One Week of Bucless Football is Under Our Belts Well one week down and only another 30 odd to go before we get back to Bucs football again, not that I’m counting or anything. I do still avidly watch NFL games even after the Bucs have been eliminated. This of course came in October during the years 1985-96, but somehow it isn’t the same as my ridiculously partisan support for my own team often prevents me from rooting for other teams because they have annoyed me or beaten the Bucs in the past. Yes I am childish in that respect but its my team and I reserve the right to hate any of the other 31 at any time, or constantly if you are The Carolina Twits. It’s the all important dust settling time in Tampa now, with players lockers empty and the decision makers deciding who’s coming back and scrambling to finalise a structure of assistants for the next 12 months. It's evidently clear that an NFL Head Coach and GM have 12 month jobs but some of the work done now can certainly pay-off down the line, particularly if you are able to put the right co-ordinator in the right place place (see Defense, M Kiffin, Tampa Bay), or wrong one as the case may be (see Offense, M Martz, San Francisco). The NFL landscape is rightly dominated by the play-off combatants, though The Dolphin coaching search remains in swing for light hearted amusement. Of the final 4 teams left standing I confess to having no great affinity for any of those still standing. I admire individual players like Brett Favre and Ladanian Tomlinson but otherwise its more likely to be my dislike of a franchise that motivates my interest. A few things I think 1. I think that home defeat to the Giants doesn’t look so bad now does it, after the G men went into Dallas and rained on The Cowboys parade. 2. Speaking of Dallas is there a more annoying owner out there than Jerry Jones? Always visible on the sideline facelift, implants and all. God how I doubled my support for the Giants when I saw that blowhole clapping his hands last Sunday night. My wife wondered what the hell I was doing when I started yelling abuse at the TV but it made me feel better when McQuarters capped another Giants win with the INT. 3. Is it me or does Eli Manning morphing more and more into looking like a young Tony Adams? Prior to this season he often played QB like the old Arsenal stopper as well, with both hands in the air appealing for flags that never came. 4. I think I didn’t realise that Michael Bennett was a Free Agent at the end of the season and in other words, out of here, taking the short and sweet Thomas Jones style Buc career route. I bet that’s one trade we wish we could have back. 5. I’d say looking at the list of Buc free agents there’s nobody there that we would lose that would be catastrophic. Extensions for those under contract like Barrett Ruud, as well as retaining Monte Kiffin will surely be first priority. Then we spend hours working on offering the league minimum to people like Ryan Sims. 6. I think I loved the scene at Lambeau last saturday night. Snow, a rabid crowd, grass field and open air stadium; all the ingredients were there for a play-off classic and for two quarters it was. Then The Seahawks decided it was too cold and too hard and folded their tents faster than a Boy Scout group caught in the rain. Still made good viewing to go along with your Saturday night beverage. 7. I think if I was a betting man I’d say Tony Dungy is done for his career judging by his body language before, during and after the Colt game last week, and if he is the NFL lost one of the best men in the game. I hope one day he’ll come back to Tampa and we can show our appreciation of his time with us. As a result I have a new pseudo favourite team this week called the San Diego Chargers who I’ll be rooting for next Sunday, or at least until the third quarter when they fall more than three scores behind. Watching the play-offs once your team is eliminated is like sneaking a peak at a TV show through the window of the department store. You’re on the outside but it still can hold your attention longer than it possibly should, and that’s how I find myself for the remainder of this season. Next Sunday night will be an endurance test taking us well into the small hours, but providing the games are close Ill stick it out to the bitter end. Then wear the badge of honour called complete exhaustion the next day. The main Buc news this past week saw the retirement of Warren Sapp who never seemed to look right in a Raider uniform, and The St Pete Times reverse field from three short weeks ago and launch into Jon Gruden again; that didn’t take long. Buc fans the world over are watching and waiting on the Monte Kiffin situation and his future, otherwise the only other thing to keep us amused is tuning in to the play-off party that we left well before the last dance. Still at least it beats the dreaded off-season which looms large on the horizon like your mother-in-law visiting at Christmas. Nod of Acknowledgement to - Warren Sapp A Buc legend who hung em last week. The guy played outstanding ball for us for the majority of his career, and if you want to see the definition of difference maker he and John Lynch not only altered the perception of our defense but also the entire franchise back in the late 90’s. Thanks Warren, you certainly were one of a kind. Get in the Real World Award - Tony Romo This time last year he was in the outhouse, then resurrected himself brilliantly for a great regular season also wrecking my fantasy play-off hopes too in the process, and yet now thanks to another play-off flameout and a girlfriend that lends him to tabloid fodder he’s back in the john again. Where next Tony? Upwards again would be my bet. Sports News Story I No Longer Give a Toss About – Johan Santana trade to the Red Sox/Yankees/Mets, anywhere How long can this thing be strung out. As a Met fan following the team through thin and thinner, it held my interest at first but now Its gone on longer than many marriages and sports seasons, and even Baseball nerds are yawning at it. Head on the Block Time Last week 2-2 (season 167-96 ) - Lock of the Week 10-2 It appears there’s a glitch in the play-off law that home advantage is everything – Ill stick to my beliefs and go for the home sweep hoping third time lucky is a charm. This week's receivers of the Golden Globes, via Satellite link rather than award ceremony, are Cheats (lock) and Cheese – sounds like a kids' TV programme doesn’t it?