiffin a lot for those last 4 games in ’08, but I also blame the fact that our best DT (surprisingly it was Jovan Haye) was injured for those last few games. Hovan was injured for a few of those too. Hell, we started Sims and Wilkerson at DT when we played against ATL. But also, we were too old and ran out of gas. There is a reason why everyone who we cut didnt play the next season (except Galloway who lasted a whole 4 games). Its a joke to say Rah inherited a good team. To me, 9-7 is average. Double digit wins, I consider to be a good year.
July 27th, 2010 at 11:16 am
JImBuc,
You are going against the statements of the Glazer boy, who said FA’s are fools gold.
So is everyone in agreement that the exclusive build through the draft model is bogus, and is only being implemented because of the CBA and not really some grand plan of Mark Dominik?
If so, it’s not really the “tried and true” method of the past, is it?
July 27th, 2010 at 11:23 am
I gues the ultimate question is:
Are the Glazers more interested in fielding a competitive team, or collusion with the league not to sign guys because of the CBA siuation?
Fans vs. Wallets.
July 27th, 2010 at 11:36 am
The D:
Why?
July 27th, 2010 at 11:36 am
Louie the HATER said:
“The Dream inherited a 9-7 team and if you count close loses, it was much better!!!
Weren’t you and your ilk upset with Mr. White yesterday over his suggestion that closes losses show improvement? Now, not only was Gruden 9-7 in his last season but he was actually BETTER “if you count close losses.”
Louie, you are nothing if not consistent.
July 27th, 2010 at 11:46 am
JImbuc,
Louie is baiting you, my friend.
And you took it like a snook sucking down a greenback.
July 27th, 2010 at 11:48 am
Hook, line and sinker. Way to bite on that, JimBuc!
I’m joking (didn’t you notice the stampede comment?) — simply illustrating how there are two different standards for grading Gruden and Morris.
July 27th, 2010 at 11:52 am
ROFLMAO — all the Gruden loving crowd can’t get out of their own way for stepping on their wagging tongues. Check out the ridiculous stuff posted here. Talk about crazy double standards. Let’s start with Javier who gave us Gruden record IN HIS LAST 4 YEAR. What happen in the 5th year prior. LOL. Plus, Gruden was coaching a SB team for many of his years. The win the SB and went stright downhill. Lots of things out og Gruden’s control, but let’s not deny the truth by omitting key facts
How about Patrick with this comment:
“Don’t forget that we were 9-3 at one point either. I know the record at the end of the season is what matters, but 9-3 says something.”
So does a 4 game collapse when you were in playoff contention, especially getting waxed on national tv by a team that did not even try to disguise it was going to run. LMAO Patrick. Weren’t you just criticizing White’s article yesterday?
And then Louie pulls out the tried and true conspiracy theory:
“YEA! And, the only reason they lost those last 4 games was because Monte announced he was leaving!!!!”
LMAO. Ridiculous. So they quit because Monte was leaving and yet they were in the ATL game until the end. Oh yeah, and Brooks was faking that hamstring injury as he chased the Raiders RB. LMAO. The DLine injuries were fake. The old guys that never played again in the NFL were not really old they just quit. STUPID.
And, not to be outdone, Patrick counters with this gem:
“But people forget that Raheem was DEFENSIVE backs coach on the 2008 Bucs. Other than Kiffin, he was the guy most responsible for the collapse.”
LMAO. So a DB coach is to blame for the collapse? We got RUN over and the DB coach is to blame. LMAO. How about the LB coach or the Dline coach. I guess those guys are not to blame?
YOU GUYS ARE A FREAKING JOKE. You are nothing more than Gruden lovers who choose to vent your anger over Gruden’s departure on the current regime. You are almost delusional with your revisionist history and conspiracy theories. Man . . . too freakin funny.
July 27th, 2010 at 11:53 am
Told you all there would be a stampede!!! 🙂
July 27th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Louie — Try not to hide behing the emoticons and the “stampede” comment. You believe all that you type. Hence the name.
July 27th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Wow, a “stampede” of one. As oppsed to three or four Gruden lovers spouting off total nonesense. I guess that’s a “dumbpede”
July 27th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Sometimes snook slash all around when they are hooked.
