For one day, the Tampa Bay Bucs turned back the clock to 1976. And for the first time this season, the team tasted victory in doing so. It was a memorable day for the Buccaneers organization as they combined their past with their future. Wearing the infamous (and often ridiculed) creamsicle orange uniforms (complete with Bucko Bruce on the helmet) for the first time since 1996, the Bucs unveiled a Ring of Honor at Raymond James Stadium and inducted Hall of Fame defensive end Lee Roy Selmon as their first member. Meanwhile, rookie quarterback Josh Freeman made his first National …read more

After starting the 2009 season without a win in three tries (and coming off one of the worst offensive performances in team history against the N.Y. Giants yesterday), the Tampa Bay Bucs are switching quarterbacks. Byron Leftwich is out—demoted to the third string—and second-year QB Josh Johnson is in. Bucs head coach Raheem Morris made it clear his decision was not all about Byron Leftwich, saying: “I don’t want us, as an organization, to say that game (vs. the Giants) was all Leftwich. But Byron is suffering the consequences.”
My money has been on rookie Josh Freeman taking over the starting …read more

Byron Leftwich will be the starting quarterback to open the 2009 regular season for the Tampa Bay Bucs. Head coach Raheem Morris made the announcement after practice this morning. After Byron’s mediocre 9-of-17 passing, 100-yard performance in a 10-6 preseason loss to the Miami Dolphins Thursday night, I was a little surprised with this decision, but I know it’s only a matter of time before rookie QB Josh Freeman takes the reigns and establishes himself as the team’s leader. For now, Byron’s talent and NFL experience wins out.
Byron was in a highly publicized competition with Josh Freeman and backup QBs …read more

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast
The National Football League announced today the names of 46 players who have been granted special eligibility for the 2009 NFL Draft on April 25-26. Each of the 46 players has met the league’s three-year eligibility rule and each has submitted a written application in which he renounced his remaining college football eligibility. The deadline for receiving applications was January 15. In alphabetical order, those players are:
Asher Allen DB Georgia Kenny; Britt WR Rutgers; Eben Britton OT Arizona; Donald Brown RB Connecticut; Everette Brown DE Florida St.; Carson Butler TE Michigan; Jairus Byrd DB Oregon; …read more