Gruden gone because players hated him

[Mr. Scot]

Per Pat Yasinskas, the biggest reason for Gruden being let go is that virtually the entire Bucs locker room hated him.

Speaking on ESPN News, Yasinskas said that players had grown "tired of his act". Apparently Tampa management felt the same way as no one gave Gruden any inkling of what was about to happen. Gruden stated he was "blindsided" by the move.

Wow :eek:

[Mr. Scot]

Shaun King added that players were tired of dealing with Gruden's ego and abrasiveness. That fatigue made it difficult for them to be motivated. King thinks even the people in the community of Tampa have had it with Gruden.

I'm wondering if Monte Kiffin's departure was the final straw there. Players and management may have come to the decision that Gruden without Kiffin wasn't worth the aggravation.

[Johnny Rockets]

Interesting.....deep down inside I had always hoped Reid would be fired from Philly and Gruden would be his replacement but I also wondered about this exact thing. Plus I knew he and ownership/management would not get along well eventhough he spent a few years in the Philly organization. This story actually makes sense, and you can tell they quit on him down the stretch.

[Mr. Scot]

They quit right after it was announced that Kiffin was leaving.

Speculation was that some of the older defensive guys were let down because they figured Kiffin's departure meant the end for them too. Turns out the truth was even deeper than that.

[Kevin Greene]

Ever seen the tape of him ripping Matt Simms in practice?

I believe it.

[Johnny Rockets]

They quit right after it was announced that Kiffin was leaving.

Speculation was that some of the older defensive guys were let down because they figured Kiffin's departure meant the end for them too. Turns out the truth was even deeper than that.

True they did, but Gruden couldn't hold them together either. (Not that I mind one bit ). That team really imploded the last couple of months. A shell of what they were not to long ago.

[Mr. Scot]

Can't believe people are actually suggested we try to get Gruden (and some for defensive coordinator, yeesh) :nonod:

With what I'm hearing about him now though, I wouldn't want him associated with this franchise in any capacity, not even as a ballboy.

[Carolina Husker]

Ever seen the tape of him ripping Matt Simms in practice?

I believe it.

Is there a video of that?

[Mr. Scot]

ESPN article says that Bruce Allen was negotiating the hire of a new LB coach just this afternoon. Guess it's true that they didn't give any warning.

(Nice contract, Bruce. By the way, you're fired)

[frash.exe]

Can't believe people are actually suggested we try to get Gruden (and some for defensive coordinator, yeesh) :nonod:

With what I'm hearing about him now though, I wouldn't want him associated with this franchise in any capacity, not even as a ballboy.

That would make no sense since he has offensive origins. They just think Gruden=defense because of the one that Kiffin built and maintained.

[Mr. Scot]

Funny. Michael Clayton was saying in an interview that the players knew Gruden was in danger and they'd need to play their absolute best to save his job.

Aaaaand look at how they finished

Chris Mortensen is reporting that it'll cost the Bucs 15 million to buy out his contract.

(anybody you hate enough to part with 15 million dollars) :eek:

[Kevin Greene]

Is there a video of that?

I think it was Inside the NFL or something. Maybe this will do:

TAMPA - Chris Simms wants you to know that it's not about the city or the fans or the team's owners. His ongoing absence from "voluntary" offseason workouts, it's about just one thing - the head coach.

Though he respects his knowledge and deeply appreciates all that he's done for him as a player, the beleaguered Bucs quarterback said Monday that his relationship with Bucs coach Jon Gruden has been deteriorating for months and is now at a point where it is irreparably broken.

"It is totally broken," Simms said by phone from his New Jersey home, where he will be today when another round of workouts begin at One Buc Place. "And it kills me to say that, because the Bucs have been great to me; the fans have been great to me; I love being in Tampa; my family loves being in Tampa.

"It's an awesome sports town, a town that loves football. But the relationship between me and Coach Gruden - it's broken. It just is. And I don't see any way it's going to get better again."

The break, Simms said, began last year at training camp, where it quickly became obvious to most observers that Simms was struggling to regain his form following surgery to remove his spleen the previous September.

Simms said Gruden never fully acknowledged the impact of the injury and the subsequent surgery had on him and even went so far as to suggest it might have been something Simms was imagining or possibly making up.

"I do believe that he thought I might be faking it," Simms said. "I mean, he asked me, 'Is it in your head?' For him to say that, that's just not right. There are just a lot of things that I can never forgive him for."

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jun/10/sp-irreparably-broken/sports-bucs/

And of course I meant Chris, not Matt.

[Jangler]

This almost sounds like a coup or a mutiny. The way they already have a new coach in place.

[Brooklyn Bully]

Espn has/had a poll up asking if it was a mistake to fire him. Every single State but one said yes, it was a mistake. Guess which State said no? Hahahaha. I guess the locals know best.