Larry C. Schultz wrote:
>
> Hello everybody,
>
> Just signed up for the list and wanted to make sure that
> I was using the correct email address.

Hi!

> So, what does everybody think about the new schedule for
> next year? At Chicago on Jan 2...ouch! I live in Chicago
> and always hope that the game here is early in the season
> so I don't freeze when I get to see the team once a year.

I like the schedule.  Having the one cold weather date is great.  We
showed in Cincinnati that if we're playing a meaningful game and the
Bears aren't, you should have fun going to that one.  ;->  Living in
Denver I rarely get to see them live (I moved here in '96 about when
the Bucs played here last, but didn't get to go) but I'm looking for-
ward to the Broncos game (Sept. 26th).  That one will, of course, be
beamed back to this market and I plan to have my VCR ready.  ;->  In
Denver the talk (when their schedule came out) was about their 3 Mon-
day night dates and the Jets and Vikings games.  They've got a great
football team, and that would be a great win for our guys.   Playing
well early (against the Giants and the Eagles) is critical as I want
to see us 2-0 going into that 3-game stretch starting with Denver at
the Ray-J and then at Minnesota and Green Bay.  That stretch will de-
fine our season.  If we're 4-1 heading into the BYE week, people are
going to be start looking at us as a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

GO BUCS!!!!
--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

Hello everybody,

Just signed up for the list and wanted to make sure that I was using the
correct email address.

So, what does everybody think about the new schedule for next year? At
Chicago on Jan2...ouch! I live in Chicago and always hope that the game here
is early in the season so I don't freeze when I get to see the team once a
year.

Just my thoughts,
Larry

Only one Monday night date (Dec. 6th versus Randy Moss) and two cold
weather dates (Dec. 26th and Jan. 2nd in Green Bay and Chicago), but

...I'M READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!!

---------------------------------------------

(April 1, 1999) - Listed below is the official 1999 schedule for the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. All times are local and all games are on Sunday,
unless otherwise noted.

             BUCCANEERS 1999 REGULAR-SEASON SCHEDULE

   Date               Opponent                          Time
   Sept. 12           NEW YORK GIANTS                   4:15 p.m.
   Sept. 19           at Philadelphia                   1 p.m.
   Sept. 26           DENVER                            1 p.m.
   Oct. 3             at Minnesota                      12 p.m.
   Oct. 10            at Green Bay                      7:20 p.m.
   Oct. 17            OPEN DATE
   Oct. 24            CHICAGO                           1 p.m.
   Oct. 31            at Detroit                        8:20 p.m.
   Nov. 7             at New Orleans                    3:05 p.m.
   Nov. 14            KANSAS CITY                       1 p.m.
   Nov. 21            ATLANTA                           1 p.m.
   Nov. 28            at Seattle                        1:05 p.m.
   Dec. 6             MINNESOTA (Mon.)                  9 p.m.
   Dec. 12            DETROIT                           1 p.m.
   Dec. 19            at Oakland                        1:05 p.m.
   Dec. 26            at GREEN BAY                      4:15 p.m.
   Jan. 2             at Chicago                        12 p.m.


   © 1998, NFL Enterprises, L.P. NFL and the NFL shield design are
   registered trademarks of the National Football League. The team
   names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of
   the teams indicated.
--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

Bob Woerner wrote:
>
> Looks like Dungy finally pulled the trigger and created a QB coach
> position. I applaud this move.  Hopefully Clyde can build back
> Trent's confidence.

I concur that this is an excellent move by the organization.  I don't
think Trent lacks for confidence (as evidenced by his hanging with it
during the rough first half of last season and finishing up strong as
the offense settled down in the second half).  We saw in '97 what Dil-
fer can do when the offense stabalizes around him, and I believe this
can bring us that stability in 1999.  The other piece of this move is
the change with the TEs.  As anyone who's familiar with me knows, I'm
not enamored with our personnel or performance at TE.  Hopefully, the
change there will bring a little more focus on that position as we go
towards the draft and on into training camp.

--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

Looks like Dungy finally pulled the trigger and created a QB coach position.
I applaud this move.  Hopefully Clyde can build back Trent's confidence.

  http://www.tampatrib.com/sections/story1sp.htm

--
Bob Woerner
rjw@...
http://home.tampabay.rr.com/beachterp

Donald Holbrook wrote:
>
> From: Donald Holbrook <don.holbrook@...>
>
> You're preaching to the choir about Dilfer. I have stuck by him
> and got a lot of crap right along with him. However, I'm not
> stupid. Insurance is good. What if he plays well but gets hurt?
> We still have nothing. We need a talented Backup and this is the
> perfect year to pick up a good young one with so many out there.

I have taken so much grief over the years by sticking with Dilfer.
I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that I was calling you stu-
pid.  I'm not.  I just see a Culpepper or a McNabb as not being a
back-up, but an eventual replacement.  Especially with the monies
they're going to command.   I'd like to see us add a veteran back-
up -- someone like Jim Harbaugh -- and then a young developmental
3rd quarterback.  It was eye-opening to watch what an old veteran
guy like Bubby Brister was able to accomplish here in Denver last
year.   It just goes to show, when you have a great team, someone
like that can step in and really help you.  It would just make me
sick to -- once again -- have a 5-year investment in a QB be wast-
ed and end up watching Trent winning in another uniform.