July 27th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
After he said he would leave the entire defense seemed deflated. If you go from one of the best run Ds in the league to the worst right after he said he was leaving, I think it did affect the players. A lot of those guys loved Kiffin and played for him for years. To hear that he was leaving to go coach college ball was a big factor in the psyche of the team in those last 4 games. That coupled with injuries and just being too old led to the demise of that team.
July 27th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
A “dumpede”!!!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahhaha!!!!! You’re killing me JimBuc! That was soooooooooo funny!!!
July 27th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
stomp. stomp. stomp.
there… I feel better now.
July 27th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Monte told the front office before the season that 2008 would be his last with the Bucs as he wanted to coach with his son. Shoot, Al Davis even knew this when he hired Lane Kiffin. If memory serves, Davis tried to buy out Monte’s contract (not sure on that but Davis did know).
Joe believes the downfall in the final month had more to do with injuries and old age catching up with the Bucs than Kiffin leaving.
July 27th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
NaRS believes that the defense always played FOR Kiffin, much like the offense was Gruden’s… Seems like there was always two distinct sub-teams on the Bucs driven by two egos.
Once Kiff said to the players he was on the way out, that took a lot of wind out of our D’s sails.
I’m almost certain that had a devasting impact to the team overall in the last four games of that 2008 season.
July 27th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Rah fans only look to the last four games of 08, as if no others were played.
And, they only look to the last four games of 09, as if no others were played.
What what part of this season will be partitioned out to make it seem better than it really was?
July 27th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
@NaRS, I agree. It was too much of a coincidence that the defense went completely flat after Kiffin made the announcement. For example, the DLine was subpar for several years before Monte left, but he somehow held things together. When he made that announcement it was like all the weaknesses (injuries, old age) were immediately exposed. There was definitely a mental letdown (not quitting).
July 27th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Most will admit, a couple things about that 2008 season…
1. Gruden and Kiffin’s coaching took a average talented team to just above mediocrity.
2. the ‘ball’ did bounce our way on more than one of the W’s occasions…
Wk 3 – Chicago (Tillman’s unneccesary roughness call)
Wk 4 – GB (Gaines Adams Interception – RIP)
Wk 11 – Minn (2 turnovers in the last 5 minutes)
Wk 13 – NO (2 interceptions in the last 2.5 minutes)
Reviewing those last four games on wiki is not a pretty thing… especially the Charger and Raider games. Urgh.
July 27th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
eric said:
“Rah fans only look to the last four games of 08, as if no others were played.”
I am not a “Rah fan,” but “Rah fans” likely see the final four games — and the fact that 9 veterans from that team never played any meaningful football again — as an indication that team’s decline from 2002 had reached its bottom.
“Gru fans” see the prior games as an indication that the 2008 team was “talented” and not in need of “rebuilding.” Most times “Gru fans” explain away the four game collapse as “all Kiffin’s fault” or the ever-popular “future first ballot HOFer Brooks and the rest of his teams QUIT playing for the last 4 games” (Tough to type that, even as a joke)
Both groups focus on the final four games, but for different reasons.
By the way Eric, what is that phrase you always repeat about Gruden? You know, “x” division titles in his last 4 years or something like that? That is your selective way of desribing Gruden (leaving out the 5-11 and 4-12) so are you really surprised that “Rah fans” take the same approach?
July 27th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Agree that Kiffin’s departue was a distraction, but nothing more.
The Bucs got their asses handed to them in Carolina, BUT NOT UNTIL THE 4th QTR. So, did they “quit,” were they “distracted” or did they just get their (old and injured) asses kicked by a much more physical team that did not even pretend that it was going to pass.Maybe they decided to quit AFTER the 3rd quarter.
The next week in ATL thwy lost in OT for goodness sakes. It was the Bucs offense that lost the game, twice punting and settling for a field goal after a big turnover. So, did the defense “quit” but only after getting the game to OT? Maybe the offense quit too? They certainly liked Monte and might have been distraught.
The next week at home agaisnt SD, they lost in the 4th QTR to two passes and a Garcia interception. Maybe Garcia was part of the QUITTERS?
The Raiders game started out as a battle of defenses. Not sure how that is “QUITTING.” Maybe Caddy blew out his knee again to show his displeasure with Monte? Maybe Brooks hurt his hamstring just to hide the fact that he was actually QUITTING.
