Hot Seat Available For Gruden Again
January 4 Tampa Tribune
"Within 48 hours of their seasons ending last week, four NFL teams fired their head coaches. The Bucs weren't one of them. A lot of their fans don't understand why.
Since winning the Super Bowl after the 2002 season, Coach Jon Gruden's Bucs have gone 45-51 in the regular season, 9-17 in the critical month of December and 0-2 in the playoffs.
No wonder Bucs fans are angry.
Once a proud and budding franchise that rival clubs looked to emulate, the Bucs have fallen into a class with the likes of Cincinnati, Cleveland and Detroit.
If you think that's an exaggeration, think again.
Since 2002, 13 teams have failed to win a playoff game. The Bucs, who have lost both of their most recent playoff games at home, are one of them.
What's worse is there are no indications their fade is slowing. In losing four straight to fall out of the playoff race this year, the Bucs looked old, tired and altogether beatable.
In other words, they looked like the Jets, who quickly fired Eric Mangini, or the Broncos, who waited two days but still fired Mike Shanahan after 14 mostly successful years of service.
No wonder Bucs fans are frustrated.
Question is, are the Glazers?
If they are, they are not saying so publicly. Though many NFL owners make their thoughts known, the Glazers typically do not address the media until the NFL owners' meetings in March. By then, the fervor has subsided.
But, how could they not be frustrated?
Sure, their stadium is "sold out" every week and there is a "waiting list" of fans apparently willing to pay whatever price it is they slap on the face of their tickets, but the Glazers have always indicated they wanted more.
They say they didn't buy the Bucs solely to make money from them, but to win championships. And, like their fans, they are no doubt aware they do not have a championship team on their hands.
That has to bother the Glazers. They have to want a team that is the talk of the league, a team that is revered, a team that is feared.
That is not what the Bucs under Jon Gruden have become. Rather, they have become the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that seldom gets to the playoffs and doesn't do anything once it gets there.
That can't sit well with the Glazers. But they have always been very patient businessmen and so Gruden remains their coach. Before they made a change, the Glazers would almost certainly want to know they have someone significantly better locked up, and such a coach may not be available right now.
Besides, Gruden has done some good things.
Just last year it appeared he had the Bucs back on the right track. Just a few weeks ago it appeared he had them on the fast track to the top.
Then it all came tumbling down.
What caused the collapse? Many are convinced it was due in large part to defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin's imminent departure and injuries to key players. If so, those are things Gruden cannot cLink
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