> And no, I was not taking a jab at OC Shula. I was merely stating
> the fact that our offense does not use TE like those others. We
> are not a west coast offense nor should we be. Many teams are
> successful with the offense we use and Dave Moore is a good TE
> for it.

I think you can win a championship with our offensive scheme -- if
it's executed properly.   I don't have a problem with it.  I don't
agree though that Moore's the answer at TE.   The guy's one bright
attribute is that he's a good run blocker.  That's great, and as a
former FB, to be expected.  However, the guy's such a minimal play-
er as a receiver that he can't command respect from a defense.  As
Dungy likes to put it, we're not going to throw it that often, but
we have to take advantage of the pass plays that are there.  Moore
doesn't do Trent any favors.  The guy gets cushioned and defenders
consistently cheat off of him in the flats.  Even worse, for a guy
that gets as light coverage as he does, he is not a great receiver
when we do throw him the ball.  Each pass to Moore is an adventure.
I think upgrading the position would have an amazing ripple effect
across this offense.  It would create opportunities for Reidel and
Emanuel as well as for the backs.  Ultimately, it would make Trent
Dilfer a better QB.

> Yeah for Dilfer and others stepping up and calling people out
> to play better. But the fact is, the Bucs were not a surprise
> anymore like in 97. I think some of the players believed too
> much of the hype, like Alstott and Sapp. That doesn't mean I
> am giving up on them either. And I realize Alstott had a tough
> injury. I believe in these guys and think last year will help
> them in the long run. They are young and now they now they have
> to take it up another notch to be a truly great consistent team
> and to be able to make up for injured players (which we had none
> of in 97!!)

Sapp was the main guy who had to learn that he couldn't just step on
the field and dominate.  He ended up having to drop weight in midsea-
son and didn't round into form (no pun intended) until November.  It
was the injuries though that were key in '98.   The front office and
the coaching staff underestimated what the impact of great health in
'97 had been.  We weren't that lucky in '98.  I agree though that we
will benefit in '99 from the experiences of last season.

> Last note on PK's. That's great you've seen a good K play in
> college. I did too. I am in Big 12 country and the kid from
> K-State is damn good. I also went to school with Cary Blanchard
> at Okla. State. But guess what? Who cares!!! College kicking is
> not the same. I thought Blanchard was the best K in the nation
> his Sr year and he still shows glimpses but is inconsistent and
> can't stay on one team. There was  a guy before him at O-State
> that was even better than he was when Jimmy Johnson coached us
> and didn't even make it on an NFL team! There is no way I would
> waste a draft pick on a PK, no way.

Well, we can quit beatin' this dead horse.  I agree with you.  You
can't just pick a kicker based on what he did in college.  Hopeful-
ly we've got a more mature personnel department than that.  The re-
sults of our drafts seem to indicate that we do.   I'm just saying
that -- after seeing him in post-season games, at the combine, and
individually -- if they've got a guy that they project as a top PK
on the NFL level; they should consider him.   That's all.   End of
discussion.

--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

You're preaching to the choir about Dilfer. I have stuck by him and got a lot of
crap right along with him. However, I'm not stupid. Insurance is good. What if
he plays well but gets hurt? We still have nothing. We need a talented Backup
and this is the perfect year to pick up a good young one with so many out there.
And no, I was not taking a jab at OC Shula. I was merely stating the fact that
our offense does not use TE like those others. We are not a west coast offense
nor should we be. Many teams are successful with the offense we use and Dave
Moore is a good TE for it.
Yeah for Dilfer and others stepping up and calling people out to play better.
But the fact is, the Bucs were not a surprise anymore like in 97. I think some
of the players believed too much of the hype, like Alstott and Sapp. That
doesn't mean I am giving up on them either. And I realize Alstott had a tough
injury. I believe in these guys and think last year will help them in the long
run. They are young and now they now they have to take it up another notch to be
a truly great consistent team and to be able to make up for injured players
(which we had none of in 97!!)
Last note on PK's. That's great you've seen a good K play in college. I did too.
I am in Big 12 country and the kid from K-State is damn good. I also went to
school with Cary Blanchard at Okla. State. But guess what? Who cares!!! College
kicking is not the same. I thought Blanchard was the best K in the nation his Sr
year and he still shows glimpses but is inconsistent and can't stay on one team.
There was  a guy before him at O-State that was even better than he was when
Jimmy Johnson coached us and didn't even make it on an NFL team! There is no way
I would waste a draft pick on a PK, no way.

Donald Holbrook wrote:
>
> TE's are fine, but our offense doesn't use TE like Denver, NE,
> and GB. That's why Jackie Harris was no longer important to pay
> to keep around. We use blocking TE's like the unsung heros of
> Eric Green, Troy Drayton, and Dave Moore. These guys will not
> be pro Bowlers becasue they don't get huge receiving yards. But
> that is becasue our offense doesn't use them as receivers.  Why
> draft a TE early and have to pay him a bunch of money when we
> know we won't use him for the "money" plays!?

