An idea for new Buccaneers uniforms

In April, the NFL will make a switch in jersey manufacturer from Reebok to Nike, who will finally bring their Pro Combat system to the pros (as opposed to college football). NFL officials have said that the change will not bring any dramatic uniform design changes, as logos and uniforms are controlled by the individual teams, who need to apply to the league to approve any uniform changes. Nike will supposedly only be bringing their advanced clothing material, and not their...creative side (see: Oregon Ducks).

However, some teams may decide that a modification could good for the team. Generally, unless a logo and jersey is historically significant (Packers, Steelers, etc.), it can be a good idea to keep things fresh every 10 or 15 years. If anything, it can serve as motivation to get fans to buy new merchandise. I feel that the Bucs could use a change.

They last changed their image in 1997, going from the creamsicles and Bucco Bruce to red, black, pewter, and orange with the Skulls and Swords. The Bucs won a Super Bowl in these uniforms, but they have also have had many rough seasons, including a 3-13 and 4-12 season the last three years. With a new coaching staff and hopefully a new direction, new Nikes, and an increasingly outdated jersey, a fresh look seems appropriate.

With that, here is my proposal for a new logo and uniform.

LOGO:

The logo is an adaptation of the current secondary logo, the pirate ship. I feel this logo has a much sharper feel to it, providing the feeling of sleekness and speed. The logo is also more linear, providing for that feeling of moving forward. This represents progress and a new direction, much like the angle in the new Lightning logo. The logo in the center sail is also the secondary logo, a "TB" standing for Tampa Bay and based off of the current Buccaneers font, which will be retained.

HELMET:

The new helmet will have a black base with a white facemask. The side logo will be the secondary TB logo. The center stripe is based on a stripe system that will be consistant throughout the uniform, which is seen on the current uniforms' numbers and pants. The stripe order is white-black-orange-red-orange-black-white.

HOME JERSEY:

The primary home jersey will have a red base, white shoulders with the primary logo, and black and white paneling down the side. The sleeves, part of the new Pro Combat system, add an extension to the uniform and use the same stripe system seen on the helmet. The numbers also tap into this format. The design of the numbers comes from the Buccaneers font, and these numbers were used on the Buccaneers practice uniforms from a few seasons ago. I have always liked these numbers and thought they fit the theme well, so they are used here.

AWAY JERSEY:

The away uniform uses basically the same design as the homes, but with some colors inverted. I debated making the shoulders red, but that would not flow as well with the sleeves or with the logo.

PANTS:

The pants are the exact same as the current secondary pants. These pants are my favorite part of the current uniform set, and they utilize the striping system, so no change is needed.

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of my designs is the lack of pewter. Honestly, I never have cared for pewter; it's such an irregular color that is hard to match and not very cohesive with other colors. Red and black have a sharp contrast, but pewter really muddies the water in my opinion. I think that limiting the color scheme to red, black and white with some orange highlights really sharpens the uniform.

I apologize for not having properly photoshopped pictures, but these designs were made by scanning sketches I made freehand and touching the up using Paint (I know, so advanced!). These took quite a bit of time, so I would appreciate any feedback.

Your new Buccaneers head coach: Greg Schiano

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have hired Greg Schiano, formerly of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, as their new head coach. The deal is for 5 years and a little over $15 million.

Schiano, who took over the Scarlet Knights in 2001, only had a 68-67 career record at Rutgers, but his impact on the program went far beyond that. He was able to take a program with only one previous bowl game in their history, and was able to lead them to 6 bowls, and 5 bowl victories. He's 56-33 in his last 7 seasons, with his talent level being average at best.

Schiano is more of a defensive-minded coach, but he said that he will not be his own coordinator, and he will hire a full coaching staff that, with or without NFL experience, needs to be full of teachers as well as learners. This is refreshing, considering how the last two head coaches for the Bucs were essentially carrying two or three jobs for the price of one (Raheem as DC, Gruden as OC), which likely overwhelmed them and the results were not good.

During his introductory press conference, Schiano, who has a reputation as a disciplinarian, described the rules that he would coach the Buccaneers by: TBA, or Trust, Belief, and Accountability. These are definitely things that need to be infused into this Tampa Bay franchise.

And wow, the Bucs were able to pull another name out of thin air. First it was Chip Kelly, and now Schiano, who were never mentioned throughout the interview process by any "insiders". Not only that, but apparently if Schiano said no to the Bucs, then another mystery candidate would have been next in line.

Greg Schiano is not the biggest name, and some may balk at his overall record at a average Big East team, and others will be concerned by his lack of NFL experience. However, he seems pretty qualified with a fantastic reputation, so it seems like a solid hire for the Bucs. Now, on to the coordinators...

REPORT: Bucs and Oregon HC Chip Kelly close to deal

Numerous reports have stated that the Bucs are in the stages of finalizing a contract with Oregon Head Coach Chip Kelly, or that there is at least a great deal of mutual interest.

If Tampa Bay lands Kelly, it would certainly be an interesting hire. Many Bucs fans had thrown his name around, but not many expected he would actually get interviewed, let alone accept the job. It's very surprising that this would happen; almost no word of this connection came out until late Sunday night. Oregon also has immense funds, considering their close relationship with Nike, so it's likely that the Glazers would be writing a large check. Kelly, who had signed a 6-year deal two seasons ago, just recently completed construction of a new home in Eugene.

Keep in mind that the deal is not finalized yet, and there's still time for it to fall through. But Kelly could bring a lot to the Bucs: leadership, energy, discipline, and creativity. I mean, who didn't like watching Oregon's offense tear through defenses the last two years? Some concerns exist about his lack of NFL experience and how his spread offense will translate, but he beat current NFL coaches Pete Carroll and John Harbaugh several times in the PAc-10/12. He also has a 2010-11 BCS Championship game and a 2011-12 Rose Bowl victory to his credit.

