Bucs Produce a Real Turkey of a Performance Well at last we’ve trotted out on Thanksgiving and shown America just what we are about eh? Aside from the first drives of the game that was as much fun as $hit on your hands. We couldn’t keep our offense on the field and our defense did the backwards tango and retreated like the Italian infantry. Conventional wisdom stated that the Cowboys would opt to run the ball down our throats but sadly they didn’t have to, as we created no pass rush and Dallas Receivers ran free all day across our secondary. The game was done by half-time as we were never coming back from 21-10 down, but I’m sure all Bucs UK members stuck it out until the bitter end watching through our fingers until the smoke had cleared and we could pick over the debris. I did have to rub my eyes a little in the second quarter thinking I was watching a different game to everybody else in the Fox booth, as Terry Glenn was clearly down at the one-yard line on his second TD yet this never even merited a mention; similarly Roy Williams blatant late hit on Mr Bicep should have brought a flag and a 15-yard penalty, and yet this also was glossed over in the booth. A few things I think 1. I think I know how Joey Galloway felt when he booted the pylon, having had to wait six days for Gradkowski’s “bomb” to reach him. The Dallas CB had time to turn, check his watch, pick up the shopping on the way and still make the play. I’ve said it before Bruce – put some f*****g zip on the ball matey, otherwise NFL will stand for Not For Long in your career. Unless you are Joe Montana you can’t get away with a soft arm in this league. 2. How can you tell the season is in its final quarter? The Dolphins are just commencing their annual run to just miss the play-offs again, and achieve the perennial moniker as next season’s “team to watch” by every knowledgeable NFL analyst, and Dr Z. Come October 2007 when they are 2-5 the process will start over again. 3. Why on earth do Sky put a Cheerleader on the bloody “experts” panel? What the f**k is that about? Mind you she did often make more sense than Nick Halling, so there was some benefit to her appearance. 4. Speaking of Halling just about everything he comes out with annoys me these days, but his protestation that Gradkowski can’t throw the ball long because his “mechanics are all wrong” got my back up. Exactly how many QB’s have you coached Nick? Indeed how many games at QB have you played – pillock. 5. Still on Halling what about that brave guarantee he gave that the Cowboys would win, against a 3-7 team missing about eight regulars and playing on the road in its 3rd game in 11 days – wow, stick your neck out there Nick eh. Whatever next, Sunday to follow Saturday on the calendar this weekend – pillock (twice) 6. And still on Halling – “I could make that 19 yard field goal” – could you really Nick, bullshit. 7. Is it me or does Gruden look like he’s lost some of his bite this season. He doesn’t seem to have the same demeanour he displayed when he first stomped into Tampa, though I suppose three pathetic seasons in the last four will do that to you. One more year like this Jon and you wouldn’t need to put the feelers out for another job, the Glazers will send you there themselves. 8. Anyone else notice they have now removed the mention of Cecil Martin’s “distinguished” Bucs career from Sky telecasts. Perhaps Cecil himself has requested this due to his own embarrassment! 9. Just what the hell is going on with Michael Clayton? This one has me totally stumped. He now looks like the Bucs own version of Ickey Woods and at present he looks borderline to even make the roster in 2007. When we get a stupid penalty for “group demonstration” less than two weeks ago, things like this really do make you scratch your head, particularly as the officiating crew couldn’t wait to throw a flag on Hovan for any transgression. In the grand scheme of things it wouldn’t have changed the result but just a little consistency from both officials and game announcers wouldn’t go amiss would it. What saddens me though is watching us put up such a lame performance on both sides of the ball, Cadillac aside. Indeed his hard running was perhaps the one bright spot in a forgettable day in many aspects. Offensively he and Joey Galloway are two main bright spots, though Joey’s age means he probably won’t be around by the time we get back to being a winning football team. Troy Aikman did make some salient points on the Bucs, summising on the issue of who plays quarterback for this team next season – who the hell knows – and pointing out how long it has been since we drafted defensive players in the upper rounds, Barrett Ruud aside of course. At least we do have an additional pick to play with thanks to Booger Mcfarland but we’ve got holes all over the place, and aging players coming to the twighlight of their NFL careers. Mr Kiffin, you have some work to do this spring. If last Sunday's win over the Redskins cheered us up a little, then last night brought us all back to reality in a big way and highlighted how far away we are at present but things can change quickly in the NFL as the Saints can testify so it isn’t all doom and gloom. We’ve got five games left and we are effectively playing out the string, but how this team plays down the stretch will tell us a lot about Jon Gruden’s coaching abilities to keep everyone playing hard. If this team mails it in and finishes 3-13, the high draft pick will be the positive but the indications on Gruden’s long term hold on the team will only increase the speculation on his future. Whether these reports have any truth or not they are inevitable given our demise. I’m off to find a cat to kick in frustration. Nod of Acknowledgement to - Bo Schembechler. A great old coach and a decent man passed away last Friday on the eve of the biggest game of his beloved Michigan’s season. Bo was the face of Michigan Football for a quarter of a century and his 1989 autobiography is one of the better reads of its kind – I recommend it to you. RIP Coach, you’ll be missed. Sports News Story I No Longer Give a Toss About – Barry Bonds destination in free agency. Who on earth wants the horrendous odour of Mr Flaxseed turning up on their doorstep? More to the point as the guy is truly not a nice individual, why on earth should anybody care – memo to America, nobody really does care about Mr Bonds except the man himself. Get in the Real World Award - Simeon Rice. Time to start looking for a job elsewhere big fella – though you’ve been both an excellent player and a total nutball in equal measure, at $10.5m the axe will fall on that monster salary. Good luck elsewhere, I’m sure Daniel Snyder will be falling over himself to give you another $10m plus to redress the balance.