Bucs

McCoy, David need wins to cement legacies

September 12, 2015 general

Saturday, 6:30 a.m. Once, Dick Butkus carried the burden of Lavonte David. He, too, was saddled with a losing team. Despite his fury, despite his rage, despite his excellence, there was nothing Butkus could do. The Chicago Bears simply had too many holes around him, and he became the sight of a man fighting the […]

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Ask Gary: Covering Queen Serena and her sister

September 12, 2015 College Sports in Florida

Saturday, 6 a.m. (Each week, the readers take over GarySheltonsports.com and play Ask Gary. They send in a question, or a couple, and we all talk about the world of sports.  Think of it as a radio show where you don’t have to be on hold. Join us and ask a question, make a comment or be […]

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Can Koetter get Bucs offense up to speed?

September 10, 2015 general

Thursday, 6 a.m. Tampa Bay Bucs fans don’t want that much from offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter. Not really. They’d like the rookie quarterback to look efficient. They’d like the broken offensive line to look healed. They’d like the running game to reappear. They’d like the receivers to look dangerous. At the end of the day, […]

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Winston vs. Mariota? Start of something big?

September 8, 2015 general

Tuesday, 6 a.m. Was it like this? Was there the tingling anticipation that something big was about to begin? Was there the presumption we were all there at the beginning? Did you think about the record book even then. Did you watch them in warmups? Did you notice the way the ball came out of […]

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Scouting the Bucs, one unit at a time

September 7, 2015 general

Monday, 6:20 a.m. This is what a 2-14 team looks like. That, too. This 2-14 team needed quarterbacking after two different guys managed one win each. This team had an offensive line that was a mess. This team didn’t rush the quarterback very well. This team lost too many close games. This team sat out […]

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Greene, Brindza show final arguments to make Bucs

September 4, 2015 general

Friday, 12:10 a.m. The final argument for Khaseem Greene was a good one. So, too, was the last appeal of Kyle Brindza. Rannell Hall and Adam Humphries were good at closing. So was Keith Tandy. So was Josh Keyes. Especially, so was Tim Jennings. The Tampa Bay Bucs heard the final arguments for roster spots […]

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Where, exactly, will Bucs’ defense be better?

September 2, 2015 general

Wednesday, 6:30 a.m. Try not to think about the new quarterback for a minute. Try not to think about the offensive coordinator. Or the refocused running back. Or the rebuilt offensive line. Try not to think of the mismatches the wide receivers might create. Think, instead, of defense. Think of pass-rushers and open-field tacklers and […]

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Bucs’ Koetter recognizes bad, must bring better

September 1, 2015 general

Tuesday, 6 a.m. He was brought in to make the right call. He was brought in to make the uncoordinated look coordinated, to make the rookie quarterback look experienced, to make the broken offensive line look whole again. He was brought in to make the Bucs look offensive. And now, for a refreshingly raw play-call […]

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Bucs’ Winston still looks like a work in progress

August 31, 2015 general

Monday, 6 a.m. If the preseason is a clue, he has work to do. If the practice games are an indication, he will take some time to grow. In the case of Jameis Winston, are you prepared for that? Winston, the Bucs’ rookie quarterback, remains a work in progress. Yes, Winston has tons of potential, […]

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Winston Struggles in Bucs’ preseason loss

August 30, 2015 general

Sunday, 12:22 p.m. TAMPA Did you think it was going to be easy? Did you think the Tampa Bay Bucs would toss Jameis Winston into the microwave, wait two minutes, and voila, a ready-made quarterback would come out? Did you think he was going to be great from the outset, and there would be no […]

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