If anything, Kelly would certainlt bring big-name recognition and excitement to the Buccaneers.

UPDATE:

Kelly has turned down the Buccaneers. The Bucs reportedly offered $6 million a year (would have been 4th highest in the NFL), but Kelly decided that he should stay in Eugene.

Why Marty Schottenheimer may be the best fit for the Bucs

As the Buccaneers' search for a new head coach endures on, new candidates emerge and more interviews are scheduled. This is frustrating for some, who just want them to sign someone already and a fearing that nobody wants to come to a potential suicide situation in Tampa Bay, whose players have proven that they quit on their coaches and whose owners have proven not to spend money. However, the more insensive the search, the better the end results will be, so in my opinion it's good that they are taking their time.

That said, out of all of the candidates so far, the most popular from the fans' perspective has seemed to be Marty Schottenheimer. Of course, this is possibly due to the some of the other names being completely unnattractive (who wants Brad Childress after the disaster with Favre?). Many are just old retread coaches, which usually doesn't produce good results. But Schottenheimer is a bit different.

The main things going against Marty Ball is his age (68) and his playoff record (5-13). But these things do not really concern me that much.

First of all, with that age comes a lot of experience, something that the Bucs players and coaches lacked the last few season. He's seen it all, and he would know how to properly handle the issues that could arise out of a young team, such as players quitting and legal issues.

Not only that, but pretty much all of Schottenheimer's former players have good things to say about him. He is a vastly respected coach and his players would do anything for him. He is a leader and a motivator, as well as an authority, something Raheem Morris lacked. Marty would be able to build a tough football team (both mentally and physically), and a team that was disciplined, both on and off the field. He also has a history of turning around struggling franchises, a situation the Bucs currently are in. And in addition, his experience and respect would seemingly allow him to create one of the best coaching staffs possible, as he has had a tremendous amount of insight throughout the league. Marty might be too old to do all the intricate work of a coordinator, but he could be a leader and concentrate on the basics of discipline and fundamentals.

His playoff record is pretty much irrelevant at this point. Yes, he has only 5 playoff wins (and no Super Bowl appearances) in 22 years of head coaching. But much of that is due to just pure dumb luck. And at this point, the Bucs aren't near the playoffs yet. They have 17 wins in three years. What they need now is someone to right the proverbial ship, in this case a pirate ship, and help develop these young players for the future. Even if Marty only coaches for a few years before retirement, he can help to build the foundation of this planned dynasty that hopefully comes out of this mess.

Who the Bucs should target in the 2012 NFL Draft

It's no secret that the 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were really, really, really bad. And as a fan, it sucks to watch (or listen to, as was the case for about half of the season) a really bad team. In all honesty about half of the players on this team don't deserve to be in the NFL.

Luckily, going on a ten game losing streak to end the season does have its advantages. An easier schedule next year is one of them, but the most obvious one is plenty of high draft picks. Mark Dominik absolutely needs to get good production out of all of these draft picks. There are so many positions of need on the team that deciding which to target the most in the draft will be difficult.

As I see it, the greatest needs are in this order: Cornerbacks, Linebackers, Safeties, Running Backs, and Wide Receivers. Improvements are needed everywhere; the typical NFL team would fill in those improvements with free agents to compliment the draft picks, but the Bucs may just want to sign a long snapper or something and call it a day.

Anyway, here are a few players that I think could help the Bucs out in the draft. Most are first round possibilities, but a few others are expected to linger in the 2^nd and 3^rd. And I apologize that the majority of these players are from the SEC, but hey, they have won 6 straight national titles and have the two top defenses this year.

Cornerbacks

Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia

Linebackers

Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College

Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama

Safeties

Mark Barron, SS, Alabama 2

Running Backs

Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

LaMichael James, RB, Oregon 3

Wide Receivers

Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

The way I see it, the Bucs should draft Claiborne with the 5^th overall pick, Barron in the 2^nd round, and James in the 3^rd.

Bucs drop the hammer

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fired their entire coaching staff. Raheem Morris, Greg Olsen, everyone. Every last coach and coordinator has been relieved of their duties.

GM Mark Dominik will remain with the team, for now.

While this news isn't surprising, and it's probably what needed to happen, it's still shocking to see that an entire coaching staff has been fired. Now, the search begins...

This is the first step in the Bucs cleaning house from this awful season. Later I will go through the roster and determine who actually deserves to be a Buccaneer next year.

Celebrate!

The Buccaneers lost to the Atlanta Falcons, 45-24.

The Bucs season is finally over!

It's been a while since a recap of a Bucs game has been posted, with good reason. Today's game versus the Atlanta Falcons marked the tenth straight loss for Tampa Bay and the fith straight blowout loss. The Falcons are a great team, but giving up 42 points before halftime is terrible. Most of their losses have been because of the same issues week in and week out.

It is almost inevitible that many people will lose their jobs with the Bucs in the coming days. Coaches, players, maybe even front office workers. Raheem and Olsen may have coached their last day with the Pewter & Red, and Ronde Barber may retire. And I'm guessing/hoping that many other players will not return next season (more on that in an upcoming post).

By finishing with a 4-12 record, the Bucs will likely get a top-5 draft pick, so there's a bright side. And despite the frustrations, there is a lot of young (and mostly undeveloped) talent on this team. But I think all Buccaneer fans are glad to have this horrific season end; it's almost worth celebrating. So, if you have any left over fireworks....