Wednesday, Oct. 3
It’s already an interesting week
On Monday, we found out that Carnell Williams and Luke Petitgout will be out for the season.
On Tuesday we found out— well, not found out, but heard there were rumors floating about — that the Buccaneers might be interested in Vikings Mewelde Moore, Chester Taylor and Bryant McKinnie. So far, they are unfounded.
So what happens today? Who knows.
Today the most popular people in the Buccaneers locker room will be Donald Penn, Michael Pittman and Earnest Graham. Those are the replacements for Williams and Petitgout. The most popular person by phone will be Colts head coach Tony Dungy, who will speak to the Tampa media at noon today. Sadly, I’ll miss Peyton Manning, who speaks at 11:40 a.m. Of course, I’ll catch him every 20 minutes during every TV program I’ll watch this football season, so it’s not like I’m missing much.
And then, of course, there Jon Gruden after practice, which is sure to be interesting. He’s already grating about questions about the Colts game in 2003 and Dungy.
It’s going to be one of those fun weeks where all the news seems a little more exciting — especially if the Bucs are able to pull something off trade-wise.
But don’t expect anything as mind-blowing as McKinney and Taylor for, say, Michael Clayton. The wide receiver. Not the character George Clooney is playing in the new movie of the same name.
Links to the best Bucs stories
If you’re looking for the impact of the injuries to Carnell Williams and Luke Petitgout, look no further than my Observation Deck article, which was published on Tuesday. To go even more in-depth, read Ed Thompson’s article on how the Bucs could compensate for the loss of Williams, thanks to the vast resources of Stats Inc. We’re digging deep to ascertain the impact of both injuries.
But so are other media outlets. The Tampa Tribune’s Roy Cummings approached the rehabilitation of Carnell Williams, writing that his road back from a torn patella tendon could be much harder than you think. Also, tight end Jerramy Stevens likely won’t have to serve jail time during the season after his guilty verdict for DUI in Scottsdale, Ariz.
We brought you a story on return man Mark Jones last week. But here’s a St. Petersburg Times article by Rick Stroud on Jones, who is continuing to be a difference-maker on special teams.
Gruden to come later today. Until then. MP