I contend that if Shannon Sharpe, Ben Coates, or Mark Chumura were
in our offense; we would occasionally pass them the ball.  The ini-
tial reaction to your assertion is to point a gnarled finger at OC
Mike Shula, but that's not reasonable.  In '97 Harris was an impor-
tant intermediate receiver for us (whenever he could play).  I con-
tend that the "usefulness" of the TE in our offense does not trans-
late to "receptions".  The presense of a TE who can hurt a defense
(which Harris was when healthy) influences the coverages both deep
and underneath.   Ok, Trent Dilfer's passing numbers lagged in '98.
But, did you notice that a lot of the little screens he had thrown
for completions to the backs in '97 weren't there last year?   Why
do you think that was?

> I am sticking by Dilfer as well, however, I don't think it would
> hurt to draft a QB to put some pressure on him. Either he begins
> to perform and we are all happy, or he continues to suck and we
> have another talented QB to put in and we are all happy. I don't
> necessarily like McNown either, I just said everyone else says
> Dungy likes him a lot.

Frankly, I don't think they're going to bring in a QB to put any
pressure on Dilfer.  Nor do I believe that they should.  We were
inconsistent with our protection, our run blocking, and our pass
receiving last year (especially early on); and that led directly
to the slow start we experienced.   Dungy flatly stated that his
best offensive player during that period was Dilfer (despite the
fact that he was taking a beating each week).  It was Dilfer who
showed leadership after the disaster in New Orleans and held the
"team only" meeting  (in which Anthony and others aired a lot of
the frustrations they were feeling).  The offensive improvements
we saw immediately after that meeting (which led to that big win
over the Vikings) was not a coincidence.  IMO, without Dilfer we
could've EASILY had a total meltdown last year.  At this point I
don't want him even THINKING about wearing another uniform.

> And PK, you DON't draft a PK!!!! the only way you want to risk
> putting any stock in a PK is if he is proven in the NFL and sign
> him as a free agent. Like Norm Anderson from Pittsburgh is
> suppose to be talking with the Bucs. Plus, Elokivik or whatever
> his name is in Bucs camp now that they sent to the Europe league
> should have beat out Husted last year in camp. He didn't miss
> any FG and could kick it in the end zone on kickoffs unlike
> Husted. But Husted was a sentimental favorite and kept the job
> for reasons not on the football field. HUGE mistake and cost us
> games.

I agree that Elezovic had a better preseason than Husted last year.
I hope that he comes in and plays well for us.  My point is that I
had the opportunity to see Sailer this year and I think he's going
to be terrific.

--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

Donald Holbrook wrote:

> Leo James wrote:
> > I think our areas of need are:
> >
> > 1) TE, 2) OT, 3) PK, 4) QB, 5) OLB, 6) RB, 7) DE.
> >
> > And, here are some of the guys I've been watching:
> >
> > TE:  Larry Brown, Georgia, Jerame Tuman, Michigan;
> > OT:  Aaron Gibson, Wisconsin, Matt Stinchcomb, Georgia;
> > PK:  Chris Sailer (PK/P), UCLA;
> > QB:  Scott Covington, Miami;
> > OLB: Mark Simoneau, Kansas State;
> > RB:  Kevin Faulk, LSU;
> > DE:  Jared DeVries (DL), Iowa, and Montae Reagor, Texas Tech.

> I think the Wisconsin OT is a good pick, but you can't pass up a
> good QB. Eveyone says Dungy likes McNown and that's fine I guess.
> I love Culpepper, but I guess he is no longer a secret and may go
> as high as the #2 pick. (maybe I can plant some weed on him and
> then he can drop to the Bucs?

The most dangerous picks to make in the first round are QBs.  The
problem is you can't measure how successful they'll be.   Frankly,
I'm not ready to give up on Dilfer.   The guy reminds me of Terry
Bradshaw, early in his career.  You heard the same complaints out
of the Steelers' fans early on that you're hearing in Tampa.  The
thing about Bradshaw was the guy was fearless and he became their
leader on the field.  When Pittsburgh put a great team around him
he was able to lead that team to the top.  Great physical ability
doesn't mean you're going to be a great NFL quarterback.  That is
why -- era after era --  you see guys like Roman Gabriel and Ryan
Leaf picked early and guys like Bart Starr and Joe Montana picked
late.

> I DEFINITELY would not put PK as a need met in the draft!! Kickers
> are a dime a dozen, you just need to know when to let go of one.
> *we waited way too long to get rid of Husted, but I've hear good
> things about the guy we have in camp now, and he is going to the
> NFL Europe so should get lots of practice and be in good form for
> regular season.

Great PKs aren't a "dime a dozen".   In some ways, we're still pay-
ing for Wyche's boner when he gave Steve Christie to Buffalo.   An
automatic PK who's also a dominant kickoff guy is worth his weight
in gold, and unless they're 100% certain about Elezovic I wouldn't
pass up a great PK later on in the draft.  Would I take him in the
1st or 2nd round?  No.  But, would I look at him in the 4th or 5th?
Most definitely.  It's amazing.  They're little guys who are clean
after games, but you can argue that -- next to the QB -- they have
the biggest impact on your won/loss record.

> I'd say definitely QB still then OT. How much longer will Gruber
> be around?

