Five topics suitable for inane debate on talk radio:
By JOHN ROMANO
Published September 12, 2004
Coming or going?: It's a dangerous game the Bucs are playing. They've essentially blown off the salary cap to make a final run at glory. The safer route would have been a more deliberate rebuilding process with an eye toward 2005 or 2006. If they fail to make the playoffs this season, it could be a disaster. They'll look like an aging, overpaid team facing an uphill climb.
AARP OF NFL: Don't want to imply the roster creaks, but Tim Brown says Brad Johnson is the most savvy quarterback he's played with since Daryle Lamonica.
Sounds good, looks bad: Statistically, the Bucs had a better season in 2003 than both the Patriots and Panthers. The offense gained more yards, the defense gave up fewer yards. So why was Tampa Bay 7-9 while New England and Carolina played in the Super Bowl? For all the supposed veteran leadership on the roster, few players stepped up with big plays when it mattered.
Mr. Personality: Without Warren Sapp, the Bucs have lost a certain nastiness. They're not as arrogant, not as greedy, not as malicious. They may also miss him on the field.
Making a home stand: The Bucs have a fairly easy road schedule with five games against teams that lost at least 11 games last season. The tricky part is at Raymond James where the Bucs were an embarrassing 3-5 in 2004.
A LIST OF FIVE: Five reasons Keenan McCardell decided he could skip camp:
5. Heard from John Lynch that management is, like, totally sentimental.
4. Only 329 months until Social Security checks start to roll in.
3. No way the Bucs can go 7-9 again without him.
2. Figured his pride was worth more than $2.5-million, which, according to the NFLPA, would make it the highest-paid pride in the league.
1. Heard from Keyshawn Johnson that management is, like, totally cool.
FIVE STATS THAT MUST CHANGE:
1. Retro defense: It'd be wrong to expect the defense to dominate like the old days, but protecting a lead is not an unreasonable request. From 2000-02, the Bucs were 20-3 when scoring 21 points or more. Last year, they were 2-3.
2. Playing smart: Whether he was hampered by poor calls from the bench or broken protection at the line, Brad Johnson is still too sharp to throw 21 interceptions.
3. Playing smart, part II: Sixteen teams finished last season with losing records. The Bucs were one of two that managed this feat while outscoring their opponents. That's a sign of a team beating itself.
4. Kick start: He is a liability on kickoffs, which means Martin Gramatica makes all of his money kicking between the uprights. If he's not at 80 percent or higher this season, he's not worth keeping.
5. Know pain, no gain: At various points last season, the Bucs lost 11 starters to injury. It helps to be deep. It helps even more to be lucky, The Bucs were neither in 2003. They better hope 2004 is different.
THE TOP FIVE: Checking out the best bets for Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville:
1. Ravens: Unless Deion Sanders messes them up.
2. Seahawks: Two years later, the other 1976 expansion team breaks through.
3. Patriots: Turns out, Bill Belichick was the brains behind Bill Parcells.
