Why Jon Gruden Had To Go

The Buccaneers aren't many people's favorite team, outside of Tampa Bay.

They don't have a flashy running back, wide receiver, tight end, or quarterback.  Matter of fact, anyone flashy (or fun) on the offensive side of the ball.  What's more, the last one they had (see Cadillac Williams), just tore his second patellar tendon in as many knees (and years) and really only had four great games in the NFL.  The rest of the positions have been often productive, often valuable, but rarely fun.

Jon Gruden was fun.  He was a screamer, a yeller, a curser.  He'd make funny faces, scrunch up his nose, and seem to have a permanent scowl on that mug of his no matter what the situation.  In essence, he lived up to his nickname as Chucky.

And so with that said, it's difficult to see the last remaining fun sucked out of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  

But, it had to happen.  While it may seem as if this season's collapse did in Gruden (though really, coaches have been fired for less--losing four in a row to choke away a playoff berth is hardly job-saving), a closer look at his time in Tampa reveals that he really hasn't been as successful as one might have you to believe.  (What he's looking at, figures and numbers-wise, I have no idea).

While it is true that Gruden did have a winning percentage over .500 in his seven year stint, most of that came in that first Super Bowl season.  Now, not to take away from a championship, but, most of that was Tony Dungy's handiwork.  That team wasn't beating people with Brad Johnson and an offensive onslaught, it was D (Dungy's D) that made that team great.

So, we fast forward a bit.  Over the remaining six years, Gruden would go 45-53, and would lose both first round playoff games he was in.  What's worse (and more important), Gruden couldn't get the team to win when it mattered.  In the 6 Decembers following the Super Bowl, Tampa emerged with a winning record for the month only once.  Not good.

Finally, if you'd really like to get picky, Tampa, under Gruden, has shown a seemingly blatant disregard for developing young quarterbacks.  The Garcias and Grieses and Johnsons of the world aren't really a recipe for future success, and, with the only  young quarterback on the roster being Josh Johnson (the blankness of his profile says all you need to know), the Bucs are again faced with the prospect of returning another aging fogey behind center (be it Jeff Garcia or otherwise).  

Gruden will obviously land on his feet, and that's a good thing.  He's a fun coach, and a fun guy to have around.  But, in Tampa, his time had come, fun or no fun.

You Know It's A Recession When...

It's not hard to lose your job when you lose every game on your schedule.

It's not hard to lose your job when your team starts of 8-3, and tanks the rest of the way out of the playoffs.

It's not hard to lose your job when your team doesn't score an offensive TD in the final 6 weeks and fails to live up to expectations after the first good season in what seemed like centuries.

And, as Mike Shanahan found out today, it's apparently not that hard to lose your job when you're the first team since 1967 and divisional play to blow a three game lead with three to play.

I'd imagine most people finding this news out found it shocking. After all, Shanahan had been head man in Denver for 14 years and won two Super Bowls.

However, he's also gone 24-24 his last three seasons.

He's only won a single playoff game since Elway retired in '99.

And that vaunted Denver rushing game, known for mass producing 1,000 yard rushers like something from I, Robot? Tatum Bell, 2006, was the last guy to have over a G.

Other big name coaches, most notably Jon Gruden and Wade Phillips, could also be on the way out in the coming days.

To paraphrase an expression I've heard in today's tough economic times, it's a recession when the coaches in your division get fired, it's a depression when you get fired.