You won't get an OT who's better than the people we have later on
in this draft.  If you get to #15 and an Aaron Gibson is still on
the board you need to jump on that guy.  Personally, when you cut
through the hype, I think we'd be better off taking a QB like Cov-
ington in the 2nd round who, at 6'2"  215, can be their clipboard
holder and who, IMHO, has more upside than either McNown or Shaun
King (both of whom I consider marginal prospects in that 6'0" 205
range).  However if, as I suspect, Gibson is gone by #15; I would
like to see us trade down and pick up another 2nd round selection.
I don't care what anybody says.  I think the best thing for Trent
Dilfer would be for us to give him a TE with a little ability who
might occasionally frighten somebody  (i.e., that defenses had to
cover in the short and intermediate zones).  Chumura in Green Bay.
Sharpe here in Denver.  Coates in New England.  Arguably they are
among the top 4 TEs in the NFL (along with Wesley Walls) and they
have been 5 of the 6 starting TEs in the last 3 Super Bowls.   My
favorite guy in this draft is Georgia TE Larry Brown, and you had
best believe I'll be cheering if we can get a guy like that.

--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

Ok, the draft's about a month away; so we've got to get with it.
Let's hear it!  Who do you think the Bucs need to be looking at
in this draft, and at what positions?  As I have the past 2 sea-
sons, I still believe that an upgrade at TE would have a really
positive effect on the overall offense.  There's a lot of folks
in Tampa who want to replace Trent Dilfer, but I don't think it
would solve anything.   Here, in Denver, I've had the chance to
watch John Elway for three years; and, no, Trent's not an Elway
(very few QBs are) but even Elway didn't get to be a Super Bowl
winner until he got to play along side the NFL's best offensive
line and an MVP-quality running back.  I think Tampa Bay should
continue to focus on putting the best possible team they can be-
hind Trent Dilfer and on keeping their nucleus together.   With
that said, I think our areas of need are:

1) TE, 2) OT, 3) PK, 4) QB, 5) OLB, 6) RB, 7) DE.

And, here are some of the guys I've been watching:

TE:  Larry Brown, Georgia, Jerame Tuman, Michigan;
OT:  Aaron Gibson, Wisconsin, Matt Stinchcomb, Georgia;
PK:  Chris Sailer (PK/P), UCLA;
QB:  Scott Covington, Miami;
OLB: Mark Simoneau, Kansas State;
RB:  Kevin Faulk, LSU;
DE:  Jared DeVries (DL), Iowa, and Montae Reagor, Texas Tech.

With the current talk of 5+ QBs being selected in round one I'm
looking for a top OT to be there at #15 (or even later).   This
could be another year when Rich McKay makes trades on draft day,
and I think he'll have another good draft.

What do you think?

--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

I think the Wisconsin OT is a good pick, but you can't pass up a good QB.
Eveyone says Dungy likes McNown and that's fine I guess. I love Culpepper, but I
guess he is no longer a secret and may go as high as the #2 pick. (maybe I can
plant some weed on him and then he can drop to the Bucs?) j/k
I DEFINATELY would not put PK as a need met in the draft!! Kickers are a dime a
dozen, you just need to know when to let go of one. *we waited way too long to
get rid of Husted, but I've hear good things about the guy we have in camp now,
and he is going to the NFL Europe so should get lots of practice and be in good
form for regular season. I'd say definately QB still then OT. How much longer
will Gruber be around?

>>> <Bucs@onelist.com> 03/12 3:10 AM >>>

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There is 1 message in this issue.

  Topics in today's digest:

       1. Where do we need to go in this draft?
            From: Leopold James <lejames@...>

TE's are fine, but our offense doesn't use TE like Denver, NE, and GB. That's
why Jackie Harris was no longer important to pay to keep around. We use blocking
TE's like the unsung heros of Eric Green, Troy Drayton, and Dave Moore. These
guys will not be pro Bowlers becasue they don't get huge receiving yards. But
that is becasue our offense doesn't use them as receivers.  Why draft a TE early
and have to pay him a bunch of money when we know we won't use him for the
"money" plays!?
I am sticking by Dilfer as well, however, I don't think it would hurt to draft a
QB to put some pressure on him. Either he begins to perform and we are all
happy, or he continues to suck and we have another talented QB to put in and we
are all happy. I don't necessarily like McNown either, I just said everyone else
says Dungy likes him a lot.
And PK, you DON't draft a PK!!!! the only way you want to risk putting any stock
in a PK is if he is proven in the NFL and sign him as a free agent. Like Norm
Anderson from Pittsburgh is suppose to be talking with the Bucs. Plus, Elokivik
or whatever his name is in Bucs camp now that they sent to the Europe league
should have beat out Husted last year in camp. He didn't miss any FG and could
kick it in the end zone on kickoffs unlike Husted. But Husted was a sentimental
favorite and kept the job for reasons not on the football field. HUGE mistake
and cost us games.

>>> <Bucs@onelist.com> 03/13 3:09 AM >>>

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There are 2 messages in this issue.

Topics in today's digest:

       1. Re: Digest Number 8
            From: Donald Holbrook <don.holbrook@...>
       2. Re: Where do we need to go in this draft?
            From: Leopold James <lejames@...>

Donald Holbrook wrote:

> Leo James wrote:
> > I think our areas of need are:
> >
> > 1) TE, 2) OT, 3) PK, 4) QB, 5) OLB, 6) RB, 7) DE.
> >
> > And, here are some of the guys I've been watching:
> >
> > TE:  Larry Brown, Georgia, Jerame Tuman, Michigan;
> > OT:  Aaron Gibson, Wisconsin, Matt Stinchcomb, Georgia;
> > PK:  Chris Sailer (PK/P), UCLA;
> > QB:  Scott Covington, Miami;
> > OLB: Mark Simoneau, Kansas State;
> > RB:  Kevin Faulk, LSU;
> > DE:  Jared DeVries (DL), Iowa, and Montae Reagor, Texas Tech.

