MERRY CHRISTMAS! Random Thoughts..and why I’ve changed my mind about Raheem Morris

Random Thoughts on Christmas Day-

First off, if anyone hasn’t caught it, you MUST check out the St.Pete Times John Romano who did “Ringing out the Bucs with holiday chimes”, rewording popular Christmas Carols. Here is a sample, one that had me literally cracking up…

(To the tune of Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer)

Geno got run over by a Panther

Running for his life on Christmas Eve

You can say he’s still got promise

But as for me and you, we disagree

HERE IS THE LINK to “Rocking around the Money Tree”, “Let him go, let him go, let him go”, “Talib, the gunman” “Barrett Ruud is leaving your town” and “O little team of Buccaneers”. 

For those who continue to put all the blame on the head coach, specifically involving lack of discipline, Morris Benched two players Sunday, including one of ‘his guys’. Tanard Jackson was supposed to be the safety on the big 91 yard TD play, but came up to to an uncovered underneath receiver, something he obviously was not supposed to do. EJ Biggers was left in single coverage and was beat badly. Jackson spent most of the rest of the half on the Bench. 

Morris also benched LeGarrette Blount for his fumble on the Bucs first play of the game. It’s nice to see Morris holding players accountable, but it may be too little too late to save his job now.

Should Morris return, what players are left from 2011 will likely find a very different Raheem Morris as head coach. No longer a buddy to anyone, Morris will finally be the “Head Coach”, but again, it may be too late for that, he should have gotten that from the start.

WHERE IS JERRY WUNCH when you need him? The Bucs have lacked a consistant right tackle since Wisconsin’s Jerry Wunch. In 2001 Kenyatta Walker was Jullius Peppers whipping boy, and Jeremy Trueblood is a yellow flag waiting to happen. Expect Right Tackle to be added to the need list this offseason, among a million other things like a Burner WR, 2x RB, 2X LB, Safety, 2x CB.

7 Reasons I’ve changed my mind against Raheem Morris returning as Bucs Head Coach

Even up until Saturday morning, I thought the best course of action was to keep Raheem Morris and come back with a new fresh attitude in 2012. I can no longer support keeping Raheem Morris as Head Coach, because there is nothing I can say that will make any sense. I run the risk of making myself look like a fool and having everyone tune out anything I say, much like the Bucs are doing with Morris. So to make things clear, I came up with a list of ten things, ten reasons why 24 hours later, I think the best move is to now make the change. It will still come at the end of the year, The Glazers are not going to fire Raheem Morris on Christmas Day; but Jan.2nd through Jan.6th? Thats another story, and I cant say I wouldnt be totally shocked if it happened sooner.

Mind you, by no means is this mess all Raheem Morris’ fault. I put him 3rd on the list, with the Glazers being the no.1 culprit, then these Bucs players themselves. Maybe least on the blame list is Mark Dominik, who is the company man who did what the Glazers told him to do. The Glazers need to listen up to what the fans are saying, its not so much the coach, its the players. There are going to be some big marquee names hitting free agency in March; go get a few of them. 

So Seven reasons Raheem Morris cannot coach the Bucs in 2012;

1. He cant turn around the Bucs losing skid in 2011, so you cant trust the players will listen in 2012. 
2. He waited too long to hold players accountable for their actions. Finally he benched a player who didn’t do his job right, but its too little too late.
3. His defense is the worst of all time.
4. His contract is up-you have to let him go or renew him. You cannot renew a coach who loses 9 games in a row, including 4 blowouts in a row.
5. Every area of the Bucs has completely regressed under his watch in the last 5 weeks. The Colts, Chiefs, Vikings have all salvaged something. The Bucs are now the worst football team in the league. You cant survive that as a coach.
6. Every team the Bucs play go back to their losing ways once the game is over. Jacksonville is horrible on Monday, plays like the Packers against us, then goes back to being horrible again the next week. It’s US.
7. The Lockout affected 1st and 2nd year players the most, which is what the Bucs are made up of mostly. But we are in week 16 now…there should be enough time to get on the same page. The only time the Bucs looked ready to play, was when the team went up to Green Bay. Then the next week vs Tennessee, some of that rubbed off. After that, Raheem’s team quit.