Koetter

Bucs’ offense is slipping, but winning forgives it

December 13, 2016 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. Winning changes everything. It forgives a team’s shortcuts. It consoles an underachieving receiver. It forgives a running back who can’t get going. It pats a quarterback on the back. That’s what winning does: It gives everyone a get-out-of -jail-free card. It fumigates the air. It brightens colors. It increases milage. It makes […]

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Does Koetter’s first year remind anyone of Dungy’s?

December 6, 2016 general

Tuesday, 3 a.m. Forget the praise he got as a coordinator. He had never been a head coach, and because of it, some were worried. The schedule looked tough, especially for a team that had spent most of a decade and a half swallowing dirt. The culture stunk. The expectations were low. And no one […]

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Night turns for wayward team and wobbly kicker

October 11, 2016 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. Imagine the pressure. Imagine the wolverines clawing at the inside of your stomach. Imagine a dry mouth and wet palms. Imagine the noise, the booing and heckling, and wondering if any of it was coming from your own sideline. Imagine being Roberto Aguayo, and staring down a field goal that meant, well, […]

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How many does Koetter have to win to keep his job?

October 4, 2016 general

Tuesday, 4 a.m. From the looks of it, it’s going to take Dirk Koetter some time to get the Tampa Bay Bucs going in the right direction. The question is: Does he have it? Koetter has dared to get off to a 1-3 start on a team that changes coaches like some people change shirts. […]

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Koetter sees the size of the job in front of him

September 27, 2016 general

Tuesday, 5 a.m. This is the part of the movie where the good guy finally looks upon the beast. It is huge. It is evil. It eats would-be heroes for breakfast. It has red eyes and sharp teeth and long claws. There are bones at its feet, and a bloody one in its hand. It […]

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How many big games does Jackson have left?

September 22, 2016 general

Thursday, 4 a.m. He looked stiff. He looked slow. He looked cautious. For crying out loud, Vincent Jackson looked old. Ever see a codger try to cross a busy street? That was Jackson, who looked out of place, out of synch and, for crying out loud, out of speed. On a day when the Bucs […]

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Bucs still trying to move from NFL’s Skid Row

September 19, 2016 general

Monday, 4 a.m. In the NFL, there is a mansion on the hill. It is surrounded by orange groves and tennis courts. A Rolls-Royce is parked in front. The Tampa Bay Bucs do not live here. This is the Patriots mansion. The place where they mail Bill Belichick’s rings to him. There are lesser houses […]

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Browns alignment offers challenge to Bucs

August 23, 2016 general

One less lineman. One more linebacker. And suddenly, you can understand why the Tampa Bay Bucs have invited the Cleveland Browns to town. The Browns use a 3-4 defense, which will be a new sight for the Bucs. The 3-4 is a different defense to block, and different for a quarterback to read. “Cleveland is […]

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Can Winston really learn in the Pro Bowl?

January 26, 2016 general

Tuesday, 6 a.m. Ah, yes. This is the part where Jameis Winston grows up. He is in the Pro Bowl with the finest quarterbacks the leagues has to offer. He can see what sort of training they do. What kind of drills they perform. What kind of standards they set. He can compare the fire […]

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Ask the Expert: Jerry Angelo

January 21, 2016 general

Thursday, 6 a.m. Jerry Angelo is a former personnel director for the Bucs and former general manager of the Bears. Each week, Angelo answers your questions regarding the NFL. Send your questions to GarySheltonsports@gmail.com with “ask the expert” in the subject line. The most interesting question will be selected. During the Divisional Playoff weekend, was […]

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