> I think the Wisconsin OT is a good pick, but you can't pass up a
> good QB. Eveyone says Dungy likes McNown and that's fine I guess.
> I love Culpepper, but I guess he is no longer a secret and may go
> as high as the #2 pick. (maybe I can plant some weed on him and
> then he can drop to the Bucs?

The most dangerous picks to make in the first round are QBs.  The
problem is you can't measure how successful they'll be.   Frankly,
I'm not ready to give up on Dilfer.   The guy reminds me of Terry
Bradshaw, early in his career.  You heard the same complaints out
of the Steelers' fans early on that you're hearing in Tampa.  The
thing about Bradshaw was the guy was fearless and he became their
leader on the field.  When Pittsburgh put a great team around him
he was able to lead that team to the top.  Great physical ability
doesn't mean you're going to be a great NFL quarterback.  That is
why -- era after era --  you see guys like Roman Gabriel and Ryan
Leaf picked early and guys like Bart Starr and Joe Montana picked
late.

> I DEFINITELY would not put PK as a need met in the draft!! Kickers
> are a dime a dozen, you just need to know when to let go of one.
> *we waited way too long to get rid of Husted, but I've hear good
> things about the guy we have in camp now, and he is going to the
> NFL Europe so should get lots of practice and be in good form for
> regular season.

Great PKs aren't a "dime a dozen".   In some ways, we're still pay-
ing for Wyche's boner when he gave Steve Christie to Buffalo.   An
automatic PK who's also a dominant kickoff guy is worth his weight
in gold, and unless they're 100% certain about Elezovic I wouldn't
pass up a great PK later on in the draft.  Would I take him in the
1st or 2nd round?  No.  But, would I look at him in the 4th or 5th?
Most definitely.  It's amazing.  They're little guys who are clean
after games, but you can argue that -- next to the QB -- they have
the biggest impact on your won/loss record.

> I'd say definitely QB still then OT. How much longer will Gruber
> be around?

You won't get an OT who's better than the people we have later on
in this draft.  If you get to #15 and an Aaron Gibson is still on
the board you need to jump on that guy.  Personally, when you cut
through the hype, I think we'd be better off taking a QB like Cov-
ington in the 2nd round who, at 6'2"  215, can be their clipboard
holder and who, IMHO, has more upside than either McNown or Shaun
King (both of whom I consider marginal prospects in that 6'0" 205
range).  However if, as I suspect, Gibson is gone by #15; I would
like to see us trade down and pick up another 2nd round selection.
I don't care what anybody says.  I think the best thing for Trent
Dilfer would be for us to give him a TE with a little ability who
might occasionally frighten somebody  (i.e., that defenses had to
cover in the short and intermediate zones).  Chumura in Green Bay.
Sharpe here in Denver.  Coates in New England.  Arguably they are
among the top 4 TEs in the NFL (along with Wesley Walls) and they
have been 5 of the 6 starting TEs in the last 3 Super Bowls.   My
favorite guy in this draft is Georgia TE Larry Brown, and you had
best believe I'll be cheering if we can get a guy like that.

--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

Ok, the draft's about a month away; so we've got to get with it.
Let's hear it!  Who do you think the Bucs need to be looking at
in this draft, and at what positions?  As I have the past 2 sea-
sons, I still believe that an upgrade at TE would have a really
positive effect on the overall offense.  There's a lot of folks
in Tampa who want to replace Trent Dilfer, but I don't think it
would solve anything.   Here, in Denver, I've had the chance to
watch John Elway for three years; and, no, Trent's not an Elway
(very few QBs are) but even Elway didn't get to be a Super Bowl
winner until he got to play along side the NFL's best offensive
line and an MVP-quality running back.  I think Tampa Bay should
continue to focus on putting the best possible team they can be-
hind Trent Dilfer and on keeping their nucleus together.   With
that said, I think our areas of need are:

1) TE, 2) OT, 3) PK, 4) QB, 5) OLB, 6) RB, 7) DE.

And, here are some of the guys I've been watching:

TE:  Larry Brown, Georgia, Jerame Tuman, Michigan;
OT:  Aaron Gibson, Wisconsin, Matt Stinchcomb, Georgia;
PK:  Chris Sailer (PK/P), UCLA;
QB:  Scott Covington, Miami;
OLB: Mark Simoneau, Kansas State;
RB:  Kevin Faulk, LSU;
DE:  Jared DeVries (DL), Iowa, and Montae Reagor, Texas Tech.

With the current talk of 5+ QBs being selected in round one I'm
looking for a top OT to be there at #15 (or even later).   This
could be another year when Rich McKay makes trades on draft day,
and I think he'll have another good draft.

What do you think?

