Sports: Bucs thrilled by Brooks, ready to move on

Bucs thrilled by Brooks, ready to move on

By ROGER MILLS

TAMPA -- Bucs strongside linebacker Al Singleton has been enjoying quite the training camp. Making plays, getting recognized by the fans and the media, playing with the starting lineup.

Wednesday, the ride ended and he was cool with it.

On a humid night at Pepin/Rood Stadium, as the Bucs took the field for their final night practice, Singleton was back with the second unit, watching Derrick Brooks do his thing on the field.

"Man, this means I'm going back to second string, come to think of it," Singleton said. "No, but honestly, it's about time, isn't it? I was happy for the time (with the starters), but he's an important part of the team. It's good all around for the defense. The first thing I said to him was, 'What took you so long?' "

Brooks, a four-time Pro Bowler who has 942 tackles in six seasons for the Bucs, ended his 10-day holdout Wednesday by reporting to camp and taking the field. His teammates appeared thrilled to see him.

"It's one of the things where he's our heart and soul and he's always going to be there, so let's go," said defensive tackle Warren Sapp, who escorted Brooks onto the field at about 7:35 p.m. "I told you he would be back and that it wouldn't take long."

"(The Bucs) had to stand their ground and he had to stand his, and we all understand what he was doing. He deserves to be paid more. They're going to find a way to make it right. All the great organizations do that. San Francisco, the Cowboys, all those years they won those championships, they paid their great players and Derrick is a great player, no doubt about that."

Said linebacker Nate Webster: "God, I've been smiling all (night). They've been teasing me and telling me not to smile so much. I don't care. It's like an uptake, new energy, new electricity. I'm feeling it right now."

Evidence of Brooks' return to action was obvious even before he was escorted onto the field by Sapp, his close friend and roommate. As teammates streamed onto the field, there was a new energy.

"I was ecstatic," Shaun King said when he first saw Brooks that afternoon. "He's the man. Any time you miss a family member, it's always great to get him back. And he is a family member."

Said linebacker Jeff Gooch: "It's great to see him, great to have him back and it'll get the morale going. Now, we're full steam ahead steam."

With Brooks in the fold, the prevailing feeling among the Bucs was that attention could now be turned to preparing for the season.

"I've got a smile from cheek to cheek," linebacker coach Joe Barry said. "It's unbelievable. I told him that I was glad he was here but that once the excitement was over, it's time to go to work and put all this behind us. Time to focus on football, it's the important stuff."

One thing that seemed clear from the resounding welcome Brooks received was that few teammates held any animosity over the holdout.

"Players understand," Gooch said. "Especially the older players, they really understand the business of the game. The younger ones don't have any idea. I can't wait to sit down with him, I've got a whole bunch of things to tell him."

Even though Brooks missed the first 10 days of camp, there was a sense the defense actually benefited from his absence and would pick back up now that he's back.

"I think you have to look at positives from this," safety John Lynch said. "Shelton (Quarles) got some work at (weakside linebacker) and Al stepped up at (strongside linebacker). I think that's the way to look at it."

Said cornerback Ronde Barber: "You know, it's going to seem like he hadn't been gone. He's the type of guy who will get right back into it and no one will notice that he's been out. Except maybe for Al, but for everyone else it's business as usual."

With no new deal signed, Brooks hopes that things get worked out before the start of the regular season. Could the possibility of another holdout pop back up?

"It'll all be settled before we go to Dallas," Sapp said. "I know that. So we can go for 16 weeks and do our thing."