Silly, ridiculous NONSENSE
July 27th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Jimbuc,
I don’t think I have ever said the 08 wasn’t in need of rebuilding. The D-line clearly had some issues and the QB position needed to be addressed.
However, the O-line was pretty good, running backs ok, and a talented young secondary (minus Sabby).
Rebuilding yes. Dismantling no. And I would have chosen Jon for the rebuilding, not Raheem.
I believe the rebuilding could have been accomplished without dismantling, and a lot of opportunites were out there, which were not taken advantage of.
Gruden’s record is Gruden’s record, the good, bad and ugly. I didn’t think it warranted firing. In context of bucs history he is either the best or second best coach. I rank him second best. For some reason, he is subject to a lot of abuse from bucs fans.
When I see his record distorted, or half truths told, as a Gruden fan I respond. IMO he deserves better.
July 27th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
@JimBuc: For someone who says he has a hard time typing QUIT, you are sure wearing it out. I said they DIDN’T quit.
July 27th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
wasn’t directing my comment at you Louie.
July 27th, 2010 at 3:04 pm
@ Jimbuc
I think the team needed to be “rebuilded”, just not the way Raheem is doing it. Look, I didn’t say the Bucs were a great team in 2008. I said they were decent, and yes I think that’s the right word to describe it. They weren’t a bad, terrible team. I mean it’s kind of laughable and ridiculous how they just went crazy, got rid of everyone, and tore the team down like it was a total disaster. 9-7 is 9-7. And yes, they acted as if we were the Detroit Lions or something. The rebuilding job was just as extreme as theirs to be honest. 9-7 and they built from scratch.
I don’t believe they should’ve done it all at once! Do it over time. Keep some of your veterans and old guys around, while the young guys are developing. Or sign some other veterans out of free agency (not everyone is over the magic number of 30) to help you be competitive while you build through the draft and develop your players!
For a team that was on the verge of some good things during the 08 season, a team that had a bad ending, and a bunch of fans that got the life sucked out of them after being so close to the playoffs, I think this is a lousy way by the owners and management to treat the fans. Having a bad ending to a promising season and then just having more losing seasons and putting the fans through more hell. Purging all your popular players all at once, most notably the face of the franchise Derrick Brooks, letting go a bunch of good players (Wilkerson, Bryant, Phillips), not getting any proven veterans in free agency, relying on nothing but unprovens. Embarrasing your team, upcoming blackouts because of the product on the field, putting no confidence into the Bucs fans. Seems like those Glazer brothers don’t care. Also, they never speak to any of their fans about anything, never inform them of things, and are always such a mystery to us all. They’re just hiding in their money filled bath tubs!!! It looks like they just expect us to go back to the Bucco Bruce Yucs days and be patient now like we were through those 14 embarrasing seasons. I’m sorry, but this is no way to treat your fans out there, many of whom have filled their stadium since 1998.
July 27th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Patrick, very good points. Only couple places I would differ.
I don’t think they “tore” the team down as much as it collapsed. Most of the veterans purged never played again, which is probably a sign they hung around too long. If you let guys go that nobody else picks up, that’s probably a sign that you were right to let them go.
I agree the rebuilding is extreme. I think some of it is external (CBA = no free agents), some of it circumstances (9 veterans too old or injured to ever play in the league again) and some of it is internal (saving money), but I don’t think it “sucks the life out of fans” unless, perhaps, you were of the mindset that the 08 team was “so close to the playoffs.” I think that is more mirage than reality. Keep in mind that even if they made the playoffs they would have been limping into the playoffs with a decent record (not great) and a lot of older, hurt players and a track record of one and outs.
I may be alone in my view, but I am excited to see what the team can become. I remember the excitment of 95 and 96 and 97 and hope we are on the same type of path. I also remember that the draft was crucial to the succes of the Bucs so the “build through the draft” strategy does not bother me in the least. By the way, are you aware that Kraft, the owner of the Patriots, just came out and said that the Patriots are following the same strategy?
On the fans being in the dark, the Glazers are screwed either way. On one hand, people accuse them of meddling in the football operations. On the other hand, people say they are not involved enough. Joel Glazer gave a press conferecne after the Gruden termination (you can find it online) that lays out their thoughts on building the team. It is almost exactly what the Bucs are doing right now. Freeman as a franchise QB, builidng through draft, letting young guys play. So, I don’t think fans have to be in the dark, the info is out there.