--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

I think the Wisconsin OT is a good pick, but you can't pass up a good QB.
Eveyone says Dungy likes McNown and that's fine I guess. I love Culpepper, but I
guess he is no longer a secret and may go as high as the #2 pick. (maybe I can
plant some weed on him and then he can drop to the Bucs?) j/k
I DEFINATELY would not put PK as a need met in the draft!! Kickers are a dime a
dozen, you just need to know when to let go of one. *we waited way too long to
get rid of Husted, but I've hear good things about the guy we have in camp now,
and he is going to the NFL Europe so should get lots of practice and be in good
form for regular season. I'd say definately QB still then OT. How much longer
will Gruber be around?

>>> <Bucs@onelist.com> 03/12 3:10 AM >>>

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There is 1 message in this issue.

  Topics in today's digest:

       1. Where do we need to go in this draft?
            From: Leopold James <lejames@...>

Ok, the draft's about a month away; so we've got to get with it.
Let's hear it!  Who do you think the Bucs need to be looking at
in this draft, and at what positions?  As I have the past 2 sea-
sons, I still believe that an upgrade at TE would have a really
positive effect on the overall offense.  There's a lot of folks
in Tampa who want to replace Trent Dilfer, but I don't think it
would solve anything.   Here, in Denver, I've had the chance to
watch John Elway for three years; and, no, Trent's not an Elway
(very few QBs are) but even Elway didn't get to be a Super Bowl
winner until he got to play along side the NFL's best offensive
line and an MVP-quality running back.  I think Tampa Bay should
continue to focus on putting the best possible team they can be-
hind Trent Dilfer and on keeping their nucleus together.   With
that said, I think our areas of need are:

1) TE, 2) OT, 3) PK, 4) QB, 5) OLB, 6) RB, 7) DE.

And, here are some of the guys I've been watching:

TE:  Larry Brown, Georgia, Jerame Tuman, Michigan;
OT:  Aaron Gibson, Wisconsin, Matt Stinchcomb, Georgia;
PK:  Chris Sailer (PK/P), UCLA;
QB:  Scott Covington, Miami;
OLB: Mark Simoneau, Kansas State;
RB:  Kevin Faulk, LSU;
DE:  Jared DeVries (DL), Iowa, and Montae Reagor, Texas Tech.

With the current talk of 5+ QBs being selected in round one I'm
looking for a top OT to be there at #15 (or even later).   This
could be another year when Rich McKay makes trades on draft day,
and I think he'll have another good draft.

What do you think?

--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

Pharty4015@... wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> Unfortunately I have never been to see a live game.  I am due to
> come out again this year in June.  We fly in on a Saturday and
> back the following Friday :(( So I don't expect to get the chance.

You may get that chance right there in Europe.  The NFL supports the
exportation of American football to Europe through their NFL Interna-
tional initiatives.  There is an NFL International link on the NFL's
website that has more information.  An American football league that
features developmental NFL players plays in Europe in the spring.

> Oh one thing - how are the leagues divided up?

There is no worldwide body today which governs the game.  The NFL is
the only major league in the US.   In Canada, the CFL plays a differ-
ent version of the game.  In the US, there is a growing minor league
that plays a scaled down version of the game in smaller indoor facil-
ities called the Arena Football League.   The feeder system into the
NFL are the major college and university football programs in the US
which in turn are fed by the High School programs around the country.
Almost all of the players begin playing in youth leagues that can be
found in almost every community across the US (when they're around 6
or 7 years old).

> Speak later, Pete

Later!
--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

Hi,

Thanks for getting back to me.  Yes you are right, it is a bit difficult to
follow a game that seems a bit strange at first sight.  I watched my first
game on TV one evening after I had been visiting our opposite work place near
Laurel.  I had a TV in the hotel room.  Unfortunately I have never been to see
a live game.  I am due to come out again this year in June.  We fly in on a
Saturday and back the following Friday :(( So I don't expect to get the
chance.  Thanks for the web addresses.  One thing I like about your games is
that according to some American friends of mine the whole family goes to games
and the action is kept on the pitch.  A thing that English soccer could learn
from I think.  Anyway as you said, do keep in touch and let me know any
interesting bit of NFL news.  Oh one thing - how are the leagues divided up?

Speak later, Pete

Pharty4015@... wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> My name is Pete and I am from England.  I saw my first American
> football game when I was out in Maryland last year with work (I
> am 45).

Really?  I can't imagine how the game must be for you, as a new
fan.  I've watched football for as long as I can remember.  I'm
39.  I was living in the Tampa Bay area when the Bucs franchise
started, and I've been a fan since the begining (since 1976).

> I decided to support the Bucs as they were the first team I saw.

Welcome to the ranks of Buc fans!  Which Bucs game did you get to
see?  The Bucs played (and, unfortuneately lost) one game in Mary-
land last year.  Did you watch them on TV, or did you go to their
game against the Redskins?

> However being a Brit I am a bit confused by the positions.  I have
> recently got Sat TV here so I can start to watch the games.  Please
> could you send me a list of the positions and a list of the current
> team names together with their positions.  Also is there an on line
> fan club that I can bookmark.

For great Buccaneer information (including a team roster) go to:
http://tampabayonline.net/bucs/ for starters.  There's also good
information on the Bucs (and the rest of the NFL) at the NFL web-
site at: http://www.nfl.com.

