Smile on sideline turns to bark in huddle

When Jeff Garcia crosses the line, the Bucs QB pitches mellow aside for motivated sneer.

By RICK STROUD, Times Staff Writer
Published September 20, 2007

Jeff Garcia (left) displaying his mild-mannered side with backup Bruce Gradkowski, has a mean streak on the field.
	[BRIAN CASSELLA | Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [BRIAN CASSELLA | Times] Whether it's under center against the Saints or in practice, Jeff Garcia takes every snap and makes every throw with the attitude that they have to be perfect.

TAMPA - Jon Gruden likes to hide a microphone on his quarterback during training camp so everyone can hear how the new signal-caller spits out the plays and commands the huddle.

Jeff Garcia wanted to kill the bug.

That's because once he steps between the white lines, Garcia is a grouch. He snarls, he glares, he swears - and that's before he takes the snap.

"I don't like getting miked, I don't like it at all," Garcia said. "A couple times during training camp, Coach had us miked up and I was complaining the whole time because it's not something I want my mom to listen to.

"And that's not something I'm real proud of, but that's who I am. And I'll be the most gracious, most well-mannered, most hospitable person off the field. But that's what I'm all about on the field."

In real life, Garcia walks around with a smile on his face the size of a cantaloupe slice.

"I really am a pretty mellow guy off the field. I'm a pretty laid-back guy," he said. "I like to just blend in and keep my peace and quiet. I feel like I get along well with everybody and it doesn't matter background, race, color, whatever it might be."

At 6 feet 1, 205 pounds, Garcia has had to overcome some stereotypes. He was an undrafted, unappreciated quarterback who doesn't possess the strongest arm and had to start his career in Canada.

This is how he lights his fire. He thinks about all those scouts who told him he couldn't play dead in a cowboy movie. When he did make it, the 49ers, Browns, Lions and Eagles each cut him loose.

"I use that as a driving force in myself," Garcia said. "It's a motivator."

After two games, the Bucs are beginning to understand why Garcia pushes himself so hard. He is the fourth-ranked passer in the NFL with a quarterback rating of 116.8. And Garcia's 10.3 yards per attempt is tops in the league.

"Get in the huddle with him every day at practice. You'll see," receiver Ike Hilliard said. "He practices every play like it's a regular-season snap. And it's something that I've never been a part of, a guy that takes it that seriously. A lot of credit goes to him for that.

"As an offense, when your quarterback is that passionate about every play, we want to do that, also."

Quarterbacks coach Paul Hackett remembers when Garcia arrived in Tampa Bay, his fifth team in five years.

"When he first got here, he said, 'I think the Buccaneers may be getting the best of Jeff Garcia now because of what I've been through, particularly Detroit and Cleveland and Philadelphia,'" Hackett said. "If you look at all of that, he said, 'You may be getting me at my best.' I think it manifests itself in terms of his style. That's really what we're talking about: his leadership style, his quarterback style. And it's infectious. And that's what the good ones do."

After a 4-12 season in which rookie Bruce Gradkowski recited plays off an armband, Garcia, 37, has quickened a few pulses in the huddle. That's a good thing, according to Gruden.

"He's a barbed-wire kind of guy," Gruden said. "He's not the biggest, most menacing guy, but he has a bite to him. He's not afraid to say what he thinks.

"He wants to win, and I think it's a genuine, sincere, competitive edge he brings to our football team that we need here."

To tell the truth, Garcia is sometimes embarrassed by the way he acts on the field. He doesn't apologize for it because he's just pouring his heart out of his arm. But he wants his new teammates to know it's nothing personal.

"I think the one thing about me is I utilize my fire to really pump myself up," Garcia said. "It's really about my inner drive and passion, and if anybody can feed off of it in a positive way, then so be it. But it never comes in a way that's demeaning or negative toward any of my teammates. Never once have I pointed a finger or cursed out or singled out a teammate of mine. It's all about me wanting to be the best that I can be, bring the best that I can possibly be.

"When I throw an incomplete pass in practice, that doesn't sit well with me. I want perfection on the field. And I realize come Sunday, perfection is a hard thing to get to. But that's what we strive for and the only way you're going to get there is if you demand that out of yourself every single day and that's what I try to bring to the field on a consistent basis, is that I'm fiery, I'm hungry, I'm energetic, I want things to work in the right way."

Rick Stroud can be reached at stroud@sptimes.com.

[Last modified September 19, 2007, 23:54:55]