July 27th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Herm Edwards was a perrenial loser as a head coach , so it stands to reason he would agree with Rah’s approach…
July 27th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Surprised it took you so long Mush Face
July 27th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
I’ve said it dozens of times, but if you read Jeff Carlson’s article posted today, you’ll see he’s saying the same thing. The organization is slowly starting to reveal what I’ve been saying. The team was SICK of Lil Chucky! Once Kiffin( who they loved) made it official, the team never won again! The team was in revolt against the Gruden Dictatorship. His demeaning coaching style had turned the team off totally by that point! As soon as Kiffin was no longer in any way accountable, it was game over for the gruden regime. Believe what you want. Read the statements from the former players. You won’t find any praise from Rice, McCardell, Keyshawn, Sapp, etc,etc. Players today have huge money, egos, and attitudes. The “my way or the highway days are gone. The owners know- it’s a player driven league, not coach driven! If the players don’t buy into your “plan”, and commit to it, yer done! After the hostility that developed towards Gruden, hiring Raheem was almost forced on Ownership. He was the one that players still trusted and supported. Amid the hostility, the Players turned to Raheem. That’s why it was almost mandatory that management hire a ” players coach”. Carlson’s is the first of several articles you’ll see about the collapse at the end of Grudens last year, and the subsequent purge of Vets- who oddly didn’t play again in the NFL! Ownership knew the players would support Morris, and buy into his plan. If you think about all this, quite a few things start to make more sense. But read Carlson’s article first
July 27th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
Eric’s head explodes in 3 . . .2 . . . 1 . . .
July 27th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
I have heard this “the players didn’t like Gruden”.
Captain Tim identifies several players who havent played on the bucs for a number of years.
I know for sure Sapp has high praise for Gruden, not sure about the rest. I do know Rice was pissed. I am not sure it is uncommon for players who were released or traded to be a bit upset. I think AB is not a huge Rah supporter.
However, the myth around town is that the 2008 team quit and multiple players wanted Gruden gone. I have asked this question before, and no one answers it.
What player from the 2008 team, besides Michael Clayton, complained about Jon Gruden?
July 27th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
Yeah I remember when Simeon Rice called Gruden a “scumbag” on the radio. And who cares what Meyshawn thought. He was a baby.
July 27th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Since no one can come up with a player besides Clayton from the 2008 team, I can only conclude it is an urban legend created by some members of our local media.
July 27th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
Eric, I don’tthink the players quit on Gruden
July 27th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Not often we find common ground, Jimbuc.
July 28th, 2010 at 7:16 am
If the players quit on Gruden , and we went 9-7 , can someone please convince these losers we call players to quit on Raheem also?? 9-7 sounds awesome right about now.
July 28th, 2010 at 7:53 am
GrudenWinsThe SuperBowl — I actually share a lot of common ground with Gruden fans, but its tough to find any common ground with some of the idiots on this site. Take for example, the stupid comment posted right after yours.
July 28th, 2010 at 11:08 am
If you are expecting an article to state” players revolted on Gruden during last four games. Management fires Coach, releases all key conspirators”, well good luck with that! With the money wagered on Pro football, the scandal to the NFL would be immense and damaging! Did the players. Tired of an overbearing, degrading coach conspire to see him dismissed? Meybe it didn’t start that way, but it turned into to that. At least from the viewpoint of many. Did the NFL effective end the career of some players, by not signing them to any team-ever? Looks that way. Did anyone notice the vetern “purge” seemed aimed at locker room leaders as much as aging vets? Not one of those guys had ANYTHING left in the tank? Not one of those guys could have helped a team in the playoff hunt? All 9 became ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS on the last day of the season? Yeah, right! One thing for certain, Sherlock Holmes doesn’t post here. Doesn’t take a detective to figure the facts don’t match the story!
July 28th, 2010 at 11:14 am
The real question is – why Cato June? He wasn’t 37 years old. No one ever said his play was in decline. All the preseason mags stated he was an above average LB. Soooo, why Cato? And “above average LBs ussually get signed by other teams! Sooo, Why not Cato???