> Thanks in advance,  Pete

You're welcome.  And, keep in touch!  :)
--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

Hi,

My name is Pete and I am from England.  I saw my first American football game
when I was out in Maryland last year with work (I am 45).  I decided to
support the Bucs as they were the first team I saw.  However being a Brit I am
a bit confused by the positions.  I have recently got Sat TV here so I can
start to watch the games.  Please could you send me a list of the positions
and a list of the current team names together with their positions.  Also is
there an on line fan club that I can bookmark.

Thanks in advance,  Pete

Detroit loses Pyne to Cleveland a year after losing Kevin Glover.  The
Packers lose Holmgren and Reggie White.  The Bears fire Dave Wannstadt.
And now, the Vikings are betting this next season on Cunningham not on-
ly staying healthy, but reproducing the year he had in '98 despite the
fact that he's nearing the end of his career (and they just lost start-
ing CB Corey Fuller to the Browns).  All of this doesn't mean we don't
have to play better in '99.  We do.  But, at this point, I think we're
going to enter '99 as the most stable team in the NFC Central division.

Stay tuned...

--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

Now that the Michael Husted era in Tampa Bay is over, Pete Elezovic
is going to enter training camp as a leading candidate to be our PK
this summer.  I was looking about for any information on him, and I
stumbled across this re-cap of a game he won for the Albany team in
the Arena Football League.  What's *really* weird is who his QB was
on the Firebirds.  How many of you remember when Mike Pawlawski and
Craig Erickson were both rookies trying to make Sam Wyche's 1st Buc-
caneer squad in the summer of '92?

Small world.

-----------------------------------

                    ALBANY  52        NASHVILLE  49

       Nashville Arena, Nashville, Tennessee (Att.:  13,887)
                                June 5, 1998


                                  1st  2nd  3rd  4th  Final
                      Albany       0   21   13   18   52
                      Nashville   14   14    0   21   49


  Pete Elezovic's 33-yard field goal as time expired provided the
  winning points as the Albany Firebirds recorded a 52-49 victory
  over the Nashville Kats in a showdown of National Conference
  powers.

  Albany (5-1) took a 49-42 lead with 53 seconds to play after Chad
  Dukes scored from two yards, capping a nine-play, 45-yard drive
  that lasted 5:30. But the Kats (4-2) marched 38 yards in four
  plays, capped by a 24-yard TD pass from Andy Kelly to Cory Fleming
  with 16 seconds to go.

  Albany ran two plays before Elezovic came on for his game-winning
  field goal. Dukes ran for three touchdowns, including a 27-yard
  scamper in the fourth quarter that gave the Firebirds a 41-35 lead.
  Dukes finished with 70 yards on 10 carries, and Mike Pawlawski
  completed 26-of-37 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns without
  an interception.

  Kelly completed 20-of-29 passes for 206 yards and six touchdowns
  for Nashville, with Fleming hauling in nine receptions for 104
  yards. Tyronne Jones added eight catches for 87 yards for the Kats,
  who had the ball for just over 24 minutes.

                       MVP:  Tyronne Jones (Nashville)
                    Tinactin Ironman:  Chad Dukes (Albany)
--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

BUCS CUT 4 TO KEEP AHANOTU

         Husted, Mincy, Neal and Parker are gone in cap-clearing
         move; Ahanotu gets franchise tag as Sapp applauds.

   By RICK STROUD

    © St. Petersburg Times, published February 12, 1999


   TAMPA -- Defensive end Chidi Ahanotu knows how to collapse a pocket.
   On Thursday, he turned them inside out as the Bucs struggled to find
   enough dollars to keep him in Tampa Bay for at least another season.

   Unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension, the Bucs
   designated Ahanotu their franchise player.

   That meant tendering him a one-year contract worth $3.935-million
   -- the average base salary of the five highest-paid defensive ends
   in the NFL.

   Much of that money was an unwilling donation from his teammates.

   To make room for Ahanotu under the $57.288-million salary cap, the
   Bucs released placekicker Michael Husted, fullback Lorenzo Neal,
   safety Charles Mincy and cornerback Anthony Parker -- moves that
   saved about $2.5-million. Parker, who played nine seasons, has told
   the team he plans to retire.

   The move effectively will prevent Ahanotu, 28, from signing with
   another team when free agency begins today, since the Bucs could
   match any offer or ask for two No. 1 picks as compensation.

   "These are the types of difficult decisions most teams face under
   the current system," Bucs general manager Rich McKay said. "Over
   the last two years, we've extended the contracts of many key
   players. ... These moves, as anticipated, have brought us very close
   to the salary cap. However, we did not want that to keep us from
   trying to retain a player as valuable as Chidi."


                                     * * *

   The Bucs thought all those moves were necessary to retain Ahanotu,
   who played in four games last season before being placed on injured
   reserve after undergoing surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder.

   The six-year pro has been one of the Bucs' most consistent defensive
   linemen and recorded career highs in sacks (10) and tackles (65) in
   '97.

   Defensive tackle Warren Sapp, whose sack totals fell from 13.5
   (including playoffs) in '97 to seven last season while Ahanotu was
   sidelined, did not want to see his defensive linemate get away.

   "I don't even want to know what that's like, because he's a big part
   of our defense and we need him," Sapp said. "We had to do it by
   committee last year and doing any job by committee is difficult.
   That's no knock on the other guys, because they did what they could.
   But doing things by committee is tough."

