Trial by Cannon Fire

                It almost seems like yesterday that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were just beginning with the OTA’s; maybe I’m losing track of time. Nevertheless, with the onset of training camp, things are undoubtedly going to heat up over the course of these few weeks. Some of you speak of a “Great Divide” or at least a difference of opinion. I tend to observe more than participate in these activities, but for now, I believe I ought to pitch in a cent or two.

                It’s nothing new to hear that fans have their doubts and concerns over Raheem Morris’ ability to lead this team. Some are asking if he’s just a “temporary solution,” but when you think about it, isn’t almost every coach a temporary solution? Most coaches are brought in on the sole fact that their predecessors were underperforming and unproductive.

Take Andy Reid, for example. This guy’s been in the league for ten seasons. He must be doing something right, yes? If you take a look at his statistics, he’s consistently been having good seasons. Sure, his achievements are often overshadowed by the fact that the Eagles always seem to fall short of the mark, but that’s almost something we can never control. The coach that came before Reid, Ray Rhodes, finished his tenure with a dismal 3-13 record. But here’s the juicy part. Andy Reid, in his first season with the Eagles, finished the season with 5-11. Should this be a reflection of his coaching ability? I think not.

Think about it. Surely, it must be difficult to suddenly assume control of a new team that you’ve never worked with, before. And Reid isn’t the only one, there’s a coach out there who’s inherently so great, you would’ve never imagined any fault with him. His name is Bill Belichick, and his first season with the Patriots under his helm scoured by on a 5-11 record. Yes, I call this coach great. I mean, he must be, otherwise he wouldn’t have one all those superbowls. Still, I would think it’s safe to say that any coach that’s holding the reins on a new team is going to have hardships.

So when we consider Raheem Morris, please show a little faith. Obviously, I’m pulling for him and hoping for the best. But realistically, don’t be surprised if we feed from the bottom of the trough on this one. We can’t expect this man to reverse the errors of another in such a short amount of time. Does that sound familiar? I bet it does, like President Obama. The moment he came into office, thousands of cries spoke out for help, demanding that he fix the economy and everything that came with the Presidential territory. Has something been done? Sure. Is it a lot? No. But it isn’t easy trying to pick up after the other guy.

I apologize if some of you are Bush sympathizers, but I cannot deny that our economy is in shambles. I’m not a one-hundred percent Obama supporter either, but the man has got some good points. Point is, before I go off on a tangent, Raheem is very much like this new president. He’s coming in knowing that there’s a mess on our hands. True, we’ll probably make a few steps forward, but we’ve got to brace ourselves for the steps back.

I’m sure there are those amongst us who will curse Raheem’s name in the face of the Bucs adversity. But when his success rolls into the harbor, they will raise their hands on high and praise them saying, “I’ve been there since the beginning!” I’m just saying…

Whenever change is necessary, it’s rarely elementary.

P.S. – If you haven’t had a chance to see what kind of passion Raheem has for this team, I suggest you watch this…

http://www.nfl.buccaneers.com/multimedia/videoarchive.aspx?Page=1&year=2009&filename=BTF09-Coach%20Morris.flv