   The big surprise Thursday was the release of Husted, 28, who played
   all six seasons in Tampa Bay and became the Bucs' all-time leading
   scorer last season with 502 points, surpassing Donald Igwebuike's
   record 416 in the fourth game.

   Husted had one more season left on a four-year, $2.4-million contract.
   But Husted's career field goal percentage of 73 percent is below the
   rising league standard for elite placekickers.

   Last season, 16 NFL placekickers connected on at least 80 percent of
   their field goal attempts, and three of them -- Minnesota's Gary
   Anderson, Tennessee's Al Del Greco and New Orleans' Doug Brien --
   made better than 90 percent. Apparently, the Bucs decided to let
   free agent placekickers Peter Elezovic and Matt George, whom they
   signed at the end of the season, battle it out in training camp.
   Both would be paid the minimum for players with one credited season
   of NFL experience.

   Elezovic made all three field goal attempts and three PATs last
   preseason before being released. George, a rookie from Chapman
   College last season, played in one regular-season game for the
   Pittsburgh Steelers, missing his only field goal attempt and making
   both PATs.

   Mincy, 29, started the past 24 games at free safety and led the
   team with four interceptions, including one returned for the only
   defensive touchdown for the Bucs under Tony Dungy.

   But Mincy would have earned about $600,000 next season and was
   expected to lose his starting job to Damien Robinson, who broke his
   arm at New Orleans on Oct. 25 and was placed on injured reserve.

   Neal, 28, who was acquired from the New York Jets for a fifth-
   round pick, was the blocking half of the Rhino backfield for Mike
   Alstott. He rushed five times for 25 yards and caught five passes
   for 14 yards.

   Despite being a part-time player, Neal was scheduled to earn $1.05-
   million. The Bucs could try to re-sign him at a lower salary.

   Parker, 32, missed six games with a groin pull and lost his starting
   job to Ronde Barber, who emerged as the biggest playmaker on defense
   the second half of the season.

   It wasn't so much the frequency of Husted's misses as it was the
   timing that might have made him expendable.

   In the loss at New Orleans, Husted missed game-tying field goals
   from 32 and 48 yards. He also struggled from close range, going
   8-for-12 from 30-to-39 yards. Husted missed his final attempt -- an
   18-yarder against the Bengals. Husted was on a delayed honeymoon in
   Canada with his wife, Cassie, when he was released. He expected the
   move.

   Husted's agent, Glenn Schwartzman, said he approached McKay at the
   Senior Bowl last month and asked that Husted be released before the
   start of free agency if the team was uncertain about keeping him.
   "I believe Michael will have no less than a half-dozen teams call
   him wanting to upgrade that position," Schwartzman said. "He loved
   being in Tampa and loved his teammates and was a big part of the
   community for six years. But if this was going to happen, it's kind
   of a blessing it happened now."


   © Copyright 1999 St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.
--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

Donald Holbrook wrote:
>
> I wish they would have taken Marcus Jones, we could have used his
> salary cap money. He reminds me so much of Eric Curry. Another
> first round bust. Not a COMPLETE bust, they both can still play
> and are good back ups, but neither will be the dominant lineman
> that was expected or are worth the money they are making as first
> rounders. Losing Milanovich just means we are drafting yet another
> first round QB. I am hoping for Daunte Culpepper myself.

I look for Jones to be waived outright.  The handwriting didn't just
appear on the wall when he was put on the expansion list.  He should
have been able to read it when Tyoka Jackson, Steve White, and James
Cannida were getting minutes ahead of him.  He won't be back.  Draft-
ing a QB in the first round?  Don't bet on it.  The word I'm hearing
is that they're more likely to draft a quarterback later on.  It may
just be a Red Herring, but Dungy's already mentioned a couple of QBs
he's impressed with; Shaun King of Tulane and Scott Covington of the
University of Miami.  He coached both of them at the Senior Bowl.  I
would also not rule out the opposing QB that day -- Cade McKnown.  I
would look for them to grab the best OT available at #15 -- I'd also
not be too surprised if they traded down and added extra picks again
this year.  Of course, that could all change based on what's done in
free agency and how Ahonatu's negotiations go.

Stay tuned...
--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

I wish they would have taken Marcus Jones, we could have used his salary cap
money. He reminds me so much of Eric Curry. Another first round bust. Not a
COMPLETE bust, they both can still play and are good back ups, but neither will
be the dominant lineman that was expected or are worth the money they are making
as first rounders. Losing Milanovich just means we are drafting yet another
first round QB. I am hoping for Daunte Culpepper myself.

Through 13 selections the Browns haven't chosen any current Buccaneer
players.  Of interest to us are two of our former players who are now
Cleveland Browns:

C Jim Pyne (Detroit) was the 1st selection of the new Browns.

LB Elijah Alexander (Indianpolis) was the 12th player chosen.

Stay tuned...
--
+------------ http://www.wwd.net/user/sjackson/TheBook.htm ------------+
| Leopold E. James    | U S West           |                           |
| 930 15th St, Rm 200 | lejames@... |  Some WORD each day can   |
| Denver, CO 80202    | (303) 624-2930     |  keep the darkness away.  |

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